Second day in the Capitol
Kieran Moss (18)- District 13 male tribute
The Gentle Giant
I wake up with the sun rays shining through the curtains. My bed is incredibly comfortable, but what a bad night I had! The stony silence of the crowd during the parade is still stuck in my head, and being in the Capitol, so far away from everything I know, won't help me. Everything in this city is over the top, starting from its colours… so bright and unnatural. They don't facilitate sleep, that's for sure. I'm used to a far more spartan environment. Thirteen might be a grey district, but at least things seem to be logic and ordered there. On the contrary, Capitol City looks so chaotic. You know how they say… better the devil you know.
My thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of a girl dressed in white. She enters my room, looking down and carrying some dark garments… my training outfit, I suppose. She lays them on a chair.
"Thank you," I tell her.
She startles, as if she had just registered my presence in the room.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I apologize with a giggle.
No answer. She must be an avox… I realize. The told me about avoxes: people whose tongue has been cut, doomed to be servants for the rest of their lives. I clench my fists. The authorities of District 13 aren't certainly kind to transgressors, but they pale in comparison to the Capitol's inhumanity. Anyway, given that I don't know what to say, the girl takes my silence as the pretext to leave, and she gets out of the room as silently as she entered it.
I get dressed and go to the dining room. Here, breakfast has been served on a round, orange table that seems to be made of glass. It's what Capitolites call a buffet breakfast: basically, there's a large choice of food - both sweet and salty – and you can choose what and how much to eat. A big difference from District 13, where food has to be rationed.
"Good morning, Kieran!" the escort greets me with a wide smile, urging me to get closer to the table. "Time to put in a bit of energy… you'll need it. Here we have sliced cheese, cold meats… well, for those with a sweet tooth… croissants, pastries, tarts, cookies… and why not bread with jam and butter, or chocolate spread?"
But I'm not hungry at all; on the contrary, my stomach is in a knot. These people have more food than they need, while many district citizens starve. It's not fair! I know, however, that I'll need energy, so I make a ham sandwich and pour myself a glass of a yellow-orange juice, which tastes great… a pleasant middle ground between sour and sweet.
"Oh, multi-fruit juice… good choice," comments the escort.
My ham sandwich tastes great as well. As a matter of fact, everything tastes better than food from home, but it's normal, I think: the Capitol gets the best products from the districts, whereas people in Thirteen have lived on canned food for ages. You can grow fruit and vegetables in environments lit by artificial light, but their quality is not same; besides, meat and fish are luxuries that you can enjoy only occasionally, when you live underground.
Periwinkle emerges from her room and joins our team at table, but no one really pays attention to her. She's pale and has circles under her sky-blue eyes. She couldn't sleep well either, I suppose.
Now, she's timidly looking at all the food before her eyes, as if she didn't know what to do, so I gently urge her: "Hey, Peri, why don't you try those cookies? They look yummy!"
She turns to me with a shy smile and nods.
"Actually, you'd better eat something sweet as well, Kieran," suggests the escort. "Training requires a lot of energy, your body needs sugar. You know, it's the first year for District 13; everyone is curious about you, they want to know what you can do, and you cannot disappoint them, and after what you did at the Reaping… I mean, a volunteer from Thirteen…"
"You're definitely a rare beast," says one of the stylists.
The others giggle in response, but not Peri and I. Normally, I'm a patient person, I can bear insults, but the way these Capitolites are treating us- for them, we're just animals to feed, pamper, and eventually send to their deaths… I'd like to react badly, but I know better. I get up and take the elevator to the gym. Periwinkle follows me.
There's an awkward silence now, so I try to break it: "I'm sorry you had to hear their nasty comments."
"At least, they count you as a living person. I'm already dead for them," she lapidary replies.
She's right, in the end: if you think of the way the escort talked to me this morning, while he never even glanced at Peri… my blood boils. I clench my fists. Periwinkle must have noticed it, because she immediately takes my fist with both her hands, trying to calm me down.
"Don't worry, Kieran. I-I know I'm going to die… I've known it since my name was called at the Reaping, a-and I-I… I've accepted it, believe me, I've accepted it." – she sighs- "They say they make you blow up, if you step out from your plate before the time. Do you think… d-do you think it takes long to die?" she stammers.
