Interviews Part III: If I Lose Myself
If I Lose Myself by OneRepublic
I stared up at the sun
Thought of all of the people, places, and things I've loved
I stared up just to see
With all of the faces, you were the one next to me…
Note: Some of the line breaks between sessions won't show up. Sorry about that :/
Participants of the 87th Games- Carmini "Carminha" Floyd (District 1 Female), Ember Oakland (District 7 Female), Mira Knitt (District 8 Female), and Elmay "El" Risque (District 10 Female)
"Come on up girls." I watch as the four teens, dresses and heels and all, make their way across the field and up the steel steps.
Carminha wears a golden dress that shines every time she moves with grey high heels. Her baby bump is very evident as it overtakes her abdomen. She looks almost ashamed as she makes her way toward me, her lips tight as she accepts my hand.
Ember sports a simple strapless dark blue dress with sequins lining the hem that spread upwards. She has on blue peep-toed wedges and her hair is curled and pulled up halfway. Her evening hairstyle shows off her cheekbones and facial features, the small freckles on her nose and the tiny specks of honey in her brown eyes.
Mira is in a light green dress, devoid of all the glitter and gems that past female tributes have worn. From her green stilettos to her green hair clips, Mira looks awkward in the formal attire and has trouble walking in her heels. She accepts my hand with a nervous smile, catching her mouth, 'Kill me now'.
El is the last girl to appear and her attire is a simple white silk dress that goes past her knees with a yellow flower that rests on her shoulder. She smiles, just like she always does, and tucks a strand of her dark brown hair that constantly fall into her dark eyes. She takes her place next to Mira, Ember, and Carminha.
"Hi, girls."
"Hi." The four of them respond, some elated and others monotone. Ember looks into the crowd, avoiding Carminha's pity stare and El and Mira ignore the other.
This is going to be quite an interesting ten minutes.
"So… I know this is a bit awkward for the four of you considering what had happened in your first Games…" I sigh and remember the footage from the eighty-seventh Games. Carminha killed Ember and Mira killed El. Yep, talk about awkward.
"Yeah… didn't think I'd see the three of them like this…" Carminha murmurs as she keeps her line of sight away from Ember.
Ember casts Carminha an angry expression and turns to me. "Some of us were victims of monsters…"
Carminha snaps her head towards her. "I did what I had to do to survive!"
"Whatever…" Ember scoffs and turns to Mira and El. "I don't even think I want to go through this hell again…"
"…"
Mira and El seem like they've come to terms with the other, but Carminha and Ember… not so much. I remember earlier that Chance had killed both Carminha, Mira, and another person. This is just one big mess.
"Girls…"
"You don't see Carminha and I bashing on Chance now do you?" Mira hisses, her eyes narrowed. "We're all victims here."
"I can't even take showers without thinking of her pushing me into that fucking pond!" Ember is angry, her eyes glaring and her lips in a snarl. "Sorry…"
She slumps back in her chair, wiping her eyes in haste. Carminha shakes her head and turns to the audience, Mira and El look at me and I ask them some more questions.
Luckily these girls are separated, their killers and victims in different Arenas. I don't know what would've happened if they were placed in the same space…
Buzz
Before the girls exit the stage, I hear Carminha mumble, "Someone who is unwilling to fight for what they want, deserve what they get."
Then they all depart, keeping a fine line between those who wronged them thirteen years prior…
Participants of the 90th Games- Eccentricity "Tricity" Elm (District 4 Female) and Carella Bray (District 12 Female)
Out of the two girls, Tricity wears the most revealing attire, if not from all the girls this evening. It's a blood red dress that features a plunging neckline, exposing her cleavage and her back. Her breasts are more defined and larger than I've seen them before, but that's probably because of all the t-shirts all the tributes are required to wear. The sides of her dress expose her thighs is in danger of showing a lot more than just her torso and upper legs.
Carella enters with a beige dress that's strapless and falls to her knees. Her tall build makes the dress more billowy and open than it should. Her usually straight brown hair is curled and her grey eyes are accented with brown eyeliner and mascara. She takes my hand and shakes quite firmly before hesitantly taking her seat next to Tricity.
"Well, girls. It's very nice to have you hear today."
"Thank-"
"Thank you, Izzy." Tricity cuts off Carella, the brunette shoots me a pissed off shrug.
This is going to be fun.
"How does it feel being brought back for another round of the Hunger Games?" I turn to Tricity, her eyes glazed.
