The next few days passed without incident. Antonia and I kept a close eye on Otto, as well as watching Riley steadily improve in combat, whilst unnoticed by the other tributes. She and Milo stuck together like glue, training together and eating their lunch on the same table. Otto still stuck with the Careers, but we heard no more of his plotting against Riley. Unsurprisingly, after Antonia's threat. Having said that, she kept quiet about her confrontation with Otto, and I didn't mention it.

I'd often sit with Riley in the evenings, and we'd talk about life at home. She told me about her three younger siblings and her older brother who cared for them after their parents died during the flu epidemic. I told her stories of my Grandmother and what I could remember of my parents.

"What happened to them?" she asked me.

"Shot for stealing," I said simply. Riley's eyes had widened.

"Just for stealing?"

"It was at a time with an old mayor. If it were now, perhaps they would have been whipped. But it was a different era, Riley. A darker era than you can imagine. Things are bad now, but they were worse then."

"It's hard to believe," Riley muttered "One day Arrian...do you think we'll be free again? Do you think anyone has the power to start a revolution?"

"There have been...attempts," I replied quietly.

"Really? By who?"

"I probably shouldn't be telling you. It's dangerous information," I said quietly. I shook off the feeling that somebody was listening in.

"Please, Arrian? Come on. We'll go to my room. It's more private," Riley said. I think she realised my fears of being overheard. When we reached her room, I turned on her television and began scrolling through past Hunger Games.

"What are you doing?" Riley asked, bounding to my side.

"What do you notice?" I asked her, showing her the listings of the previous Hunger Games. Riley's eyes widened.

"It doesn't have the footage of the 31st Games," Riley exclaimed, squinting at the screen as though it might suddenly appear. I nodded, turning the screen off, and Riley eagerly sat down on the couch to hear more.

"The victor was a girl named Raven. I know her well. She was from District 10. But the Games were the end of hope for her. She lost the boy she loved during the Games, then her mother. Her brother was gone too. And so, feeling she had nothing to lose, she married a man she didn't love, and then..." I paused, unsure what to say.

"And then?" Riley pressed.

"Then...she tried to start a revolution. She used her Victory Tour to blow lots of important Capitol people up. She killed most of the Gamemakers, and half the most important sponsors of the Games. But she didn't get the President. And now she is being punished for it."

"Punished how?"

I gulped "They cut out her tongue. She's on the run, now. Who knows what they'll do if they catch her."

"Do you know where she is?"

"No," I lied "But I know that she's still working to avenge the deaths of her loved ones. She'll make a break through one day, just you wait."

"How did they explain her disappearance? And the loss of the footage?"

"They used the bomb Raven set off as an excuse. They didn't say it was her, but they implied that it was a deliberate attack. As for her disappearance, they said she was being treated for severe depression in the Capitol, with another victor, Drew. He went with her."

Riley tilted her head back and looked at the ceiling with an expression of admiration "You know what? If I get out that arena alive, I'm gonna be just like her."

I grabbed her arm firmly, "No, Riley. You mustn't do anything like Raven did. Did you not hear me? They cut out her tongue!"

"That'd be one way to shut me up," Riley grinned, raising an eyebrow "I don't care, Arrian. I want to do something. I'm sick of being a chess piece in the Capitol's games. Who says they have to win? Who says I can't manipulate their sick, twisted Games?"

Riley's eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she stood abruptly, wiping her face furiously.

"Riley, I'm sorry. You're too young-"

"Too young? Don't patronize me, Arrian. If I'm too young to rebel, how come I'm old enough to be in an arena fighting to the death?" she snarled. She bit her thumb, innocent tears wetting her cheeks. As I wrapped my arms around her, she sunk into my chest, allowing the tears of fear to flow freely. She was stuck between her fear and her drive to do something good. But when the tears stopped, her biggest defence mechanism was put in place; sleep. Her head drooped against my shoulder and I carried her to her bed, tucking the white sheets up to her freckled chin. I softly wiped away the tears from her face with a flannel and left her to sleep, but as I lay in bed that night, I knew I wouldn't rest myself. I tossed and turned all night, thinking about what Riley had said. Maybe a revolution would be a good thing. I just didn't believe we had the power to make a change.

