The Very First Hunger Games

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Tribute Interviews Part 2

I hurry into one of the dressing rooms and switch on the small TV. It's a shame I never got to watch the other tribute interviews - it will be a disadvantage for me in the games, not knowing much about my competition. Also I'm not sure how well my interview went as I have nothing to compare it to.

Did the Capitol adore the other tributes, or hate them? Were they as nervous as I was? Luca seemed nervous, but I'm sure he will have no trouble wooing the audience.

"Now let's give a big round of applause to our very last tribute, Luca Edenthaw" Leon says, welcoming Luca to the stage.

"Hello, hello how are you?" Leon asks Luca.

"I'm good, how are you?" Luca replies with a fake smile.

"I'm fine, thanks." Leon says with his usual fake friendliness. "So you're our last tribute of this evening. What do you think of the other tributes? They're an interesting bunch aren't they?"

"They certainly are. Although some of the other guys really need to climb out of their own behinds"

That earned a laugh from the audience.

"What about the girls? Anyone catch your eye?"

"Well there are some really beautiful girls-"

"Especially the one from your District"

"You can say that again"

I can feel my cheeks redden. I'm glad I'm in one of the dressing rooms and not in the waiting room with the other tributes where my reaction would be broadcast live.

"Well it's too bad you never got to know her better"

"Yeah, it's too bad"

"Maybe if you knew her better you could tell us how such an innocent-looking girl could score a perfect score in this deadly game"

"I couldn't possibly tell you, even if I knew"

"It couldn't have something to do with everyone having to be evacuated because of a fire, could it?"

"Maybe"

At that moment, three peacekeepers barge in the room and one of them says:

"It's time to go back to your room"

They mean that empty, sterile place, totally devoid of colour. The room is as white as I imagine heaven being. But it is far from heaven. I hate that room; it completes destroys my spirit. I guess that's its purpose.

But that's not the reason I don't want to go back. Tomorrow the games begin. If I don't speak to Luca tonight, I may never get to speak to him again. I could die on the first day, I could die on the eighteenth day - I just don't know. I'm not willing to take the risk.

"No, please. Just a couple of more minutes" I beg the peacekeepers.

"Mam, if you do not come with us willingly, we will have to remove you by force"

It's a threat, but he says it with a bored expression. He doesn't' expect me to fight back much. I'm just another inconvenience to them. Perfect. They won't expect it. I'll have the element of surprise on my side.

I barrel into the peacekeeper who is barricading the door, completely knocking him over and start frantically running up the hallway before I realise I don't have a plan. All I can do is keep running.

I see the stage door up ahead, past the portraits of past presidents and other equally famous people who adorn the walls, past the other tributes who are now bounding out of the waiting room, causing a riot.