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It had been twenty-four hours since Dove had last seen her brother. After her classes ended, she ran from school to her house in Victor's Village, closely followed by Angel, hoping to arrive on time to watch the Tribute's parade.
She stumbled three or four times on the way to her house. Her older sister shouted at her to be more careful, but it didn't matter. Once they got home, they took off their shoes and went to the sofa where their mother was there. The Parade was about to start, luckily they hadn't missed anything.
Please, don't let the designer be an absolute idiot that dresses him like a fish. She thought, crossing her fingers. On her right, her older sister was fidgeting nervously, while her mother intertwined her hand tightly with Dove's.
"I hope they don't dress them as starfishes like last year," Angel spoke up, in the verge of eating her carefully painted nails.
"Let's just hope they even put clothes on him. Honestly, I don't know what the designers think when they dress their tributes like that." Her mother's remark was sadly true. Sometimes designers got their tributes half-naked or covered enough to not be called naked on the Parade.
"Well, he is from a Career District and also the son of a Victor, that has to be enough to get many people's attention on him. But, let's wish he doesn't wear something ridiculous." Dove's wish was probably in vain.
After all, one thing the Capitol was famous for was their crazy fashion choices. Last year, on her first reaping, District Four's escort wore a dress representing to be scales. Needless to say, it was awfully weird.
"And here they come!" Caesar Flickerman, the host for the Hunger Games, announced cheerfully as the District One's chariot made its appearance. Dove waited impatiently, with her eyes glued to the screen, to see her brother and his district partner.
When they finally appeared, everyone in the room held their breaths. The clothes weren't horrifying, but having a starfish belt or a ridiculous pearl crown made it laughable. Which wasn't the best first impression option for her brother. His strategy would probably be 'a skilled and talented ready-to-be murderer who you should take into consideration', and that get up wasn't saying any of that.
The twelve chariots filled the loop within the City Circle, the horses pulled them straight to President Snow's mansion, where they stopped. The music ended, making everybody go silent. Then, President Snow made his appearance from the balcony, giving his usual speech.
Once he was done, the national anthem played as the chariots disappeared into the Training Centre. The camera showed the different tributes as they entered, with obviously, the Career Districts getting more screen time than the others tributes.
For the first time, I don't care about this unfairness. I guess, since my brother is part of the Career pack, everything that happens favourably to them will only benefit Melo too. She thought as her mother had enough with Capitol propaganda, and turned off the television.
"In a week, they'll have an interview with Caesar before the Games begin. It will only last three minutes, but that's better than nothing." The older sibling informed her. Dove just nodded at the information and got up from the couch.
A damn week. I don't know if it's too long or too short. I just want my brother back, for heaven's sake. What did we ever do to you? Although she had always accepted The Hunger Games as part of her life, now anything related to it only made her blood boil.
"Let the hell begin," she muttered, still staring at the turned off television.
After the week had gone by, it was clear that she had been correct in assuming it would be hell. She wondered so many things every minute that she couldn't pay any attention to her classes.
Dove wanted to know how her brother was, did he like the Capitol? Did he train correctly? Did he listen to Finnick's and Muscida's advices properly? Many questions filled her mind, and never left.
If only she could go there and be with him or have some sort of communication, but communication with tributes was highly prohibited. At least today, she could relax for the three minutes her brother's interview lasted. A whole hour and twenty minutes of interviews to the future victor and the 23 tributes that will die.
For the people in the districts, this meant the last words their loved ones would say. It was an important event that no one in the districts would or could miss.
And they for sure wouldn't. Everyone in Dove's house sat in the kitchen with the television on, waiting for the interviews to start.
Mags had offered to spend the night and have supper with them at their house, which the sisters appreciated. It was better to watch it with someone who could be impartial, rather than emotionally involved.
All tributes filled the stage, taking their respective places. Caesar Flickerman did his opening spear as usual, and District One was the first to be interviewed.
Going from One to their female tribute was nerve-wracking, twenty-one minutes of people trying to be funny, sexy, or scary and mysterious. No one did a good job with those looks. Except for the girl from Two, who went with a dress that helped her with her sexy yet threatening styling choice.
Her district female tribute ended her interview through tears. Causing Caesar to call for her brother immediately. At the mention of his name, everyone in the room fell into absolute silence, not taking their eyes off the television for a second. Her brother came up to the stage with a flirty smile and waved.
Well, now we know what looks he's going for. Dove thought. He certainly could pull it off, and so thought the people from the Capitol, judging by their mumbles and prolonged, longingly sighs.
"Welcome. Welcome Melo," Caesar started the interview, greeting him. "Thank you, Caesar." Her brother answered with a smirk. The way he talked or even sat reminded her of Finnick in his own interview the year before. Maybe he had taught him how to act, since the two of them were very alike.
