CHAPTER THREE

OPEN THEIR EYES.

Looking down at the broken body of the female tribute, Celia felt her blood run cold. She could just barely make out the sound of Sejanus' voice as he followed his friend who was ripped away by the PeaceKeepers.

Celia had never seen somebody die. Somebody's life drain from their crumpled corpse. Now, as she stood in the presence of two, she could feel the air rushing from her lungs.

The rest of the tributes - save for Lucy Gray and Celia - had all scurried for cover, peaking out to take in the carnage.

The silence was deafening.

With wide, shocked eyes, Celia ran her sweaty hands through her tangled hair and took a step toward the corpse.

Kneeling beside the girl, Celia could hear a scoff from behind her.

"What are you doing?" Tanner spoke in disbelief. He watched as his district partner slowly reached down and shut the fallen tribute's eyes. "She just killed her mentor."

"And if I could reach through the bars I'd pay her the same respect." Celia snapped, clenching her jaw as she rubbed her dirtied hands on her pants and stood up.

The other tributes peaked over and around the rocks and trees they sought coverage behind. When the two bodies were dragged away by PeaceKeeper's, the unease felt only deepened.

Would it be so bad to go out that way? Knowing that a worse fate was awaiting in the arena?

••

Celia sat across from Sejanus, her wrists raw from the cuffs attaching her to the table. The pairs were instructed to talk strategy before getting a look at the arena.

Sejanus looked on in silence, clearing his throat and glancing down at his coarse hands. "How are you doing?"

Celia eyes flitted over his face. Purple bags accented her bright eyes and pale skin as she shook a bit from the lack of sustenance. "I miss my dad."

Sejanus swallowed, pursing his lips. He stuttered a bit as he tried to get back on subject. "What- uh, what would you say are your strengths?"

The girl inhaled, shaking her head with a shrug. "Sejanus, I grew up on a farm. I milked cows and sheared sheep. I couldn't even find it in myself to step foot inside of the slaughterhouse."

Her mentor nodded in understanding. "Gee, they don't really prepare you for this kind of thing. Do they?" He pushed a laugh, trying desperately to lighten the mood.

Celia cracked a small smile, relaxing a bit as she shifted in her seat. "I used to hide in the hayloft when I was a kid. My dad always told me to when the PeaceKeepers would come door to door. He didn't want me seeing how they ransacked our home." She chuckled bitterly, "they don't go too easily on those behind on their bills."

"When we get a look at the arena, we'll have to keep an eye out for hiding places. I'm - I'm sure there has to be something we can use." Sejanus rested his hand over her cuffed ones, frowning at the red skin surrounding the metal.

Feeling eyes on her, Celia subtly turned to her right. Lucy Gray sat adjacent to her, across from the boy who eyed the Fairbrook girl. He squinted before quickly averting his gaze back to the tribute across from him.

"Hm," Celia sighed. "And what about my interview? What do I do?"

Sejanus rubbed a hand down his face. He knew that the best way to go about getting donations would be to make his tribute likable in the eyes of the capitol. The boy was torn. He could have Celia make a statement. She could speak out against the games and hopefully persuade the few that agree with him to stand up.

Sejanus did not like the feeling of another's life in his hands. While he wrestled with the differing ideas in his head, Celia leaned forward. "The way I see it, I have no shot at winning anyway." She glanced at the other district kids, specifically some of the boys who she knew she couldn't hold her own against. "Tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it. There's nothing to lose for me."

Sejanus still toyed with the idea of conforming. He didn't want to write her story's end, but nothing would change if nobody spoke up. The underclassmen would be facing this same dilemma next year and the years following.

"They're not going to like it." Sejanus finally concluded, leaning forward and lowering his voice to a whisper. "Open their eyes."

••

The gun against her back stung with each jab. As Celia stumbled toward the arena, she struggled to keep the tears at bay. A few stray tears slipped from her eyes, racing down her flushed cheeks. A shock to her, a warm hand grabbed her own.

Looking down at the connected hands, Celia's eyes trailed up the arm and identified Lucy Gray as the culprit. Her thumb soothingly rubbed overtop of Celia's delicate skin, comforting her.

Lucy Gray bit her lip in thought. "Sorry," she dropped it. "It usually helps my cousin calm down from her panic attacks."

