Albany Rosewood- District 2 Victor

VIII

Albany is led off the stage by two silent Peacekeepers. She is escorted to a building next to the large stage. Albany is then taken to a small, plain room and the Peacekeepers leave.
  She looks around the room. It has a hard wooden chair in the corner and a small window. Other than that, the room is completely bare. Albany walks slowly to the chair and sits down. She stares at the floor with a mournful gaze.
  After a little while, Albany's aunt and uncle walk into the room, beaming at her. They walk over to her and give her a hug. Albany remains limp, making no move to hug them back. Eventually, they let go and step away from her.
  "I'm so proud of you, Albany!" her aunt says. "I know you'll win and bring pride to your district!" Albany continues to stare at the ground, her dark and wavy hair shielding her face.
"Albany, acknowledge that your aunt is speaking!" her uncle barks. Albany looks up at him with a baleful expression before returning her gaze to the concrete ground.
  "Albany," says her aunt reprovingly. "I know you're upset with us, but it's important that you snap out of whatever this," she gestures at Albany's slumped form. "Is. You need to be entirely focused on beating the others and winning. You are capable of winning; you're the strongest and most talented girl in the district. You have to come home and you have to bring pride to District 2." Albany continues to ignore them, and her blue eyes are glossy with unshed tears. Her aunt and uncle exchange a meaningful glance.
  "Well, Albany, we have to go," her uncle says as a silent Peacekeeper pushes the door open and nbeckons to them. "Good luck. May the odds be ever in your favor." Albany continues to stare at her feet. Her aunt and uncle give her one last fleeting look before exiting the room. The Peacekeeper shuts the door and Albany is alone.
Albany covers her pale face with her hands and sits silently on the hard chair. After a moment, she begins to tremble and sob. Tears pour down her white face and her eyes are bloodshot.  Tears cling to her long, dark eyelashes.
Eventually, her sobbing subsides and she picks her head up out of her hands. She wipes her eyes on her sleeves and sniffles. Albany closes her eyes for a moment, composing herself. When she opens them, they have a sad, resigned look.
  Albany sits on the chair, gazing around the simple room. After about half an hour, the escort waltzes in.
  "Hello, darling! I'm Viyla Baubles. It's so lovely to meet you! I'm so terribly sorry for the delay! It was simply dreadful! The car that will take us to the train station had an engine problem, and it took them ages to fix it!" Albany nods mutely, and Viyla looks at her disapprovingly.
"Tsk, tsk. A little shy? Well, that's okay. You'll see once we get to the Capitol that there's nothing to be afraid of. Everybody is just dying to meet you and Jonas!" She pauses briefly and smiles at Albany. "Speaking of Jonas, we should go and get him. He's just down the hall." Viyla beckons to Albany to follow her and then stalks off down the hall. They reach a door that is guarded by a stiff Peacekeeper. He steps to the side and pulls the door open for them.
Jonas is sitting in the chair, but he leaps up and bounds over to Viyla and Albany. He has a cheerful smile on his face.
"Hello, Jonas!" exclaims Viyla, obviously glad that at least one tribute is showing some enthusiasm.
"Hello! You're certainly looking gorgeous today, I'd even go so far as to say that you look even more beautiful than you did last year!" Jonas says as he kisses Viyla's hand.
"Oh... Well, thank you, dear! That's very sweet of you," says Viyla, a blush appearing on her make-up covered face. She's obviously surprised, and pleased, by the way Jonas is acting.
"Hello, Albany," Jonas says with a glance to Albany, whose eyes are firmly fixated on her shoes.
"Jonas," Albany says with a curt nod in his direction.
"It's time to go to the car!" says Viyla excitedly. "And from there, the Capitol!"