I was on vacation for a while and I told myself I would write but I didn't haha. I was in the mountains and so I was CONSTANTLY doing stuff. Have you ever biked down a mountain? I have, its scary but awesome.
I'm in the car for another 6 hours so I plan on writing a bit to make up for the past few days but I can't post these until I get internet which won't be until I get home :P
I hope you're all enjoying your summer like I am
Pictrix North – District 1
Finally the Peacekeeper releases my elbow when the train doors close. I adjust my dress again and reposition my feet in my large black heels. Out of the corner of my eye I see a piece of my blonde hair and it takes me almost a minute to finally tuck it behind my ear.
God I must look awful right now.
Being ushered and run around town for two hours is no way to treat a tribute. I should have been able to graceful walk through town for everybody to see; instead I was shoved and forced to run- before the games! Heels are not meant for running, that's a true fact.
I make my way down the hall to the room I'll be using for the short ride to the Capitol. I step inside the entirely pink room and find the mirror closest. The bodice of my strapless dress is crooked and some of my eye shadow was becoming dewy and shiny.
I look horrid, and this light is even dimmer than our in the dining hall. I'll look even worse out there.
I reach into the small pocket on the inside of my dress and find my small compact mirror my father got me from the capitol. I spread the makeup across my nose to eliminate the shine and under my eyes so I don't look like the living dead. I can really do a lot with only a compact mirror because when I step out of my room I look hot.
At the table I sit next to my partner Radiance. He hasn't attempted to speak to me once since the ceremony, even when we just sat in the Justice Hall for 2 hours. They simply wanted to burn as much time as possible before we would be loaded onto the train.
Across the table our mentors grin and nod their heads in our direction. Good, they should like me; I've only been forced to train my whole life. They are classic careers just like Radiance and I: beautiful, athletic and charming.
"So what can you do? Impress me," the thin, blonde haired woman says smoothly.
I look to Radiance but he seems bored and uninterested in the situation. It's my turn to impress my mentors I'm not going to let it pass. "I'm one of the best runners around- swimmer too – and I've trained specifically in knives for years." I raise my chin a fraction of an inch to make him understand I know exactly what I'm doing.
"Well aren't you just the best tribute I've ever seen," the man says mockingly. I feel myself grimace in detest. "But let's just leave things up to your looks, you have a horrible personality, nobody likes a show off."
"In that case," I snap, "I'll be in my room getting my face ready for the cameras. Try not to miss me too much." As I stand up my table bangs to the ground and the frantic Avox's rush to pick it up. I brush past them and make my way down the hall without looking back.
Kale Landish – District 6
I can't remember the last time I had a four course meal – actually I don't think I ever have. In district 6 there isn't much as food goes. I clean every one of my plates and the servers just replace my empty plates with more food! When I've finished everything I can bear I lean back in my chair and close my eyes. Everyone around the table eats silently and I focus on the sharp noises coming from the silverware – real silver too! – to keep from thinking about home.
I open my eyes and look down at my lap surprised to find myself twisting my wedding ring out of habit. My stomach turns uncomfortably and I'm suddenly filled of images of home. So much for not thinking about them.
Next to me my partner looks at me from the corner of her eye. She's 15 which seems so young to me after having my own daughter at 17. She's lean, even for living in the district with deep blue eyes that pop out against her tanned skin.
If Karyl ever volunteered I don't know what I would do, I find myself thinking. How are this girl's parents handling their daughter giving up her life, especially for revenge? Marzipan, that was her name. Her cousin last year made it relatively far for our district. Their idea of a large alliance seemed to work, of course until district 11 started fighting each other, maybe that's what we need…
"Kale?" Looking up I see our mentor Diz is addressing me.
"Oh, I'm sorry Diz, I was just thinking…" I stop turning my wedding ring and look around the table. Diz and I knew each other from back in the district so I feel comfortable talking to her even under the circumstances.
"Well, we were just discussing a possible strategy for you two. Any ideas?" Diz smiles warmly and I can tell she's being genuine.
"Can't we just run in there and – I don't know – kill whoever? If we make a plan we'll get confused, right?" Lundi looks slightly impatient and I can see her eyebrows pulled slightly together with fragile anger.
Diz looks a little baffled but just nods and turns to me, prompting me to answer too. "Well, I was just thinking of getting a big...er alliances together. That way we have each other's backs."
Lundi turns to face me head on and I see the family resemblance now that she's angrier. However, I can see something else under her pursed lips and narrowed eyes- anguish. "You mean like last year? I'm sorry but the only reason I'm here right now is because that didn't work." She turns back to Diz and straightens up to recompose herself. "I'm sorry Mrs. Lorraine but I'm in this alone."
Lundi throws her napkin on her table and heads off down the hall. When we hear her door slide shut Diz slumps forward into a large sigh. "She is too much like her cousin." The escort, Prail, laughs weakly and gently rubs Diz's back.
"Poor dear, I hope this year turns out better for her family… So Kale, what about your family? I saw you with a young child today, is she yours?"
"Yea," I say finally back in a conversations I can feel comfortable with. "Her name is Karyl, she's 9 months." Just the thought of Karyl stretches my face into a grin as big as when I first held her for the first time. "The joy of having a beautiful daughter never wears off. I promised my wife I would be back before Karyl turns one and I plan to keep that promise."
