A/N: Here are the Interviews. This chapter is kind of long since it's a double and extended chapter. I'm sorry if it's long and kind of bland. It took me a long time to write. Anywho, one more chapter before the Games begin!
Sapphire Princeps – District 1
Sorren takes my hand and squeezes it. Risso and Beatrix speak to us quickly about what's going to happen. It's the interviews, also known as the last night in the Capitol. Tomorrow, we will enter the arena. I give Sorren's hand a quick squeeze before letting it go.
"Sorren, remember, you're going for a strong, yet charming angle," Risso tells my brother. He drags him to the side to give him some more coaching and advice.
"And you're going for the flirty type," Beatrix says. She nods towards me, then sends me towards my stylist. He fixes my dress and pulls my hair back. My prep team added little fishtail braids here and there. My stylist fit me in a cute, little blue dress spotted with sapphires. He said it would bring out my eyes, which are slightly darker than my dress.
Butterflies flutter in my stomach. Never before have I been this nervous. I suppose now I'm just really nervous because this is being broadcast throughout the Capitol and throughout the entire country. My mom will see this. She expects me to come home. She doesn't want my brother to come home though. I have to come home. Even if it means my brother can't.
Artu Regelo's theme song comes on and he greets the live audience. He laughs loudly and waves. "Welcome! This year is definitely interesting, isn't it! Are you excited about meeting the tributes for this year?" The crowd roars. "Well! Let's bring them out! From District One, let's see if her eyes really are as blue as sapphires. Let's give a round of applause for Sapphire Princeps!"
Suddenly, I can't move. Beatrix shoves me towards the stairs and a stage person guides me up them. I step onto the stage and wave. Screams flood my ears as I twirl around. I plop down into the chair next to Artu.
"Sapphire! That is an absolutely stunning dress. It really brings out your eyes," Artu says, winking.
"Thank you so much," I say to him. "I'm so glad to be here!"
"I hope so. And that was quite an entrance at the Tribute Parade," he says. "What did your stylist think when he put you in that stunning outfit?"
"I was thinking I'd look very shiny," I tell him. Then I think, I'm not at all being flirty. So, I bat my eyelashes at him and cross my legs.
"Tell me, what do you think about your brother being in the Games?"
"Oh, it's so exciting!" I tell him with a smile. I glance at the Capitolites and wave, giggling a little. I only have to endure this torture for three minutes. I lean closer to Artu.
Artu laughs. "Talk about your sibling rivalry!"
"I know, right?" More giggles. "I'm so ready for these Games to begin. And I hope the arena is hot so Lucien can take off his shirt." I don't even know what I'm saying. "Oops. Didn't mean to let that slip."
"Wow, Sapphire! Does someone have a little crush?"
"Maybe a small one," I tell him, chuckling.
"Well, our time is almost up. I wish you lots of luck during the Games. I hope to see you soon, Sapphire!" Artu says, waving. "Another round of applause for Miss Princeps!" I twirl around some more as I step off the stage confidently. "Now, let's meet her handsome brother, Sorrenson Princeps!"
My brother smiles to me as he climbs the stairs and into the stage lights. I watch the screen as he waves to the crowd. I glance back at all the other tributes, then to my brother again. "Hello, Artu. Thanks for having me! And please, call me Sorren."
"It's a pleasure having you here, Sorren," Artu says. He smiles widely as he asks Sorren to sit. My brother talks, winking at the crowd, which makes girls scream like crazy. He sounds confident like he could actually win in the Games. I wonder if he remembers that I'm supposed to win.
Pietta Carmelle – District 3
Gabrielle Dictatrix strides across the stage in her dark red dress. "Hello, hello, Artu," she says, grinning to the crowd. She holds the edge of her long dress and spins around.
"Wow, aren't you just magnificent looking! And that dress is almost as red as your hair," Artu says. His hair is as yellow as a lemon. "Did your stylist—"
"Want to know why my dress is red?" She raises an eyebrow. Artu nods and the crowd yells a yes. "At first it was going to be orange, but I did a little…persuading and my stylist changed it to red. The red stands for the passion I have for my district and for the blood that's going to be shed during the Bloodbath." She kind of smirks to the crowd.
