Chapter 4
The next morning, Haymitch and I talk about strategy for the Games, over breakfast. Not that I want to win.
Once Katniss comes out Haymitch makes her sit down. The servers put a bunch of food in front of her. She doesn't touch the food though until she finishes her cup of hot chocolate.
Once Katniss is done eating, she looks at me and Haymitch. "So you're supposed to give us advice." Katniss says.
Haymitch looks up from his food. "Here's some advice. Stay alive," Haymitch says, then starts laughing. I'm starting to get angry because he was giving me advice before Katniss got out here.
"That's very funny," I say and lash out on the glass in Haymitch's hand. It falls, shattering on the floor. "Only not to us." I add.
Haymitch punches me in the jaw. And I fall from my chair. He goes back to the table to get something. Katniss drives her knife into the table barely missing Haymitch's fingers. "Well, what's this? Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" he asks.
I stand up and pick up and handful of ice from the fruit tureen. I raise it to my jaw. "No, let the bruise show. The audience will think you've mixed up with another tribute before you've even made it to the arena." Haymitch says.
"That's against the rules." I say.
"Only if they catch you. That bruise will say you fought, you weren't caught, even better," says Haymitch. "Can you hit anything with that knife besides a table?" he asks Katniss.
Katniss yanks the knife from the table and throws it at the wall across the room. It gets lodged in the seam between two panels.
"Stand over here. Both of you." says Haymitch. We do, and he circles us. He checks out muscles and our faces. Well, your not entirely hopeless. Seem fit. And once the stylists get hold of you, you'll be attractive enough."
"All right, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you." Haymitch says. "But you have to do exactly what I say."
Well, I guess it's better than having no mentor. "Fine," I say.
"So help us," Katniss says. "When we get to the arena. What's the best strategy at the Cornucopia for someone-"
"One thing at a time. In a few minutes, we'll be pulling into the station. You're not going to like what they do to you. But no matter what it is, don't resist," says Haymitch.
"But-" Katniss begins.
"No buts. Don't resist," Haymitch says. He takes his bottle and leaves the car. The lights outside the train turn off, we must be in the tunnel that runs through the mountains, into the Capitol.
Katniss and I are silent, and it's kind of awkward. The train begins to slow down and bright lights flood the train compartment. Katniss and I run to the window to see the Capitol. The people begin to point at us.
Katniss steps away from the window. I wave and smile at the crowd. And don't stop until the train pulls into the station. I turn to find Katniss glaring at me. I shrug. "Who knows. One of them may be rich."
Katniss stares at me for a long time. I sit down at the table. When I turn to face Katniss, again, I can see hatred in her eyes. Now, I'm wondering what I did. She turns around quickly and walks out of the train compartment.
Effie walks into the compartment. "Wheres Katniss?" I point to the door. Effie runs off. Minutes later, Effie comes back holding Katniss's wrist.
Effie walks over to me. "Are you ready, Peeta?" she asks.
I nod, and she grabs my wrist. Effie pulls us out of the train, her grip on my wrist is very tight. Like handcuffs. Not that I know what they would feel like.
We get into a car that drives us to the Remake Center. We get out of the car, and Peacekeepers surround us. I can't even see Katniss. She's lost in the crowd of uniformed Peacekeepers.
Once we get into the Remake Center, the Peacekeepers disappear. Then, about six colorful people surround Katniss and I. Three of them pull Katniss away, and the other three stay with me.
"We are so lucky, we're your prep team." one of the ladies says.
"Why?" I ask.
"Because, we'll only have to hose you off once." says another.
"District Twelves female tribute, will have to be washed off more than that. She's from the dirtiest part of District Twelve." says the last one.
"Dirtiest part of Panem." The first one to talk mumbles.
I roll my eyes,I can't believe these women. Katniss isn't that dirty.
They take me to a station to work on me. Soon they tell me that my stylist, Portia, is ready to see me.
I follow one of them to a room. "Go inside, Portia will be there soon." The door closes. I don't have my cloths on, they gave me a robe to wear for a while, but they took it.
The door opens and a woman walks in. "Hello, I'm Portia." she says.
"Hello," I say.
Portia had dark skin, slightly curled blonde hair, and long, golden finger nails. She wears all black.
Portia circles me. "Alright, you can put your robe back on." she tells me. I do, and follow her into a sitting room. She sits on a sofa across from me. Portia presses a button, and our lunch appears.
