4
The chariots
It doesn't take long until me and the girl tribute Eve are hurried away into the train cart. Eve never got to say goodbye to any of her loved ones. I thought that was strange, most chosen tributes get to say goodbye to their families, but suppose things have changed. Districts have got stricter and... District people are rioting. I heard the town speaking of the recent uprising in districts 8, 6 and 11 are getting much worse. Hopefully to the point that the capitol have no control, but i dont believe another rebellion is at hand after what the capitol are planning on doing. Making me kill the rebellions source is just one way of stopping it. I begin thinking about Katniss again, she hasn't left my mind since the news i had to kill her finally sunk in. I cant kill her, im not compatible with that kind of remark. I refuse. Something then suddenly jolts the rebellious thoughts of defying the capitol, by not killing the girl, straight out my mind. Replacing them with anger and hatred towards her. For some reason im suddenly happy i have to murder her.
The thoughts that are running through my head is no control of mine. Like some sort of device or virus is spreading hateful thoughts across my brain, forcing me to rejoice about the assassination. I run into the main carriage and grab some water, downing each glass carefully laid out on the table. I was completely oblivious to the fact Eve and our two mentors Liza and one of the elder male victors and our escort Lottie were stood staring at my aggressive lunges for the water and the mental shakes of my head. Attempting to rid the thoughts.
I stand back a little, returning their stare. ''Im sorry that you had to see that...'' I breathe a laugh and straighten my jacket. Liza looks up at me as if i was a stranger, as if she had never met me. Eve stands up and joins me at the dinning table. ''So your the boy the capitol have been raving about?'' She balances her head on her left arm keeping her gaze firmly on me. ''I guess you can say that... Im not all as amazing as i was hyped up to be. If that's what you were wondering.'' I shuffle quietly at her uncomfortable gaze. ''I didn't think you were, if it weren't for those big lighting hands of yours.'' She gives me a unsettling smirk accompanied by a wink. I quickly stand and walk out the room, if that was her attempt of flirting with me or making me feel uncomfortable, she certain made me uncomfortable with her flirting.
I pace my room trying not to allow those awful thoughts of killing the poor girl seep into my head again. Well at least until i meet her, i dont even know what shes like. Its only a matter of time before i meet her. First impressions are everything and what ever rage i seem too have surging in my body, needs to be controlled. Otherwise im never going to get close with her. Dinner is called disrupting my thoughts. Im really not feeling up to sitting on a table with the girl i saved 50 years ago who seems to have no recollection of who i am and the girl who seemed to be flirting with me at such a inappropriate time in her life.
I ate in silence, I didnt want to or need to acknowledge any of their existences at this moment. My mind is set on my prey. For some reason shes all i can think about. I set my bed up and climb in, tucking the covers around my body subconsciously. I am yet to have a nightmare but if i was... Tonight is the night. Im dreading what tomorrow holds and the next day and so on until the games. At least when the games starts i can get partly away from the capitol. Just as i fall into a slumber, there a light tap on the door. Some one with delicate hands. ''You're welcome to come in'' I say silently. The door opens gently and Liza stands in the door way. She looks younger than she is, i knew she would age well. She walks in and sit on the stool by the desk. ''Is it really you?'' She says keeping her head down. ''I hope so.'' I let a short smirk enter my face. She relaxes a little and laughs lightly. ''Its been a long time, what have i missed?'' I rest my back on the beds back board. ''Well im married now and have 4 kids aged between nineteen and twenty five, They are lovely.'' I smile at her response. Im glad shes lived a healthy and settled life. ''What happened to you when you got out of the games?'' This was the question i had been waiting to ask. ''I woke up in a white room, thats pretty much all i remember from waking up. They put me straight back to sleep as soon as i showed the first sign i was awake, when i next woke up i was in my new bed in the victors village. By the side of the bed was a document threatening me to keep quiet about what happened to me in the games and not too answer any questions. I stuck too it for my families sake, the capitol made sure i wasnt a mentor. Well until now.'' She sighs and fig-its uncomfortably in her chair. ''It will all be over before you know it, i promise... Im sorry you got dragged back into it again.'' I reach out of the bed and pat her hand. She gives me a slight smile and leaves the room. It was a restless night sleep from there on.
It wasn't long until i was stepping back on capitol paved ground. The smell of unusual scented perfume and oriental foods fill the air around me. We are transported directly to the training centre and our new living quarters, that i've already spent a night in. Very cosy. I allow myself to take a short breather and explore the rest of the rooms, leaving myself to me conscience. It doesnt take long until my little gander is disturbed by three overly annoying stylist begin pulling me into a make up room. They begin plastering chemicals upon gels in my thick, golden curly hair. Pulling it and styling it slickly back. I dont resist to what they are doing, usually i would. Im just going to get these games over and done with, show the capitol no satisfaction.
