We're given 3 minutes of the stage to gush as much as possible before we're scooted off. We mostly play on the confession Peeta made, and Katniss's fire. This is more for the people in the districts than in the Capitol, trying to drum up support from the wealthier districts.
After the interviews are over, and Artie has left the stage, all the screens the Center go black before Panem emblem is displayed.
Then the screen switches to cameras placed in the arena, showing each of the tributes standing on their metal plate. I keep my eyes on Katniss, who's looking around the tributes, and then back at the Cornucopia, to a bow and set of arrows sitting right in her eye line. I know what she's thinking. I can practically see the wheels turning in her head. So can Sue, apparently.
"Don't you even dare, girl." I hear her mumble from beside me.
It's no use though, the minute the gong chimes, she off the plate and running towards the Cornucopia. I knew she'd never listen, but I didn't think she'd be this stupid. My fingers find the chain around my neck, and run along the cool metal as I watch her run to her death.
I watch her reach for the same pack as a boy from district 9 before blood explodes from his mouth, covering her. He drops to the floor and she picks up the pack before noticing the knife in his back. Then she looks up. The girl from district 2, Clove, I think her name was, is advancing on her, clutching a handful of knifes.
She turns and runs, pushing the pack up to protect her head just as the knife Clove has just thrown hits, lodging in her pack. She makes it to the trees though, and no one follows. I feel like cheering.
"Your girls done good." I jump, startled by the voice behind me. I look over my shoulder to see Quinn smiling at me softly.
"Yeah, well, so has yours." I motion to the screen where Glimmer, the female tribute from district one, is hacking at another tribute. Quinn just raises her eyebrow at me. I laugh.
We look at each other for a minute, something unreadable in her eyes before she clears her throat. "Better be off," she tells me, smiling again. "Don't want to miss out on the sponsors." She disappears through the crowd.
I wander through the crowd myself, charming anyone and everyone. They're all very excited about Katniss, and I can hear the grumbles of some people who are thinking about sponsoring her. I target those people, using my best fake smile and girly giggles I know these Capitol idiots love.
I'm sitting down to dinner when they set of the first canon shots. Eleven. Their faces flash up as Sue and I eat, and I'm glad to see that Katniss and, to a lesser extent, Peeta, are still alive. One of the things about the Capitol is they show the Games all day, every day, until the last tribute is left. We're expected to watch as much as possible, especially when we still have tributes left in the game.
We sit and watch Katniss walk a little longer, before she stops to rifle through the pack she took. She looks disappointed, probably because there's no water.
She takes the knife and peels away a layer of the bark on the tree. I smile. Back home, if you're out hunting and you're hungry, bark is the perfect snack.
We watch her set two snares before she climbs up into a tree for the night.
Peeta, on the other hand, is doing a little better. He's formed an alliance with the careers, and I'm not sure why. Is it part of his plan, to join the careers and lead them right to Katniss? Has he been fooling us all along. I'm not sure.
I excuse myself, saying I'm going to bed, but I end up on the roof again.