The Loric Games

Chapter 17: Back and Forth

Three's POV

I wake up with a huge smile on my face. I had the most amazing time with Glimmer last night. We just kissed and looked out over the city at the lights and the sound of wind chimes, created a romantic atmosphere. We even saw the sunset and start to rise when we retired. She said she wanted to get at least a little sleep before tonight's interview. I told her that she'd look beautiful no matter how much sleep she had. She laughed and kissed me. She's the most amazing girl in the entire world and I can't believe that I met her. I'm the luckiest guy in the world and she is the most beautiful girl in the entire universe.

I sit up in bed and just picture her beautiful and lively smile. I long to hear her laugh again and see her pure green eyes light up. I know I'm not the most attractive boy, but she picked me over everyone else.

I saunter down to breakfast and sit next Marina. Her eyes are bloodshot from either lack of sleep or crying. I hold her hand and give her a gentle squeeze of reassurance. She returns the gesture and we prepare ourselves for one hell of a day. It's prep for our interviews, with our mentors... I don't know if I'm ready for this... Marina is stuck with our female mentor and I have some elderly guy who won like 20 years ago. I think he's an alcoholic too because he hasn't shown up at all through training or anything else and when he does show up, he's always drinking a bottle of something.

Our female mentor comes in and sits down across from us. She doesn't say anything. In fact neither of us has spoken to her since I blew up at her for calling Marina and I don't think she really wants to talk to us either. We eat in silence and hardly look at each other.

When the Avoxes come and take everything away. Marina stands up and walks off with our one mentor and I'm left in the dining room alone. I have no idea where the male mentor is nor do I really have faith that he'll actually show up anyways.

I start fiddling with the lights, practicing this legacy that I've acquired. I make the light change colour and force it to flash in different areas of the room, almost like a strobe light. No one's around, so I can do what I please.

Eventually I hear someone stumble down the hall. I turn to see a very aged and scraggly man stumbling towards me, holding a bottle of either whiskey or champagne. He practically falls again when he stumbles over an adjacent stool in the sitting room. I manage to catch him with my telekinesis until he stands up again. He wobbles over to the table and sits in the chair across from me. I can see that his eyes are swimming in booze and he's in no shape to do anything.

"So!" he says loud enough for the whole building to hear. "This is what D-7 brings me this year! Avox!" he bellows.

A silent servant comes up to him.

"Bring me two glasses, this is going to be a long day."

Longer for me than you old man. I think to myself

"So...!!" he says again. "Did District 7 send me a winner this year."

I stare at him with an eyebrow raised and the guy bursts out laughing in his chair. He laughs so hard he nearly drops his bottle, but he clutches it like it will save his life. I really don't know what to do with this guy, he's clearly hammered and unable to even think straight.

The Avox brings the glasses and the guy proceeds to pour the contents of his bottle into the glasses, most of the contents. Once he's done pouring and spilling, he pushes a glass over to me and takes a swig from the bottle instead of the glass.

"Drink up buddy!" he says. "If you win, liquor is your only friend."

"No thank you." I say as politely as possible.