I unzip the black plastic cover on my chariot costume. There stands the exact costume i wore in my last chariot ride. The capitol are trying to make a statement, but it doesn't phase me. I pull the skin tight suit up my body and the stylist comes and re-adjusts it in certain places. The suit is now no longer a body suit, instead it has been cut off just above my pelvis, leaving my torso bare with just a black blazer. Once my stylist has adjusted all the uncomfortable spots she flicks the same switch in the back of the blazer again. Illuminations come from every inch of the suit, little sparks of lightening blast out in short distances making crackling noises. Its beautiful just like fireworks. Its wonderful until i notice the thing lighting up the most. In the centre of my chest lies a disc that is illuminating the whole room a turquoise blue. Its the same light from the picture the scruffy capitol doctor showed me. This is what causes the lightening. It emits off my moods.
I quickly swipe the switch off and begin pacing out the door. Katniss is just below me and i would rather get this whole friendship then betrayal over and done with. I walk through the dark hallways and up the metallic stairs. Straight into the elevator waiting for me. My stylist joins along with Eve and as we begin to travel downwards, my stylist adjusts all the crinkles in my suit. Just before the door opens, she places little black buttons in our hands and walks away. Im guessing they turn the suits on.
I begin my decent from the elevator and into the chariot head quarters. I can see most of the victors getting adjusted and set up by the stylists and mentors. A lot of them seem happy. Eve has already left me for a mentor friend of hers. I decide to go see my horse. Just before my stretched hand touches the mane of my horse, a girl, Katniss enters my eye sight. Her hair flows down in tight curls, a black crown sits on her head matching the black leathery dress. I stop still by the sight of her. I can see the rebellion in her eyes. She is furious, but trying to handle it well. I know i cant approach her, that would be the wrong way too go about befriending her. Shes stubborn just remember. Seem sweet and innocent, the only way from this distance to show her you are no threat. I wait for her eyes to wonder upon me and when they do. I catch them, its no short gaze. She gazed into my eyes as if she is reading me. I shake off her beauty thats compelling me, I send her a friendly and actually meaningful smile. She takes it by surprise and i see a slight blush before she turns to pet the horse, allowing a face of thunder sneak back on her face.
Short but it was enough to convince myself im either unconditionally in love with this girl just from her rebellious look or im dealing with lust. I shake what ever this feeling is off my shoulder and climb in my chariot. I keep my mind off her face now, her looks are drawing me in without me even speaking her. I remind myself of the rules. Seduction leads to destruction Jasper.
Eve joins me in the chariot. Her slow whisper of a seductive hello snaps me out of my lustful thoughts. I send her smirk as she pats me on the shoulder. I can tell she's on my level. No playing to the crowd this time. Heads up high, no emotions.
As the chariot begin to prepare to descend from the preparation stadium, my mind is all over the place. Im not thinking straight and mainly its because shes on my mind. This seems to happen a lot. I must wear my heart on my sleeve. Liza made my heart flutter. Katniss wins over that completely and only by my first sighting of her. This could become a problem during the game. Especially under the pressure of assassinating her.
I subconsciously turn my head to see her, gazing straight at here. There is something about her that's so intriguing, so sculpted into this rebellious confined girl. Something that with each gaze at her face i seem to fall more hopelessly in love with it. The male tribute stood next to her snaps me back too reality by sending me a glare. A tall middle-aged man, who im guessing was her mentor because it definitely wasn't the one who won the games with her last year. He was slender and scruffy. He held deep dark bags below his eyes and blonde, greasy hair that falls in a middle parting to his jaw. She notices his glare at me and follows his line of sight right at me. This sends me spinning back round to face the arc that leads out to a majestically paved road leading to the centre of the capitol. There lies our training facilities. The chariot begins to pick up pace as we are led out into the bright, hazy city they call the capitol.
My eyes take a moment to adjust to the peeping sun through the misty clouds and my ears to adjust to the whistling swings of the drum sticks and the heavy vibrations of them hitting the drums. It takes a few minutes until we finally get bombarded by flowers and confetti by the crowd. I switch the flick on my collar to turn mine and Eve's suits on. The suits light up blues of all sorts, but the thing that sends a blue beam into the open sky is the light in my chest. It takes a few seconds for the crowd to adjust to the light until the screams begin, but for once this does not flatter me. I am simply unsatisfied by anything the capitol have to other. Just like they are unsatisfied with these innocent district people living a normal life.
As we approach the circle that surrounds the presidents podium. A glistening red and orange flame reflects on the walls and the backs of the tributes in front. I don't see what it is until we are all in a line.
I didn't think she could get much more beautiful until i saw her on fire.
