Right so here's chapter 3,
Chapter 3: Preparations
Feeling tired, Ron decided to turn in for the night. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but think that the Careers were no longer his greatest threat after all.
He was sprinting up a daisy covered hill top, (why he had absolutely no idea), but he just knew he had to reach whatever was waiting for him on the other side. After what felt like hours (which was probably more like minutes), he had reached the summit. He could see all around him an expansive green field filled with dandelions lay to the west. A solitary oak tree stood in the centre of the wide plain. In the distance, he could see a red and white checkered blanket that lay a couple of feet away from the tree with a picnic basket rested unattended in the middle of the blanket. He strolled towards it, licking his lips in anticipation, imagining the wonderful treats that were concealed by the woven lid of the basket. As he was approaching the basket, he heard a voice.
"You came then."
Ron was startled since he had thought that he was completely alone. He looked up quickly but first the sunlight dazed him as he was then able to make out a silhouette of a girl perched elegantly on a sturdy looking branch …he squinted in order to make out who it was…oh he should have guessed it would have been her- untamed, silky, brown hair falling past her shoulders as she smiled down at him, raising a fine eyebrow questioningly.
"Should I come down?" she said seductively.
He gulped before replying in a wheezy voice "Err- yes please."
She jumped down from the branch almost in slow motion and landed far too lightly on the blanket Ron thought.
She began to lie down on the blanket, her elbow propped her up and she moved her legs so that they were tucked back behind her.
"Aren't you going to join me?" she asked gazing almost longingly at him to come closer.
He didn't move. 'This couldn't be real… could it?' he thought. It was just somehow too perfect to be true.
She started beckoning him over, pouting slightly when he didn't react instantly.
Even if it wasn't real he might as well enjoy it while it lasted he concluded, and so sat down next to her rubbing his hands over his jeans trying to discretely wipe the sweat away.
She looked much happier now he was within arm's reach. "Are you hungry?" she asked him playfully gesturing to the basket but biting her lip and looking directly into his eyes as she did so.
Oh god- he had never been more excited in his life as his jeans were getting exceedingly tight now, but he managed to nod his head in confirmation to her question.
"What do you want to eat first?" she asked, eye brows rose in a teasing manner.
His response just spilled from his mouth before he had a chance to process what he was saying "You".
Her smile became wider as she said, "Good, because you just look delicious." She licked her lips and her head tilted forwards towards him.
He groaned in anticipation of what he knew would happen next, their faces were getting closer and closer as their lips parted and their eyes never left the others.
"BANG!"
Ron was woken abruptly from his dreams of green fields and brown haired girls, by the initial crash and then the loud booming voice above him.
"Get up now, we've arrived," his mentor said gruffly.
"What- arrived where?" he asked sleepily.
"The Capital of course- come on get up, NOW!" he shouted.
"Wo-ah what's the rush?" Ron complained still not quite with it yet.
"Look, you've already slept in; we've got a busy day. You have to meet your stylist and then we get to have a little chat about your strategy and how you're going to present yourself in the live interviews later… alright?" He said all this in a very slow, drawling manner like he was talking to a small child.
Ron couldn't help but think that Darren (his mentor) could have made his speech a little less patronizing, but even he admitted that he deserved the lecture for his own dawdling.
"So get dressed- you have 5 minutes before you're supposed to meet your stylist. Don't be late." Darren warned.
Ron was left alone in the room once more and after scolding himself due to the mess he had made with the almost implausible amount of drool that soaked his pillow, he started to get dressed.
A plain orange t-shirt and jeans would suffice he thought. He left his room following the instructions Darren had given him to find his stylist's dressing room.
-OOOO-
Ron felt mentally drained; he had just experienced the longest two hours in human history. He had just come out of his session with his stylist Madam Rosemerta and "Christ" was she the most tedious and annoying person he had ever had the misfortune of meeting. Didn't she understand that he was a bloke and therefore his priorities for when choosing clothes were:
1. The clothes actually covered his body?
2. They were comfortable to wear.
He had been forced to stand still for hours on end while she had continuously rambled on about the latest fashions, while occasionally getting him to try something on before looking at him critically and then saying, "Oh dear, no that just doesn't work!" before returning back to her obsessive monologue.
They had eventually decided upon a plain white shirt and a dark grey suit with matching trousers completed by a midnight blue tie that apparently "brought out his eyes". Ron only rolled his eyes in disbelief when he heard her opinion on the matter.
Throughout the session Ron had thought to himself that he didn't need a stylist to know that the outfit that they had chosen would be his best look as the many other garments that now littered the sides of the room were positivity ghastly; and yet he was still obligated to give his thanks to her and watch as tears welled in her eyes as she admired the "miracle transformation" she had apparently created.
Ron didn't know whether he should be offended or just plain exasperated when she said this, but to be honest he didn't give a damn. He was just thankful it was now over and he wouldn't have to see her again for a second session any time soon.
He had been told by Darren that once his session with Rosemerta was over to come and find him so that they could start their talk on tactics. He found himself resorting to ask someone who he assumed was a guard, as to where he would find Darren, but the guard it seemed couldn't be bothered to open his mouth to tell him verbally where was Darren. Instead, he opted to pointing and gesticulating wildly to a door far down the hallway.
Completely baffled by the strange event, Ron absentmindedly walked through the ajar door to be greeted by the sight of his mentor lying back on a grand sofa drinking from a silver goblet.
Darren looked up before snorting, "Had a fun time with Rosemerta?"
"No it was bloody terrible!" Ron replied honestly.
"Thought you'd say that," Darren grinned. "Ready to get down to the real business then?"
Ron nodded his confirmation.
"Great- well, listen up 'cause I'm only going to tell you this once. Soon as the games start, run, grab a weapon and a pack and get the fuck out of there preferably into some woods if there are any. Just head off somewhere that can provide you camouflage and protection."
"Next, find a water supply and a food source and just camp it out till they've all killed enough of each other so that you can take out the rest. Alright, you've got that?" said Darren extremely quickly.
"Right, so this method is guaranteed to make me win- is it?" asked Ron dubiously.
"Well it's exactly what I did when I won my games," replied Darren.
"So you don't recommend me forming an alliance with anyone then?" questioned Ron.
"Nope not really, other than the Careers, you… oh and the guy from District 9; all the other tributes look quite small and weak so it would be a waste of time teaming up with any of them since they would just probably increase the chances of your own death if you joined them".
"Oh ok-ay." said Ron quietly. He had been secretly hoping that Darren would advise him to make friends as he subconsciously wanted to have a reason in order to start a conversation with the District 7 girl he had dreamed about all night.
"Why Ron? Was there any one that you had your eye on?" Darren asked a little too knowingly for Ron's liking.
"Well, I, erm yeah I- thought that maybe that… the girl from District 7 would be a good choice. I mean she looked very creative and quick witted… she could be a useful asset, right?" He said very quickly.
"She's made quite an impression on you, hasn't she?" Darren asked correctly.
"Not all at, why would you think that?" Ron replied hastily.
A wide grin spread across Darren's face as he said, "One more thing Ron… when you're in the arena, try not to talk in your sleep- it may just give your position away, all that moaning you do and all".
So there you go it was really more of a filler chapter than anything, but i felt it was nessercery. We've still got the interview and a couple days worth of training to go until the actual games start so, bare with me.
Thanks again to rhmac12 who beta-ed this for me.
and reviews are always appriecated good or bad as long as a can improve my writing.
