The Bender Games

Chapter Eleven

The Bender Games

Chapter 11: The Interview

The three people who are up next wait in a hallway outside the glass doors. Benjamin is one of them. I can see him, Augustus, and Marine standing by the door with their designers and mentors, laughing and blabbing at each other. They are all anxiously waiting for it to be their turn to go up to that platform and shake Brutus Offend's hand.

On one of the television screens, I can see Brutus right now. He is wearing a glittery black suit, with a silver and golden tie around his neck. Every year, they try to make him look like he is not part of just one element, so that way he can relate to each and every contestant. I think this year, they just ran out of ideas, so they stuck him in that thing.

Sitting next to him, Autumn sits up straight in her chair, and looks completely casual, like this is an everyday thing that she does. Brutus says something to her, and she laughs and plays with her hair. Then Brutus takes her hand, and helps her stand up.

"Well, that's all the time we have for you, Autumn." Brutus says.

"Already? I was just starting to get comfortable!" She pouts. Then she sticks out her bottom lip, and the audience laughs. It seems they will laugh at anything.

"Well sorry, but even though you are charming, I am afraid that we have to say goodbye for now." The audience aws, and so does Autumn. "But hey! Before you go, I have something to share with you."

"What is it?" Autumn smiles playfully.

"Your score from the training center." He says excitedly. Then he backs away from her and motions to the screen behind them. "And Miss Autumn, it appears that you have received..." Then he turns around and waits for the screen to reveal her score. The screen cracks with fake fireworks and sparkles, and a big fat 7 slides into view. Brutus screams the number out loud, and Autumn claps her hands, while the audience cheers her on. Then she turns her green dress away, and off she goes. Then Augustus is on.

The scores from the training center means how we have performed for the past few days (bending wise). It has been something I have been dreading. If you get a low score, then you are considered weak. But if you get a higher score, like Autumn just did, then you are a huge target. I don't know which I would rather be.

I missed who got what for the last few scores, but I know that they will show that towards the end of the interviews.

Augustus now strides towards the platform. His arms are extended wide, and a playful grin is played across his lips. His whole expression gives me the impression that he is mentally saying: "Come at me, bro!"

Seeing his wicked eyes staring at me (indirectly) through the camera make me feel uncomfortable, so I move away from the screen, and head back to my place on the couch. Jo and Dean are still chit-chatting about random things. And I have no one to talk to. So I sit there and play with my mother's pendant. I can feel the water inside swishing around against the blue interior, and somehow, it calms me down. Somehow, it makes me feel like my mother is here with me, dead or alive.

The roar of applause jolts me out of my thoughts, and I can see Augustus' score on the screen. That went by fast. I didn't even notice that Brutus was even asking him questions.

The screen then crackles as a large golden 9 appears on the screen. Brutus and everyone else cheers as Augustus bows before them. Then he spins on his heel and walks off, but not before flashing a big smile to the crowd. After he does that, you can hear a few girls squealing. Brutus gets a weird look on his face before he laughs, along with the crowd.