kill for your love - the hunger games

(042) the seventy-fourth hunger games

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KILL FOR YOUR LOVE.

act three.

(chapter forty-two, the seventy-fourth hunger games)

the stables / city circle, 74 ADD.

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THE STABLES STUNK OF HORSE manure and alcohol as Juniper wrinkled her nose up, nearly gagging as she exited the elevator. Tributes littered the space, some looking completely terrified as their mentors consoled them whilst others had looks of determination and boldness. The Careers', as an example.

The Careers' for the Seventy-Fourth held Juniper's interest. But not because they could win. There were only two Careers' that had a chance and they both came from Two. The boy was a physical wonder with a robust and powerful stature. He was probably the largest out of the tributes and his blue eyes were menacing with his spiky blond hair. And then the girl was healthy, brawny, and fit with dark hair and a face filled with freckles. Those two were in the running to win. 

But the pair from One, Juniper scoffed at the idea of them winning. The girl was tall with emerald green eyes and flowing blonde hair. She was a classic female from One and looked oddly similar to Cashmere, the Victor of the Sixty-Fourth, and Satin. The girl was too obsessed with her looks to even think of winning. Too ditsy. And then the boy was skinny and tall rather than muscular and fit. The pair from One would not even be considered in the top five. 

"They really need to clean this place," a drunk, disgusted Brent Higgins spoke up, wrinkling his nose at the place like his peer did moments earlier. "Smells terrible."

"Your stinky liquor isn't helping," Juniper snapped as she scanned the stables for their tributes.

She did not have high hopes for the duo Reaped this year. Of course, she still tried her hardest to get to know them, to at least help them, but it would never work out. The boy, Jeremy Marinas, was eighteen and had a crippled foot. He always limped as he walked and the pressure of his tallness did not help. Jeremy was starting to work at the Breeders, caring for the calves. He stunk of cows and grain and had layers of dirt underneath his fingernails. Nadine had been appalled.

And then the girl, Dakota Hood, was sixteen. She was small and skinny, looking as if she was on the verge of death. She had massive violet bags residing underneath her eyes and she was extremely shy. She was terrified of Juniper and Brent, even Nadine. But as Juniper got to speak to her more, cajoling her into eating and showering, the Hale girl realised she was the sweetest being. She had tried to get rid of the mud off of her shoe before entering the train. She tried to eat with her mouth closed whilst Jeremy Marinas ate like a pig. And she was obsessed with stars, staring out of the window the first time she saw the night sky. 

But Dakota Hood and Jeremy Marinas would not survive and both Juniper and Brent knew that.  

The Higgins man walked off as he began to chug his flask of alcohol, waving Juniper's comment away as he headed to Chaff, the mentor from Eleven. The Hale girl, however, remained standing as she tried to find Dakota and Jeremy. The Careers' were standing with their own mentors, Wade Rankine being one for Two, and then the pair from Four with Finnick, the duo from Twelve with their stylists. Juniper was about to purse her lips when she got a glimpse of Yara Give.