The evening before the Games
Cinnamon Nicewarble (48)- Master of Ceremonies
"Time for our next guest: Cedric Page!"
The crowd cheers in response. After Bella's revelation, we're all eager to know more about the siblings of District 7. Anyway, the boy is wearing an orange shirt with a leaf pattern. The shirt is made of a shiny material, and its bright colour is brought out by the mahogany shade of the suede trousers he's wearing.
"Cedric! Looks like your stylist has a passion for leaves!" I begin.
"Apparently," he replies with a slight smile.
"I'll be honest… your costume was one of the best chariot outfits I've seen in years!" I continue.
"Yeah, it was amazing. Emeralda is a great stylist, and I'm glad she's part of my prep team," he agrees.
"No doubt. But let's move to more serious things! Your sister told us you've been adopted. What can you tell us about that?"
"Well, it's a sad story, to be sincere… at least, the beginning is sad. There was a fire that destroyed my old house. My parents died, but my foster father rescued me from the flames. Since then…"- he starts sobbing- "… since then, I've lived with his family. Him, my foster mother, Bella… I love them all! I cannot imagine that our family will be destroyed forever!"
That said, he bursts into tears, covering his face with his hands. I stand up to approach him, putting my hand on his shoulders. An assistant brings a box of tissues, and I hand it to Cedric.
"T-thanks," he says, taking a tissue to wipe away his tears.
"Courage, Cedric! Do you think your family would like to see you like that?" I encourage him with a tender smile.
He watches me. "I-I don't think so," he admits.
I address the audience: "Come on, you all! Let's give a round of applause for the courage of this young boy!"
The crowd cheers in response. Cedric seems heartened. I sit down again.
"Cedric, listen… I know that the situation is difficult. I mean, being sent to the arena along with your sister is so unfair! But there's nothing we can do to avoid that; therefore, you should try to do your best. Bella gonna protect you, but you need to do your part as well, okay?" I say.
"Okay."
"That's my boy!"
The buzzer sounds.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Cedric Page from District 7!"
The crowd erupts into cheers, then Cedric leaves the stage. Poor boy! Fate is a cruel mistress.
"Our next guest is the other victor's child of this year: Autumn Peachskin from District 8!
The audience welcomes her with enthusiasm. The girl is wearing a broad, turquoise dress that reaches to the feet. It is long-sleeved, covered by glitter, and its top part is tight to highlight her breast. Her auburn hair is combed in a high bun. She looks amazing.
"Autumn! Welcome onstage!" I greet her.
"Thank you, Cinnamon. I'm honoured to be here," she replies, grinning.
"It's us who are honoured to have you here. Your father is a victor of the Hunger Games, you volunteered for your sister… you didn't want to go unnoticed, did you?"
"Definitely not. Honestly, I don't think that going unnoticed is a good strategy for the Games. One has to count on their own forces, but also the support of sponsors is fundamental, and one cannot get it by going unnoticed."
"And what's your strategy for the Games, then?" I enquire.
"I've allied with my district partner. I know that other alliances outnumber ours, but a small group is more practical in terms of internal organization. Our first concern is, of course, our survival, but we'll manage to defend ourselves if attacked," she answers.
"A defensive strategy, then," I comment.
"Yes. We have both trained hard but overestimating our abilities would be a dangerous mistake."
Oh, dearie, don't speak like that! This kind of thoughts won't rally sponsors to your cause!
"But your lives will be at stake in the arena, and, you know, people are said to find a force they didn't know they possessed in such situations. I hope it will happen also to you," I rebut.
"It will definitely happen to us, Cinnamon. I think that Tartan and I are more united than other groups, because we fight for the same district!"
The buzzer sounds.
"Ah, district pride is always a good thing! Unfortunately, we cannot chat any longer. Your interview is over, my dear Autumn, but I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow! Good luck!"
"Thank you, Cinnamon," she replies with a wide smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, that's the spirit of a victor's child!"
The audience cheers. Autumn leaves the stage, smiling and waving at the adoring crowd. What a lovely girl! I wouldn't mind, if she won.
"Well, Miss Autumn Peachskin is gone, but I'm sure we are all eager to know more about her district partner and ally Tartan Dye!
The crowd cheers to welcome him. The boy is dressed in blue from head to toe. He looks less self-confident than Autumn, but, as soon as he makes his appearance, he starts waving at the audience, who seems to love him. Being the sole ally of a victor's child has its advantages, I suppose. I've got something to work on, at least.
