There's Nothing More Important than Family, chapter 10

A six. I got a six. It keeps me awake as I lie on the bed. Sure, I might’ve gotten a better score if I would’ve touched one of the weapons, but still, a six! That doubled my expectations! And Nathan got an eight, which I knew he would. Georgie got an eight, Mark got a six and Breah got a seven... And Addalie too. Addalie got a six! I remember the other twelve-year-old, the girl from 12. She only got a three, but I got a six.

That’s all I can think about for the three hours until dawn. I know it’s unwise to be too tired, but y mind is buzzing, so I don’t feel too tired at all.

To my surprise, Sean bangs on the door and calls, “Wake up! We have things to do! Let’s go!”

“What could we possibly be doing today?” I ask Nathan. “The interviews aren’t until tomorrow!”

“I don’t know.” He replies. “Maybe they want a dress rehearsal.” Nathan shrugs, and we put on some simple clothes (or as simple as the garments can be, coming from the Capitol) we found in the dresser drawer.

When we reach the table, I ask Sean and Olivia, “Why do we have to be up so early?”

“We have to prepare you for your interviews.” Sean responds.

“Prepare us?”

“You have to know how to act. We want sponsors to like you, so you will need to be ready.”

Olivia continues for Sean. “You will each spend four hours with Palana for presence and four with one of us for content.”

“Sounds good.” Says Nathan. “Where are we starting?”

“You aren’t doing this together.” Sean corrects him. “You are starting with Palana, and Zania is starting with Olivia.”

“Why can’t we go together?” I ask defiantly.

“There isn’t enough time.” Snaps Sean. “Please, Zania, just grow up a little, and do this. You’ll see each other at lunch and dinner. Please.” He’s begging me.

“Fine.” I say. “But I don’t have to like it.”

“I never said you did.”

When it is time to start, Nathan follows Palana into the sitting room and Olivia leads me to her room. I’ve never been in there before, but it’s personalized, since she stays here every year, as mentor. “Loveable.” She says unexpectedly.

“What?”

“That’s your angle. Loveable. Each tribute has an angle they play up when at the interviews, like mysterious, brutal or arrogant. You are loveable.”

“No I’m not!” I smirk. “My mom says I’m obnoxious!”

“You are, sometimes. But when you’re feeling scared and vulnerable and you need help, I think you can be quite loveable.”

I roll my eyes. “What’s Nathan?”

“Charismatic, I believe.” Olivia says. “I haven’t really talked to Sean about it. Sean is Nathan’s mentor, after all. Charismatic should be easy enough for him. He doesn’t have a problem talking to people.” She stops, and looks at me sternly. “But let’s get back on topic. No more stalling. I have four hours to teach you how to be loveable. You need to perfect your character. You have to be flawless during your interview.”

Olivia spends the next four hours teaching me how to give compliments, smile adorably and what to say to make others fall in love with me. I didn’t know how much there was to learn. Olivia tells me I have to be extra polite and sweet. She says the Capitol audience will eat it up.

“If you talk about your family, that might make your job a little easier.” Olivia informs me. “The fact that this has happened and how you’re adapting is key. Try to act like it is a tragedy, but you’re keeping optimistic and hopeful. Positive, even. Talk about your relations back home. Make them want to send you back to District 9. You can even act a little fragile, but not too much. We want them to sympathize with you, not pity you. When you show how resourceful you are in the arena, the sponsors will be lining up.”

“About the sponsors,” I begin, veering off track once more. “The alliance. How...?” I don’t know how to explain what I’m thinking.

Thankfully, Olivia understands me, and says, “Sean, the mentors of your friends and I will be working together. You are an alliance; so are we. District 11 only has one mentor, Azalia, but she will be helping Breah and Harvey. Jason’s mentor, Mags, is probably the oldest of us, but she doesn’t mind Jason turning on the Careers. She, in fact, encourages it. She was never a Career herself. Anyway, someone who wants to sponsor one of you is really sponsoring all seven of you.”

I nod. “Olivia, at your interview, what were you?”

“What character did I ‘play’, you mean?” she laughs. “I was aloof. I acted indifferent, like I didn’t care. Like I wasn’t scared, happy, sad or excited. It was so much fun!”

“How did you win your Games?”

“I got a high training score and lots of sponsors. The Careers spared me so I could guard their supplies. I waited until there were only five of us left, murdered the two remaining Careers as they slept, and hunted down the two others. The last boy, from 5, he put up quite a fight. But I finished him off in the end.”

“What was your arena like?”

