Sorry, but for the last chapter this is all reserved by Suzanne Collins. She owns every bit of this except for the character, Ginger, I made up.
Review but first enjoy and obviously read! Thanks!!
Chapter 2: The capitol
The crowd is stunned. Two girl volunteers in a row! Even more so since I was 12, and wasn't volunteering for anyone. Most people either don't know me or now think of me as weak or as a threat. My only skills they know of are being a gymnast. I can do hand-stands, flips, and all that stuff. I'm pretty small; I can hide well. I have one secret though, that absolutely no one knows of.
I walk up on stage. All the lights make me a bit dizzy. Next thing I know they are picking a boy tribute. Nobody volunteers, surprise-surprise, as the mayor calls Blake Kashn to be the boy tribute.
I know Blake, sort of. We aren't what you would call friends, or enemies. He is 15, so I don't have any classes with him, and he's not cute where you would see girls pointing him out, either. All I know about him was that he was strong, and had anger-management problems. He comes from the 'richer' side of town, so he probably hadn't any training. He isn't trying to survive like a lot of people here.
Even though I don't have to hunt to survive, I still practice my skills, gymnastics at home and my other secret in the forest. People also say I'm pretty, so I might get a few sponsors, but looks aren't everything. I'm very clever, so I think having that ability will get me a few sponsors. I'm good in front of crowds too, but not out going.
I actually don't have any friends. The first day of school I accidentally tripped the most popular girl in school but her wan-abbes though it was on purpose. Since everyone worships her they all hated me from the beginning. I don't care. Having no friends is good if you're planning on going to the Hunger Games the first chance you have. Friends can betray, hurt you, and use you to their advantage. I'm safer having no friends; with the intense training I did I didn't have time for friends. I learned a lot in school, even if the stuff is kind of useless. I'm smart and friends only stand in the way. As soon I volunteered I saw lots of the kids look at me curiously like Wow, does she have some super power or something? Now I wished I had learned more about her.
Blake and I are next to each other on stage, the crowd is going wild, and some are on the verge of crying. Jess is among those people. Even as six years old she knows that the Hunger Games usually means certain death. Father is standing still, but has a sad, depressed look in his eyes. The look he has when he's reminded of Mother. I guess losing me would put him the worst state. He must stay strong, for Jess. I don't know who Blake's family was, but I think I could guess, as I see a sobbing mother. I feel bad, and I guess I never stopped and considered what my family is thinking now.
"Good luck Ginger Rok and Blake Kashn, and may the odds ever be your favors!" the mayor calls.
Blake and I walk into a room, where we would say our good-byes to our family, and then board the train that would take us to the Capitol. The train looks nice, stainless steel on the outside. I guess people trains were never used except for the Hunger Games. We have special coal exporting trains, and there was no contact with the other districts, seeing as the Capitol would never allow it.
Just then my family walks in.
"Ginger, why?" Jess asks while sobbing.
"I won't let you go!" Father yells.
"I have to go, and Jess, you'll see why I volunteered. I'll come back and we'll live a life of luxury, and we can help poorer people in District 12. I promise you I'll come back. Understand."
They both hug me and kiss me. I whisper to my dad, "Take care of her, for me."
Blake and I get on the train with Katniss, and Peeta. The seats are velvety red, and the rooms that are provided are enormous, literally half the size of our house. They have big bathrooms, and beautiful rooms, with a king size bed in the middle. There is a bid window with curtains, and a wardrobe. Usually I'm not a snooper but I open the chestnut doors of it anyway. There are plenty of outfits. I decide to change, so I put on a blue skirt and a red top. I brush my hair, and put away my other clothes. I'm hungry so I walk down to the dining room. I remember Katniss' favorite thing about the Capitol was…what dish? I've already forgotten.
"Hello," Katniss says. Katniss, Peeta, Effie, and Blake, are already sitting at the table.
"Oh sorry, I'm late," I stutter, blushing.
"No worries. Dinner was just about to be served." Effie replies.
I really don't like her. She has an easy job, and she's never even been in the Hunger Games. She just bugs me, how rich she must be.
I ignore her and sit down at the only vacant seat. I exchange a glance with Blake, but he looks away. I smell something really good, and then dinner comes out.
So much food! I've seen this before, other Hunger Games, yet it looks way more realistic. I see lamb stew. Oh! That's what Katniss liked. There is so much food. I feel bad thinking of all the people back in District 12 who sometimes can't even afford a square meal. And much of this food will probably go to waste anyway. I can't worry about that now, I should try to gain a few pounds before the games.
