Once again, I've decided to do something different with this chapter, and something I am planning to do again in a later chapter (providing this one is received well...). So I really liked that kid from District One (Troi) who stood with Luster, and it got be intrigued to look at the Games through the eyes of a child, who doesn't really understand what's happening or why the games happen. So, the first part of the chapter is told through Troi and his mother in District One, and then the latter parts are an interview with the tributes straight after they have been reaped. Honestly, the main reason for the interview form is because I totally suck at writing dialogue and there is going to be a lot of that in the games... obviously... so I'm taking this as a bit of practise. Anyway, hope you enjoy this new style, I've treated you to a 3500 word chapter tonight!
Dory and Nautilus
Troi traced his fingers over the figures on the TV screen, leaving long smudges in their wake, not fully understanding how the people were so little. The child had been fixated on the Games, ever since the District One Reaping, and the old man next to him being snatched.
It was worrying his mother, no doubt about that, she wasn't entirely sure the boy knew what the games entailed, and she wasn't exactly ready to expose him to the violence that they presented. She walked over to the boy, steering his small frame away from the TV, and setting him down onto the sofa.
"It's starting mother, its starting!" He cried, gripping onto his mother's hand as she tried to move away. Chiara cursed at the hint of excitement in the boy's voice, remembering how scared he had been on the day of their reaping, nervous about the way he had almost become desensitised. News of the Quell was everywhere, there was no way she could have completely sheltered him from it. But the thought of her boy getting such enjoyment out of the event made her sick to her stomach. She settled down next to her son, placing her arm around Troi and leaning in.
The Capitol anthem began, and the pair prepared themselves to watch the next two people have their lives snatched from beneath their feet. Troi began nodding his head along to the tune, and Chiara felt her body tense. She looked on with dismay as a smile spread across the child's face, reaching over for the controller, shutting off the TV.
"Troi. Do you know exactly what this is?" She asked, placing her hand gently on the child's cheek. She swallowed hard, hoping that this was all a huge misunderstanding, and he thought it was all just for show. But deep down, she knew she was only fooling herself. At only six, Troi had already been subjected to his first reaping, and Chiara had had a talk with him before, detailing just exactly what they were heading to. So he knew. He knew exactly what he was celebrating. The Capitol were creating monsters at such a young age, and although Chiara had spent the whole last six years hiding the events from her young son, the Capitol had pulled away the veil in one stupid act. It made her angrier than anything ever had before. The children had played no role in the rebellion they were supposedly atoning for, a majority of them didn't even know that it had existed. Chiara knew that was the whole point of what the Capitol was doing, making everyone aware, reminding them that whatever happened they would never be free.
"Yes, mummy. I'm not stupid. They kill each other." Troi spoke so matter-of-factly, sending a shiver through Chiara's whole body, she turned her head away from her son, out of fear that he would see the tear that trickled down her face. Her worst nightmare was coming true. She had convinced herself that she had at least a few more years of hiding the games from the boy, but now that was all over. "Now can we watch it?" He continued, his face not hinting at any emotion, as if the games were any normal TV show, and not one where actual people lost their lives. She knew she had to have a talk with her son, but now was not the time. Chiara was on the brink of breaking down, hearing her son talk with such callous and heartlessness would destroy her. She handed the boy the remote once more, exiting the room as the sound of the reaping played out behind her.
The boy had changed so much in the short time between their reaping and the current day. It had been just under a week and yet Chiara barely recognised her own son. She had admired the compassion he had shown to Luster that day, standing with him and talking to him when no one else had, the way he took the hand of a stranger and made him feel welcome and calm in the face of death. Maybe Luster's reaping had been the turning point, seeing someone so fragile and helpless be taken away, despite committing no wrong. Or maybe it had been that poor man getting shot, demonstrating to Troi that even doing the right thing would end in the worst consequences. And worst of all, Chiara was beginning to think that maybe her son being so immune to the hurt and emotions of the game was a good thing. At least he wouldn't be affected should anyone he knew be reaped. Chiara supposed that was how you had to be in this world, no matter if it broke you in the process.
