Snow hurried into the main hallway, his papers nearly flying out of his hands, as he questioned the grip of his shoes on the tiled floor. “Hold it!” He yelled as he seen the back of a girl with dark brown hair enter the elevator.
He reached the elevator, hunched over holding his papers to his chest. He tried to catch his breath in between his thank you. He finally stood up straight, heaving a large breath and exhaling it. He demanded, “Press 8 for me,” leaning on the support rail.
Snow's icy blue eyes met the captivating gaze of a girl with warm brown eyes and a mischievous grin, sending a jolt of curiosity through him. They were the only two in the elevator, and Snow started to imagine the possibilities of the situation.
“Awful demanding, aren’t you?” She teased, pressing number 8 anyway. “Something important?” She smelled of earth and rain, and she looked like a girl Snow could have on his arm for the rest of his life.
Snows face relaxed, and opened his mouth to say something smart, when the elevator gave a sudden shake and stopped moving. He looked at the girl with a skeptical air, muttering, “That's never happened before.” Panic filled his features as he realized the elevator was stuck. "Oh no," he moaned, "We can't be stuck!"
The brunette stared at him, and then looked at the walls. The walls were a gray clinical colour, the elevator not much bigger than a standard bathroom, directly to her left was a large mirror. She gave a deep breath before answering, “Looks like it.”
Snow was in a state of panic. He paced each corner of the elevator, mumbling "No, no, no." He knew he had an important meeting to attend. “This can’t be stuck!” He was throwing a tantrum like a toddler.
Snow glimpsed the girl's gaze upon him, detecting a hint of defiance. He stopped to take a deep breath, brushing his curls back and straightening his blazer to seem a little more put together. He put the sheets of paper on to the silver translucent floor, in a tidy bundle.
He cleared his throat and put on his best calm voice, he would not let anybody think he is a savage or that he was capable of behaving as one. “I’m sorry, where are my manners? I’m Cornelius Snow…” He puffed out his chest a little as he declares his name. The name Snow was a very important name to those in the capitol, it held with it fear.
“Well, Snow,” she mocked his strange accent. “I’m Lucy Gray Baird.” She stuck a hand out for him to shake. Snow took her soft, cold hand into his rough, warm one and brought it to his lips. He was nothing if not a gentleman.
Lucy Gray ripped her hand from his in a panic. Startled and slightly confused by the interaction. “I know the name Snow,” She said to him, looking at him expectantly, “Snow’s the reason my families dead.”
Cornelius looked at her with confusion, he hadn’t killed anybody. He laughed a little, ”Must be another Snow out there.” He brushed it off, going back to the door of the elevator, “You think we can pry this open?”
Lucy Gray stared at him with a deep dislike in her eyes, “You created the Hunger Games as we know it. Didn’t you? That was you right?” Snow was paying attention to the door, trying to jam his fingers into it.
“Huh?” He said, clearly distracted from the conversation. “Oh, yes, yes that was me. Can you give me a hand here?”
Snow could feel Lucy Gray’s eyes in the back of his head, boring into his soul. He waited for a response, and when none came he stopped trying to open the door. He turned and face the girl, “I didn’t kill your family, I did what I was told to do. We all do what we are told to do, its just…” He paused, thinking of the right word to continue with, he finally settled on one. “Easier.”
Lucy Gray let out an obnoxious laugh, “Yeah, easier, of course! Death of innocents for an easy life.” She paced a little, before deciding she didn’t want to look at him. She slid down the wall of the elevator, head in her hands and he knees bunched to her chest.
An unfamiliar sensation stirred within Snow, a mixture of unease and curiosity. It lacked the intensity of empathy or guilt, yet it lingered, tugging at the edges of his consciousness. He looked at the door longingly, flicking his eyes on the paper and finally deciding to join Lucy Gray.
He stood on the opposite side of the elevator, facing her. He looked at her for a few seconds, to judge whether she was being entirely genuine or not. He decided on not, but she was beautiful and he had nothing else to do seeing as his immediate plans were put on hold.