"Tartan! Looks like blue is the colour of District 8 this year! Also your chariot outfits were blue!" I point out, as soon as we both take our seats.
"Yes. Blue is a nice colour," he replies with a slight smile.
"But it couldn't be otherwise, after all! You have Jake Saffi in your team! You know, he's nicknamed "the blue king". Where are you, Jake?" I add, looking in the general direction of the audience.
A young man stands up in the crowd and is thus applauded by them. Actually, he loves the colour blue so much that even his skin is dyed blue.
"But let's focus on you, Tartan!" I say, turning again to my guest. "Your brother Denim competed last year. How does it feel to be in the same situation?"
I can tell by the way his facial expression changes that my question hurts, even though it wasn't totally unexpected.
At some point, he closes his eyes and then lowers his gaze. "It hurts, Cinnamon. My… my brother d-didn't deserve to die, and yet… but I-I think that being reaped was a sort of punishment. I should have volunteered for him last year," he answers with a broken voice.
"Awww" from the crowd.
"Feeling guilty is normal, Tartan, but your brother wouldn't want you to give up," I say, trying to soothe him.
He watches me in response, and I notice that his eyes are reddish. "I will never give up, I will win also for him!" he rebuts, moved.
"That's the spirit! Ahem… I see that your brother is a sore point, so I won't ask you other questions about him..."- he nods in response-"...your training score is 6, which is very good for a boy of your age. What are your skills, Tartan?" I go on.
"Well, I've got a passion for painting, that's why I've tried to learn some tricks about camouflage."
"Do you paint also at home?"
"I've got a group of friends who share my passion. We meet, and… yeah, we usually decorate abandoned buildings, but people tend to see us as vandals, so…"
"Oh, that's bad! They don't let you express your art in liberty! Well, listen to me… when you win, you'll be able to create a space only for painting! What do you think?
His eyes light up. "I think it would be great!"
The buzzer sounds.
"Ah, time is cruel! Ladies and gentlemen, this was Tartan Dye from District 8!"
The crowd cheers in response, and Tartan leaves the stage.
I sigh. "Oh, his story was so moving… but we have to move on! Our next guest is Rebecca Field from District 9!"
Rebecca looks like an innocent farm girl with her golden hair combed in two braids, but her family name tells a different story. The Fields used to be rebels, but I'm definitely not going to talk about that. I don't want to lose my job, after all!
"So, Rebecca… you got a 9, which is an excellent score. You could actually be a Career…" I point out.
"Yes, my score is excellent, but I will never join the Career pack, that's for sure," she replies with conviction.
Asking her why is pointless, I suppose…
"But Careers might see you as a threat, considering your high score…"
"I think it's inevitable. When a tribute from an outer district gets such a high score, he or she is automatically targeted. But I'm not afraid of Careers. If they want to hunt me down, they're free to do it, but I will defend myself tooth and claw. I won't go down without a fight!"
If her eyes could catch fire, I think they would do it right now. What a fiery spirit!
The crowd cheers. Rebecca has won them too.
"Oh, your fierceness is thrilling, dearie! I'm getting goose bumps! But let's move to something more personal!"
"Okay."
"I heard that there was some disagreement within your alliance…" I go on.
"My district partner left the alliance just because he was jealous, there's nothing else I can say in this regard," she replies with a shrug, but I can tell by her tone that she feels uneasy now.
I'm sorry, Rebecca, I'm not going to change the subject!
"Jealous?" I echo her.
She sighs. "He thinks that there's something between me and the boy of District 13," she explains.
"Ooooh" from the crowd.
A possible in-Games romance! Things are getting interesting…
"And is he right?"
"I like Owen, but we're both tributes, and there can be only one victor. If I want to win, he has to die. Since I do want to win the Games, we cannot be more than friends and allies."
The buzzer sounds.
So early? But I'm not yet done talking about all this!
I stand up. "Who knows? The arena could bring you closer together!"
"We'll see."
"Well, I wish you good luck, Rebecca!" I say, kissing her hand.
"Thanks."
Rebecca leaves the stage accompanied by the cheers of the audience. Another amazing tribute… I wouldn't want to be in sponsors' shoes. Who should I root for?
"Rebecca is gone, but the conversation is not over yet! Let's continue it with her district partner Adam Thorn! Come on, Adam! It's your turn!"
