Deceived: The 500th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 50 - Last Night at the Capitol

OGILBY HAYES' P.O.V

"Ogibly, how does you leg feel to be out of its cast?" A sponsor asked. His name was Gregor or something, I don't know.

"It's okay," I reply, trying to make small talk.

"Can you use any weapons?" Gregor asked, smoothing back his teal hair.

I sat at a table with Mizar, Gauis and Bramble. We all stared at this guy as if he was mad.

"Of course we can!" Mizar rolled her eyes. "I can use a spear. Not usual for a girl, huh?"

"I use a trident," I say. "I have good arm strength. All I did when I couldn't walk was lift weights."

"We, along with one or two other tributes, all use spears. Well, other than Gauis," Bramble said. "I can use a dagger too."

"I can use a dagger and a whip," Gauis said, miming a whipping action.

"Very good," Gregoe said, smiling and tucking into his huge plate of food. Honestly, the Capitol eat so much.

I copied, cutting into the slab of meat on my plate. "Hare meat," Gauis said, chewing slowly. "Something I'll be eating in the arena a lot."

"Why you say that?" I ask. "Didnt they poison then at one point?"

"Exactly," Gauis said, his hazel eyes twinkling. "They won't poison then again. It'll make bad television."

I take this bit of information and store in my head. Allying with Gauis was a good idea.

"Let's raise our glasses to one last night in the Capitol," Gregor said, his evil grin spread across his face.

I lifted my glass, a fizzy lemon flavoured drink inside the glass. I clinked it against the other glasses.

"Cheers," I mumble. I'm not thanking anyone for sending me to my death tomorrow.

I'm Indigo's target. It's not like I'm getting out alive.


AURICULA COLBEE'S P.O.V

I sat with Arlu, Flux and Thalia, staring down the lady who sat ahead of us.

"What do you think of my skin?" She asked. I eyed her blue skin up and down, disgusted by how the Capitol treat their bodies. "It matches my name."

"Blue?" Arlu asked. This became a name guessing game. At least we weren't waffling on about sponsors for the entire duration of dinner.

"Teal?"

"Turquoise?"

"Sky?"

"Baby?"

"Sea?"

"C'mon guys, it's Aqua," I said, rolling my eyes. I suppressed a giggle. Honestly, baby? Who calls their child baby?

Well, this is the Capitol. I wouldn't doubt weird names for a second.

"Yes, girl. You are right!" Aqua chirped.

"You could at least learn her name," Arlu yelled, grabbing my hand under the table. I looked at him and smiled a grateful smile.

"Yes. Tell me, what is her name?" Aqua asked Arlu.

"Ask her," Flux yelled.

"Girl," Aqua grinned.

"Auricula. Don't you forget it." I glare at her, my breath coming out in short, sharp breaths.

"Auricula," she repeated, slowly biting into some steamed vegetables. "Happy Hunger Games!"

Thalia and Arlu grabbed my wrists, becoming my only reason not to pounce on Aqua and tear her apart.


VANITY STRONG'S P.O.V

Briar, Otillie, Violetta and I all sat around a table. I guess we all get on well enough to have a dinner together.

"So, you lot, why should I sponsor you?" Bartimus asked, pointing his long, orange nails at us. I shivered slightly, creeped out by his long nails. They have to be at least a few inches long.

"Because we're the best," Violetta said, folding her arms.

"You were beaten by Persei in the bleep test. You aren't the best," Bartimus scowled.

"We'll kill her and everyone else in our way." Violetta had become cold since the bleep test. Since she lost. As ifs he had lost her old feeling and suddenly became a Career.

"Vibia," Briar mumbled. "I'll kill her and then I'll be happy."

"What weapons do you use?" Bartimus asked.

"Spear, dagger and axe," Briar replied, cold.

"Axe," I replied, not looking at Bartimus. He annoys me so much.

"We both use daggers," Otillie replied quietly, shovelling food into his mouth.

"Excuse me," Bartimus stood up and walked away.

"Violetta, Otillie," Briar leaned towards them, lowering his voice. "Help us kill Vibia."

"Help us kill Persei and Indigo," Violetta said. Otillie and I sat in silence.

"Deal," Briar said. Otillie and I stared at each other.

I leant towards Otillie. "I'm not killing. We're running in the direction of the head of the cornucopia, okay?"

Otillie smiled. "Yes. Are they coming?"

He pointed to the two older kids on our table. I shook my head.

"Good. We'll say we got lost," he smiled. I sighed with relief. Now I don't have to kill.


BRAMBLE SELKIRK'S P.O.V

"Gauis, I don't want to die," I sigh. "Why am I here?"

"You were reaped. It isn't fair. They can't keep reaping the ones with," he paused. "Disadvantages."

"Look, what do we do tomorrow?" I ask.

"We're going into the bloodbath." Gauis shut my bedroom door so we could discuss our plans.

"I'm not going all the way in," I protest.

"We're with Ogilby and Mizar, but I think we should ditch them," Gauis said.

"We're brothers until the end, right?" I ask, only expecting one answer.

"Brothers until the end," Gauis whispered.

I don't want to die. I don't want to be killed. I don't want to be pinned to the floor and tortured. I wanna see my mum.

"I haven't seen my mum," I say. "She doesn't know that I've got my memory back, does she?"

"Maybe she watched the Interviews," Gauis said, patting my back.

"I hope so. I miss her so much," I let a tear slide down my cheek, wanting to tell her everything I remember.

"I wonder how Arlu is doing right now," Gauis said. "He had to explain about the accident during his interview."

"I hope he's okay," I whisper.

"You're more important. We're all gonna make sure that you're okay," Gauis said.

"Why?" I ask. "What makes me so special?"

"The Careers will be after you. You got a 12 in training. They aren't happy," Gauis warned me.

"But I'll be protected, right?" I ask.

"Let's hope so. Because if I die, you'll have no one here." Gauis let a tear out of his eyes as well.

"If you die, I'm dying too," I tell him. "Brothers until the end."


WYATT SLOANE'S P.O.V

Orchid, Billee, Theta, Yasmin, Confrey, Alberto and Shauna had all made their way into my room. No one else was on our floor. Floor 11.

"So, who's going to the bloodbath?" Billee asked.

"We need the brave to go in, but not the strongest," I reply.

"What?" Shauna exclaimed.

"Think about it. Billee, if you go in, they'll see you as a threat, so they'll try to target you," I point out.

"I get what you're saying," Theta said.

"How about four of us go in and four stay out?" Confrey said.

"I think we should all go in," Shauna moaned.

"Shauna, we can't all go in," Alberto said. "We'll be turned into minced meat."

"Most of us need to go in though," Yasmin said. "I haven't learnt anything since I came other than how to fish. Orchid and Billee can fish. What good am I?"

"Yasmin, we need you," I say.

"I'm not great. I'm willing to sacrifice myself to keep you lot alive. I'm going in," Yasmin said.

"Shauna, what do you want to do?" I ask.

"Stay out." She flicked her hair over her shoulder. "Not that they'd kill me anyway."

"If they won't kill you, go in there."

"Who is a threat? Who got the highest scores?" Orchid asked.

"Theta, Billee and Confrey got 9. Alberto got 11," Orchid said.

"I think Alberto and Confrey should stay out," I say.

"Why not Theta? She's a girl!" Shauna whined. We all stared at her.

"Theta can navigate you all to Alberto and Confrey, she's good at navigation. Billee is one of the most agile people here!" I exclaim.

"We meet in the direction of the tail of the cornucopia, right?" Orchid asked.

We all nod. "May the odds be in our favour," I whisper before they all leave.