I look at her with widened eyes, alarmed by her words. "Don't even think about it, Peri!" I reply, speaking up.
My blood has just turned cold in my veins: such a young girl… basically, a child… contemplating suicide!
"I don't want anyone to kill me!" she states and then bursts into tears.
"Peri…"
"I-I mean… if someone… like the Careers… if they catch me… what will they do to me? I come from District 13! But if I-I step o-out of that plate…"
"I won't let you do that! You're a friend and an ally!"
In response, she watches me right in the eye. "But you stand a chance, Kieran! You're strong, you can find good allies! You're wasting your time with me!"
That said, she frees my hand and lowers her gaze, her body shaking like a leaf. There's silence again. I look up, at the silver-grey ceiling of the elevator but imagining the sky of District 13 in a cloudy day.
"What would your family think?" I ask at some point.
"What?"
I look at Periwinkle, who has raised her teary eyes. "What would your family think?" I repeat. "I mean, you've got a family back home, right? What would they think, if they saw you take your life like that? You may be physically weak, Peri, but this doesn't mean that they won't hope for your survival till the very end. Do you want them to suffer even more? If they realize you're that desperate, they will, because they won't be able to be there for you in your last moments."
She seems to consider my words but doesn't say anything in response.
"You're right, Peri, you… we come from District 13, which means that everyone is taking our deaths for granted, but this could be an advantage: if they believe the Capitol gonna get back at us, they may decide to focus on other tributes. We could survive by flying under the radar."
But as soon as the elevator's doors open, revealing a huge, high-ceilinged gym, I realize how wrong I am: the Careers immediately turn to us with killing gazes. No, the Capitol is not going to get its hands dirty with our blood. It won't send mutts or something of the sort after us. The Capitol is going to let the Careers do the dirty work, and by their gazes I can tell that they're looking forward to doing the task.
…...
Honey Valli (18)- District 1 female tribute
The Cold-Hearted
The tributes of District 13 are among the last ones to get to the gym. I almost pity them… I mean, they're here knowing that they gonna die soon. The Capitol cannot let a… the rebel district win the Hunger Games. The girl is not victor material, anyway. She wouldn't win even if she came from another district. She's too young and weak, and her upper body tilts to the left, which means that she has back problems. It's a pity for the boy, though. He's tall and muscular, not particularly attractive but he could make a good ally, if he didn't come from Thirteen. Actually, they're a strange couple: the strong giant and the weak pixie.
Anyway, an instructor starts explaining how training works, but I don't pay much attention to him. I already know what I have to do. During his explanation, I observe my fellow tributes, looking for possible allies. The Career pack is definitely too small this year: it's just me and the couple of District 2. We need reinforcements. We cannot let other groups outnumber us and take control of the cornucopia! But we're the strongest tributes, that's for sure. Gavriel Asterin is trained, good-looking, and his parents both won the Games… basically, he has everything a future victor needs. I'd better watch my back with him, but we're allies for the moment. Lokir Mistlyre is another threat. I watched her Reaping: she managed to knock out the other girl who volunteered alongside her. The strategy she used was simple but effective. I don't know who the tribute chosen by the academy was, but who cares? In the end, Lokir is the one I have to face. As for my district partner, I'm not going to ally with him for the same reason I've ruled out District 13: being associated with rebels is dangerous. If I killed him, the Capitol would probably thank me for eliminating an inconvenience. District 4 is traditionally part of the Career pack, but neither of its tributes has tried to approach us yet. Anyway, the boy is too young and weak, he doesn't make a good ally. The girl could, instead. District 3 made a good impression at the parade, because its costumes were amazing, but what you wear doesn't make the difference in the arena. The boy looks athletic though, just a bit underfed. Maybe I'll consider him. Another good ally could be the boy from Five, but not the girl. Besides, that neon green streak on her hair disturbs me. The tributes from Six are not impressive. The girl's complexion is so pale; she doesn't spend much time outdoors, that's for sure. District 7 is disappointing. It's often represented by strong lumberjacks, but the tributes of this year aren't muscular enough to be such. They're probably townies who aren't used to hard work. As for District 8, I'll rule out its tributes as well. The girl is clearly anorexic. District 9 is represented by an interesting couple, instead: the girl has an athletic build, and the boy comes from the Capitol. They could make good allies. Ten and Eleven are not particularly impressive. Last but not least, District 12 is to be avoided.
