Major Minus by Coldplay
They got one eye watching you
One eye, what you do?
Amstel Hafelin, 18, District One
"Wait, let me look at you". I turn around to face my stylist, a tiny fragile thing with more makeup than fat on her body, once again. She has done this every few steps down the hallway, and again in the elevator down here. I know I look fine, the outfit she made for me is simple enough that my natural looks stand out. It's much better than the first night's outfit, but I know she's worried about me not liking it again. I almost feel bad about being so vocal about my dislike for the thing, but at least I got a lot of input on this one.
"I look fine, Alise," I say with a smile and her face lights up. She is like a young child, but regardless it's impossible not to fall in love with the woman. She just wants to make sure I look okay, which is very important for the interviews I guess. It might even be her first year as a stylist, which would explain her nerves.
"I know, you look great!" She exclaims. "I just wanted to make sure the jacket was long enough, I forgot if I checked that already."
"I'm sure you did," I offer but hold my arms out to my sides anyways for her to have a look. I'm not really sure what she is going to do if the jacket happens to be too short, but there's no point in arguing with her after all she's done. Alise is clearly very nervous, and if it calms her down to check and double check than I suppose that's what we're going to have to do.
"Okay, okay," she smiles as her eyes graze over my outfit another couple times. We keep walking a few more steps until we get to a door and I hold it open for her. She shakes her head and takes a step back from the door, motioning me inside. "Stylists aren't allowed past here, Mentors and tributes only."
I pat her shoulder and give her a wide smile. "Well then, thank you so much for preparing me. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes, see you tomorrow," she repeats and scampers back down the hallway we just came through.
I turn and press on through the door by myself. As soon as I am a couple feet in I understand where we are. The tributes that have arrived already are lined up in district order, females first, and there are a couple steps leading off behind a curtain at the far end of the hallway. We must be backstage, I hadn't realized that we had walked that far yet.
I notice Aquila already standing at the front of the line and I walk over to her, passing by the many other tributes already there as well. She nods at me as I step into place behind her. I ask where Maybn and Micah are and she only shakes her head. I guess they aren't coming.
"Tributes, please ensure you are in district order, One at the front and the Capitol at the end. Female tributes first as always, we are about to begin." A tall girl with miles of fluffy hair piled on top of her head and a little hearing device sticking out of her ear stands at the top of the stairs in front of Aquila. I take a glance behind me and see that nearly all the tributes have arrived already, except the male from Eleven. His district partner looks around with wide eyes, I am going to guess she has no idea where he is either.
"Please step up, dear," the girl with the headset motions Aquila up the two steep stairs. Aquila doesn't say a word, complying immediately. Her tight fitting, green dress hardly moving around her. I give her a quick thumbs up and she returns it with a half smile. I guess she isn't nervous, then.
I hear Vindan Fauxtus announce Aquila and she struts out into the camera's view with her face lit up in a dazzling smile. She beams at the audience with more emotion than I have seen her give all week, before sitting down in the chair opposite Vindan. Her interview goes off without a hitch, him pitching her simple questions and her answering them confidently. In no time I am being ushered up the steps and just as Aquila passes me, her brilliant smiling returning to a half smirk, I hear my name announced.
"Welcome Amstel, have a seat," Vindan grins as I stride out to the middle of the stage, applause erupting from all angles around me.
"Don't mind if I do, Vindan."
"So let's get right down to it, who's watching back home for you?"
"My mom, without a doubt wouldn't be missing this. Probably my brothers Colton and Ashur if she let them stay up this late. The cats," I answer honestly.
"The...cats?" Vindan's eyes beg for elaboration.
"You know, little furry things, claws, teeth, always land on their feet," I smile. "Those things are cats."
The audience erupts into a fit of laughter and Vindan's face reddens. He steers away from the topic and onto the next, ending just before the ending buzzer goes off with a final question.
"How ready are you really, Amstel Hafelin?"
"Purrfectly," I wink, making him blush again and the audience chuckles at his discomfort, remembering his earlier statements. A perfect final word, bringing back the playful impression I decided upon last night. I can just hope they'll remember me, the one that made them laugh.
Amita Spruceford, 16, District Seven
Everyone seems to have it all figured out, and I'm still just standing here, shaking as I hold onto Ashidel's forearm and searching my mind for some sort of idea of what I should try and accomplish with this interview. Ashidel leans over and whispers in my ear. "Don't be so nervous, you'll be fine."