When the sun began to rise, I saw no point in staying in bed. I got up and had some coffee. Antonia joined me minutes later, though she liked to sleep in if she could. She was also nursing weary eyes and trying to prevent herself from nodding off.

"I forgot to take my pills," Antonia mumbled "Just had the roughest night I can remember."

"At least it's over now," I said, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. She'd improved dramatically in health since arriving at the Capitol, and she seemed to be getting some colour back into her eyes "What do you predict for the training scores today?"

"The usual. The Careers are gonna get amazing scores. And Riley is going to get zilch, obviously. At least that's her aim. She told me she's aiming to get the worst score in history," Antonia muttered. I smiled, amused at Riley as always.

"Any thoughts on Otto?"

"I don't care," Antonia said "He can rot in hell for all I care."

"That's lovely, Antonia," Riley said brightly, entering the room and piling food onto her plate. All traces of the previous night's outburst were wiped away, but she wouldn't look me in the eye.

"Got anything up your sleeve?" Antonia asked, slipping three sugars into her black coffee.

"I'll think of something to make me look absolutely ridiculous," Riley replied. Sure enough, that evening she returned to watch the training scores with us with a swollen toe and a broken nail.

"I didn't think dropping the hammer on my foot would hurt quite so much!" Riley moaned, stroking her wounded foot mournfully.

"Well of course it hurts, silly girl!" Marcia said, rolling her eyes and perching on the edge of a seat "How are you going to walk in your heels tomorrow?"

Riley rolled her eyes, sitting back on the couch. Claudius Templesmith appeared on the screen, beaming as usual. Silently, Otto slipped into the room and stood behind us, watching with a straight face.

"From District 1. Cassia. A score of nine."

Riley bit her thumb. I knew she feared Cassia's strength. Maya, the girl from 4, received a ten. Riley almost let her guard down and smiled when Milo received a ten, but she stopped herself before Otto saw. I squeezed her hand, as a gesture of congratulations to her friend and she squeezed it back.

Soon enough, it was time for Otto's score. He smiled smugly as he awaited his score.

"From District 7. Otto. A score of...twelve."

Everyone's head turned slowly, yet deliberately, towards Otto, his face split into an arrogant grin. I wondered what the hell he could have done in his session to earn a twelve. Even Claudius seemed surprised.

"A twelve! How unusual! You must have done something right, young Otto," he said, laughing cheerily. Riley tried to keep her breathing even, but I could tell she was angry. Otto sauntered out of the room, not bothering to hear the rest of the scores.

"I hope you don't score too poorly, Riley," he sniggered as he left the room. The corners of Riley's mouth twitched as Claudius moved on to Riley's score.

"A rather interesting contrast for young Riley Swan, I'm afraid. From District 7. Riley. A score of three," Claudius said, a tone of regret to his voice. But it made Riley smile.

"That'll take some beating," she whispered to me. I found that I couldn't prevent the smile on my face forming. Marcia stood, sticking her nose in the air.

"Disgraceful. We may as well be rid of her now!" Marcia declared, leaving Riley and I quietly sniggering into our hands. Antonia didn't see the funny side of it.

"It's going to be impossible to get her sponsors now," Antonia moaned, watching Riley hopelessly.

"Not if I put on a good show in the arena," Riley pointed out. I ruffled her hair fondly and closed my eyes, praying that Riley would come out the arena alive.

AN: Hey guys! Apologies for the atrotious nature of this chapter. I am ill and tired, but I was desperate to post something, and this is all I could produce. So I offer my appologies for that. I have some things to say. If you enjoyed Silence, I'm now posting unseen entries of Logan's diary under my short stories collection, Grim. So yeah. Check that out. The other thing is that I'm thinking of entering this into the Watty's, and was wondering what you all think of that? Let me know! Please read, vote and comment! I love you all