Chapter 21
1115 Words
Gordon POV
There were clumps of Tributes at different tables. Everyone seemed to be allying. That would make it more difficult for me to kill them. I'd have to wait until they started splitting up. Some of them, like the group with the black girl, seemed happy together. Did they honestly care for each other? I'd given that up long ago. On the rare occasion one looked at me, it was in fear and disgust. I hadn't done anything to any of them yet. Their scorn only made me more eager.
There was one Tribute who actually didn't hate me. Felix came up to me the first day of training and asked me to be his ally. I refused immediately, but his words stayed with me. Maybe he was just scared if he left me out I'd resent it, but he spoke to me. Maybe I could find it in my heart to kill him painlessly. I had twenty-three other marks to torture.
For me, the Capitol was underwhelming. Like so much else in life, it failed to excite any passion or emotion in me. I would appreciate the luxuries if I won, but it wouldn't make life good. It would be, as it always was, bearable.
One thing I did like was the Avoxes. They sorted my food just the way I liked it after I told them. I wondered what noises their tongueless mouths would make if I sliced them apart. It seemed too easy. Maybe they'd even try to help. If I ended up winning, maybe I'd find out.
James POV
Since I couldn't train with the weapons anymore, I asked Drone for the tapes of all the past Games. I could study them and learn from the Victors. I popped the first tape in and settled myself on a fluffy soft couch with popcorn.
The tape opened on an overhead shot of the very first batch of Tributes. I recognized Orchard right away. She was the first Victor, and she was strikingly tall with near-black skin. This was going to be a great show.
When the buzzer went off, none of the Tributes moved. Orchard looked around and smiled nervously at one of the other girls. They started milling around and poking through the Cornucopia. The countdown started again.
What happened next I will never forget. When the timer reached zero again, half of the kids exploded into blood rockets. They twitched and moaned as they fell. Most of them were only a few years older than me. Orchard screamed and whimpered as she cowered behind her platform. She wasn't the legendary Victor I'd always admired. She was a scared girl. She was crying for those children she never knew. Suddenly the Games didn't seem so fun anymore.
The games ended as they began. Orchard's face was broken as a little girl feebly pawed at the arms around her neck. The first Victor fell on the ground and wept. I wept with her.
Mink POV
Capitolites were weird. They had rainbow hair, idiotic clothes, and brainless heads. Yet they considered us the weird ones. I was trying to take a peek at the lower floors when two of them rushed me.
"Ooooh, are you a tribute?" one said. She had curves too perfect to be natural and a face too made-up to judge.
"You dummy, that's Mink! I saw your outfit in the Parade. You looked great," her companion said. She had as much paint as her friend, but she seemed to be content with what her mother gave her, which was less than her friend, but still enough for me.
"Hey, girls. What's up?" I said. No harm in small talk.
"You got a girlfriend back home?" the busty one asked. Straighforward girl.
"What she don't know won't hurt her," I said. They both squealed. Truth was, I was friendly enough with the girls in my class that the boys took to calling me "Mink the tink". I liked the ladies well enough. I just couldn't be tied down.
"Of course, it would be easier on my conscience if it was in the line of duty," I said, bucking for sponsors. If I could have two lovely ladies and also improve my chances, life would be good.
"Of course. We wouldn't want to lose you before we get to know you," the busty one said. I looped my arms around their waists and grinned devilishly.
"How about we start getting to know each other right away? My room's upstairs."
Caleb POV
It was terribly lonely in the Capitol. My District partner formed an alliance, so we didn't see each other much. She probably would have let me in, but friendship never came easy to me. My mentor was distant and I felt rude asking him for help.
The only person I thought might be able to understand was Gordon, and there was no way I was going near him. There was something terribly off about him, and it overshadowed my suspicions. People like me can tell these things. Usually people like him openly lusted after women, or at least looked forward to killing them in disgusting ways. He never paid any attention to them. Icky though it was, I knew what he preferred. Even if I didn't have Shaw, I would have to be pretty desperate to consider Gordon. I was stuck in the Capitol with a madman as the closest thing to company.
To take my mind off things, I started imagining what I'd do if I won. I'd move into the Victor's Village, of course. Shaw would come live with me and as soon as I was eighteen we'd get married. We could eat steak and ice cream every day and give candy to all the little kids. Maybe people wouldn't think I was so akward and I'd make more friends. I certainly wouldn't have to work in the fields anymore. With my pale skin, that was almost the best part. I knew it was all a castle in the sky, but for one of us it would come true. Maybe I'd actually live in that castle someday.
All I had left was the lone wolves, so I wrote them all a POV too. Now all I have left is the interviews and the night before the Games.
As far as I can tell, "tink" is not really a slur, though it is the name of a rapper. I derived it from Tinkerbell, who was a fairy, "fairy" being an old-timey slang word for gay man.
I just looked through my notes and realized Mase throws knives. Ah well, he's the only one. One knife-thrower is perfectly reasonable.
- Writer