"I don't know what I'm doing," I whisper back honestly.
"Just be yourself, you can't mess that up," Ashidel answers before his attention returns to the screen where the District Six boy squirms in his seat. The poor boy's interview has felt the longest to watch, he just can't seem to get the words out to answer any of the questions. The good thing is, he's young enough for the audience to probably find him cute enough to sponsor regardless. Pity sponsors aren't many, but little kids can usually depend on a few things coming their way, at least at the beginning of the Games.
Not all of the interviews have been perfect, but they all seem to be so much more prepared than I am. I tried asking Betony what I should do for mine last night but she said it was too late to talk about it and never mentioned it again today. She spent more time helping Dai with Ashidel's preparation, since Dai's a new mentor and doesn't know what he's doing yet. I had hoped she would give me some last minute advice, but I never saw her again after visiting my stylist. Maybe I'll go ask Dai for some advice, I hope he'll at least not brush me off. I feel so unprepared, and it's worse because Betony doesn't even seem to want to help me get through this.
"Step up, please," the girl with a headset in her ear motions me up the steps without even looking up from her clipboard. The bottom of my white dress brushes against my knees and I smooth it down again. Dalorian told me he was going to make it impossible for me to not get sponsors tonight, and I hope he's right. The pure white dress with lace accents and a ribbon of silk decorating the top look amazing, and the matching lace he wrapped into my hair makes me feel angelic. He told me I would be captivating no matter what I said. I don't know what that really means but at least he is trying to help, right?
I hear Mr. Fauxtus thank the District Six boy, Braden, for his time and I realize my turn is up. I take a deep breath and feel a hand on my back urge me out to the stage as Braden passes me with a weary smile on his face. I will my lips to curl up and as I begin to see the audience opening in front of me I raise my hand and give them a tiny wave. Applause seems to come from all angles of the room as I try and squint my eyes to see where I am supposed to be going. A rough hand grabs for my wrist and leads me to the right. My eyes adjust just in time to allow me not to fall over one of the two chairs in front of me.
"Amita Spruceford, everyone!" He announces, his mouth opening into a smile as he gazes over the audience. I immediately feel shivers running up and down my spine, he was never this creepy on the television screen. From the far away you can't see the absolute perfect smoothness of his face or the pure circles of green around his eyes that couldn't possibly be natural. He places a hand on my leg and I remind myself not to offend him by pushing it away. This man is in charge of what impression I leave with the sponsors.
"Thank you very much, for the kind welcome, Vindan," I stutter and he removes his hand from my knee to place it over his heart in exaggerated modesty.
"How sweet is she, folks?" He asks the audience and they respond with a chorus of claps and agreeing yells. He turns back to me. "Shall we begin, dear?"
"Of course," I respond, my voice only quivering slightly this time.
He begins with easy questions, some stuff about home and what I did in District Seven. Nothing very interesting and it doesn't take long for him to move on from that. "How confident are you about your chances, Amita? From that score I can't say Panem is too confident in you, I'm afraid."
I swallow thickly, not knowing how to respond. I can feel my legs shaking under my dress and I pray that no one will notice. How am I supposed to answer this? I can't possibly be honest and still retain any sponsors I might have gained. "I'm not sure, we'll see I guess."
"Oh don't be so shy about it," Vindan urges. "Nothing you say can hurt you at this point."
I close my eyes tightly and turn away from him, feeling the tears beginning to brim my eyelids. How much time is left, not a lot, please? I don't know what I'm doing here, I don't know why I'm even trying. Before I can muster up enough courage to say anything in response, the buzzer sounds. I don't think I have ever heard a more beautiful sound in my life. Vindan helps me to my feet and sends me off with thanks and a smile from his too stretched lips.
As soon as I am nearly off stage the tears finally come. I am thankful that they were able to wait, my interview went terribly already without the help of them making me look even weaker. I see Ashidel as he walks towards the stage and I try to grab onto him. He walks right past me, without any more acknowledgement than his eye contact was able to give.
