Broken Like The Rocks {39ers | Day 1}
Oct 30, 2018 14:29:43 GMT -5
Post by kap on Oct 30, 2018 14:29:43 GMT -5
O L I V E R
✵
W R E N
Machete in hand, I ran from the bloodbath with Carmen at my side. I don't think that either of us really knew where we were headed, but it didn't matter. Our only goals right then were to stay alive and find our friends. Carmen had been hurt, which was what told me that we had to get the hell out of there as fast as we possibly could. Luckily, I had gotten out surprisingly unscathed, and, from what I could recall in the midst of the chaos, Fiona and Faux got away without getting hurt, either. I was surprised that the two eldest of our alliance had left the two youngest to keep fighting, but it made sense, at the same time.
If anyone wanted to survive in this arena, they had to look out for themselves more than they looked out for their allies. That was something I had to keep in mind, too. I had to make sure that I focused on myself more than I focused on Fiona, Carmen and Faux, no matter how difficult it may end up being for me to do so as time went on.
For now, I was just glad that all four of us were alive.
The disappointment I did have, however, was a disappointment I never thought I could have in my entire life and still be a good person. I was genuinely disappointed not to hear a single boom of the cannon that would have signified a tribute's death. What was wrong with me? Why did I want to hear that? Was I turning into a monster already? The Games had barely begun and I was already going crazy. I was changing, and it scared me.
Jory wouldn't want to know that the survival of other tributes outside of my alliance disappointed me. Then again, would he had even wanted to have seen me fight like I did, throwing a punch at that girl in the bloodbath whose name I didn't even know? All I knew was that she was a girl who was fighting for her life, just like I was. I didn't know anything about her, yet I attacked her out of my own selfish want to live.
Was there something wrong with me for wanting to survive?
I couldn't think on this too much, though. I knew that it wouldn't be good for me if I did, as it'd only cause me more of the stress and anxiety that I was already having and certainly didn't want to deal with if I didn't have to.
After a moment or two, my eyes caught glimpse of two figures not too far away from us. It took a second or two for me to realize who they were. Then, I nudged Carmen, speaking to her.
"Hey, don't be too loud about it, as I don't want anyone else to find us, but Faux and Fiona are over there. Let's go meet up with them, okay?" I said, gesturing in the direction of our friends.
Then, I started to head towards Fiona and Faux. When I was within earshot, I made sure my weapon was lowered so that we didn't seem like a threat if they didn't know who we were at first glance. Then, I spoke to them from where I stood, not too loudly, but loud enough to grab their attention and theirs alone.
"Fiona," I said. "Faux!"
When I'd grabbed their attention and made sure that they realized it was us, I walked closer to them and sat down beside them. We were on a cliff of some sort, overlooking the water, and if I was being completely honest, even though I knew that this was all artificial instead of actually nature, it was quite beautiful. That was the one thing that I could say the Gamemakers did a good job on, and, despite doing so in a fake way in my private training session, I didn't like to praise them.
Besides, praising them only got me a score of a four, anyway. It's not like it would help me now. Therefore, I kept my comment on the beauty of the place to myself, not vocalizing it.
As I sat next to my friends, a couple of silver parachutes landed in front of me. Apparently, with the sheer quantity of items I'd been sponsored, one parachute wasn't enough to hold it all. I was surprised to receive so much sponsorship, too, as I honestly hadn't thought that the people of the Capitol actually liked me. Had I done or said something right? Perhaps it was what I said in my interview.
When I opened up the containers attached to the parachutes, one at a time, I looked at the items that had been send to me. The first thing, which was probably the most glaringly attention-grabbing item in the whole lot of it all, was a rainbow-patterned hat with mouse ears on it. It even had an elastic strap that was meant to be used to keep the hat on my head. I raised an eyebrow at this and then turned to my allies.
"Do they expect me to actually wear this?" I asked them in all seriousness.
