QUEENOFTHEBUTTERFLIES
GALACTIC GAMES
SHURIKEN KISSES
I stand frozen to the spot, unable to come up with any sort of immediate response. I know that I'm being watched by billions of people, but when I'm no longer one person in a crowd of many, it suddenly seems much more terrifying. I remember that I can see myself, too, and look up at the large screen, which had been showing the face of Hanya Trile. Now it's like staring into a mirror. It looks like my face has gone pale, even with all of the make-up caked on it. And I look fragile, breakable – like I don't belong on that screen. I don't feel beautiful anymore; I feel like a little girl playing in her mommy's closet. Which, in a way, I am.
I try to remember the faces of the tributes from planets one and two, but it's futile; I woke up too late to see them. It probably doesn't even matter – they're Careers. We're not. At least I'm not, anyways. There are certain spots on Planet 3 that train for the Hunger Games. Both Massika and Jobain come from cities that are favored by the Center. I doubt that the Center's even heard of Carvonova.
Fearing that I've spent too much time doing nothing, I take my eyes off of the screen and start for the podium. People automatically part, creating a path for their new female tribute. Some of them look down at their own feet and pretend that nothing major is happening. Most of them stare at me, their eyes holding something resembling pity. "What are you all looking at?" I say under my breath, shooting an angry glare at one of the girls who is staring at me. She turns away from me, embarrassed to have been caught. Good.
Mayor Quintyl, who had been sitting is in his fancily decorated chair, snoozing, quickly stands up and prepares to shake my hand. I don't smile at him – I just shake his hand. Before he lets go, he whispers, "Good luck," to me, so that nobody else can hear him. "Do us proud," he says, louder, so that the cameras catch his words this time. I nod respectfully before taking my place at the center of the podium. I've seen this happen often enough to what I'm doing. I stand perfectly straight and tall, making sure to loosen my shoulders up a bit so that I don't appear completely rigid and tense.
I'm standing there for almost a full minute before the crowd starts to clap. At first it's just one clap, and when I look up, I notice that it's coming from the girl I frightened. Her eyes lock with mine, and suddenly a flood of words pass between us. She's wishing me luck; she thinks I stand a chance. I let the corner of my lips pull up into a tiny smile, and I give her a small nod. I'll try my best not to disappoint.
Her one clap turns into two, which then turns into many. The entire city of Carvonova is clapping for me, Avoria Maydel, ill-tempered Elf girl. I feel a strong sense of pride taking over of me, telling me to say something smart instead of keeping quiet, like I normally do. I don't think I've ever felt a feeling as strong as this, so I grab ahold of it. "People of Carvonova!" I say, trying to capture the hope before it flees. "I. Am. Your. Champion!" I thrust my fist into the air and allow myself to smile at the crowd. They explode in cheers and roars, and somewhere in there, I manage to catch Brick's eyes.
I place a kiss in the center of my palm and throw it at Brick like it's one of my shuriken. I'll miss you, it says, but there's no way for him to read it; no way for him to know. He reaches up high to catch it and puts it in his pocket, keeping it safe for when I'm gone.
"Avi. Avi. Avi," he starts, whispering a silent cheering of my name. Then my mother joins in, and the other families who are standing around the age groups do, too. Soon everyone is screaming my name with their hands clapping and their feet stomping. "Avi! Avi! Avi!" This is such an unusual sight – no one on Planet 3 cheers about being reaped. No one. But now I have the feeling that the entire planet is cheering for me, the tribute who took on the challenge. It's a kind of thrill that I've never experienced before.
The crowd starts to quiet down, and the screens change from images of me to images of Hanya Trite. She looks positively delighted, glad to have something interesting going on. I'm betting that she wishes she would have picked a tribute from Carvonova earlier; I can see it in her face. "Well, isn't she a promising one?" Hanya exclaims in her nasally voice. The screen flashes to Massika and Jobain, gaging their reactions. Jobain lets out an encouraging whistle, and I smile at the screen. What's with all the smiles today, Avoria? I send the question to the back of my mind, not yet willing to sacrifice my newfound excitement. Massika just raises an eyebrow, as if to say, "We'll see."
When the screen goes back to Hanya, and she moves on. "Well, that was positively splendid! Now it's time for our male tribute… Can you handle all the excitement?" She lets out a weird little giggle, and I cringe at the sound. It causes a few members of the crowd to cover their own giggles, but on the screen, Hanya is oblivious. After she unfolds the paper, she squints at it for a second, then shrugs. "Alright… And our male tribute for the one thousandth Hunger Games is… Beltross Coven, from…" She pauses again for dramatic effect, and it gives me just enough time to realize that the name she just said is familiar. "Carvonova, Planet 3!"
