Competitors

"What do you think about watching the replay of the harvests?" Effie says, tapping the corners of her mouth with a white linen napkin.

Katniss goes to fetch her notebook where she keeps the surviving victors, and we gather in the compartment with the television to see who will be their competition in the arena.

Everyone is in position as the anthem begins to play, and the annual repetition of the harvest ceremonies in the twelve districts commences.

In the history of the Games, there have been seventy-five victors. Fifty-nine are still alive. Jacob recognizes many of their faces, either from seeing them as tributes or mentors in previous Games or from his recent review of the winners' tapes.

But he also recognizes them because they are identical to the movies he had seen in his original world. In fact, there isn't much difference.

Some are so old or consumed by diseases, drugs, or alcohol that Jacob can't place them on his lethality scale. As one would expect, the collections of professional tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4 are the largest. But each District has managed to contribute at least one female and one male tribute.

The harvests pass quickly. Katniss carefully marks stars next to the names of the chosen tributes in her notebook.

Haymitch observes, his face devoid of emotion, while his friends step forward to take the stage. Effie whispers mournful comments like "Oh, not Cecelia" or "Well, Chaff could never stay out of a fight," and sighs frequently.

Meanwhile, Jacob knows that most of those volunteering are tributes who are aware of the rebellion, which is good as it will make things easier for them in the arena.

There are the classically beautiful siblings from District 1 who were victors in consecutive years when Katniss was young.

Brutus, a volunteer from District 2, who must be at least forty years old and seemingly can't wait to return to the arena. Finnick, the handsome, bronzed-haired boy from District 4, who was crowned ten years ago at the age of fourteen.

A hysterical young woman with long, loose brown hair is also called in District 4 but is quickly replaced by a volunteer, an eighty-year-old woman who needs a cane to get on stage.

Then there is Johanna Mason, the only surviving female victor from District 7, who won a few years ago by pretending to be weak. The woman from District 8 whom Effie calls Cecelia, appearing to be in her thirties, has to untangle herself from three children who cling to her.

Chaff, a man from District 11 whom I know is one of Haymitch's particular friends, is also going.

At that moment, Katniss is called. As there have been changes, Jacob is called before Haymitch. One of the presenters becomes genuinely teary-eyed because it seems that luck will never be on their side, the star-crossed lovers of District 12. Then she composes herself to say, "I bet these will be the best Games ever!"

Haymitch leaves the compartment without a word, and Effie, after making a few disjointed comments about this tribute or that, bids us goodnight.

Katniss simply sits there, watching Jacob indifferently munching on grapes.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Jacob asks, giving Katniss the same reassurance as the last time they decided to participate together in the Games.

Katniss had been having nightmares lately. She had grown fond of Jacob in a special way. Tonight they are going to be horrific, without a doubt. But she can hardly ask Jacob to come and sleep with her.

He had distanced himself from her to alleviate the pressure she felt, and she knew that, but she couldn't stay away from Gale and his family.

"What are you going to do?" Katniss finally asks.

"I'll review the qualities of this year's participants. I need to get a clear picture of the participants from Districts One and Two. Don't worry, I'll go through it by your side in the morning. Go to sleep, Katniss," Jacob says with a calm gaze.

Katniss says goodbye and goes to bed, but a few minutes later, she wakes up from a nightmare where the elderly woman from District 4 transforms into a gigantic rodent and bites her on the face.

She knew she was screaming, but no one comes. Not Jacob, not any of the Capitol attendants.

She puts on a bathrobe to try to calm the goosebumps rising all over her body. Staying in her compartment is impossible, so she decides to go find someone to make her tea or hot chocolate or anything comforting.

Maybe Haymitch is still awake. He's surely not asleep. She orders warm milk, the most soothing thing she can think of, from an attendant. Hearing voices from the television room, she enters and finds Jacob. Next to him on the couch is the box Effie sent with tapes of the old Hunger Games. She recognizes the episode in which Brutus became a victor.

Jacob pauses the video when he sees Katniss entering the room, unnoticed by her, the orb around Jacob silently shifting to the corner of the room.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Not much," says Katniss. She tightens the bathrobe around herself more tightly as she remembers the old woman transforming into the rodent.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jacob could be reserved or cold with other people, but he felt a unique connection to Katniss, who was the same age as him.

Sometimes that can help, but Katniss just shakes her head, feeling weak because people she hasn't even fought yet are already pursuing her.

Seeing Katniss standing by his side, Jacob says, looking her in the eyes, "I'm not open to close affection, but you can be by my side, and this way we support each other. It's cold, and it's nice to have a warm presence."

"Yeah, I guess that's all it is," Katniss says as she lies down next to Jacob and rests her head on his shoulder.

Their moment is interrupted by the arrival of the Capitol attendant with the warm milk. He places a tray on a table with a steaming ceramic pitcher and two cups.

"I brought an extra cup."

"Thank you," Katniss responds.

"And I added a touch of honey to the milk, to sweeten it. And just a pinch of spice," the attendant adds. He looks at them as if he wants to say more, then shakes his head slightly and leaves the room.

"What's up with him?"

"I think he feels sorry for us," Jacob says, avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah," says Katniss, pouring the milk.

"I mean it. I don't think the people in the Capitol will be too happy with us reentering," Jacob says. "Or the other victors. They feel a connection to their champions."

"I suppose they'll get over it once the blood starts flowing," Katniss replies wearily.

"So, are you watching all the tapes again?"

"Not really. Just skipping around to see different fighting techniques from people."

Jacob and Katniss spend the night watching the tapes, which, by the way, also featured Haymitch's competition, where he won one of the deadliest and most populous games in history.