I hope everyone had a good christmas and a happy new year! Please review!
The Interviews
I massage my jaw while my prep team, Candy, Stephon and Flake make up my face and body.
I relished in the time I had to relax while the Capitolites worked on me. It had been arduous. After May had come into my room, I knew I couldn't get away with trying to sleep in anymore, so I sleepily threw some pjs on and met the rest of the team in the dining cart. Theo and I had a rushed breakfast before we were rushed to our respective sessions. Despite saying we wanted to work together, Brutus and Alexandria had something else in mind. So while Theo was with them all morning I got May. She had me working all day, practicing smiling, waving, walking round in shoes with ridiculously high heels.
It was the definition of torture. She taught me etiquette, how to say different sentences with smiles in different parts of them. She has decided that maybe I shouldn't smile during the interview. At this I threatened to shove a certain opinion up her arse and she just looked down on me with disappointment. It wasn't even funny insulting her anymore if she was just going to go along with it and not get offended.
So when I was walking in the ridiculously high heels I 'slipped' and broke it. She left for a 20 minute break to console herself.
She teaches me on how to hold myself regally, but then there is something in it that interests me. She has been watching the games and been closely involved for about 7 years now, and she's picked up on a technique on how to sit and look proud, while looking threatening.
I sit with my back straight and my chin tilted upwards, and she carefully folds them in my lap. My legs are close together, but apparently the key to look threatening is in my stare.
"Body language can say one thing, but the eyes can say another. Sit like this, and people will think, that's nice just another well-mannered woman. And if you scan the audience and look at the fellow tributes, make sure you have just the hint of a smirk. Yes, just like that. A slight narrowing of the eyes… yes that does it. And voila. You are not just your average tribute."
Next up is with Brutus and Alexandria. We're on such a tight schedule that I have to eat in the room. They drill me a series of questions and I have to answer as evasively as possible. I am not a force to be reckoned with, or is she with her training score. She doesn't look like much, but what hidden talents does she have?
Flake slathers me up in vanilla scented oil, and I breathe in deeply, letting the smell make its way through my nostrils.
Candy seems to have finished my face, then changes her mind and gets back to work.
Stephon is working on my nails and body paint.
This year there is a theme to the outfits we have to wear. It has to match our angle, as it does every year, but by special request from the President us tributes have to wear something relating to our new 'gifts' as he called them.
My prep team have completely made me up, other than my hair, which Amelie told them in a very slow voice as if they wouldn't understand; she was going to do it.
They seemed quite disappointed when Amelie said that to them. I really think they loved my new, mutated hair.
"Say your good-byes to Livvy now." Amelie says, addressing my prep team.
They rush up to me and engulf me in a hug.
I may never see them again. Tomorrow I enter the arena. There is something sad about that. That these enthusiastic, bird-like creatures wouldn't get to see me again, or I them. I don't have any false feelings of missing them; they annoy the hell out of me. But still.
"It's been a pleasure, making you look your best." Stephon says.
One last hug to all of them, and they're gone, leaving me alone with Amelie.
I smile at her and run my fingers through my waves, before she pounces on my head, doing my hair up in a crazy, but beautiful up-do.
I wasn't sure how she would be able to manipulate my hair to her will, but after she washes it, it lays wet and limp, so it is there when she lathers up with volume serum, this sticky pink goo to keep it luscious, shiny and no-frizzes. Her plan was to keep it as naturally looking as possible, but she decides to quickly add some temporary dye to my hair. The already dark colour becomes a black so deep you can imagine it sucking you into its depths. She then proceeds to blow dry my hair, and the dryer it gets, the more it rises off my shoulders. She places a hair band seemingly made of grey velvet and I scrape my wildly whipping hair off my face.
Without looking at myself in the mirror, Amelie helps me into my dress. The dress was so extravagant and took so long to get on, we didn't have time for me to take it off and go to the toilet so, embarrassingly, and an Avox had to bring me a bucket to go under my skirt for me to pee in.