I devote my morning training to long-range weapons, especially to javelins- my weapons of choice- and spears. At noon, a buzzer sounds, signalling that it's time to have lunch. There's a canteen adjoined to the gym. Today's menu is meatloaf with peas and bacon cubes. The meatloaf might contain carrot pieces as well, but I'm not sure. Anyway, its meat is so soft that it melts in your mouth. I've sat at a random table with Gavriel and Lokir. They don't seem interested in having a conversation with me; actually, they seem more focused on their meals, especially Lokir. We must, however, discuss the lack of allies within the pack. It's true that I haven't seen any large group yet- the other tributes have mainly stuck with their district partners so far- but things may change soon.
I clear my throat, thus drawing my allies' attention. "We need to talk, I think."
"Oh, really? About what, princess?" Gavriel asks in response, smirking.
I frown. "Don't call me like that. Just Honey is fine."
"Honey with capital or lowercase h?"
I already hate him! This cocky attitude of his reminds me of how Skinner treats me. I must keep a cool head, though.
Luckily, Lokir chimes in: "Stop it, Gavriel, you're even sillier than usual."
They knew each other before the Games… I silently register, but I'm not surprised. They're probably fellow trainees at the academy of District 2.
He shrugs. "Okay, okay… neither of you is the prank type, I see."
"This is no time for pranks!" she rebuts, clearly annoyed.
"Yes, we should actually consider having other allies. Our group is too small at present," I add.
"A true Career is worth any ten tributes," he points out with a smirk, his dark golden eyes lit by a sinister glint that makes me almost shiver.
"Yeah, but there's security in numbers," I counter.
"I don't like large alliances, I prefer acting alone, but I see your point, Honey," says Lokir.
Someone agrees with me at least!
Gavriel snorts.
"But maybe our victor's puppy is afraid of competition…" she adds, smirking.
"My deeds in the arena will speak for me."
"I'm looking for useful allies, not for someone to be treated as equal- we all know that Careers are best at everything," I state.
Gavriel leans over forwards. "Now, you sound like a true Career, One! Any suggestion?"
"The Career pack usually consists of District 1, 2, and 4, but Four is a bit disappointing this year. Maybe the girl…"
Gavriel turns to the girl from Four, who's seated a couple of tables back. "Her? Maybe…" he says, turning to me again. "She would be prettier, if she tamed her messy hair."
"I though the tributes of your district were selfless warriors… too focused on training to care about beauty..."
At this stage, Lokir chimes in: "If you're a spoiled, rich daddy's boy, you can afford caring about nonsense."
"But beauty matters, especially in the Capitol," I rebut.
"Because Capitolites are silly."
Gavriel puts his hand on hers. She immediately winces and withdraws her hand.
"This kind of thought is dangerous, Lokir, you'd better hold your tongue. You know, they'll treat us better, if we behave… let's say… in a suitable way. This is especially true of this year. I know you can't see my point, you're used to doing what you want, without answering to anyone, but, please, try! Here in the Capitol, it's not who you are that matters, but what they expect you to be. Try to see things from their perspective and behave accordingly, even when you don't agree with them. If they like you… the way you appear in their eyes… well, believe me, you have more chances to come back home," he says with a straight face, but, at the same time, I can hear some softness in his voice.
"Yeah. I never thought I'd say it, but I agree with Gavriel: the Career pack should be exemplary. That's why I think we could ask the couple of District 9 to join us: the boy is a Capitolite, so the audience is going to appreciate it, and the girl seems pretty athletic, she may be useful."
In response, Gavriel turns to me and nods. Lokir resumes her meal without saying a word. She doesn't seem convinced at all, but I hope she'll comply with my plan, nonetheless.
…...
