Chapter 18
NARRATOR|Caius Thorntree, Head Gamemaker
I watch as intently as I can as Twila attempts to tie knots in some ropes. She's got a few good ones, but most of them are tragic failures. The female tribute from Twelve is our last Individual Assessment; most of the other Gamemakers are slacking off now, ready to head home for the night, but I want to stay professional until the end.
Behind me, the other Gamemakers have clearly lost interest in Twila. The Trainers are throwing a year-end party tonight, as their job here is done. Most of the Gamemakers will be invited, too. I'm sure all of them are itching to leave.
"Come on, Caius," Cassius mutters into my ear. He's one of the senior-ranked Gamemakers and a close friend of my father's. "Just put her out of her misery. No point in dragging this out."
I glance back at the other Gamemakers, and I see that most of them are watching me expectantly. I'm the only one authorized to dismiss the tributes, so all of them have to wait for me to finish this whole thing.
I sigh, turning back to Twila. I want to let her finish her entire skill, but Cassius is right. We've seen enough, and everyone is ready to leave.
"That's enough," I call, my voice echoing around the vast Training Center. "Thank you, Ms. Pollard."
Twila stands, staring up at me with wide eyes before giving a small bow and scurrying out.
Some of the Gamemakers behind me chuckle as the door closes behind Twila. "Looks like District Twelve is out of the running, once again," Cassius jokes.
"Alright, let's get this over with," I sigh, raising my clipboard. "Assessments?"
"Two," one of the Gamemakers says, waving his hand at me. "At least she tied a knot, but that's about it."
"Anyone can tie a knot," the man next to him laughs. "She'll be gone on the first day. One."
Most of the other Gamemakers agree - Twila scored a two or a one. I reach down, scrawling a 2 on the page. Twila may have deserved a one, but I cut her assessment short. Maybe she had something impressive to show later... I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.
Most of the Gamemaker file out, followed by the trainers. I'm left with the Head Trainer, Petrus Zatzman; both of us slip into our coats before stepping into the hallway.
"You have a very special group on your hands, Caius," Petrus tells me as we walk down the hall. "This could be something we've never seen before."
"They're a strong group," I nod. "It'll be exciting to watch."
"Not just their strength," Petrus says. "You saw the fights that broke out in Training. This is an explosive group with a lot to lose. There are two sides pitted against each other - I already told you who's against who - and the tension has been rising. I have a feeling that these Games are going to get messy."
"I'll be keeping an eye on things," I say with a smile. The thought of the dynamic that Petrus is describing - two sides, locked in a feud of epic proportions - excites me. This is my chance to prove myself to the world; I have the best group of tributes we've had in years in the palm of my hand, and I refuse to mess up this opportunity.
Petrus splits from me, heading back to his office before he heads home. I do the same - I have to review the list of scores before I release them to the press.
When I arrive at my office, a reporter is already waiting outside with a camera in tow. She smiles, extending her hand as I approach.
"Mr. Thorntree, a pleasure," she beams. "Is now a good time for an interview regarding this year's tributes? We'll be running a segment before the tributes' interviews tomorrow."
"I'll be ready in just a few minutes," I nod. "I just have to give the tributes' scores a look-over, and then let's run that interview."
"Thank you, sir," the reporter says with a smile. "Take your time."
I push the gilded door to my office open, and the smile falls from my face. Sitting in my chair is Acanthus Sylverthorn, my senior advisor. For the last few years, he's acted as my father's guide and muse, and he's done the same since I took over the position of Head Gamemaker.
Acanthus stands from my chair slowly, watching me carefully as I cross the room and replace him in my seat. He's the most qualified advisor I could hope for - his wisdom is undeniable - but I've sensed a hint of disdain from him since we first met. I think that he was an obvious choice to be my father's replacement when he fell ill; he knows more about the Hunger Games than even the Gamemakers. I don't think he's fully accepted that my father recommended me for the job instead of him, and I can't help but feel that the man is praying for my downfall.
"Give me your assessment," Acanthus says, leaning forward over my desk. "I want to hear everything from you first before anything gets out to the public. You know how the Capitol News distorts things."
"They're a strong group," I say, dropping my list onto the desk in front of my advisor. "Lots of palatable personalities, it seems, and a feud dividing the tributes that will bring drama. I think we have some fan favorites on our hands."
Acanthus leans back, silent. After a moment, he speaks.
"Palatable personalities," he spits out slowly. "You have a lot to learn about these Games, Caius."
"You forget what I've told you before," my advisor scolds me. "Don't listen to what Petrus has to say about these kids. Don't think about what the chatty escorts are saying. These Hunger Games have been made into a spectacle, but they're so much more than that."
