Author's Note: This, my friends, is how a fanfiction dies. From neglect, on both the author's and the reviewers' part. But I am going to fight until the last chapter here, and I promise you, this fic will be finished, if not right away.

District Six: Lissamelle Mantre

"So, Lissamelle, why do you think you can win these games?"

This gives me pause, because I know I can't. I have no skills that would help me survive a day. What would I do-put on a play that distracts all the tributes while I grab supplies from the Cornucopia? Yeah, right.

"Lissamelle?"

I choose my words carefully. "I think...that the rest of these people don't quite understand. This is a real situation, yes, but it's also a televised play of sorts for the audience. I'm willing to play whatever part I need to play, and I'll play it until the end."

And that is how a girl of great potential utterly destroys her chances of survival. I could see my mentor shaking her head. Well, at least I tried.

The other tributes go by. I barely notice them-they all seem either scared or superficial. No one is acting realistically.

The District Eleven girl has an appeal to her. She's dressed very gracefully, and continues that angle all the way through her interview.

Katniss Everdeen, the District Twelve girl who was on fire, is a disappointment. She's likable but shallow. Forgettable, except for the fact that she volunteered, that she got an 11, and that her costume was flaming. She's a bad actress, though, and I can tell that she's holding back a lot of her natural aggression and determination. If she's lucky, the audience will sense it, too.

The boy from her District has a natural way with words that will get him far with the sponsors. He and Caesar are speaking about those who the boy loves-an attempt to be serious-when I hear the words: "She came here with me."

I look up at the boy, and I can tell that he's not acting for the crowds anymore. His face is the face of a man telling the complete truth and trying to turn it into an act.

Meh, not my best, but whatever. Let me know what you think, press the lovely blue link under this message and review-because we all know authors live for them.