The boy comes on stage, and the crowd erupts into cheers. Affairs and love triangles are things that keep people glued to the screen. Tributes are not only fighters, they're also people with their own stories to tell, and a good story could actually make a big difference in the Games.
"Adam! Your district partner told us that you're jealous. Is it really so?"
"I have good reasons for being jealous. Rebecca is my fiancée," he replies with a straight face.
"Ooooh" from the crowd.
"Does it mean that…?"
"Yeah, I asked for her hand right before the Reaping, and she accepted. I volunteered to protect her."
"Awww" from the audience.
"But you left her alliance…" I retort.
"I couldn't help that. Coin has buzzed around her from the very beginning- actually, the idea of an alliance between our districts was his- and Rebecca seems to prefer him over me. I cannot force her to love me, I'm not that kind of man, that's why I left the alliance. But this doesn't mean that I gave up on protecting her," he says, his tone halfway between anger and resignation.
"But you found another ally- the boy from Ten- if I'm not wrong."
"Yep."
"What does he think of this situation?"
"I don't think he would stop me, if I decided to sacrifice my life for Rebecca. We'll be allies as long as possible, but we know it's just a temporary situation. In any case, we're both strong, we stand more chances than many others, so I don't think it will happen early in the Games."
"Don't you think that your intention to protect Rebecca could cause a breakup?"
"That's a possibility, but, you know, anything may happen in the arena. We'll see how things develop and behave accordingly."
The buzzer sounds. We both stand up.
"I'm glad you're so self-confident, Adam. I wish you the best," I say, while shaking hands with him.
"Thank you, Cinnamon," he replies with a slight smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Adam Thorn from District 9!"
The crowd cheers in response, and Adam leaves the stage while waving at the audience.
"Let's move to District 10! Please, give a round of applause for Estrella Sol!"
Another simple dress that would be easily considered mediocre by many fashion experts, if it wasn't for the necklace the girl is wearing- white beads (I don't think they're real pearls; they don't look as such, at least) and feathers. A little rustic but nice.
"My dear Estrella, before we start, I have good news for you: they told me to inform you that your grandmother is fine."
In response, the girl sighs in relief, and a smile forms on her lips. She must have worried a lot about her grandmother. Now, she's beaming with joy. Looks like I've just given her the strength she needed. How rewarding!
"What did happen to your grandmother, if I may ask?" I enquire.
"I-I don't know exactly. A friend of mine told me that she had felt bad after the Reaping… I-I… I couldn't even tell her goodbye," she answers, as tears start flooding from her eyes.
An assistant brings again a box of tissues.
"Oh, dearie… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry. Come on, wipe away your tears. Your grandmother wouldn't want to see you like that, right?" I apologize, while handing her the box.
"Yeah… she certainly wants me to stay strong. Actually, this necklace is hers, so it's like she was with me. She will give me strength in the arena. Now that I know she's fine, I have one more reason to fight," she replies, pointing at the necklace she's wearing.
"That's a really nice necklace."
"Thank you. I made it for her."
"Oh, really? You've got a talent."
"Thanks. Sometimes, my grandmother and I sell the necklaces we make."
"So that's your life in District 10…"
"Well, I've got also a part-time job. I work at Paradise Ranch, which belongs to Timothy's family."
"You knew your district partner before the Reaping, then."
"Yes, we are… we were friends," she says, lowering her gaze.
"What has happened?" I ask her.
"I-I… I'm in love with him. I confessed my feelings for him, but he rejected me," she explains.
"Oh, that's bad! One-sided love is painful!" I comment.
"It is," she agrees.
The buzzer sounds.
"My dear Estrella, your interview is over. All I can do now is wishing you good luck. Timothy doesn't love you, but at least your grandmother does. Fight for her!"
"I will."
"Let's give a round of applause for this brave girl!"
The crowd cheers in response. Estrella leaves the stage. Now, it's her partner's turn. Apparently, more than one tribute has love trouble this year.
"Next tribute: Timothy Cunningham from District 10!"
A warm welcome also for him. Love is always a good subject for debate.
"Timothy! Your ally Adam has love problems, but you're no better, apparently. Any comment on what your district partner said?"
"There's little to say, Cinnamon. I don't love her. If she cannot accept it, that's not my problem," he replies with a straight face.
"Why are you that harsh? Estrella was just honest with you, and you broke her heart. She said you were friends, and friends don't behave like that, " I retort.
