~ District Five Train Rides ~

Name: Izaak Grenly
Age: 13
District: Five - Power
Occupation: Tribute
Location: Train Going to The Capitol

Izaak sat outside of the train feeling the wind. His short legs dangled over the edge. The wind felt like silk against his skin. It was a nice feeling. It was something to enjoy before dying. Izaak knew he was going to die. Volunteering for the Games seemed like a discreet way of committing suicide. The lady of the orphanage spent a fortune on taking him to therapists, but the doctors or therapists never helped. What was the point of living? After all, he did lose his parents in a terrible nuclear power plant explosion. And nobody really wanted to be his friend.

The small boy scooted even further when his district partner sat down next to him.

"Hi, Izaak!" the perky girl smiled.

"Hi…" Izaak sniffled.

"Look, I'm not gonna ask why you are crying. It is none of my business. But I think you should cheer up. Food is all around you. Whenever I'm upset, I make sure I take a package of cookies with me. I like comfort food." she slid him a small package of gingerbread cookies.

"It's my token, but you need it more than I do. My grandmother made the cookies, and it reminds me of home."

Izaak was shocked. No one had ever been that nice to him before, let alone giving up their own district token.

"In case you have forgotten, my name is Medeia Koerber." Medeia said sweetly, then she went back inside the train.

Izaak quickly unwrapped the package, and he took a huge bite out of the light brown cookie. Medeia was right. It tasted better than a regular cookie made from the Capitol. He ended up devouring all ten of the cookies within five minutes.

The escort, Galinda Glassman, stuck her head outside the door.

"Mr. Grenly, you are spoiling your dinner!" Galinda squawked.

"You can't really blame me. I have been hungry throughout my whole entire life." he shrugged.

Galinda's eyes softened a bit. She saw the sadness in his dull blue eyes.

"Dinner is in five minutes, dear." the escort walked away.

Izaak picked at the light brown cookie crumbs. When he was finished, he crumpled the bag into a ball, and tossed it away.

It's really strange, Izaak thought.

He wondered why someone as pretty as Medeia would talk to him. And he was determined to figure that out.

Name: Medeia Corber
Age: 15
District: Five - Power
Occupation: Tribute
Location: Train Going to The Capitol

Medeia smirked. Izaak Grenly was so easy to manipulate. Manipulation comes easily to her. It's like a special power or ability. Everyone falls for Medeia's charm and power. They think she's just some dim-witted bubbly little girl. She always wins people over with her charm and power.

She used a heated flat-iron to straighten her hair, the soft waves disappearing.

Once she was done, Medeia went back to the dining room.

"Oh, Medeia, your hair looks so stunning! It looks better that way." the escort grinned.

"Why thank you, Galinda. I don't mean to be full of myself, but it does look better. I never liked my hair curls." the tribute's voice matched the escort's enthusiasm.

"I like this tribute, she has manners!" Galinda said to the mentors.

"Certainly, manners isn't going to help them win. Now lets get straight to the plan. Are you guys going to be allies?"

Medeia smiled with a set of shiny white teeth. "Of course, we are district partners!"

A small grin formed on Izaak's face. He seemed to trust her already despite her perky attitude.

The female tribute's eyes scanned the whole entire table. She wasn't hungry, even though the delicious food called upon her. The only interesting thing was a very sharp steak knife with serrated edges. It was sharp enough to saw right through the mahogany table. Medeia slipped the knife into her pocket. She was intelligent enough to hide it in a nice safe place where no one else could find it. She wasn't skilled with knives, but she knows basic skills. All you have to do is just slice people, and stab them.

"So what can you do?" the mentor asked Izaak.

The little twelve-year-old was taken aback, as if he had to solve a long complicated algebra problem.

"Uhh..."

"I know a lot about insects, plants, and berries," Medeia cut in, "plus I can re-activate a disabled bomb."

The mentor looked bewildered. "Really?"

"That was rude! I may not look like I have brains, but looks can deceive." Medeia grinned, a glint in her eye.

Okay, I'm obviously running out of ideas with the train rides. So we are moving on to the chariot parade! Finally we are halfway there. Thank you for sticking with me these past few months. I can't believe I'm going to be a Freshman and that my 14th birthday is on the 9th! Yaass.

Question 1: What horror flick did Jennifer Lawrence star in? (5 points)

Question 2: Any tips for high school? (20 points)