The dress was made of the finest silk I had ever laid eyes upon, and my rough hands kept getting caught on the delicate material. I pulled the rest of the heavy dress up and waited, if not impatiently, for Amelie to zip me up. After a close examination she then whizzed around the room, making final adjustments and touching up on my makeup. She quickly cuts off about half the length of the dress until its mid-thigh. After a long time of this she stands back to admire her work, her face sceptical.
"Well this is the best I could do." she sighs, mumbling about how different designers would trump her as usual.
She helps me slip on my boots and guides me towards the full length mirror.
And what I saw wasn't human. I looked like a sculpture come to life and I made even the most handsome mortal look like a failed, pathetic attempt at imitating my glory. My eyes... They were the colour of sky blue, so perfect and entrancing. How can I ever describe what they have done to me?
Instead of black waves made of dust surrounding my eyes they had been painted the blue of the sea and gold for the sea foam, matching the colour of my eyes as though there really was the sea coating my eyes. My crazy, translucent skin seems almost normal. It still has its unearthly glow, but I look more solid. My blood red lips contrast with the paleness of my skin, as does my hair. Instead of washing me out though, it makes me seem more striking and radiant. I had cheekbones I never knew were there, pouty lips, gorgeous almond shaped eyes.
And then my eyes sweep down to my dress.
I wasn't a tribute. I wasn't a victor. I was a goddess. A warrior. I was wild, untamed and unpredictable, just like the ocean. I was simply, beautiful.
I had on the most luscious dress. It was a knee length gown made of the softest silk I had ever touched. The blue matched my eyes perfectly. It was sleeveless and had cascades of ruffles that began at my hips. Navy blue lace trims the ruffles as do gold embroidered waves which complement the navy bondage-style belt encrusted with glittering diamonds that cinches my waist. Five sturdy silver rings embellish the belt, matching the grey headband I wore. Fingerless blue gloves starting from my wrist, and adored with navy velvet hem. Gold tights cover my legs and disappear into shin high navy velvet boots.
I looked eerie, and yet I had a certain kind of beauty to it. Those who did not find beauty in the battlefield would not find me attractive, and yet I found myself simply breath taking.
I felt and looked, beautiful, truly beautiful.
As final adjustments Amelie tries to weave blue berries and flowers into my wild, restless hair.
I bid farewell to Amelie, and wait in the dining room for the rest of my squad. May is already there and asks Avoxes to take photos of us. She does this weird pouting thing, and I feel as though I should, but I stick with a half menacing grin.
Alexandria swoops in next, dragging along Brutus. They both look flustered and more than a little nervous about the interviews. They eye up my costume warily, not entirely sure if it is the right outfit to pull me sponsors.
Before they can say anything though Theo walks in. He wears simple black pants which wrap around his legs like well-worn jeans. The shirt is long-sleeved and is made of some clingy material, which hugs to his reduced muscles. It's made of black fabric with strands of purple and blue made of semisheer fabric. His eye tattoos are adorned with black gems which glisten in the light. His shirt had two slits on the back and his wings protrude from them. He laughs at us all staring.
"I know, I'm magnificent. Take a picture May, it will last longer." And he winks at her; in a way that I can guess was intended to be sexy. I scowl.
"No no no no no! Keep that scowl off your face! Smile smile smile!" May sings as she ushers Theo and I together. He wraps an arm around my waist and we both smile for the camera.
Then all too soon we are ushered downstairs and out of the building. There is a limo with a number 2 on the door waiting outside with about 400 Capitolites crowding it. Peacekeepers keep the onlookers at bay while we clamber inside.
The journey isn't long and soon we are being ushered by other Peacekeepers to avoid the oncoming crowds into the stadium.
Goodbyes were a blur, and soon Theo and I were alone backstage with only the other tributes for company.
We walk over to Iowan and Sunshine, and come into the end of the conversation.
"And I have also decided how to kill that girl from 5. You see I'm very inventive, there is no one better than I!" Iowan boasts. I share a look with Sunshine and she looks bored out of her mind.
