Chapter one
I will never understand the necessity of shaving every part of my body daily. Who even looks close enough to see the minuscule length of hair that could have grown in the space of twelve hours? Despite my reluctance and well-balanced argument, I am sat on a chair whilst my prep team circle round me plucking and shaving any hairs they can find. I close my eyes and block out the sounds of their uninteresting chatter just as I do every other make over time.
When I finally open my eyes my prep team have finished. My hair is weaved into an intricate plait which falls loosely over my left shoulder. When I study it closer I can see small diamond crystals entwined into the braid that catch the light. My eyes have been lined with blue and black making the dullness of my grey eyes stand out more. As always, I look phenomenal.
"Cinna left this for you." Flavius says pointing towards a deep blue dress that has been carefully laid out on a chair opposite where I am sat. I walk over to it slowly; it's not as if I actually want to be anywhere today.
As always Cinna has created a masterpiece. The dress a deep navy blue colour, made out of a fabric I am told is velvet by Octavia. I watch closely as the material changes into a deeper colour when I run my hand along it. I will always admit that fashion fascinates me. The outrageousness of the Capitol with their cosmetically altered skin colours and stretched bodies. I am still as surprised as I was the first time I met Cinna at how normal he is compared to the rest of them. Small diamonds cover the entire bodice whilst other diamonds travel down the left side of the dress. I try not to think of all the people in the different Districts that will be going hungry tonight whilst I have enough money to be able to chuck diamonds onto a dress.
My prep team helps me put the dress on making sure it goes over my head with care as to not destroy their own masterpiece. The fabric clings to me but not uncomfortably. Once dressed with deep navy shoes to match I leave the makeover room and head down to the carriage I know Haymitch will be in. The stench of alcohol turns my stomach but I press on.
"Well aren't you a glittery princess." He says gesturing up and down my body to the diamonds that sparkle because of the light. He stumbles towards the bar and tries to pour himself another drink. I hurry over and quickly take the bottle off him. He groans in protest but quickly relaxes when he sees me pouring it into his glass as well as another. I watch as he knocks it back in one mouthful. I try to copy but it burns my throat and I end up coughing with a scrunched up face.
Haymitch chuckles, "Drinking has never been your thing Katniss." I smile at him.
"Why is Effie saying you're looking for me?" I ask, setting the glass down on the table.
"The driver just informed me that we are going to have to stay the night in the next district." He says.
I stare at the glass in front of me. Of all places to be stuck it has to be District 2.
"Something is wrong with the engine. Not bad enough to not get us there but they'll need the night to get it ready again." He explains.
"This has never happened before," I whisper. Capitol organised events always run smoothly, it's one of their prized accomplishments. "I can't imagine Effie taking this well." I try to laugh but it came out sounding horrifically fake.
"She wasn't best pleased. Speaking of schedules, you need to be at the doors in," he glances at his watch, "Five minutes." he turns back and pours another drink before leaving the carriage.
I slink back into the chair and let out an audible groan. If I just stay here do you reckon they'd come get me? Of course they would. Capitol sweethearts aren't allowed to hide away. I stand up and make my way to the doors. As I get closer a general sound of chat becomes louder, until I'm able to pick out individual voices. Haymitch, Cinna, Effie. All of them waiting for me.
As soon as Effie catches sight of me she's off flustering about making sure that everything is ship shape for my almost royal welcome.
"At least look like you're happy to be here." Haymitch whispers into my ear, just like he has for the past nine days.
I try to look happy as the train begins to slow down whilst pulling into District 2's station. I'm more than a little surprised at the amount of people waiting to great me, some are even clapping. With one last glance at Haymitch I step off and immediately Peacekeepers beckon for me to follow them into the Justice Building.
"This way please Miss Everdeen." One says, turning and climbing the steps to the stage doors. I follow him, hearing the rowdy crowd grow louder. I always used to find the Peacekeeper uniform scary, not being able to see their faces through the masks. Although hardly any of them wore the helmets back home, unlike everywhere else we have been. Now people in masks are the last things that haunt me at night.
Haymitch hands me the cards Effie has taken so much time preparing and I hear, very faintly, the mayor begin his welcoming speech. "People of District 2, the Victor of the 74th annual Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen." He finally finishes and the two peacekeepers open the doors.
I step out onto the stage and walk towards the microphone. I quickly glance behind and see both Haymitch and Effie walk through the doors too. Looking quickly I see the somewhat blank stares from the crowd. Some faces look happy. Some faces look like they would rather be anywhere but welcoming me. Around the middle of the crowd, two families sit on one of the stages each. Behind each stage is a screen with the holographic picture of the fallen tributes from District 2 displayed on it.
