Ashira Marlstone, 16, District Twelve Female
She flies up the stairs of the strange hotel, away from the boy from Three and onto the next floor. She doesn't know where he is after their encounter in the luxurious hotel kitchen, but she doesn't want to go back down and find out. She needs to keep moving. It's her only chance in the arena. Otherwise, she might be the next cannon to ring out in the dead silence of the arena.
Seriously, the silence in the hotel was starting to creep her out. Twelve was always noisy, a rhythmic, subdued harmony of families, wildlife, and the occasional mockingjay that decided to perch on the roof of a house and sing out its call. Mockingjays still scared her father a bit. He still hadn't been able to get over a scare from jabberjays in the war, where he had thought that their shrieking calls were hungry animals, waiting to get into the limits of Twelve. Cougars still roamed through the woods in the out-of-districts, hunting, always hunting for another meal. She could remember a story in the paper about a man in Twelve having been caught by one as he ventured into the woods, beyond the boundaries of Twelve, to search for caches of old rebel weapons from the Dark Days to help hidden rebel bases in Twelve. Peacekeepers had searched the village for weeks after his corpse was found, only a quarter-mile from the railroad. They had broken a pretty china doll that she had gotten for her birthday as they searched through her house. But Ashira had said nothing, only sweeping up the pieces and burying them in the backyard. She didn't want to get on the bad side of the peacekeepers. No one wanted to get on the bad side of the peacekeepers in Twelve.
She keeps running up the stairs, passing the second, third, and fourth floors of the never-ending hotel. Was this what every house in the Capitol was like? Did every abode spiral up to the stairs in that city of glass?
She stops on the fifth floor, looking up the stairs before ducking through the door in the stairwell and into a long, well-lit hall. There was no point in heading up to the roof. On second thought, maybe she should head down to the fourth floor. Anyone searching for a place to hide might choose the fifth floor, the furthest away from any other tribute, and she couldn't risk her discovery in this paradise. Yes, it was better to head down to the fourth.
She walks down the stairs quickly, opening the door to the fourth floor and closing it quietly as she looked down the hallway. It was a calming green that adorned the walls of this floor, one that Ashira smiles at as she slips off her crystal high heels and puts them down on the floor, right behind a small desk to the side of the door. They had killed her feet as she ran up the stairs, but she hadn't wanted to risk the chance of discovery. Now that she was safe in a floor, she was at liberty to get more comfortable.
She opened the fifth door down the right side of the hallway, slipping in and looking in awe at the luxurious room. A fluffy, pillow-adorned bed was seated in the middle of the room, with a floor-to-wall window behind the bed. Ashira squints through the glass and spots a few dots in the distance, scurrying to who-knows-where in the arena. Why they didn't come into the hotel, she had no idea. Maybe they felt safer outdoors. But you never did know what the game makers could have made as mutts…
She opens the bathroom to find a huge shower, complete with frosted glass. Ashira gives a smile of thanks to the wall, likely where the enterprising game makers had set up a camera, before stepping into the shower and tossing her dress gratefully out of the door, turning on the tap and basking in the warm water. It was only after she stepped out and grabbed a towel to wrap around her relaxed body when she realizes that they could have hidden cameras in the shower. She gulps and clutches the towel nervously around her, quickly opening a closet and finding a comfortable pair of jeans and a blouse to put on. She hides in the closet to do so before stepping back out, looking around her uneasily at the walls. She didn't need the whole of the Capitol ogling her body as she changed from her dress, no matter how popular she might become because of it. Instead, she locks the door and sinks onto the bed, closing the curtains and glancing wistfully at her beautiful dress in the corner of the room before shutting her eyes and letting herself surrender to sleep. It may be morning, but the past few nights hadn't been the most relaxing for any tribute in the Capitol.
It is a beeping from the halls that rouses Ashira from her slumber, blinking suspiciously around her before grabbing the forgotten steak knife and opening the door quietly. She peeks outside to see a… silver canister sitting on a rolling cart, bearing the number twelve on its side. What is it?
She first touches it with her steak knife before opening it warily, hoping against hope that it isn't a bomb. Had she not been interesting enough for the game makers? Did she do something wrong today?
But it's not an explosive that greets her worried eyes, it's a platter of still warm food and lemonade on a silver tray, with a small note tucked beside a steaming bowl of stew. She opens it quickly and reads the words, curious to see what the game makers have in store for her.
Enjoy this gift, Ashira. Sponsors have been granted a… different status this year. Stay safe; Pollux.
She snorts at the affectionate tone from the note, folding it neatly and tucking it into her pocket before looking at the platter of food. It was likely the escort who had written it for him. No way in Panem had grumpy old Pollux managed to be that sympathetic to a tribute.