She lent against the door frame of their small house, careful not to put too much weight on it out of fear that even a little bit of pressure would bring the thing falling down, looking down on her son staring intently at the screen.
"District Four, your tributes could not be any more different." The escort stood, sandwiched between a tiny girl, whom Chiara guessed couldn't be more than 14, and an elederly man, sending the woman's mind spiralling back to Luster. "Nautilus and Dory, the day is not over for you." She looked straight down the camera and Chiara saw her son move forward in his seat, anticipating what was next. "For the first time in Hunger Games history, and in an exclusive for all you lucky viewers, we will be interviewing this years tributes in five minutes time. This raw snapshot shows us the direct feelings of the tributes, straight after they have been reaped." She smiled intently at the screen, discussing the tributes as if they were a product she was trying to sell. "Join us, in five minutes."
The Interviews
"Alright, that's it. Get inside." Coral Wade was bored. All she wanted to do was go home. Reaping the tributes had been boring enough, but now, conducting these interviews had been thrust upon her and honestly, she was tired of it all. Now the cameras had cut, for a while anyway, Coral's fake smile could disappear, a painful frown capturing her face. "Let's get this over with." She proceeded, her voice lower as she entered the Justice Building, the tributes following close behind.
The studio was already set up, the normally barren hall transformed into an interview room that was almost unrecognisable. A sofa was pushed up against the wall, a chair facing opposite, surrounded by more cameras than Coral her ever seen in her life. Her fake smile and exterior was plastered back on as she took her seat. Motioning for the tributes to join her.
She wasn't exactly sure what the Capitol was trying to achieve through this. The tributes had just been reaped they would be scared beyond belief, and by the looks of it, both were outside the age range, making the shock even more. They were hardly going to provide the juicy inside information the Capitol had been hoping for. This whole thing was a sham, but Coral could hardly say anything, she was just a pawn in their twisted game.
"Now, I know you weren't expecting this," Coral glanced across at the tributes, feeling their nerves, she hadn't exactly been prepared for this bombshell either, but what the Capitol wanted, they got. "But it is only about five minutes, you'll be absolutely fine, and then you can see your families." She shot them a reassuring smile, nodding in the direction of the cameras. "Annnnndddd we're on air."
Dory
The sofa swallowed the girl's small frame, and she was more than thankful for it, at least it hid the fact that she was shaking like a leaf. Despite having trained for the games for the last few years, Dory was by no means prepared, she was hardly the best candidate the Academy had to offer, and any thoughts of volunteering were years off. But yet here she sat, side by side with a tribute who hadn't cared about the games for decades.
Coral nodded in her direction, signalling that they were ready to begin, and Dory felt the breath catch in her throat. She had barely even watched TV, let alone be on one and the nerves she felt were indescribable. Dory shook her head, she couldn't let this get the better of her, she had been presented with an almost perfect opportunity to get her name out there and some attention, something she knew would pay off in the game in terms of sponsors. She may have been young, but Dory's continued exposure to the games and forceful training gave her a deeper understanding of the games, and one that she would be sure to use to her advantage.
I'm ready, she thought to herself, fluttering her eyelids and staring directly at the camera, she knew the Capitol liked a sweet girl with a tragic backstory, and Dory would provide just that, even if it meant twisting the truth a little.
"Welcome back Panem!" Coral smiled, shifting her attention to the camera. "I am joined here with 13 year old Dory Krillgood and 71 year old Nautilus Cog, and we are here to give you an inside look into the lives of District Four's newest tributes. Dory Krillgood," She turned to the girl, knowing that their livestream time was limited, and desperate to get to the questions. "Tell us a little bit about yourself."
