Deceived: The 500th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 44 - First Night at the Capitol

ORCHID JARVIS' P.O.V

I met my stylist, Akzo, after the parade. That was mayhem. At least half of the tributes started to misbehave, myself included.

Why didn't President Ammon turn up? It must be important if the President couldn't attend.

"Darling, why did you rip my precious costume?" Akzo whined in his snotty accent.

"Maybe I should've been dressed normally," I grunt back.

"You are disgraceful," Akzo said.

I stormed off to the elevator. I can't give a damn if Akzo fuss me disgraceful. I'm gonna die in a week. Might as well make the most of my life.

I punched every single button I could. Wyatt had met up with Theta and Billee, who managed to slip into the elevator too.

We started ripping apart the small pieces left on our costumes, laughing at each other.

Ping! The door opened for District 1. We threw bits of our costumes onto their floor before the doors closed again.

We got our fabrics in hand and scrunched them into balls before the District 2 floor came into view.

We attacked the flat with our outfits as if we were in a snowball fight.

The doors slowly drew and we rose up again.

We didn't demolish the next two floors, because Billee and Theta would be sleeping there.

Once we got to the 5th flat, District 5's flat, we threw our shoes and managed to break a vase.

We rose up to District 6's floor where we threw more things from our outfits. We knocked over multiple things in their flat.

District 7's flat was next, but we decided not to ruin their flat, seeing as we have allies there. We also skipped District 8.

We got to the 9th floor where we threw the last of our costumes, creating a massive mess.

On the 10th floor, the last floor we agreed to demolish, we threw the last of the shoes we had. I smashed the TV with Billee's shoe.

Once we got to floor 12, Wyatt asked if we had to leave.

"No. Stay," I said. "We're gonna send the lift to the first floor, get off and then send it to the bottom floor."

Theta pressed the appropriate button as we flew down.

"This is the most fun I've had in ages!" Billee screamed as we jumped in sync. The lift wobbled as we bounced off of the walls.

Ping! Our stop. We got off on the floor we needed. The elevator doors slid shut and the lift descended to the floor below us.

Immediately Wyatt started ripping pillows apart from the sofa. I started smashing plates left over from District 1 and 2 tributes months ago.

Theta and Billee flipped a table and I grabbed a chair and started smashing it over the table.

Ping! "Damn. Hide," Theta whispered.

Wyatt jumped into a wardrobe. Billee dived behind a sofa. Theta and I squashed under a bed. There wasn't enough time for me to find a new spot.

"Who's doing our job?" A girl yelled, giggling.

"Auricula?" Theta asked warily.

"Theta?" A man. Most likely the boy who volunteered.

Theta dived out from under the bed, revealing herself. Billee copied her. Wyatt and I decided that we should come out too. Why not?

We all entered the living room. There was Auricula and the boy, along with some tributes I recognise from 7, the girl volunteered and the boy was her friend.

"Hey. Let's get this party started!" Said the boy from 7."

"Flux is right," Auricula said. "Lets go and destroy everything in sight. Go!"


VIBIA BALLANTYNN'S P.O.V

The District 7 tributes who were here - myself, Briar, Vanity, Shauna and Alberto - were told to sit down for a lovely dinner.

"Where's everyone else?" Briar asked, grumpy about something.

"Confrey is in his room," Alberto said. "He feels sick."

"Where's Flux and Thalia?" I ask. Disrespectful for the tributes not to be at a dinner.

"Probably getting it off," Shauna groaned. I think she may have a slight crush on Flux.

I ignored heras the food was delivered. In front of me was more food then I've ever seen in my lifetime.

I started digging into a really delicious meat covered in a sauce.

"That's fox meat," Vanity said. How did she know that? Vanity kept gasping in awe. "My favourite!"

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Dad is friendly with the local butcher. I help bring in the meat sometimes." She said.

"From outside the fence?" Briar looked at her.

She didn't say anything. She carried on slurping the sauce and the fox meat.

"That's really brave!" Briar said. "I'm too scared to go outside of the District."

Briar? Scared?

"Hey, Briar and I are allied," I said. He glared at me slightly. "You wanna join us?"

Briar looked happier once I said this. I think he has a problem with me because I'm a Career. He thinks he's the alpha male.

"Okay. But no dodgy business." She shook my hand before helping herself to seconds of the fox meat.

"So do we have a strategy?" Briar asked.

"Hello," Confrey came out from his room. Suddenly, I remembered that Alberto and Shauna could listen to or ideas and use them against us.

"Be Careers," I laughed.

"Why call yourself Careers? Arrogant, ugly mannered beasts," Vanity spat. "I don't mind teaming, but I'd rather be viewed as the underdog."

"We're Careers." I looked her in the eyes, hurt by her comment. Briar looked like he was willing to be a normal guy.

"Then I decline your offer," Vanity said.


AURICULA COLBEE'S P.O.V

Arahoni started screaming at us as soon as we walked into the 4th floor.

"Why in the world do you think it's okay to destroy things like that?" She spat as she yelled at Arlu, Theta, Billee and I.

"We're gonna be dead in a week," Theta screamed back. "We aren't gonna make it. Even if we do, our lives are gonna be terrible anyway!"

"What do you mean?" Arahoni asked.

"You wouldn't know, you're a terrible mentor," Auricula mumbled.

"The only two living victors absolutely hate their lives. They have no freedom. Everyday, they're watched by the Capitol. El, the victor from the 438th Games committed suicide because her life was so crumby." I scream.

"Once you're reaped, you may as well die. Even Careers change after the games," Billee said.

"You're lying," Arahoni yelled. "Go to your rooms. I don't want to see your lying faces."

Arahoni left to go downstairs. Theta and Billee left and went to their rooms.

"I don't want to go to bed," I sobbed like a kid.

Arlu grabbed my hand and led me to his room. He sat on the edge on my bed and looked me in the eye. "I don't want to die."

"I don't want to die either. There are so many things I want to do before I die." I sobbed.

"Like what?" He ask.

"Get a really good job, like, help invent the next best thing. I wanna visit District 4 and learn to swim. I've always wanted to fall in love and start a family." I replied. I'm already in love. With you.

"I wanna be in love too. I wouldn't mind discovering something amazing too, like the time District 12 struck gold in their mines. Imagine starting your own business too!" Arlu smiled.

He still hasn't let go of my hand, thankfully.

"I love you."

I covered my mouth. That was in unison.

He looked in total shock as well. "You mean it?" I asked. "I'm scared of rejection."

He kissed me on the lips. I smiled, his breath warm. "Do you think I mean it?"