"I love that you gave it a deeper meaning. Now, tell me, how were you able to pull an eleven?" he asks.
"I'm glad you asked that…"
I glance at the other tributes. Maxwell has his hands shoved in the pockets of his purple and yellow suit. I'm in a little silver dress. Behind me, some people appear bored and others seem amused. The boy from Four is cracking jokes to his partner who keeps a straight face. I can't help but giggle at a couple, but then I turn away. No. Don't let emotions get involved. Even if it's just a couple of jokes. Letting my emotions get in the way could screw me up in the Games.
The boy from Two, Conrad, jogs up the stairs and whoops. "Hey-o, Cap-i-tolites!" He yells again, throwing his hands in the air.
"What an entrance," Artu says, roaring in laughter.
Conrad bows, smirking and sits down. Artu begins the interview, three minutes on the clock. He answers loudly and confidently. He lounges arrogantly in his seat. "Well, let's see. What about your score? A ten! Do you think your chances of winning are high?" Artu asks, leaning towards the arrogant git.
Conrad doesn't even have to think about it. "Yes. Absolutely. I'm very prepared." He grins widely.
Gabrielle crosses her arms in front of me and snorts. "Fat chance," she mutters.
Conrad continues his interview as I fidget with the hem of my dress. "Alright! It's been a pleasure having you! Let's say goodbye to Conrad." He lifts the tribute's arm above his head and the boy gives a final whoo before hopping off the stage. He smirks at Gabrielle and struts past her. "Time for the District Three tributes! She may be small, but she's super amazing. Let's give it up for Pietta Carmelle!"
With a deep breath, I climb up the stairs. The lights are blinding and the sounds are overwhelming. My head feels dizzy as I fall into the chair. Artu's mouth moves, but I don't know what he's saying.
"What?" I say numbly.
"I said, how is it in District Three?" Artu repeats.
"O—Okay, I suppose," I reply. I stare down at my feet, completely forgetting what my mentor told me to do.
"Tell me, what do you think about this year's Hunger Games? Are the odds in your favor?"
"Well, I—I, uh, yeah…" I stutter. "I guess so. I mean…to be honest it's just about not dying. Obviously. But, I, um…the Hunger Games…do you think it's just a euphemism for a mass murder? Of—Of course a mass murder is killing four or more people in one location. So I guess that's what the Bloodbath is. Then, there's a spree killer, which is what most of us turn into. Killing two or more in more than one location. Would different places in the arena count as different locations? You have to think though, would we be serial killers instead of spree killers? Probably not though since a serial killer plans each murder carefully and selects their victims.
"Now, if you think about it even more….serial killers generally have a sociopath's personality whereas mass murders and spree kills have psychosis. I'm just saying," I tell Artu. I shrug my shoulders, not even realizing how much time has gone by. I must have about a minute left.
Artu shakes his head. "That was interesting. Thanks for…telling us that," he says. "Do you…have a special person at home?"
"Y—no." I bite my lip. "I just live at home with my parents."
"You're very interesting, Pietta," he says. "And what a lovely dress you have on."
"Yeah, I guess it's nice for District Three tributes," I say, glancing down at my dress.
"That's all the time we have. Let's bring up your district partner now. Good luck, Miss Carmelle," Artu says. He waves to me as I walk off the stairs. I pass all the other tributes and sit on the couch, combing my fingers through my frizzy hair. "Here's Maxwell Hoover Demonico!"
Kage Hatenn – District 5
The boy from Three is awkward on the stage. He fiddles with the sleeve of his blazer. He talks about his inventions and what he likes to do in his free time. He sounds like a total dork. He stutters occasionally, but he's not nearly as bad as his pathetic partner. When Pietta was on stage, she looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown.
"What is your favorite invention that you've made?" Artu asks.
"My friend, Puckee, and I made a little device that makes music. It's really cool." Maxwell speaks quickly, grinning awkwardly.
"Wow! Maybe, when you win this thing, you can come to the Capitol and make some technology for us. The future tributes would have the honor of using your inventions," Artu says, shifting in his seat. "That's all the time we have. Good luck, Maxwell."
Maxwell bows and scampers off the stage. I cross my arms and watch the District Four walk across the stage. She's dressed in a light, lavender dress that falls just a little past her knees. She smiles and fixes the sea shell in her hair. "Miss Morgan! You look very happy tonight," Artu says. "Are you enjoying your time in the Capitol?"
