《Silence Hayley anderton》Chapter Seventeen
Advertisement
I was practically dragged out of bed the next day by Leonie. I really didn’t want to get up, but Leonie insisted it was important that I made an impression that day. I threw on some clothes and followed Leonie to the Remake Centre, where I spent a good part of the day. Annabella did my hair, a plait that circled my head like a crown, and then formed a twisted knot on the back of my head. Felix worked on my nails, making them rounded and smooth before painting them black and adding patterns and swirls to my thumbs. Leonie did my makeup, sweeping brushes effortlessly across my face, until she was certain she had it right. It was similar to the makeup I wore for the opening ceremonies, with my eyes brought out with dark makeup, and relatively pale lipstick.
Leonie took me through to a separate room to have my dress fitted. I closed my eyes as she put it over my head. I was relieved to discover that it wasn’t as tight as the one I had worn to practise in the day before. The shoes were quite high, but after practicing with Eli, I was confident that they wouldn’t be a problem. When I opened my eyes, I squealed in delight. The dress was made of leather and lace, with a fitted leather bodice and short skirt. The lace acted as straps for the dress, covering the bare skin above my chest, and stretching over my arms to act as sleeves. The lace itself was beautiful, completely black and with an intricate floral pattern. I felt amazing. Unstoppable. Sophia entered and nodded in approval.
“You look stunning. Just beautiful. Give me a sexy smile?”
I laughed and imitated Logan’s signature smile. Leonie cracked up, and Sophia smiled.
“Good. You’re ready. Let’s go!”
We met the others at the elevator. I was shy to see Logan again after the way I behaved the previous night, but he just hugged me and I whispered sorry to him. He said he was too, and that was that. I took his hand when we got in the lift, squeezing it tight as we plummeted downwards. I took the time to look at Logan. His outfit was a lot simpler than mine, just black leather trousers and a white shirt, but the shirt hung loose and three of the top buttons were undone, giving him a rugged, yet desirable, image. I was reminded of the day at the fence, when he wore his reaping outfit in a messy way, and still managed to look amazing. Though he wore minimal makeup, his blue eyes had been highlighted by blue eyeliner, and it gave the illusion that his eyes were sparkling. I resisted the urge to touch his hair, to pull him to me and tell him that I loved him. I don’t mean in that way. But he needed to know, and I would always live my life regretting that I never followed my instincts and held him to me that day.
The elevator slowed to a stop, and we piled out of the doors. Already, Clementia and a few of the others were seating themselves on the stage. The stage had twenty four chair arranged in a semi-circle around a central couch, where the presenter, Venus Swift, and the tribute being interviewed would sit. I caught sight of Venus, chatting in an animated voice to one of the camera men. She was a beautiful, charismatic woman, who everyone in Panem loved. Even I loved her. She had a certain vibe that made people admire and desire her. She wasn’t particularly slim, which was a characteristic that Capitol women craved, but she looked good in whatever she wore. That particular night, she was in an aqua coloured suit, which contrasted with her bright red hair and pale skin. Still holding on to Logan, after a good natured shove from Valeria, I scaled the steps to the stage and sat down on my seat. I looked at Logan, who did a very funny imitation of Eli doing the squat, and I laughed, feeling much less nervous. When Logan was sat down as well, he leaned over the arm of his chair, grinning.
Advertisement
“Do the smile. I’ll see if you pass the “sexy” test.”
I did the smile and he laughed, throwing me a wink “That’ll do. Watch out. All the guys will be after you. Don’t want Eddie getting jealous, do we?”
I swatted him lightly “Anyone would think you were jealous.”
He raised an eyebrow suggestively “Maybe I am.”
I stared at him. Then, simultaneously, we both started laughing, when I realised he wasn’t being serious.
“You’re not funny,” I said, trying to be serious.
“Unfortunately, you and I both know that is a lie,” he replied cheekily.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Please take your seats, we will begin in two minutes!” the director called.
“You ready?” Logan asked.
“As ready as I can be. You?”
“Nope,” he said with a laugh. I laughed back, and got myself comfortable. I could see Roger glaring over at me, but I tried to ignore him and focus on how to present myself. I closed my eyes and thought back to when I watched Valeria’s interview…
Valeria had a lot of competition when she was in the Games. Though they weren’t as talented with weapons as she was, there was a strong Career pack, with very attractive members for the sponsors to latch on to. It didn’t help that Valeria’s stylist was pretty much hopeless.
