Day 7
"YOU SLEPT IN ALL YOUR CLOTHES?" Florentina screams and I shriek in surprise when she wakes me. "YOU! ARE! THE! WORST! TRIBUTE! EVER!" she screeches in between bashing me with a pillow.
"Get off me! I'm sorry, OK? I didn't mean to!" If I could get my hands on that axe from the Training Centre…
After we've both calmed down from murderous to hostile, Florentina she has me do some more walking practice in taller heels while Kosynne gets to wander around the place, doing whatever he pleases, watching television or fattening up on Capitol treats.
"Why doesn't he need to wear these shoes?" I whine.
"Because you are a girl tribute and he is a boy tribute", is her simple answer. "You're too scrawny, Alyssa! No-one's going to sponsor a short little thing like you! I wouldn't. These shoes will add height- and appeal!" Florentina complains. I end up just going with the flow, as I really do not want to set her off again.
Finally, around 2 o'clock I can manage quite well now. "Good", sighs Florentina in plain relief. "Rest your feet for tonight." She dismisses me.
I do rest my feet. I take a long bath and let the jets produce bubbles to pamper and soothe me. An Avox even comes to massage my feet and soft legs.
That evening, I'm too scared to eat anything. The dread has been building up all day and now I think I'm losing it. My breath quickens and I feel my heartbeat soar. Even though my mentors want me to eat, Florentina agrees with me to an extent.
"We don't want anything coming back up on stage. But your mentors are right. You have to eat something, even if it's after the Interviews."
At seven o'clock Kosynne and I go back down to the Remake Centre to be dressed in our interview outfits. My prep team is delighted to see me as usual and Clemensia is a slightly reassuring sight. Tiberius enters, his head held high, hands behind his back, the picture of pride. My prep team begins to make me 'appealing' again, while he orders them about, flapping his arms like a bright pink bird. He's very happy with the progress my hair has made but still applies another dose of solution just in case. After my lips have been recoloured, eyes darkened, cheeks blushed and eyebrows redrawn, he reveals my outfit.
I grimace. If the Parade costumes were bad, then this is atrociously bad. It's an incredibly vivid aqua, like someone electrocuted the sea, and it has so many ruffles that protrude out. Tiberius sees the look on my face and he scowls in a pompous way.
"You may not like it, Alysssssa, but the audience actually appreciates my couture. I treat my creations as a work of art. You are only the drab old canvas that the artist uses to express himself."
My approach is supposed to be sly and elusive, but he's made it girly and fluffy and giggly, which I couldn't pull off even if my life depended on it, which it looks like it might. Now I'm under so much more pressure to do well. My stomach tightens.
Tiberius helps me into it; I notice that it's strapless and has a layer of padding sewn into the dress at the front so that I don't look as thin as I am, even though I've gained a couple of pounds. The skirts are also way too short for my liking and I'm forced to take off my token, the agate bolt of lightning that Volt gave me, so that Tiberius can replace it with another, tight-fitting light blue one that constricts my vital breathing tubes. Then they begin to work on my hair. Curling it, twisting it and applying a can and a half of hairspray to keep it stuck. In the end it's sort of a loose bun but with ringlets of hair trickling down over my shoulders. It's actually very pretty and Clemensia's idea apparently.
At nine o'clock it's time for us to leave for our interviews. I see Kosynne on the way out; he's dressed in a shocking mauve suit with a black collared shirt and his hair combed back in an elegant wave. When we arrive, we line up single file in order of district and then gender, ladies first, so I'll be after the boy from 4. Caesar Flickerman, his hair dyed powder blue this year, introduces us and then one by one we go up to speak. Everyone seems to have a different approach. The girl from 4 goes up in a floaty, metallic sea green dress that gives her an oceanic look. She's playing aloof and cold, so I thank my lucky stars that I didn't do that. Before I know it, Caesar consults his list for my name. It's the Reaping all over again. My hands tremble and my legs spasm. I rise and walk to the interview seat, my gestures heavy and deliberate.
"Ah, now here's a familiar face. You may remember her from last year's Games, ladies and gentlemen. She is no stranger to the screens of the Capitol. We spoke to her after her friend made it to the top eight in last year's Hunger Games. Let's welcome her once more into the spotlight, the lovely, unforgettable Alyssa Cobalt!" I trot onto the stage and the audience goes wild. There are so many people - the most I've ever seen at once in my entire life. I can't speak. I'm too frightened. I keep my eyes locked on the floor.
"Sit down Alyssa", Caesar invites. I do, folding my legs and placing my hands on my lap. I also remember to sit up straight. "So Alyssa, how does it feel to be in front of the camera again?" he asks, laughing.
Silence. I breathe in deep and stare deep into Caesar's eyes, letting my mind filter out the audience, silencing their applause. I stammer at first, but my voice gains confidence as I speak.
"Well Caesar, I'm not one to intentionally search out the camera. I'll let some of the more superficial, shallower tributes take care of that", I reply, deliberately indignant. The audience laughs as I wave my hand carelessly at the Careers behind me. "No, I like to be in the background, where I can manipulate and pull the strings." Caesar looks at the audience appreciatively.
"She's a tricksy one! Are you planning to be this manipulative in the arena?"
"You'll just have to wait and see. I can't reveal everything now can I?" I say, giving my sly smile.
"Do you think you should be considered a threat in the arena? Cause I'm certainly scared now!" says Caesar, edging away from me for amusing effect.
