technical difficulties // meghan

[semper]

s h a d o w b i s o n

You weren’t sure who it was that had suggested you try to make friends but you were against it. Not because you didn’t want to meet people, no – you just did not feel comfortable getting to know someone who could be your potential killer. So each time one of the adults brought it up you shrank back into your plush chair, trying to hide behind the high edge of the table. Much to your dismay it never worked. Lethe or your stylist saw you and piped up, dragging you back into the conversation with that same grave tone of voice they always used. (“It’s such a sad sight to see these kids going off to die – they’re just kids!”) Deep down you knew that they were only trying to help you and make sure you or Cassie returned home (unlike poor Andy and Luci of last games) and so you reluctantly took their advice, biting back the fear and taking a tight hold on the powder horn your father gave you to be your token.

So today, you decided, you’d try to at least make a friend other than Cassie. You gently laid the thin leather strap across your shoulder and torso so that the powder horn hung at your opposite side. It didn’t quite match the shirt and pants your stylist and picked out for you to wear but you honestly didn’t care – the white and black horn was the last bit of home you had to hold on to. The leather and horn itself was rather worn and showed obvious signs of being used quite often and so it felt all the more homely to you.

You didn’t bother tidying up your messy mop of blonde hair before heading out quietly and making your way toward the elevator, pressing the button that would take you to the dining hall. People are bound to be down eating a late breakfast so why not start there? Your little fingers ran up and down the leather strings, using the soft material as a makeshift security blanket as you stepped onto the elevator, closing the doors and heading down.

[/size][/justify]

[Meghan]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://oi43.tinypic.com/vgh2me.jpg); border: 000000 solid 0px; width: 500px; height: 333px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: black; border: white solid 1px; width: 498px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] B e a t r i c e B i r c h

[/color][/center]

It was only day two of training and already the whole concept of being a tribute was an utter bore. I felt like I was going to punch the next person who suggested I try talking to somebody. I had already done that. People were just as stuck up and idiotic here as they were back home, why would they be any different on day two of hell than day one? Besides, I was here getting ready either to be killed or to go kill so that didn't exactly equate friendship.

One thing is for sure, I loath small-talk of all sorts, especially the kind that I have to force through my teeth.

Maybe that's why I have never made a very good career. Though I have the right skills weapon-wise, I can't quite capture the crowd socially. I guess I am much like... Cassius in that regard. He could win any crowd if he wanted to...well when he was still alive... but he didn't give enough of a rat's ass to bother. Me? I'm too stubborn. Fuck them. They don't deserve it.

Maybe I'm too hard on people.

"Naaaah," I mumble as the elevator door swings open and a scruffy-haired little boy steps onto the lift. Goodness, when did I get so far into my morning? Did I lose myself into my thoughts that deeply? I grunt in response to his entrance, and pull out a box of matches from the pocket of my coat. Time to have some fun.

"Hey, kid. You like tricks?"

[/justify][/blockquote][/size]

[/blockquote]
[/td][/tr][/tr][/table][/center]

Word Count: 254

Thanks to Onyx for help with the header and dreams for fixing the table!

[semper]

s h a d o w b i s o n

There was a girl already inside the elevator so you ducked your gaze from her and instead looked at the shiny surface of the lower wall, watching the distorted reflection of your feet move along it. The doors closed and you felt the pressure in the metal box go up as it started to quickly lower down to another level. Your stomach lurched at the motion and you adjusted your feet in order to stay standing upright. It was quite an odd sensation, nothing like you had ever felt before, and frankly you didn’t want to feel it.

The girl made a noise that captured your attention; out of the corner of your eye you saw her shift, pulling something out of her pocket. You tried to not focus on it but then she spoke: ”Hey, kid. You like tricks?”

Then you really did turn your head to see her. She was much older and bigger, enough so to frighten you. Absentmindedly you took a step back, little hand clutching the point of the powder horn at your side. ”Um—“ You hesitated, trying to formulate an answer when suddenly the sensation of falling stopped. Your attention quickly turned from the girl to the small black box with lit up numbers on it and found that it was stuck on a glaring 2. Are the doors opening? The great silver doors did not open, however, and within a few minutes the lights started to flicker.

[/size][/justify]

[Meghan]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://oi43.tinypic.com/vgh2me.jpg); border: 000000 solid 0px; width: 500px; height: 333px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: black; border: white solid 1px; width: 498px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] B e a t r i c e B i r c h

[/color][/center]

I only meant to intimidate the boy, to scare him out of his boots a little bit until the elevator arrived at its destination in the training center. My escape to the roof had been short-lived when my stomach had began to growl, a wide rumble declaration of demanding hunger. Could I be anymore spoiled?

