one day to forget about it all [open for all]

Another day and another ribbon to cut. Except this one comes with a party and Pierre can carry a glass of bubbly during the event. Post-games stress is beginning to flutter away but that only means the pre-games panic will be setting in soon. What a better way to fend it back for a few hours, than a full day of celebrations? This year has been his most successful and it has come quickly enough, now that the elections will be arriving very soon. Everything has been set in place, all the ideas have been conjured from his own little mind rather than those that whisper in his ear. A promise was delivered the day he read his election speech and at last, he has been able to keep it.

Thankfully the weather is on his side today, no sheltering from a storm like his previous public events. Even the recent intolerable heat of summer has blown over, the sun is out in its full bloom but there is a wisp in the air cooling the sweat from his brow. This has been one day of the year that he has been looking forwards too. Everyday he has passed the building blocks of the new factory school; each piece has added optimism to his emotions and he hopes it has done the same for all those he is building it for. Finally, the last new and improved school is complete, the next task on his agenda will be tackling the mayoral run. Really, there is no rest with this job. As soon as one job is complete, there is always another on the list to tick off.

Even amongst the celebrations, this is not a day of peace for Pierre, his working hours will not be clocked out. So many prying eyes, searching for that ticket to knock him off his seat. His plan of holding this job has always been jumbled in his mind, at times he nearly drops it from his grip but whenever he looks to his family, those eyes that he fought to get up here for. There is no choice but to fight with every little ounce of energy he has within him to stay in the position.

Today he doesn’t have to cast away his family to the shadows, his wife can be by his side and his son is invited if he wishes to attend. It may be a crumbling family unit, but it is something that encourages him to leave the office in the justice building at night. There will always be someone there to greet him at the door and ask how his day has been. He did all of this for them and he is going to continue it for them too. How peculiar it would be to return to his shop, now run by his old employee. It will be hard to shake off the jacket that he has broken in himself, this is what he is used to now.

Midday is over, and all the children’s stomach’s have been filled, there is no feast for this event but play for all the youth. A time of competition and rivalry, all safe games where medallions will be rewarded rather than coffins. It is mandatory for him to welcome any event with an opening speech and so Pierre stands in front of the newest building of District Eight. A velvet maroon tape is tied behind him, soon to be pierced by the scissors in his hands. Everything has been so neatly crafted by the hands of the audience who are watching him and all he can do is be thankful for their sweat. For it is there hard work that gets his ideas off the paper. He can pose for a picture with a chisel in his hands in a worker’s uniform, but it will never smudge away the mayor’s badge that is pinned to his chest.

”Thank you all for joining us today on this very exciting day. Four years ago, I promised to overturn the educational system in this District and a series of modifications have been underway since. Existing schools have been modernised and the way we teach our youth has changed for the better. Now today I welcome you to the very best part of this project. Not only will this school accommodate to the much-needed labour of the factories within this District but will equip our children with the skills they will need for the future. I promised Eight would do it right and we are well on our way of meeting that goal. The statistics are out and fifty percent more of our children’s hours are spent in education rather than working. We still have a long way to go but improvement is seen across the District and not just within the educational system. Our factories are working at their best and health rates are rising. You should all be proud of yourselves because every one of you has contributed to the improvements. Now lets get on with these games, the children’s rucksack race will be our first event of today!” And with that, the scissors slice through the tape and everything is out of his hands.

Speeches were his fear before his mayoral run, now the ones without the prompt cards are becoming natural to him, it is in the job description now. The first bottle of champagne is handed to him, strictly for his own consumption. Pop. The bubbly alcohol will help him through this day, his prologue has started off well, he just needs to get through act one and two. All he can do now is cheer and mingle, he has been trained in this act by the Capitol’s minions. They will have their eyes on him, he must not disappoint.