"Well what do you think?" I ask the Capitol. A resounding 'yes' echoes around the room. "In fact, I have a couple of nice tricks up my sleeve for anyone who…unwisely provokes me", I say warningly.
"Such as…?" he prompts.
I decide to leave them hanging. "You'll find out tomorrow."
Caesar groans in mock frustration while the audience laughs. "One last question, Alyssa. How will you deal with other tributes if they decide to foolishly come and unwisely provoke you, as you so brilliantly put it? In other words, how are you going to solve the problems and challenges you'll face in the arena?"
I pause for a few seconds and answer diplomatically.
"If I can apply myself to the situation at present, I will be able to figure it out."
"How very calculating of you", Caesar remarks. The buzzer goes off. "Oh, there's the buzzer. Thank you. Lovely to see you. Thank you so much, Alyssa." He kisses my hand and as the crowd applauds I return to my seat, feeling much more confident and ignoring the various stares from the Careers.
The interviews go on; Kosynne tries to act tough and daunting which actually works to a certain extent, yet he's overshadowed by those Careers who also came from that angle. At last we get to District 12, in which Katniss twirls in her stunning scarlet dress, causing her to be engulfed in flames. Other than that, her interview is pretty shallow and petty, going on about prunes and lamb stew. Yet her partner Peeta is worse, comparing us to bread.
"You can see District One has this real powdery white flour that they use to bake the bread. Then top it with sea salt and rosemary for decoration. It's similar this year, the District One tributes are all decoration but no substance."
I roll my eyes. Yeah, the best way to get sponsors is to talk about bread. Why not be flattering like the girl from 7? Why not act humble and modest like Demetria? Make the Capitol like you, like Corah said! Then Peeta's asked if he has anyone waiting for him back home. He says no, but Caesar is persistent. Eventually he admits to feelings about a girl. Just what we need. A soppy love story about unrequited love. The Capitol lap that stuff up. Then Caesar tells him to win so he can see his love again.
"I don't think it's going to work out. Winning… won't help in my case", says Peeta.
"Why ever not?" says Caesar, confused.
Peeta blushes like I did and then stammers his answer. "Because…because…she came here with me."
I open my mouth in surprise like everyone else but quickly become sour. My eyes narrow and I feel my rage seething. That was very clever of him, to make them both look desirable. I bet half the sponsors are considering them already. A love story! This is just the kind of fluff that the Capitol citizens will pay an arm and a leg for. The two have no doubt formed an alliance. It must have been pre-planned, and an excellent bit of acting too. I recall how they sat and laughed together in Training. Well, guess who's won the Games?
Peeta's interview finishes and we stand for the anthem. When we return to our floor I don't bother going to bed like the others. I won't be able to sleep anyway. So I just watch the recaps with Kosynne and Spark. Thankfully, my interview is one of the better ones. Naturally the Careers are the best, but all the others are either terrified, make weak jokes or are just plain boring. I look very sly and even...sexy. I hope that there's a couple of people out there considering sponsoring me. During the girl from 6- someone called Tamora's interview, Spark beckons to listen to him.
"I wanted to ask the two of you if you wanted an alliance in the arena. I'm open to the idea but I don't know what Cassie and Corah have told you, Alyssa. From my perspective, you're both equally capable of winning and working as a pair could get you further in the Games."
I think about it for a minute. An alliance with Kosynne? Surely he's strong, but that might be a disadvantage to me if he decides to kill me in the night. I remember what Cassandra told me. No allies. I can work perfectly well on my own. I know deep inside that I can.
"No." I say. Kosynne shakes his head too shortly after.
"Alright then. How about this? If you two meet up at any point in the Games, whether accidentally or not, you are going to team up, if only to trade supplies. No ifs or buts. You don't need to be a team right from the start but I can guarantee that you'll last longer together. Got it? If you meet after the bloodbath, you're a team." Spark says and leaves.
I leave and get dressed into my pyjamas. I want to talk to Kosynne. He's in his room so I knock on the door.
"Not now Benjamin. I want to sleep."
"No, it's me, Alyssa." He opens the door.
"What do you want?" he mumbles.
"I want to talk to you."
"Ok. Come in."
His room is almost identical to mine. We sit on the bed. This is the last bed that Volt slept in. I wonder if he thought of me.
"I guess I wanted to wish you good luck", I say.
"You too. One of us needs to win. If not for ourselves, then for our district."
I look deep into his eyes. "And Spark's proposal of an alliance?"
He pauses before answering. "We'll see what happens."
I nod. We both know what will happen. The moment we see each other one of us is going to kill the other. I can see it in his expression. "Goodnight Kosynne."
That night I dream. I am running towards the Cornucopia when suddenly Clove tackles me and pins me down. We struggle for a few seconds before I escape and reach out for a knife lying on the ground a few feet in front of me. I turn around and grab Clove by her hair, pulling her back. I slit her throat and blood gushes out. But the moment the knife hits her skin, she changes into Volt. I scream as he collapses onto the ground, a red smile adorning his neck, his eyes wide open. Someone picks me up from behind. It's Kosynne, his face twisted in anger, armed with a bow and arrow and a metal club. There are blood splatters on his face. I get up and turn to face him. He releases the arrow and it thumps into my chest. I stagger back and fall onto Volt's body.
"You should've allied with me, Alyssa", he growls. I can see the club coming down for me.
The rest of the night is dreamless.