"Oh, yes, it's absolutely delightful," Morgan says. She looks to the side dreamily. "The food is amazing and the fashion here is stunning! I wish I could come here all the time!"
"If you win, you can come here all you'd like," Artu replies, laughing loudly. "Tell me, do you have a strategy for the Games this year? And what do you think of this year's competition?"
"My strategy? I don't want to reveal all my secrets before the Games," Morgan giggles. "But my strategy will work! And I think this year's tributes are all strong and stand a chance." A couple of minutes later, the interview ends.
Lucien crosses the stage, booming with laughter. As soon as he sits down, he cracks a joke with Artu, sending the crowd into fits of cheers. I nudge Nayeli and smirk. "There's your boyfriend on the stage," I snicker.
She scowls at me. "He's not my boyfriend," she snorts.
"I sense some denial. I've seen you staring at him a bunch. Is it his devilishly good looks?" I raise an eyebrow and she pushes me against the wall and stomps on my foot with her high heels. I wince, glaring at her. Some stage security glances over at us, but doesn't do anything since Nayeli continues standing innocently.
"Piss off," she mutters, turning away.
I narrow my eyes at her. She may have gotten a ten in training, but I can see through her façade. She faked it. Nayeli acted weak and everyone thinks she's a screw up. They're fools. Of course, they'll never know she was acting since I'm going to kill her first. I mentally snicker at the thought.
"Okay! Lucien, tell us one last joke before you have to go," Artu says, chortling.
Lucien lets out a hoot of laughter. "What hobby does a shark like best?"
"I don't know. What?"
"Anything he can sink his teeth into!" Lucien tells everyone. Capitolites laugh loudly and obnoxiously. Many girls scream Lucien's name, completely fan-girling over him.
Artu holds his stomach and tries to control his fits of laughter. "That was certainly amusing! I'll have to remember that one. Thank you for that, Lucien." Lucien yells out to the crowd, but it's hard to tell what he said.
Nayeli then heads up the stairs. She smiles and waves to the crowd. Her midnight blue gown that has feathers attached takes the crowd's breath away. She holds her head up high and shakes hands with Artu. "That is a lovely dress. Please, tell me, what was the inspiration?" Artu asks.
Her smile grows, almost turning into a smirk. "You'll have to ask my stylist about the really deep truth, Artu, but we wanted to stick with me being as free as a bird."
"Well, during the Tribute Parade, you were dressed in a black outfit with lightning. What did that mean?"
"I'm from District Five, and we're energy and power. What better way is there to show energy other than lightning?"
"Here's a more important question. Why did you volunteer? Was it because of your brother?"
Suddenly, she freezes. It's like she realizes that the seat she's sitting in was where her brother sat before he went to the Games. I smirk, noticing that it's a weak spot for her.
"I wanted to be like my brother because he was brave and courageous. He should have won that year, but instead a tribute from Two killed him. In these Games, I will make them pay," Nayeli says darkly.
Her three minutes pass by quickly. Then, it's my time to shine. I jump up the stairs, instantly flooded with cheers and the blaring lights. I grin as if I'd already won. These Games will be a piece of cake.
Clara Lignum – District 7
Tarragon acts like an arrogant jack-wagon during his interview. I'm not surprised when only a few people cheer for him. He's not amusing and he's not funny.
"How do you feel about your father being a Victor and your mentor?" Artu asks Tarragon. He leans towards the boy, raising a yellow eyebrow.
Tarragon smirks, lounging in his seat. "I think my father is a bad mentor. All he does is yell meaningless crap." His father probably told him to act like a jerk during the interviews. If he thinks he's attracting sponsors, he's not getting any.
His district partner, on the other hand, is downright adorable. Sage is in a cute, little pixie princess dress in pink. She giggles a lot and I can't help but wish she didn't have to die. Her red hair is decorated with a tiara and curly.
"What do you like to do in your free time?" Artu asks Sage.
She smiles and plays with her hair, twirling it around and around. "I love to sing."
"So you think you could sing a song for us?"