Iowan had on a breastplate describing a battle on the backs of horses, which suited his mutation well. He had no other clothes, but his muscles were oiled up and glistening. Sunshine wore another sexy getup made of red chiffon, which was only partly see through.
I saw Theo ogling at her and punched him in the crotch.
District 4 were the last to arrive so I didn't get to see Clio before we went onto the stage.
I walked past almost all the tributes to get to my seat, which felt a little bit embarrassing but then I remembered I could kill them as easily as going to the toilet, so I walk with a new found confidence.
Theo sat next to me, and for once his shaggy black hair has some product in it. It is spiked up with glistening diamonds set into it. I had to admit he looked good. Therefore, for the rest of the night I studiously avoided his gaze.
This year, Caesar Flickerman has his hair dyed a dusty gold colour, and matching lips. This makes him look quite scary, with his powder white skin.
I watch attentively at the interviews. Sunshine is first, and her angle is flirty and funny. She's already got all the males on her side. She gets a good reception.
Iowan trots onto stage and remains standing, not being able to sit with his huge horse butt and all. The crowd go wild when he lets Caesar stroke his behind to check that it isn't some trick. His angle then turns to brutal, saying how he plans to get the record for the most kills, as well as winning the games. Well, everyone likes a blood thirsty psycho.
His buzzer sounds, and I'm walking to my seat, the crowd goes wild for my dress before I have even had the opportunity to sit down.
"So Olivia Bellona! You look positively radiant tonight, I must say!" Caesar beams.
"Thank you, Caesar." I say politely. He places an arm on my shoulder, and the crowd gasps as my skin ripples like the surface of a pond. I grin slyly.
"How… how does it do that?" Caesar asks with his voice full of awe and wonder.
"If you like that, just wait until the games and there's lots more where that came from." I say, giving the crowd my evil eye. It is quite effective as the crowd gobbles it up, and I'm almost ashamed to admit that it is all down to Mays help.
"I don't doubt that for one bit! So tell me, do these special powers have anything to do with getting that 10 in your training?"
"No. I definitely think there was an influence, but I am a skilled girl Caesar. The Gamemakers all knew this. If it was just because of my supernatural powers, would you think I would've volunteered without knowing about the twist? I am prepared." I say, my voice icy and deadly. It contrasts with the warmth, homeliness of my dress. I am calculating, unpredictable and unrelenting.
"Onto our next topic. Wow. That outfit in the tribute parade just took my breath away. I could almost imagine that you and Theodoros had just become victors. How did it make you feel?"
"I felt like I got to show who I was for the very first time." I say truthfully.
"So, you and Theo. Good friends or deadly enemies?"
"Deadly enemies." I joke. The cameras swivel to his face and he is pretending to cry. I roll my eyes. "Seriously though, he's a really good friend. I just wish we'd met somewhere else." The crowd make noises of sympathy, and Caesar almost looks sad for me. What? I don't like the guy that much!
"How have you enjoyed the Capitol?" Caesar asks, and I know the answers can only be positive.
"It's been amazing. So much different from home, and I thought we were well off! It's just a luxury that District 2 can't afford," I say with sadness, "so I'm relishing in it while I can!" the crowd like me for this and I see Caesar laughing in the corner of my eye.
"Would you like to tell us about your family?" he didn't really seem to state it like a question.
"Not really. I have a mother, a father, like every normal person. I have two younger sisters and a younger brother. I had a twin sister, and she died. That's about it." I say heartlessly. The crowd seem stunned silent at my cold confession of my sister's death. I see Alexandria in the crowd frantically shaking her head for me to continue. "She was my best friend." I say, looking to Alexandria for reassurance. She prompts me to continue. "It was one of the hardest days of my life." Still wasn't good enough. "Someone who was my other half was ripped away from me brutally. Since her death, I have always felt something hollow inside of me," I admit, and I continue, only realising the truth until now. "I only volunteered for the games to fill that empty pit. I have no idea whether or not it will succeed, but it is something to do in my sister's honour."
