The hovercraft came into the arena and picked me up as well as Peeta's body. Once inside they stroll by me and put Peeta on a gurney and rush him to the other side of the ship. Since tributes are not usually given funerals, I realize this is the last time I will see Peeta. I sigh at the revelation while I see Haymitch walk up to me with open arms. Hair combed, freshly showered, and new all black suit and tie, he looked half way decent. He hugged me and said, "Congratulations sweetheart." I held back the tears, but my voice cracked and said, "I don't feel happy I won, Haymitch… Peeta is dead." He shook his head and grabbed my face, like Peeta did, and said, "Honey, you knew walking in there that out of all those kids, only one of you was going to make it out. That meant Peeta too." He shook his head and said, "I'm gonna miss him too, but you are a victor of the Hunger Games. You must act like it." He straighten himself up, and took me to a hospital part of the hovercraft.
I was in worse shape than I realized, as the doctors and nurses worked frantically around me. Putting an IV in my arm, they healed every burn and bruise and cleaned me several times. After that Flavius, Venia, and Octavia rushed in and clamored around me. They congratulated me on my win and talked on and on about how it felt to watch the Games. "I think she got sponsors because of how nice her nails were.", Octavia said, admiring her work. The others bantered with her about how it was their contribution to my body that got me sponsors. I tried to like them, I really did but did they really think that it was them making me looking nice before the games that got me sponsors? Not the fact I got an 11 in the evaluation or any killing I did in the arena. It was my nails, of course. I tuned them out and sat there until Cinna came in. Venia jumped up and said, "Sorry Cinna! You're not supposed to see her until she's ready." Cinna shook his head and said, "It's fine, I'd like to talk to her and congratulate her if you don't mind, just for a moment." They nodded their heads reverently and left the room. He waited until the door closed and embraced me tightly.
If someone asked me if I had any friends outside of District 12, the only name that would come to mind is Cinna. For someone reason I trusted him without a doubt and he was the only Capitol citizen who didn't go over the top. I cried in his shoulders and asked, "Why doesn't this feel right?" He patted my head and said, "Because Peeta isn't here. But you have to remember if you weren't here right now, you'd be dead." I pushed away from him and said, "Maybe that's what I want." He looked down and said, "No you don't. Think about the people back in District 12, they'd be devastated if you died, especially your mother and your sister." I nodded in agreement and asked, "So what's next now?" He
smiled and said, "Well you'll be officially crowned victor and meet President Snow. Then you'll have an interview with Caesar Flickerman about the Games. They'll be a Victory Tour and preparing for the next Games, but those two won't be for awhile." I didn't want to talk to Caesar or meet President Snow. I'm grateful I made it out of the Hunger Games alive, but I just wanted to go home back to District 12. I wanted to see my mother and Gale, and most of all Prim. I had promised I would come home and now it was time too.
After, Cinna and my prep team dressed me up for my crowning, I sat alone in a huge room waiting for President Snow to crown me and be presented to Panem as their new Victor. I was wearing a lovely gray dress, all the way down to my feet, extending to a train. Despite how I felt about the Capitol people, it was a beautiful place and every building was unique and perfected. I walked around the room and examined the curtains, floors, and found myself thinking about how to decorate my new Victor's home when I got back to District 12. That was the only good part of winning these Games, the lifetime money and food I would receive. Prim and I would never go hungry again and I could finally afford all the nice things my family always wanted. Still deep into my own thoughts, Effie Trinket walked in.
As usual, she looked ridiculous. A light blue suit, with a matching wig and eyelashes. Her face seemed paler but as she got closer I realized she just applied more make-up than last time I saw her, which I realized had been weeks. She pulled me in for a hug and said, "Ah, Katniss! Isn't this wonderful? My district finally pulled in a victor." She clapped her hands in excitement. "I'm technically not allowed to be in here, but I had to see you first before everyone else did." She motioned for me to spin and I did. "You look gorgeous Katniss.", she beamed. "I can't wait for your interview, have you prepared on what you're going to say?" I shrugged and said, "Just to sound as proud as possible… I plan on mentioning Peeta quite a bit as well." I swallowed, it was the first time I had said his name aloud and not burst into tears.
Effie shook her head and said, "Katniss, you are a victor now and you must-" I held up my hand to cut her off. "I know Effie, I've heard it all before. I have to be strong and confident and all that." She pursed her lips and started to say more but then we heard someone by the door. She quickly cut me another glare and walked out the room from the other door. Just then President Snow walked in. He must've been the person Effie and I heard at the door. He walked over to me and shook my hand. "Congratulations Ms. Everdeen." He smiled at me and kissed me on the cheek. After that he turned around to get my crown. However, he left a sticky, red residue on my face.