"I just made things clear, Cinnamon. I could no longer see her as a friend, knowing what she feels for me. Believe me, staying apart is the best thing to do!"
"But maybe with time…"
He interrupts me: "No way! We belong to two different worlds! Even our friendship was a miracle itself!"- he sighs, and then resumes his speech in a more relaxed tone- "My family is rich, Estrella's is poor. I used to think that we could be friends nonetheless, but now… what if she loved me just due to my money? I couldn't stand that! In any case, we're both tributes in this year's Games, so there's no use in speculating. Honestly, I'd like to talk about something else."
I'd like to tell him that this decision is not up to him, but then I realize it would be pointless. I'll satisfy his request.
"Okay, as you wish. Umm… what would you like to talk about?"
You should really thank me, I rarely give my guests such a free choice!
My question catches him off guard. "May I really talk about what I want?" he asks back, suspicious.
I smile in response. "Of course you may! Isn't that what you want, in the end?"
"Yes, but… okay, I think that sponsors might be interested in my strategy for the Games. I've chosen Adam as an ally because he's strong… we're both strong, and our training scores are evidence of this. In addition, we both know for what we fight. I fight for my family… as for Adam… well, if he prefers Rebecca's life over his, I cannot convince him otherwise. I want an ally, not a friend. Rebecca has talent, she won't die early in the Games; as a consequence, my alliance might stick together for a while. After all, I'm pretty sure Adam will try to protect her from outside her group."
"Don't you think that this might put you in jeopardy as well?"
"I can look after myself."
The buzzer sounds.
"I'm glad you have a level head, Timothy. I wish you good luck!" I say, while shaking hands with him.
"Thank you."
"Timothy Cunningham from District 10!"
The crowd cheers in response. Timothy is kind of cold-hearted, but I like his determination. I'm curious to see what he will do once in the arena.
"Only three districts left, we have almost finished… unfortunately. Honestly, I'm fond of all tributes, I can't imagine that only one will win. Do you feel the same?" I say, addressing the audience.
The crowd cheers. Very well, they're still tuned…
"Without any further ado, let's welcome the next guest onstage: Maya Seeds!"
The little girl is wearing a bell-shaped, long-sleeved, white dress that reaches to her ankles. Her dress has a pattern of pink flowers, and its light colour brings out the ebony tone of her skin, eyes, and hair. As soon as the girl gets closer to me, I can tell that she's amazed- she's slightly shaking, but her dark eyes glow with such a joy!
"Maya! How was your experience in the Capitol?" I begin.
"Amazing! Capitol City is a whole different world compared to District 11!" she answers, grinning.
"In what sense?" I enquire.
"Well… don't get me wrong, this city is wonderful, but… I'm used to living in contact with nature, and I miss it here. I miss my family too; we're not that well-off, but we love one another, and that's what matters."
"Missing home is comprehensible, dearie. How's your life in District 11?"
"I'm a student. Actually, I passed a test to get into a private school. I'd like to become a teacher."
"That's a noble intent! When you win, you'll be able to pursue your dream, Mrs. Seeds."
"I have to win first," she says, lowering her gaze. "I know that my chances are low, but I'll do my best, I promise."
"That's the spirit! Where there is life there is hope… maybe I should have said it to the girl from Five, considering her surname…"
Laughter from the crowd.
At some point, the buzzer sounds.
"Unfortunately, your interview is over. May the odds be ever in your favour, Mrs. Seeds!"
The crowd cheers.
"Thank you," she replies with a wide smile.
"She's adorable, isn't she? I already miss her!" I comment, as soon as Maya is gone. "Let's see if her district partner is adorable as well! Please, come, Tobias Jackson, it's your turn!"
The boy mounts the stage accompanied by the cheers of the audience. He looks rather nervous but manages to flaunt a smile.
"Good evening, Mr. Nicewarble," he greets me, while taking his seat.
"Oh, you're a polite boy, Tobias, but formality is not necessary, you can call me Cinnamon," I reply, grinning.
"Okay, Cinnamon."
"So… you have drawn attention since the chariot parade. The idea of throwing pieces of your costumes at the crowd was yours, right?"
"Yes."
"Why did you do that?"
"Well, I thought it was a good idea to leave a mark. Maya and I are very young, and I bet there aren't many sponsors willing to support our team. In such conditions, one has to come up with something to get noticed. The crowd liked our little show, so what's the problem?"
