The Writer Games | Once In A Lifetime & World Edition

Welcome: Samuel Stone

Sam loved this. I mean, really loved it.

What could be better  than having a team of people dedicated to just making you look your  best? Especially when they were yes men, he only had to ask if they  liked it and they'd chorus praises. Yeah, he could get used to this.

"You're the first guy up," said one of the women who was fussing with his hair, "make an impression. Set the bar."

"Please," said Sam,  swatting her hands away, "I know what I'm doing. It's not hard to make  people like me, right?" He flashed her a smile and his smugness grew  when he saw her swoon. Pathetic, he thought.

Regardless, the lady led  him up to the side of the stage and gave him a cheeky little wink  before disappearing no doubt to ogle him from backstage. From here he  could see Helvetica; he could see her firey red curls and the firey red  fox coat she had slung over her shoulders. Not bad, he thought. He liked  a woman with personality.

The lights went up on  the stage and the crowd began to cheer. Helvetica addressed them as  every good presenter should. "Are you ready," she asked the crowd, "to  meet our first male tribute?" The crowd cheered and Sam puffed out his  chest. "Welcome, Samuel Stone!"

Sam walked out, as proud  as a peacock. He flashed a smile to the crowd, waved and winked as much  as he possibly could before he reached his chair and he had a feeling  it worked, the crowd kept cheering. "Hello, Ms. DeVil," said Sam,  extending his hand to her. She took it, probably expecting a hand shake  but oh no - Sam liked to be different. He brought her hand up and kissed  it gently, "you look lovely this evening."

He could tell by her  eyes she wasn't that keen on being touched and he was pretty sure her  nails tightened around his hand as a warning, but she was on camera and  had a personality to uphold so she smiled and called a blush to her  cheeks. Sam didn't care if it was real or not, as long as the crowd saw  it, it would make him desirable.

"What a way to make an entrance," Helvetica said, now leaning back into her chair.

"I like to leave a  lasting impression," Sam said deciding that he would focus on the crowd  throughout the interview rather than the presenter. Well, of course he  would address Helvetica, he had a feeling she liked feisty but his  answers would be to people please.

"That you do," she said  with a small smirk. "Now, let us talk about the Games!" Again, the crowd  cheered at the mention of it. "I suppose," said Helevtica, "you have an  idea of how far you want to make it?"

Samuel raised an eyebrow. "How far I want to make it? Well of course, I'm going to win."

Helvetica turned to the crowd with a mock, shocked expression. "Oh?"

Now he turned to the  crowd and flashed them a signature smile. "Of course; I have my reasons  and my skills to get me there." Then he paused for second and decided to  change that answer. "Although, if I'm to be a true victor, I need the  support of all these wonderful people of Panem."

Yeah, he thought, they liked that. And they did; the crowd liked to be acknowledged.

"You said you had your reasons to win?" Said Helevtica, curiosity burning behind her eyes.

"I have many," Samuel  started, "for one it's a matter of pride. It's a chance to have your  name engraved into History; never to be forgotten by Panem." It's also a  chance to live up to my parents standards, he thought.

"Is that all?" said Helvetica, raising an eyebrow.

Sam chuckled, "no no.  I'm also doing it to make my parents proud and to prove to myself that I  can do something good; something great." He knew he was just playing  the sympathy card no, but it didn't really matter - he only had one more  card left to play. The hopeless romantic. "Finally, I'm doing it for  love." Sam heard the girls in the crowd swoon. "I've never found love  and I hope that with victor before my name it'll give me a chance to  look for it."

Helvetica's eyes glinted  with something wicked; she knew he wasn't doing it for love but she  also knew this was how showbiz worked.. and Sam was sure she liked that  about him. "Aww," she said, "isn't that sweet ladies?" The audience  shouted back in agreement. "Well, if you're so sure you're going to win,  you must have a strategy?"

"I do," said Sam, "I will see everyone as a target but I wont be cruel. I'll make it quick for them; suffering isn't my thing."

"So you wont look to others for help?" said Helvetica; trying to back him into a corner.

Sam kept his cool. "Oh I might, but there can only be one winner and I'll make sure I always remember that."

"I'm afraid out time is  running short," she said. The crowd booed which was a good sign for Sam.  "But before you go I have one last question. Do you see anyone as a big  threat? Or hardly a threat at all?"

Samuel had to think  about this. He didn't know who the other competitors were yet; he'd only  met Alessandra and if anything, he'd look to her last, after all she  was from the same district. Besides, on the journey here he'd seen  something in her, something nasty - and he didn't want to anger it at  the start. In the end, Sam shook his head. "I don't see anyone as a  threat. If you start worrying about a competitor it will make you afraid  to fight them. I don't do fear."

Helvetica forced  something similar to a smile before standing up and gesturing to Sam.  "Well, our time together has run short but you certainly gave an  interesting interview. Can I get a cheer for District 1 tribute, Samuel  Stone!"

The crowd roared, and chanted his name - they didn't want him to go, they liked him.

And Samuel...well, he just loved that.