He slid down the wall, looking directly at her. “Look, it’s different in the Capitol, things were bad during the war. It’s the only way we can keep control.”
Lucy scoffed in disbelief. “It’s still bad in the districts. Public floggings, hangings, executions, people are starving out there. Children are dying. Life as we know it has changed permanently. Mothers and daughters being split up, fathers and sons being executed side by side, you are not controlling us, Snow, you are cornering us.” There was venom in the words she spat at him, he could feel it.
The anger radiated from her, and for once he was lost for words. Was she claiming that riots were going to happen? Was this a threat?
Snow went to speak, to belittle her. Put her down. He raised his head at her, looking at her from his eyelashes, his face contorting. How dare she say that this was his fault? How dare she put this blame on him. He had only done what was asked of him, what was expected of him. He had done his duty to the Capitol, to his home, to his family.
Before the argument could evolve, they heard a noise from the door that dissipated all tension. “Hello? Hello you guys okay in there?” A deep voice yelled from the other side.
Lucy Gray jumped up and ran towards the elevator door. “Hey! Yeah! Get me out of here!” The doors were forced open with a crowbar, and in 5 minutes Lucy Gray had left the confined space and left, without saying a word to Snow.
Just a disclaimer I do not own these characters! These characters belong to Suzanne Collins from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - I am only using these characters as a way to practice my writing skills :)
The Hunger Games party was not at all what Lucy Gray had anticipated. Instead of the blared music and blinding lights she had envisioned, the room was filled with a stifling silence and large round tables, each filled with someone who looked important. She would have felt more comfortable in the former.
The dancefloor, far from being crowded and vibrant, was practically deserted, with people only using it to get to the buffet table. It was a stark contrast to the pulsating energy she had imagined. Lucy Gray couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment as she gazed around the lackluster party venue.
Before she could really feel any more disappointment, a peacekeeper grabbed her firmly by the arm and whisked her towards her seat. Faces passed in a blur as she walked towards her table. People had clothes that Lucy Gray had to actively dodge due to how sharp the edges looked. She could hear laughing somewhere in the distance and had a rather uncomfortable feeling that this laugh was directed at her.
When she got to the seat, she felt extreme uneasiness around her. The seat seemed to be made out of pure gold, completely reflective, four spindles going down the back. As she pulled out her chair, the coolness of it made her jump slightly. Now that she thought about it, it was quite cool in the hall, even though she felt on fire.
She pulled down the back of her dress, ensuring it didn’t ride up on her as she took her seat. Her thoughts were racing as she continued to look at her lap, the chair she was sitting on pulled out from the table. Voices from all around her consumed her, too many to focus in on any one. Her hands felt rather soaked by the time she had brought herself back to earth.
Then something snapped her out of it. She raised her head sharply, smelling the distinct smell of roses. As she raised her head, she found herself face to face with a young man, seemingly of similar age. She had now became aware of how far out of the table she must be sitting, she quickly pulled herself in.
He had a buzzed head, but enough hair to tell that he was a natural blonde. He wore a white suit with a rose in the top pocket, a black undershirt and white tie. His eyes were the bluest eyes Lucy Gray has ever seen, and for a moment she just couldn’t help but not look away.
“Hello,” The boy said just above a whisper. It felt like an intimate greeting. He brought her hand to his mouth as he gently kissed them, a usual capitol tradition Lucy had assumed. His hands were rough and warm. “I’m Coriolanus.”
Before she had gotten the chance to reply, she was ambushed with questions for other people at the table. “Lucy Gray?! What an honor to be sat next to crowds favourite!” A boy in blue screamed from across the table, leaning over and reaching to her in a dramatic way. His eyelashes were the longest eyelashes Lucy Gray had ever seen, his blue suit was so reflective she could almost make herself out.
Before she knew it, all of the blue boys mates were surrounding her and Coriolanus had disappeared from her sight. What must he think of her? Someone who craves fame, attention? That couldn’t have felt further from the truth.