"Of course, sir," I nod, lowering my gaze. These Games are all a big show - the biggest show of the year, actually - but living in a house with a Head Gamemaker has taught me that they're so much more than just a show.
"Why are we all here, Caius? What is the purpose of these Games?" Acanthus mutters. "Tell me."
Of course I know what the Hunger Games are for. "To punish the Districts for their rebellion twice over," I tell him. "To remind them that the Capitol will always remain in a position of power because of their actions."
"Alright," Acanthus nods. "Now tell me this. Which is more important: for the Capitol to have strong characters to root for in their favorite annual sporting event, or for the Districts to be crushed by the reminder that this year, twenty-three of their children will be sent to die because of their rebellion?"
"The latter," I nod with a sigh. In all of these preparations, I've thought so much about the Capitol's response that I've forgotten about the Districts.
"The Hunger Games is one big machine, Caius," Acanthus tells me, demonstrating with his hands. "We are all the way at the top. The start of the machine, the electricity. Without us, the machine wouldn't run, but the machine will always be there, whether it's functioning or not. Over time, this machine has been made into a spectacle - a show for people to fixate on to forget about their own problems. If you look at the back of the machine, though, the label is the same as when it was built. The purpose of the Hunger Games has never changed, even if so many of us have forgotten that real purpose. If you decide to follow the Capitol masses and steer the electricity in the wrong direction - down the path of spectacle and drama - the machine could fall apart completely. If we forget where we come from, we are doomed. We may forget, but the Districts never will."
I feel like all of the life has been sucked out of me. All of this excitement about the Games has been ripped from me by the harsh hands of reality. I am not the Master of Ceremonies of the nation's most popular television show, I'm the figurehead of the largest and deepest institution in Panem. The political future of Panem rests on my shoulders, and it's my job to keep this machine running.
"Am I saying that there shouldn't be a good show?" Acanthus shrugs. "No. Everyone wants to be entertained, and these Games have become a cultural staple of the Capitol. You know that. Still, I suppose you need to be reminded to think of the past and the present. Both can coexist. The more we tout these tributes as celebrities and figureheads, the more devastating it is to the Districts when they are murdered in front of them. For the one that survives, though, they are all the more dangerous. The Districts can unite behind them."
I slump in my chair, staring down at the list of tributes in front of me. Acanthus is right, as usual, and I feel like an idiot. I'm too young to handle this job - why did my father think I could do this? Why did I agree, thinking it would be fun?
"These are all things to think about," Acanthus says. "I can tell that I've upset you. I wouldn't say these things if they weren't true, though. And they are important to consider. We are fortunate to be in a period of political stability under President Snow, and it is unlikely that anything we do right now will change anything. Still, while the standard of living may have been restored here in the Capitol, the savages in the outlying Districts have struggled. They are angry, and even one small tip of the scales is enough to set them off. The 98th Hunger Games is a small part of a larger tower that could collapse under enough pressure."
Acanthus nods, satisfied with his speech. "Let's see those scores," he says, lifting my list from the desk. "You understand the importance of balancing them correctly, I assume. Every tribute is trying to score higher than someone else."
"Of course," I nod. I'm lucky to have the other Gamemakers and Trainers by my side to help with that; Petrus knows the tributes' dynamics like the back of his hand, and his contributions make every score a very deliberate choice to make. Acanthus gives the list a brief scan before glancing up at me.
"A Seven for Otto," he murmurs, peering over his glasses. "Interesting. Was that truly deserved?
I shudder a bit just hearing Otto's name - from the moment he was Reaped, his father has been all over the Capitol bribing for favors, and Acanthus knows it. I've been putting off a meeting with him all week - technically, we've never had a situation like this, but there must be some sort of rule against Gamemakers meeting with the parents of tributes. It seems like the Sheffields have reached some of the other Gamemakers - most of them were suggesting 7 or even 8 for his score, but his display was almost definitely worth a 6.
"It was deserving of a six, if I'm being honest," I admit, crossing my arms over my chest. "The others disagreed."
"Well, that's the benefit of being Head Gamemaker," Acanthus says with a tight-lipped smile. "What do you think?"
I sigh, crossing Otto's score from the list. Whether he gets a 6 or a 7, he'll get sponsors either way. The Capitol will love him.
Otto Sheffield - 6
Acanthus nods, continuing down the list.
Eliza Pattison - 3
Judah Avellino - 11
Safira Holland - 11
Devin Molina - 1
I hesitate as Acanthus reads out Devin's score - is a score of one too harsh? No, he really gave us nothing to observe, and I'm certain he'll die in the Bloodbath. Still, it's an unfortunate score to get. Someone has to be the worst, and unfortunately, he was the worst.
