The Writer Games | Once In A Lifetime & World Edition

Welcome: Finn Albidela

The weedy boy from three rattles off his various abilities and unfamiliar strengths.

Minnie and Finn stand  waiting in the wings for their turn to sell themselves to the audience;  to the nation. Finn can see Minnie's reckless eyes darting about,  attempting to absorb every minor detail... Right down to the last mask  of dry ice.

Finn pulls at his velvety navy blue blazer and brushes the matching tie in an attempt to somewhat soothe his nerves.

"If you keep swaying  around like that you'll knock something over."Minnie whispers, her eyes  and head locked upon the threatening stage, a soft sing to her voice.  Finn stands with an unsure glance at his District partner.

"Finn." She states and  turns quickly on the spot, her eyes soaked in a pool of confused  excitement. "Finn... I want us to be friends."

She places a hand on his  wrist and looks blankly into his jade green eyes. He responds by  frowning and tilting his head as though a puppy filled with confusion.

"I... Er?" Finn  scratches at the back of his head, caught completely off guard. She's  always been a hard person to socialise with... Finn's admired Felix's  patience, thats for sure.

Minnie's face drowns and in a graze of a moment she's up for interview. Finn stands, embarrassed and tense.

He can hear whispers  from behind him, his name is mentioned clear as day, and the tone is all  but sweet. Suddenly, he becomes aware of everything around him... And  it's heavy enough to effortlessly overwhelm his conscience.

In a flash his name is called loudly by the sickeningly excited gamemaker and nudged a little by the boy from five behind him.

He quickly scans back to  the hours of intensity with his mentor, his mind frantically chasing to  pick up the fragmented memories. He is to "lead this interview, be in  control, tell the people what they want to believe..."

He sits under the condemning white light of the judging nation an for mere seconds or less... all is silent.

"Now!" The woman's cackle of a voice echoes in the air. "Let us go straight ahead, on the road we go! How exiting hmm?"

Finn's mind is still... Broken under the peering eyes.

"Let's dive straight on  into it shall we?" Helvetica's gleaming white smile unnaturally glows in  the light. "What would you say... Makes you a contender for these  games, why should YOU not be overlooked?"

"... Uh, I think I can  take my chances... Uh, I'm ready for a fight," his voice shivers;  somewhat disappointed in his execution of the words. "...no  hesitations." He swallows.

"I see, well I think we  all know you are not one to be overlooked," she winks with her silver  eyes as though reading his approach and encouraging him to continue.

"So... How far do you think you'll make it?" She grins, stroking her chin with her pampered fingers.

"Oh ho! Trying to get  rid of me?" He smiles. The Capitol light-heartedly engage with his  joke"well I'm not hoping to leave to soon if that's what you mean.."

"Oh I'm sure you're  not," Helvetica laughs back after gracing the crowd with her flirty  grin. "Why do you want to win?" She leans back, stroking the leathery  chair.

"Honestly...?"

"Honestly." The Capitol  lean in closer to the anticipation, Finn ensnaring their minds.  Helvetica too leans in, her smile devouring the secrecy.

"Well I kind of miss my cat.." He whispers.

The Capitol sigh at the lack of drama but can't help but laugh at his answer and applaud the young man.

"Well you'd better win  then, for your cats sake of course!" Helvetica giggles, her eyes ablaze  with attention. "Who would you say are your biggest and smallest  threats?"

"Ooh... tough one..."  Finn stares at the lights, directly infecting his vision with yellow  rays, thinking back to his training. "Well i think I'm going to be more  worried about the what Fillius and Melodica have to give rather than  those around me,"

The audience glance at  each other with appreciative and agreeing nods. "I see..." Helvetica  squints her ambitious eyes. "Now last question; what will be your  strategy for the games?"

"Tell the people what  they want to here... Courage, ability to fight back, someone who can  win!" His mentors words drift in his mind.

"To go in and come out, alive. Facing each challenge I between as they come."

"So you think you can win?"

"I'll give it a shot!"

"That you will! Ladies and Gentlemen! All the way from district eight I give you the ever-charming Finn Albidella!!"

His name is met with a  thunderous wave of excitement. They scream with animalistic cries and  jeer with savage intentions for the boy before them... Someone they want  to win, someone who could win; and for a moment, a glimpse in fleeting  time, he almost believes it himself.