Lock And Key Game Tasks

Task One: The Interview:

"How is it you even know she's a brunette?" Tess inquired. Her chair scooted on the floor as she leaned forward.

"Like I said, I have other senses." Such as hearing, he added in his head. It wasn't hard to hear other tributes talk about the Gamemakers enough to remember that Raina had brown hair and tan skin.

"Let's be serious for a moment here, Sartan," Cherry started. "You may have other senses, but do you have what it takes to fight and kill in the Games?"

Sartan nodded. "I've spent my entire life training for the Games."

Caesar cleared his throat. "I would tell you watch your back, Sartan, the other tributes might target you because of your blindness."

"If they're stupid enough to target me simply because I'm blind, they would never win a fight against me."

Raina laughed. "Blind, arrogant with a dark past? I can't wait to see more."

"Speaking of that dark past," Tess started. "Tell us about your girlfriend. Rumors were that she died a year ago. Is it true you were trying to run away together?"

"We were."

Tess, Raina and Cherry, along with several people from the audience "oohed" at this. Sartan swallowed back a lump in his throat, not allowing himself to feel any more than that.

"Is it true your father killed her to stop you, then?" Cherry asked, much too enthusiastically.

Sartan grimanced. "Also an accident." His tone suggested no room for any more questions on the subject.

"Back to important matters, what sort of weapons do you prefer to fight with? Is there any preference because of your blindness?" Caesar asked.

"I can use swords, bows, daggers, scythes... Anything I can get my hands on, but I prefer to use a bladed staff," Sartan explained.

"It sounds like quite the weapon!" Cherry shouted.

"Properly sharpened it can slice through a man's skull better than a meat cleaver."

Cherry exhaled sharply as she shuddered. "How...lovely."

"You seem like a strong tribute to me," Caesar started. "For me, however, you need to impress. I can't wait to see you in action."

"I can't wait to be in the action," Sartan replied smoothly.

Caesar laughed.

"I do have a feeling you'll give us quite a show." Tess' clothes shuffled as she shifted in her seat. "You seem a lot like Raina's type of tribute, Sartan, but not mine. Impress me, and maybe I'll add you onto my list."

"I know he's already on mine!" Cherry shouted gleefully. "Anyone else?"

The audience erupted into more clapping and cheers.

"I can tell Raina's got her eye on you." Caesar's chair scraped across the floor as he stood up.

"Well, we're out of time! Sartan Rhathone, everyone!" Sartan stood from his seat as the crowd's cheering exploded around the room, echoing and bouncing off the walls. He was two feet away from where the stage ended, and after five steps forward, he turned to face the doorway, and walked back stage.

As the girl from his district was called on stage, Sartan sighed, tapping his fingers together. The wall was just behind him, so he leaned against it.

"You were burned, weren't you?"

Sartan tilted his head at the young voice. It was high-pitched, but not in the annoying way Cherry's was. He clicked his fingers together, and judging by the echoing of the sound bouncing away from her, and the light shuffling her feet made against the floor, he could tell it was a young girl. "Burned?" Sartan asked, caught off guard.

"Your eyes were burned and that's how you became blind."

"What makes you say that?" Sartan kept his tone gruff.

"There are light scars just underneath your eyes, and decoloring around your pupils which happens when the retinas are burned."

Sartan huffed. "Perceptive, aren't you?"

"My brothers taught me how to heal." The young girl paused, before continuing. "I'm Sparrow."

"Sartan."

"Nice to meet you."

Sartan didn't bother to reply.

"You kind of remind me of one of them, actually. Except for the blindness, of course."

"What do you want from me, kid?" Sartan rubbed his eyes. His head pounded furiously against his skull.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I just—I guess I miss my brothers, and you remind me of them... Do you—would you maybe want to be allies? I heard you out there. You obviously have no problem killing anyone," the young girl said.

"You're small. You may be agile, and easily able to hide from opponents, but what kind of training do you have, girl? Even if you did, can you overpower another opponent, huh? You would only hold me back. Besides, in less than a week, twenty-three of us will be dead, and only one will remain alive. Why should I work with anyone I'm supposed to kill?" He tried to keep bitterness from seeping into his tone, but it was there. Forcing us to kill each other.... Kids... He shook off the thought, telling himself he enjoyed killing.

The girl stayed silent, obviously unsure of how to reply.

With that, Sartan turned his back to her and walked away. There was something stirring inside of his chest—an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time.

Anger.

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