The Girl From District 4

My feet hit the ground just as their lips meet. When they finally stop, he's hugging her and spinning her around, and saying how happy he is to see her again. "Fiona, oh, Fiona!" It's too much for me to handle. The lie, Bluebelle, Jonah, myself being braodcast as a crazy girl in front of the entire nation. It's taking it's toll on me and I begin to cry. Not just for Jonah, but for everything. I've been holding everything inside and I can't bear it any longer. I don't dare make a noise, I would seem too weak. But I do tear up. I can make out through my vision, now blurred with tears, that he has his hands on her shoulders and he's brighter than I've ever seen him. When the tears subside, I can see how beautiful she is. She has long, satin black hair, with an olive complexion. She has blue eyes that stick out from afar, like the seas we saw when we passed her district. She isn't stick thin, as I am, but she rather looks curvy and healthy. She is the mirror image of a resident of District 4. Her blue dress relflects her eyes and it looks beautiful. "Jonah! Oh, I love you. I missed you!" They kiss one more time, and he quietly says something to her that I can't make out. She nods and she reluctantly turns and away to meet her District 4 fellow tribute, a very tall, dark-skinned boy. Jonah comes to me smiling, and as upset as I am, I can't help but give a small smile back. I am just about to ask the nagging question when he sees my expression. "I know, I saw you. You watched me and Fiona." He waits a minute. "She was born in District 4, and she was abandoned. When she got to be a certain age, they moved her to our district, working in the lumber factories. You know my dad runs them and all." I nod as we walk toward the Training Center. "I saw her everyday. We talked, laughed, and I'd help her finish her work so we could go run off to fish in the lake." He's smiling, and looking down, and I can tell he's getting caught up in his story. His smile fades. "But it was only temporary. When she was 12, they took her back to District 4 because by law she has to participate in the District 4 reaping. She was adopted into a local family and was chosen this year." He looks up at me to see my face, but I'm looking down. That's why he never talked to any of the girls at school! He could have any one of them, but instead, he focused on sports and didn't pay attention to them. All along, those girls were just wasting their time because his heart was set on this one girl. I realize as I hit the 7 elevator button, I was one of those girls. And I still am.

Deeper in a Lie

She's being dragged away, along with her partner, and I find it strange that she looks and Jonah before she is taken away. The look in their eyes, that undeniable connection confuses me. Jonah returns her sad glance with a nod. The girl from District 4 is a Career tribute, and a powerful one, so I hear. How could he know her? I don't have much time to think, maybe a minute, like when you're on the metal disc waiting to dash to the Cournicopia, to assess what I think about all of this because a Capitol man is dragging me out to the bright faces of the Capitol, along with my fellow tributes, and we are face to face with all of Panem. Everyone goes quiet, and all eyes are on me. I don't understand what they except me to say. Tell them? I can't! The whole plan would be ruined. I understand they could kill me if I don't say, but I WAS going to the Hunger Games, so I should at least try to save the people next to me's lives. After a minute of silence, something does come to mind, and I can barely spit it out. "We... um.... rigged.. I mean... we knew we were going to be tributes." I look around and they are confusesd and shocked. I explain more. "We.. uh... the Gamemakers..." I have to think on the spot; making everything up as you go along and trying to sound believable isn't the easiest task. "We were there. With Peeta and Katniss. When they took them away. I'll never say. None of us." I look around at my fellow tributes and am pleased to see some nods like they know exactly what I'm talking about. Some are filled with anger, some with confusion, and some just plain dumbfounded. I am startled by President Snow's eerie voice on the loudspeaker. "Oh, this is nothing to worry about, calm down, calm down." He's laughing but there's a sense of doubt in his voice. "She's, well, one of our... special tributes." The crowd's anger turns to sympathy as they look at me. Now it's my turn to flash red. "No, I'm not!" I say through grittted teeth. "Of course you aren't, honey. Now, proceed, and tune in Thursday for the Training Scores! What an exciting start to the Seventy-Sixth Games this has been!" I can't control myself, I'm crazy, and people are just giving me nods as I yell. Great. No sponsors anymore! I thought my leadership and bravery for saying what I did would get me some, but none anymore. I'm the mentally ill girl. I don't know what my actions are or what they mean. I'm even more angry than before but I stop because I don't want to make a bigger fool of myself than I already am. I turn to rush to Jonah but I stop cold, silent as I see him with her.