The dark brunette shrugs her shoulders. "It feels fine, I guess. I don't know… I just couldn't see myself after what happened in our first Games."
I nod, turning my attention to Carella. "And you, Carella?"
"Well honestly it's a little frightening… my daughter is only five years younger than me!"
The crowd roars in laughter and applause, Carella stands from her seat and bows. Tricity puffs out her cheeks and leans her cheek on her hand, not amused.
"It is an odd situation you two are in…"
"Well, yeah. I mean who could've believed that this was all possible!" Carella looks down at the length of her arm. "We're alive again."
"You two are placed in the same Arena, how do you feel about that?"
Carella opens her mouth to respond, but Tricity beats her to the punch. "It's wonderful! We may not be allies, but having someone from the past will make it a bit easier this time around.
Tricity giggles and side hugs Carella, a wide grin shining from the dark brunette. "Woohoo!"
Buzz
Participant of the 93rd Games- Bram Riles (District 12 Male)
"Heck yeah I'm gonna win! With this new bod, that is!"
Bram stands from his seat and raises his arms, pumping up the crowd. He's truly a crowd favorite, I'll give him that much. He grins, his cheeks causing his eyes to narrow.
"Bram, do you truly know what you're up against?" Sure his athletic build will help him somewhat with avoiding obstacles and the likes, but it's not-it's nothing like anyone has seen before.
No one knows what to expect. Not like before, when the Arenas were the pretty much the same, the concept of the kids hiding or killing was the same. It won't be like that.
"Yeah!" He's way too enthusiastic about all this. Tone it down, kid.
Just as I prepare another question to ask, Bram stands and goes to the front of the stage. He strips off his shirt, peeling the fabric slowly from his shoulders. The teen girls in the crowd scream and shout, I feel myself getting hot from the second hand embarrassment.
Should I cue the buzzer early. Surely he won't-
WHAT?!
Bram goes for the buckle of his belt and just as I hear the clanking of metal on the steel ground. I press the button.
Buzz
I jerk upwards and run to the confused boy. "Bram Riles everyone!"
I grab the boy by the ear and drag him off stage, him whining the entire time. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Excuse me?!"
"Let go of me!" He squirms under my grip and I shove him, my anger building.
"That was uncalled for!"
"I was trying to get sponsors, and if stripping on stage and acting all macho is what it takes I'll do it!" He runs his ear and walks off, waving and hollering.
Bram…
Participant of the 95th Games- Maiandra "Andra" Goldenrod (District 6 Female)
"Do you have any hobbies?"
"No." Andra's been giving me freakin' one worded responses and it's incredibly boring. Ugghhh… I still have four more to go.
I'm exhausted by this point. I feel like I'm repeating myself with the same damn questions and I certainly don't feel well for the big surprise I'm going to reveal after Vetch's session.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Participant of the 96th Games- Mercy Jade (District 8 Female)
Mercy sits on the edge of her seat, shaking her legs and biting her fingernails. Her blonde hair is clipped back with an antique hair accessory of sorts and falls in curls rather than the frazzled mess it's usually in. A brilliant turquoise wraps her slender build and accents her budding chest and hips, any further growth and development jeopardized.
"Mercy, how are you feeling?" I cast soft eyes on her, giving her a warm smile. Her movements are fidgety, every time I attempt to console her, tears spring into her eyes and my questions and hopes for attracting sponsors fade.
Please… let me help you…
The buzzer sounds. It's too late. Mercy rises from her seat, her eyes now bloodshot and lips quivering and she brings her lips to my ear. "No one can help me." Her words crack and rasp, the sound of oblivion ringing within me.
Her dress flutters like a newly hatched butterfly as she descends down the steps, her movements graceful and refined unlike her interview etiquette. The crowd disperses a rumble of clapping as she passes, not as much as the Careers and tribute favorites.
She marches straight towards her death…
Participant of the 97th Games- Yarrow Ashby (District 11 Female)
"Your mother and grandmother are still in Eleven, right?"
Yarrow nods. "Yeah, they are."
Yarrow smiles, the first I've seen from her since the Tribute Parade. She's incredibly soft-spoken and reserved, she's really sweet and insightful though. From her coy expressions to her adorable stutters, even to her observations on the other tributes, Yarrow proves to be a force to reckon with. I can tell from the sparkle in her eyes and the force behind her well thought out words that she'll last awhile in the Games.
