We Can Burn Brighter // [ALL 61st Tribs]

Elon is in his normal chipper mood as he knocks on my door telling me that we're going to have a party. He's blathering on and I nod and smile trying to resist but I know that he won't let it go. So with a sigh I set off towards the party site. I'd already met a few tributes, mainly Cyrus and a nice girl named Chloe...but the rest had kind of kept their distance.

Think about it. No one wanted to get close to the pregnant girl, no one wanted to hear her sobs. So more than arms length would be perfect. Walking into the small area, she pressed herself to the wall... 15 minutes tops was all I planned on spending. Then I see the whiskey. "Elon do you mind if I have some? And by some I mean a lot?" A smile teases my lips as I reach for a glass.

Maybe a night knackered up to push the thoughts away is exactly what I need. Besides, the first night Jack and I spent together was booze induced. Why can't I do this in his memory.

Cyrus was still becoming accustomed to the fact that the other tributes knew who he was. When he realized that this was an open invitation to escape the confines of his room, he mulled the opportunity for a few minutes. Was this some kind of trick, the evening before the games, to have them all exhausted for tomorrow? And yet Cyrus did not think that this was anything out of the ordinary. In fact, he wanted so desperately to not think about tomorrow that anything was a welcome distraction. He made sure that his mentor and escort were off doing something else before fixing himself up for this supposed get together.

Please don’t let this be a trick where they all are going to do something terrible to me. Cyrus looked at himself in the mirror and blinked. No, he had been learning that to make decisions for himself—good or bad—that he was asserting his own independence. That he could be free and that there was a certain thrill to it all.

He made his way to the dining hall and wondered just what he was getting himself into. He could feel his heart beat faster as he moved to knock on the door. This is another one of those times when I wish someone was here to tell me if this was a stupid idea.

The girl felt a lot more reassured watching Elon smile. Wrinkling her nose at the smell of the beer he was drinking, she was caught off guard by his arm bringing her in. For a moment, she closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of his clothes. With the tribute's arm around her, Mahlah was actually glad she came.The District Three girl wasn't often hugged and when someone did offer the kind gesture she savored it. He made a jest about the alcohol and she offered a small smile back to him. Reluctant to leave his side, she took a few step back to let him talk to the others.

Her eyes drifted across the table of bottles. Despite her age, and the assault they made on her nose, Mahlah was a little curious about the beverages. Mahlah looks up in time to catch eyes with the girl, Noreen- the pregnant one. She looks as if on the verge of tears and turned away real quick. The girl's own eyes went over the other tributes, internally noting that she was the exact same height as the girl with the glass of whiskey. That wasn't quite fair that she couldn't have any while everyone else drank their worries away.

"Elon, just a sip. Please?" looking over at one of the other guests- (Cyrus, District Six) she cracked another smile. He was babbling to Noreen and didn't seem to be a big fan of liquor. Coming to the party was a good idea, she was smiling more than she could remember.

Cyrus's face is a dead give away that he's not fond of the burn of the liquor. "Slow down buddy, that stuff will kick you in the ass." I smile. Its a strange feeling on my face. It doesn't fit with my heart but its enough that I don't feel totally broken in this moment. My eyes look up to Elon, hoping he knows that even though we're not teaming up that I still appriciate him and couldn't ever do anything to harm him. I don't give a shit what Mace says. I'm dying by my own rules, and that means being kind to those who are kind to you.

"This was a good idea Elon." I call over, the strange expression still on my face. He's a good guy, just like Cyrus, its just too bad that we've got to end this tomorrow. I could probably be friends with both of them back home. Its odd. I've made more "friends" this week than I have my whole life...and now I have to go kill them. How messed up our world is.

Reaching over I take Cyrus's cup and take another sip. I do need to start pacing myself though, I note as I feel the burn in my veins. "I'm doing great Cyrus, just great."

It was great to hear that Noreen was in good spirits. Cyrus felt a little flushed from his gulping of whatever foul liquid he’d had in his hand and grinned. He didn’t even mind that she’d taken his cup. Good, she can keep it. Blech! Being around all of them made it less hard to imagine they’d be fighting for their lives tomorrow morning. They also gave him hope, in a strange way, that though all of them were destined to kill or be killed, perhaps there was some goodness down in all of them.

“You know, I was feeling really scared earlier. I thought that all this would be bad. Because no one ever asked me to come to things when I was at home. I thought that maybe this was some type of thing to beat us up or something.