Ponce Rossi (18)- District 6 male tribute
The Psychologist
I must admit that I'm pretty unprepared to all this: the Capitol, the Games, training… everything is different if compared to my life in District 6, and I feel overwhelmed, but I know I need to keep a cool head. The alleged freedom we can enjoy here is destabilizing as well: aside from avoiding fights with other tributes, we can freely walk around this gym and try all the stations we want, and that's precisely the problem, we have too much freedom… I mean, it's my first time at a gym, where should I start? Now, I'm wandering along with Futaba. Normally, she doesn't like having me around, but today she hasn't complained yet. Guess being with someone of home helps to make sense about this folly, to bestow some sense of normality on it.
At some point, we stop at a station where they teach you how to build a shelter with branches, leaves... basically with what you can find in the wilderness. I try first, and I must admit that it's harder than it seems. I know I'm pretty clumsy at manual work, but that clumsy!? Futaba makes fun of me at first, but as soon as she tries, she realizes how hard the task is and stops it.
Futaba grunts in frustration as the small hut she's trying to build with some branches collapses. She stands up and kicks it.
"We'd better try weapons," she says.
"If you wanna get your hands on a weapon, you need to survive first," I point out.
She glares at me in response. "Using weapons is easier than this shit."
"How can you say that?" I ask her, even though I already know the answer.
"Videogames."
I sigh and roll my eyes. Here we go again…
"Real life and videogames are two different things, and you know it, Futaba, don't you?"
"You can learn from videogames!"
"I don't doubt it," – of course, I do – "but that's not the point. We're not in a videogame now. If you lose your life in the arena, it's game over… forever… you can't start all over again. Unfortunately, we don't know what arena was chosen for this year. What if it was a scorching desert, or a frozen wasteland, or a wild forest where it rains cats and dogs? Practicing survival skills like building a shelter could save us out there. We can't think only of weapons like Careers do. We need to focus on what is useful and on what we can already do."
"Weapons are useful. We've got only three days of training… three days! Do you really wanna waste this little time in talking?" she counters.
She seems pretty nervous. She's trying to change the subject or to avoid conversation. Maybe she's scared. She wants to appear self-confident, but she's not. The digital world is everything to her, but she must have realized that it cannot help her this time, and she's not going to admit it… especially to me, but most importantly to herself…
"Stay humble, Futaba, and proceed step by step. Don't overdo it, okay?" I recommend to her.
She grunts again and rolls her eyes. "Are you going to be the usual pain in the neck even in the arena?"
I smile despite myself. "Is this your way to ask me to ally with you, Futaba?"
She shrugs in response. "For lack of anyone better…" she says in a definitely calmer tone.
Despite what she said, she didn't mean to offend me for real. I was right about her need of normality…
I clap my hands and rub them together. "Well, guess we could try a different station… something more captivating. What about sparring? It may be useful in the Games…" I offer.
"Looks like your brain can produce a discourse that makes sense sometimes…" she replies with a slight smile.
Futaba tries the sparring station with enthusiasm. At first, she's too self-confident and rash, and the trainer knocks her down without difficulty indeed, but after a few attempts she seems to be learning. Actually, she could have seen some moves in a videogame.
At lunchtime, we sit together at the same table. Futaba seems more relaxed than this morning.
"What are you going to try out?" she asks me at some point.
"Uh… what?"
"You told me to focus on what I can do, but what can you do, Ponce?"
It's the first time she calls me by name. It's the first time she calls me at all. Normally, she just addresses me by using the personal pronoun "you". It's a sign of recognition but also of defiance: now, she's willing to consider me, to talk to me, to deal with me as her equal, which means, however, that she can even question my words. So far, I've given her advice based on my psychological knowledge and she didn't have the means to question it, but we aren't in my office now, we're in the Capitol and things are different here. The Hunger Games have made us equal: I'm not the holder of knowledge here, I'm a newbie like Futaba. But maybe she thinks she's superior to me. Maybe she thinks that playing violent videogames gives her the knowledge she needs and makes her a better tribute. One thing is certain: if I don't answer her question appropriately, I may lose the only ally I have at present.
I swallow and then flaunt a reassuring smile. "I'm good at reading people. I can observe our fellow tributes and find some good allies. You know, there's security in numbers. The Careers won't dare to attack us. Our group shouldn't be too large, though. As for training, I can focus on survival stations, while you hone your combat skills."
