Heys peoples!!! srry 4 the vicious cliffy!!!!!!!!!!! thanx 4 the reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Disclaimer: NOT SUZANNE COLLINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MERRY/HAPPY (insert holiday here)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Chapter Six: Burning

My eyes look in amazement at the creature staring back at me. Her skin sparkles and glints. Her what appeared to be coal-black hair is actually deep blue. Her bangs look like blue flames. And her dress is scattered in diamonds and sapphires. Blue, yellow and white strips fill many of the spaces left, leaving black on the top of the sleeves and on the sides of her skirt. She wears dark coal dust and a mysterious deep blue powder to accent her already ominous eyes. Then, realization hits me as I discover.....it's me.

I turn to Cinna. He obviously reads the message my mouth cannot deliver and tells me only a few last-minute details left. He covers my lips in bloodred lipstick and lights the strips. Then, he disappears to return with pale gold wings, sapphire shoes and a tiara. Some of the arificial flames win their game of cat-and-mouse and set the wings ablaze. I panic and look back to Cinna, not expecting his usual calm demeanor, gesturing towards the mirror. At first, I don't know why, but, then I see it.

A heavenly gold glow surrounds me as the wings flutter independently. The tiara is having life breathed through it, flames dancing across the many jewels. Cinna tells me that if I need an extra beam of light, to click my heels thrice. I thank him for everything and he lets me walk down into the basement, where I easily stand out from my surroundings.

As I walk to the chariot, I hear several catcalls telling me that the male tributes appreciate Cinna's work. I look back and give a slight smile.

"Hey, knock it off," an angry voice that can only be my dad yells behind me.

"Dad, you're embarrassing me," I whine.

"What do you expect? I'm a dad to a 12-year-old," he says then laughs. I just roll my eyes. When we get to the chariot, I see James and tell my dad to leave.

"All right, all right. But if you touch her, you're dead," he threatened as he started to leave.

"Dad!" I cry out while James is laughing. "And you're not exactly helping." I reply fiercely as I turn to him.

"Meow!" he replies, in a feign caustic tone as he offers to help me into the chariot. I stick out my tongue but accept the gesture.

For the first time, I notice his costume. Almost like mine. fiery, sparkly and black. He has wings too, but not girly. More red and yellow than blue and white. In it, he is god-like. As I accept his out-reached hand, I fixate on his eyes. Steel blue streaks the otherwise blue marbled surface. Sea green rings the two perfectly imperfect marbles. Rose starts to take over and James blushes slightly.

"Ready?" James asks steadily.

"Yeah." I say bracingly.

"Let's do this thing!" He says as he pulls me up.

I look back to Cinna, who says something like "hold hands". I inform James and he takes my small hand into his own as we drive out.