A Hunger Games Story Chapter 8

Across the districts, people watched Caesar's show. The Victor's mansion in district 10 have a big screen in the living room. The residents gathered around watching the updates and the interviews. Jerome sat near Clara. Patrick sat by himself, holding a beer bottle in his hand. Liam sat in the sofa with his hands clasped together.

When Emily was on, Liam watched and shushed anybody who made a sound. "Shhh."

"I'm thirsty." Patrick said, holding the bottle up to his mouth.

"It's Emily." Clara said.

"Shh." Liam said.

"How did she get there?" Clara whispered.

"By train." Jerome said.

"Shh!" Liam said. "This is live. We can't replay it."

When Ceasar repeated Emily's score, Patrick commented, "An 8? That little thing got an 8? Doing what? Throwing carrots?"

"Patrick," Liam said putting his figertips together, "Shut. Up."

"Understimated her," Jerome whispered to himself.

When Emily said that she loved Liam too, everyone in the living room looked at him. Liam stared at the TV screen unable to move.

Emily stood up and left the stage. Adam came on next to be interviewed by Caesar Flickerman.

Liam left the room quickly and went up to his room.

"Is he mad?" Clara asked.

Jerome watched him leave and turned back to Clara. "He just needs to be alone right now."

Liam quickly closed the door to his room and slid down the door sobbing. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he cries. He took a deep breath and cried again.

Back at the interview at the capital, Violet held her hands over her mouth after Emily's announcement.

"Well that will definately help her get sponsers," Ainsley said.

"Oh shut up," Violet said to her. "She's a real person. Ugh, don't you get it? He didn't tell her because he wants her to come home. She told the world. She told him in case she doesn't make it. That was a goodbye."

"Or maybe it was a tactic to gain sponsers." Ainsley said.

Violet couldn't stand being the same room with Ainsley and left. She went over to the craft services and poured herself some sparkling cider.

"Need something stronger?" Haymitch, district 12 winner from the 50th hunger games, asked. He held a flask in his hand.

She shook her head.

"Quite the tributes you got out there." He said.

"I could say the same about yours. Katniss getting an 11. Unheard of." Violet said, sipping her cider.

"Yeah, she's something alright." Haymitch said. He saw Katniss walking on stage and put his flask down. "Speaking of. Gotta go." He rushed back to the dressing rooms for 12.

Violet watched Katniss's interview. The tribute was so nervous. Violet saw herself in her in that moment. Violet was just so scared for her interview, especially after what happened to her. She stuttered and had long pauses. She thought she blew it.

Back in the apartments at the Capitol, Adam went to his room as soon as they returned from the interviews.

Emily got changed in her silk pajamas, provided by the Capitol, and sat on the couch in the living room.

Violet joined her, holding a video cassette tape in her hands.

"What's that?" Emily asked.

"My year." Violet said. "My game."

"I think I've seen it at the mansion. There's a few of them." Emily said.

"Each victor gets to keep their tape. They make a copy for the Capitol as well. The game makers edit all their footage and focus it on the visitor. We can skip to the important parts, if you're up for it." Violet said.

Emily nodded quietly.

They spent the next hour watching the footage from Violet's year. The first twenty minutes had footage of her being reaped and her interview with Ceasar. Violet skipped to when the game began and gave commentary throughout. "The countdown starts from 60. It's the longest minute of your life. Do not get off that podium early because they have mines underneath them."

Emily nodded, hanging on every word she said.

Violet skipped passed the bloodbath in the beginning and stopped it when she found water. "See, the water is usually not where you would expect it to be. They create these games and want to make it tricky." Her year was a rocky theme with a lot of mist. There were a few small mountains and one large one. "See the other tributes go for the large mountain, expecting to find water and food. It's a trap. Anyone can see them. Oh, and that fog got thicker every day. It was impossibe to hunt anyone if we wanted to. They kept bumping into each other unintentionally and brawling it out."

Emily watched the footage of Violet running and hiding. She found a cave and hid there for an entire day. "How did you stay so quiet?"

"Breathing naturally. Not holding my breath." Violet said.

"What about food? How did you handle not eating or drinking?" Emily asked.

"I found some bugs in the cave. Beetles and crickets." She answered.

Emily made a face. "Ew."

"It won't be so 'ew' if you're hungry enough." Violet said. "I also had a bottle full of fresh water that I used sparingly. If you are in desperate need of water, drink your urine."

Emily's mouth dropped.

"I didn't have to but the thought did cross my mind." Violet said.

"Has Adam seen any of this?" Emily asked.

Violet looked down. "I invited him but he ignored me."

Emily looked down at the floor.

Violet tilted her head and sat up. "Let me make us some tea." Violet said. She got up and went over to the kitchen.

"Do you think I have a chance at winning?" Emily asked.

Violet looked up from the heating kennel. She bit her lip from the inside before speaking. "I really think so."

The tea kennel began to whistle. Violet picked it up off the stove and poured it in two mugs. "If you remember everything I told you and you hide... I think you can win this." She added a powder to each mug.

Violet walked over, handing Emily one mug. Violet sipped her drink slowly.

"Did you have to kill anyone?" Emily asked. "It was four years ago but I don't really recall." She took a gulp of her tea.

Violet sipped her drink again. "Two people." She answered.

"How? And at what point in the game?" Emily asked. She drank some more.

"I got a few arrows off a dead body, before it was taken away. I used the arrows to stab on tribute from five. He was charging after me with a knife." Violet said. "It was the fifth day of the game. There were ten tributes left." She sipped her drink. "The other was a career. It was the 8th day of the game and he was the last one left besides me. We were up on the mountain and he was pulling me down. I yanked him off and he fell."

Emily kept drinking her tea as Violet spoke. "I can't believe it's happening." Emily said. "Tomorrow that's it. It all starts and I... I don't even know how I'm supposed to sleep tonight."

Violet took a small sip of her drink. "Oh, that reminds me: sleep out of sight. Sleep in a tree or a cave or some bushes."

Emily's eyes began to get heavy. Her eyes closed for a moment and her lost her balance sitting up on the couch.

Violet quickly grabbed Emily's mug. "I don't think you'll have to worry about getting a good night's sleep."

Violet sipped her drink slowly and beamed. She carried Emily to her room and late she'd across the bed. Violet went back to the living room and chugged her drink. She went to room and quickly fell asleep.