Post by Matthias Jensen on Jan 21, 2015 20:33:36 GMT -7
District 5 wasn't Matthias' first stop on his victory tour, but he dreaded it from the start. It had only been about a month since the Games, because of the tight schedule multiple Hunger Games in a single year brought. Everything was still so fresh, and he dreaded District 5 more than any of the other stops he would have to make, because it was here that he would have to talk to Basil's family, if only on stage. He had no idea what her family was like, since they had never talked about it when she was alive. He hadn't talked about his family either, but he did remember that she said she never had much of a childhood. Were they terrible people? Were they mean to her? Did they shun her... like his own family had shunned him for most things? He hoped she didn't have sisters, especially ones that looked like her. He hoped her mother didn't look like her. He didn't want to see her here, even though the 13-year-old knew that would be nearly impossible in the district she had grown up in, standing on the stage she was reaped on.
As soon as the train started slowing down, Matthias looked away from his sketchbook and out the window at District 5. The pad in his lap didn't show the same soft lines and gentle scenes he was known to draw before his Games. Anyone who had happened to glance at the paper wouldn't even know what it was he had drawn, and he wouldn't be able to describe it himself. It was a mash of colors, of haphazard impressions of things rolling around in his head. There was a lot of yellow in this particular drawing... and red. His hearing had been turned off since breakfast, and this drawing had only calmed him somewhat. He still had a passion for drawing, but it had taken a darker, less tangible form for him, made worse by this tour.
The train stopped completely, and the victor was ushered off it along with the rest of the crew. It seemed only moments later that he was being introduced on the stage in front of hundreds of people, the cards of his speech clasped tightly in his hands and his hearing unfortunately back on. Two families were highlighted, and it felt like all of their eyes were on him. Matthias hadn't ever even talked to the male tribute from 5, though he knew his name like he had known everyone else's. His gaze lingered his family a while in avoidance, but he did have to look at her family too. Thankfully no identical sisters or even sisters at all. Two brothers and parents, just like his own family. He couldn't tell what that look her brothers were giving him meant, but then the burble of his introducer was gone and he didn't have time to think about it. He started a little as he realized it was his turn now.
Matthias took a few steps forward and watched as someone darted in front of him to lower the microphone. He flinched, and whoever it was darted off as quickly as they had come. He held the cards in his hands out and reluctantly tore his eyes from Basil's family to look at the neatly printed font that was written on them. He cleared his throat, and the sound echoed throughout the now-quiet square. "Hello. My name is Matthias Jensen, and I am honored to be here in District 5 today," he read, trying his best to keep his concentration on the cards. "I stand here today, Victor of the 73.1 Hunger Games, because of the power and generosity of the Capitol. I have been deaf most of my life, but the Capitol gave me hearing and the people of Panem gave me the tools I needed to emerge from the arena victorious. I am thankful for that. As a nation, we rose out of the Dark Days stronger and more united, but the Hunger Games remind us of the sacrifices we must continue to make to keep our country strong. Today, I thank District 5 for the sacrifices you have made and honor your tributes."
Matthias chanced a quick glance at the crowd, who'd heard variations of this really boring, pretty uncomfortable speech year after year. Then he flipped to the next card and kept reading. He spoke to the male tribute's family first, reading off the standard short, two sentences he had been given to acknowledge the family. Then he turned to the other family. "To the family of Basil Emmerson, of District 5..." The two sentences were written there, just in case, but his escort had told him he was supposed to say something more personal if he had known a tribute. He let the hand that held the cards fall to his side and looked at her family again. He swallowed heavily, having next to no idea what he could say to them to make anything better. Speaking in front of so many people had been terror enough for him, which is why he relied so heavily on the cards. But he couldn't just read off of cards for Basil. That wasn't fair to her, and he knew it.
"B-Basil was my friend, and I feel like I really knew her" the boy started slowly. He was sure every emotion showed on his face, like it always did: grief and regret foremost among them. "Almost immediately after we both fled the cornucopia, we were allies. We trusted and helped each other. I... don't think I would have won if it hadn't been for her. The fire - my fire, it was her idea. But it wasn't just that. She was strong and kind and she... gave me hope to live. She made me want to live." He saw a flash of her in his mind, smiling and surrounded by her golden curls. He closed his eyes briefly, and visibly shook his head to get rid of the image. When he continued, his voice was even less sure. "Basil could have won, and... I'm sorry I wasn't there when she died to protect her. I'm sorry I couldn't bring her back instead. But I won't ever... forget her." Silence met his words, and his eyes flitted from Basil's family to the crowd. Had he honored her properly? Or did he just sound stupid? Would Basil have liked it, or would she have laughed and made some joke? That would be okay actually, because he liked her laugh, her voice. Why was no one saying anything, but just staring at him?
Someone cleared their throat behind him, and he glanced back to see his escort wriggling her own set of note cards. Quickly, he looked at the cards again and saw the final sentences he was supposed to say. "Panem today, Panem, tomorrow, Panem forever. Thank you." There was some applause then, more than he had received in his previous district - when he'd just read the cards. He made himself smile and look at them, his gaze stopping again on Basil's family. Then he turned and let himself be led off stage, away from the crowd. He reached up and immediately turned off his hearing again, which his crew had gotten used to enough by now. They seemed to think touching him was the answer when he couldn't hear, as if he was blind too, and he tried to walk faster than their hands could touch him as they led him on to the next thing.
