Deceived: The 500th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 26 - First Night at the Capitol

LAWSON WIESNERIA'S P.O.V

I ripped off my helmet and gave it to my stylist. The outfit looked stupid and I felt stupid. Jesus, they made me a driver. I have one fricking hand.

I could hear some of the District 10 tributes being screamed at - they altered their own outfits. I thought their outfits looked okay modified. Poor Duncain was going to be a typical cow, but he funked it up and the Capitol loved him.

I guess the stylists are scared they'll lose their jobs, or worse: their lives.

I undid the zipper slightly; I feel like I'm melting under that suit.

I headed to one of the elevators. I was sharing a floor with Carlin, Tifa and Aldjoy. We crammed inside the elevator. We were being sent to the 5th floor die to large numbers.

I didn't feel comfortable sleeping on this floor. Sleeping in the same bed that many dead tributes have slept in.

I heard a knock at my door. "Come in," I muttered.

Carlin was in the doorway. He'd taken off his outfit from the parade. Right now he was running around in a pair of boxers. I laughed at his dancing and messing around.

"What are you doing?" I chuckled.

"Well, I was thinking of running into Tifa's room, but I'm not sure I'd survive the night."

I threw a shirt at him. "Put some fricking clothes on," I yelled, throwing more items of clothing his way. Within a minute, he was under a pile of jumpers, trousers and shirts.

I picked out a green shirt and some khaki shorts. He wore combats and a red hoodie. At least he was clothes now.

"Mate, you wanna go harass Aldjoy?" Carlin laughed.

"I do want to keep my head on tonight," I replied.

I love Carlin's attitude. He's potentially going to die in a week, but he's making the most of his life.

I've known Carlin since I was about 5-years-old. His family had moved from District 3 when a factory blew up. His family had lost their home, job and members of the family. They had family in District 6, so they were granted to move here under the Capitol's guidance.

I remember for the first two years he lived here, Peacekeepers were always following him. They were convinced that he was a terrorist. After two years, they stopped stalking humans let his family be. His family hasn't committed any crimes, despite how poor the district is.

Carlin has always been a District 3 kid. He constantly wires things up when engines won't start, and he's always messing with electronics.

Even now, he was messing with the settings of the TV. I swear, electricity will be what kills him.

"There!" He laughed. He'd managed to connect to the TV to a District 5 broadcast, where people were running around and stabbing people.

"Is this," I gasped.

"An uprising." Carlin shook his head.

"Why?" I asked, shocked.

"It's because of Haile. The haemophilic," a voice from the doorway said. Tifa. "Her mother was my mother's best friend in high school. My mum moved to my district later on, had me, and died."

"Wow," I said. "Why Haile though?"

"They don't think it's fair that a haemophilic was put into the games. Anyone with an illness ends up dying," Tifa said.

"What about Wade?" Carlin said. "He had his crooked hand?"

"I don't even have one of my hands," I said bluntly. "If I die, will they start an uprising in District 6?"