25. 151D12F
Yellow feathers ruffled and shimmered as the District Twelve chariot kicked into gear. Thunder from the crowd blocked out Rosemary's ears, making her feel light-headed. Her stylist, Gloria, had said something about wanting to dispel the doom and gloom of Twelve, and yellow canaries, apparently, were the ticket.
It was the first thing that made Rosemary feel distinctly not bad since getting Reaped. Light as a feather, even.
(She knew it wouldn't last. There was no escaping what she came here for.)
But seeing the small smile on her world-weary mentor's expression, well. That helped too.
She thought allies would help. That's what her mentor had said. But the ones she'd found seemed to become Career targets almost as soon as she'd shaken their hands.
And Starling, he was so angry. Probably because he knew he was going to die.
Anyone would be angry. It would be wrong to say she wasn't too. Rosemary knew her odds, and they weren't exactly good.
Still, he clung to his district partner as if the moment he looked away she'd be eaten up by Careers; judging by the looks the Two girl kept shooting their way, Rosemary couldn't blame him.
She couldn't blame her own district partner for seeking allies elsewhere either. Erryn wasn't a bad kid; he deserved all the odds he could get.
(So did she.)
And so Rosemary found herself stuck with the Five girl, Genera. A quiet, nervous thing, though when she got the chance to pick up a knife, she looked determined to use it.
Rosemary, she was determined from the start. She knew her plants. She had her allies. And when she finally got that bow and arrow in her hands, well⦠She was no Career, but this felt like something.
It wasn't.
The Careers lingered on the sidelines of the gymnasium, watching, waiting. Then that Two girl stepped forward, sword flashing, and it was enough to show the rest that they could never hope to compare.
How they terrified her. How she hated them for it.
Often they spoke of things like honor and pride, and this round of interviews was no different. Rosemary's stomach clenched in anger. They were fools to think there was anything honorable about this. But this was their territory, not hers. No amount of determination could change that when the opening gong sounded.
In the end, Rosemary was just the canary. Only when she died did reality begin to sink in for the rest.
π½πππ: ππππππππ’ π΅ππ ππ
πΈπ³: π·π»π·π³π·πΈπ΅
π³πππππππ: π·πΈ
π°ππ: π·πΊ
ππππππππ πππππ: π»
πΏππππππππ: πΈπ»ππ
πΏπππ πΌπππππ π½ππππ: π»πππππ’ ππππ ππ’ π·π»π·π³π·π΅. ππππ πππ πππ πππ ππππ πππππππππ πππ ππ πππ ππππππππ; ππππ’ πππ π ππ ππππ π³π·πΈ. ππππππππ ππ ππ π·π»πΆπ π·π·π΅ ππππππ ππππππππ, πππ π π πππ'π πππ πππ ππππππππππ, πππ πππ π π?
A/N: Hello again! Another little update here too ! And another kid who deserved far better than she got ;-; I particularly enjoyed the imagery with this one though. The canary costumes are probably my fav D12 chariot outfit that I've come up with !
- Nell