The crowd is quiet as I reveal this weakness about myself. My heavy heartbeat thrums in my ears and that is all I hear. Until the Capitolites starting clapping, slowly at first as though in respect, and getting louder and louder until they're stamping their feet. Alexandria was right. They do love a good sob story.
I choke out a thank you, overwhelmed by the noise and rush back to my seat. Theo gives me a very sympathetic look, and I know that it is because he has never seen that side of me. The one that can be hurt.
Well, that will change dear tributes, I think. They will not be able to use it against me, and if they try I will end them.
Theodoros goes next, and the crowd goes wild for him, already being a favourite.
"Welcome welcome Theodoros! Wow, I must say your wings look more magnificent in person than on TV!" Caesar gushes. Theo doesn't really seem to know how to respond to Caesars boy crush on him, so he just gives his cocky, cheeky grin to the camera.
"So Theodoros, tell us, how do you feel with this year's new twist?"
"I gotta be honest Caesar, I was pretty ticked off at the beginning," he jokes and the audience laugh along with him. "It's just made my chances a lot harder, I have to admit, but I am prepared and confident in myself that I can do this." He grins, unfurling his wings proudly. I roll my eyes. Theo sees this and winks at me. "But I know I will have no chance without my beautiful district partner Olivia Bellona!" he yells and the crowd go wild. I blush furiously and send Theo dagger looks.
Caesar picks up on this. "Ooh what's going on there?!" he asks, leaning forward as though it was a secret and like the whole of Panem couldn't hear.
Theo leans away from him and gives a jolly chuckle. "Nothing at all. I just like winding her up." He laughs, sending another wink my way.
The crowd laugh in delight at this. A few tributes snicker. I am no longer a figure of fear, not after Theo's interview. I am going to fucking kill him.
I let my anger simmer as he finishes off his interview. It was very generic and nothing special, exempting the part when he spoke about me. When he returned to his seat, he leaned over to whisper to me but I pulled away, shooting him an intense look. His expression quickly looked hurt, but he turned his attention to District 3, Electra.
The interviews flashed by with nothing really special. Clio and Pisces were sly and mysterious, which worked a few favours for them considering how bad their training scores were.
District 6 Felicity floated up, her light pink winks batting furiously. She was sweet, but tried to hint at a different side to her. I felt a deep wash of pity. She was going to die.
Sibylline, the Oracle, was extremely creepy. All of her colour from her body seemed washed out. Her long red curly hair is now replaced with impossibly straight white hair.
I wondered how she was able to tell the future. Caesar asks about this, and she looks him in the eye when speaking. I don't hear her answer as I see Caesar stiffen and go slack-jawed, never breaking eye contact.
I wonder what that was all about.
Her brother was up next, and he was quite pathetic at the Reaping and Opening Ceremonies. Well that has completely changed. He was brutal, and seemed on the edge of his seat. His eyes were feral, and his mouth seemed to salivate at the row of tributes behind him. He looked just about ready to throw himself into the fray of the Hunger Games. He would be unpredictable, a beast.
Cotton pretended she was weaker than she was, a little snivelling brat, which I had to hand it to her was a good strategy considering the power she had.
Kingsley was cocky as ever, and next to me I could hear Iowan seething under his breath. Yep, goat boy was going down.
Snake-face was next from 9. She wasn't anything special, but her appearance was enough to awe and disgust the audience.
The little vampire was full of malice and threats which sent chills up my spine. No one had won under the age of fourteen, and even then that was a District 4 tribute. Hopefully that record wouldn't be beaten.
India had that dark mystery about her, with a touch of fiery attitude.
District 12 was boring as ever. Cinder didn't give the power of Earth enough justice. I grit my teeth in anger. Cameo the Minotaur refused to acknowledge his mutation, and just shouted out messages to his mum and sister. Something which made him seem more desperate… which could lead to madness.
The show finally over I lope off backstage and wait for Alexandria. Theo joins me. We watch in mute silence as all but some tributes load up into the glass elevators. Alexandria joins us, bringing the mentors of Cotton, Snake-Face, Cinder and India.
