District 12. 12am. Late Summer Morning.
"Primrose Everdeen!" District Twelve's tribute escort trilled. Her powdered white face, lathered in colorful paint decorated her face in which she thought must of looked pretty and attractive. Her hair was white with a light pink dusting over it. She smiled, full of contempt at the name she just read out to the rest of District Twelve, she searched out into the crowd, trying to single the young lady whose name she just called out. The Capital woman, Effie Trinket soon spotted the top of little girl's head. Her hair was blonde and separated into two braided pigtails She was a tiny little thing, so frail and small as she trembled. Taking small reluctant steps forward as the girl, Primrose slid past the other twelve year old girls, they eyed her in fright, loss, and sympathy.
Poor thing. Effie thought, but tossed that aside and continued to stretch out her hand towards the small girl walking tently to the steps that connected to the stage before the Justice Building. Before Effie could take the little blonde's girl, someone moved in her peripheral vision, striding through the crowd of sixteen year old girls.
"Prim! Prim!" The unknown girl's voice rung out in the stilled silence of District Twelve, Effie glanced away from the blonde girl towards the brunette who was struggling against the restraints the Peacekeepers had on her. She shoved against them and called out more clearly than when she was crying out the little girl's name. "I volunteer as Tribute!" The brunette finally got the men's arms off her as she strode in front of them. Her head held high, and a aura that glowed off of her in confidence and strength, fire blazed deeply within her dark silvery eyes. "I volunteer as tribute." And Effie took a startled step back, seeing the emotions raging through her eyes.
The little girl raced back towards the older girl, screaming, tears racing down her face, flinging her skinny pale arms around the brunette's waist, clinging tightly to her. "NO! KATNISS, YOU CAN'T!" Little Primrose sobbed in front of everyone, District Twelve, the Capital, everyone.
"Ah. It seems we have a volunteer. And I believe District Twelve's very first volunteer, too!" Effie spoke into her mic, cheerily, but a little unnerved. The brunette was glaring straight up the stage where Effie Trinket stood with Mayor Undersee standing on the sidelines where District Twelve's only living mentor, Haymitch Abernathy awaited, drunk as always. Since he had won his Hunger Games, decades ago. But he too, leaned forward in his seat in interest, his gray eyes tranfixed on the girl who just volunteered. Volunteered from District Twelve, no less.
"Prim go find mom. Everything's going to be alright." The girl who had fire in her eyes, spoke gently down to the blonde who still clung to her with heart wrenching sobs.
"NO!"
"Prim-" the older girl was soon cut off as a tall, lean boy who looked around eighteen years of age. Hoisted the small blonde girl into his arms. HIs facial features resembled those of the brunette; and most of all those two reminded Effie of Haymitch. Same sharp, steely gray eyes, and dark brown locks of hair. But where as Haymitch and that other boys' gray eyes seemed worn and dull. The girl's were vibrant and liquid silver, like someone lit up a flame inside her. The girl gave the boy a grateful nod, and strode up the aisle and up the steps to the stage where Effie still stood with her hand out to take the girl tribute's hand. But the brunette ignored it, standing tall and looking out into the mass of people of District Twelve.
Effie frowned, shaking her head once, plastering once again her gigantic smile. "Well dear. What might your name be?" The brunette shifted on her feet, uncomfortably. "Don't be shy, dear."
"Katniss. Katniss Everdeen." She said aloud, radiating off her previous aura of confidence.
Effie blinked. "I bet my hat that was your sister!" She replied.
"It was."
"Alright! Give an applause for District Twelve's very first volunteer!" Effie began clapping, but everyone else remained completely silent. So quiet, that Effie's clapping just echoed across District Twelve. Then one by one everyone gathered in front of the Justice Building raised up their three middle fingers, pressed them against their lips and raised them in the air towards Katniss. Effie was completely struck by whatever they were doing, completely clueless that was how District Twelve said good bye to a loved one. "Now onto the gentlemen." She grinned.
...
Katniss sat frozen in her seat by her fellow tribute. Peeta Mellark. The boy with the bread, the boy who got hit by his mother by purposely dropping a loaf of bread into the fire. And throwing it to Katniss as she laid awaiting death by a tree as the rain fell. Katniss had grabbed the bread and sprinted home as fast as she could to her sister Prim and mother. Prim lit up at the sight of the loaf of bread and their mother just remained in her same state depression she had always been when they had found out that Katniss' and Prim's father wouldn't be returning from work one day. The mine blew up, killing many people, and one of those people was their father and Gale's father also.
"Katniss you can't shut me out now. It's not the Hunger Games, yet." Peeta tried to get her to say something to him, but she remained silent as if she were an Avox and had her tongue cut out. She avoided his baby blue eyes as he struggled to get her to make eye contact. Their mentor soon came strolling into the car of the train with a big green bottle of wine in his left hand. He collapsed into the seat in front of her and Peeta, rubbing his forehead with his free hand, tiredly.
