Pandora threw herself into my arms, gripping me tightly as though she never wanted to let go. I breathed deeply, trying to keep myself from crying. She smelt of grass and fresh air, and her soft hair brushed against my face as we embraced. When she pulled away, I pulled her back in for a long, lingering kiss. This time, when we drew apart, she was smiling. She began to speak to me using rapid sign language, gesturing with her hands. I watched carefully, trying to interpret what she was saying. I’d learnt the language that she and Raven, her friend, created to communicate with, but I was still a little slow.

 I’ve missed you, darling. Life is so hard at the moment. I could keep on top of my schedule if it wasn’t for Raven, but life is punishing for both of us there. I wish we could be with you.

 “I wish you could be too,” I murmured against her lips. A tear slid silently down her cheek, as she began to move her hands again.

 She’ll be OK, won’t she? Raven?

 “I hope so. It can’t be easy for her at the moment, nor for you. I’ll try and get on the next cargo train to District 12, and I’ll walk to 13 from there. I can bring some more Capitol medicines for her. Does that sound good?”

 Pandora nodded.

 I think she needs all the help she can get. Eddie does his best, but he is needed. He’s been promoted and he works right alongside Coin and the others. She is so lonely, Arrian. We both are.

 “Don’t fret, Pandora. It will be OK. I’ll come to you soon, I swear. She’ll be fine. You’ll be fine.”

 Hurry, my love. I’m not sure how much longer we can cope.

 The train sounded an alarm to signal that it would be leaving in sixty seconds. It made Pandora jump, her unease clear in her actions. After slipping the wad of envelopes into her frail hands, I kissed her forehead.

 “I’ll be there soon. Give me a week.”

 I jumped off the train, watching her shrink back into the shadows and disappear. Then the train trundled out of the station. I couldn’t bear watching her leave, so I turned my back, returning home. I had to be ready to go. The next cargo train was arriving in the early hours of the morning, this time delivering rather than picking up. I found myself raiding the medicine cupboard and removing a few herbs. Right at the back, I found a stash of morphine shots. I kept them hidden because Grandmother disapproved of anything made in the Capitol. Stuffing them in a bag, I began to raid the kitchen for food.

 “Where are you going?” Grandmother asked, a disapproving tone in her voice as she watched me in frenzy.

 “I need to go to Thirteen,” I said, throwing a loaf of bread into my backpack.

 “Is that so? Be careful, Ari.”

 “When aren’t I careful?”

 Grandmother patted my cheek affectionately “All the time. If you don’t come home within a fortnight, I’ll come looking for you.”

 “There really is no need, I swear. I’ll be fine,” I said, planting a kiss on her crinkled cheek. She saw me out and I set off to make sure I was ready to catch the early morning train. As I walked through the Victor’s Village, I realised Antonia was staring out her window. Spotting me, she walked out on to the patio, bare foot and wrapped in a dressing gown. Her eyes were puffy from crying, and she held a coffee in her hands. Reaching in her pocket, she pulled out a couple of brightly coloured pills and popped them in her mouth, washing them down with the brown liquid she’d grown used to drinking since winning the Games. Though she’d never admit it, she’d struggled after the Games with terrible nightmares. After eight years, mine had died down, but Antonia’s face was always haunted by her actions. She swallowed hard, staring at me.

 “What are you doing?” she asked, sniffing. “It’s a bit late for a walk, isn’t it?”

 “I wouldn’t say so,” I said, giving her a small smile. I wanted to make things up to her. “Fancy coming with me?”

 “No thanks. I think I’d rather stay in and feel sorry for myself,” she said, sipping from her cup again.

 “Come on. Where is your sense of adventure?” I said, outstretching my hand to her. Her eyes flashed with recognition. After all, I was quoting her…

 Antonia and I sat under a tree in the orchard, watching the workers planting new trees. Antonia was clearly bored, tossing a bruised peach over in her hands. I was reading a book of poetry of my Grandmother’s, and Antonia wasn’t best pleased.

 “Ari! Why are you such a bore?” she whined.

 “I’m not. Only boring people get bored,” I pointed out. “And I’m quite content. I could sit and read all day.”

 “Well, liven up. I want to do something fun for once. We never do anything fun.”

 “I’m having fun.”

 “Hey, Arrian!”

 We both looked up. Tilly Carter, the most popular girl in the school, stood over us, her lip curled into an unpleasant smile. She was small, blonde and very pretty, but I’d never liked her myself. She wrinkled her nose at Antonia’s clothes, which were old and raggedy in comparison to her neat cotton dress.

 “Nice outfit, Ant,” she sneered. Ant was a nickname she’d adopted for Antonia, referring to her small, skinny figure, and Antonia despised it. She had always been insecure, and shrunk back away from Tilly.

 “Can we help you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her childish teasing.

 “Yes, you can. I would like to invite you to the Mayor’s ball. I’ve been invited, and I’m allowed a date. I’ve always wanted to get to know you better,” she cooed, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

 “I can’t make it,” I lied.

 “You don’t even know when it is.”

 “Yeah, I know, but I won’t be able to make it,” I said, hoping she’d take the hint. She did, and looked shocked.

 “Fine. I didn’t really want to go with you anyway. I just felt sorry for you, is all. I mean, you’ve been a victor for four years already…and you still don’t get invited anywhere. I’ll leave now.”

 I nodded with a smile, glad to be rid of her. She turned on her heel and began to prance away. As she did so, Antonia smiled at the bruised fruit in her hands.

 “I think I’m in need of some target practice,” she murmured, raising her arm to throw the peach at Tilly. I stopped her with a frown.

 “Are you sure that’s a good idea? She will be pretty mad…”

 Antonia ruffled my hair with her free hand “Oh come on, Ari. Where is your sense of adventure?” she grinned. Smiling at my friend, I picked up a peach from the ground and took aim at Tilly. On the count of three, our peaches soared through the air, one hitting Tilly’s backside and the other colliding with her head. In a fit of giggles, we fell to the ground, snorting and enjoying the spring afternoon.

 I smiled at the memory, my hand still held out as an offer to Antonia. Wavering, she took a tentative step towards me, before slipping her hand into mine. I squeezed it gently, glad that we were friends again. Antonia laughed lightly for no apparent reason, and beamed at me.

 “Come on, then. We have an adventure to go on.”