"No problem at all, I was just curious. You know, I have to ask you something, it's my job!" I say in a melodramatic tone.
Laughter from the crowd.
"Of course," he replies.
I don't like his attitude. He's not as sweet as Maya, that's for sure!
"Well, let's move on… you said that Maya is your ally. What are the strengths of your team?" I continue.
"Also Fabian- the boy of District 12- is part of our team. The other tributes are likely to underestimate us, but we'll show them that they're wrong, because we won't go down without a fight!"
The buzzer sounds. We both stand up and shake hands.
"I appreciate your self-confidence. Good luck!" I say.
"Thanks," he replies.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Tobias Jackson from District 11!"
The crowd cheers in response, and the boy leaves the stage. Honestly, I won't miss him, there's a more interesting guest immediately after him: the girl of District 12. After the breakout of her alleged twin brother Oliver, I'm eager to interview her.
"Our next guest seems to have an intriguing backstory… at least, according to what her twin brother said. I'm referring, of course, to Yolanda Underwood! Please, come onstage, Yolanda!"
The girl is welcomed by a standing ovation. She's wearing a short-sleeved, knee-long, lime green dress with horizontal, pine green bands. The colour of her dress perfectly matches that of her hair, which is combed in a low ponytail. To complete her outfit, she has golden sandals at her feet.
"Yolanda! You have a twin brother, apparently," I say.
"No, he's just a liar," she rebuts with a straight face.
"Are you sure?"
"It's true, I've been adopted, and my real parents came from District 4, but the probabilities that I have a brother who's a tribute like me are very low. This is not a book, Cinnamon, this is real life! Oliver is- don't know why- obsessed with me! In fact, he has been following me around for three days!" she answers, starting to get angry.
"But what if he was your brother for real? What would you do?"
"I've planned to win the Games without allies, and that's…"
She doesn't finish her utterance, though. She starts to gasp. Her face is slowly turning red, and she brings both her hands on her chest.
"Yolanda… what's up?" I ask, worried.
"My… my inhaler…" she wheezes.
Oh, gosh! That's an asthma attack! What should I do? What can I do? I cannot let her die like that, it's the wrong time!
Luckily, Terry Appalachia- Yolanda's mentor- is called to the stage. She brings her inhaler and hands it to her protégée. The girl immediately grabs it and starts wheezing into it. The audience is dead silent, they're all waiting for her to recover. Luckily, it takes her only a few seconds to do so, but it seemed like an eternity. Now, the girl is breathing normally.
I sigh in relief. "You scared us to death, Yolanda, but I'm glad you're fine now. I think we'd better end it here, I don't want to pile on. After all these emotions… and there will be more tomorrow! Ladies and gentlemen, give a round of applause for Yolanda Underwood!"
The crowd cheers in response. I shake hands with Yolanda, then she leaves the stage along with her mentor.
"Wow! So many emotions tonight! My heart is still beating like crazy! And my hair has turned white from fear… wait, I forgot, my hair is white 'cause I dyed it!" I say.
The audience laughs. Well done, Cinnamon, you lightened the mood!
"So many emotions, but we need to move on nonetheless! Our next guest is Fabian Swift from District 12!" I continue.
Fabian's outfit is definitely the most colourful so far- a shirt half green and half purple, with green dots on the purple half, and purple dots on the green half; yellow trousers with sequins; black shoes covered by glitter; a silver borsalino. All these colours combined create a flamboyant patchwork which is very rare to see during tributes' interviews.
"Fabian! Looks like your stylist loves playing with colours! All these colours together make me dizzy!" I comment.
"Well, I told my stylist that I'm a gambler, but I think he mistook gambler for magician," he replies with a shrug.
Laughter from the crowd.
"Ha, ha, ha… it's a plausible explanation! But let's focus on you and not on your outfit! You said you're a gambler. Could you please explain?"
"Let's say that I like risking. Easy victories are not for me, that's why I've chosen the couple of District 11 as allies. I think they're capable despite appearances, but my fellow tributes don't agree with me, otherwise they wouldn't leave them aside."
"So, you've got a strategy, you haven't allied with them… let's say… out of pity…"
He frowns in response. "I don't think pity is the right word, Cinnamon," he points out.
"Well, Fabian, your score is 7, which is very good, so you're not likely to be underestimated. Someone could target you and, by extension, your allies," I retort.
