Mockingjay // C.S

The Zoo

Charlotte Addam's POV:
Before I know it, we are being thrown into a zoo cage like animals. I walk into the cage and look around for Lucas but see him talking to the tributes from 1 and 2. It's quite uncommon as Districts 1, 2 and 4 are career districts and 12 most definitely isn't.

I slowly walk to the cage bars where I see a group of people including Lucky Flickerman, the host of the Hunger Games and a group of kids. I walk up to them as Lucky shouts to us in the cage. "Why hello, how do you do?" I ask the kids and wave at them.

The responses of children make me giggle as I crouch down to them. Their words range from "you're pretty" to "what's your name?" and "I love your dress". "Why thank you all, I'm Charlotte from District 12 but y'all can call me Lottie, that's what my brother calls me" I smile.

"Your dress is so pretty" a little girl also in a pink puffy dress. "Ain't that sweet of you, I love yours" I giggle when I notice Coriolanus watching. Just then Lucky turns to me with his cameras as I wave to the kids before standing up.

"Tell me, who are you?" Lucky asks. "That's Charlotte Addams from District 12, she's my tribute" Coriolanus says, forcing a smile and walking over to the camera and holding my hand through the cage bars.

I smile and nod, feeling clueless from all the people. "Isn't that just the sweetest dress you've ever seen?" Lucky laughs, "why don't you give us a twirl, Charlotte from 12?"

"Do you want me to twirl?" I ask the kids with a smile which causes them to go actually crazy, all shouting a form of yes. I can see the cameras on me as I let go of Coriolanus' hand and take a step back before twirling in the dress.

"Now isn't she just the cutest thing we've seen all day?" Lucky says to the cameras as I walk closer and hold Coriolanus' hand for comfort. "Ain' that sweet of you" I smile as I feel my hand getting squeezed tightly by Coriolanus' through the bars.

I adjust the rose he gave me in my hair with a smile when finally they announce it's nearly closing time so people begin leaving. However Coriolanus stays and leans close to the bar once the people are quite far to speak.

"What are you playing at?" He says, very obviously annoyed. "What do ya' mean, mister?" I ask, feeling confused as his grip on my hand tightens suddenly. "Don't play stupid, that twirling, that voice, you are making yourself an easy target, doll" Coriolanus snaps though he keeps his voice down so no one else can hear.

"I was just doing as he asked, mister" I try to defend, confused by how being nice or doing as I'm asked is making me an easy target. He scoffs  "so you are stupid then?"

"I'm not stupid, mister, you're just not making any sense" I try to say before he laughs coldly.

"Be smart about this, act nice but only on cameras not when there is a cage of tributes waiting to kill you, you being so naive is only making you a target. When they see you as weak, then you are the first they go for, understand, doll?" Coriolanus explains despite holding a rude attitude with a worried undertone.

"I- I'm sorry, mister, I was just trying to be nice" I say, quietly as I feel bad. His face softens at my words as he loosens his grip on my hand before talking, "you can be nice, doll, just keep your guard up, is that understood?"

"Understood, mister" I smile, biting my tongue to stop myself from shedding any more tears. "Don't cry, doll, whatever you do, don't cry, that's showing them you are weak and we don't want that, do we?" Coriolanus says, softly.

"No, no we don't, I'm sorry" I say, wiping away the tears as he softly rubs circles into my other hand. Just then a peacekeeper comes over and tells him the zoo is closing and so he walks away with a soft smile.