A Different Side- Glimmer (Hunger Games)

Chapter 3

"Hey, I gotta start mentorin' tributes," one victor mumbles, then passes out at my feet. I step away in disgust.

"Uh... these are Marvel and Glimmer," Micka says, unsure of what's going on. The room smells thickly of alcohol.

"Glimmer? I gotta sister named Glimmer," Glitter laughs.

"Yeah, that's me," I announce angrily. She's drunk, not high, right?

"Oh."

Micka cringes. "Reminds me of Haymitch," she says under her breath, then steps out of the dining car. I suddenly wish I was her.

As the automatic door slides shut, I try to think of a way to plan my strategy on my own. These people are no help. Why are they all drunk?

"Glimmer," Glitter whispers to me. "You gotta try this." She hands me a glass of something sort of clear-yellow. I bring it up to my nose. The smell reminds me of the gem polish my mom and dad use at work. Disgusting.

"Um, what is it?" I ask, crinkling my nose at the awful smell.

"Vodka," she breathes. Her breath smells the same as the drink. "Can't get enough."

Glancing over to Marvel, I notice he also looks disgusted. At least three mentors are trying to convince him to drink. I see some are so old it's an enigma they can still function.

"I have to leave," I declare, standing and then sashaying to the door. I walk around the train until I find a door labeled, "GLIMMER SPARKLEWITS, DISTRICT 1". Unlike the others, it doesn't open if you stand in front of it. There's a little keypad-looking cube where the handle on a normal door would be. In the middle of it is a glowing turquoise square with a fingerprint. I press my left pointer up to it.

"Ow," I quietly say through my teeth. The little lock pricked my finger; it's bleeding when I pull it away. The door slides, allowing me to enter the room behind it.

The Capitol never fails to amaze me. A king-sized bed with cream sheets waits before me, and it's higher than my waist. I ignore everything else once I see the flat screen television facing the bed. I jump on to it (which actually takes a few tries- the bed, that is) and grab the slick black remote.

Since we're the first district in the reaping, there isn't much to watch. I estimate District 2 just finished and District 3 is starting. I realize I'm right when I hit the power button.

Alanie Rinted is just choosing the name of the female tribute, and the vivid white letters at the top of the screen inform me that it's live. This is the perfect opportunity to pick out the weaker tributes.

I block out the girl's name and judge how good she'll do in the arena, which is where the Capitol puts us to fight to the death. I start to wonder what it'll be this year, but I push the thought aside.

She's ugly. Not very attractive, so unless she has something great to offer, she won't get many sponsors. They're basically people who are most of the time from the Capitol who bet on tributes and send them things in the arena. She's about average height and skinny. Weak.

The boy isn't much better looking. He's a bit more muscular, and he seems pretty intelligent, so he might make a good ally. However, he's very small and I could probably take him down with one hit.

The rest of the Reaping is the crowd cheering and the tributes just standing there, looking afraid. It seems abnormal for them to be scared, but that's only because the people in our district want to be in the games and the others know they don't stand a chance.

It will be a while before the Reaping in District 4, so I change the channel and watch the replay of District 2.

These are fellow Careers. I decide whether or not I should make them allies. I decide I would team up with them, then kill them when they least expect it.

Cassundra whatever-her-last-name-is picks out the girl, who's first name is Clove. She's not very tall, but she's stocky and muscular.

The boy- he's very attractive- his name is Cato. He's big, almost as tall as Marvel, who looks about 6' 3". He'll make a good ally.

I can't stop thinking about Cato as I turn back to the LIVE channel. Is it love? Or does he just scare me? It's hard to kick the thought out of my mind, but I do, and go back to judging tributes.

The girl from 4 is okay-looking and short. The boy appears to be about 12, the minimum age to participate in the Hunger Games. The maximum is 18.

The digital clock under the tv reads 4:56. AM. In Panem, the Reaping times corespond with the districts- 1 AM is District 1. That's the problem with us- it's barely daytime during our Reaping. But the bright lights give the city a sunny feeling, and most of us get up early to train, anyway.

It's not even close to nighttime, but suddenly, I feel tired and run-down. My Reaping dress starts to itch. I take my hair out from its braids and just let it fall.

Then, it hits me. I want to see how I looked in the Reaping.

As my fingers fumble with the buttons, the television finally responds and I'm watching my district. There's Micka, calling up Emerald. Her bright green dress compliments her fiery red hair and almost matches her glowing eyes.

And then there's me. Volunteering. Sashaying up to the stage in my white lace gown. Assuring the crowd I would be this year's victor.

I feel great.

That's all I needed to see. I change back to the LIVE program, where District 5 is picking its tributes. A wave of exhaustion slams into me, like an actual ocean wave. I've only ever been to the ocean once before, and those things tire you out.

I catch a glimpse of the girl's red hair and am reminded of Emerald. How cruel I was to her... and I possibly might not see her again...

Tears slide down my face as I drift to sleep.