So this is the second part of what used to be chapter two. Hope yous enjoy and please remember to favourite, follow & review! Thank you! Here is the new and improved version of chapter 3 of Born to Die "The Hunger Games Ceremony"

Last period seems to go quickly, my brain finds it hard to adjust to leaving the school at 3pm instead of 4.I go to the gymnasium where Jaider's class of year sixes is just finishing. At first it's hard to spot him in the crowd of 18 year olds leaving the class but I see him over talking to Blaze, he was a friend of my brothers, though he was almost two years younger than him - you wouldn't even have noticed as he stood at least two inches above Jordi, His father was a victor and he lived just two doors down from our house.

"could you at least ask?" Blaze says

"no, they won't tell me. why do you wanna know anyway?" Jaider says.

"I want to be ready, you know have my speech ready, shoes polished... practise my surprised face" He makes a strange face.

"here's an idea - why don't you try actually being surprised" Jaider laughs

"what happened to no detours" I say, quoting Jaider from this morning.

The two boys turn their heads in my direction

"sorry Blaze, I need to go"

"yeah course, ceremony tonight and all - will you atleast tell me what, you know...my chances are?" He sounds hopeful but his expression is doubtful. Jaider laughs "well if you ask me - you're a shoo in" This makes Blaze beam showing off his naturally perfect smile.

"I hope you're right" He calls half to Jaider half to himself.

"What was that all about?" I ask

"guess"

"volunteers ceremony" I say with a nod of my head.

"and we have a winner" He says sarcastically.

We take a detour through the middle of town on our way home. The streets are unusually quiet, most shifts in the quarries and mines wouldn't be over for at least a few hours and the peacekeeper trainees are especially busy at this time of year. The only shop that seems to have some kind of life is Mr Terriacki's sweet shop, where a couple dozen or so kids from the school are waiting to be served, among them is Nevera.

"Nev's in Mr Terriacki's" I say "I'm going to ask her to get me Toffee squares. Do you want anything?" I offer. He nods and flips a coin at me

"Apple sherbets. I'm going to go to the apothecary, Mr Codlen said dad's pills would be ready for collection today"

"okay..." I pause, deciding whether or not to mention where I will be going after the sweet shop "I was thinking about stopping by the Bakery..." His expression hardens

"what? why? We don't need anything from there"

"I thought I'd just stop by and say Hi, he doesn't get many customers this time of year"

"fine" he says, his voice growing more and more agitated "I'll meet you outside"

"Well actually... Uh, I was thinking you could come with me-"

"No." he snaps "How many times Kaesus!? Besides...he doesn't want to see me anyway"

I look down at the ground.

"He does Jai, Mr Bannercon misses you" I say barely above a whisper.

He shakes his head staring off into the distance "No, you go, I'll wait for you at the bottom of the bakery steps" He looks off into the distance, purposefully avoiding my stare.

There is a long pause before Jaider says

"I'll meet you at the steps" and then he's gone striding away towards the apothecary before I can say another word.

The ring of the bell above the door is barely audible among the commotion inside the sweet shop. Kids wait in an unorganized fashion to be served, some smaller children run around the display of lollipops & candies chasing one another, almost knocking over many of the stands in the process. A woman who I assume to be the young chidrens' mother is the only adult I can make out in the shop apart from Mr Terriacki himself who stands behind the counter. He is a plump man with a round face and matching nose both of which were bright red from the constant running back and forth between the counter and the selection of sweets on the back wall, along with the occasional trip to the back of the shop to refill the jars. Despite the crowd of children demanding his attention he still looks up towards the door to greet me as I enter, smiling brightly.

Nevera is surprisingly quick to agree to buy Jai and I's sweets. Though I'm sure that has more to do with the fact that she wanted to get back to talking to her friend, Latona than actually being genuinely nice. So I leave Nevera with my order and call out goodbye to Mr Terriacki before heading out the shop and walking back the way I came past the barbers and greengrocers until I reach the Bakery. The smell of freshly baked bread lingers in the air growing ever-stronger as I make my way up the steps and into the shop. Unlike the sweet shop, the bakery is as calm and peaceful as the street outside.

"Kaesus? you're earlier than usual" Mr Bannercon, the owner of the bakery says crouching behind the counter to place a fresh tray of pastries behind the glass.