She picked up the platter of food, smiling a grateful smile to the ceiling. She didn't know why she had gotten the food, but it had something to do with the fact that there were… sponsors this year. And if she wanted anything else, she likely had to enjoy this for them. No room for mistakes in the Games.
She opens a different door this time, wanting to see if the rooms were any different than others. But as she starts to eat her feast, all that she can see is an identical room to the other one, the only difference being the colour of a few of the pillows. That answered one question.
She only eats half of the stew and drinks a bit of the lemonade before stopping, knowing that too much would have her stomach spew its contents over the floor later in the games if she wasn't careful. She had watched over-eager tributes feast on kills and regret it hours later. But the only difference was that the Games were usually half-over by that time. Why hasn't there been another cannon yet?
She hides the platter in a corner before stepping out of the room and walking back to the stairwell, looking around her warily. There should have been another death by now. The Games were always quick. Always.
But she doesn't think about that as she opens the door. Instead, she screams at the object in the stairwell and pushes it, screaming wildly and flinging herself down the stairs. Not a tribute! Not a tribute! Not a tribute!
"Ashira! Ashira, stop! Stop!" Her vision clears as she looks at a panicked Corey, a bruise on the side of his head already starting to darken. "It's me! I'm not trying to kill you!"
She steps away slowly, still wary of her district partner. You never knew what even your own partner could be capable of the Games.
Corey smiles with relief, stretching his hand out to Ashira. "If you're done trying to kill me, it's nice to see you again. I haven't seen a soul since I got into the hotel. Are they all still out in the savannah?"
"I think so," she whispers, averting her eyes from the cheerful boy. Why doesn't he realize that it's the Hunger Games? Why is he still talking to her instead of running? Why isn't he worried?
"Well, an alliance could thrive easily up here. If no one's looking, a barricade against a door would close off an entire floor from the rest of the arena. We'd be safe." Corey smiles at Ashira, grabbing her hand and shaking it firmly. "Allies?"
Allies? She hadn't even planned on talking to another tribute in the games. Why did she have to ally with him? Even if they had known each other in the Capitol, that didn't mean they could work together in the arena, did it? Who knew what Corey was capable of?
But what would he do if she declined?
"Allies." She looks away from Corey and walks back up the stairs, shivering in her blouse. This wasn't what she had in mind. She'd have to be careful, and see if she couldn't find a way to sneak away from the teen later, if not kill him. She couldn't trust anyone here. No one.
Corey runs up to her and opens the door, grinning widely and pointing to the desk. "If we shove that against the door along with a few other things, I pity the fool who tries to break in. We'll be safe, Ashira! By the way, where did you change? This tux is chafing me everywhere."
Ashira points at the rooms, looking at the green doors, the only difference being the brass numbers hanging on each door. "Changes of clothes are in the closets around here." She doesn't mention the platter of food she has hidden in Room 407. Corey didn't need to know everything.
Corey smiles, ducking into the room and poking his head out. "Thanks! I'll meet you out here with a change of clothes, ready to make our barricade. Have fun!"
She looks away once the door closes, quietly opening the door to Room 407 and grabbing her knife. She hides it in her blouse, wrapping it in a cloth from the room to ensure that she didn't cut herself later on. She didn't know what Corey had planned once more tributes started to die, but she had to be ready. She wouldn't let herself trust her only ally.
She wouldn't let herself trust anyone.
Who is this? What is this? A chapter? From JAJ? After, like, a month? Impossible!
Well, I guess i'm sorry for abandoning y'all after forever, but my first job called. It's been really taxing, and the fact that I caught writer's block and two colds (including one right now) didn't speed anything up. But now we're properly into the games, and ready for anything! Hope you guys missed me a ton, and get ready for lots and lots of trauma, death, and teenage angst!
I sent Ashira's sponsor gift to start it all up, but you guys can definitely sponsor tributes now! Go wild and pm me with your choices! Have fun and stock your tributes up! After all, it's the Hunger Games!
Sponsor points.
RoadieMcRoadface: 50 Points
Iridescenteverdeen: 20 Points
Goldie031: 80 Points
LongingForRomeo: 40 Points
Jailynne: 10 Points
Sponsor System
Small food item (Apples, crackers, etc.): 40 Points
Large food item (Anything!): 60 Points
Medicine (Poison cure, fever medicine, aspirin, etc.): 55 Points
First Aid (Bandages, healing cream, etc.): 70 Points
Small Weapons (Knives, poison, etc.): 70 Points
Large Weapons (Sword, spear, etc.): 100 Points
Hopefully, I can get another chapter out soon then! Expect it at least in September ;) Until next time, TheAmazingJAJ