Valerian Eldridge, 18, District Eleven
"Let's give a warm welcome to Fleur Aisley!" The interview man in a suit that's too tight for him announces as I see Fleur walk onto the stage with an uncomfortable smile on her face. Come on Fay- er, Fleur, smile! She is supposed to be the one that everyone falls in love with, that's who she always is. I am not likeable and I know that and even our mentor knows that. This is all up to her, what the hell is she doing?
"Uh, thanks," she answers awkwardly, looking like she is trying to remember something. After a second she continues, formally stating his name. I wouldn't have remembered to do that. "Vindan."
"Yes, Fleur, you're welcome," he teases and I already feel like hitting the guy. He has been nothing but demeaning to all of the tributes after those Career kids from the rich districts. To them he low balled them, giving easy questions that they knew how to answer so that they would look good. He started with making the little boy from District Three cry on stage and hasn't stopped up to the boy from Ten who went just before Fleur and nearly went at the interviewer. I would have gladly cheered him on if he had, it seems like the two of us would have gotten along fine. Possibly even good allies if I didn't have Fay to worry about. I can't trust anyone else with her safety but myself.
"How are you doing, Fleur?" Vindan asks and he places a hand on her leg. A shot of adrenaline crashes through me and I feel the urge to jump the lady standing between me and the stage to save Fleur from the creep. I take the advice that our mentor person kept on telling me, to count when I am angry so that it doesn't control me. It may have been stupid advice but if there was ever a time for it to work it would be now.
"Fine, Vindan," she says, her eyes not moving from the hand on her leg and I can see her noticeably stiffen. Get your goddamn hands off of her!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, I count in my head with my eyes closed, trying to force my shoulders to relax. This is her job right now, not mine. I am not supposed to get involved, that was the basic instruction I was given. When I agreed to that I didn't know it would be this hard to comply. 6, 7, 8, 9.
"That's great to hear, honey," he says and I can see the creepy smile on his face even with my eyes closed. "Isn't she just a peach, folks?"
For the next thirty seconds I can hear nothing but applause both from the screen and from the stage that is barely ten feet away from where I stand. I look up just in time to see Fleur starring down at her feet with a vague smile on her face. What is she doing, she was always charming why isn't she doing it now when it matters!?
I can feel the strength fading from me, I can't listen to this anymore without doing something. I can't break my word though. I close my eyes and once again begin my counting. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. I don't even know who I am more pissed with, Fay is supposed to be the one saving us in the sponsor department, but then again the man on stage with her is supposed to be helping her out. This is stupid when will it be over? I can hardly hear the lady until she taps me on the shoulder to tell me it will be my turn in a minute.
My heart jumps and I realize that Fleur must be done now, I can't hear them talking anymore. All I hear is the standard clapping that always fills the spaces between dialogue. Then the woman shoos me forwards and I stumble in between the dark curtains, seeing Fleur emerge with a red face and tears brimming in her eyes.
I grab onto her shoulders and force her to look at me. "Listen, whatever he said to you get over it. I'm going to fix it, babe."
She nods sheepishly but the tears begin to flow over her lids anyways. I push her away towards the stairs I just came from. "Don't you dare let them see you cry."
I hear a muffled reply but don't have time to think about what she said because the light assaults me as soon as I take another two steps forwards. I shield my eyes with one hand and try to feel for something to grab with the other.
"Over here, love," I hear the distinctive voice that just minutes ago was mocking my girlfriend call out to me from my right. I stagger over in that direction like a blind drunk, just stopping myself in time to not trip over his foot. "Your seat would be over there."
He winks at me and it is everything I can do not to punch him straight in his preened jaw. I don't sit down in the chair he motions me towards, simply grabbing onto the back of it to steady myself as my eyes finally begin to adjust to the brightness. My gaze steadies on Vindan Fauxtus and I resist the urge to throw up right on his overpriced, pink shoes.
"Take off your coat and stay a while won't you, Valerian?" He laughs and my jaw stiffens.
"Save it," I spit at him. "I'm not answering anything you have to ask me."
I pass by the lady at the top of the stairs who stares at me with wide eyes and an open mouth. I guess she is about as used to tributes disregarding the Capitol's regulations as Vindan is. I collect Fay, who stands in the corner of the room, and direct us both towards the elevator bank on the far side of the hallway. She doesn't say a word as we ride up together. She knows enough not to ask me about it.
