The Hunger Games: Never Safe From Danger

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Nath’s POV

Clio looks so pretty in her quilted gown. She sits back down beside the little boy she came with. I’ve still not learned his name. I wasn’t listening when she called out the name- I was looking at her hair. I’m still not sure if it’s a District thing. I like noticing things.

Nobody sets foot on the stage for thirty seconds, and I only realise it’s me when Ree nudges me and whispers, “Nath! It’s you!”

I wander up onto the stage, surprised, and sit down.

“Well, Mr Eyer, you sure took your time didn’t you?” Caesar says in a not-at-all-unfriendly way. I just laugh, but I suppose it sounds fake, because so does the rest of the audience.

“Alright, Nath, alright…tell us about your home!”

“I have three younger siblings.”

“Big family.”

“Yeah.”

“You get on well?”

“Yeah.”

“What are their names.”

“My sisters are Renn and Saidlee. My brother is Maxec.”

“Nice. You like the Capitol?”

“It’s okay.” I realise immediately that I’ve made a mistake.

“Only okay?” Caesar asks. “Surely you must like it more than the Districts. Here you have good food and a warm bed. What more do you want?”

I laugh nervously, but I don’t think that’s the response they were expecting. Nevertheless, Caesar lets it slide. But then, all of a sudden, I’m angry.

“So, a six in training! Not bad, not bad at all! What’s your secret?”

I sigh, agitated. “You ask that to everyone. Won’t you have noticed by now that NOBODY WANTS TO TELL YOU?”

A few gasp in the audience, but Caesar turns to the audience and says, “Ooh! We got ourselves a feisty one tonight, Panem!” Then he makes a stupid growling noise.

“Shut up.”

“I-I’m sorry, Nath, what did you say?”

“Shut up,” I say. “What, too busy basking in your pointless little spotlight to hear me speak?”

“Oh, well Nath, that’s funny, but I think it’s time to stop joking and seriously talk about-”

“I’m not joking. Why would I be joking? This is all stupid.”

“I know you’re not serious-”

I stand up and glare down at him. “Wanna bet?”

He drops the friendly act and his face twists into pure terror for a few seconds, and he nervously shifts away again. He manages to scrape himself together again and stand up, grinning cheesily. “A confident young man and a talented actor, might I say!”

I exhale aggressively, but just then the buzzer goes off several times in short blasts. Funny, it seems that everyone else got longer…

“Well, th-thank you for joining us, Nath, erm, why don’t you, uhh, t-take a seat?” he says. I am about to protest, but I decide I’ve done enough to be noticed. I nod and return to my seat.

Ree looks at me, terrified. I don’t want her to be scared, but that can be sorted later.

Caesar is forced for the second time this evening to pick the next tribute himself. What a shame.

His hands are still trembling, but his voice is surprisingly completely steady when he says, “Frinn Keyden!”

I recognise the name- that kid got a five in training. And the girl…Leighla, was it? She said they had become friends.

He looks completely harmless with his floppy hair and his nervous smile. He must be roughly the same age as Renn.

“Hello, Frinn!” greets Caesar, clearly relieved that his next victim is a harmless little boy.

“H-hey there,” the boy says bashfully, blushing a bit.

“You ready for some questions?”

The boy looks up at this. “Never been readier!”