A/N: Okay, so it's not my best chapter. It's sort of rushed. And I can't focus because my brother keeps bothering me! Mark, if you're reading this, LEAVE ME ALONE! I'll be updating a lot more often from now on, but I'm also working on another SYOT so be patient. Find it on my personal page to submit. I have a lot of male spots still open and a few female ones too. R & R! It'll make my day!
The voice of my loving sister is what wakes me from my dreamless sleep, "If you wanna see that bitch you call a friend, you better get up."
My head is aching, and my heart is pounding. My voice is groggy, "What time is it?"
"11:45, so you better get up and vomit before the show starts. I'm sure you don't want to miss the ridiculous costumes this year," she's chuckling. We usually joke about it every year, but I'm not in the mood. "Oh lighten up. They always clean up the prey before the slaughter." Her grin is getting a little too wide for my taste.
"Get out!" I spit.
"You never cared when it was the district kids, so it shouldn't matter that it's Capitol kids. Right?" she asks. My sister always was a rebel at heart. "Isn't that what we were told about them? That they deserve it for what their ancestors did? Well, our ancestors started the Games, so they expect us to end it." She takes a deep breath, just thinking and finally sighs. "Like it or not, they're right."
I wish I had had a good remark, but I don't. Everything she said is true, but I'll never give her that satisfaction, "You only think that because you don't have your best friend in the Games."
"Maybe," she stands there staring me down, "or maybe I've always thought that." She looks at me quizzically.
The clock on my nightstand reads that it's 11:55. The parade starts in 5minutes, and I don't want to miss a minute of it. I stomp down the hallway and flop myself onto the sofa in the living room. I can tell the staff are avoiding my gaze, so I pretend they're not even there. The grandfather clock in our living room strikes twelve with twelve bongs.
Bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong!
President Paylor emerges from her balcony and addresses the crowd, "It is my honor to present to you the tributes of the 76th Hunger Games!"
The crowds go wild as the District 1 chariot rolls out. So much for the Capitol people caring, I think. Antoinette is in a ruby red dress covered in green emeralds and white diamonds. Her outfit is blinding. Pan is dressed in a ruby red suit covered in the same décor. He looks slightly more ridiculous than she does. They're playing to the crowd, waving and smiling.
The District 2 chariot rolls out and I almost faint. They are ancient Roman statues covered in gray powder to signify the marble quarries of District 2. That's the only thing covering them. I know Vera's not happy with that. The two are playing the District 2 warrior act, being quiet and deadly.
"I guess it's a humiliation punishment and a death sentence," my sister says blankly. I suppose this didn't require her usually sassy attitude.
They made the District 3 kids look pretty good. They're in black jumpsuits covered in thin neon light coils. They're not spectacular, but as far as District 3 kids go, they look fantastic. The boy looks miserable; he knows he's going to die. The girl is smiling only slightly and waving.
Clarisse is in a seashell bra and mermaid tail. Clarisse is not happy, but she hides it. She knows she needs to get sponsors by using her looks and being friendly. Aranel is being portrayed as Neptune or Poseidon. He's not wearing a shirt and has a mermaid tail just like Clarisse. He's holding a trident in his right hand and looks stronger than everyone else.
The power costumes aren't that different from the electronics costumes. Callie's dressed in a skin tight black dress with lightning bolts all around. The back droops down to her butt to show her lightning bolt tattoo. Cavan's dressed in a skin tight suit with neon yellow lining. Their stylists covered their faces and exposed skin in dark makeup. Cavan's stylist painted a neon yellow lightning bolt on his cheek.
The District 6 kids are dressed in cab driver uniforms. The cab drivers in the Capitol all come from District 6 because they're the best drivers since they deal with transportation.
For once, the District 7 kids aren't trees! They're dressed in dark brown bodysuits with their faces painted brown. They're wearing silver head pieces with a red line that make them look like axes. They're supposed to be their own weapon. It's actually pretty clever.
The District 8 kids look absolutely ridiculous as usual. They're draped in red and white cotton quilts with feather crowns.
The District 9 kids are draped in weird dresses made of maize. They look so stupid! What was their stylist thinking?
The brother and sister from 10 don't look completely ridiculous. Instead of being dressed like the slaughter, they're dressed like the ones who do the slaughtering. The girl is dressed in a red and white plaid v-neckline tank top that doesn't cover her belly button with a short jean skirt. Is that the fashion in District 10? I think. It's so revealing! The boy is wearing a red and white plaid long-sleeve shirt with jeans. They're both wearing brown cowboy hats and brown cowboy boots.
The two from 11 are covered in dark green leaves all over their bodies representing fruit trees. Their each wearing hats piled high with fruit and vegetables. The kids are so frail that I'm surprised how they're not toppling over.
I don't understand the costumes for 12 at all. Their stylists dyed their hair bright crimson red and made it stick up. They're both wearing a very dark brown dress that is skin tight down to the middle of their chests. From there it goes into a cone shape down to the floor. The same red color is painted with dots of black to represent ash from the volcano on their faces. There are squiggly lines going down parts of the dress. I'm almost positivethat volcanos have absolutely nothing to do with coal though. They probably couldn't come up with a good enough idea, I think.
The chariots make their final trip around the City Circle and stop in front of the presidential mansion. President Paylor addresses the screaming crowd after they've died down, "Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes for the 76th Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!"