She blushes and shrugs. The crowd begs, trying to get her to sing. Finally, she gives in and sings a verse of a song. Even I can't help but clap when she finishes. She curtsies and falls back down into the seat.
"That was absolutely outstanding," Artu tells the little girl. "I wish you a lot of luck, Sage."
Wash glances at me. "I'm kind of nervous," he says flatly.
"That makes perfect sense," I say, fidgeting in my green dress. "But you'll do fine. Just be yourself." We smile at each other just before he has to go up onto the stage.
"Thanks, Clara," he tells me. He squeezes my hand and clambers up the stairs. Artu congratulates Wash and introduces him to the Capitol.
"Look at you! You are a stunning young man! I bet you have a girl back home waiting for you," Artu says.
Girls scream for him. He is quite handsome. I can see why girls would shriek. He's the perfect guy. Smart, handsome, brave. He did volunteer for his brother/best friend.
"Yes, I think so. I like her, but I'm not sure if she likes me."
"Well, I'll tell you something. If you win this thing, she'll have to date you. What greater prestige is there besides dating a Victor?" Artu glances to the crowd, laughing loudly. "How is your brother?"
"Good, I think."
"What did you tell him when he said goodbye to you? I assume he said goodbye."
"He did. I told him I'd win. I said I'd come home to teach him how to tie his tie," Wash says, smiling towards the ground. He laughs lightly, as if he remembers a good memory. I want him to get home to his brother, but I want to get home too. One has to die if the other wants to live.
It seems to take forever until it's my turn. Girls continue shrieking as I come onto the stage, then boys begin to hoot and holler. I smile sweetly, trying my best to walk straight in my tall high heels.
"Look at those shoes! What did you think when your stylist put you in those?" Artu asks, helping me into the chair.
"I was thinking I'm going to trip, break an ankle, and die before the Games begin," I tell him.
He and the whole crowd laughs. "You're very cute. Can you tell me, what is your plan for the Games?"
"I'm going to try my best to win. I want to get back home as soon as I can."
"You can try and I hope you will succeed." Artu pats my hand and continues asking question after question. I answer to the best of my ability, still going for my innocent and cute angle. When my interview is over, I shakily walk down the stairs.
Wash greets me, giving me a hug. I yank off my high heels, sighing in relief. "Well, that went rather well. I'm sure you won over a dozen sponsors tonight."
"I'm sure you got sponsors too," Wash says, grinning. I'm glad to have a partner that believes and supports me, but I don't want to have to kill him.
Geminus "Gem" Minx – District 9
"Now, why do you want to win?" Artu asks me. I smirk sarcastically, knowing that this is an easy answer.
"I want to win because I want the glory. Doesn't everyone? No one's going to see me coming," I tell him, laughing. "Plus, my district will love me when I win."
"Are you prepared?"
"I'm very prepared. I'm ready to go. I'm ready to win," I say.
"Good luck, Gem," Artu tells us.
"Thanks, Mr. Sunshine." I stalk off the stage and send Dustin up. In his white tux, he causes many girls to scream. He's kind of a dork really. He's pulling the I'm a jerk/aloof angle. So, this ought to be interesting.
"Dustin, don't you just look dashing," Artu says. "I've heard that this year's tributes gave each other nicknames. What's yours? Personally, I think it should be Dashing Dustin."
Dustin doesn't make eye contact with him. He laughs as if to mock the eccentric interviewer. "Yeah, this year we've got some crazy names. There's Dictating Dictatrix…" I can just imagine Dictatrix turning as red as her hair from anger. "Mentally Deficient Maxwell, No-Good Nayeli, even Creepy Cabot. I'm Desperate Dustin."
"And why do they call you that?"
"People think I'm desperate to get home to my girlfriend." He shrugs.
"Yep, I bet you are. Now, what are you planning to do when you get home to see her?"
Dustin's acting seems to fall away. "When I get home, I'm using the winnings to buy my girlfriend an engagement ring. Then, we'll get married." He smiles softly and drives the girls mad. I don't see why though because now they know he's taken.
"How much do you love this girl?"
Dustin laughs lightly. "I love Ebony more than anything…"
After that, all I hear is blah, blah, blah. He really didn't sell his jerk angle. I snicker as he tromps down the stairs. The little girl from Ten heads up them, passing her lame partner, no pun intended, on the way up. Parrow is soft spoken and quiet. She rarely smiles and doesn't show a lot of emotion. I roll my eyes. She'll be killed quickly during the Bloodbath.
