Carisa Bescott stood in ruins and rubble.
She frowned and bent down, picking up a rock from beneath her feet, but it crumbled between her dark-skinned fingers before she could examine it properly. She huffed.
A voice from behind her – her husband – asked if there was something wrong. She replied, "No," and forced a smile. "Just thinking." That part was true, and when he kept talking, she was barely listening at all, except for the occasional snippet.
"Then he said … of course I … but it was so … really, it … and then the … so I said … District 4 … this year's Games … Flickerman is …"
Carisa nodded along and pretended she was listening. Her mind was far away from her husband, and much closer to the crumbles at her feet. An idea sparked, growing fast in her mind, and then she had it. She turned abruptly to face her husband.
"We're going, Jiaro," she said briskly, then marched past him and headed back to where their car waited. Jiaro stared after her in bewilderment, scratching his temple with bejewelled fingernails that glinted in the harsh glare of summer's sun.
Voices grappled for Carisa's attention as she went through the crowd, eyes glittering with admiration for their Head Gamemaker. She would be proud and pleased with the attention, but she was used to it after years and years, and she had more important business to get on with. She was nearly at the president's home, where Peacekeepers saw her and went to her sides, warding off admirers to let her through Snow's gates.
"What is it?" Snow asked, upon her arrival in his office. "I have work to do." He looked up from the papers he had been examining. "If you have something to say, say it fast. If it's not important, get out."
"I have an arena," she said, and the impatience in his eyes faded to cold curiosity.
"Well," he said, standing slowly. "Do tell."
I edited this chapter after looking back on it. God, it was disastrous – why didn't anybody tell me? I had to go this whole time with a crappy prologue. Gah.
Here's the tribute list, for all interested:
District 1
Girl – Diamond Cutter, Captain-Random64
Boy – Glimmerick Lockhart, Asami Sato
District 2
Girl – Riley Sickle, The Knife Throwing Expert
Boy – Eclair Hatsmiku, Danceposh
District 3
Girl – Sloane Overton, Squintz
Boy – Giovanni Valencia, Lunarwolfhunter
District 4
Girl – Kalinna Steele, Callie the Career
Boy – Zanther Grimms, Bloodreddeathgoddess
District 5
Girl – Alexa Sparksmith, Burwellbrown
Boy – Chord Le'Ron, Northeastchild
District 6
Girl – Tigress Star, HGvsHG
Boy – Gaso Sedax, village bicycle
District 7
Girl – Heather Madison, MrsHutcherson16
Boy – Claude Steed, Finnicklovr4ever
District 8
Girl – Carmilla Meadows, MissFiyeraba
Boy – Nicholas Atkinson, RIPRueFinnPrim
District 9
Girl – Barlee Brewer, TGHG
Boy - Pitterin Vereday, Mattii16
District 10
Girl – Kiden Tuesday, Squirrel-Punter-6829
Boy – Lupus Sands, TheOtherLachance
District 11
Girl – Kisa Kelbert, .CoffeeO.O
Boy – [vacant]
District 12
Girl – Jasmine Khean, Fernlight
Boy – Chace Arkose, Avenueey
Hope to see you with the next chapter!
And someone please fill District 11's free spot!
