D9
Dallas Starconn scampers up to the stage, his face alert and cheery. He sinks into the chair and grins at me, I automatically grin back. I've been doing this for way too long.
"Hello, and can I say what a pleasure it is to be here!" calls Dallas. I roll my eyes at the camera. I've got to seem joking, so if I can seem to get on with this boy maybe they can.
"Can't you come up with a more original comment?" I ask and Dallas lets off a cheeky grin.
"Hail Caesar!" He calls, complete with salute and stamping of feet and is greeted by a genuine chuckle from both me and the crowd. I never thought anyone would relate me to the roman near emperor, Julius Caesar.
"So, do you think you'll be able to conquer the arena then?" I say, playing on the roman theme, but Dallas gets one better on me.
"When I'll get out of there unscathed the first thing I'll say is veni, vedi, vici." He calls to me. I smile, speaking Latin is the latest craze in the Capitol for some odd reason, it's because they seem to like dead languages for some odd reason, perhaps it's because they have an obsession with dead things.
"I came, I saw, I conquered." I translate for the Capitol's benefit, "Julius Caesar said that."
"Don't let's go onto history." Dallas says, making a pretend yawn.
"But you'll soon make it." I say, winking at him.
"Not as the quickest tribute to die, I hope." Grins Dallas cheekily and the audience laughs along merrily.
"We make a good double act." I tell him, speaking as I observe.
"Well you can hire me as soon as I get out of the arena, but I warn you – my pay is steep." Dallas finishes with a wink, replying instantly.
"Ah yes, the arena," I say, edging a serious tone into my voice, "So how will you get out of there?"
"Same as good old Caesar, man. I'll go, I'll see and I'll conquer. First of all I'll go, be transported up by those pods and then I'll see, survey the surrounding area, choose a good place to camp and stay, that kind of thing. Then finally I'll conquer." He freezes, the audience captivated, "you can leave that bit to your imagination." He finishes off and winks at the camera.
"That is definitely something to think about there Dallas, before you go though, what about that boy you volunteered for?" I ask.
"That was George, who I ironically call Fred after that ancient book, what's it's name?" He asks.
"Harry Potter," I add.
"Yes, Harry Potter. Well, Fred is my best friend along with his twin sister Gina so I thought he deserved to have a bit of a chance in life, not everyone is a roman!"
"Thank you Dallas, I'm afraid our time is up now, no matter how much I enjoy your company. Can the district eight girl please come up now?" I ask, only to meet a pitiful sight. A small, petite, twelve year-old looks at me carefully and edges towards the stage before sitting down, the massive chair huge compared to her petite and frail looking body.
"Hello Caesar," she says sweetly.
"Aren't you going to salute me too?" I ask, causing her to blush and look at her hands.
"Only joking darling, so, Lusa, is it?" I ask.
She nods innocently and glances, scared around the room as she brushes her long black hair out of her eyes.
"So are you ready for the games?" I ask, my voice sounding rough and cold compared to her sweet voice which is so lovely it's almost deadly like a siren's call. (talking about sirens – did any of you see that doctor who episode? No? Ah well...)
"I guess I would be more ready if I was older but I think I stand a chance." Murmurs the girl, causing a sweet aah from the audience.
"I mean, I love everything here, I don't want to go, especially that fountain outside with the glass moulded into the shape of a raven, it's like my Raven pin." Smiles Lusa as she holds up her raven pin, her district token for all to see.
"Whoa! You've over taken me – so much for asking what you like most about the Capitol. Raven fountain, check. Now, where are we? Ah yes, Lusa, what's your tactic in the arena and the bloodbath?" I ask simply.
"My tactic in both is to survive Caesar, my tactic in both is to survive." She repeats and I look at her, puzzled. This cute little girl has spirit.
"What about family?" I ask her, curious.
"I have a father, Drew, but he left when I was a baby, an elder sister, Annora and a mother, Rosalyn. Annora isn't right in the head so my mother and I look after her." She says and I feel the sympathy from the crowd pour all over her.
"Will you kill?" I ask her and she stares at the ground.
"To live I will do anything, and I know I have to kill even though I know it is wrong."
I look at her again. "You know that it is wrong?" I ask.
"I KNOW that it is wrong." She repeats, parrot fashioned, emphasising on the 'know'.
"Thank you Lusa, your time is UP!" I call and then look into the camera.
"Three more districts, six more tributes. Is one a victor? Well you'll just have to wait and see!"
Yes, you will! Now, I have a NEW caption competition, sorry the other one was rubbish, this is a lot better – hopefully. Anyway, here is the winner – Arcticmist!
CRAZY CAPTION: You are sleeping in a bed next to a window when suddenly a noise jerks you awake. The BFG has broken through your window and has started prodding you with a trumpet. You look at him and then suddenly a red glowing thing floats towards you, angrily twitching. He grabs it in a net and then inserts a gold blob into his trumpet and starts blowing. You look up at him and do something totally random, you...
Say "Should I call the cops on you or not?"
Go Arcticmist – now for the next, hopefully better crazy scenario. I think I'll only accept them as a winner if they're attached to a review for the chapter unless they're absolute genius, so if I'm stuck deciding I'll use the review size as a decider.
CRAZY CAPTION: You are in a history class with your teacher learning about some terrible disaster, like usual (or not in my case) you aren't paying attention until the teacher suddenly whips into your face and glares at you, asking you what you think. You say...
OK – have fun! =D