Portia clears her throat. "As you know at the Tribute Parade, the tributes must dress to, reflect their district." I nod. "And Cinna, and I have agreed that the coal miner outfit has been overdone. No one would remember you if you were dressed like that. And Cinna and I want to make this years District Twelve tributes unforgettable" says Portia. I smile and nod. Cinna must be Katniss's stylist.
"So, instead of focusing on coal mining itself, we're going to focus on the coal." says Portia. "And what do people do with coal? We burn it."
A few hours latter, I'm dressed in a black unitard that covers me from my ankle to my neck, shiny leather boots that go up to my knees. And a cape made of streams of yellow, red, and orange. With a matching head piece.
"It's not real flame. It's just synthetic fire." says Portia.
Once we meet up with Katniss and her team. I see that Katniss is dressed exactly like me. Except, Katniss wears a little makeup.
We are taken to our chariots. Our horses are black like coal. Cinna and Portia adjust our body positions and the cape, then leave.
"What do you think?" Katniss whispers. "About the fire?"
"I'll rip off your cape if you'll rip off mine," I say.
"Deal," says Katniss. Katniss looks away. I guess the conversation is over.
"I know we promised Haymitch we'd do exactly what they said," begins Katniss, so I look at her again. "But I don't think he considered this angle."
I smile. "Where is Haymitch anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing" I ask.
"With all that alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to have him around an open flame," says Katniss.
We both laugh. I wish I could marry her someday. But instead, I'll die in the arena. And Katniss can marry Gale, or something.
The other tributes are not on their chariots. "What if those gates opened and the District One chariot rolled out without the tributes?" I whisper and Katniss laughs a little.
A few of the tributes get into the chariots but not a lot of them do. I'm kind of disappointed District One tributes were in the chariot.
Cinna appears with a lighted torch. "Here we go then," says Cinna. He lights our capes on fire, and I wait for it to burn me. But it doesn't. He climbs onto the chariot and lights our headdresses too. He sighs. "It works." says Cinna. 'It works'? Did he not test it before he lit us on fire? He tucks a hand under Katniss's chin. "Remember, heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you." Cinna says to Katniss making me jealous. Peeta, he's just her stylist, I mentally yell at myself.
Cinna jumps off the chariot and says something, I try to figure out what he's saying.
"What's he saying?" Katniss asks.
"I think he said for us to hold hands." I say. I grab her hand, and look back at Cinna, he nods and gives me a thumbs up. And we're pulled out into the city.
Everyone looks shocked, but then, they start yelling 'District Twelve' I watch Katniss from the corner of my eye. Katniss stares out into the crowed. Eventually, she starts waving to the crowed. Soon, she even blows a few kisses to them. As the ride goes on, her grip on my hand gets tighter and tighter. The Capitol people throw flowers at us, and shout our names. Katniss actually catches a rose.
We get to the City Circle and Katniss loosens her grip, I hold on to her tighter. "No don't let go of me, please. I might fall off this thing." I beg.
"Okay." It's all Katniss says.
President Snow welcomes us tributes from the balcony above. Then we are taken to the Training Center. Once we get there, both our prep teams come to congratulate us, then they start gossiping.
A lot of the other tributes glare at us. Cinna and Portia come to help us off the chariot. They remove our flaming capes and headdresses, and Portia extinguishes them. I look down at me hand and realize Katniss is still holding my hand.
As if Katniss noticed, as well, she pull her hand away. We both begin to massage our hands. "Thanks for keeping hold of me. I was getting a little shaky there," I say.
"It didn't show, I'm sure no one noticed." Katniss says.
"I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you. You should wear flames more often. They suit you." I say smiling.
Katniss blushes, a little. Then she stand on the toes and kisses my check, right over the bruise.
We are taken to the elevator of the Training Center. We get inside. "Alright, your from District Twelve, so you will stay on the twelfth floor." says Effie. She presses twelve and the elevator goes up.
Once we get to our floor, Effie starts talking about how she has been getting us sponsorship, and I ignore her, until I hear her say "Well, if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls!"
Katniss and I share in Effie's enthusiasm about her pearl statement. But pears don't come from coal, they come from shellfish.
Effie shows us our chambers. I take a shower and lay on the bed for a while. Then, I leave the room, and Cinna and Portia invite me to come with them to the rooftop. The three of us talk and then we go to the balcony on our floor.
"Why must I always fetch Katniss? Why can't she come out and socialise before diner like the rest of us?" Effie asks.
"Katniss likes to keep to herself." I say with a shrug.
"Alright then, I'll go get Katniss." says Effie, then she runs off. Soon, Effie comes back with Katniss. She takes a seat at the table.
