Fourth Dispatch: It's Not What You Think. Voice.

[trinkett]

Dear Fellow Residents of Luceti,

Wouldn't it be entertaining to put on some Games here in Luceti? Not that the Cultural Fair wasn't amusing, or any of the other activities going on here -- but true gladiatorial games. The pitting of one creature against another! Think of the thrill and drama and the release that goes along with that sort of entertainment! And here in Luceti we are ideally suited for a very exciting Games indeed.

Who would you sponsor or volunteer for this entertainment? Or would it all be...

[There is a pause here.]

Pokey-mans? I find human beings MUCH more interesting to watch, personally.

Comments

[action]

[trinkett]

Effie smiled at the girl. "Katniss. No one dies here. Not permanently. Even he could see the pointlessness in my murder."

That didn't mean she wasn't somewhat afraid of that very thing happening, though. She just found it unlikely.

[action]

[stillplaying]

Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath. Trying her best not to remember what it was like. Coming back to Luceti, awakening in the forests to realize that death hadn't sent her back to Panem. That all she had done in getting Clove to kill her was lose her song.

She had been stupid. So very stupid. And so full of grief and loss.

"It's not permanent," she finally says, voice quiet. Because she can't meet Effie's eyes. Not as she talks about this. "But you die. And you come back and you lose something. Something important to you."

[action]

[ruthlessismore]

Effie, preoccupied, doesn't notice Katniss's quiet distraction. One of her irises is having a hard time staying put, and she finds it requires TWO pins this time. She'll have to get this wig seen to.

"Yes, yes. Three months, I've been told, and you can get it back," she responds in her most efficient voice. "I'm not concerned this man presents that sort of threat. He needs to be civilized."

[action]

[stillplaying]

"Yes, but..."

Katniss trails off, watching Effie fiddle with the pins. It's almost easier. Fading into the background. Not being noticed. She wish she could have spent more of the last few years like this. Not in the spotlight. Not their Mockingjay. And, more than that, not so stupid as to let herself fall in love. Because wasn't that the whole reason she had allowed Clove to kill her in the first place? To make that pain go away?

"Four months. But that time goes a lot slower than you think."

[action]

[trinkett]

"I'm not going to die. Not today." There. The wig is set. And it's time to say goodbye.

Effie pauses; it's awkward -- this spontaneous feeling of wanting to give the girl a hug. Some show of thank you for caring if I live or die; you might be the only one.

[action]

[stillplaying]

She just didn't get it, did she? Not even in the slightest. This wasn't Panem. It wasn't the Capitol. There were no Peacekeepers, no subtle threats from President Snow. The Malnosso didn't care what happened within the village. Not unless they were conducting one of their damned hijacks.

There's an odd feeling of disappointment mixed in with the worry. And in the end, it's just easiest to be angry. "You better not."

[action]

[trinkett]

"You're a good person, Katniss." Effie paused, one hand on the door, one foot over the threshold. "You are."

And she left.