"So, Lucy Gray," the boy began before being interrupted by a girl who looked eerily similar to him. "The way you did your hair was-" a girl with yellow ribbons throughout her hair chimed in excitedly, admiration twinkling in her eyes, "impeccable."
Beside them, a man sitting next to the blue boy joined in with his own comment, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Absolutely brutal! Hitting him so hard-" he started, only to be interrupted by another girl who added, her voice filled with emotion, "I cried!"
The conversation swirled around Lucy Gray as multiple voices merged into one, each person wanting to share their thoughts and reactions. It was chaotic, with words colliding and overlapping, creating a whirlwind of excitement and curiosity.
Lucy Gray tried her best to keep up, but it felt like a whirlpool of words pulling her in different directions. She glanced around the table, unsure of how to respond amidst the flurry of comments. The room seemed to spin as the conversation continued, and she found herself longing for a moment of calm amidst the chaos.
Before she could respond to any of the comments, they all had already moved on to talking about the shirt that the President was wearing.
After a beat, she heard Coriolanus’ voice. “Lucy Gray, is it?” It was a whisper in her ear, demanding her attention. Ensuring it doesn’t get lost in the noise of the room.
She span round to face him, smiling widely. “Coriolanus!” She said a little too loudly for how close they were. Now that she was close to him, she noticed how full his lips are, and how he has a dimple on the side of his mouth when he smiles. He stood at least a foot taller than her, and normally she would be intimidated, but she felt protected. Like nobody could creep up behind her.
She feared he would’ve been put off by her brashness, but instead he looked at his shoes and give out a little chuckle before meeting her eyes again. He gave a quick scan of the area around him, moving in close to Lucy Gray. “You wanna see the garden?” He asked quietly.
“Absolutely.” She had responded at the same level this time, best not to bring attention to herself.
Coriolanus took her hand in his, guiding her towards the door that leads to the garden. The smell of rain filled Lucy Grays nose as she started to get excited about something for once - she was happy to escape the smell of sweet perfume and the sounds of fake, high pitched laughter.
After dodging a few people, and having to change the pace often, they were finally outside. Coriolanus let go of Lucy Gray’s hand as she walked around the garden with her mouth agape.
The temperature was significantly warmer than the building, allowing Lucy Gray to let herself come out of her shell a little bit. The atmosphere changed dramatically, going from an intense setting, to a place of calmness, quietness. A place to be intimate.
It was nothing like she had ever seen, a warmth washed over her as she walked towards the stream. The quietness was somewhat overwhelming to her in this moment, so she focused on the sound of the stream. The water rushing along the wet rocks on the side of the stream, Lucy Gray crouched and put her fingertips in the water.
Coriolanus hung back for a second, joining her reluctantly. This wasn’t how people in the Capitol acted, but then again, she wasn’t capitol. “How is it? Being a victor?” He asked - out of genuine curiosity. He looked at her hand in the water, and moved his eyes to her face.
“I’m not really a victor. I am, but not really. It never ends for us. But I don’t want to talk about it; I feel like all I’ve done since leave is talk about it.” She spoke like she was in a trance to a water, and suddenly she returned back to the garden by the Capitol building. She took her hand out of the water, wiping it on her dress and standing up. “Is that all right?”
Coriolanus smiled up at her, taking a moment to return to his feet. “Of course, we can talk about anything you want.”
Lucy Gray had a feeling she was going to like Coriolanus.
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Just a disclaimer I do not own these characters! These characters belong to Suzanne Collins from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - I am only using these characters as a way to practice my writing skills :)
“Lucy Gray, where are you going?” Snow's standing in the hallway, watching me. He takes up all the space in the doorway, his arms over one another, biceps buldging. He flashes a crooked smirk and tilts his head slightly. "It's raining."
I can't believe that I was this close to freedom. I turn to face Snow, smiling. "Bitta rain ain't killed nobody." I say, as upbeat as I possibly can. I try to maintain eye contact as long as possible. Snow always told me that looking away is a weakness.