"So, Melo. You got a 10 on your individual assessment. Quite impressive if you ask me. Can you give us any details?" Caesar asked cheerfully. Melo only laughed at the question, saying that even though he wanted to, he couldn't.
"OK, so how about we talk about your family? Son of a Victor! Is it as wonderful as we all think it must be?" Oh, just the perfect topic for this family, Dove thought sarcastically.
"Well, life is truly great. We have more money than we could ask for, a beautiful house, good friends. . . Everything's great." It was obvious to her that her brother was trying hard not to be specific on purpose. There was no need for the Capitol to know anything about them.
"Of course it is. Talk to me about your sisters. What is your relationship like? Since, you know, you're all adopted. Are there any fights between you?" Caesar's question surprises him. He had expected he would ask about family, but he expected a more open question in which he could be vague.
"Yeah, I have an older and a younger sister. All of us are adopted, but we have a pretty good relationship, as normal siblings would." He responded half laughing, praying to not be revealing how much he truly cared about his sisters.
"Perfect! Tell us a bit about them. We're itching to meet them!" So you're itching for us to go to our deaths? Thanks, I guess. Dove thought while grating her teeth. Melo just chuckled in imagining his sisters' reactions to that stupid statement.
"Well, my older sister, Angelique, is quite serious. Whether my younger sister, Dove, is the contrary. She's rather cheerful. Both of them are quite the sassy type." He answered.
"That's so cute, isn't it, folks? Well, Melo, on a more serious note. You're here about to enter the games, and they're in District Four. Is there anything you would like to say to them?" Caesar's entire personality seemed to have changed in a second. Watching a serious Caesar was weird for everyone, but nobody commented on it.
"Actually, yes, I have something to tell them." Melo straightened his position on the chair and looked at the camera before continuing. "Mum, Angel, Dove, I love you all. But I assure you these won't be my last words to you. Wait for me, because I'll be back home soon." Dove heard the distinctive cry of her mother as he finished talking.
As expected, everyone in the room was a complete mess. Her mother was crying her eyes out on Mags' shoulder. Her sister looked at her with teary eyes. Dove couldn't cry. To be fair, she didn't actually feel anything. It was like being emotionally numb. Though, that didn't stop her from putting her arms around her older sister and stroking gently her hair.
The buzzing sound marked the end of the interview. Both men stood up from their chairs. Caesar took Melo's arm and raised it. "Melo Ogilvy, from District Four!" she watched as her brother went back to his seat, where he stayed until the interviews were over. That's it. The next time I see him will be while he's risking his life to come back home. She thought.
Still stroking her sister's hair, she stared at the television. There was nothing more than Capitol propaganda now. She turned it off and held her sister's face in her hands. "Let's go get some sleep in my room. We can talk there." She said, Angel only answered with a nod.
"Can I go with you too?" Her mother asked. Mags shifted her eyes from her friend to the two teenagers. Understanding the family needed some time alone, she got up to leave and said goodbye.
"Yeah, sure. Mum, can we go to your room instead?" the mother nodded at her proposal. Once all three of them were on the bed, the events of that afternoon started registering in her head, bit by bit. As if it was some sort of torture. They cuddled each other as they cried themselves to sleep.
Suddenly, she was watching the Hunger Games. All the careers were sleeping, while the boy from Two kept watch. As the other tributes got up from the positions they were in, they approached her brother. The male tribute from Two held the sword tightly, ready to use it.
"Melo, get the crap out of there quick! Don't you see the Careers want to kill you!?. . . Why are they approaching him? No, they wouldn't kill him so early in the games, right? There are many tributes to kill! Not my brother! Please! No!"
"Stop!" Dove woke up screaming through tears. Now she understood what her mother went through most of the nights. Her dream was so vivid that she thought it was real until the terrible sound of the cannon roared, waking her up from her nightmare.
She had seen his brother get beheaded in her nightmare, and seen the blood scattering everywhere, including her brother's murderer's face, who had a pleasant look in their eyes.
"Nightmare?" her mother asked plainly. "Yes," she replied in the same tone.
"I get them too. One day I'll explain everything to you. Why these nightmares came, why they'll never go away. . . I just hoped you would never have to experience them. . ." Her mother trailed off. Maybe she was looking for things to say, or she just couldn't bring herself to continue talking.
"I think I understand, mum." For the first time, Dove didn't feel like the young and delicate Ogilvy sibling. She felt powerful. As if all the pain and suffering she was going through was only making her stronger.
Turning around to watch her older sister's peaceful sleeping face, she made a decision. Bring it on, Snow. I'll make sure the one playing the games will be you in the end. I want to see you suffer as much as you're making us suffer. It doesn't matter how long I have to be a pawn in your game, as long as I see you fall into mine.
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