"yeah classes finished early today" He takes a moment to figure it out but then he says

"oh, of course! the graduation ceremony is tonight!" Although it is no secret that the academy's main purpose is training children for the games, They still like to keep exactly what goes on inside as private and classified as possible. They don't lie exactly they just work more on a need-to-know basis, though if people bothered to think it through it would be pretty obvious that tonight was about more than just graduating. if people have figured it out they don't mention it - but then, the academy is a fairly taboo subject within the district even amongst those most involved in it's activity.

I laugh "yeah"

"so what are you in for today?" I buy a mixed box of a half a dozen cupcakes, some coconut buns and two loaves of bread - one plain & white and another dotted with dried fruits & berries. Mr Bannercon clears his throat.

"How's your father?" I shrug my shoulders

"No worse, no better" He gives a soft nod before sighing

"and your brother? how is he? I don't see him around too often anymore" He speaks longingly past me towards the window. Jaider always loved the bakery, He would come in every saturday with my mother when he was little and continued to do so even after my mother left, always bringing home different pastries and cakes for us to try. it was probably one of his favourite places in town & Mr Bannercon was probably one of his favourite people in the whole of Panem, not to mention Calliree Bannercon - Mr Bannercon's 18 year old daughter... but that was before the games. Nowadays he always seems too busy to make a quick run to the bakery and He avoids Calliree as much as possible. He thinks she'll hate him, for the things he done in the games, for the promise he broke...

"he doesn't have much free time anymore I guess" As if on cue the bell goes and the door opens to reveal Jaider, at first he stands awkwardly in the doorway. His foot moves backwards, as if he is going to make a run for it back out of the bakery but Mr Bannercon's face light's up at his appearance.

"Hey Mr Bannercon" he says uneasily

"Hello Jaider" He grins back "long time no see"

"yeah sorry, I've just been so busy lately and..."

"It's fine, no need to apologize. I think Calli's missed seeing you around though" he gives me a knowing smile and I giggle.

"yeah, um... is she here?" His nerves making him stumble over the words. Mr Bannercon shakes his head.

"sorry. She left through the back just as Kaesus came in"

"do you know where she went?"

"It's anyones guess. You could try the sweet shop"

"I don't think she's there I was in before I came to see you" I see the dissapointed look on Jaider's face "It was really busy though - I might just have missed her"

"doubt it" he says "those eyes aren't big for nothing" This makes Mr Bannercon chuckle.

"well, I'll tell her you stopped by" He suggests.

Jaider nods.

"Oh and before I go you don't happen to have any-"

"peppermint cupcakes with red sprinkles & red velvet sponge? I still make them everyday" He smiles, placing a tray of peppermint cupcakes on top of the counter "heavens knows why though, I made about 50% of my profit on them from you. After you stopped coming by I was barely breaking even on them" he sighs giving off a little laugh "but Calliree insisted. They were one of her favorites too mind, though I have my suspicions about why she really wanted me to keep baking them" Mr Bannercon wondered with a knowing smile, holding a cupcake up to the light and staring at it carefully meanwhile handing another to Jaider.

"Thanks" He says taking a bite of the cupcake

Mr Bannercon nodded his head "good?"

"good as ever" My brother answered not even bothering to swallow the contents of his mouth beforehand.

Mr Bannercon chucked "I'm glad you think so"


By the time we get home, the sky has already began to darken.

Astonished I say "We have to be there in an hour and a haf"

"Better be quick then" Jaider laughs it off as we turn the corner onto our street in the village.

Inside Nevera sits on the couch awkwardly, unsure of what to do with herself. She already seems fully ready for the ceremony and so has nothing better to do than twiddle with her golden blonde hair and play with the buttons on her silver chiffon blouse.

I quickly dart up the stairs, ever conscious of clock counting down to 7pm. It takes me fifteen minutes to decide between a red satin dressed embellished with silver diamantes and a silver dress with lace sleeves and back. In the end I wear the silver one after the realisation that the shoes to match the red one are two sizes too big. must have been mom's. I look at myself in the mirror and know I really should do something with my hair but in the end I end up just taking it out of its ponytail and letting it fall in it's natural ringlets down my back. Then, I go over to my bedside drawer and carefully remove a velvet red pouch which contains my mothers makeup, I squint at it's contents in dismay.

