The Girl With The Shimmering Smile

The Arena #2

Hello again, sorry for the late update I've been very busy. The poem is written by Bliss Carman and is called "The starry midnight whispers". Enjoy folks

All night I had been trying to close my eyes and turn my brain off. Instead thoughts were swirling in my head and I simply couldn't fall asleep. The clock beside me turned from 11 pm to 4 am and I still hadn't been able to stop thinking. There was so much to plan and so many questions I would never get the answers to. With a sigh I rolled out of bed and got dressed in the clothes I would wear to the arena. There was no point in getting dressed in something else since I would have to change again anyway. I needed to clear my head somehow and maybe get some fresh air. The obvious choice would've been to go for a run, but we weren't allowed outside the skyscrape. An idea soon got created, it wasn't as good as the run but it would do.

I opened the door and tiptoed through the cold living room to the elevator. Goosebumps had already broken out on my skin and I regretted not taking a jacket with me. The elevator started moving and a funny feeling in my stomach appeared. We have elevator's in district 2, but I'm from the wrong part of the town to have ever been able to experience it. I press a few more buttons and the elevator goes up and down. The tingling feeling in my stomach almost makes me laugh out loud but I stop myself and walk out of the elevator. This isn't some silly challenge I can take lightheartedly - I have to win so I can't keep messing around like this.

The cold night air hits me once I step out on the terrace. I shiver so much I almost turn back, but the stars kept shimmering in the dark night - making me fall into some sort of trans. My legs started moving and didn't stop until I was hanging on the railing. I had always loved the night. There were no sounds and no expectations, only me and the stars. They somehow gave me comfort, like they were looking after me and made sure I never got lost in the darkness. It was the only time I felt like me. I was probably standing there for hours, watching every star in the night sky and making up words that soon turned into a poem.

"The starry midnight whispers,
As I muse before the fire
On the ashes of ambition
And the embers of desire,

Life has no other logic,

And time no other creed,

Than: 'I for you will follow.

Where thou for love dost lead."

I whispered the words to myself. Making up poems has always been my secret. It helped me when nothing made sense. All the anger, sadness and disappointment disappeared when I finally could put words to my feelings. It helped me concentrate, making me more lethal than any other kid in the academy. I never told anyone about it, afraid they would take it away from me by making fun of it. Maybe they would see me differently if they knew. My parents would be thinking they were right, I was too weak and too girly to ever be able to win the Hunger Games.

My thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of someone else's present. I turned around and was met by a girl in a rob and pair of slippers. Her always carefully brushed hair was a total mess and it was almost hard to believe she cared so much about appearance. I watched as she debated on whether to turn back or not. Guess she wasn't too fond of me, not that I blame her. She ended up fighting the urge to turn back and instead walked up to where I was standing. Why did she have to ruin everything? "Nice clothes Glim Glam" I said. Maybe if I was rude enough she would get the hint and get the fuck away from me. She looks at me with a big pair of emerald eyes. They shimmer almost as much as the stars. She looks back at the view and slightly bit her pink lips as she says "I didn't think anyone would be up here". "Well you were wrong" I bite back. Can she just leave me alone? "Clearly" she just says and keeps looking out over the empty city. This girl won't take a hint. I don't want her to be here. Maybe I can push her over the railing..?