WC: 1269
Notes: This thread is open to any and all people from District 5, either to react or to interact with Matthias. If no one wants to respond, this is simply a one-shot post.
As soon as the train started slowing down, Matthias looked away from his sketchbook and out the window at District 5. The pad in his lap didn't show the same soft lines and gentle scenes he was known to draw before his Games. Anyone who had happened to glance at the paper wouldn't even know what it was he had drawn, and he wouldn't be able to describe it himself. It was a mash of colors, of haphazard impressions of things rolling around in his head. There was a lot of yellow in this particular drawing... and red. His hearing had been turned off since breakfast, and this drawing had only calmed him somewhat. He still had a passion for drawing, but it had taken a darker, less tangible form for him, made worse by this tour.
The train stopped completely, and the victor was ushered off it along with the rest of the crew. It seemed only moments later that he was being introduced on the stage in front of hundreds of people, the cards of his speech clasped tightly in his hands and his hearing unfortunately back on. Two families were highlighted, and it felt like all of their eyes were on him. Matthias hadn't ever even talked to the male tribute from 5, though he knew his name like he had known everyone else's. His gaze lingered his family a while in avoidance, but he did have to look at her family too. Thankfully no identical sisters or even sisters at all. Two brothers and parents, just like his own family. He couldn't tell what that look her brothers were giving him meant, but then the burble of his introducer was gone and he didn't have time to think about it. He started a little as he realized it was his turn now.
Matthias took a few steps forward and watched as someone darted in front of him to lower the microphone. He flinched, and whoever it was darted off as quickly as they had come. He held the cards in his hands out and reluctantly tore his eyes from Basil's family to look at the neatly printed font that was written on them. He cleared his throat, and the sound echoed throughout the now-quiet square. "Hello. My name is Matthias Jensen, and I am honored to be here in District 5 today," he read, trying his best to keep his concentration on the cards. "I stand here today, Victor of the 73.1 Hunger Games, because of the power and generosity of the Capitol. I have been deaf most of my life, but the Capitol gave me hearing and the people of Panem gave me the tools I needed to emerge from the arena victorious. I am thankful for that. As a nation, we rose out of the Dark Days stronger and more united, but the Hunger Games remind us of the sacrifices we must continue to make to keep our country strong. Today, I thank District 5 for the sacrifices you have made and honor your tributes."
Matthias chanced a quick glance at the crowd, who'd heard variations of this really boring, pretty uncomfortable speech year after year. Then he flipped to the next card and kept reading. He spoke to the male tribute's family first, reading off the standard short, two sentences he had been given to acknowledge the family. Then he turned to the other family. "To the family of Basil Emmerson, of District 5..." The two sentences were written there, just in case, but his escort had told him he was supposed to say something more personal if he had known a tribute. He let the hand that held the cards fall to his side and looked at her family again. He swallowed heavily, having next to no idea what he could say to them to make anything better. Speaking in front of so many people had been terror enough for him, which is why he relied so heavily on the cards. But he couldn't just read off of cards for Basil. That wasn't fair to her, and he knew it.
"B-Basil was my friend, and I feel like I really knew her" the boy started slowly. He was sure every emotion showed on his face, like it always did: grief and regret foremost among them. "Almost immediately after we both fled the cornucopia, we were allies. We trusted and helped each other. I... don't think I would have won if it hadn't been for her. The fire - my fire, it was her idea. But it wasn't just that. She was strong and kind and she... gave me hope to live. She made me want to live." He saw a flash of her in his mind, smiling and surrounded by her golden curls. He closed his eyes briefly, and visibly shook his head to get rid of the image. When he continued, his voice was even less sure. "Basil could have won, and... I'm sorry I wasn't there when she died to protect her. I'm sorry I couldn't bring her back instead. But I won't ever... forget her." Silence met his words, and his eyes flitted from Basil's family to the crowd. Had he honored her properly? Or did he just sound stupid? Would Basil have liked it, or would she have laughed and made some joke? That would be okay actually, because he liked her laugh, her voice. Why was no one saying anything, but just staring at him?
Someone cleared their throat behind him, and he glanced back to see his escort wriggling her own set of note cards. Quickly, he looked at the cards again and saw the final sentences he was supposed to say. "Panem today, Panem, tomorrow, Panem forever. Thank you." There was some applause then, more than he had received in his previous district - when he'd just read the cards. He made himself smile and look at them, his gaze stopping again on Basil's family. Then he turned and let himself be led off stage, away from the crowd. He reached up and immediately turned off his hearing again, which his crew had gotten used to enough by now. They seemed to think touching him was the answer when he couldn't hear, as if he was blind too, and he tried to walk faster than their hands could touch him as they led him on to the next thing.
WC: 1269
Notes: This thread is open to any and all people from District 5, either to react or to interact with Matthias. If no one wants to respond, this is simply a one-shot post.