"it'll be finished by next month" I grumble under my breath. Though, to be fair it had lasted me several years - 10 to be exact or at least, it would be 10 in a months time...

Before I know it I have drifted off into a different world...

I'm running round the garden barefoot - unstable yet, unstoppable. Giggling like the toddler I once was, while Jai chases after me and my Mother and father watch us contently from the garden bench. Nevera crawls around their feet differentiating between pulling on there legs and picking the small white stones beneath it to throw in our direction, desperate to earn the attention of at least one of us. Suddenly the phones rings inside and after a quick deliberation, my mother goes inside to answer it, firstly stopping to pick up the squealing Nevera with one hand and expertly swing her onto her hip-

Nevera is banging on my bedroom door screeching something about being late. I check the clock in my bedroom and realise she's right.

"20 minutes" I groan, checking myself in the mirror once more before running out of the door and down the stairs where Jai and Nevera are waiting for me. Suddenly I'm having Deja Vu...

"Where's Dad?"

"He left early" Jaider explained "promised Mr Luna he'd help set up"

"can we hurry up please? I want to make sure I get a good seat - Last year I ended up sitting behind that tall guy with the funny hat and I couldn't see anything through the whole ceremony!" Nevera whines, opening the during and urging us towards it. Just as I make my way to the door I feel a hand on my shoulder, I turn around and see Jai is holding something in his hand - My locket, I'd almost forgotten...

"Thanks" I smile "I wouldn't have remembered"

He places it carefully in my hand and walks past me to catch Nevera who, in her haste to get to the academy, hadn't even bothered to check we were with her before she took off down the path.

Instead of immediately following, I hover in the driveway gingerly running my hand over the inscription on the locket 'Kaesus'. In the dark I feel around for the catch on the locket and snap it open, by the dim glow of the streetlamp I can just about make out the pictures on either side - on the left, a small child with wide, glittering eyes and curly fair hair is grinning wildly, showing off deep dimples on each of her cheeks. She is sitting on a man's lap, though his identity is unknown due to his head having been cut off to fit the oval shaped space. The child is undoubtedly me despite my hair having darkened since the photo was taken. On the other side is a photo of my mother. The motto inscribed beneath the two pictures is impossible to read in the somber moonlight, but it is one I memorised years ago and so I have no trouble recalling it as I whisper my mothers most precious advice faintly "Be strong. survive. Carry On." The lockets were christmas presents, Nevera's first christmas. Back then It was only our picture inside - The idea to add our mothers picture was suggesting shortly after she left - and I couldn't yet read, My mother read the motto to me. I recall thinking it didn't really make sense, even after my mother and father both tried explaining it to me. Jaider seemed to understand straight away but I was too young to know the importance these three small words would have in my life, how many times i would rock myself to sleep reciting the motto, how many times I would sing it to myself during the countdown at simulation, How many times I would squeeze my eyes shut and will my brother to live up to each word during his time in the arena...

"Kaesus! come on!" Nevera nags, having finally noticed my absence her and jai are already at the gates of the village waiting.

"sorry" I say, running to catch up with them

It is only now as we all walk together that I notice the white theme that has been incorporated into all of our outfits. Jai's white jacket & shoes, Nevera's white jeans & the white ribbon she has tied as a headband in her hair. Then there's myself with my white high heels & belt.

The irony is indisputable.

White - the colour of purity, of innocence and of goodness. The colour of safety. Worn by three kids whose innocence had long since disappeared one way or another, whose goodness had been tested time and time again and had failed to prevail more than once. Even purity was a hard trait to possess when lying was a part of our daily life, when our reality was so different from what was broadcast on the tv screen, when even we weren't sure what parts of us were real and which parts were just ideals that had been instilled in our brains. But the biggest irony is in the symbol of safety, for the 3 of us know we are anything but. The capitol will look for any excuse to have us killed, one wrong move is all it would take.


The ceremony starts bang on 6pm - if there is one thing the academy is, it's puntual. I find my friends up front in the 3rd row and sit beside Rhea in the seat they have saved for me. Like every year, Mr Luna starts by giving his speech (much like the one president snow gives on reaping day). Then, one by one the 18 year olds go up to receive their graduation certificates before Mr Luna moves swiftly back onto the topic of this years games. The first order of business is always to introduce the two mentors.

