hope in our eyes || 37th hunger games ✔️

Killer

Lily

The city is blinded with lights, all of them distinguishable by their different colors. I can see myself on the screens set up on balconies and on building walls while people cheer and applaud loudly. I quickly nudge Sam, and we both start to wave at the audience cheerfuly. With a fake smile, of course. I won't be able to give a real smile to them. Not after what they are doing to us. The chariot pulls us down what I'd heard called the Avenue of Tributes or something to the City Circle, where President Snow gives a speech in our honor, then we ride into the Tribute Center and the doors slam behind us.

"Wonderful! Oh, splendid!" Sydney exclaims as soon as we hop out of the chariot. I roll my eyes. It wasn't splendid at all! We are going to die for God's sake! How is that splendid?

"Thank you." Sam politely answers while smiling. He's always nice, he just has this gift, he can even be nice to bullies.

"Nice ride there, Four." Says a boy behind us. District 1. A pretty blonde-haired girl trails behind him, looking at me enviously. Oh god. Nope. We are not going to be friends.

"Thanks." Sam nods back coldly. I glare back at them when they aren't looking. I don't like them, not even one bit.

"Nice costume." Says the girl. "I'm Britney." She offers while looking at Sam. The nerve! I can't believe this!

"I'm Lily. This is Sam." I answer back as she glances towards me and stops looking at Sam.

"Thank you." Sam mouths back while looking at me gratefully.

"Anytime." I mutter, loud enough for him to hear.

"Hey, I was wondering, would you guys like to join us in training tomorrow?" The boy asks. "I'm Tovar, by the way." His voice made me jump back in fear. They're both terrifying, older than we are, and likely stronger. I glance at Sam, he simply looks bored and disgusted.

"Uhh... Maybe... We'll keep it in mind." Sam replies emotionlessly while dismissing him. Britney lets out a scoff of indignation, while Tovar simply glances with disgust.

"Sup Tov!" Another girl appears. District 2. They both glance at us, as if we are trash. "Who're they?"

"Four. Lily and Sam." Britney explains, her tone turning cold with disgust.

"Oh, look how cute!" The girl from two starts to ramble. "They're so small!"

"We're right here, you know." I inform her. I'm quickly losing my patience. "And I can hear you."

"Of course you can, dear." She says while barely glancing at me and talking to Britney.

The tributes from 3 are staring at us with pity and sadness, they're both small, not older than 15, and barely even taller than me. I look at Sam and point towards them. They seem nice, unlike the tributes from 1 and 2. Colin and Mags said we had to make allies. I would prefer to ally myself with someone who I can at least know won't kill me in my sleep. There are no friends here, the 24 of us are fighting to live, each of them with a different purpose and goal. It's time to face reality, I tell myself.

"It is, you know." Sam says back. Ohhh... I spoke aloud.

"Hello." Says the girl from 3 shyly as we approach them cautiously. "I'm Mia."

"Nice to meet you. How old are you?" I ask softly. It's sick. It's sick how their cruelty is, by sending children who aren't even big enough to take care of themselves. Its sick how they destroy families just for their own entertainment.

"Twelve. That's Brad, he's thirteen." She points shyly with her tiny finger towards her district partner who was crying endlessly. It breaks my heart; seeing someone cry, it makes me realize that we are paying for someone else's cruelty and ambition. I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness; I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more.

"I'm Sam. That's Lily. We're both fourteen." Sam says, breaking the uncomfortable silence. The boy, Brad, stops crying and looks at us with wide eyes. I offer him a smile of reassurance while he rubs his puffy red eyes.

"It's not fair." He speaks quietly, his voice hoarse from crying. "What did we do?" He adds while shaking his head and rubbing his eyes.

"We did nothing. But you know how they are. That's what they do." I answer back simply. Sam gives me a warning glance while shaking his head in alarm at me.

"Children, there you are!" Sydney screeches as she approaches us staggeringly.

"Is she dressed for Halloween?" Mia asks while shaking her head in confusion. I burst out laughing while I feel Sam beside me; shaking with dissembled laughter.

"She's our escort." I manage to reply while I brush tears of laughter off my cheeks.

"I'm so glad I managed to amuse you." Mia says while even her district partner, Brad, shakes with laughter. "I must say our escort looks a bit more... Normal." She adds while glancing at Sydney's yellow wig.

"There you are!" She exclaims as she reaches us while fixing her pale wig, thick is falling off her head. "Come on now, dinner is in ten minutes!" She yells while I cover Sam's ears and he covers mine. Mia and Brad look at us with amusement while shaking their heads in disbelief at my escort.

"Bye!" I manage to yell while Sydney grabs my arm and starts pulling me towards the elevator. Mia waves goodbye, then goes to talk with her mentor, Kaila Thomas, the victor of the 25th Hunger games.

"Well done, kiddos." Colin says as soon as we enter our quarters. "Truly beautiful and an authentic performance." He adds. Mags kicks his knee from under the table, and he lets out a yelp and glares at her.

"It was a nice performance. But you need more charm." She adds with a smile.

"Get that scowl off of your face. Honestly, you look like someone just told you that you had a week to live." Colin exclaims while chewing a bite of lamb stew. His eyes widen when he realizes how harsh that sounded, and he bites his lip silently and looks at his food.

"You realize," Sam starts saying while his eyes turn dull. "That can be true, right?"

"Um-"

"Time to go to bed children!" Mags interrups, shooting a murderous look at Colin.

"We haven't even eaten!" I start to protest.

"The Avoxes will take you food." She says, clearly dismissing us.

I get up with Sam trailing behind me, an expression of hurt on both our faces. I make sure to slam the door behind me as I release my anger and stress.

"Lily!" Sam calls as I approach my bedroom. "Just... Promise me you won't be the killer they want you to be."