The Lie

"Talia, Talia, over here!" Bright, scary Capitol people fill my eyes, along with microphones and pens, and paper notebooks. They don't even bother to ask the question, I already know. "I'll never say, not ever." Some faces are sunken, some are furious. I just want to leave, leave all of this I've gotten in to and just go to back to Bluebelle's smiling face. I can feel the warmth of her skinny arms wrap around my body, and for a second forget where I am. The face of all of Panem. I quickly push everyone away, getting back to Johanna and Gem, where I see an overwhelmed and confused Jonah. "Jonah, I.." He grabs my arm and I'm scared by the fierceness in his voice. "What are you doing?" His voice is filled with anger and dissapointment. I look around to make sure no one is listening, but really, when you're a tribute in the Hunger Games, especially me, when do you have privacy? I have to tell him anyway. "Jonah, calm down. I don't know anything, it's... all a big lie." I feel tears coming down my face when I realize the reality of this situation. "I know that, and where do you expect to get with this?" His grip loosens when he sees my tears. "They can't kill us, if we know where they are. Katniss and Peeta... they're the face of the Capitol, the symbol of the rebellion, they mean the world to them." He still looks confused. "They'll probably cancel the Games." "They'll never cancel the Games." He is probably right. The Games are their baby; no one hurts them. "But really, the Games are slowly being eliminated. Can't you see? The rebellion of the 74th, there wasn't even a winner in the 75th! They never expected this. They're going crazy out there!" Now I'm really crying, and his hands have moved to my shoulders. Am I the new Katniss? I don't know. Will there be uprisings because of my actions? Probably. The one thing I've managed not to do is pretend, well, not really, to love Jonah, which I'm glad for. He strokes his hand through my hair, and talks in the sweetest way I've heard anyone talk since Bluebelle told me she loved me. "Now come on, Talia, we have 14 lives to save." He backs away, and the last thing I remember is his eyes flash up and away on the girl from District 4.

The Chariot Ride (part 2)

The crowd is roaring, just going wild, and I feel like my cheeks are going to explode. I'm smiling so wide, and my arm is violently moving from side to side. Be memorable, Talia. Sponsors, I think. So, without thinking, I scream, "I know where Katniss and Peeta are!" The shock on the Capitol's faces is immediate. There in a full scale outrage, going crazy and President Snow can't control them. No one knows, not even President Snow. Of course, I don't know, so I stay silent. The anthem has cut off, and everything has gone silent. Sponsors will now know that I am brave enough to defy the Capitol, and I now know that if I have done this, then surely Jonah and I will get out if the arena alive. We found the loophole. I know where they are, so they think, so they can't get rid of me. But Jonah.... "And Jonah know where the others are. We both know. We all know. All of us tributes. We were told." Every eye in all of Panem was now on me, and only me. I think of Bluebelle, and I wish I could tell her whats going on. The anthem comes out of no where and we're rushed into the bottom floor of the Training Center where cameras, interviewers, and flashing lights blind me in every directions. It's one flash of light that brings me to my senses and I realize, I just saved 14 lives.

The Chariot Ride (part 1)

I look dazzling. Bright. Amazing. Gem has done what I couldn't do myself: Make me look, and feel happy. All I can think about is Jonah, and how much he'll love it, Bluebelle, watching me up on screen, and me, just waiting for sponsors to knock down Johannas, our mentors, door. I can't believe how vain I seem, thinking these thoughts to myself, but it gives me a new sense of hope. That I might have a chance coming out of these games alive. "Do you like it?" Gem waits, dying for my response. "Its, just..." The words aren't coming to me. "Wow," is all i can get out. Gem smiles and pushes me gently out the room and into the halls of the seventh floor. I push the lobby level button, leaving traces of glitter on it. I can already see gold paint on it from another tribute. District 1, I think. Luxury items. As we head to the ground level, I can hear the roar of the crowd. They're going nuts, shouting and hooting and hollering, and we haven't even been announced yet. When the other elevator door opens, I see Jonah in a lime green button up shirt, matching the shade of my dress, looking handsome as it reflets of his hazel eyes. It's all I can do not to run up and talk to him, but I resist. He looks nervous, and he looks like he doesn't want to talk to anyone. His eyes meet mine for a second then flash away. I look down, and then at Gem, whose directing me and Jonah to our chariot. The other six districts, some who joined together in the rebellion, are already in line. Our chariot has a cream colored horse, and a large green, diamond studded 7 on the front of the wheels. It's outstanding how much money the Capitol people spend on the games. We step up carefully, ready to out on our most winning smile. Jonah seems to have calmed down a bit so I start to talk to him just as District 1's chariot is pulling outm but then I see Gem, whose signalling something. Her hands are in the shape of a heart and it hits me. More star-crossed lovers. The Capitol has been going nuts with the fact that Katniss and Peeta, the star-crossed lovers of District 12, are no where to be found, and they've been wanting more. I think of what their romance led to: A rebellion, a marrige proposal, a pregnancy, and more. At first it excites me, but then I rule it out. As much as I love Jonah, I can't do it. I can't drag him in to this, I can't do that to myself. Jonah and I have a mission. To find the Games loophole, not to fall head over heels in love for the Capitol. So, as hard as it is, I shake my head in Gem's direction. And that quick, we are being pulled out into the faces of the Capitol.