Peeta leaned forward eagerly. "So…"
Haymitch Abernathy glanced up at Peeta, scoffing. "So, what?"
"You're going give us pointers into how to survive the Hunger Games." Peeta continued, undeterred by Haymitch's obvious distaste for him at the moment.
"Why so eager? Peter, was it?" Their drunken mentor asked, amusement lighting up in his gray eyes. Lounging back in his chair, leg tossed over the arm of it, admiring the bottle of wine in his hand as he held it up in the light. Katniss gave a snort, crossing her arms on her chest, looking away from him.
"No, it's Peeta." She told Haymitch. Her emotions were a jumbled up mess at the present moment, so she focused her energy on the irritation at their mentor who laid in his drunken stupor, not even caring or trying to coach them. 'No wonder all the tributes from District Twelve die in the blood bath.' Katniss thought bitterly. Her eyes watched the trees zoom by in a blur as the train continued in its hastened tread towards the Capital for the preparations leading towards the Hunger Games. 'Disgusting-'
"You want some advice?" Haymitch's voice broke her out of her thoughts. And she returned her attention to the conversation Peeta and Haymitch were having. Or more of Peeta talking, and Haymitch ignoring whatever it is he said.
"Yeah, of course!" Peeta smiled, brightening up in success. The corner of Haymitch's mouth turned up slightly, but he quickly forced it down. 'Smart.' She nodded towards him. He glanced at Katniss from the corner of his eye, he saw her narrowed eyes at him. She caught the quirk of his lips, which was a signal to watch for in somebody's facial expression that let's you know he was about to trick you, instead of giving you what you wanted. Katniss saw this frequently in the Black Market in the Seam, but the people she traded with learned to stop trying to trick her and Gale as they did to her father. They couldn't trick her, she saw right through them. Her father made sure she learned to detect someone's lies and trickery.
"Don't die." Haymitch finally told Peeta. "That's my advice, it's good advice too. I say take it to heart." He leaned back more into his chair, getting cozy. Katniss rolled her eyes, sending the drunk a glare, in which he grinned at and had the ode- city to wave at her. She growled at him, standing up and walking towards the exit of the car she was in, to go find her room. She didn't miss the crestfallen look that took over Peeta's face. 'Don't Katniss. You're going to kill him yourself or some one else is, once you're in the arena, if you want to get back home to Prim, Gale, mom, just home. So, no reason to grow attached to the boy who saved you and your family's lives back when you two were children.' Before she left, she called back.
"Have a good night, Peeta." His frown switched around into a small smile. Katniss placed the palm of her hand on the wall, turning around to catch the Seam eyes of Haymitch Abernathy. "Just to let you know, you ole drunk, I don't get easily tricked. After all, I'm from the Seam. You out of all people should know that." And with that, she left to hunt down her bed and let sleep claim her.
...
The first thing Katniss woke up to was the high trilling voice of Effie. "It's a big, BIG Day! Time to get UP!" Katniss groaned, throwing the pillow she had clasped tightly in her hand and buried her face into it. 'That woman is too much, and I haven't known her for long.' After the abrupt awakening caused by Twelve's tribute escort; Katniss had showered and brushed her teeth. Leaving her slightly damp brown hair to tumble down her back in unruly curls and waves. She wore black, light and loose cotton pants that reached her ankles; and a long sleeved forest green cotton shirt.
She padded down the hall, back towards the car she accompanied with Haymitch and Peeta the day before. The day her little bundle of sunshine got reaped during her first year of having her name in the reaping for the Hunger Games. Katniss shook her head, trying to dispel the raging feelings churning in her stomach. 'You can't be nervous now, you're here so Prim wouldn't have to go through it… And- and possibly never come home, again. Stop it! Snap yourself out of it. what's done is done, now deal with it!' Katniss scolded herself. She walked into the car to find Effie, Peeta, and Haymitch placed at the table with a whole table set and filled sky high with food. It was more food than she had ever seen before in her whole life. Effie turned to catch sight of Katniss, greeting her with a very large smile. She resembled an Easter egg, more so than she did with the full blown pink get up yesterday at the Reaping. Today, she displayed many colors and patterns, it was mind boggling and made Katniss want to shield her eyes.
Peeta looked as he normally did, his soft fuzzy blonde hair, fluffy like a baby duck's feathers. His baby blue eyes sparkled as he met her silver ones. His pearly white teeth made a appearance as he grinned widely at her, coaxing her to give him at least a small smile in return. Even if it was only a small quirk that twitched at the side of her curved lips, his grin brightened.
