^Griff, Lacie's mentor
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Chapter 38
POV: Cressa (District 4)
Time: Night 9
Tributes Remaining: 14
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I'm back in the mentor room late into the night. This time I sit with Griff as we watch Ross's live broadcast. On the broadcast, both he and Lydia, the announcer, will be discussing the Feast. It's coming up, and I'm nervous. Saul, Lacie, Dalia, and Robin will be unable to protect one another in the chaos of the Feast if they leave each other exposed, putting them in more danger than they have been during the duration of the Games thus far.
After the theme song plays, Ross and Lydia are shown in plush chairs. They are in a large room with a desk in front of them. Behind them on the wall are twelve numbers from one to twelve, with some illuminated with lights and others turned off. Right now, every number except 7 and 12 are lit, representing the Districts with tributes still alive in the Games. Ross and Lydia's names and titles appear on-screen.
"Welcome back to the show, folks," Ross says. "I know we've been waiting for quite some time for this moment. This year has been one to remember for sure, and we're hoping the Feast tomorrow will be just as exciting as the Games so far."
"Currently, we still have fourteen tributes still in the running," Lydia says, "originating from ten different Districts."
"Now, we know the Feast is one of the most important moments for betting and sponsorships during the Games, and this year is no exception. Before our Feast tomorrow, we will discuss our fourteen tributes and their current odds," Ross tells us.
"Let's begin with the current odds."
A table appears on-screen, with each tribute's ranking, name, District, and odds. I scan down the ordered list:
Lacie and Soren's odds are quite good, especially compared to the other tributes, and I'm satisfied with their performance.
"Let's begin with the top of our list!" Ross says. "With odds of 1:2, our first competitor is Ada from District 2."
"She became instantly infamous by not only splitting from the District 1 and 2 alliance but also after poisoning her escort, Divinia Marshall," Lydia explains. "Now, we spoke with Divinia on the show yesterday and have been following her recovery. It seems as if these bold moves have made Ada a certain fan favorite. If you can put your bets on anyone, it's Ada. And close behind her is Tanner from District 10, with odds of 1:3, and as we all know, he's our first volunteer from District 10 in 18 years..."
I tune out the dreadful broadcast. It's the hundredth one I've had to watch since I got here, and I already know most of the tributes well.
"What ranks are they?" Griff asks me. He's not even watching the broadcast at all.
"Soren's 7th and Lacie is 4th," I report. "The others are scattered around. Odds don't mean anything though... Just means we get more sponsors, probably." Being his age, Griff knows this fact much better than I do.
"How are their sponsorships?" Griff asks me next.
"Show tribute funds," I speak into a device, and a graph appears. There are 35 bars, with 14 blue and the rest gray.
"Remove eliminated tributes," I say again, pressing another button. The gray bars on the graph disappear.
"Looks great," Griff says, looking at the graph. Soren has the third-most sponsors, only after Victoria and Ada. Lacie is ranked fifth.
"Lacie saving Soren boosted both of their sponsorships, and I think it's helped that they've made so many friends," I say. "Funds from Rex, Magdalena, and Jomilee's sponsors have come in too."
"Yes, I remember talking to Wayne about that," he says, referring to his friend from District 10. "We have to plan out the Feast carefully."
Soren and Lacie have been doing well for themselves over the last nine days. They just have to keep their momentum to continue further.
The first hurdle for them, however, will be to simply survive the Feast.
~
I know the story has been a bit slow recently deaths-wise. It is odd that there are so many tributes alive so late in the Games, but this year is a slow year, I suppose.
There are 14 tributes entering the Feast tomorrow. Who do you think will attend? Who do you think will be killed? Let me know!
~S