I set the hat aside and looked through the rest of what I had. The next item was also of a rainbow pattern and happened to be a bow tie. I was already wearing a rather nice black bow tie, but clearly, someone wanted me to swap it out with this one. I shrugged, not sure why I shouldn't, and switched my black bow tie for the significantly flashier rainbow one. There was also a large, rainbow flag among the items.
When I saw this, I sat there for a moment, as the first thing that had crossed my mind was that I could wear it as a cape. I wasn't sure why I thought this. Maybe it was the more childish side of me, or perhaps it was just because I wanted to feel like a hero.
I feel like it's more likely to have been the latter. As a kid, I always wanted to be a superhero. I wanted to feel important, like I was meaningful. I wanted to be able to help people, and for people to know that I was willing to help them. Being the one to save others was always something I desired.
Therefore, I went with my immediate first instinct, stood up, unfolded the flag, and put it on like a cape. I sat back down at looked at my allies. Surely, Faux would think I was ridiculous for this. He'd always been the most mature one in the group, so I wouldn't be surprised if he thought I was stupid for wearing it or made fun of me for doing so. He was a nice guy, but I wouldn't blame him for teasing me if he decided to.
The next thing in the conglomeration of items was actually something useful. It was a bag, and although it looked ridiculous, being adorned with black mouse ears similar to the rainbow ones on the hat I had received, it would actually serve an important purpose. I could hold the things in it that I needed. Therefore, I put on the bag, around my waist as it was supposed to go. (What was it called? A fanny pack? A bum bag? I'd heard both terms, but it sounded weird either way.)
To follow that was an item that made me pause for a moment, but not because of it being strange or stupid. No, this was something special. It reminded me of home, which I presume was the goal of the individual who sent it to me. It was a photograph of District Eight. I looked at it for a moment of two before folding it in half and putting it in the breast pocket of my suit jacket.
"Thank you," I said quietly. I didn't know who'd sent it to me, but it made me happy that they were thinking about what might actually make me happy in the arena. I gave a small smile before I moved onto the next item.
There were three things left, the next being a bag of buttons. I assumed this had come from the same person who sent me the District Eight photograph, but that they simply sent it because I'd mentioned my background as someone who liked to sew. Or, perhaps it was because of the button that was tied into the bracelet Jory had given me. Regardless, they didn't know for exactly what reason this hit home with me so intensely.
Jory's sister, Cecilia, used to collect buttons before she died.
Buttons are an important thing in the Brontz family, and therefore, they're important to me. This bag of buttons actually meant a lot, even if the person who sent them didn't know it would.
The next item I saw was a teddy bear. When I picked it up, looking at its face, I saw that it was missing an eye. I wasn't sure if that was meant to be the case when it was sent to me, but, regardless, I thought it was cute. I decided to call him Scruffy, and I put him in my bag. Then, I picked up the last item, which, at first glance, appeared to just be a pocket watch.
Then, I opened it, realizing that its hands had stopped moving and that the glass of the watch face was broken. Closing it, I turned it over in my hand. When I saw the engraving on the back, however, my heart skipped a beat and any happy expression that may have remained on my face from going through the other items vanished immediately, dropping into a look of concern.
"Your time is running out," it said. I then shoved the watch into my bag, trying to push the thought of what it had engraved on the back of it out of my mind, and zipped the bag. I then tried to return my attention to my allies again.
"What am I meant to do with this hat, guys?" I questioned, hoping that they had some form of an idea. "I really don't want to wear it." I was going to say that it looked stupid, before I remembered what else I was wearing. I already had on a rainbow bow tie and a rainbow 'cape' that I'd made out of a flag. Clearly, I already looked ridiculous. Would it make much of a difference to add one more thing?
Probably, actually.
Seems like a bit excessive on the rainbow portion of things.
OOC:
collects sponsorship
collects 2 bundles medicinal plants and 1 edible plants
Permission from Kay to add this in late (thanks love):
Oliver attempts to catch a delivery word:
bCvcDVK31-4
Result: 1 - caught1-4