Not wanting to look at them much longer, I look down at the cards Effie prepared. I run off the speech with as much emotion as I can muster. "On behalf of the Capitol and myself, I would like to thank the fallen tributes of District 2 for their sacrifice." I pause shortly, looking to the family of each one in turn. The family of the male looks at me with loathing clear in their eyes. "They brought great honour to their district." I say, staring directly into the eyes of the tallest male. At the end I am met with a rather unusually loud applause. A little girl dressed in a pretty summer dress comes up to me with a ginormous bouquet of flowers.
"When I grow up, I am going to volunteer, just like you did." She says when she hands them to me. Her words cause a pang in my chest. Am I really seen as a role model for murdering people?
I notice Haymitch stiffen at her words also; he glances at me and tries to give me a reassuring smile. He comes forward and puts his arm round my waist, guiding me from the stage and back into the Justice Building.
"Miss Everdeen!" the Mayor says, taking my hand and shaking it. "Delighted to have you staying with us for the night."
I smile to him, not wanting to make any more conversation than necessary. Thankfully Effie walks over to us, her bright green hair swaying as she bounces along.
"We have been given two houses to use for the night, one for you and one for Haymitch, Cinna and I," she says, her face scrunching up a little at the thought. "Everyone else will remain on the train. As for now, we are going on a tour." She claps excitedly.
"I'm already on one." I grumble quietly making Haymitch laugh unnecessarily loud.
"Manors, Katniss." She replies sternly and I roll my eyes at her.
A young man comes towards us and shows us to the car. Cinna sits beside me as Haymitch goes opposite, sipping from a flask every so often.
I gloomily look out of the window to the outside. The driver keeps pointing out 'interesting' features of the district but I can't see anything except wealth. How different it all is to back home. No children in straggly clothes sitting on the streets, cold and hungry.
As we travel further however the houses and buildings become less well-built and resemble the ones back home – even if they weren't quite as bad as the Seam. The driver tells us how some of the mines have been shut down and are used for other purposes. Haymitch gives me a look and it doesn't take a lot to fit the puzzle together.
Looking closely I see groups of people, boys and girls around my age, but some even younger, laughing and conversing just outside an entrance. All of them seem to notice the car as they tap each other and nod towards us. Quickly, I look away.
I knew it happened, everybody did – even the Capitol. But seeing it first hand, shakes me. Cinna seems to sense my distress and gives me a reassuring squeeze.
The car comes to a stop a short walk away at the gates to the Victors Village. I am amazed at how similar it is to back home, though more used.
I follow my team silently as the mayor leads us to the nearest house. The twitch of a curtain in the house beside catches my eye. It seems so different here. More of the houses have sense of life, the grass is all neatly kept. Smoke leaves from a few chimneys further away. It is a far sight from the abandonment at home.
"I'm going for a shower." I mumble to whoever is listening as soon as we are inside. I take the familiar route to the exact same bathroom that we have in District 12. I programme it for raspberry scented bubbles, Prim's favourite. I sit down on the shower floor, close my eyes and just let the bubbly water mixture hit my back. I don't know how long I stay like this but when my fingers and toes start to become wrinkly I quickly finish washing the rest of my body and get out. I don't bother with the fancy hair drying technology instead I just shrug on a loose fitting top and trousers then slowly wonder back downstairs.
Thankfully I am greeted by Cinna, Haymitch and Effie all around the table with pots and pots of steaming food. As soon as I sit down a signal sends to the others and we all dive in like animals. I have often felt guilty being able to eat as much as I can when others, including my old self, go without. I push the thoughts to the back of my mind and dig into a fish stew.
Once finished I quietly excuse myself and head towards the bedroom I have been allocated to use. Immediately I am haunted at the similarity of the room to my new one at home, the décor is almost exactly the same. Pushing the thoughts of home that come flooding back aside I slip into bed and drift off to sleep.
I am running. Everything burns, my legs, arms, stomach. I have to keep going though. I can hear him only metres behind, why won't he just go away? I never asked for this. Tears are flooding down my cheeks. I do not care about trying to look strong anymore, they would all be crying too. None of those people would survive what I have been through. I feel my foot get caught on lifted root and fall to the ground. The sickening laugh behind me tells me that I have no time to get up and run. I turn so I am laying on my back just as he pounces on me and pins me to the floor.