The rain is lashing against the window at this point, filling the silent seconds between us that feels like hours to me. The rain seems to distract Snow as his eyes flicker from side to side, studying my face. I become excruciatingly aware of the space that I am taking up in the hallway. Snow could reach up and touch the roof, I couldn’t even if I stood on my toes.
After a couple of beats, he unfolds his arms one by one. They fall to his side, and for somebody with arms longer than his torso, he makes a good effort to never look awkward. He takes a step forward. "I thought you hated being wet." He speaks in a questioning tone, licking his bottom lip. His hands had entered his pockets as he shrugs, looking taller. "I mean you did, last time it rained, remember?"
Its my turn to study his face. He looks intently into my eyes, the light from the main room reflecting off the side of his face, making me feel a pang of uneasiness at his appearance. Is this what his victims seen last? I can feel his stare bore into me, and I feel like he is able to read my mind. I avert my eyes before he can get too much information.
I can hear the TV in the background, I hadn’t noticed it before as it was so quiet. "I wasn't wearing a coat back then." I say quickly, almost stuttering but not letting my smile waiver. I try to be exactly what Snow wants me to be, and he seems to relax slightly in this moment.
"You aren't wearing a coat now." He throws me a conceited smile. I look around the hallway, hoping that a coat is close to me. But as with everything in this house, it is impeccably clean. Not a thing out of place, no coat to be found. I waited too long to make my move, and Snows voice echoes through the hallway once more. "Come back in, sit with me."
I start walking towards him, walking past the window when I suddenly catch a whiff of the rain from outside. I had almost forgotten what that smelled like. I stop in my tracks, looking out longingly. The sky was pitch black, no star in sight. The wind was blowing the trees aggressively, the trees trying their best to stay rooted in the ground. I envy their dedication.
I wipe a tear away from my cheek, noticing but not recognizing the girl reflected in the window. I feel Snow’s eyes on my face, and I force a smile and quickly speak so to distract him from seeing me emotional. Emotionality is weakness. "Windows open, no wonder why the rain had been so loud." I say in a distant, far off tone.
I put my hand out the window, feeling the rain on my bare skin. It feels refreshing, and I welcome the moisture. This house is bone dry a lot of the time, as though the smell of old damp wood sucks the water out of the air. The rain falls on my hand lightly, rolling down my arms to the crease of my elbow.
I hear the footsteps approaching me, I feel his presence behind me, then I see his reflection in the window. He is at least a head taller, looking down at me. His reflection completely envelopes mine, he is taller, wider and bigger than me. He pauses and stares at me for a minute. I feel myself tighten up. If this had been a few days ago, I would have said he looked at me with love. Things have changed since then.
"I'll get that for you Lucy Gray." He reaches towards the handle, the sudden movement making me jump in fear. Then I see his knuckles. They’re caked in blood, swollen and fresh. He had attacked somebody while I had been at work.
"What happened to your hand?" I ask innocently. He doesn't pause for a second, following through with closing the window. My chest feels tight, my breath catching in my throat as he slams the window shut, making me jump slightly.
Leaving a long moment of silence, he finally responds. "Grazed them against the brick wall at work." He looks down at his knuckle, smiling to himself. He shrugs and sets his arm to the side, walking towards the light in the main room, not looking back to see if I'm following him. He always knows I am.
I stare longingly at the door for a second. My heartbeat is in my ear. The rain has gotten heavier and the wind is howling in the distance. I take a step towards the door. I'm so close to freedom. I can practically feel the air wrapping round me, anticipation tingling through my body. I can smell flowers in the distance that is carried by the wind.
A warmth spreads over me as I start thinking about my mum, I need to find a phone. I haven’t seen her in such a long time that I start to feel tears well in my eyes for the second time tonight. This is it. I take a step forward.
"Lucy Gray." His voice is loud and booming, demanding my attention. He is standing in the door way again, waiting on me returning to him. I take a last look at the door before joining him.
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Just a disclaimer I do not own these characters! These characters belong to Suzanne Collins from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - I am only using these characters as a way to practice my writing skills :)
