The 25th Hunger Games

The Interviews

"Ten," I say breathlessly. "I got a ten."

I watched as Sariel's mouth broke into a grin. "Great. That's great." Before I knew what was going on, he hugged me. I quickly hugged him back and stepped away as fast as possible.

"Yeah. I mean, thanks. Without you, it wouldn't have been nearly that," I told him, looking at the floor.

"You can thank me later," Sariel promised.

I ran off to my room, filled with a certain excitement that I had finally done something right. I started shutting the door, but a hand shoved in the crack stopped me. I let out a surprised scream when Kane pried it open the rest of the way.

"Mind if I come in?" he asked, already taking two more steps towards me.

"Uh, no?" What did it matter if I told him it did? Kane did what he wanted. He also did what irritated me.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your training score," he said, sounding half earnest. Part of me wanted to believe him.

The smarter part of me shot back a retort, "You're not jealous, are you?"

Kane laughed. "I don't think so. I got a nine, so don't think you're all that better."

"One point could be the difference between one sponsor," I reminded him, sounding a bit like Sariel.

"One point could be the target on your back. If the other tributes hear you got a ten, and they certainly will, they'll realize you're a threat, and you'll be the first one they go after. While me, on the other hand, I have the ability to blend in. Sure, I could've got better, but now I'll actually live through the bloodbath. That's long enough for sponsors to realize I'm the right choice."

I mulled over exactly what I should say in response to that. The old me, the fiesty one from District Two, would've killed to chew him out, telling him that none of that mattered as long as I was better than him. But another voice overruled the old me, and so I told him, "I guess we won't know for a few days. Until then, best of luck."

I watched Kane's sly, confident smile immediately turn to a scowl. It sort of made him look like a puppy with his fang hanging out. Resisting the urge to laugh, I held the door open wide. Kane spun on his heel and into his room, only stopping to call, "Keep a close eye on your odds, Albedo."

I curled into bed immediately after, resolving that this had indeed been a good night. I had finally stood up to Kane, thanks to Sariel's voice in my head. Plus, I had earned a ten from the Gamemakers. That had to mean something. I was still nervous, though. The doom of the Games had never left me, and tomorrow would bring new challenges.

"So, what's the plan for the interview?" I asked Sariel and Angeline (but mostly Sariel) after breakfast the next morning. The three of us were gathered in the sitting area.

"You've seen the interviews every year. You know how a tribute is to act," Angeline chimed in immediately. Sariel seemed to thinking about his answer.

"No, I don't think she needs to be like them. You needs to do something memorable and different. What you need is to be yourself," he said.

Angeline and I both stared at him. "Have you met 'herself'? At best, she's rude, negative and has no ambition to live."

I would've been more offended if it came from someone I cared about. Or if it wasn't so honest.

"Not that her," Sariel argued, "the her that I see. The one that's defensive and deadly and sarcastic in a way the Capitol has never seen. I think they'll love it."

"Well, as a part of the Capitol, I can tell you it'll take a lot," Angeline countered.

They both looked at me, as if wanting an answer. "I can...try. But something's just come out..."