I'm stunned. Completely and utterly stunned. No two people from the same city have even been chosen as tributes. But today, as I'm beginning to learn, is a day just full of firsts.
I see the crowd part for a second time as a boy jogs towards the stage. The second I lay my eyes on him, I know why I remember him – he's the boy I used to tease, the one who begged his parents to move across town so that I wouldn't torture him. But from the looks of things, he's grown up. He stands tall, almost a foot taller than I am even though we're the same age. He's got this medium length, light brown hair that looks as if it's purposely messed up. He's definitely gained some muscles over the last seven years, and a confidant smile, too.
"Hello, all!" he says, walking onto the stage. As he smiles and waves at the crowd, I feel a little bit of an ego-jab coming on. But I guess that's what I get for falling into the desires of my pride; it's not often that I do, but sometimes it's just… It's just to good to fight against. I'll have to learn to control that. "Happy Hunger Games!" He shakes Mayor Quintyl's hand and joins me at the center of the stage.
The screen, which is normally split is half so that each of the tributes are shown, is focused on both of us. My dress looks abnormally bright compared to Beltross's black slacks and dark blue shirt, but not bad; no, it's bright in a good way. We stand and listen to the cheers of the people for a few minutes longer. Beltross doesn't mind waving at the crowd, and not wanting to seem completely heartless, I smile yet again, but this one isn't an honest smile. I think that the effect of being chosen is finally is starting to hit me, but I really don't want it to. I want my few minutes of pride back, so I pretend that I've got them – more for my sake than anybody else's.
Hanya is back on the screen, and a big smile is decorating her face. "Well, we haven't had any volunteer requests submitted! It looks like Avoria and Beltross are Planet 3's Hunger Games tributes! Congratulations!" she beams, and of course, as predicted, she says, "Let the Games begin!"
The cameras turn to Representative Loid, and he starts to read the long – and unbearably boring – Treaty of Treason. When it's over, he has me and Beltross shake hands. Beltross's grip is as cold and hard as steel – in other words, completely unexpected. The anthem of Panem begins to play, and soon afterwards the Peacekeepers come and escort Beltross and me into the building so that we can say our final goodbyes to our families. But I don't think about that; all I can think about is that right at this moment, the Trynnies on Planet 4 are listening to their Representative give the opening Hunger Games speech; they're about to sacrifice to of their children. I send a quick prayer to them as the Peacekeepers open the door of the room I'll be in for the next hour. They drop me off in front of the couch and then station themselves beside the door – as if I'm going to try to escape.
The first person to enter my room is Brick, following by my mother. "Avi!" he yells, running towards me. I open my arms and give him a big hug, hoping that it'll last him however long he needs it to. When we part, I brush a strand of hair out of his eyes, and he smiles. "Can you believe it, Avi? You're going to be in the Hunger Games!" I sigh. It's time to talk to him about the Games; time to tell him that I probably won't be coming out alive. It's a conversation that I've been dreading for a while – telling Brick the truth about the Capitol, that they're nothing more than a bunch of savage humans who enjoy watching children kill each other.
"C'mere, Buddy," I say, sitting down on the couch. I pat the seat next to me, and Brick sits down. My mother is still standing at the other end of the couch, trying her best not to cry for Brick's sake. "You know that I love you, right?"
He nods. "Lots and lots!"
"Yeah – lots and lots," I agree, turning myself so that I'm facing him. I change the subject. "Do you remember watching the Games on television last year, Brick? And the year before that?" He nods, but I don't think he has any idea where I am really going with this. How could he? "And you know that out of all twenty-four people, only one of them gets to win?"
"Mmhmm!"
"Well, Brick…" I start. I can't figure out how to say it – how to tell him that it's not just a game – it's life. I used to be so good at this, telling people how it is. I never had a problem spitting out the truth, not before I had to tell Brick. Why are all of these new developments happening now, of all times? Mom's secret, my newfound spectrum of emotions… It's just plain unfair. "The other twenty-three…" Then again, so is life – looking into those big brown eyes of his, I realize that I just can't do it. I can't tell him that they die – for real. I can't shatter his ideal image of the Capitol – that may be the very thing that'll protect him some day. "Well, they go away."
"For how long?"
"They… forever, Buddy. They go away forever." I guess it's a close enough analogy, but the look on his face as reality dawns on him is still painful.
His lower lip begins to quiver. "But… but Avi! I don't want you to go away forever!"
"I know. I don't want to go, either. But I have to, Brick."
