OLD VERSION: Little Sister: A Cashmere Story

Chapter 3

My hair is left down. I have a sparkly red headband. My outfit is designed like a garnet geode. Looks dumb. Archer is wearing something similar. I decide to talk to the tributes from 2. "Hey, your Gloss's little sister!" Laikynn exclaims. "Yes, I am." I say. I walk away from them. They are dressed in gold. The tributes from 4 are dressed in purple, blue and green, and have scales painted on their bodies. We mount the chariots. The Capitol is roaring with cheers for us. We look dumb as hell, so I can't imagine why. Oh right, I'm the little sister. People are screaming my name. I think Archer is jealous of the attention I'm getting. I don't care. When we arrive in front of President Snow's mansion, he gives a whole speech about how brave we are for our sacrifice. I shiver at the memories of the last time I saw him. We ride back into the remake center. "You guys were great." Gloss says. We are shown our rooms. We're District 1, so we're on the first floor. It's amazing. The rooms are a white and blue theme. Even coming from District 1, it's still amazing. Dinner is quiet. I change into some pajamas and go to sleep. Back home in Victor's Village. The study smells of bloody roses. Mom and Gloss are cuffed on the floor. A man with a white beard hands me a gun. President Snow. "Kill them." He instructs. "I- I can't!" I yell. "Do it." I instead, point the gun at him and shoot. But he doesn't die. The bullet goes right through him. "I won't command you again, Ms, Grandine. Kill them." I don't. He pulls out another gun, and kills them both. I scream, but he laughs. He points the trigger towards me, and shoots. I jolt awake, covering my mouth to prevent from screaming. What did I just see? It's not real, but it felt so real. I suddenly think of a strategy for the games. Pretend to fall in love with Archer again. It will make it easier to kill him. I can't wait. I know that everyone back in District 1 would know I'm faking. One girl was badly abused by him. Everyone knows how he is. I think of one memory. To this day, I never told anyone about it. That's when we broke up. I was 15. It was terrifying. I couldn't bear to tell anyone. I try not to think about it and drift off to sleep. The next morning, I see clothes on my dresser. A black tank top and black pants. A one is pinned on the back. I go to meet the others at breakfast, but the only one there is, Archer. Great... I sit down and start eating, ignoring him. "So, guess the odds weren't in your favor." "What do you want?" "I'll make sure your little friend is taken care of when I win." Leave Velvet alone. I slap him. He pins me against the wall again. "Stupid move, little bitch." He slaps me. Oh, now he's done it. I shove him hard to the ground and jump on top of him. I punch and slap him repeatedly. "What the hell is going on here?!" It's the others. Fefe looks angry. Gloss and Quartz are grinning. I get off him, embarrassed. "This little bitch attacked me for no reason." "Sounds like you want some more." I retort, rolling my eyes. "Break it up, you two!" Fefe screams. Everyone stares at her. Breakfast is silent and awkward. In the training center, a woman explains the rules and we divide up. I go to the knives. The girl from 10, I think her name is Aleah, is also there. She isn't that great. I throw them well, with good accuracy. She looks down, ashamed, and walks away. Oops. I decide to try archery, which I'm okay at. I try other weapons too, spears, axes, swords. I only seem to be good at knives, really. Archer is throwing spears. Edlynne is practicing with an axe. Laikynn is using a sword. Issak is wrestling. Naida is shooting arrows. Verity is with the boy from five, Daniel, building fires. It's the same thing for a few more days before our private session with the Gamemakers.