I remember each Victor she brings with her. Cecelia, District 8, Cotton's mentor; fast runner. Remained hidden for majority of the games, and lured Careers to makeshift trap that contained venomous snakes. 58th Hunger Games.
Franny, District 9, Barbie's mentor; Speed and smartness. Chased and trapped her victims then killed them with throwing knives, with her partner. 51st Hunger Games.
Ghost, District 10, India's mentor; was a hunter within the boundaries of 10 as his job, used strategies to kill tributes like animals. At the start he formed a huge alliance of skilled tributes that attacked the careers and left them weakened. Towards the end he became a bit mad, drained tributes blood in a bucket before they were shipped away, and sloshed it in the Careers encampment. Mutts were drawn to the blood and killed the rest of them off. 57th Hunger Games.
Haymitch, District 12, Cinder's mentor; Used a force field to kill opponent with her own axe in the final showdown, and through an alliance. Refused to be lured by gamemakers. 50th Hunger Games.
"Why have you called us here?" Haymitch says, swaying on his feet. Alexandria gives him a look of disdain.
"You know why. My tributes have formed an alliance with your tributes. We need to make sure everyone has the plan right so no one ends up dying, got it?" there are a few nods, while Ghost just stares at me intently.
I ignore him.
"So Olivia and Theodoros are pretending to be a part of the Career pack. When the gong rings, Barbie, Cinder and Cotton run off to take cover. Wait there though, because India will shortly join you. Theodoros, you will cover India while she heads into the cornucopia to get supplies for a day or two, and hopefully a weapon. Theo, try to look menacing when you protect her so people will think you're after her. Olivia, your job is to distract them from Iowan and the other Careers. Kill as brutally as possible, steal their kills, do whatever it takes to keep their attention on you and not Theo. Once India has the packs she needs, pretend to hit Theo hard in the head. Do not actually do this, because if he is dazed it may cost him his life. This will help your 'escape'.
"To proceed with this ruse, when you see India fleeing back towards the other girls, pretend to go after her. Throw a knife at her feet, so that if she doesn't manage to get any weapons a single knife may provide a little protection. Pretend you missed, and then India rush off. Theodoros and Olivia, your jobs are done for the day. Protect yourselves from the bloodbath; erase any thought that you might've helped India instead of trying to kill her.
On that first night, you four girls must make camp as close to the cornucopia as you can. Olivia, when leading the pack hunting make sure you travel in the opposite direction to them. Then, on the second night, Theo and Olivia will guard the camp, and you four have to come into the camp. Carry as much weapons and supplies as you can, kill the Careers if you have the stomach for it."
When she's finished everyone nods in agreement and respect. They ask questions they are unclear on, but mostly everyone gets it. Theo catches my eye, and we indulge in a secret, a sly smile. Oh, we were fooling everyone. We had gone in deep, got the mentors involved. I reckon, when they see our impure intentions, and the mentors turn on Alexandria, she will pretend to be as shocked as them.
And if they say anything to her about it… well they know what she is capable of.
We ride up to our floor and I see with a shock that it's really late. Fortunately, May had made everyone wait for us for dinner.
There was lots of chatter about how well everyone did. I even got a grunt of approval from Brutus, which is definitely saying something.
I devoured the meal. Tonight it was especially extravagant. There were about a hundred different mains to choose from. I chose roasted duck, cheesesteak, shark fin soup, this delicious little package called Masa toro with caviar. May seemed to eat it by the bucketful. For dessert there was an array of sundaes. Three were placed before me. And a cupcake.
They were all the most gorgeous masterpieces I really didn't want to eat them. They all had this fine shaving of gold dust on them, and I asked May if they were edible.
"It's pure gold darling. Of course you can't eat it. But it is shaved small enough that you can. The President really splurged on us tonight!" she said, wriggling with glee.
I walked to my room, finally feeling full as normally I always have room for more.
