wearing masks // Wylla // Blitz

[ali]

I will ask you for mercy
I will come to you blind
What you’ll see is the worst me
I'm not the last of my kind

The first day at the training centre had been a chaotic one for everyone. With close to 50 tributes all crammed into a space designed to house only half that number, there had been quite the squable for the popular stations and long waiting times for some of the less popular; the Capitol had hired extra trainers, extra avoxes, doubled up bedrooms until there was barely any space for more but still it didn't seem enough. Still people got anxious waiting in line for sword fighting classes or the camo station, everyone was a mad mess of nerves and excitement that many of those from lesser Districts scrambled to find out where they fit best.

Casseiopa had made herself at home on the Self Defence Station, sparing almost all morning with tributes and trainers alike. She lost some battle and she won others and her bones and skin ached from where the padded pole had hit her when she had not been quick enough to block a blow here and there, all the time it riled her up. She knew it was time to take a break when she threw the pole at the wall in frustration after being knocked down again. "You're tired Shaw." the trainer had snapped "Walk it off."

So the blonde had decided that it was time to take her lunch break. It was running up to the lunch hour and while everyone seemed busy at their respected stations, the blonde thought it'd be a good idea to slip away before the mad rush for lunch food began. With one last scowl, thrown in the direction of the trainer who'd knocked her down, the blonde stormed off to the lunch hall; her gait far from her usual slow careful strut. Walking into the lunch room was like taking a breath of fresh air; cool and quiet, the lunch room was empty. Glancing at the clock, the blonde knew she had only a couple of minutes to get a good seat, somewhere far from anyone who could worsen her mood.

Grabbing a tray, the girl piled a roll a few cold meats, some cheese, a few bits of fruit,  more cheese  (Cassie fucking loved cheese) and then a bowl of soup before she took her seat at the far end of the dining hall. Finally, she thought as she tore one of the bread rolls in half.

Cassiopeia Shaw

District 2 Tribute

[D6f Carmen Cantelou [aza]]

WYLLA LYSANDER

I don't think I've ever seen so much food in my entire life. They've produced a banquet fit for Kings and Queens and it is comprised of some foods I didn't even know existed. Who knew that there were so many different cheeses?

Not me. I suppose that it is just another telltale sign of the deprived life I lived back in Three.

The dining hall makes a statement: it's tall and somewhat intimidating. It shrinks me from a twelve year old girl to a six year old girl, and I don't like it. But it houses food, and I'm beyond hungry.

I take a tray, sliding it across thick metal bars, selecting a bit of this, and a bit of that as I move along the line of served food. Taking a small carton of juice from the end shelf, I look out to the sea of people and realise I'm drowning.

Tables are cluttered with blank faces, everyone eating their food as if it tastes of depression and smells like an old hag. They stomach it, though, they have to, just like I'll have to stomach sitting with the big girl from Two who has a table all to herself. I figure that there must be a reason no one has decided to sit with her; does she eat children like the villains in fairy tales?

No, I think, and it is a thought echoed by Mum's voice. The Games haven't started yet, and even if she did eat children, I imagine that she would keep that card up her sleeve and play it in the arena.

I wander over, a forced smile on my face. It's rectangular and toothy, the type that Mum would tell me to wear every time we had to see the lady across the way who would give me a strange ornament with each visit. They're all aligned along a shelf back at home in Three—I used to play with the animal ones and pretend they were real people with real stories.

One day, the cat had life-changing news for the dog.

Here, I don't need to imagine the stories or pretend things are real. I look to the girl from Two, taking pride in my forced grin as I settle into the seat opposite her.

I take a bite of the grey sandwich, concluding it isn't half as bad as the expressions of other tributes make out.

"It's nice, this is. Not sure what meat it is, but it's nice. I love, love, love it." I talk with my mouthful. "Do you love, love, love it? I'm not sure how you can't." I eye her tray. "Oh, you've got bread rolls. Are they nice?"