She strode up to the couch with confidence, sitting beside Venus with a smile.
“So, this is Valeria, everyone! Isn’t she stunning? She’s like a miniature me!”
Venus threw the crowd a wink and there was a ripple of laughter and wolf whistling. Valeria said nothing, but continued to smile politely.
“Well, Valeria, we haven’t really heard a lot about you so far, but you’ve made an impression now, with your training scores and your image tonight. Though I can’t say the outfit is particularly flattering, you honestly do look wonderful! How do you feel?”
“I feel…amazing. I’m so far away from everyone I love, but I’ve never felt more at home. The Capitol is just beautiful. Amazing. Don’t you agree?” she addressed the crowd. They all cheered and whooped, until Venus brought them back to order.
“Okay, Valeria, let’s talk about your training score. A nine is pretty impressive, and I’ve heard the Gamemakers are very harsh markers this year! Can you give us a clue to what you did to receive such a marvellous score?”
Valeria glanced at the crowd, then back to Venus with a smug grin. “I don’t think so. But I’ll say this. The best is yet to come. What I performed in training was just a taster. You’ll see!”
The crowd murmured in excitement.
“How thrilling!” Venus exclaimed “So you don’t think that coming from District 10 gives you a disadvantage?”
“Not at all. District 10 doesn’t have to fall. Look at me now,” she said, getting to her feet and spreading her arms “I’m powerful!”
The crowd cheered again, so loud that the buzzer almost couldn’t be heard to mark the end of the interview. Valeria bowed and left the stage, having made the biggest impression District 10 has ever achieved.
When I opened my eyes again, it was to the sound of applause. The show had begun. I saw Venus get up from her couch and wave to the crowd, blowing kisses and smiling.
“Hello, Panem! And welcome, once more, to you all! May I introduce to you, the tributes of the 31st Hunger Games!”
The crowd roared as she gesticulated to us all. I could see Clementia grinning in excitement, and I wished I was more like her. She was fine in front of crowds. I, on the other hand, feared I would faint from the stage fright that was slowly creeping up on me. I took a long breath, sucking air through my nostrils, and smiled as convincingly as I could. I was glad I had, as I could see my face being displayed on the screen behind us. Thankfully, my smile at least looked sane, if not charming.
Advertisement
“Let’s begin the show! Tonight, our very first tribute is the lovely Layla!”
She really was lovely as well. She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder with a smug look on her face, and pranced to the sofa. She had little personality, but her good looks had the crowd mesmerised. She received a large round of applause, and I began to worry that by the time I got on stage, I would seem dull and uninteresting. And then Roger stepped up, and made me feel even worse. I have to admit, he looked handsome in his red suit, which had rubies studded on it from his shoulders down his arms. His dark hair had been styled so it swept across his forehead in curls, and his stunning green eyes were rimmed with black pencil. The female audience sighed as he stepped up, smirking as usual. I tuned out of the conversation he was having until I heard Venus ask him if he had a strategy. I watched him smile, even laugh a little, before addressing the crowd.
“I have a little something in mind for one of my…favourite tributes. Yes, she’s a particular favourite of mine. I’ll give you a clue. She’s from District 10.”
A gasp of excitement ran through the crowd, but it was fear that pumped through my veins. I could hear my heart slamming against my ribcage, and I was suddenly too hot, suffocated by the dress. The buzzer went off, and he strode back to his seat. The crowd were going mad with utter joy, practically thirsting for him to spill my blood. I was disgusted, but I realised every camera was either on me or him. I caught Roger’s eye and he winked at me, so I smiled back, giving a slow wink back as though it was all a secret joke between us. More like a sick joke. I’d never been more terrified of anyone in my life. It was clear he wasn’t right in the head, and I wondered what he would do to me if he caught me. I vowed to never let that happen to me. I leaned back in my chair, trying to look as casual as possible. I could feel Logan looking at me to see if I was OK, but I feared that if I looked at him, I’d burst in to tears. The next interview began, but it was drowned out mostly by the crowd’s chatter about Roger’s death threat. I did, however, manage to catch the girl, Minerva, say she thought that the other tributes seemed foolish. Venus asked her what she meant, and she laughed, saying she meant that none of them were worthy of her time. Stuck up cow came to mind.