“It was a bunch of intertwining caves. There was no above-ground, just the tunnels. That was a big disadvantage. The gamemakers killed off a few others by sending gas into one of the tunnels, but it spread, and killed others. The Cornucopia, I remember, was just a giant hole in one of the cave walls. It was like a labyrinth down there. It was so easy to get lost.”

“Were there any mutts, or plants?”

“There were some mosses and algae all over the walls. In one cave, there was a pond with some water plants. There were mice, and rabbits, which was so unnatural. There were random piles of wood every mile or so, and tunnels that shot upwards, like vents. The gamemakers could close the vents as they pleased. And you asked about the mutts? There were these mole-like creatures. They spat out venom and had razor-sharp teeth and claws. One of the Careers got ripped apart by them, right in front of me. When I have nightmares, that’s what I see.” Olivia checks her watch. “It’s time for lunch. I think we’re done anyway; you’ll play your part well!”

Palana, Nathan and Sean are already in the dining room, waiting for us. It’s weird, but it seems like Palana and Nathan are ignoring each other. That makes me apprehensive about the next four hours since Nathan is hardly ever mad at anyone.

Capitol attendants serve us thick, creamy stew silently. I don’t think I’ve ever heard one of them talk. They’re quieter than Moray, and that’s saying something. I doubt they’re allowed to talk. The Capitol has such strange rules.

Sean sees me watching them “They’re avoxes.” He whispers. “They’re traitors against the Capitol. Their tongues have been cut out; they can’t talk. You’re not supposed to talk to them unless you’re giving them an order.” I look at the avoxes again, differently though. What crimes did they commit? How bad does the crime have to be to become an avox?  I know I can never look at the attendants the same again.

Palana clears her throat awkwardly. “Erm, Zania, I think we should start soon...”

I finish the last of my stew. “Yeah, okay.” Sean takes Nathan to his bedroom, and Palana ushers me to the sitting room. I stand uncomfortably as Palana starts at me. “What-“

“-Shh!” Palana snaps. “I’m trying to figure out what you need to work on.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ll have to learn how to walk, how to sit, how to smile and how to talk.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m twelve. I already know how to do all that!”

“Not properly!” she continues to survey me. “Your posture is better than your brother’s. He slouches so much he looks like a human candy cane! Anyhow, we have a lot of work to do!”

Palana starts by dressing me in super high heels and a floor-length gown. She has me walk around, and when I stop tripping and falling, she has me try to balance a book on my head while I walk.

“Remember,” Palana instructs me, “keep your head high and your shoulders back. Walk with gentle steps, on the balls of your feet.”

Palana teaches me many things; how to smile in 11 different ways, bat my eyelashes when I compliment someone and how to speak extra politely. She tells me I must always keep a polite tone, no matter how irritated I am. Palana tells me I’m doing well, although she spends forty-five minutes trying to show me how to sit like a lady.

“DON’T slouch!” she cries. “And don’t you dare cross your legs! SHOULDERS BACK!!!” I know that if the next two hours go on like this, I might end up by strangling Palana. All I hear for four hours is, “don’t slouch, Don’t Slouch, DON’T SLOUCH!” I find it very hard to concentrate, but I know Palana is just trying to help. I now understand why Nathan and Palana couldn’t even look at each other. I’m better at holding my tongue; he’s much more outspoken. It’s gotten him in trouble with Mom on countless occasions.

Mom. I haven’t thought about my family in days. I wonder how they’re doing. Has Dad come out of his shock yet? Is Mom still crying? Does Alex know what’s happening yet? Does he know that I might not come home? How is Louisia doing? Has David recovered from fainting? And Katie, oh Katie. If Nathan and I don’t come home, she won’t remember us at all. What if our family never speaks of us again, because the memory is too painful? Will Katie even know we existed? No, I’m certain Alex would tell her, at the least; Louisia and David too.  They wouldn’t forget about us. I’m sure they wouldn’t. Anyway, if I win, as Nathan is planning, I would make sure he would never be forgotten. Katie would know about her brave, kind, and loving older brother. She’d know about his sacrifices. What he did so that I could live.

Palana dismisses me with a final, “Don’t slouch!” and I march out of the sitting room. I must look angry, but it’s just covering up the depression I feel burning inside. Thinking about my family is just so painful; how I may never see them again. It’s heart-breaking.

“Don’t give up hope!” I tell myself quietly, under my breath. “Don’t underestimate yourself.” I smile slightly, and can’t help adding, “And don’t slouch!”