I sit up quickly, my breaths come to me in quick short bursts. The left side of my face is sticky from tears and my hair sticks to it. Shaking I run a hand through my hair and wipe both eyes with the back of my hand. I swing my legs to the side of the bed and pull on the discarded jumper left on the floor. For the first time in a long while, I feel homesick. Not truly homesick, woods sick. Before I can fathom another thought I've pulled on some boots and run out the door.
I don't stop running until I'm outside. I can't even understand why I am here, or even how I got here. I suppose subconsciously it's because this is the closest I'm going to get to the woods. I push my way through the brown double doors and I am overwhelmed by the stench of sweat.
I have been in the mines back at District 12 but they were much narrower than the one I am in now. Straight in front is an elevator that is the primary way down. My hands begin involuntarily shaking; just as they always do. Only when I am about to step into it do I notice the stairs beside it, without a second thought, I make my way down those instead. When I get to the bottom of I am surprised at the difference in size. The mine has been dug out wider than I thought was possible, making it an underground warehouse size. As I step further in lights, begin automatically turning on, illuminating the space. Everything looks so similar to the Training Centre back in the Capitol.
To my far left is an area cut off by thin mesh netting with board cut outs of human figures at the end of a twenty metre stretch. The edge of the wall is covered in throwing knives, spears and bows. Beside it dummies hang from the ceiling, some with chunks missing out of them. Near them is a stand with a variety of hand held weapons: swords, axes, tridents and even sickles. Straight in front is a massive floor mat with patches of dark red stains. To my right a small section seems to be offering survival skills and a seating area.
Without thinking I go over to the area with bows and quickly pick the closest one to mine back home. I quickly place sheath of arrows over my shoulder and place one into the bow. As I pull back the bow string a smile escapes onto my lips. I let it fly into the heart of the target meters away; reloading with ease, I turn and place one into the dummies behind me. I feel powerful but at the same time stupid. Even so I keep shooting at different targets, each one hitting the mark it's sent to.
A clapping noise behind me startles me and without thinking, I turn and pull back the arrow, aiming straight at the source. A tall boy holds his hands up in mock surrender; the smirk on his face persuades me to keep aiming at him. As my eyes really adjust to him, I can see that he is not much older than I am. He is wearing plain black top and loose shorts. If I look closer, I see the number ten embroidered onto the upper left of his top.
"You shouldn't be here." His voice is deep and harsh, carrying across the space between them with ease.
"Why not?" I ask, raising my eyebrow to him. My fingers flex around the bow but I do not let it drop from my aim.
"You shouldn't have won, you're pathetic." He says, the disgust in his eyes enflames me, "A real victor died because of you."
His words make my stomach twist, immediately I realise who he is on about. I squeeze my eyes shut to try to shake the images flashing through my brain out. "It was his fault." I try to match his aggressive tone but I know that my attempt was just as pathetic.
"You're not a killer; you don't deserve to have everyone know your name. He should be in your shoes." He laughs, his smirk growing.
"You think I wanted any of this? You think I wouldn't give anything to go back to how my life was before. I would rather be starving to death than know what I've done." I shout at him. How dare he think that? My grip tightens now, my knuckles begin to turn white but still I refuse to lower.
"See, you should have just died in that arena and let someone who knows how to be a true victor win." He lowers his arms laughing, "You may have won but you're still worthless, you're still scum to us."
His words hurt me, my temper flares and without thinking of the consequences, I let the arrow fly. His eyes widen when he realises what I have done. Its only when the arrow sticks to the wall behind him that he realises that it was a warning to him. By the sounds of it, he's not stupid; he has seen that I can shoot with pinpoint accuracy. His hand lifts up to the side of his neck and I can see the bright crimson on his fingertips when he brings it back to his front.
"You'll pay for that, Scum." He made a move to come towards me but was stopped by a shout from an older male. I look behind him, to the bottom of the stairs, and recognise an older victor from this district. I shove my way past both of them and begin running back to the house. I crash through the door not worrying about the amount of noise I have created. I feel my body slump down the door and tears start streaming down my face.
Long time no see! I have no idea where this idea has sprung from but it has, I can't promise regular updates, when it happens it happens; however, I will try to actually keep writing this story unlike my other one. I do have a slight plan for the next few chapters but I don't quite know where this story will end up, quite exciting huh? I hope you liked the start of this anyway, any questions or things you're not sure about - message me. Please leave a review, any suggestions are welcome!
Tara x