Minna Feinberg - 4
Declan Davidson - 7
Evelyn Tan - 8
MatÃas Romero - 2
Verity MacIntyre - 9
I laugh a bit remembering Verity's assessment - she took the whole time explaining statistical theory to us, and it was definitely my favorite. She may be only sixteen, but I learned a lot from her. She went over everything - which tributes are in positions of power in this group, who will be the first to go, and more.
"You told me she would be one to watch," Acanthus says, pointing to Verity's score. "I assume that she impressed tonight?"
"She impressed me," I shrug. "She's a smart one. Has a good pulse on the tributes. She even told us who she thought the final four tributes would be."
"Well, I'd love to hear her sixteen-year-old opinions on that," Acanthus says with a wry smile.
"The final four tributes in these Games will be the following," Verity had said, staring me right in the face. "I will be there, of course. The second will be either Corbin or Judah, whomever betrays the other first. If Safira and Violet don't kill each other in the Games, they will both be there. If they do, and one of them is killed, it'll be Eddie there instead. Write that down and remember."
These scores are based on how likely the tribute is to survive in the Arena, and we all know that part of the Games is keeping a pulse of allegiances and power dynamics. Verity may not have shown off any impressive skills, but she was right about quite a few things I've observed among the tributes, and that is impressive enough.
Lucas Li - 4
Dina Phillips - 5
Ansel Voltaire - 8
Violet Chappelle - 11
Oh, Violet. She certainly came prepared - I was surprised when she sent her best wishes to my father, who's still recovering in the hospital. I'll have to ask her mentor how she found out about that.
Violet's performance was not deserving of an 11. A 10, maybe. Still, I'm not stupid. Violet Chappelle volunteered into the Games to kill Safira Holland. Both of them will be watching these scores to settle who is the stronger competitor, so it's my job now to increase the tension between them. Safira scored an 11, and Violet will receive one to match.
Vinny Fuentes - 10
Karla Hayes - 2
Easton Rodgers - 9
Heather Sullivan - 6
Corbin Woodward - 10
Kylie McCook - 6
Eddie James - 9
Ashlyn Ramsey - 7
Wyatt Aldridge - 7
Twila Pollard - 2
And then there's Twila with her inflated score of 2. I've already settled that in my mind - yes, she deserves a one, but I'm feeling nice today. She was clearly very nervous.
"A seven for Wyatt," Acanthus says, not asking anything but simply bringing the fact up.
"He's stronger than he seems," I tell him. "I was surprised. He seems to be distant from the other tributes, though. That may hinder him."
"These scores are on the high end, Caius," Acanthus says, tapping his fingers on a device at the edge of my desk. "An average of over six and a half is practically unheard of. If you believe that is justified, so be it. But be aware that the inflation of scores makes it more difficult for the strongest tributes to stand out."
"The other Gamemakers agreed on these scores," I confirm. "This group is incredibly strong. Stronger than any we've seen in recent years."
Acanthus just nods. "Very well," he sighs. "They look alright to me. Let's meet again after the tribute interviews."
"Thank you, sir," I say, shaking Acanthus' hand. I fold my list of scores, stepping out of the office to find that the reporter is still waiting for me.
"Pass these to the higher-ups at the broadcast," I say, passing her the folded paper. "They're all finalized."
"Thank you, sir," the reporter beams. "I know I can't look, but could you tell me what Violet scored? She's been my favorite so far..."
"I'm sorry," I say with a smile. "You'll have to watch the broadcast today. I will say, she didn't disappoint."
"Good," the reporter beams. "Alright, let's get started."
The man holding the camera repositions it to point right at me. "Alright," he says. "Ready... action!"
A/N - And here are our training scores! No spoilers, but our friend Acanthus Sylverthorn who we met in this chapter is also featured in Twin Snakes, just in case anyone recognizes that name from the other story :)
Here's a more organized run-down of all the tributes' scores for anyone who wants it:
11 - Safira (D2), Judah (D2), Violet (D7)
10 - Vinny (D8), Corbin (D10)
9 - Verity (D5), Easton (D9), Eddie (D11)
8 - Evelyn (D4), Ansel (D7)
7 - Declan (D4), Ashlyn (D11), Wyatt (D12)
6 - Otto (D1), Heather (D9), Kylie (D10)
5 - Dina (D6)
4 - Minna (D3), Lucas (D6)
3 - Eliza (D1)
2 - Matty (D5), Karla (D8), Twila (D12)
1 - Devin (D3)