"Tell them you don't want to!" he protests. He throws his arms around my neck and hugs me, burying his face deep into my shoulder. I hug him back, making sure to hold him tightly to me. I don't want to let go – I don't want to leave my little brother behind. There are so many things I don't want to happen that are going to happen anyways.
"I can't…" I say, trying to keep my voice strong so that I don't cry. I don't want Brick to see me crying. "I have to go. But Brick…" I pull back from him, and raise his face up by tucking my index finger under his chin. "You're strong. And you're the bravest little boy I know. You're Brick – powerful, and sturdy, and stable. And no matter what happens, I want you to promise me –" I have to turn his face back towards me when I say this because he's looked away. "Promise me that you'll always be Brick, ok? Even if I have to go away forever. Promise me that, and I'll promise you that I'll try my best not to go away."
He sniffles a little bit, and I use the hem of his shirt to rub the snot away from his nose. "I promise," he says in the unsteady voice of an upset little boy.
"Then so do I," I assure him. I mess with his hair a little, and try to smile. I don't think I pulled it off very well. Mom comes and takes his hand. When Brick stands up, I stand up, too.
"I'm gonna miss you, Sweetie," Mom says, wrapping one arm around me. I know that her eyes are clinched shut, and I feel a few tears staining my back. "But I still want you to come home, alright?" When we part, she strokes my cheek with the back of her hand and smiles at me. "My beautiful little girl…"
"Just… just take care of Brick," I say, unable to think of anything else. This is too much too fast, and I know that there probably won't be another chance for us to make amends, but it's just… too much to handle. Too strange. There are too many toos in this situation.
"And… and I'm sorry," she says, brushing away a few of her tears. "I'm sorry that I was never really a mother to you. When you come back, I… I promise I'll try harder. I'm sorry that I'm throwing all of this on you now – I-I don't want you to feel bad if you're not ready, Avoria. This is all my fault." It's like she can read my mind – I'm not sure if that's scary or endearing.
"It's ok," I assure her. "You… you did what you thought was best. And even though you went about it in a really strange way –" a small smile crosses her face as I say this, "I still kind of respect you for it." I know that's true – although if I were in her situation, I would have gone about it differently. I least I hope I would have.
"Thank you, Sweetie…" She places a kiss on my cheek, and I return the favor. "I'll see you when you get home."
As they start to leave, Brick suddenly turns around. He runs back to give me another hug, and I get over my momentary shock rather quickly and hug him back. "I almost forgot," he says, digging into his pocket. "Here. It can be your token!" It's a small golden ring, and at closer inspection, I see that it's engraved with a single black rose.
"Grampa's ring…" I whisper, shocked that Brick would give it to me. The ring has typically passed through the oldest male child of a generation – although it has belonged to women in the case of no son born. It didn't belong to my grandfather first, but we refer to it as Grampa's ring because when we were little, Dad always told us stories of Grampa, one of which was about the day Grampa gave him the ring. That was always my favorite story. "I… I don't know what to say."
"It's ok," he says, "I want you to have it."
"Really? Are you sure?" Brick's always loved this thing – he never actually got to meet Grampa, so this ring is the only thing that Brick has of his.
"I'm sure…" he says, nodding to himself. "I think it's supposed to bring you luck."
"Thanks, Brick… I really appreciate it." I give him a quick hug, and then he runs back to Mom. "I'll keep it warm for you!"
"Bye, Avi!" he calls back as they leave the room. "I'll miss you!"
"I'll miss you, too!" I stand up and wave at him as they're escorted out. I wave until I can't see them anymore; until my arm hurts. And then, for the remaining forty-five minutes, I curl up on the couch and cry.
I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I
Author's Note:
Bah! I have to keep looking back at previous chapters to make sure that I get the information right! For the 'Shuriken Kisses' scene, I had to remember if I gave her shuriken or throwing knives. xD I want to say thank you to all of my reviewers! I also want to thank you all for explaining the SYOT. (: I love each and every one of you! *Shuriken Kiss*
Every time I read over this, I found at least five or ten mistakes! AHH! So I apologize for all the ones that are still left – feel free to rant about them in your reviewing so that I can fix them!
To Twirlgirl821 and ChaosUmbrella, I want to thank you for your opinions on Brick! I'm actually finding myself getting attached to the little guy!
To Missus Iggy, I'm definitely going to use your idea. Just you wait! And I'll make sure to give a special thanks to you in the Author's Note of that chapter!
To Rebecca, I say go for it! ;D All I ask is that you credit me with any ideas my story gives you!
I hope this covers everything! *More Shuriken Kisses*
-QOTB-