"During the Reapings, you volunteered for your sister, even though she's older. Why?" Artu asks her.
"My sister is about to get married. I can use the winnings to throw her the wedding she's always wanted and we can live in a Victor's home," Parrow says.
"What's your strategy for the Games?"
"I think that's between me, myself, and I. I'm pretty intelligent, so I can apply my smarts and then we'll see." Parrow shrugs as Artu continues to question her.
It's Trenton's turn. He limps up the stairs with a little difficulty. I smirk, thinking about how easy it'll be to take him down. His weak point is his leg, obviously. He settles down in the chair, fixing his navy blue and gray tux. He smiles to the crowd and waves. A few girls give sympathetic screams. They probably just want to make him feel good about himself before he dies the next morning.
"So, Trenton, will you help us what happened to your leg?" Artu asked.
"That's…" Trenton licks his lips and bites them.
"Is it a touchy subject?" He raises an eyebrow.
The tribute shakes his head. I zone out as he explains. I don't really care about him and his leg. It won't matter after tomorrow. Pretty soon, the girl from Eleven begins her short hike up the stairs. I lean against the wall and turn away. I'm ready for the Games. Dustin keeps talking about his girlfriend. Nayeli misses her brother. Trenton has a useless leg. Maxwell is not at all the sportsy type. Many people this year have weaknesses. But I'm not like them. I don't have anything to hold me back.
Maize Koranon – District 11
"How many siblings do you have? I heard you have quite a few," Artu says, laughing lightly.
I shift in my seat, crossing my ankles. "Eight. That's a lot right."
"And you're the oldest?"
I nod. "Yep. And then I also have eighteen cousins. I have a really big family." I laugh lightly with the crowd. "How about your family?"
"Whoa! I'm supposed to be the one asking the questions," Artu exclaims. "But I have a rather big family too. What do you plan to do with the winnings should you win?"
"I want to buy a bigger house for my family. We can have more food, too," I say.
"I think that it's great that you decided to participate in this year's Games." And just like that, my interview was over. The three minutes went by so quickly. I hop down the stairs and high five Bailey. He smiles at me and goes up.
"Knock 'em dead," I tell Bailey before sitting down on the couch. I watch the screen and grin. He's charming and funny. He'll definitely win over a lot of sponsors.
"What do you like to do in your free time?" Artu asks Bailey.
"I like to read and I'm studying the human body," he says. "I plan on being a doctor."
"A doctor? That is unheard of from a person from District Eleven."
"Yes, but we need a doctor in District Eleven. We need to help cure the sick and dying."
"Maybe you can do that once you win," Artu tells him. He asks him other little questions like how he felt about the Games, how he felt about his brothers, and more. When he comes back, I hug and congratulate him.
"You did great," I whisper in his ear. The girl from Twelve is on the stage now. She looks scared and nervous. She stutters and pulls at the hem of her dress. She looks as if she could just burst into tears right now.
Her interview doesn't take long. When she comes down, tears are falling on her face. She wipes her eyes and scurries down the hallway. Ector smirks at his partner. He climbs the stairs and shakes Artu's hand tightly. Artu grins awkwardly, introducing the boy.
I shudder a little as he takes his seat. Creepy Cabot is what they call him. His fingers are long and a couple of them are crooked. Bailey pointed that out to me while we watched him train. He said that the boy must've broken a couple of his fingers at least once and didn't let them heal properly.
The tribute on the stage glances behind him every now and then. He continues to grin madly at Artu though.
"He's paranoid," Bailey tells me. He furrows his eyebrows and studies the District Twelve boy. "He constantly looks behind himself and I swear during training, he was talking to someone who wasn't there. Maybe he's got paranoid schizophrenia or something."
I shrug. "Maybe it's just the Games though. I'm sure he's just nervous. I mean, everyone is, right?" I glance at him.
He thinks of a reply. Something to prove me wrong. He shrugs and joins some other tributes on the couch. Maybe Ector's just misunderstood. I feel kind of bad that he has to come into these Games. I feel bad for myself too, but I keep thinking I can do this. I'll be able to come home to my family.
