Hey everyone. Sorry for the amount of time since my last update. I have been working full time and been very tired of an evening to even consider an update, but I promise this is till on going, and i will not be abandoning it, but the updates may become slower. (At least once a week, is what i aim to do).
Please make sure you review, your insight it always welcome.
Chapter Twenty: Cashmere. A Beaut of a Victor!
The next day came way to quickly. I had to endure a horrible speech from Granite on what I did to Marble in the arena leaving him for dead, we had a small row about my actions and I laid it to rest by assuring him that if Marble really wanted to win the games, he would have been strong enough to get down from the net, instead just allowing him to die.
Granite sneered. " I will let you see for yourself what happened to him", before stalking away.
I turn to Lumos, my stomach doing a sort of somersault.
"It isn't you fault. I would have done the same thing", she said softly, but didn't elaborate what happened to Marble, before exiting the room herself.
My prep team finally turned up, and seemed excited as they did my hair and make up. Eiffel kept going on and on about how much she knew I had it in me, and how great it is to be on the prep team for District One, clearly the best district.
Avocado was doing my hair, straightening it all out, my hair is naturally quite curly, but the capitol dislikes curly apparently, or on victors anyways. They say it takes the attention away from my gorgeous face.
I was then rushed off to the studio. It was a closed set, which meant it wasn't live. It won't be broadcasted to tonight. I was relieved to see there was only a few guests, but I could see they were the richer of the capitol citizens and mostly men, and they were all looking at me like a piece of meat.
Caesar introduced me to the audience the camera panned round to me, I smiled and waved.
I wasn't asked any questions as Caesar rolled straight into action and introduced the Victor's story.
I watched the screen as I saw myself rushing forward in District One, volunteering instantly, the commentator at the time mentioning that we didn't even get a glimpse of Silverstone and who this mystery girl might have been.
It then cut to the chariots and how I had instantly won of the capitol citizens in my beautiful outfit by Madam Campbell.
Then forward to my interview, where I was arrogant about my chances of coming home. I smile slightly to myself. Although I wasn't wrong, I was able to do it, to say the arena hasn't broken me would be a complete lie.
Finally it was time for the arena, where I was showed killing two tributes in the initial bloodbath. Being there in person, was completely different to watching it on screen. You remember it completely differently, I had no idea the affect my actions had on the tributes I killed, but seeing it from a different angle, watching what the weapons you use really does to the tribute.
I closed my eyes, away from the filming camera so that no one would actually witness.
I saw as other tributes fell in Game maker traps in the rock and endured mutts which killed them, and Seven took down a tribute as well.
It then cut to Me and Jaret flirting, An hour viewing went to me and Jaret and our 'bad timing love story'. Mostly during the storm which wasn't highly broadcasted as such as a big event. Then showed with blurred out spaces in the more intimate places, our love making session, before I slit his throat.
A tear fell down my cheek as I had to revisit one of the more traumatic memories I have. I loved him. I actually loved him.
The story developed and I watched as the fight between districts two seven and ten happened before meeting Marbles.
This was the moment I had really been waiting for, the moment where I find out about what really happened.
I watched as I walked away from Marble, leaving him in the net. I saw him pull out a knife from his pocket and saw away at the ropes that was holding him up. What I hadn't noticed before but do now, is the floor underneath the net. There was a clear cover up of weak flooring, a game maker trap. We then saw a 'flashback' of District three girl figuring out the trap, and making a net over the top of it, that would catch the tributes, so she could claim the kills rather then the game makers, these traps actually raised her sponsorship quite a bit, but nothing that could match mine of course.
Marble cut himself down fine, but feel through the other trap, into a spawn of man eating insects. All that was lifted out of the arena by the Game makers was a head, 1 arm and 1 leg.
I held my arms in my head and shivered. I felt cold. I felt awful. I allowed Marble to be eaten like that. I found out after that it was even considered my kill, having left him to his own fate.
I knew District one are going to hate me for this. How am I ever going to be able to speak to Marble 's parents.
Finally victory was mine, and the programme finished. My eyes were stained and Caesar offered me a tissue, which I accepted gracefully.
"Why so upset", Caesar asked politely, but I am sure he knew what the matter really was. I knew what I had to say, even if the whole thing is fake.
I wiped my eyes with a tissue and gave a sadistic smile. "I am just so happy to be a victor. It was always destined to be mine".
Caesar put a hand on my shoulder. "That dear it was".
He closed the show and the lights went off. Some of the crowd came up and congratulated me, but the peacekeepers at the site, shooed them away, as apparently it is a contract breach and they are not permitted for one on one talk with me at this time.
I was whisked back to the training centre with Lace, where I went straight to my room and got in bed. Lumos visited me that night asking if I was okay, and told me they are playing the recaps on tv.
"I really don't wish to watch it again, once was fine thank you". I said coldly.
She sat at the end of my bed. "I wasn't asking you too hun. Don't worry".
"I am sorry Cashmere".
My eyes stood still on her for a while, before I shrugged.
"Are we all whores. District one?".
Lumos smiled. Our District do not win as much as we used to Cashmere, since two and four joined in with the whole training the tributes scheme. Most of us are too old to be in with the whore system. This is actually quite new, brought in when Snow became president. Unfortunately many of the older victors, who still had some capitol interest didn't give into Snow's demands. Some received some unfortunate accidents back in the districts, while some cut the demands in half, by threatening to broadcast his horrible demands in annual Hunger Game interviews.
I jolt up. "Does that work, could I threaten that and get away with it".
Lumo's smiled. "Cashmere, the ones who did that had no family or friends left. If you did that he would call you bluff, and when you actually did it, well I would hate to see what accidents happen back in One. But my guess would be it wouldn't be pretty".
"Why is he do this too us. We are practically district royalty".
Lumos closed her eyes. "Cashmere, stop being so stupid. We are DISTRICT one. We take part in these games every year just like all the other districts. We are no better then the other districts of 10, 11 and 12. we are ALL in this game. Just because we do well, doesn't make us royalty. Just makes us survivors.
Lumos gave me a hug. "Get some sleep. We have the Interview tomorrow night. We will have to do some practice on your answers. Last thing we want to do is have an upset capitol by their new Victor.