Chapter 3- The flame's beginning
(3 days into the 74th Hunger games)
"Well it's been three days people. We are starting to run out of contestants – there's only half of them left! I think we can safely say that this is the fastest we have ever gotten down to the half-mark. But, just in case you've forgotten, here is a list of the remaining participants!
From District 1- Glimmer and Marvel
From District 2- Cato and Clove
From District 3- (Male)
From District 4- (female)
From District 5- (female)
From District 10- (male)
From District 11- Rue and Thresh
From District 12- Katniss and Peeta!"
The crowd goes wild the mention of the girl on fire and the little lover boy. I look at Templesmith. We both know the audience isn't going to quiet any time soon.
"So who have you placed YOUR bets on?" Templesmith shouts into the microphone.
"Well, with half the tributes wiped out, I believe that Katniss Everdeen has the strongest hope, especially with Peeta leading the careers' camp away from her! I think this may finally end in a District 12 victor! I'm sure Haymitch gets awful lonely in his drunken stupor. And you never know, we could be witnessing the flame's beginning!" I shout back, with a smile.
"Oh I disagree, Caesar!" Templesmith buts in with a smirk. Or course he would choose now to finally discover that there is actually something lodged inside the (previously thought empty) space in between his ears. A conflicting belief would only get more people to sponsor. "Personally, I think that it's Cato that will win. I mean look, he has Glimmer and Clove wrapped around his glorious biceps, and I think we both know that he would beat Marvel in a fight! And against him, your little 'flame' doesn't stand a chance!" I glare at him subtly. He smirks once again and continues, "But we can't know yet Caesar!" " However, you can help us to get our winner!" Templesmith says, now addressing the audience, "Remember to sponsor your favourite tributes aannnddd:"
"May the odds be ever in your favour!" I finish for him, grinning wildly as the director yells cut and the lights on the stage fade. Once they have gone off fully, I stand and storm from the stage and the set, and the teal-blue smile melts from my overly-made-up face.
Finally! I just cannot stand this life of fear and 'hope'. I can't wait for this to end. Maybe then President Snow will let me go. Maybe I'll be able to settle down, make a new life, maybe even a family! I reach the buffet table and sneer when I see Templesmith return from the toilets with an empty vial, which oh so obviously contained the puking-poison. He grins madly, and reaches for the turkey. He tears into it ruthlessly and I gag at his lack of manners. He sees my reaction and proceeds to chew louder and faster, yelling at his avox to get him another drink.
After a half an hour of my torture, I realise that I need to be back on set soon. "Pfft," I sigh, whilst my avox reapplies my blue lipstick and re-powders my nose. She looks at me and gives a limp half-smile, conveying her agreement at the situation we are both in. "Thank you Lavinia." I say, giving her a weak smile. She gestures to smile big, and when I do, she nods and gracefully walks to the side of the room, her red hair bouncing softly at her shoulders. She then waits cautiously for me to finish once more, so she can do it all over again. Poor girl. Stolen from her home, her family killed, her friend tortured. And all the while she was forced to watch and then she was sent to the capitol to spend the rest of her life as a mute. I pity her. I pity them all. We don't need slaves! Snow has made sure we've got enough in the Districts. If I had the chance, I'd set them all free. Give them hope. Give them a voice. Well, maybe, one day, it'll happen, but God knows that day won't be coming any time soon. SO until then, I must bide my time, and wait for my opportunity, for the perfect time to strike, and free Panem from President Snow's reign of madness.
A/N: I intentionally added a small error in this chapter. The first person to guess it correctly will get a cookie and a character in one of my fanfics of their choice. Trust me when I say that this tiny little error will separate the fangirls from the wannabes. Happy Hunting my pretties!