Bluebelle

My eyes are stinging and my legs, screaming. My body has completely been removed of all hair, except for my head. I think. They gave me some fancy Capitol anesthesia that put me under and I have awoke, crying inside with pain. Quickly, I flash my left hand to my head to find that although it has been cut up to my shoulder, I still have my soft brown hair. My stylist blurs into my vision and I see a young woman, with purple hair and gold tatoos running up and down her arms. She's smiling, with her unnaturally white teeth, and she looks kind of scary, but she can't be more than twenty. "Hi, Talia, I'm Gem, your stylist! I am excited to make that dreary District 7 a place to remember!" Dreary? Well, we don't make anything the Capitol can glue to their bodies, but still, we aren't as bad as District 12 was. I'm not so sure about Gem. She's looking for a response but I just smile and nod. Her smile fades a little as she stands me up fit me for my costume. "You're quite skinny, darling. We'll have to fix that!" Her Capitol accent is so prominant it's insane. She presses a button on the side of the couch and just like that, a huge tray appears with a thick stew with carrots and some meat that can only be some type of waterfowl, a bowl of fresh blue melon, and four different types of rolls. I gorge myself as Gem asks me some questions. "So, Talia, tell me something about yourself, so I can get a clear view of what to do for your chariot costume. Because, honestly, I don't have anything." She looks at me, waiting for a response, and I think. What I can I say that wont make me look like a fool in front of all of Panem? This is very important, if I want sponsors to like me. All I can think of is my motivation to win these games, which can make me seem weak, but it's the best I've got. " I live alone, with my sister Bluebelle, who lights my face up when I see her. She's everything I care about, and love her." I say as I look down at the blue melon, not daring to meet my stylist's eyes. "Well, then, Talia, I think I can get something from that." She has a sinister expression on her face and I don't know if I said the right thing. She walks out of the room slowly, and my prep team come in to do my hair and make-up. When I'm all done, it's incredible how amazing I look. My newly short, thick hair looks fabulous pulled back in a bun, and my body looks flawless. Just when I thought I couldn't look any better, Gem is walking in and immediatly pulls my dress over my shoulders. I'm expecting a tree, like they do with District 7 every year, but no. It's an incredible strapless, soft green gown with sparkles and a blue flower designs running up and down the front and sides. A bluebell bush. And suddenly, all my hatred of my stylist flushes out.

The Capitol Ride

I awake early in the morning, not wanting to miss a thing. Effie Trinkit, who seems more bright and bubbly than ever, after being slightly upgraded to a better district than 12, is knocking on my train car door, informing me of a "big big big day!" I quickly dress in a simple blue shirt and jeans, and brush out my long brown hair. I open the door to the door to the dining car, so see a tired Jonah, staring out into the seas of District 4 outside. He looks sad, not his bright, full of life face I see daily in school when I pass him in the halls. He's a year older, but he seems so much younger, with his begging, helpless face. I sit next to him and he manages to work up a smile."Hey." I just blush, trying not to get lost in his eyes. "Aren't you, um, excited to see the Capitol?" He says, being polite. I respond while looking out the window. "Oh, yes." But I'm not. I don't think I'll ever be excited ever again. "Me too." After that, we just continue our small talk as we stuff ourselves with Capitol food. We talk of school, District 7, the uprisings, neither of us wanting to talk about the Games. When we hear the train horn, we realize we've reached our destination, the Capitol. I look outside to see the shining Capitol everyone talks about. Its bright, with insane people walking around. I see neon green flesh. Hot pink spiked hair. Jewels are substitutes for fingernails. It's incredibly insane. But, it all goes by in a flash when Jonah and I are dragged into the Remake Center, preparing for the insanity that the people of the Capitol do to their bodies.