Theo, too lazy to walk, just flies by me, giving me a sleepy salute. I roll my eyes and gesture for him to come into my room. He looks intrigued, but continues to go to his room. Probably for a shower.
I strip naked right in the middle of my room and head towards the big bath. It fills up quickly with warm water. The fountain in the middle squirts out pink liquid, and fans within the pool automatically churn it, making berry smelling bubbles. I sink in slowly, feeling my body release its tension and relax. This is the last luxury I will have before I am thrown in the games, with not a clue what the arena will be like.
Hopefully with hot springs.
After washing the ample Capitol gunk off me, I wrapped myself in a towel and headed to my room.
And there Theo was, laid on my bed in his pyjamas.
He grins at me like a naughty school boy. "Sleepover?" he asks hopefully. I control the water off my skin to go onto his, and he yelps in annoyance.
"Oops, sorry baby…" I trail off in a sexy voice while I head into the dressing room. I leave the door cracked open so I can hear him. I get into a long purple tshirt which looks like it belongs to a much bigger frame, and some silken pyjama shorts. I look in the floor length mirror. My hair remains the deep black it was dyed, and has curled tightly. It floats calmly in the air.
"The calm before the storm." I murmur to myself. I leave the dressing room and join Theo in the bedroom.
He was propped up in bed and winked at me seductively. I rolled my eyes, and shoved him with all of my strength off the bed. It wasn't hard. His lithe body flew out of bed and landed on the floor with a grunt. I then reached into my pillow and removed the note Theo left me the other night and the bottle of vodka. May had confiscated all of our alcohol, murmuring something about us becoming drunkards before we were even victors.
This was the only thing we had left.
I raise the bottle above my head, and watch in amusement as Theo's eyes light up in excitement and he jumps up.
"To our survival!" I say, I unscrew the top of the bottle and take as many mouthfuls as I can before the liquid burns my throat and brings tears to my eyes.
Eagerly Theo plucks the bottle out of my hand and he too drinks as much as possible before he's retching from the taste. I mock him, and yet he returns for more.
I lie on the plush sofa while Theo occupies the bed. I watch him with a strange sort of reverence. I try to memorise his image. The strong jawline, high cheek bones, the dark eyes that look lighter in the light. In my drunken haze, I wasn't subtle, so Theo gave me a look which clearly showed he thought I was being creepy.
"The Games are tomorrow." Theo states. I roll my eyes at him.
"No shit doofus." I snort, getting out of bed and beginning to dance.
"Olivia…" I look at him sharply. He hasn't ever called me Olivia. Never. "I'm not sure how you feel about me, but I don't want you to die. I don't want to die. This has turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life." He blurts, and I give him a look of sympathy.
He describes exactly how I feel, but I know that if I confess it may cause him to do something incredibly stupid in the Games. The Hunger Games is not a place of hope or love. It is death and pain. If I admit I have felt the same, it could just unnecessarily cost him his life.
And so I smile at him sweetly and rest my palm onto his cheek. I lean close and whisper how I do wish things could have been different, but aren't. And then I wish him good luck, I kiss his cheek and gesture for him to go. He nods in complete understanding, and I know that we are on the same page.
Theo, that stupid birdboy. He was driving me crazy. A week with him and already I was wishing for a different life. And this, this is what I had been dreaming about since I was young. I was basking in the glory of the great Capitol, was I not? I was on the road to becoming a victor, showered with gifts and respect. I had it all planned. I wasn't going to be lonely, I had wanted to have a family… and now it was all jeopardised. By the fact that I was no longer at an advantage, leaden with a power I could scarcely control. And there was my district partner who was destined to die for my return. There was no way around it. He would die, and he was someone I had grown to care about…
Which I hated. Most of my life I had been shut off from feelings, knowing I had to be heartless to be a killer. I remember how ruthlessly I murdered the girls I grew up with in the trials. Where was that Olivia when I needed her? But no, when it matters now, on the build up to the games I have become soft. I do not blame Theo, and he won't be punished for it.
But anyone who gets in my way to victory will. That, I promise.