At first, she doesn't say anything in response. She limits herself to stare at me, as if she was trying to understand whether I'm serious or not.
She's considering my words. If she didn't agree with me, she would reply immediately…
At some point, she shrugs. "Fine with me."
Now, I must carry out my plan, but how? As a matter of fact, observing the other tributes won't be enough, I need to talk to them to fully understand who they are. But what if they were diffident? It wouldn't be surprising. Think, Ponce, think! How can you make them trust you? I'm a psychologist, I'm supposed to know the answer… and that's precisely the point: I'm a psychologist! Being a tribute is a condition that many find difficult to cope with; if they knew I can help them with that, someone could decide to ally with me in exchange. But how can I let them know? I'm looking around the canteen when I notice that there's a little whiteboard where they write the daily menu… bingo! After lunch, I ask a janitor if I can borrow the board and the marker they use to write on it. He looks at me with a weird glance but, since he doesn't reply, I'll take them. I erase the writing and replace it with the words "PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVICE". When I go back to the gym, I take the whiteboard with me and sit on a bench.
Let's wait…
…...
Rye Freshna (17)- District 9 female tribute
The Nice
Xantinus and I have devoted the first day of training to several stations. For the moment, we've decided to count quantity and not quality: we're going to try out as many stations as possible but spend little time at each in order to understand what we can do at best; in a second step, we're going to focus on the skills we need to hone. The problem is that my district partner doesn't seem good at anything that may be useful in the arena. I feel strange about him: he's neither someone of home nor a perfect stranger. Maybe I feel sorry. I've allied with him just because he's my district partner, but despite his limits I don't want to turn my back on him, it would be cruel and unfair. If I'm better than him, it's just because I've trained before the Games, while he hasn't. After all, he has lived in the Capitol for most of his life, so he has never felt the need to train before.
My thoughts are interrupted by a thud. I look ahead of me: Xantinus is trying the obstacle course, and he has just fallen from the horizontal ladder. It's a hard exercise, since you need a lot of arm strength to move from one rung to another. Luckily, Xantinus seems to have landed on his feet. Anyway, I get closer to him.
"Hey, Xanti, you okay?" I ask him, a bit worried.
He looks at me, his face red with exertion… or is it embarrassment? "Well… uh… yeah… my bones are still intact, I suppose," he answers with a giggle.
"Why don't we move to another station?" I offer.
"O-okay."
He's clearly embarrassed… maybe he has realized that he's- let's say- inadequate. Does he feel sorry because I'm stuck with him? Well, he shouldn't, it's my choice. I know I'd better think only of myself, of coming back home to my Tiana, but being selfish is simply against my nature and I don't want to be like that… to hell with the Hunger Games and the all-against-all thing! I know I can help Xantinus. Maybe if I found something he's good at, he would cheer up. But it should be something useful. In the meantime, we've gone past one of the adjoined rooms of the gym. I've had a quick look inside: there's a glass construction, a sort of room in a room. I stop and go back, curious. Xantinus follows me.
A trainer- a young woman in her thirties, with long, blonde hair combed in many thin braids, stunning aquamarine eyes, and lips that seem too full to be natural- approaches us. "Welcome, tributes. This is a weaponry simulator. Basically, you can fight with a weapon you choose, but it's a hologram, also the enemies you'll see are holograms."
Xantinus and I exchange confused looks.
"Try it and you'll understand. You cannot get hurt, because everything is… well, holographic… made of beams of laser light," she goes on.
"You could give it a shot, Xanti," I offer with a smile. "Your bones are not at risk, after all."
"Well… erm… why not? But ladies first," he replies, parroting our escort.
I want to help him, but jeez! He needs to do his part as well!
I sigh and take a step forward. "I'll go first."
The trainer makes me wear a pair of elbow-long, black gloves that are crossed by thin wires and a pair of black-coloured glasses.
"These shield glasses will protect your eyes. Laser beams can be harmful to eyesight. When you're ready, push the small button on your right palm," she starts explaining.
I look at my hand: there's indeed a small, round, black button in the middle of its palm, and all the wires that cross the glove seem to converge there. I push it and the wires suddenly glow orange. I startle.
