Scarred | The Hunger Games

4.

"Are we excited?" Caesar asked as the crowd roared. "To meet our tributes for the 72nd Annual Hunger Games!"

My dark hair was pulled up into a long ponytail, the curls they put in my hair decorated with a large navy ribbon to match my dress. My makeup wasn't too unnatural, the only thing that had maybe changed is they put this horrible lip plumper on me to, I don't know, make me look more kissable. I had a corset dress on, and it was extra tight around my torso, pushing whatever little breasts I had up. 

"District Eight, she's young, she's beautiful, she's sexy," She's also 14, "and she is Novalie Tream!" 

They push me onto the stage, getting me to go up. I turn around, offering Otto one final smile before I step out to a deafening audience. 

I smile. I don't know what else to do, so I laughed, in a state of shock, fear, and anxiety. 

"So Novalie, you were quite shocked when you were called at the Reaping." I nod as his speech slowed down to pause for dramatic effect. "Was it because of you had someone to go back to? Family? A partner? It seemed no one at the Reaping called out for you."

Otti. "No, actually. I just felt like in that moment I forgot my own name." The crowd burst out laughing at my half truth. 

"She's like a comedian isn't she?" Apparently the crowd agreed, thinking I was hilarious. "Now, in terms of the game, do you have any plans?"

"Well, that stuff is for me to know, and you to find out." I winked. You to find out how I die that is. "Of course I have to take into consideration my disadvantage as one of the youngest tributes."

"Well of course, after all, Finnick from District Four, our youngest victor ever was 14 when he won his games." The crowd roars at the mention of Finnick. Fuck, so the youngest victor was 14? I have actually no chance considering he was a Career. "Now, I'm sorry but I have to come back to your chariot outfit. Many people from the Capitol have been smitten by you." By my body?

"Well yes of course, my stylist thought that since District Eight was textiles, and everyone else was wearing our textiles, we should be shown off for us. But I do think that for a textiles District, we were lacking some textiles." I regurgitate the joke for the third time.

"Oh my, such a comedian!" Caesar looks at his wrist as if he has a watch on. "Well, that our time together, I hope to see your beautiful face after the games. Ladies and gentlemen, District Eight's Novalie Tream!"

I walk out, the heels killing me. 

Watching through the screen, Otto goes through his interview. 

"You're the youngest in this years tributes, do you have any plans in mind?"

I watch the kid smile nervously, "well, that is top secret." He grins. He's playing to his age like a little naive boy, just like how Woof taught him to. 

"Well that is true. Are you excited to go out and explore a new world, a new arena?" Caesar kind of switches to a tone which you would use to speak to a child with.

Otto just nods vigorously, but I can tell he's too frightened to actually say yes, because the truth is, we're all terrified. 

The interviews wrap up, quickly after that, everything after that being a blur. It's suddenly hitting me that we're being thrown into the arena tomorrow. I am completely and utterly fucked.

***

Otto winces as they insert the tracker into his arm. I rub his arm, soothing him, whilst my other arm has the tracker inserted.