Chapter 23
1054 Words
Delilah Clementine
It was strange looking at all the other Tributes and knowing we'd be killing each other soon. I wondered which of them would attack me- the Careers, of course, but who else? None of the others looked very mean, but survival would make murderers out of all of us. I wasn't at all prepared for a death match.
One of us stuck out more than the others. I knew the boy from Five was named Gabriel. He was easy to remember, since he always had a man following him around. He wasn't getting extra help, though. It was because he couldn't hear. Most of the others probably felt sorry for him. I just thought he must have been extra clever to get on without his ears.
When he looked up and saw me peeking at him, I looked away quickly. I wasn't staring out of pity, so he didn't have to worry about that. He was just sort of cute, and I liked looking at him. I hoped he would lose interest and look away, but it was too late. He got up and started coming toward me. I wanted to bolt away, but I was so shy I couldn't move. His assistant followed him and there was no escape.
He pointed at me, extended his first two fingers and held them in front of his eyes, then put hia hand on his chest.
"He says you're looking at him," his assistant said. My face got hot and I shrank in my chair.
"Sorry," I said, and I felt stupid right away. He can't hear, dummy.
But somehow he did. He made an okay sign and swirled his hand in front of his face.
"It's okay, because you're pretty," the interpreter said. Gabriel must have read my lips. He was more capable than any of us suspected. He made more signs in a rush of motions.
"Are you looking for allies? He could get used to the view," the interpreter said. I held my hands up to my lips, then moved them when I realized it would stop him from understanding me. I turned my face away when I spoke.
"I don't know," I said. What if he changed his mind and left me? That would be so embarrassing.
Gabriel frowned and craned his neck. When I turned my head I blocked his view again. I was no good at this. He smiled and swept out his arms.
"You're shy, but that's okay. I like to be seen, so I'll do all that stuff," the interpreter said. Gabriel broke into a little dance and I cracked up. He seemed to glow as soon as I did, and I couldn't resist any longer.
"I can't say no to that. You're the coolest person here," I said. With an ally like Gabriel, it was okay if I blended in a little. We did make an odd pair, though. I never would have expected the singer to end up with the deaf boy.
Gabriel Farad
It was good to make Delilah laugh. She always looked scared from the moment I first saw her. We were all scared, of course, but it seemed like I wasn't as scared as some of us. I knew things would turn out all right in the end. Allah's will was always done. We still weren't sure if it was seven virgins or seven grapes up there, but I was okay with either one. I wouldn't even know what to do with seven virgins. We'd probably just dance all day.
Once Delilah got used to the interpreter, she talked to me just like anyone else. She must have been a singer or something, because her elocution was really good. She didn't mumble or talk through her teeth, and it made it much easier for me to understand.
"I don't think I could kill someone with a weapon," Delilah said. "It's just so wrong."
I know I can't either. I'd be worried about their souls. I'm going to try throwing knives, but I'll aim at their legs and only if they're chasing us, I signed.
"It's really weird to think we're all going to be fighting soon. We're so young," she said.
It's messed up.
"It's sort of funny now, but I always wanted to be a singer," Delilah said. "I guess if I win that can be my talent."
You must be a really good singer. I can always tell. I was happily surprised when she didn't take it as a joke. I couldn't tell if people were in tune, but I could tell if they were on tempo, and that was very important when I was trying to dance.
They'll have to let us both win so you can sing while I dance. It was an impossible dream, but it was a lovely one. Anyone could see Delilah was a total babe. If she wasn't a singer, her talent could have been modeling. It would have to be modeling. She couldn't hide that face from the Capitol. If she won, they wouldn't have to make any changes. It would be a crime to do such a thing.
I was careful to avoid any mention of my handicap. All my life people had pitied me. It seemed like Delilah had forgotten I was deaf, and I didn't want to remind her. If she didn't notice, we were just two normal Tributes.
"Can you teach me some signs?" Delilah asked. I quailed a little inside, but she went on. "Then we can talk without making any noise. We'll have a secret code." That was okay. It was a tool, not a concession.
I can teach you the alphabet. Then we can say anything. I curled my fingers, extended my index finger and touched my thumb to my middle finger.
"Is that an A?" Delilah asked. I shook my head.
"It's a D," the interpreter said.
"Why'd you start there?" she asked.
E...L...I...L...
There's really no fury in this alliance, but it sounded so poetic.
I didn't know how to refer to Gabriel's deafness. He called it a handicap because he's talking about himself and because in this case it is. He wouldn't call someone else's issue a handicap because that would be rude.
Having seen the picture, Delilah is a total babe.
- Writer