I guess it won't matter. I can survive one day with a piece of bread. For some reason I don't need to eat a lot. I never really feel hungry, and I mean, I do work. I'm not a lazy bum but I never feel too hungry. That's also another reason I volunteered. It won't really be the 'Hunger Games' if you don't have much of an appetite in the first place. I have a chance of surviving. Nobody really knows that, I pack my own lunch for school and put a bit in. I get home and put away what I didn't eat. Jess realizes that I don't eat a lot, but she leaves me that and doesn't say anything. Father doesn't talk when were eating, and since I prepare dinner, and clean up Father doesn't realize how little I eat. My family used to have dinner, laughing and we'd tell stories, but not anymore… I wonder how Jess will manage with the house. Will Father shut himself up in his room while the TV is on and I'm on the TV? Hopefully he will take care of Jess. He wouldn't leave her on her own.
I serve myself some lamb stew to see if it's as good as told. I put a piece of bread on my plate, and pour myself a glass of juice. Cranberry juice, I think. I've tried it once or twice, but such treats are specialties. The lamb stew is amazing! Even though I don't need to eat a lot, I still can. I eat all the stew, a piece of bread, and drink my juice. I'm full but I'm sure there's still more courses to come. Everyone is eating more than me, especially Blake. His plate is so full that some of the food is starting to fall off. He's already kind of fat.
"Is that all your going to eat?" Effie asks annoyingly.
"Yes, have a problem with that?" I retort.
"You should try to bulk up, you skinny little thing."
I'm furious! She just insulted me, yet no one even looks up from dinner. I reach my arm across the table and punch her in the mouth. Whoops. No one is going to be happy.
"OWW!" Effie yells. "Why'd you do that?!" Blood was rushing out of her mouth, but I couldn't care less. What a complainer! That would be the least of anyone's problems, a bloody mouth in the Hunger Games, but she wouldn't know!
"Ginger! You have got some serious nerve," Katniss yells at me. She grabs me and sits my shaky self down. I'm scared but still furious. I'm good at letting my anger out, but in violent ways. I'm mad; she called me a skinny little thing, like I wasn't sitting right across from her.
Effie gets up and leaves to the bathroom. Dessert was coming, yum! I have a little piece of apple tart, the chocolate cake was tempting but I would have a stomach ache from something so rich. I'm already full. Katniss wants to get started on planning strategies; we will be there tomorrow.
"Ginger, you look like a little harmless, innocent thing. Don't hit me! You would probably do best pretending you're that, scoring low, and stuff like that," Katniss advises me.
"That's stupid! Why would she have volunteered then if she was helpless?" Blake points out.
"Good point, I guess you should look tough, but still innocent. They might call you a target, but you need to be evasive. What skills do you have? What are you not good at? Is it OK to share this in front of Blake?"
I look at Blake and say, "It's fine. I'm a very skilled gymnast. I can do flips, hand-stands, and things like that. I haven't really told anyone, but I can live on very little food. One piece of bread is enough, even if I've worked a lot that day. But I'm scared of heights."
"Really?" she asks disbelieving, "I doubt anyone live on that little food. I believe you though. Being scared of heights isn't a good thing but we can work on that."
"OK. You'd better believe that I can live on little food though. I also have one special ability that no knows about."
"Smart move, you never should show off your best move until the arena. OK. I think your ideal score should be six, so you're not a target but they won't think you've scored low on purpose. We'll talk more later, OK? Blake, what are your high and low points?"
I get up and walk to my room. I'm glad Katniss is the mentor, not Peeta. I like her more. Peeta just decided to come along. He still might be useful, but Katniss has more skills.
I walk into my room, shower, and put on fluffy pajamas. The pajamas are blue cotton. They're fuzzy, and comfy. I get into bed, but it takes me a while to fall asleep. I have problems falling asleep. I'm thinking about being at the Capitol… huh! tomorrow… I wonder what's going to happen. I'll meet my stylist, and team. I hope my stylist is Cinna, from what Katniss has said about him. Good night…I think as I fade into a different world, a peaceful world, where everyone is equal, with democracy which I learned about how everyone has equal rights. The Capitol needn't worry about the districts destroying them, they're invulnerable. They could kill all of us, but where would they get all of their free things? Poor darlings!
Review, do you think it's good so far? I hope so!