"Silence, children,<span style="font-style: italic">si</span>lence!" cried Fallon as she rose from the dining table. Turning on the huge television at the other end of the room, she said, "The<span style="font-style: italic">scores</span>are coming up!" Of course, the procession started with District 1 on up, so the 11 tributes didn't pay much attention. Eden kept on chowing down his medium rare steak; he had never eaten so heartily in his lifetime. However, Fallon sat completely still with her violet eyes glued to the screen the whole time.<br/><br/>Over at Disctrict 4's table, everyone was paying full attention to every rating that was given. Stark's face emerged on the screen and the owner of that face sat straight up; his heart pumping excitedly. Then, the announcer said, "Stark Hellebore. Score: 11." Stark's wide eyes dulled in an instant and he made a stricken scowl as everyone clapped for him<br/><br/>"<span style="font-style: italic">Eleven</span>?" he muttered to himself, too upset to listen to the others' scores, although he knew they would be lower. "I can't believe this." A female tribute, Coren, put her hand on Stark's shoulder and said, "Why are you so upset? You got the highest score of all of us! Probably even of all the Districts." Stark released a cry of frustration and pushd Coren's hand away, snapping, "I don't give a damn! It's still not the highest." He got up from the table and walked toward the television, glowering at it. "Those bastards! I deserved a twelve. They<span style="font-style: italic">know</span>it!"<br/><br/>"Jeez, calm the hell down," said a male tribute, Veen, with a sour look. "No one has ever gotten a perfect twelve before. You're expecting waaay too much out of yourself."<span style="font-style: italic">Too much out of myself?</span>repeated Stark in his head as he grew even more livid. Turning around, Stark took out his dagger and pointed it at Veen, snarling, "You better shut your mouth, or I'll cut it off." Veen stood up and snapped, "Is that a threat,<span style="font-style: italic">Eleven</span>?" Stark's breath hissed at the condescending name as he tightened his grip on the dagger's hilt.<br/><br/>"Boys!" yelled the District's trainer, standing up as well. "Save it for the battlefield! There will be<span style="font-style: italic">no</span>violence while I'm around, which is going to be until the Games begin."" The trainer raised his hands, calming his tone. "Just...<span style="font-style: italic">save</span>it. You're going to need all the energy you can get." Continuing to glower at Veen, Stark sheathed his dagger and stormed off to his bedroom.<br/><br/>Finally, District 11's insignia appeared on the screen and everyone from that District looked to it.<br/><br/>"Eden Hayvick," the announcer declared as Eden's face came up. "Score: 5." Fallon made a light applause as she glanced at him with an indifferent expression. Immediately after, the other tributes joined in the clapping, but only for a moment because Fallon stopped nearly right away. The next scores were 7, 4, and 8. Fallon clapped ecstatically at the male tribute who got the highest score.<br/><br/>"Congratulations,<span style="font-style: italic">Gal</span>ner!" she cried with a big grin. She scuttled over to him in her tall yellow boots and pinned a jewel heart on his shirt. Putting her arms around his neck, she sighed and murmured contently, "You're my good luck charm." Galner's face clearly showed he was uncomfortable with her embrace. She released him and said, "<span style="font-style: italic">You</span>get a piece of my de<span style="font-style: italic">li</span>cious cherry chocolate cake!" She walked over to the table and began cutting him a piece.<br/><br/>"No, thank you," said Galner, polite but insistent. "I've already had too much to eat, really." Fallon just gave a "Mmhmm" in reply before placing a huge piece of cake right before him. Brushing off her hands, she said, "Well, we<span style="font-style: italic">al</span>ways have room in our stomach for de<span style="font-style: italic">sert</span>, don't we?" Galner just gave a perturbed sigh and nodded. Fallon stood head of the table,and announced, "There are going to be<span style="font-style: italic">no</span>interviews or shows this time,<span style="font-style: italic">child</span>ren. To<span style="font-style: italic">mor</span>row is the beginning of the Games. You best--<span style="font-style: italic">Remy</span>!" The sudden shrill of her cat's name made all of the tributes jump in surprise. She stormed over to the table where her kitten was licking a cinnamon bun and picked him up and batted him on the head. "You<span style="font-style: italic">know</span>you're not supposed<span style="font-style: italic">to</span>do that, you little brat!" She returned to the head of the table and continued, "You best be getting to bed<span style="font-style: italic">soon</span>. I know<span style="font-style: italic">I</span>am." She turned around and left the room.<br/><br/>"My<span style="font-style: italic">God</span>, she's annoying," said Galner bluntly. All of the tributes laughed at that. Galner shook his head with an exasperated smile. "I mean, she hasn't given us one piece of advice for the Games. And everything she does is irritating. Es<span style="font-style: italic">peci</span>ally how she<span style="font-style: italic">talks</span>."<br/><br/>"I know!" said the girl who scored 7, Emery. "Like, how are you<span style="font-style: italic">do</span>ing? I<span style="font-style: italic">hope</span>that you are<span style="font-style: italic">well</span>. I can't stand it." Nodding, the girl who scored 4, Laetha, added, "And she doesn't even listen to you when you talk." Eden snorted and said, "I don't think she even hears." A silence passed over the table for a moment.<br/><br/>"Tomorrow's the day," said Galner nonchalantly. "How's everyone doing?" Emery sighed and replied, "Can't complain about the treatment, but it's nervewracking." Eden nodded. He felt at ease with these people. Even though there was a bad moon on the rise, it was comforting to listen to people who are enduring the same ordeal. Galner looked beside him at Laetha and asked, "How are you?" With her head downcast, she shook her head and mumbled, "Not too well." The pain and fear in her voice was very audible. She gasped, beginning to cry, and said, "I'm not supposed to be here. This isn't for me." Galner put his hand on her shoulder and she turned toward him and buried her face in shoulder as he hugged her.<br/><br/>"It's okay," said Galner gently and sympathetically. "You can do this."<br/><br/>"<span style="font-style: italic">But I can't</span>!" cried Laetha, partially smothered by his shirt. "I can't kill. I can't hurt. I'm not strong enough." Eden's chest ached as she said the exact same thing he said to his father. Emery stood up and walked over to the other side of Laetha and said, "You don't have to kill or hurt. You don't need strength."<br/><br/>"But you do need emotional strength," said Galner. "And you have that." Laetha shook her head as she wept. "Yes, you do. Everyone does, because that's what keeps people alive during bad times. It the innate survival skill." Petting Laetha's head, Emery said, "All you need to do is survive. Don't focus on fighting or killing. Just run away and hide and live." Galner nodded and said softly, "I'll protect you, okay?" He lifted her head and looked into her swollen red eyes with a comforting smile. "We'll stick together, okay?" Gasping and sniffling, Laetha nodded and uttered a weak, "Okay."<br/><br/>As he continued to hold Laetha, Galner took a look at Eden and Emery and said, "Let's agree on this: if we're going to die, let's die human. Don't turn into a monster. Do whatever to survive and protect yourself, but<span style="font-style: italic">don't</span>turn into a monster. That just shows that the Capitol has claimed you. Yeah, the monsters will probably win, but they will have lost their sense of humanity. We will have kept it till the end." When Galner took another look at him, Eden unconsiously put his hand to his ponytail and stroked Amshel's blue ribbon. He saw so much of his brother in Galner. Everything he just said resembled his brother's sense of integrity.<br/><br/>"Yeah," agreed Eden with a smile. It was natural for him to always follow his brother.