The Second Annual Writer Games!

Interviews: Kat McCarthy

I followed my stylist, Veronica Sequin, into a small, well-decorated changing room. We had just come from another room, one that reminded me of a prison cell. It was where I had all the hair from my body removed, and my makeup done, and my hair washed and trimmed, and a million other things.

Veronica stopped in the middle of the room, and spun around. Her fluoro pink dress covered in the hideous lime green spots flew up, giving me a very bad view. I closed my eyes. Her red skin was festooned with bright blue spots, and her neon yellow heels were at least 12 inches high, probably more. Her bright purple hair was piled on top of her head in a bee-hive, and she had used enough hairspray to make the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) take notice. Her eyes were set in the middle of a mix of dark purple and white eyeshadow, and made her look like a zombie. She looked like a clown that a unicorn had eaten and puked back out. But apparently that was normal and stylish in the Capitol.

"Katty Watty, you're so pretty! You'll outshine all the other tributes!" she squealed. I clapped both my hands to my ears; she told me yesterday that she had had her voice mutated to permanently sound like she was squealing. It was simply painful.

"Thank-you. I hope this dress does me justice." I replied with a slightly forced smile. 1, no one called me Katty Watty. 2, I had to stay on her good side; maybe she would get me more sponsors than I probably already had. That was the same with all the Capitol members I was meeting personally.

"Oh, it will. It's absolutely stunning." Veronica gushed, her high voice hurting my head. I forced a smile, worried what her definition of 'stunning' was; I mean, just look at her outfit! Contrasting colours were not a good look for her. Veronica turned back around and grabbed a package from the dressing table. She passed it to me, and I opened it to see a blue fabric.

Veronica was almost jumping up and down in excitement, telling me to hurry. I pulled the dress out of the package and gasped. For once, I actually liked Veronica's sense of style. The dress was very short, probably an inch or two shorter than mid-thigh, and the skirt felt like silk. The top part was black and looked like it would hug my chest, while the skirt would fly out slightly. The shoes were black stiletto heels, and the dress was strapless. I quickly pulled it on, and my guess about the top being tight was accurate. The heels fit perfectly and, when I tried walking in them, I found they were easy to walk in and I was well-balanced in them.

"They're lovely Veronica. Thank-you." I said warmly, giving her a huge smile. Get me good clothes, and I love you. Well, as close to love as a person with no heart can. Veronica grinned like a madman and grabbed my hand. I refrained from yanking it back and using the same hand to slap her. She tottered ahead of me, and led me backstage.

"Now the females always go first, so you'll be seventh up. The interviewer is..." Veronica began, but I cut her off.

"Silvia Moon, I know. Thanks Veronica, for everything." I said warmly, when really I wanted to drag her outside by her fake hair and introduce my fist to her face. Repeatedly. She was really getting on my nerves.

After Veronica left, I sat down in a nearby chair, and smiled over at the other District Careers. They had asked me to be in their alliance, obviously, and I had said that I would be, except I would start out on my own to hunt down a few of the other tributes before joining them at the Cornucopia. Since each interview went for 3 minutes, I had to wait for 18 minutes, give or take a bit.

Finally, my name was called, and I sashayed out onto the stage. Silvia stood when she saw me, and I smiled at her, and then at the Capitol audience. Tonight, Silvia was wearing almost the exact same thing she wore every year. A floor-length, dark blue robe covered in little silver moons and stars. Her pure white hair hung down her back, all the way to her ankles. Last year her hair was blood red, and the year before that it was neon green. Her huge lips took up the bottom half of her face, and her pupils were slits, very similar to a cat's eyes. For a Capitol citizen, it wasn't that horrific. Besides her lips and eyes, it didn't look like she had been altered at all.

"Ladies and gentlemen, District 4's very own Kat McCarthy!" Silvia hollered into the microphone. I gave the audience another huge smile and waved. I even blew kisses to them. Silvia gestured towards a plush white chair and I gracefully lowered myself down. When the crowd had quietened down, Silvia turned to me and smiled. "Hello Kat."