Celia summoned a shaky smile to her face, eyes soft and cheeks gaining color. If it weren't for the impatient PeaceKeepers behind the pair, Celia would've grabbed the girl's hand once more.

Lucy Gray's mentor quickly caught up to the group after being called away earlier. Celia had failed to notice Sejanus falling behind as he helped up any tribute that fell due to the harsh treatment from the PeaceKeepers.

Celia found herself awkwardly walking adjacent to the pair. Earlier, she had learned the name of the mysterious mentor. Coriolanus Snow was infamous around the capitol. In fact, even she in District Ten had heard a rumor of his father's involvement with the games. The girl shuddered, saving him a glance as she let them take the lead.

As Sejanus ran to catch up with his tribute, the duo missed the look thrown over Lucy Gray's shoulder as she stepped through the gate.

"Sorry, sorry." Sejanus was out of breath as he regained his perfect posture and fell beside Celia.

"You apologize too much." She spoke flatly, a small smile gracing her nervous face.

Celia could hear a faint "sorry" from the boy, who then ultimately chose to shut his mouth.

Passing the barrier into the eerie arena, a chipper voice came over the loudspeaker with each entrance.

"Welcome to the show!"

"This is so wrong." Celia stuttered, watching as multiple camera men fanned out around the group. Sejanus didn't say anything as he motioned the girl over to a less crowded corner of the arena.

The shutters came down, lighting up the playing field with skylight. As Celia took in the sight, her face grew warm as drops of sweat formed on her brows.

"Sejanus," she spoke softly. It was all too real, this very room would serve as the dying place for 23 children. She caught sight of the familiar colorful dress.

Lucy Gray trudged by with Coriolanus following behind like a lost puppy.

"Celia?" Sejanus cautiously rested a hand on her shoulder. He sounded muffled as she tried to blink herself out of the haze. "Breathe, Celia."

"Are you alright, darling?" The familiar female soft voice spoke, dripping in concern. Her brows were drawn as she made her way beside Sejanus.

"I can't - I can't, I don't want to die." Celia trembled, uneven breaths floating by her chapped lips. Sejanus stepped back, allowing Lucy Gray to take over and attempt to comfort the tribute.

He didn't fail to notice the subtle way Corio grimaced at Celia. "What's wrong with your tribute?"

Sejanus swallowed, nervously watching on. "Panic attack."

Lucy Gray rubbed her hands up and down the arms of her future opponent, shushing her softly as she held eye contact with the frightened girl.

"Pathetic." Coriolanus spoke in a hush, successfully avoiding Sejanus' ears. His jaw tensed as he grew annoyed with the time being taken out of his mentoring.

"Deep breaths, with me. We'll do it together." Lucy Gray guided Celia, breathing in through her nose and out of her mouth. After a few deep breaths, Celia was able to center herself once more. The blur in her outer vision settled as her flushed cheeks started to gain a healthy color. "There ya go, cowgirl!" Lucy Gray pulled her into a tight hug, one Celia couldn't refuse. Like two puzzle pieces, the girls fit together perfectly.

Sejanus froze at the rumbling under his feet. "What's that noise?"

A series of explosions erupted, bombs falling from the sky and destroying the arena. Celia fell to a kneel, holding on tight to Lucy Gray. She held a protective arm over the girl's head as they waited it out.

And as the smoke cleared, Lucy Gray looked up at Celia. Words of both gratitude and worry sat on the tip of her tongue before hearing the sound of groaning. The girls could just barely make out the sight of rubble where the boys once stood. Sejanus was now on the ground a few feet away, but sitting up, out of breath.

Lucy Gray stumbled into a run as she approached the pile of concrete. Digging into the scraps, she attempted to free her mentor.

As Celia made a move to help the girl, a pair of hands on her back startled her. "C'mon! The gates are open!" A District Two tribute shouted, pushing Celia towards her freedom.

"Lucy Gray!" She yelled, letting herself be shoved as her eyes met brown ones. Celia stepped away from the boy's frantic hands as he looked at her incredulously before continuing his escape. She hustled back over to the brunette, falling to her knees as she helped her pull the rocks from Coriolanus.

••

"You should've ran." Lucy Gray whispered to her that night.

"And left you?"

The two sat on a bench backstage, awaiting their interviews. The boy from District Eight was onstage and Celia shuffled uncomfortably when she realized she was the next one up. Both tributes and mentors for District Nine were being treated for wounds from the rebel bombing.

