"Let us welcome the two victors of the 72st Hunger Games” Caesar Flickerman said waving his arm to present us. I’m standing alone but he said tributes he said two which leads me to believe that Tyler is waiting for me. I hear a gasp and I know he's on stage because I missed my cue.
"Arianna" I hear in his tentative voice and that warmth and security that I had been missing comes in that one word. I step out in my soft green dress and as the light touches my face I hear the gasp from the audience. but I don't look at the audience or the giant screen showing me stepping out my eye search around to find Tyler in a green suit the same colour as my dress with a tie the colour of his eyes, those eye that are looking at me and the smile that beaming at me. I freeze, thinking about my surgery, will Tyler care will he hate the capital. "Arianna?" he says seeing me freeze. He steps up to me and hugs me and the warms of his skin unfreezes me and we walk to the couch that is across from Caesar. Tyler pulls me into his lap and I rest my head against his shoulder.
We watch the role of the games and our storytelling with a translator telling people what I'm saying. Then the questions come out and the first one is "So Arianna, do you like your new talent?" Caesar asked.
"New talent?" Tyler says looking at me.
"Ahh yes Tyler you don't know. Well Arianna got a surgery to her vocal cords so she can talk now." Caesar explains smiling like it the best thing in the world.
"What?" Tyler is so confused and he looks at me. "Can you talk now?" he says looking at me.
I had been practicing and I feel confident to say it out loud. I lift my head from his shoulder to look at him.
"Yes" I say in a soft high voice not unlike my singing voice. Tyler's mouth is open then he's smiling like that happiest guy in the world.
"You have a beautiful voice" he says and gives me a huge hug.
The interview continues and Tyler does most of the talking.
“So Tyler did it feel like a short hunger games?” Caesar asks.
“No, was it short?” Tyler says. I try to think, the games felt so long the anticipation of if you live or die.
“It only lasted 3 days” Caesar tells us. Both Tyler’s and my mouth drop, we were in the arena for only 3 days. It felt like weeks upon weeks.
‘Sorry you couldn’t see more but we wanted a quick victory.’ I sign; I’ve only learned how to pronounce a few words.
Tyler translates and I hope he knows I only mean the second half. Caesar is abashed and says that it may not be the most memorable games. Caesar then asked about Titus how he went crazy right from the beginning. Tyler translated for me as I explained my meeting Titus and his sister. Tyler didn’t know them. I have a feeling that our games will be known as Titus’s games in the history books, even if he didn’t win.
When we finish, we return to the tribute center for our last night in the capital.
YOU ARE READING
The Hunger Games: Titus's Games
Genç KurguDoes anyone know what happens in Titus's games? Well Arianna Burns does. Learn her story and Titus's.
