The 200th Annual Hunger Games

District 5 Interviews

Poppy Watt D5
Edison and I had refused to go on stage alone, so that's why we sit together on the lush chair next to Cottyn Wellwood as she introduces us to the Capitol. It's weird having him here with me but I'm glad he is because I don't think I could've handled this alone.

My stylist have put me in a light weight dress, almost the exact same colour as my parade costume. A gold belt is attached to the dress and shines when light hits. My stylist clearly got over excited when it came to my makeup, as a mixture of Blues were painted onto my eyelids. Edison is wearing a black suit with a white undershirt and a tie the same colour as my dress. He looks much more handsome than he ever did back home.

The crowd claps politely as Cottyn begins the interview.

Honestly I though it would have taken more than the little-emotional-girl act to convince the event producers to let us do our interview together. But I suppose this is the Quarter Quell, and the rules are meant to be broken.

"Hello you two" Cottyn says in her sweet voice. "I might start with saying how much it surprised me to see both of you walking up here together, but I'm sure glad that you did"

"Thank you for having us" Edison says politely while I give her a small smile.

"You two seem like you have a very strong bond, so what does it feel like knowing that you will be fighting next to each other in the games tomorrow?"

Tomorrow.

I gulp and I feel Eddi tense next to me.

"Well... we are in this together. Until the end" he says confidently grabbing my hand and holding onto it tight.

"Until the end." I say looking up at him.

He smiles back at me sadly as the crowd aws.

It's a promise we've made to each other. We won't be leaving that arena if we are not together.

"A brother and sister duo fighting together, I can't wait to see that!" She exclaims, to which the citizens cheer loudly. "On a much sourer note, you must have thought about the inevitable fact that only one of you can make it out as the victor. How does that feel?"

Eddi nods before replying "Honestly it hurts. But what kills me the most is what Poppy's going to see in that arena. If it were up to me I would shelter her for the rest of her life from anything that could bring her harm."

"I can look after my self!" I shoot back learning a laugh from the citizens and a chuckle from Cottyn.

"Of course you can,we wouldn't doubt that for a second, would we folks! But what about your training score, a 5, was that part of a plan?" Cottyn questions.

"I'm not really sure, I did my best Cottyn but I hope you can all realise that my score is not a true representation of my abilities." I reply.

"Miss Poppy, are you doubting the Game makers scoring methods?" Cottyn asks in a amused tone.

"No! No, no absolutely not!" I say quickly waving up to the Game makers platform to show them that I wasn't insinuating that at all. To my relief many nod back in my direction, dissolving my worry. "I just mean that what your faced with in training is different to in the Games. I suppose in the Games you do things that you never knew you had the ability to do"

"Wise words. Now Edison your life back home, is it one that you miss?"

"Yes, I miss the life. It's sad knowing that it's not something I can go back to"

"Try to think positive, you do have a chance you know..." Cottyn says reassuringly.

"Your right I do have a chance, and Poppy does too. But even if it did happen that one of us were to return home, it wouldn't be the same. We volunteered for a reason. To get away." Eddi says quietly "We had to get away."

"Hm okay, care to explain a bit further?"

"There was a particular person we had to get away from Cottyn" comes Edisons stony reply.

His gaze shifts to the camera directly in front of us. I watch as the lens moves around, twisting from left to right and then back around again, probably trying to find the best angle. I imagine our Father watching this back home in District 5 and I feel the urge to throw up. The memory of his threats and violence towards Edison as he threw him against the wall replays in my mind. I don't know who that man was but he wasn't the man I knew, and that really scared me.

"Who?" Cottyn pushes as the Capitol citizens lean forwards on their chairs and silence falls over the crowd.

Eddi looks down at me briefly before setting his gaze back on the camera and spitting his response out as if it's venom on his tongue.

"Our Father"

Voices shoot out from all corners of the room as everyone yells out at once. Questions and cries of anger flood my eyes and I do my best not to cover them with my hands.

"Well what would you do if...." Cottyn begins before the buzzer rings, ending our time. "I'm afraid that's all folks. District 5's Poppy and Edison Watt!"

We leave the stage with the crowd yelling in agony, as if they wished our time was longer. I stumble with my footing as Eddi drags me up the stairs and back to our seats.