Dine and Dash and Dizzy
Nov 21, 2010 4:17:05 GMT -5
Post by Penny Cromwell on Nov 21, 2010 4:17:05 GMT -5
With folded hands the hooded girl sat quietly relaxing into the blood-red leather of the booth. Coldness crept up her fingertips from the surface of the smoothed out wooden table that held a small glass of lime flavored mineral water. The body of the straw was buried beneath the bubbles surrounded by walls of frozen blocks of ice it's bent opening leaning just over the rim of the clear glass. Penny's eyes weren't focused on her drink though, no nothing so beautiful as that, they were focused on the large screens that littered the make-shift dinner. This was after all just a small extension of the Games Square and yet she could only bring herself this far in, to the outer edge closest to the water. Even now she wished for her food so that she could rise to her feet and leave. She wasn't thinking when she came in here, how stupid could she be - of course they would be airing the games.
The months leading up to the games she had eaten here every Friday like clockwork but now that the games had begun this had been her first time back... in... She looked around and thought for a moment trying to remember. A daze drifted over her as if forgetting was better than remembering but the number couldn't stay hidden. It had only been three Fridays ago. Why did it feel so long? Her chest started to heave out and back in as her breathing sped up and her folded hands clenched together as if trying to relax her from what she was seeing on the television sets. That is why it had felt so long. She is why. 'Krista.' Closing her eyes she fought back tears as her best friends memory drifted across her eyelids only causing her more pain. A girl on the screen no older than 14 had just been pronounced dead... to cheers... cheers...
Penny turned her head toward the wall rubbed her darkening face against her sleeve just in time to prepare herself for the old waitress's patriotic smile. "Some Games isn't it." She said a little too cheerfully. Penny bit back the words she was really thinking. 'How would you know you are old enough to be too old to compete in the first Hunger Games.' She frowned not saying a word, her eyes drifting to the plate the woman held in her boney fingers. "Here's your meal." And with that the old hag set the plate on the table and walked back away to where they had several larger screens televising the events.
Her name was Georgina Herendaul daughter of supposedly the mayor of District Four. 'Some hundred years ago no doubt or something.' Penny thought coldly as she forked one of the french fries on her plate and drowned it in a cup of ketchup. Sighing at her inner outburst she lifted the golden salty morsel from its ketchup blood bath and pressed it to her lips savoring the taste. Somehow that caused a smile to come over her cracked pink lips as she blotted out the scenery around her and started to fork two and then three at a time. That was all she ordered - a plate of french fries, a cup of ketchup and a small glass of mineral water. She liked to treat herself to lunch at least a couple times a week so conserving what she bought when she did buy something went a long way. Plus, for some ungodly reason it came with a pickle on the side - a long green seedy pickle. Which... she dipped in ketchup as well and breathed out a delicious sound of something just hitting the spot.
She didn't even notice when they flashed a video of the last tribute getting killed, no, she would not watch that - at least not alone. She was alone here, sure there was a half dozen people seated sporadically around the place, another couple waitresses talking up a half dozen others who had gathered across the dinner in front of the larger screens, but no one here could she rely upon. Sipping up the remainders of her icy mineral water she looked around the room for a familiar face but none arrived all she could focus on was the group of loud men flirting with the waitress while enjoying... the show. She scowled and wondered why they weren't in one of the other places in the square surely the main complex offered a better viewing experience.
Baffled by their enjoyment she awkwardly leaned back into the leather cushion that held into the back of the wooden bench and lightly tapped her thumbs on her jean covered thighs waiting for the woman to come back over so that she could leave. But the women was preoccupied and as one minute turned into three Penny couldn't help but drift her eyes upward to the small television screen nearest to her. There were four men on the screen in a news room type setting debating the odds... the odds of who wouldn't survive the day.
The temptation was their, it was a sport to them, they were betting on human lives. Looking as they passed along the remaining Tributes scores, their injuries, what weapons and gear they have... Penny blinked and leaned forward as she started to pay attention. "What?" She whispered to herself. They were placing Takeba Suzumi as one of the top contenders. Now it started to make sense, why they were so obsessed over by the large screen, why maybe the other viewing areas could be full or at least crowded. She couldn't feel bad now only bad at how she was feeling toward everyone else earlier - crazy nutshell logic.
Placing her hand to her cheek she rested her elbow upon the table and started to listen for a little while, while waiting for the waitress to return to her table with a bill. Maybe District Four would finally have another winner.'Considered the least successful career District, ugh as if it can even be considered one, it was surprising that she was still alive. A good surprise.' Maybe she would have a reason to pay attention to the games this year.
words; 1043
notes; Hug me!
outfit; outfit here.
credit; credit to CLAIRE BEAR ?! via caution two point oh