"Now, get closer to the simulator. You'll need to select a weapon and your dominant hand. When you're inside, the weapon will appear in your hand."
"Dominant hand?" I echo her.
"Which hand do you use the most, right or left? Your dominant hand usually corresponds to your dominant leg, so, if you're not sure, you just need to lean forward to unbalance and the first leg you put forward is the dominant one."
Honestly, I usually try to use both hands while fighting, so I don't know which one is dominant. I do as she explained. I unbalance and put my right leg forward. Guess my dominant hand is the right one, then. Well, it's the one I use to write, so it makes sense.
I get closer to the simulator. A menu appears on the glass wall. I select my dominant hand and the weapon I want to use. I'm a bit disappointed, because batons, which are my weapon of choice, aren't among the options, so I'll try with a sword. The simulator's doors slide open, and I step in. As soon as they close, a holographic, orange sword appears in my right hand. You can see that it's not solid, but I feel like I was holding it for real! That's incredible! Actually, I'm so stunned that I accidentally drop it. As soon as it hits the ground, it dissolves like salt in a glass of water. It is immediately replaced by another sword. I'll hold it tighter this time. At some point, several orange beams appear from the corners of the glass construction. Then, they start moving in different directions. Some converge at the same point, and a human silhouette appears. The hologram charges me. It attacks me with a sword but exposes itself too much, so I easily dodge its attack by squatting and plunge my weapon into its stomach. The silhouette dissolves as soon as I hit it. Another hologram appears from behind my back. It tries to stab me with a spear, but I throw myself sideways, thus ending up sitting on the ground. It repeatedly attacks me from above, but I put my weight on my hands and feet and leap back a couple of times. At some point, I menage to kick its spear so that it hits the ground and disappears, then I leap to my feet and stab the hologram, which dissolves.
Other silhouettes appear one by one. I don't know how long the simulation lasts, all I know is that I keep on dodging their attacks and fighting back. At some point, all the beams power off along with my gloves, and the holographic sword I used to fight disappears. The simulation must be over. I drop to the ground, sweaty and panting. When I look up, I see that Xantinus is gazing at me, gaping… and I see that he's not alone. The Careers are behind him. I freeze. Their eyes are on me. The blonde girl of District 1 smirks and nods. The couple of District 2 is just watching. They look satisfied and intrigued. What do they want from me? Do they want me to join their alliance?
…...
Dynamica Sleet (16)- District 5 female tribute
The Protector
I've spent my first day of training on my own, but I don't mind. I'm often on my own. Lorenzo, my district partner, doesn't want any ally, and he hasn't tried to interact with me more than necessary. Nothing personal… guess he doesn't want to get attached to anyone and that's it, and yet… I wonder if my physical appearance has, let's say, made this decision easier to him. It wouldn't be the first time my physical appearance messes with my social relations, after all. The neon green streak on my hair never goes unnoticed. It's a sign of exposure to radiation, but also a stigma. Since it appeared, my life has changed for the worse: everyone except my family has started treating me like an outcast. At school, they often bully me… it's not physical bullying- as a matter of fact, many people are afraid even of touching me, because they believe I'm contagious, or something of the sort… in my case, bullying is verbal and psychological. "Radioactive trash" is the moniker they use the most and when they don't insult me, they cut me off and ignore me: I'm always the last one to be called when we form teams during PE classes, nobody wants to do team works with me, and so on. I've never told my parents anything about all this. I've never told them that I'd rather drop school and find a job. Having some extra money would be great, after all. But they firmly believe that school is my best bet to have a future, and I don't want to disappoint them or make them worry about me. They already worry about Diamond and her bleak future, I cannot burden them with my own problems as well. I must stay strong for my family.
Suddenly, my attention is drawn by a girl who's training with a punching bag. She comes from District 4… I watched all the Reapings on the train, and I remember her because she volunteered for her sister like I did. Her name is Olivia Simmons. She's thin, average height, with wild, long, dirty blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. She has combed her hair in a high ponytail, which cannot hide its length and wild look, tough. She's wearing a sleeveless, tight, dark tank top that emphasizes her breast. Her triangular face is slightly red with exertion and glistering with sweat. I can't help but think that she's beautiful.
At some point, she turns around and our eyes meet.