"My name is Dory." The girl paused for a second, debating how to play the crowd. The girl had a talent for twisting people around her little finger, and once again, she was using this to her advantage. "But you all already knew that!" She giggled, raising her hand to shield her mouth, beginning to fall into the swing of her new personality, noticing how the camera crew around the room softened, smiling sympathetically at her. "I like to swim, and to read, and I've even started writing, its my dream to be published, but I don't think that's going to happen now." Dory's face fell, and not just for show. As the realities of just exactly what was happening sunk in, Dory realised that all the dreams she had had throughout her life, of becoming someone, falling in love, starting a family, would most likely never happen. Sure, she was increasing her chances of getting sponsored and gaining support, but in terms of winning, Dory knew it wasn't possible. She let the smile on her face falter for a few seconds, revealing just how broken she was, before resuming the cheeky, confident persona she was demonstrating to the world. "A girl can dream though, can't she?"
"Oh she sure can!" Coral continued, taking in the girl, confused as to how the nervousness had all but disappeared and the confidence prevailing. She was sure one of Dory's personalities was fake, but she couldn't be tell which one just yet. "Any other dreams you can share with us?"
"I want to fall in love." Dory spoke sincerely. "I want to feel the way my parents do about one another. I want to feel the way that I felt about Clam." She brought the somber mood back, trying to find the balance between gaining sympathy and gaining attention. Perhaps the sympathy card would be the best one to play.
"Clam? Who is he?" Coral continued, making Dory's mind up for her. Go for sympathy it was.
To be honest, Dory didn't have to pretend so much when things came to Clam. Everything she ever felt for the boy was still present, even though they had been young, the girl had known it had been special. "He was my neighbour, and my boyfriend." She giggled, feeling herself blush at the word. "But last year, he was reaped. And of course, he didn't come home. We did everything together, but he was taken from me, and I don't want to go through what he went through. I don't want my family to feel the way I did about losing him." Dory pulled her jacket closer around her body, willing the ground to swallow her up. Dory hadn't meant to be this open, her plans of feeding the Capitol little bits of information to keep them interested had failed. Well, at least she could gain sympathy early on. A plan was formulating in the girl's head, everything spinning a mile a minute. She looked across at Coral who shot her a reassuring smile. "But enough about my failed love life," She concluded, ready to move on from the conversation triggering memories that Dory would rather suppress. "You want to hear about the games."
"We sure do, Miss Krillgood." Over her time working for Capitol, Coral had developed an aptitude for reading the tone of the room, and it was clear that Dory was done with this part of the interview. "So, can you give us an insight to how these games might go for you? Any plans? Any current tributes that you have your eye on for alliances?"
"Wow Coral, I'm not going to give you all my secrets, I'm keeping my cards close to my chest!" She exclaimed, glad for Coral changing the subject with such ease and speed. "But I'll say this," Dory smirked down the camera lense. "I'm a lot stronger than I look, I can swim very well, and my aim isn't too bad. And I am looking for an alliance, some people that I can depend on and will help me through because let's be fair, I'm not getting very far by myself."
"Dory Krillgood everybody! Thank you for sharing a little bit about yourself, and I hope we will see more of that cheeky personality as the games progress." Coral shifted her attention to the male tribute, who had spent the time sitting solemnly, so much so Dory didn't know if he had even been listening to a word she said.
For the first time, the girl actually took in her male counterpart and the pair couldn't be more different if they tried, not only in their looks and age and life experience, but in the simple way they sat. She shot the man a smile, which was returned, and a sudden thought clicked between the pair. The contrast the two had was something no other district partners had yet, and they were ready to use that to their advantage.
Nautilus
Well this was the worst, there was no denying that. But Nautilus had to count his blessings, at least he had had a life, and the same could not be said for the girl sitting next to him. He felt so sorry for her, the short life she had lived seemed traumatic and hard, but the way the girl presented herself made it seem as though it was all water off a duck's back. Nautilus knew it was all for show, of course, the way she switched between nerves and confidence was unexplainable by any natural means, it was all a game. He admired her, the vast difference in their age would be an interesting dynamic and gain them sympathy, a best case scenario for Nautilus as chances of him fighting were low.
