Celina 5

I rode the lift up to the fourth floor, trying to straighten the wig, and smooth the creases out of my dress. I took off my shoes and carried them, as the heels had broken when Rolex smashed into me. I stepped out of the lift, and snuck into my room, past the main room where I could hear Den, Finnick and Mags laughing and trying to engage Martin.

I reached my room, taking care to lock the door firmly. I found a laminated card explaining the shower controls, and had a salt water shower. The tang of salt in my eyes somehow soothed me, and I walked back to my bed, and fell asleep in a towel, wet hair flayed across the pillow.

"Celina! Come on!" Den was rapping at my door, and rattling the handle, "We're going to be late!" Bright rays of sun beamed through the windows, and for a moment, I just basked in their warmth.

Ignoring the shouts of Den, I slowly dressed in tight blue jeans, and a pretty low-necked dark blue t-shirt. Looking in the mirror, I decided to change to a draped pink top, which concealed last night's bruises better. It was loose as well, so it didn't brush against the bruises on my stomach as much.

I ran a comb through my hair, and ate breakfast in my room, by simply saying the number of the food I wanted from the menu into a mouthpiece. Minutes later, I was tucking into smoked fish, and a steaming cup of frothed chocolate. This was a luxury in our district, but father sometimes got some when his fishing haul had been very successful.

I opened the door, and ignoring everyone except a quiet 'hello' to Finnick, I swept straight into the elevator, and prayed it would pick up no-one else. Thankfully, the elevator whooshed straight down to the training room without stopping once.

I nervously walked into the training room, and let out a sigh of relief when I realised I was one of the first ones there.

Atala started her speech exactly on time, even though half the tributes weren't here yet. More trickled in, but Diamond, Rolex, Morpheus and Iris still didn't arrive. I tried to look like I was listening, but I was trying to work out my strategy. I think it would help my strategy if I went around the survival stations, I already knew how to use weapons, father made sure that I was well prepared if my name was ever pulled out of the reaping ball.

Atala ended her speech just as the district 1 and 2 tributes sauntered in, Iris looking confident, whereas the others just looked a bit awkward. I caught Rolex's eye, then looked away quickly, scuttling away towards the basic survival station. I knew how to make fires and tie knots, but that wasn't going to help my strategy. I spent half an hour trying to make a fire with a firestarter, feigning exasperation when the fire burned out, or smoked like crazy, with only a small spark. I eventually rustled up a halfway decent fire out of sticks and dried leaves. I looked up to Blaze, an appropriate name for a woman who spent most of her time teaching kids how to start fires, seeking approval, when a collective gasp went around the training room. Iris had punched her brother in the face, and they were now engaged in some sort of argument. Iris kicked Morpheus in the gut, causing him to bend over double in pain. She ended the fight with a cutting statement, which must have proved her point more, and everyone slowly went back to their own stations. Blazes dramatic face hardened, and she looked at me in sympathy. She knew I would never last against that. I walked up to her, wanting to reassure her.

I embraced the tiny woman, whispering 'I'm tougher than I look you know' in her ears, tattooed with tiny flames. She nodded, and told me to go to a fighting station, and at least put myself up there as a fighter, even an unremarkable one. She told me the careers always started hunting the weaklings first, but I already knew that even if I was the best fighter out there, I was going to die first. I smiled guiltily, and walked over to a station filled with wicked-looking maces, and morning stars.

I picked one up with both hands, making sure to look like it was difficult, even though it seemed quite light. I took a feeble swing at a dummy, barely scratching the silver surface. I swung it again and again, but never receiving the spurt of fake blood I had seen the others get. I threw it down in pretend fury, and flounced to the camouflage section. I tried hard in this one, dabbing colours onto a rucksack to make it look like a boulder. I refused to paint my arm, reinforcing the weak, girly persona I had equipped. The instructor looked very pleased with my work, but his face quickly fell when I used some red berry juice to dye my lips ruby red, and dabbed some sort of pink paste on my eyelids and cheeks. I even used the charcoal sticks to line my eyes.

"Thank you so much." I gushed to the camouflage instructor, and went back to the familiar orange quiff of blaze. Even her hair looked like fire!

"Hi!" I chirped, but my greeting fell flat as I realised she was shaking her head. I decided to confide in her. I told her about what happened in the lift, but left out the bit where Diamond and Rolex beat me up in the corridor. Blaze was sure to report them and that would make them hate me even more.

"Oh," she sighed, "I'm so sorry, I understand no amount of fighting could help you." Her voice broke on the last words, and she looked away with tears in her eyes. "I would say your best bet would be to form an alliance. Try James; from District 7, I like him. He got invited into the careers, but he turned them down. Just the look on Iris's face was enough to turn milk sour." She managed a small smile, and pointed out a handsome 15 year old with dark hair and eyes, with very defined muscles.

I walked over, trying to seem nervous, but tough.

"Hey. I heard you turned down the careers!" I acted like that was the bravest thing in the world, which it probably was. Careers weren't the type to forgive and forget.

"Yeah, I guess." He was swinging a huge axe around, and suddenly launched it at a silver dummy, getting rewarded by a burst of fake blood.

"Wow!" I looked at him in genuine amazement, "Can you teach me how to do that? Please?" I fluttered my eyelashes, and flicked my hair behind my shoulders.

"Sure thing." He smiled at me, and his eyes seemed to drop that wary look I had noticed before. "Try this one." He handed me the smallest axe and it was feather light, so I couldn't get away with pretending I couldn't lift it.

I tossed it from hand to hand, and threw it at the dummy for half an hour before it stuck, and I got a rewarding splatter of red liquid.

"Hey, umm," James started awkwardly, "I don't really want an alliance, but, you seem really nice. Sorry." He shrugged and walked away.

I stormed back to Blaze, fuming.

"He made me throw axes for half an hour, then told me he didn't want an alliance!"

"Hey chick," Blaze soothed, "Don't worry."

I spent the remaining time starting fires with her, waiting until they would let us out.