The background gibbering of the Capitol citizens didn’t really stop until Clementia’s interview, though they quietened slightly for the beautiful girl from District 4, Avery, who was wearing a green floor length dress. Though she looked very nice, I think her dress was based on seaweed, which put people off a bit. But when Clementia took to the stage, the Capitol citizens took to cheering again. She smiled and waved before seating herself beside Venus. Though I knew it already, she came across as humorous, and she had the crowd in stitches when she told a story of how she’d accidently broken the heel of the shoes she wore to the Opening Ceremony, and she demonstrated how she had to balance on one foot for half the ride back to the Remake Centre. I had to admit she was a funny girl, and I found myself chuckling at her silly story. It made me feel better about the whole Roger situation. But then I realised I would probably be questioned about my feelings to his speech, and I panicked again. I quickly devised a plan in my head while Evelyn and Kai from District 9 were interviewed. My turn came too soon, and I found that my knees were trembling as I walked to the couch. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to show, and the applause from the crowd was very reassuring. I sat down beside Venus and she smiled warmly at me.
“Hello, Raven! What a little star you’ve been so far!”
“Thank you,” I managed to say.
“So, a ten in training! That’s very impressive! How did you do it?”
I smiled sheepishly “I don’t think I’m really supposed to say, but I’d very much like to thank my volunteer, Brigham Roach!”
There was a small amount of applause while the cameras turned to locate him in the crowd. He was obviously enjoying the attention, lapping it up and waving. I took the few seconds directed at him to pull myself together and muster up the smile.
“Okay, now tell me something about you and your home life. I’ve never been to District 10!”
I gulped. The room was silent, and I knew I had to say something. Just be honest I thought honesty is good. Say something about Jonah, they like to hear stuff like that. I put on my “sexy” smile and said “Well…what can I say. I live with my parents and my father. I had a brother, but…he passed away last year. He took place in the Games.”
There was a sigh of sympathy from the crowd, and Venus’ face looked distressed “Oh how awful! We understand completely. It’s very sad saying goodbye to some of our tributes. His name was Jonah, right?”
“Yes,” I said, surprised she’d managed to remember his name.
“Well, he was a lovely young boy. You should be very proud of his sacrifice to Panem. Isn’t that right?”
The audience clapped. I even heard someone sniff and blow their nose. Pathetic people I thought bitterly.
“Well, Raven, can you tell us anything else? Do you farm?”
“No, actually, my father works for the Mayor. And my mother is…ill.”
“Oh. So you must know Logan then? Your fellow tribute?”
I considered what to say. Would it be dangerous to present us as friends? I decided it wouldn’t “Logan is a very good friend of mine. We’ve known each other a long time.”
“Boyfriend?”
I laughed as sweetly as I could, and glanced back at him, throwing him a wink. “He wishes!”
The audience laughed at my joke, and Logan played along, blowing me a kiss back. I sunk back into my original position on the couch. I was beginning to enjoy myself.
“No, actually, I’m engaged,” I added, and I outstretched my hand so that Venus could see the ring. She squealed like a little girl.
“Oh! That’s beautiful! Hold your hand out so that everyone can see!” she said, throwing my hand in the air. Everyone oohed and ahhed, and every camera directed at my hand.
“So, how long have you been engaged?”
“Since reaping day. It was a bit of a surprise for me, actually. I had no idea he loved me…he proposed to me after the reaping, when we realised we might not be back together.” I lowered my head, so that it looked like I was upset. I thought of my mother at home, depressed and scared, and managed to collect some tears. “I fear that it may have been the last time I will see him. But I want him to know that I love him and I miss him with all my heart.” I looked directly at the nearest camera. “I love you Eddie.”
There was such a long silence, that I feared I hadn’t been convincing enough. But then the whole crowd began to scream and shout, some crying, some calling words of encouragement to me. I heard the buzzer go off, and I was allowed to return to my seat. After Venus swiftly kissed my cheek, I half walked half ran back to my chair. Logan looked amazed at the performance I had just pulled off, and I gave him a slight wink to let him know it was all an act. As soon as I sat down, however, I made sure to wipe my eyes and sniff mournfully.
Logan took his place on the couch, sitting down in a way I’m sure made Eli cry with joy. He shook Venus’s hand, and she practically swooned.
“Hello there, Logan! What a charming young man you are! So. You and your friend Raven made a great debut at the opening ceremonies. What have you got in store for us tonight?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he said, smiling seductively. Venus laughed and the female members of the audience did too. It was as though he was flirting with all of them at once. Typical.
