Chapter 2: Sara-May Honeycomb POV
"Nearly finished, dearie!" the strange woman plucking at my eyebrows cheerfully says. The man who's using something they called a pumice stone to soften my heels glances up at the other woman, who is painting my nails, and says to her, "Isn't it nice to have one that doesn't complain? The girl last year wouldn't shut up!" I grit my teeth and, when at last I'm allowed to stand up again, they make me take off the thin robe I've been wearing on and off and pluck any stray hairs from my legs and arms. I wince as each one goes, which makes the man frown. One of the women then throws the robe at me, which I slip on gratefully, as it is quite cold. Then the other woman adds, as an afterthought, "Oh, BY the way, my name is Lilahanaa, this is Angyinna, and that's Brutusio." They then stalk out of the room, leaving me alone.
After about two minutes the door crashes open, and a person I assume must be my stylist struts in. She strikes a pose and waits. After about thirty seconds, she glares at me, and I realise I'm supposed to applaud. I do so hastily, and she looks mollified. She kisses me on both cheeks and says, in a surprisingly deep voice, "I am your stylist, Tiahbella, but of course, you knew that already!" I nod, afraid to disagree with her. "SO! We shall begin!" she exclaims. Within an hour, my hair is tightly braided and pinned up on my head, face is flawless and my hands are soft and gentle-looking. She glances at her watch and gasps, " Oh, dear me! We have one hour left until the first chariot moves out! We must hurry!"
As she speaks, she pulls out a black costume, with specks of white on the arms. As she pulls it over my head, it hits me what I am. "A Mockingjay.." I whisper. Tiahbella nods at me approvingly, "Yes! Now, go! Find your District partners! I shall find you later!" I leave the room and search for Rue, Thresh or Klara. At last, I spot Klara. She waves at me and motions for me to join her. She is dressed as an orchard, anyone could immediately see. She's wearing a green costume, with different fruits hanging off her. Rue is dressed identically to me, and Thresh is the same as Klara, an orchard. Our stylists were very original... Not. I excuse myself to go to the bathroom after fifteen minutes, when there is ten minutes to go. Rue comes with me. I stand at the sink, staring at myself in the mirror, willing myself to be back home. No such luck.
When we leave the bathroom, we must step straight onto our chariot, me beside Rue, Klara and Thresh behind us. Within ten seconds, we are moving out. As we leave the building behind and greet the crowds, the screams are deafening. I count ten seconds, until I know District 12 will be out, then pause, confused, as I hear a gasp. Their costumes weren't anything special, just black leotards. I look back and am immediately afraid for them. They're ON FIRE! LITERALLY! I hear Rue gasp beside me and I remember Primrose Everdeen, the same age as us, on FIRE! Oh no. I turn around again and look straight ahead. I can't worry about District 12 now. No, definitely not. As soon as the tribute parade is over, we head back up to our floor, the 11th. As our mentors assure us we did everything right, all I can think of is how Rue gasped on the chariot, and how afraid I was for them. We may have found ourselves allies...
Later that night, as Jordey (who has let slip that her name is Jordella, but President Snow has a niece called Jordella, and wouldn't let her have the same name) calls us to dinner, I realise that tomorrow we start three days of training. On the third afternoon, it'll be our private sessions with the Gamemakers. That night, our scores will be broadcast to the nation. The following day, we will be in the arena, fighting for our lives. Help!
Over dinner, Jordey, however, gives us some news, neither good nor bad. "Listen up, children! Because there are 48 tributes this year, the private sessions will take place over two days, 24 each day. This means that you will have three FULL days for training, then one day between the end of training and your private sessions where your mentors will work with you." Seeder, my mentor, raises her eyebrows and whispers something to Quinn, who passes it on to Fallon and Chaff. They nod and excuse themselves, muttering something about going to get sponsors. Jordey scowls but lets them go. Then, looking at her watch, exclaims, " OH! Get to bed, immediately! It's a-" "Big, big day tomorrow?" Klara asks. Jordey beams at her and shoos us off to bed.
At training on the second day, I keep an eye on the Odairs from 4, the 12 tributes and the District 5 tributes. As I work on knots, which I am alright at, the girls from 5 slip up and watch me, the youngest looking very upset. I quickly finish off the hammock I had been working on and swing her up into it. She is delighted, with her older friends looking at me in awe. Rue comes up beside me and whispers in my ear, "Allies with 12 and girls from 4, yeah?" I nod and whisper back, " Sure, as long as we have these too." She nods and slips back over to Klara, telling her what I agreed to. I lift Lilah out of the hammock and turn to Maria, "Allies?" She nods and we shake on it. She then tells Lilah and Helena that I will be their friend in the arena, and I feel myself starting to tear up. They're only five, ten and nine! I was actually old enough to BE reaped, even if it wasn't a Quarter Quell! I go over to Thresh and tell him that most of the younger ones will be our allies. He looks over at Klara, who is showing some of our newly-found allies how to spot poisonous berries and nods.
"District 8?" I look over and shrug, "Noreen looks lethal, not her, but definitely Luna, Aaron and Bernadette." He walks over to them and asks them to be our allies. Noreen, as predicted shakes her head and struts off immediately, Aaron looks close to agreeing with her, but Bernadette and Luna quite like the idea of having Thresh for protection, so Aaron is overpowered. Thresh grins at him happily while he scowls, then as Aaron turns to the dummies again, Thresh swings Luna onto his shoulders and walks over to the fire-making station, then sets her down and makes a fire to keep her warm while she naps, which she does every four hours. Aaron watches suspiciously while showing Bernadette how to throw knives properly.
At dinner that night, Fallon asks us who we're allies with. "Aaron, Luna and Bernadette from 8, Annie, Liah and Giana Odair from 4, Peeta, Katniss, Aliana and Primrose from 12, Maria, Helena and Lilah from 5." Fallon frowns, "They're all very young. If they die... Which at least some of them will, it'll really get you down! Also, try to get Frank and Rhiannon Kendall from 10, Rhiannon looks very strong, and she wouldn't abandon you in an emergency."
The next day at training, Klara told all of our allies, plus Rhiannon and Frank who joined us, that if there were trees to run to them, because they would give the most coverage. Then they were to whistle a two note tune over and over, until we found them. The littlest ones who couldn't whistle were to be collected by an ten year old or over as soon as the gong went.