"'Sides," Celia shrugged, "I wouldn't have gotten far."

Lucy Gray thumbed at the guitar laying across her lap. "I'd rather take my chances out there." She concluded with a chuckle.

A comfortable silence fell between the two girls. Jessup laid across the bench parallel to theirs, catching up on rest. He was growing sick. Tanner paced across the room, getting inside his head, he grew nervous for his turn. The two District Eleven tributes stuck to each other like glue as they spoke quietly in their own corner.

"They're going to hate me after this interview."

Lucy Gray turned to Celia, a questioning look in her eye. Celia laughed at the thought, "Donations won't mean much to me when I won't make it ten minutes."

"Don't say that." Her voice was harsh, accent heavy as she completely faced Celia now. "Stop saying that. You are not going to die in there."

Celia swallowed, looking down at her lap. She shrugged with pursed lips, "I'm sorry for freaking out in there."

Lucy Gray's face softened. "You don't need to apologize. Hell, you were just saying what we were all thinking." She looked back down to the instruments, playing with the strings as Bobbins interview finished up.

The silence was broken with a fond laugh. "Coriolanus sure knows where to get the good ones." Lucy Gray spoke in reference to the guitar.

"Are you going to sing?"

The brunette nodded with a smile. "It's my passion." The happy expression on her face fell slightly, "Too bad I'm sharing it with the ones rooting for my demise."

Celia patted Lucy Gray's knee comfortingly. Playing with the fabric of her skirt. "I've never heard you sing," as the audience applauded and Bobbin exited, Celia stood. "I'll be listening from the wings."

A woman quickly ushered Celia through the maze of hallways and to the stage door. She could only just catch the tail end of Lucretius Flickerman's introduction for her.

" - the admirable Celia Fairbrook!"

Celia had to soften her furrowed brows at that. These people knew nothing of her, so why was Lucretius speaking as if they were old pals.

She nervously stepped onstage, breath catching as she glanced out toward the audience. Celia thought back to the time she told her mother she wanted to be a star, this was not what she had in mind. The hungry eyes of the elite were washing over Celia's dirtied figure with distaste.

How she wished Sejanus were here, he was in the hospital taking care of Coriolanus and watching from afar.

"Ms. Fairbrook." Lucretius smiled, motioning for her to have a seat. "How are you doing tonight?"

Celia pursed her lips with a nervous gulp. "Could be better." 

Flickerman laughed at the response. "She's honest, folks!" As the laughter settled down, Celia shuffled in her seat. "Now, Celia, I hear you and your father own a farm back in Ten. Are you fond of the work life? I imagine you aren't too afraid to get your hands dirty, could help in the arena."

Celia bristled at that. "I love the animals. They're more tolerable than most people." Again, Lucretius laughed at her deadpanned words.

Their exchange included a few more minutes of useless questions that Celia answered with no emotion. She couldn't quite understand the value in showing her real self to the people who were immune to her place.

"Mister Flickerman, can I ask you a question?"

He was taken aback, with a chuckle he grabbed his chest. "Oh my, well this is a first. Usually I'm conducting the interviews."

Celia waited for the crowd to settle as she gained her confidence. "Do you have children at home?"

Flickerman noticeable melted at the mention of his child, "Why yes, I do! My baby girl is at home with the Mrs." He waved at the camera, "Hi honey!"

Celia grew nervous as she fought to speak against the capital. "What would you, as a father, do if your daughter was reaped? Say you weren't protected by the veil of the capital."

Flickerman was visibly taken aback, he chuckled nervously before clearing his throat. "I'm sure I'd feel honored, knowing my child is participating in something bigger than herself."

"Hm," Celia sat forward a bit. "And what about everybody else?" She glanced toward the audience. Most looked uncomfortable, some angry, and some frowned at the idea. "Try to walk a mile in these shitty shoes." Celia motioned to her torn leather boots.

"Alright." Lucretius drew out with an awkward laugh. "Now, young lady, that's no way to woo the crowd."

"Good thing wooing is not my intention." She bit, standing up. "Think about it." Celia spoke to the crowd as she started for the exit. Scattered applause met her ears as she braced herself for the harsh punishment she may face afterward.

While her interview was shorter than normal, she was sure it was the most memorable.

••

NOTES
my girl is gaining her voice!!!!
2.5k, unedited.