"What do you hope to achieve by winning the Games?"
She bites her lip, her eyes wavering to the cameras. "I want to win not just for myself, but for my family. My family needs me…"
She laughs and wipes a single tear, "I want to go home to them."
The buzzer sounds and she scurries off stage, her face contorting in sadness. I hear her sob softly as she walks towards the Stadium's entrance, her cries lost to the roaring of the masses.
But not to me.
Participant of the 98th Games- Rhea Katze (District 3 Female)
Rhea prances up the steel steps, her usually grim expression now bubbly and sweet. Her dress in embedded with diamonds, the upper part shines and glimmers while the lower half spreads out. The thin fabric looks like something ballet dancers would wear for performance. Instead of ballet slippers, Rhea wears normal heels, not the stilettos most of the past female tributes have worn.
"Hey, Rhea!" I giggle as she twirls in her dress, her curls bouncing. "Very lovely dress you have on!"
"Thank you, Izzy."
Her interview seems… how do I put it… rehearsed? It feels like all the questions I ask her are responses she thought up ahead of time. Not that they don't sound genuine, but it doesn't feel natural. I grow increasingly irritated at not just Rhea's but everyone's interviews tonight. Some were great, I really enjoyed them. Others were meh, could've been better. Then there were those few that didn't really reach the crowd like it should have.
I feel a witty smirk come alive as I process one last, and unexpected question to ask the lovely Rhea. "If you can put in a sentence or quote what you believe defines your experience before and now, what would it be?"
It works. She gives be a questionable look and scans the crowd, her lips moving slightly. I can't hear what she's saying, but I assume it's conjuring up an answer. The tiny smile that forms after several long moments lets me know she's found an answer from within her heart and not her brain.
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
Participant of the 99th Games- Vetch Colhaine (District 3 Male)
"VETCH!" I run and embrace the young boy who had touched my heart. He was so sweet, innocent, and kind that it shined brighter than his ignorance. He may not have been the smartest or the best with words, but Vetch was the kindest.
"Hi, Izzy." His speech is proper, no trace of mispronunciation or slurring. Just normal Vetch. Even the Capitol strips the special qualities in a person and changes them. Most for the worst.
"It's wonderful to see you here with us today! Tell me, are you ready to go back in the Games?
"I've learned a lot since I died."
Vetch was the same as he had been twelve months prior, but… it was a different Vetch Colhaine. From his posture to his etiquette, the boy sitting in front of me was not the youth who had sent me sobbing and leaving the Control Room while he was eaten alive.
No. This was him, but a conformed Vetch. Conformed under the serum, under the Capitol's wishes. It was like the other tributes; changing Bram's build, Carminha's hair color, and Joules' memories.
The Capitol changed him, the once sweet and innocent Vetch and made him into this-this proper boy too young for formality. He should be back in Three with his family going to school and living life. Not buried and then brought back to be placed in an earthy grave once more.
I'm sorry, Vetch. I'm sorry they did this to you…
Isadora "Izzy" Stone (25) Tribute Parade Coordinator and Interviewer
All thirty-six of the tributes have made their way onto the stage, the group standing with arms at their sides with looks of passiveness as the interview sessions end for the evening. The audience cheers and claps for these teens, not knowing the true extent of what will happen to them within the next couple days.
Only one of the thirty-six will survive. Another chance at life, one that was stolen from them a long time ago. I look up towards the sky and watch as the sun begin to set, the colors forming a work of art right before my eyes.
"Thank you all sooo much for attending, everyone!" I giggle and gesture towards the tributes. "As everyone knows, this is a very special year for the Hunger Games." I let the crowd's cheers and shouts settle before continuing.
"So, in honor of this special occasion… you don't have to wait until tomorrow to witness the beginning of the Quell! The Games will start at midnight tonight!"
Snow Stadium erupts in chaos. The Capitolites cheer and rejoice at the news of the Quarter Quell starting nearly half a day earlier while the tributes show different reactions. Some go along with the Capitolites, cheering and waving madly while others stand stricken with shock and fear.
I watch as the Victors rush down from their seats to their tributes and take them away, looks of disbelief and anger written across their faces.
May the odds be ever in your favor…
A/N: Woohoo! Next up is the Launch and then the Games!
Poll up: Final three prediction for Arena 2?
1. Whose sessions caught your attention?
2. Any other comments :)
Love Always,
Domi