She frowns. "Hey. What you looking at?"
I immediately look down, embarrassed. I've just realized that I was staring at her. What's wrong with me? I've never been so indiscreet! Actually, I'm used to ignoring others' gazes, and I don't seek attention either, I usually try to fly under the radar as far as possible. I don't stare at people, since I hope that if I don't look at them, they won't look at me either. I take refuge in invisibility, because being invisible is the only way for me to survive the day. Sometimes, I imagine being a grey paint stain on a grey wall… a touch of grey added to the greyness of District 5… insignificant and dispensable. So, what's wrong with me? Why am I deliberately drawing attention?
In the meantime, the girl is getting closer to me. I look at her again. Her face relaxes.
"Ah, it's you," she says.
Apparently, she knows who I am. I would normally be alarmed- I don't like it when people remember me, it doesn't usually lead to anything good- but in this case I feel almost flattered. Anyway, we're face to face now. She's slightly taller than me.
"The girl of District 5, the girl with the green streak…" she goes on, looking at my hair.
"Guess the girl with the green streak is better than what they usually call me," I reply.
"Why… how do they call you?"
"Radioactive trash or waste, but at least they don't touch me, because they are so stupid that they believe I'm contagious."
"I see," she says, then she touches my green streak with her index finger. "So, in their twisted minds I'm severely ill now."
I don't know what to reply. I don't how to interpret this act.
"I thought people in District 5 were all squints… you know, you deal with scientific stuff… electricity and so on… but apparently I was wrong, you deal with ignorant people back home. But you can use ignorance to your benefit. If people here thought you are contagious, they'd fear you… including the Careers," she goes on.
I frown in response. "I thought you were one of them."
She glares at me. "I'd rather kill myself right now than be one of those lapdogs!"
"My bad, I didn't mean to offend you. Not all citizens of Five are squints, and similarly not all tributes from Four are Careers," I apologize.
Her face relaxes again. She looks down for a minute and then looks at me again. "Yeah… erm… I'm sorry, I overreacted… just… I don't like that my district is associated with the lapdogs of Capitol City."
"I can imagine it. After Finnick Odair and all the rest…"
She nods in response and smiles. "I like you, Dynamica, you're not afraid of saying what you think. I like the way you answered the escort at the Reaping."
"But your Reaping was more spectacular!"
That said, we both giggle. When Olivia resumes her training, I go sit on a bench. I feel unexpectedly happy. Why? She called me by my name, so what? The truth is that I feel attracted to her and it's the first time I feel like that. I'm so used to being either ignored or bullied that I've never been able to see anybody that way. I mean… what's the point of loving someone who despises you? … Love? Is that what I feel for Olivia? Maybe it's early to say, but there's attraction, that's for sure… electric attraction. Well, she comes from the fishing district, a place that has beaches and the sea, and salty water conducts electricity, right?
Hi, everyone! I've finally been able to update this story. Sorry to make you wait centuries. I hope you enjoyed the first day of training. Rye's POV was inspired by a scene of the film Catching Fire. This chapter was an occasion to explore tributes' feelings and interactions, like for instance Dynamica's background, which was mostly unexplored. If you liked this chapter, please leave a review; readers' feedback is important. Moreover, tributes earn points, when you name them in your comments.
You can answer the following questions in your reviews:
Honey: what do you think of her ideas for possible alliances?
Dynamica: what do you think of her "electric love"?
Ponce: what do you think of his attitude?
Rye: will she become a Career?
Kieran: should he ally with Peri or find other allies?
Submitters can assign their points to: Honey (D1F), Dynamica (D5F), Ponce (D6M), Rye (D9F), Kieran (D13M)
Here's an update on the current status of alliances:
- Careers: Honey (D1F), Gavriel (D2M), Lokir (D2F)
- For District 3: Quantum (D3M), Dorah (D3F)
- On probation: Lavender (D11M), Livia (D11F)
- The giant and the pixie: Kieran (D13M), Periwinkle (D13F)
- Studying each other: Ponce (D6M), Futaba (D6F)
- Possible Careers: Xantinus (D9M), Rye (D9F)
- Loners: Lorenzo (D5M)
Thank you for reading :)