"What do you think of this year's tributes, Ector?" Artu asks.
Ector looks around with wild eyes and laughs. "What do I think? I think only one or two stands a chance against me. The others are all dead to me." He grins manically, cackling. "I mean really, have you seen this year's tributes?" He raises an eyebrow at Artu.
"Why, yes, I have. In fact, I've also seen the scores. Some people got some pretty high scores, Mr. Cabot," he replies, shifting in his seat. "Do you think the odds are in your favor this year?"
Ector scoffs, smirking to the crowd. "Of course I do. Didn't you hear me the first time? I've got some plans for my targets."
"I'm sure you will show us your plans during the Games, right?" Artu laughs. "So, tell me about your family."
Ector frowns, forming creases along his face. He narrows his eyes at Artu, then the crowd. "There's not much to tell. My mother is gone, and I don't care about my father. All I really have is myself and Kenneth. I can't trust anyone else. Relationships let your down…" I glance over at Bailey, who's twiddling his thumbs and studying the other tributes. He's so sweet and innocent. Who would want to kill him? But is it just a façade he's put on for the Games?
In the end, will I be able to trust my partner?
Conrad Avtlift – District 2
Gabrielle twitches her way down the hallway to the living room area. She sits down near the window that looks out on the Capitol. There's a massive screen that's replaying the interviews. The girl from Nine's interview is playing. The girl from Nine is snarky and sarcastic. She needs to know when to shut up. I can tell she's got an intent to kill, especially her partner, but her cocky behaviors is going to get her killed by us Careers.
Gabrielle's hair is a vivid red, lit up by the Capitol lights and screens. She puts it in a side braid as she stares out at the people in the square. They cheer and celebrate. Balloons and banners fly and hang everywhere. The people are still dressed in extravagant outfits. The square is muddled with different colors.
I lean against a wall near her and look out as well. Tomorrow the Games will begin. The killing will begin. My road to victory will continue and end in a matter of days. "Watcha thinking about?" I ask her nonchalantly. I don't take my eyes away from the eccentric scenery.
"Winning. Victory. Pride. Honor. Dignity. That sort of stuff," Gabrielle replies, a small smirk playing on the edge of her lips. "You?"
"Winning, of course," I tell her, mirroring her expression. "Only one of us can go home and it's going to be me."
"I wouldn't count on it."
"Really? It seems that you're a target for the boy from District Twelve."
"Doesn't matter," Gabrielle shrugs. She plays with the ends of her hair, her face set in stone. "He's a wimpy boy from a poor district. He'll die quickly in the Bloodbath. Then, I won't have to worry about him." I begin to wonder if the boy actually does creep her out. During training, I'd heard the boy from Eleven explaining that the boy from Twelve may be a paranoid schizophrenic, which seems a bit farfetched. I agree with Gabrielle though; he needs to die in the Bloodbath.
"What about the other tributes this year? What do you think of them?"
"Weren't you there for my interview? This year's Games will be easy. Have you seen the tributes?" She snorts and lets out a snarky laugh.
"What about the girl from Four? When will you take her out?" I cross my arms over my chest.
"We'll see. Soon after the Bloodbath. We could use her for the initial taking out of competition. I do know for sure that the boy from Seven is mine. No one rejects me or the Careers." She glances at me, then back out the window. She scowls. "We're District Two. We're the best. We usually win the Games. We should get the top floor with the penthouse. I don't get why we get the second floor. We're better than all these other lowlifes. "
"We're closer to the Training Center," I say, not sure how I should respond.
"Well, I'm going to bed. Got a big day tomorrow," Gabrielle says. She smirks, flipping her hair and struts out the living room and into her room. I slide down the wall so that I'm sitting down. My gaze is still frozen on the Capitolites. They're so happy and all I think is that I'll be home soon and they'll be cheering for me.
My mind wanders towards what other tributes might be thinking tonight. The tributes from One may be internally debating on who should win. Sorren may have as much of a chance of winning as me, and his sister is also pretty fierce. His sister won't last though. And Sorren was stupid to volunteer if he wanted his sister to live. Hadn't he seen the previous Games where the tributes from Three were siblings? Neither made it out.