" Mentor's are perhaps the biggest contributors to a tributes success in The Hunger Games. The advice they give, the sponsors they obtain and the lessons they teach can make or break a tributes chances of being crowned victor. So without further adue I want to introduce you to this years mentors!" The audience bursts into expectant applause. "First off - Our Male mentor. The second in what I expect to be a long line of family victors, He won his games with his signature weapon - The sword which he used to defeat his final opponent D4 male tribute - Troi Mandaira. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, victor of The 66th Hunger Games - Jaider Wright!" That's unusual, usually they don't like Those under 25 mentoring because they aren't 'mature' enough. The other mentor is Aelia, Who won the 61st hunger games .

And then it's time to introduce the tributes, In the front row where most of the 18 year olds are sitting the tension is evident, to add to their agitation Mr Luna takes as long possible to announce the chosen tributes.

"The girl with the proud honour of representing district 2 in the sixty-eighth hunger games is..," there is an overly dramatic pause that seems almost never ending. "Tatiana drift!" everyone claps and the girl runs up on stage gushing, I know her, she has a younger sister about Nevera's age and a twin brother who I have seen with Jaider. She's quite tall and has blonde hair, curly though obviously not natural. Mr Luna then steps aside to allow her to make the customary tribute speech. She rambles on about the honours of being chosen and making endless promises to try her best and make everyone proud, this is followed by a long list of thank yous to everyone from her grandfather to the schools groundskeeper and everyone in between. She gasps in delight when they give her the "66th Hunger Games tribute" sash that is traditionally given to the female tribute. Something for the family to hang above the fireplace when she dies I guess... She scurries off stage to overwhelming applause.

" Now onto our male tribute" There is another dramatic pause before he says "ladies and gentlemen please welcome our newest male tribute - Blaze Sagittaria!" Blaze goes up on stage even more ecstatic than Tatiana, I know blaze quite well. (At least, better than I know Tatiana).His father is also a victor and he's been to the Capitol with him a few times to watch the games. He lives across the street in the village. When they were younger Jaider and Blaze used to be good friends, despite Jai being almost two years older. Blaze had always seemed older than he was though, the way he spoke about things and the way he carried himself. Even just in the way he looked, he had always been tall and his deep green eyes always gave him a sort of wise, worldy persona. His speech is similar to Tatiana's in content - nothing memorable. Still people clap and cheer and scream until their voices turn hoarse.

Then Mr Luna takes centre stage again to round off the announcements.

" once again ladies and gentlemen please cheer, for the district two tributes for the 66th annual hunger games!" Mr Luna shouts and there is more applause and whistles from the crowd around me. I don't clap, I can't seem to take my eyes off of Tatiana and Blaze and there delighted expressions but then I see it, if just for a second - I see something cross Tatiana's eyes - it's a look I have came to recognise instantly and I still remember the first time I saw it...

She then goes to answer the phone with Nevera in tole. I stop my game of chases momentarily to watch her through the large window which allows you to see into the living room and right through to the open-planned kitchen. I suddenly notice something register on her face, an expression I can't quite recognise - something I was too young & innocent to understand. It meant worry. it mean regret. It meant dread.

It showed conformity and mostly a realisation of defeat. It was an expression of fear.

Just then my mother turned her attention to the window and, aware of my wondering stare, quickly moved out of the living room with the telephone I soon lost interest in my mothers strange reaction and continued with my game of chases-

Fear.

I continue to stare at the two tributes and can't help but think about the fact that in just a few weeks time, at least one of them will be dead - more likely both of them. Even if one does come back, chances are they'll envy the fallen - No one really wins the games. All 24 tributes die in that arena - It's just that one forgets to stop breathing.

I'm still staring at Blaze and Tatiana when I notice Tatiana's dress - white.

Innocence, goodness and safety.

Three things The Hunger Games will certainly strip her of.

Really hope you liked this, tell me what you think! All constructive criticism is welcome! as long as your not just being rude. Thanks to those of you who have FFR'ed so far and please continue to do so! Thanks again. See you guys later!

Kaddyxxx