Dallon Argal, 12, District Three
As soon as I get into my room I throw myself onto the bed, not bothering to ensure that the lock in put on my door. Tears are coating the pillow before I can even think to stop them. They didn't truly mean any of it, right? They couldn't have! I have just as much a chance as anyone else, that's what Orion told me earlier this week. He wouldn't have lied to me like that. Not if I didn't really have a chance.
"Dallon?"
I lift my head up and at first I can't see anything through the tears in my eyes. I lift a hand to wipe them away and see Cosmic standing at the door, her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun and wearing a pair of green silk pajamas. I realize that I haven't changed out of my interview suit yet.
"Cosmic," I choke out, moving to hug my knees as she comes to sit down beside me. "Do I really not even have a chance?"
"No, no, no. That's not true at all," she says, wrapping her arms around me just like my mom used to do when I had a nightmare. It's kind of weird, mom would have said the same thing, tell me whatever I saw in my dream wasn't real and that I shouldn't take it seriously. It's not until coming here that I realized both of them lie to me so much. Nightmares are real fears, and I am in one right now but this one I can't pinch myself and wake up from.
"Are you sure?" I question her. I want to believe her but for some reason my mind won't buy it at all. Why am I questioning her if she reminds me so much of mom? I never questioned mom, why Cosmic?
"I'm positive, Dallon," she smiles and looks directly in my eyes. "They were just trying to make you react. It's all for television, remember?"
"Why do they lie, though?"
"Like I said, it's for television. People lie sometimes to make reality better or worse than it actually is. Don't pay them any mind, people lie and that's not avoidable I'm afraid." She says with a sad grin.
"It's not fair," I shake my head. "It hurts, don't they know that?"
She takes a deep breath. "Some people are not good people, and they don't care that they hurt other people. You're right, it's not fair, but these people are everywhere. Especially here."
The door opens quietly and I see Aeron peering in with a tray of something in one hand. "I brought snacks?"
Cosmic turns around quickly. "Get out, now."
Aeron looks stunned. "I thought maybe we were having a talk?"
"We are, please leave."
"Oh, okay. Yeah sure I can do that." He tosses the plate onto the dresser and closes the door behind him softly. I turn to Cosmic and give her a questioning look, why doesn't she want Aeron to come talk with us, he's always so nice to me.
"Why isn't Aeron allowed to come in too?" I ask, shifting towards the edge of the bed to go back and open the door for him.
"He's one of the bad people I was talking about, Dallon," she sighs.
"But he's so nice, he'd never lie to us."
"Sometimes it's nice people you have to worry about," she says, shifting her legs over to the other side of the bed. "We can talk about this another time, do you remember what I told you the plan was for tomorrow?
"Of course!" I say.
"And it is?" She winks at me, making sure I am telling the truth but the joke's on here because I am always telling the truth. I am not one of those bad people she tells me about, the ones that lie and hurt other people. I especially couldn't lie or hurt Cosmic, she's all I have right now.
"Wait until the countdown is done, then head in the opposite way of the Cornucopia supplies. I have to run straight back from my platform until I find something to hide behind. That way you can find me and we can head out together," I recite. She told me the plan a few nights ago after training and I have been over it a hundred times in my head. I won't forget it, she probably worked really hard on it and it sounds like a good plan. One thing is bothering me, though, and I hope I don't offend her by asking.
"What happens if someone finds me before you do?"
"Then you run away, of course. Where ever you go just make sure to listen for me because I'll find you before moving on."
"No I mean, what if I can't get away. What if one of us sees someone and can't get away?" I explain further, not wanting to say the words or else I might jinx it by mistake.
"Neither of us is going to die, Dallon," she says quickly. "We're not."
"Cosmic," I whisper, my eyes shifting downward. "Please don't lie to me."
The artist theme for this story will be Coldplay
Song: Major Minus
The blog for this story can be found on my profile.
A question or two will be asked at the end of each chapter and I would be very grateful if you could answer them for me as well as giving me a general review on my writing, your thoughts on plot and development, etc.
Favourites out of these four?
Favourites out of all tributes you've seen so far?
There is only one more Capitol chapter and then the Games will finally begin! Next chapter we will hear from the final four tributes and the arena may or may not be revealed, depending on how nice I am feeling! Exciting stuff here, everyone.
Note: I know there are name changes in Valerian's POV; it is part of his character not a mistake.