Shot In The Dark

3. Promise

I jerked awake from the nightmare. My mind couldn't leave the cold, dim, and tense room. My childhood. I flopped back down into the bed and rolled over to look at the clock. It was only 6:30 am and I knew there was no way I was going back to sleep. I lay in bed thinking of the past for a good thirty minutes then finally sat up and went to the bathroom. I stared into the mirror. I'm a strong girl with the an unstoppable mindset. After a few minutes I started the shower and waited a second for the hot water. I slip out of the ridiculous nightgown I was given to sleep in and hopped in. I loved the soothing feeling of the water running down my back. It almost burned away the aches and insecurities. I skimmed through the shampoo choices I had and chose the coconut scented hydration kind. I scrubbed my head, lathering up the soap in my hair cleaning it. I slowly finished my shower and stepped out to a machine drying me. Like and over sized hair dryer. Then it rubbed in plain lotion on my skin soothing it after the extreme heat of my shower. I noticed a plain pair of gray sweat-like pants and a gray v-neck shirt laying on the chair for me to wear. I don't know how it got there, I probably don't want to.

There was a note sitting on the table side. At 8:30 meet us in the dining room. Don't be late. -Effie. I looked at the clock again and decided to start heading for the dining room. I entered a few minutes early. I sat in one of the chairs right as Effie walked in. "Your early!" She looked overly enthusiastic, "I'm sure the others are right behind you. If you will excuse me." She smiled, turned on her heels, and her shoes clicked off down the hall. I assume to actually get the others here on time. Katniss walked in looking tired and a little sad. Peeta followed her in the same state. Haymitch had liquor in his hand and a smile on his face. Lastly Ryder walked in wearing the same lame get up as I was with a scared look.

They all sat and we were served breakfast. I downed about six plates of french toast with scrambled eggs and a couple glasses of orange juice. After the others were finished Effie cleared her throat, "You two will meet your stylists today. Actually, you will be meeting them soon." She smiled and turned to Haymitch, "Have you decided on their angle?"

"Not yet. The girl, she can just be herself. Cold and careless. I like that. I'm not sure on the boy yet." He waved around his fork and threw it down.

"Well, let's go you two. Don't want you to be late." We stood up and followed Effie. She introduced us to three people each and sent us off with them. Where they lead me to a white room. It was bright and strangely comforting.

"First, we're going to give you another bath. To make sure your spotless." The tiny little woman with hot pink hair and orange lips said. I remember her name as Alisama or something close to that. They scrubbed me clean to the point that I thought my skin was oozing blood. They explained to me how there is stuff in it to help clean my skin.

"Now we're going to wax." The other girl said. She had purple and yellow hair with purple tattoos across her face.

I was laid down on a white cushioned dentist chair, and started to apply the hot wax to my legs. After ripping every single stray hair from my body they moisturized it with the healing ointment.

"Your ready!" The last one exclaimed. She was dressed in the most ridiculous outfit. It was big and poofy with the whole rainbow splattered on it. She took my hand lightly and had me stand. The most I have been exposed is bathing suits and underwear. With the exception of Fang, but that is different. She ran out of the room and came back in with another woman. She was less strange, but still strange. She had on a butterfly looking dress with light blue tinted hair.

"Excellent." She said slowly, circling me like wolves do on a wounded animal. "Come." She gestures me to follow her and throws me a towel as we pass the bath tub. We sit on the black leather couches by the window. She smooths out her dress and orders the women to bring us some beverages, "What would you like sweetie?"

"Your hardest liquor." I muttered under my breathe, "I'll take some orange juice please." I said much louder now.

She gestures them to leave and they do. She lightly poofs her hair with her hand and wait for the drinks. Soon we are sipping in silence. It was awkward, but I kept quiet. "Love, tell me about yourself. How did you become you?" Her voice was smooth and calming, like milk and cookies.

"I'm not sure you would understand." I semi snorted.

"I still want to hear." She smiles.

I sat thinking for a second, "I'm not like anyone else here. No where close. I was raised to be deadly. I was created to be unforgiving. I was born fearless in the eyes of everyone except my own." I was staring at the floor, bringing it all back to memory.

My nose burned. My heart raced. My eyes stung. My blood ran icy cold. They think I'm their little pet. And they think they control me even when I'm not hooked up to their machines. They're so wrong. They forget they created me with a mind of my own. Something they can never control. They've tried to take it from me. They've tried to make me a surrogate. I'm to hard to handle. Yet they still trust me. They put their fate in my hands. The fools. They gave me a mission I planned to sabotage.

"Ms. Silvers? Are you okay?" The woman asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just thinking." I said taking another drink of the orange juice.

"We should probably prepare you now." She stood up and I followed her. She handed me a nude colored strapless bra and nude underwear. I slipped into them quickly them and kept following her trying to re wrap the towel. "No need sweetie, you'll be dressed soon. Stand there." I froze but still clung to the towel. She was skimming through skips and covers. She handed me a white slip which I put on quickly. Then she grabbed a black dress, it was very pretty. The skirt was about thigh length and sparkly. The top was shiny black with a heart pinned onto the breast. I put that on with help as well. I felt something weird on the back, there were latches for something. But my head was turned and they started to apply black make-up. They had made swirls around my eyes. Extravagant make-up for such a silly event. Finally when we were lead down to the chariots were the final touches added. I almost died a little when they brought out the ending pieces. Wings. Replications of my very own. If it didn't hurt so bad to let them grow back out of my back, maybe I would have just pulled my own out once.

The parade went by and we finished up quickly. I had a horrible pounding headache from everyone's thoughts flooding into my mind. I also had a horrible gut feeling about tomorrow, training day. Not to mention what other god awful things these people would make me wear. I walked to the dining room where I found Katniss staring at the floor playing with the table cloth. She looked up and forced a smile. Something was wrong, so I sat down.

She fiddle with the cloth for a little longer then started, "I'm sorry. I know how you feel, stressed. You probably have a headache and your probably scared. Honestly, I'm still getting over it. I don't know how to be a mentor."

"No big deal. Truly I have probably been in worse situations." I said somewhat quiet. She looked at me a little curious. She was being nice by not asking, but I knew she wanted to drill me. "I would tell you, but first of all; you would probably send me to the crazy house. Second, it's hard. Third, not here." She nodded and gave and actual smile to me this time.

"You better get to sleep, big day." She said. I stood up and went to my room. I laid down and drifted off. Being taken to a land of flashbacks.

Author's Note: I wanted to say that you guys probably dont get the whole wing thing so, here. Back before the three of them were transported through time they found out that they developed away to grow their wings into their backs or out. This was how they hide them from ordinary people. I hope that's a good explanation.. hahah