The Capitol Games

Chapter 34- Hope

It's almost eleven as I make my way to the seventh floor. After the confrontation with Addie, she tells me that she'll come back to tell me about the meeting with the other tributes and leaves.

Two girls from my prep team come to help me with removing my makeup, but I tell them that I'll do it on my own, give them the dress and shoes before wiping off my makeup. The whole time my mind feels hollow, like there's nothing inside of it, except Addie's echoing words. I needed to focus on meeting with the tributes, so I make a note of staying up all night thinking about her words after I get the meeting done with.

When I reach the seventh floor, I see Addie, Finnick, Kace, and Mayra sitting on little faux covered stools, all of them looking extremely drained. I can tell even with only the streaming moonlight illuminating their faces that they're thinking about tomorrow. Mayra notices me first. She doesn't wave or nod in greeting, just scoots to make place for me on the stool she is sitting on, which is significantly larger than the others. So I take a seat, and we all wait in silence for the rest of our potential allies to show up. Slowly, they all start trickling in. Laython and Sean, then Keaton and Zeke arrive together-- and I try not to dwell on how I think my heart skipped a beat when I see Zeke-- then Kylie, and finally, Calla. When all eleven of us are reasonably comfortably sat, I clear my throat.

"I know you're all wondering why I called you here." I start. "Though I think some of you might have guessed." I say, and my gaze shoots towards Kace and Keaton. "I've called you all here to propose an alliance. And not a regular Hunger Games alliance, wherein the alliance breaks once it's only us left, but an alliance that lasts as long as the Hunger Games lasts." At this, I can see a few curious looks, so I continue quickly. "We stick together, fend for each other, not kill one another, till the Hunger Games is over."

"But it only ends when only one of us is still living." Calla points out.

"I know." I say. "But we won't kill each other. We will fight to make sure all of us survive, until they call the games off. We all will be the survivors. Together."

I pause then, to take in the reactions of people in the room, judging who to trust and who not to. Addie, Finnick, Zeke and Mayra aren't surprised of course, but the rest of them vary from surprise to hope to suspicion.

"But," I say, which effectively turns everyone's heads up. "Know that I meant what I said at the Interviews. I will fight to make this work for the people who are in this genuinely. Why do you think I didn't tell anyone about this until now? Why do you think I let you come to me instead of going to you? It's because you chose me, you chose the people sitting next to you. And we did become friends over this brief period of time, so if you join this alliance I expect you not to turn around and stab anyone over here in the back. And to make sure that doesn't happen I will be watching all of you. I really, really want all of you to join me in this, but I need to make sure that I can trust you. That I can place my life in your hands. And trust me: I wouldn't have volunteered myself into this, convinced Finnick and Addie to as well, if I hadn't planned this out, and didn't think it would work."

I pause again, and look around to gauge the reaction of the 10 people around me. I hope I conveyed my message the way I wanted to: firm but welcoming.

"It's okay with me if you don't want to be a part of this alliance." I say, "But if you do want to join it, please say so now."

"I'm in." Addie says immediately.

Zeke, Finnick, Mayra and Laython chorus that right after her. I see a subtle smile on Laython's lips, and when I look at him, the gratitude and hope in eyes overwhelms me. But at the same time, it's humbling. I smile back at him, already considering him a genuine ally.