The tributes from Three are probably nervous. Neither are threats, although Gabrielle has some ideas for Maxwell. I wonder if it's something stupid and cliché like rewiring the land mines. Several Games before, Careers have had District Three tributes rewire the mines and most of the time the plan would backfire.
Lucien is still probably cracking lame jokes. He's most likely to die when Gabrielle finally gets pissed off and annoyed by him. I really wonder about the tributes from Six. One is a twelve year old girl, like the one from last year, and the other is the son of a victor. There's going to be as much pressure on him as there is on me. He probably wants to win for his father whereas I want to win for my district. I don't care if I have to kill Gabrielle. I want the love of my district.
Morgan Colliet – District 4
Lucien is still cracking jokes. He never stops. I actually think it's a coping mechanism for him since he's being sent off to his death. Of course, he's the one who volunteered so if he's scared about dying, it's his fault. It's hard for me to tell if he's losing sight of his goal, getting home. Everyone has the same goal, and it's so cruel that the Capitol only allows one victor. If only they could change the rule so two could go home, things would change.
"Shut up! SHUT UP, NOW!" I snap at him, after hearing the thousandth joke. I wave my hands in the air and frown. "You have been talking non-stop and I don't appreciate your comedic behavior because it's annoying as hell. Your talking makes me want to kill myself before I even get into the freaking Games. So. Shut. Up."
Lucien appears to be genuinely shocked by my outburst. I don't regret anything though. His smile fades away and he stands up. "I think I'll go to bed now," he says, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Wait, don't…" Now I feel bad.
"No, it's okay. I need to rest before the big day tomorrow," he says, smiling faintly. It's not one of his real smiles though. It's not like his smile during his interview. I let out a huff and cross my arms over my chest.
Pash enters the room, rubbing her eyes. Her long hair is tied up in a ponytail. She squints at me and turns on another light. "What's with all the yelling? Why are you still up?" she asks me.
"Can't…sleep, I suppose. Nerves. Facing my imminent death doesn't exactly provide comforting thoughts when going to sleep." I turn my gaze towards the window, looking out on the Capitol Square.
Pash sighs, sitting down across from me. "A year ago, that was how I felt. Nervous, scared, unsure. Just stay confident. If you keep telling yourself you can't, you won't be able to win. You need to put your heart and determination into it."
"Why didn't you join the Careers?" I ask. Many girls from previous Games from District Four hadn't been joining the Careers. Most didn't like the Careers because of their brutality.
"Most people think I betrayed the Careers because they were too cruel. Honestly, I knew that if I joined them, sooner or later other tributes would kill us or we'd turn on each other. I didn't want to get into that. I thought that not being with the Careers wouldn't make me a target, but it did the exact opposite. I became a target, but it was a bit easier for me to gain allies."
"What did you do for weapons and should I join the Careers? Should I just turn my back on them?" I ask, speaking very quickly.
"You're a smart girl, Morgan. You should do what you think is best," Pash says, running a hand through her hair. "When I trained, I learned to try and be able to use every weapon because you never know what's going to be at the Cornucopia. Follow your instincts."
"Thanks for the advice," I say, leaning back in the chair.
"Hey, no problem," she replies, smiling.
Then, I realize something. "What happened to you and that boy from Nine?"
She narrows her eyes for a moment, then relaxes. "It was a silly crush. I thought I loved him, but it was just an infatuation because I was so lonely in the Games. But, don't fall for anyone. During the Games, you need to block out your emotions."
I nod as Pash returns to her room. I stand up and stretch. It's late and I need rest, but how can I? I can only imagine what's going through other tributes' heads right now. The boy from Nine, Dustin, worries about returning home to his girlfriend. The girl from Five just wants to win for her brother. The boy from Seven wants to get home to his brother.
The Capitol is cruel and we're just pieces in their Games.
A/N: This is the end of Chapter 20. We're almost to the Games. Regular sized chapters will return in the next chapter. Sorry this one was so long. I didn't expect it to be this long.
Check out the forum, by the way. Vote on the polls, post questions and comments, and look at the graphics.
http : / / w w w . f a n f i c t i o n . n e t / forum/A_Game_of_Chance/100130/
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, post it in a review, send it by a PM, or post it in the forum.
