The Fairy On Fire

Chapter 24 - Tribute Interviews

The other side of the portal is a dark, dusty room. Maybe it had been a really nice living room once, but now all the furniture was full of holes, and the walls and ceiling were covered with spider web. When Annabeth sees the spider webs, she screams. Percy, who comes through the portal just after her, grabs her arm and whisper something in her ear. I didn’t thought anything could scare Annabeth, but just one look at the spiders and she’s as pale as a sheet.

“What’s wrong Annabeth? Afraid of spider web?” Isabelle asks teasing. Annabeth shoots her a killing look. “No, I’m afraid of spiders. Every child of Athena is. And with a good reason!” She spits. Thalia, who had just come through the portal, places her hand on Annabeth’s shoulder and makes the wind blow the spider webs away.

When the last one, Alec, is through the portal I close it and cancel the spell around the street we were in before. “Do the television work?” I ask. Jace nods and turns it on. “This is the room from my dream!” Sasha says with big eyes. Suddenly everyone shut up and turn to the television. The interviews have started and a man voice booms out in the room.

“Hello, everyone! Are you ready to see this years tributes?” The man in the television says. “I, Caesar Flickerman, will introduce you to them now! And here they come!” The music turns louder and in comes a row of persons, all in magnificent dresses or suits. There’re twenty persons. When they all are in, they take a set behind Caesar, along the wall.

Sasha lets out a cry. “Mom! Dad!” I sit down in the sofa beside her and lay my arms around her. On the TV Caesar calls the first tribute up. “Give a big hand to Gabriel O’Connor from Candor! So, Gabriel. Do you think you can win these games?” Caesar asks him. Gabriel, a big, tuff guy with dark, hateful eyes glares at him. “Of course. Else I wouldn’t volunteer to come here!” He says.

I look at Sasha. “What does that mean?” I ask her. “You can volunteer to the games if you want. Often its only Dauntless, but sometimes others also want.” She answers. “They choose to be killed?” Caleb asks shocked. Sasha nods. “Well, they choose it because they are sure to win. And if they win, they often choose Dauntless as faction.” “Harsh…”

Caesar catches our attention again. “Ladies and gentlemen, Gabriel!” Gabriel walks back to his chair followed by the claps from the audience. The next one is a tiny girl. “Samantha. Do you have any special talents? What is your strategy to survive in the arena?” Caesar asks her. The girl looks uncomfortable. “Well… I’m quick and clever. And I’m good at climbing trees… To kill me, they shall catch me first.” She says sneak peaking back at Gabriel.

“Ah, good!” Caesar asks some other questions and then it’s the next one. A tuff girl stands up. “That’s one of the teens, who will attack mom and dad!” Sasha says. I nod and give her a reassuring hug. After a couple of other tributes, a man comes up. “Ladies and gentlemen, Tobias Eaton! Tobias, tell me, how did you get to these games?” The man, Tobias, looks into the camera, directly at Sasha and Nate. “I protected my children.” He says shortly.

The woman in the next chair gave a quiet sob. Caesar looks stunned. “Protected them from what?” He asks. “This whole city! A child shouldn’t get locked up in a basement without their parents! They should–“ Tobias didn’t get to say more because the screen went black. Suddenly it worked again, but now the chair where Tobias sat, is empty.

Sasha gave a quiet sob. “Dad…” Nate holds her tight and together they sit and cry silent. Caesar starts talking again. “Well, sorry. We had some technical problems. Now for our next tribute, Beatrice Eaton!” The audience gives a halfhearted, confused clapping when Beatrice walks up to the empty chair.

She looks really uncomfortable. “Please, call me Tris.” She says. “Okay, Tris. What do you expect of the arena this year?” Caesar asks. “I don’t know. I hope it’s something I can survive in…” She says. “Well, yes of course! Do you have any secret skills your opponents shall be beware of?” Caesar asks her. She thinks for a minute. “Well, I have been in the war. I know a lot about battlefields, and I’m pretty good with weapons.”

Sasha’s eyes widens while Tris talks. “Mom? Good at weapons?” She asks Nate. He looks just as puzzled as her. “Did you know your mom had been in a war?” I ask them. They both shake their heads. Caesar interrupts again. “Well, I’m sure that can come in handy in the arena! Thank you, Tris! Give a hand to Beatrice Eaton from Dauntless!” Tris sits down again.

“And now for our last tribute, Carlo Timpson! Give him a hand!” A scrawny boy walks up to the chair. He doesn’t seem of so much, but Sasha lets out a cry. “That’s him! He’s the one who shot dad in the head with an arrow!” She begins to shake uncontrollable.

“Don’t worry… Don’t worry, Sasha. We’ll save them before anything can happen to them.” I say so her, hugging her tight. She nods into my shirt. “I think we all need some sleep.” I say and look around on the other sleepy faces of my friends. “Then we’ll make plans tomorrow.” Everyone nods. “How many beds are there here?” Annabeth asks Jace and Isabelle.

“Six.” Isabelle says. “But they are big enough to sleep two in…” She adds. “We’ll need to do that.” I say. After a lot of debating it ends up with that I shall sleep together with Caleb, Isabelle with Alec, Clary with Jace, Annabeth with Percy, Sasha with Nate, and Thalia in the smallest bed alone. We all are fast asleep at eleven o’clock. 

A/N

Hi guys, sorry for the short chapter. The other tributes aren't that interesting, so it didn't fill much... But don't worry! We'll soon be in the games! And in next chapter there's going to be another character from THG!! :D But remember to press the vote button!! And I'm always glad for credits!! So leave some in the comments!!

1000 reads!!!! Thank you so much guys!!! Love you!!!! –Clara