An Avox comes out and offers wine. Haymitch comes out. The meal is served, and we all eat. Cinna, Portia, Effie, and Haymitch, make small talk. I just eat my food. When an Avox sets a cake on the table and lights it, and the flames dance around the edges of the cake.
Katniss tilts her head. "What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?" Katniss asks the Avox. "That's the last thing I wa- oh! I know you." Katniss says.
"Don't be ridiculous, Katniss. How could you possibly know an Avox? The very thought." Effie says.
"What's an Avox?" Katniss asks.
She doesn't know what an Avox is? Did she ditch that day of school? Or was she not paying attention?
Haymitch tells Katniss that an Avox is someone who committed a crime. And they cut Avox's tungs out so they can't speak, as punishment. And Effie tells Katniss she is not to speak to an Avox unless to give an order. Then, says it would be almost impossible to know an Avox.
"No. I guess not. I just-" says Katniss.
I have to help her. "Delly Cartwright." I say snapping my fingers. I say some more things to cover for Katniss. I know Delly doesn't look anything like the Avox, she was just the first person I could think of, she was my friend when I was a kid.
"Of course, that's who I was thinking of. It must be the hair." says Katniss.
"Something about the eyes, too." I say.
I ignore the rest of diner. I want to know how Katniss knows and Avox.
"Tomorrow morning is the first day of training sessions. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you to play it. Now go get some sleep while the grownups talk." Haymitch says.
Katniss and I stand up, and walk down the corridor to our rooms. Once we get to Katniss's room, I lean against the frame of her door, trying to get her attention. Katniss looks up. "So, Delly Cartwright. Imagine finding her look alike here." I say, asking for and explanation.
Katniss is quiet. It must be because she's afraid of Capitol cameras. "Have you been to the roof yet?" I ask. Katniss shakes her head. "Cinna showed me. You can practically see the whole city. The wind's a bit loud, though." I say.
"Can we just go up?" Katniss asks.
"Sure, come on." I say.
I lead Katniss up the flight of stairs. We get to the roof and talk for a while. Katniss asks if they're still watching us. "Maybe, come see the garden." I say. There are hundreds of wind chimes so no one could hear us. I look at Katniss. She looks at me and hesitates before she begins to speak.
"We were hiding in the woods one day. Hidden, waiting for game,"
"You and your father?" I ask.
"No. My friend Gale. Suddenly all the birds stopped singing at once. Except one. As if it were giving a warning call. And then I saw her. I'm sure it was the same girl. A boy was with her. Their cloths were tattered. They had dark circles under their eyes from no sleep. They were running as if their lives depended on it." says Katniss.
"The hovercraft appeared out of no where," Katniss says. " I mean, one moment the sky was empty and the next it was there. It didn't make a sound, but they saw it. A net drooped down on the girl and carried her up, fast, so fast like the elevator. They shot some sort of spear through the boy. It was attached to a cable and they hauled him up as well. But I'm certain he was dead. We heard the girl scream once. The boy's name, I think. Then it was gone, the hovercraft, vanished into thin air. And the birds began to sing again, as if nothing had happened."
"Did they see you?" I ask.
"I don't know we were under a shelf of rock,"
"You're shivering." I say. I take my jacket off and wrap it around her shoulders. "They were from here?" I ask. She nods. "Where do you suppose they were going?" I ask.
"I don't know that," says Katniss. "Or why they would leave here."
"I'd leave here." I say loud. I look around. I could have been heard over the wind chimes. "I'd go home now if they let me. But you have to admit, the food's prime."
"It's getting chilly. We better go in." I say. Once we get in, it's warmer. "Your friend, Gale. He's the one who took your sister away at the Reaping?" I ask even though I know.
"Yes. Do you know him?" Kantiss asks.
"Not really. I hear the girls talk about him a lot. I thought he was your cousin or something." I lie. "You favor each other,"
"No. We're not related." Katniss says.
I nod. "Did he come to say goodbye to you?"
"Yes, so did your father. He brought me cookies." she says.
"Really? Well he likes you and your sister. I think he wishes he had a daughter instead of a houseful of boys." I say. "He knew your mother when they were kids."
"Oh, yes. She grew up in town." Katniss says. We're back at Katniss's door, she gives me my jacket back. "See you in the morning then."
"See you." I say and walk into my room. I change my cloths into pajamas and lay down.
Moments later, I fall asleep. I dream about synthetic fire, flaming cake, and wind chimes.