THE MAN IN THE HANGING TREE | Gale Hawthorne

TWENTY SEVEN - The Victors' Protests

YOUR POINT OF VIEW

This year, I follow the events of the Hunger Games much more closely than I did last year. The stakes are higher this year, the competition is tougher.

Peeta and Katniss have to fight harder.

My friends must survive.

My dad has called the house about a hundred times since he left. He'd check in, just say hello sometimes, tell me Katniss and Peeta's progress in training, even ask whether anything else suspicious had happened. We were both on the lookout for anything Snow might throw our way.

I assured him every time that everything was okay.

Gale and I watched the tribute parade together the other day. That day the girl, and boy, on fire reigned once more.

Katniss and Peeta wore black bodysuits again, but this time they were more lavish then the last. When they burst out on their chariot, the two held hands, bonded as one. They were supposed to be engaged after all.

And, as the sun shone upon them, their outfits began to burn, even brighter than the afternoon sun. Except this time, they looked more like burning embers in a fire. Sparks rising, flying around.

Burning embers of a simmering rebellion, just waiting to burst into flames.

I just so happened to have lit those embers. 

Cinna, Katniss' stylist, really outdid himself this year. And now that the night had arrived for interviews, I couldn't wait to see what he dressed Katniss in this time.

Gale and I are once again in my room, alone. Cuddled up together on the couch, Gale's arms wrapped securely around me, with the holoscreen on in front of us. Waiting.

"What do you think they'll try this year?" Gale mutters.

"Maybe they'll say Katniss is pregnant or something." I snicker. It is meant to be a joke, but who knows with them. I think every victor-tribute this year is going to try something to get the games to stop.

Finally Caesar Flickerman's beaming face appears on screen, this year his hair is purple. "Welcome, welcome, to the 75th annual Hunger Games!!" He practically shouts.

The crowds screams in excitement, impossibly more hyped up this year.

"What a bunch of brainless idiots." I scoff.

Cesar continues as if he's hosting a game show and not the death games.

One by one each tribute is interviewed. Each tribute is a victor, each tribute is a trained killer.

The tributes from One are interviewed together, they're brother and sister, Cashmere and Gloss. They are rumored to be prostitutes for the Capitol, a deal Snow offered me for the safety of my family.

I almost pity them until the girl starts fake crying, but I guess if I were in their place. I would do anything to stay alive too.

The tributes from Two are interviewed separately. They don't try anything, they just tell the audience how they're going to win this thing. Brutus and Enuboria are rather brutal. Enuboria even got her teeth filed into fangs after she won to signify how she did it, by ripping out her coemptions' throats.

Katniss and Peeta are going to have to try really hard.

The ones from Three are rather meek and a little pathetic, but they seem to be the smartest so far. Beetee and Wiress both try and convince the Capitol that the rules could always be unwritten, the games could be cancelled.