Diz and Prail look at me sympathetically and Prail even wipes a thin tear. "We'll get you back deary, we'll try our darndest," Prail says with sudden motivation and I can't help but believe her.
Demitri Getlyn – District 4
The TV announcers commentate as the first tributes are chosen from district 1: Classic, pretty and strong people, nothing special. District 2 is the same.
"You see them?" My dad announces to CeCe and I, "Those are your new best friends. Know their weaknesses, know their strengths and most importantly: know how to get their trust. Once you have that you can kill them." My father crosses his arms and nods satisfied with himself.
CeCe nods weakly looking close to tears, again. God she's getting annoying. District 6 lights up and I see the girl tribute volunteer. Wow, guts from 6? Who knew? The girl rises confidently to the stage and takes in the shocked crowd.
"Well, what do we have here? The cousin of last years tribute Marzipan Grate! What an interesting volunteer!" Commentator One cheers. They sure love the drama of it all. I hope that drama doesn't help that district 6 girl…
"I bet she's out for revenge, after all look at the anger on her face!" Commentator Two says encouraging the drama further.
"Oh your right! Watch out district 1!"
The commentators would do anything for a new piece of drama to talk about days. They take the tiniest look and draw it out as far as they can. I wonder what they'll think of my whimpering partner.
"Dem, watch the TV, this is important," my father barks again and I slump into watching the show.
Some of the other tributes look kind of tough but most of them I'm sure I could take out in seconds. The commentators explode again when the district 11 girl is picked and they bicker about whether or not the two cousins of dead tributes will partner up. None of it interests me because I've already seen my real competition: my "best friends".
Luna Night – 89th Hunger Games Victor
Aric pants the couch beside him and without hesitation I curl up next to him. His arms wrap warmly around me and he kisses the top of my head casually. I can't really say when Aric and I officially started dating because we've been a team for a year now and we were romantic even before we announced our relationship to Panem, but I can say that the past year with Aric has been great. Sitting next to a boy used to be terrifying but now it seems like second nature- at least when it's Aric.
"Tonight really wasn't that bad…" he starts but I can tell he's just trying to make me feel better.
"Aric it was bad, it really was." I bury my face in his thick shirt and close my eyes. "That Clare girl just looked so sad, like she'd already given up and that was before she threw up from eating too fast. Don't even get me started on Hunter…"
"Yea, Hunter," Aric whispers and he combs his fingers through my hair. A year ago I had my hair grown almost completely down my back and now it sits just above my shoulders; a year really does change thing.
"I wish this wasn't so hard Aric… They need help, how are we supposed to give that to them? We need help."
"Luna, calm down. We'll do everything we can. Hunter seems like he's in good shape, pretty smart I guess- if he wasn't so full of himself."
I look up and Aric stops combing my hair to look at me. "And Clare?"
He gives a sigh and looks at the TV as it replays reapings from earlier. "She's small and thin but I think she has more to offer than we can see right now. Actually, I can see her doing better than Hunter."
"Really?" I straighten up and Aric's arms loosen a bit around me. "How so?"
"She's smart, even if she doesn't know it yet. She's lived on her own for quite a while now, she's independent, and she can take care of herself." He pauses and laughs in his normal light way.
"What?" Aric just shakes his head and laughs louder. "Aric come on you have to tell me! This isn't fair!"
"I don't have to tell you anything," he says with a goofy grin on his face. I pick up the pillow nearest to me and hit him in the face with it which only makes him laugh harder. As I wind up again he grabs the pillow and hits me on the side of the face sending me falling onto my back on the couch. As I try to recover from the pillow to my face Aric braces his elbows on either side of my face and kisses me. Now that is going to take longer to recover from.
Still hovering over me Aric whispers into my ear, "I was just thinking how she reminds me of you." This time I turn my head to kiss him and I feel his body press down on mine as he lies down too. My hands run through his thick hair and his fingers brush lightly against my chin then move to cradle my face. Our lips crush more frantically than usual and I pull him closer wanting to destroy any space between us.
Then, from the hallway I hear footsteps. It must be an Avox, they'll leave. I feel Aric hesitate for a moment and then stop to look up. He peaks over the side of the couch and look and see my knees on either side of his hips. I wonder when that happened…
Hunter comes around from the dining room – the opposite direction that Aric was looking – giving us no time to rearrange. When Aric looks back and sees Hunter I watch as his face turns bright pink and I'm sure mine looks the same.
"Umm… hi… Hunter… We were just…" Aric stumbles over his words and straightens up to a sitting position so I pull my knees to my chest.
"We were just about to watch the replays…" I try with a weak smile. Hunter gawks unconvinced. "Want to… join us?" I look at Aric who seems suddenly fully interested in the stitching on the couch.
"Sure, might as well know my competition," Hunter finally says and moves to the armchair across from us.
"Well, I'm gonna go get some paper to write down some of this… uhh… stuff." Aric leaves without looking back; still embarrassed. Hunter turns up the volume on the TV and looks attentively at the screen. I lean my head back on the couch and wonder whether it's harder keeping Hunter alive or resisting the urge to kill him myself.
It takes me a while to realize I haven't seen the others since this morning.
So I'm already half way done - if not more - with the next chapter so expect it soon :) maybe even later tonight!
Start thinking about sponsoring and I'll have those details up after the training chapters.