The weirdest thing about this whole situation, however, was Coral. He could barely look the woman in the eye for fear of breaking down. It wasn't the thought of the games or the worry of questions that made the man so on edge, but merely her name. It was the same as his wife's, a woman he had been married to for over 50 years, and who meant more to him than anyone ever would. There was no way he could look at their escort without the reminder that he would be leaving his wife forever in just a few short minutes.
"Let us get this over with, shall we?" Nautilus spoke quietly through gritted teeth, causing the two females to smile, making him realise that they were all in the same boat. No one really wanted to be there, but after this, at least the escort could go home to her family, and not have to live out the remainder of her days knowing that the end was near.
"Nautilus, it is lovely to have you here with us today." Coral smiled sweetly and it was clear to see the pity she had for the two. "Can you try and put into words the feelings you had hearing your name called?" She glanced down at the paper in front of her, knowing that the question she had been forced to ask was disrespectful, not understanding why she had actually gone through with it.
What a stupid question, Nautilus thought as he considered the approach he could take to answer. He was a 71 year old man, tired and content with the life he had, the family he had built. He had been ready to spend the rest of his days fishing, and indulging his grandchildren in anything they wanted. It wouldn't only be his family destroyed by his reaping, but Nautilus was a staple in his community, known and loved by so many. Little things played on Nautilus' mind as the affects of his reaping occurred to him. Who would run his chess club? The highlight of the man's week was meeting with the variety of people in his district, teaching them a skill that he was so passionate about, passing the time as their shared tips and tricks on how to survive in a world dominated by the Capitol. All that was over now, Nautilus could only hope that the kindness he had shown the community would encourage them to help his family survive without him.
"I've had better surprised," Nautilus chuckled, deciding that the only way he could make his family feel at ease was if they believed he was taking it all in his stride. The Capitol's Quell had hardly been what we expected, but they did good on the entertainment factor. Watching old men be slaughtered by careers will surely capture the audiences' attention." He joked, folding his arms across his chest. "I think my main focus is on how my family feel, they're my life and I love them more than anything, I just hope they will be okay without me."
Coral's face fell. She didn't know why she had never thought about families before. They probably relied on him to survive, loved him, needed him in their lives. And she had been the one to tell them that he would no longer be around. "Are you close to your family, then?" She pushed for more information, determined to find out more about the man, separating him from the fate that he would soon face.
"I've been married to my wife for fifty years, we have children and grandchildren, they're the lights of my life, so yeah, you could say we are close." A smile washed over his face as he pictured his family united to watch him, even if he was not there to witness it, all the most important people in his life were together. "I just hope I can make them proud, whatever happens."
"I'm sure you will, Mr Cog." Coral reached out, placing a hand on the older man's knee, pulling it back instantly as she felt him flinch. "And one final question, any plans for the games you can let us in on?"
"I can't say I have any plans." Nautilus admitted. "I never thought my name would be in a reaping bowl again, let alone be picked, so I have no clue what I'm going to do. Just stay alive for as long as I can, I suppose."
In all honesty, Nautilus was probably more prepared than a majority of the tributes there would be in this years games. It may have been over fifty years ago, but the man had trained hard for the games, prepared to volunteer at one stage. He wasn't ready to reveal that just yet. The Capitol and tributes expected him to be weak and helpless, not posing a threat. Nautilus could almost picture the shock on their faces when he showed of skills no one had thought he had.
"We thank both our District Four Tributes for their time, and hope that you will all continue to support them and follow their journey when the games commence in just a few weeks now. Goodnight, and may the odds be ever in your favour." The cameras cut and Coral lent back in her chair. "It's over now." She smiled at the two tributes once more, pointing to the door on the far side of the room. "Your families are waiting just through that door, you have 15 minutes before we leave for the train."