“Well, if you and Raven aren’t together, is there another special girl in your life?”
My ears pricked up at the mention of this. I was interested to know. He laughed, almost sadly, and shook his head.
“No, not for me. There are plenty of lovely ladies out there, but none of them have particularly caught my attention. I guess I’m waiting for the perfect girl.”
“Well, I’m certain you’ll find her soon. And remember, if you return home, all the girls will want you! I’m sure they do already. Isn’t he lovely?”
There was some applause and I felt a warm feeling inside, because he was my friend. He could pick anyone, but he was my friend. Mine. Logan continued to chat with Venus, making flirtatious comments and the whole audience staring at him in awe. When the buzzer went off, he received a large round of applause. I smiled at him as he sat down and he grinned back. We’d both done well. I glanced at Roger, feeling no fear. His threat was just a threat. I reminded myself that the Games were designed for us to kill each other. It didn’t mean he would kill me. If I was to die, I would make certain it was not at his hand.
The show ended after the District 12 boy had been, and Venus said goodbye to the audience while the tributes stood for the anthem. The cameras do a quick shot of each of the tribute’s faces, but they all lingered slightly on Roger, Clementia, me and Logan. The star tributes. And the Games hadn’t even begun yet.
I was surprised to see Drew when we were allowed to leave the stage. He hadn’t been there earlier, which I assumed was because he was struggling to cope with the Games. I flew in to his arms, and he hugged me close.
“Well done,” he whispered “Very convincing.”
“How are you?” I asked.
He paused “I’ve been better.”
He let go of me and looked me in the eye “Try and get some sleep tonight. I’ll come and visit you before you…go. I won’t be joining you for dinner. I’ll see you in the morning.”
With a quick nod to Logan, he turned and practically ran to the elevator. I prayed he was alright. I couldn’t bear the thought of him suffering in silence.
Dinner was full of chatter, but I stayed mostly quiet. It had finally hit home that I was going into the arena. And I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready to leave the Capitol behind. I looked around at all the smiling faces at the table. Even Logan was laughing and chugging wine like there was no tomorrow. What if there is no tomorrow for him? My cutlery clattered and I ran out the room, to the bathroom where I vomited. My breathing was heavy and I was sweating. I leaned my back against the wall and cried to myself quietly. Valeria was banging on the door, asking to be let in, but I couldn’t let anyone see me in this state. I reminded myself that I didn’t want to make things difficult for Logan. So I splashed my face with water, and wiped my tears away. Then I took a deep breath and opened the door.
Advertisement
- In Serial14 Chapters
The Secluded Magus
A student of the sciences, who just happens to be run over by train-kun and reincarnates in a different world decides to exploit earth inventions to live a quiet life.
8 119 - In Serial26 Chapters
WriTE Halloween Contest
Hi Everyone! Writers to the End, the largest group on Royal Road Legends is happy to announce the start of the WriTE Halloween Contest! Write a short story, submit it, and try to win! Everyone can take part and anyone can win so go, check the rules and write… To The End. Submitted stories will be displayed on the 30th of October from noon GMT. Note: Please submit the stories to WriTE, not RRl, to ensure everyone begins voting at the same time. Readers can rate the stories from October 30 to November 6. Some stories may contain mature content so we advise the readers to read the author notes before every story.