"Morning!" Peeta greeted her. Haymitch just grunted towards her as she sat down across from him. Effie continued to ramble on about the preparations that had to be made for the entering ceremony for all the Districts' Tributes, before every Hunger Games. They were supposed to be dressed up in a eye catching and memorable garb that showed off which District they originated from. Last years District Twelve's tributes for the 73rd Hunger Games were strip naked and lathered and covered in coal dust. Katniss shook her head in disgust, 'the way they portray us is discriminating. yes, we're one of the lesser Districts. and yes, we're the Coal District. But still what was the stylist think?! He was making a total mockery out of us all!' Katniss began to nibble on a piece of toast with strawberry jam on it, and just as she was about to open her mouth to comment on something. Effie spoke up.
"You two have better table manners than last years tributes! They were eating like barbarians!" Katniss' lips were pressed into a firm line, her right hand which held her toast clenched tightly into a fist. Making her fingers sticky with the jam, she saw both Peeta and Haymitch straighten up and glare at Effie, but she remained oblivious to the tension thickening in the room. When she did notice the slight shift in the atmosphere, Katniss had spoken, breaking the utter silence that wafted in between too long from Effie's words.
"Those tributes were from the Seam. They were most likely have never seen this much food in their lives before they were reaped for the Hunger Games. So, I'm sure manners at the table were the last things on their mind." Katniss finished coldly. And Effie sat there confused, hurt written all over her face from the tone Katniss used with her. She then started eating her breakfast quietly, not attempting to start another conversation.
"So, anyway…" Peeta began awkwardly, directing his next question towards Haymitch. The man in question lounged back with a new clear glass of liquor, it was a bronze and honey colored as he swirled it around in his glass in boredom. Cocking an eyebrow at Peeta awaiting another one of his questions.
"What is it?"
Peeta took a breath. "Are you going to tell us how you won your games? Or give us tips and do what you're here to do, and mentor us on how survive the HUnger Games?" Katniss' sharp gaze zeroed in on Haymitch's expression, she saw a flicker of remorse and pain go through those dull, cold gray eyes. He coughed then drained the amber contents from his glass down his throat, slamming the now empty glass onto the table. Getting a squeal out of Effie at the clatter it made on the wood.
"One thing you got to be is look desirable…" He rolled the last word off his tongue with more emphasis, "and if you're desirable then you will at least have a sponsors; and sponsors are a very large advantage in the Games. Without them you're as good as dead."
"OKay, how are we supposed to look desirable?" Peeta questioned, interest sparking within in blue eyes. Haymitch noticed the gleam and laughed.
"You have to get them to like you or most importantly love you. Charm them. It helps if you have a special talent. Before I forget." He snapped his fingers in a 'aha' moment like a light bulb went off in his head. "What are things you can do? Survival skills. Things you can use to protect yourselves once you're in the arena."
Peeta was the first one to answer. "Katniss shoots."
Katniss sent a quick glare his way then pressed on. "Peeta's strong… He would have an advantage with hand to hand combat if he tries."
Haymitch looked in interest at this year's District Twelve tributes. Peeta looked at Katniss in irritation, not liking how she sent the spotlight back on him.
"My dad buys her squirrels and she hits them in the eye every single time." Peeta argued. Before Katniss could retort back at him, Peeta cut her off, shocking everyone especially them both. "You know what my mom told me when she came to visit me before we both got on the train. She said, 'we might actually have a victor this year,' and she wasn't talking about me." With that Peeta excused himself from the table and stalked away, walking out of the car and probably heading towards his room.
"Well, that was interesting." Haymitch cut in. Katniss pulled her eyes from where Peeta disappeared and fixated her steely silver eyes on him. He winced at the fire blazing within those eyes, he shrugged it off and reached out for another bottle of alcohol. His right hand was spread out on the tablecloth as his left hand went to grab the clear bottle that was half way full of amber liquid. Before he snatched the bottle, a silver knife was buried deeply in the wooden table between two of his middle fingers on his right hand. Haymitch blinked down blurry eyed at the silverware embedded in the wood.
"That was mahogany!" Effie screeched, hopping up from her seat like a startled rabbit. The intoxicated mentor stared up at Katniss with blood shot eyes that had widened in surprise, his mouth in the shape of an 'o'.
"You should stop drinking, ole man." Katniss told him, standing up also and walking away, before she left Haymitch called after her.
"The knife nearly cut my fingers off!" He complained.
She looked back at him and smirked. "That was the point." He was about to retort but was cut off when he heard Effie scream briefly. He saw a silver object flying past his face, then heard a thud as it slammed against the air vent right behind him. He turned to find another silver knife wedged perfectly between two of the panels in the air vent. He gave Katniss an appraising look, and a nod of respect. 'Impressive'. He thought to himself, as he watched the back of the brunette's curly hair as it swung slightly to her her steps. 'It seems I got myself a fighter this year.' He fell back and continuing on with his drinking, drowning out Effie's complaints, contemplating and thinking about the fire in the girl's sharp silver eyes, and her stony exterior. 'Who would break through her cold surface? The boy looks like he can, but he'll get burned in the process. It is the Hunger Games after all.'