Shouldn't they be teaching us to starve this week? Or were they really trying to give us the biggest shocks of our lives? The theory that eating more would help us keep on the pounds in the arena was the biggest bunch of bullshit I had ever heard.

Still, I was more than a glutton and couldn't resist the draw of creamy chicken pot pie and sweet mashed potatoes sprinkled with cilantro and just the hint of dill. Not even I could reject the delicate taste of cut strawberries on top of puffed shortbread and topped with the perfect amount of chocolate whipped cream. No, I was still human, even if they had picked me to die.

He begins to respond, red in the face, hand squeezing something at his side with nervousness. "What are yo--," words go unfinished as the elevator halts before our destination.

I wait for the intruder but they never come.

"What did you do...?" I demand to the boy, my match forgotten for only a moment as I pull my shoulders into their full stature over his tiny figure. I reach forward and pull at the metal with all my might.

The scene is all too familiar to me, and it feels much like it felt that day at the justice building. When they told me the thing I refuse to believe. And once again I felt trapped.

I wanted to pin the little twerp against the wall and scream in my anger, but I knew that would be a bad idea in of itself. So instead I decided to, in the nicest sense, play with him.

The lights began a violent tango, playing with their own death. Like they couldn't decide whether they wanted to live or die. Perfect.

"This is your fault you know."

[/justify][/blockquote][/size]

[/blockquote]
[/td][/tr][/tr][/table][/center]

Word Count: 352

Thanks to Onyx for help with the header and dreams for fixing the table!

[semper]

s h a d o w b i s o n

The lights continued to flicker, changing between complete darkness and showing the reflection of your terrified face on the shiny wall. You clutched the powder horn tightly, holding onto it like it could somehow help you as the elevator seemed to just freeze in place.

The girl suddenly explodes, asking what on earth you did. Panicked, you looked at her, fear and bewilderment obvious on your squishy face. ”B-but I didn’t do an-anything!” The lights flickered again and you were almost certain that at any moment the bulb would pop. You emitted a small whimper, stepping back into the corner of the elevator, away from the girl. ”It’s not my fault!”



((AAAHHSHDGHLSJ IT'S SO SHORT & I'M SO SORRY I KEPT YOU WAITING))

[/size][/justify]

[Meghan]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://oi43.tinypic.com/vgh2me.jpg); border: 000000 solid 0px; width: 500px; height: 333px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: black; border: white solid 1px; width: 498px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] B e a t r i c e B i r c h

[/color][/center]

Fear echoed on the little sausage's face as the rogue of the lift played with the atmosphere. I echo its demonic sound and barreled out my own impish cackle. "Au contraire, my petite companion, your presence must have done something to cause a circumstance such as this." My gestures are exaggerated and I wave an unlit match through the air and focus on the honey venom that drips from my voice. I hope that spider-crawl shivers are running down his spine from where my words pierce at his blubbering exterior.

"Let me put it for you this way," I say oh-so-agreeably, "Before you stepped on this elevator, it was in perfect working condition. No flickering lights, no weird noises, no odds malfunctions in unexpected places. Therefore, and this is a funny therefore, my little friend, it could only be your fault. I knew you were up to something the minute you stepped onto this elevator! So, I ask again. And this time, I give you one more chance to answer nicely. Or else I might really bring out a trick... or two. What did you do?" I bare my teeth to the tiny kid, but the fact remains irrelevant. The light goes out and we become creatures of the night.

I wonder how he'll hold up, he didn't seem to have much in the terms of bravery.

[/justify][/blockquote][/size]

[/blockquote]
[/td][/tr][/tr][/table][/center]

Word Count: 227

Thanks to Onyx for help with the header and dreams for fixing the table!

[semper]

s h a d o w b i s o n

The girl started off by using words you did not know. Big words such as au contraire and petite. What was she trying to get at? The last part of her sentence drove home the observation that you getting onto the elevator was the entire cause of the lights flickering. But I didn’t do anything! You tried to glare at her but found your eyes only stinging with the threat of tears, so you looked away as she continued to speak.

You didn’t look at her throughout the entire speech that only accused you of something you had absolutely no control over. What could you possibly even say to her? She seemed so thick-skulled and refused to believe your retorts of innocence, putting the entire blame on you. Still you remain silent until the lights go off completely, and you whimpered, although thankful that there were no shadows to taunt you. However, very quickly you lost your sense of spatial awareness – the wall was much further away than you had anticipated, so you stuck your hand out and waved it around until you felt the slick metal wall. ”I didn’t do anything, I swear! I just got on because I wanted to go down to get something to eat.”

[/size][/justify]