8 51 - In Serial7 Chapters
Aurion: The New World
The VRMMO, Aurion, has been released. Created by the company Axion Industries, that created epic and censational VRMMOs such as Starline 66, Eros: Land of Gods, and Rubilax United, this has been said to be their best game yet, featuring a massive open world capable of adapting, evolving, and having a level of permeance. A massive lore filled story that will make the world litterally feel alive. New state of their art neural connection that will let one feel as if one is really a part of the world. Adaptive NPCs and questing, a new overhauled crafting system, and plenty of room to grow. A great and promising experience for new players to feel free and capable of doing anything, while still allowing the stronger more powerful guilds to feel a sense of accomplishment for their hard work and achievments. A promised way to escape the dreary tumroil and boring idiocy of everyday life by letting you go to a new world full of wonder and adventure. With millions registered in the first day coming online to play this hit new game, supported by an AI Assist System, little did anyone suspect about what would happen...and how this world would become their new home. This will be the story of a boy, the friends he makes along the way, as he and everyone else make their way in this new world...in Aurion: The New World. (Cover came from pintrest, posted by Joe)
8 85 - In Serial6 Chapters
A Fool's Journey, or the Vagrancies of a Man in Exotic Lands
What does a sad bastard do when fate, literally, decides to throw him into a fantasy world? Solon just wanted to lead a normal life; work, share some pizza with friends, work, play some videogames or read something, work, maybe sleep?, work... Pretty much the usual, rinse and repeat. It was far from perfect, but life was nicely boring and comfy enough. Truth be told, he had hoped it would go on forever, or until he got married, or until the apocalypse finally decided to bring an end to everything. As far as he could tell, though, the former was about as likely as the latter; not very. And perhaps even somewhat related, if it ever came to it. Unfortunately, he saw himself involved in some sort of cosmic fart that screwed him over, brutally severing his life-plan. Or, maybe, would it be more suitable to say that Fate had other plans? Sure, he's yet to find out exactly what those plans might be, but, at the very least, they do seem to involve him being shoved into another world, fighting off a couple of horrendous creepers, and -almost- an accidental liaison with a baboon. Needless to say, the job doesn't come with dental care, and death seems more likely than retirement... Yep, when he got yoinked out of Earth, there were no princesses waiting for him, no sexy goddesses, and no severe Gandalf-wannabes! Heck, not even a bunch of demonic cultists! All he got for the trouble was a bunch of snarky windows and the honest desire to punch whatever bastard happens to be behind the smug System. Well, that, and a few forced trips to the so-called Tower of Ascension. Not exactly what he would have expected but, on the plus side, he does get to do some magic. Though, not quite the wand-waving kind. Whatever. One thing’s patently clear, though, he’s certainly not the chosen one, nor the summoned hero, nor the Savior. If anything, he himself might be in need of some saving... Just what kind of fool does the System take him for? Please do consider the tags. Also, 'Strong Lead' here means weak to strong, over a decent amount of time, not op from the very beginning. Things to expect: decent grammar, cheeky goats. Things not to expect: Harems, a decent sense of fashion.
8 197 - In Serial15 Chapters
Programmable Magic
Our main character, Reo van Dijck, tries to survive in a world where magic-spells are stored in game-like-cartridges. Only a few lucky ones can use them though. These chosen ones are venerated and worshipped like celebrities, unbelievable riches lie only a single dungeon-exploration away for them, they are called Machia. What will happen to our protagonist when he awakens as a Machia and discovers that he can actually program these magic-cartridges?... The Earth also changed drastically since the dungeons appeared, how could it not? These unknown, giant towers suddenly started spewing out hordes of fiends and monstrosities. Only The Machia were able to defend against these attacks on humanity. Countries were destroyed, safe-havens were build and then yet again destroyed. Eventually humanity adapted, like it always does. The economy was rebuild and centered around these new towers, these dungeons, the treasures they hold outweigh their dangers. Life is relatively safe again, for most at least… Read about Reo’s exploits, an immigrant from the Netherlands, as he tries to honor his dead parents and… find love? Establish a Guild?! Live the Ideal Harem life?!! BECOME PIRATE KING?!!! Okay maybe not that last one, but Reo will definitely leave his mark behind on this world full of mystery. This story features romance, comradery, an interesting power system and a post-apocalyptic world with amusing characters, what more do you want?! No seriously, I’m always open to constructive feedback. This story also displays my interpretation of a magic-coding-language (based on JAVA). Although knowledge about coding helps, you can also enjoy the story without it 😊.
8 278 - In Serial27 Chapters
Aura of Chaos
He is a demon living in a human world Vice had always looked different. Cursed as a twisted halfling, his appearance makes the townsfolk both terrified and hateful. He spends his days struggling to coexist with the town and blaming himself for his human mother’s hardships. But when his burden becomes too much and he attempts to end it all, a flashing light blinds him. A meteor rains down, bringing with it mysterious voice that echoes in his mind. It calls itself Favian, and claims to come from a faraway place called Earth… Paired with this strange voice and tasked with a destiny beyond his wildest imagination, Vice must grapple with his identity while carving out a place for himself in this world filled with magic– and that’s not easy to do as a 6-foot purple demon… Packed with thrilling action, gritty detail, and plenty of magic, you’ll love The Mage of Chaos. Embodying classic cultivation adventure with LitRPG elements, this fantasy epic is one you won’t want to miss. Grab your copy now!
8 105