"We'll defend ourselves, then."
The buzzer sounds. We both stand up and shake hands.
"I hope your strategy will work, Fabian! I wish you the best!"
"Thank you."
"Fabian Swift from District 12!"
The crowd cheers, and the boy leaves the stage.
"Last but not least, District 13! Please, welcome Christine Harsh onstage!" I go on.
A warm welcome also for Christine. The girl is wearing a one-shoulder, pumpkin orange dress that reaches to her knees. Her dress has a black waistband and a ribbon on its sole shoulder. She's wearing also black high heels, but she's clearly not used to walking in them, since she's wobbling. She looks quite embarrassed. I get closer to her, take her hand, and help her to sit down.
"Thank you, Cinnamon," she whispers, blushing.
"You're welcome, my dear. You look great this evening!" I reply with a smile.
"Thank you. This is not exactly my style, but… yeah, this dress is wonderful."
"What's your usual style, then?"
"Well, I'm a tomboy, but Carol should be happy to see me dressed like that, and if she's happy, I'm happy as well."
"Carol?"
"The reaped girl, she's my girlfriend, I volunteered for her," she explains.
"Awww" from the crowd.
"How sweet! She must be a special person to you," I comment.
Christine nods in response. "She is the only person worth fighting for. Actually, she gave me a foulard after the Reaping like ladies used to do with their knights in the ancient times. I am Carol's knight, I'm ready to fight and win!"
"Oh, the knightly imagery is so romantic! But let's move to something- let's say- more Games-related. You did well in your private session. What are your strengths?"
She smirks. "Ah, I don't want to ruin the surprise, Cinnamon! All I can say is that I will do anything in order to win!"
The buzzer sounds.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what tricks you have up your sleeve! Good luck, Christine! You won't disappoint us, will you?" I say, while shaking hands with her.
"Never," she replies.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Christine Harsh from District 13!"
The crowd cheers. Christine leaves the stage with wavering gait, but at least she manages not to fall. Now, it's the turn of her district partner. Owen Coin, a Coin in the Hunger Games! I don't know whether I should feel happy or worried to have him as a guest. Come on, Cinnamon, he's the last guest! Tomorrow, he'll be sent to the arena with all the other tributes, so he won't be your problem any longer!
"Ladies and gentlemen, time for our last guest! To be sincere, I don't think he needs a long introduction, because his family name speaks for him. Let's welcome Owen Coin onstage!"
Owen Coin is Alma Coin's grandson, but the audience welcomes him nonetheless. The boy doesn't even look at the crowd, he heads straight in my direction.
"Welcome, Owen!" I greet him.
I stretch out my hand. He reluctantly takes it, so we can shake hands. After that, we both sit down.
"So, I know you've allied with your district partner, Rebecca from Nine, and Estrella from Ten. Lucky among women, Owen! What are the strengths of your alliance?" I start.
"Now that Adam is gone, I think that our group is more united. Our fellow tributes should not underestimate us, especially Christine and me. We come from District 13, but this doesn't mean that we're already doomed. Our district is strong, as we showed at the Reaping," he answers.
You want to touch on sore spots, Owen, but I cannot you let you do so!
"And what about Rebecca?" I enquire.
"She rightly said that we cannot be anything more than friends and allies, since there can be only one victor. I totally agree with her," he replies.
"But do you feel something for her?" I insist.
"She's a wonderful girl, but… nothing will ever happen between us. All I can say is that Adam was wrong to treat her like a child to protect at all costs, but I can understand him. I didn't want to make them argue. They argued due to a boy who will be dead soon, but at least I will die knowing that he will protect her. If I was allowed to bet on a tribute, I'd bet on Rebecca."
The audience is silent. This is the sincerest declaration of love I've ever heard in years of experience! The buzzer sounds, thus breaking the spell, but this moment will not be forgotten.
"I'm sorry, Owen, your interview is over, but I must admit that I admire your courage. I wish you good luck!" I say with a straight face.
"Thank you, Cinnamon," he replies with a slight smile.
We both stand up and shake hands.
"Owen Coin from District 13!"
The crowd erupts into cheers. A standing ovation also for him. After that, he leaves the stage as stoically as he came.
"That's all for tonight! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" I say, trying to lighten the mood.
The interviews were on the whole a success as always, but they ended on a rather bitter note.
So, this is the second half of interviews (from D7M to D13M). Have you got any comments?
