Chapter 12: Belle Of The Ball (Part One)
Thanks for reading, thanks for the support, and thanks for the feedback! I am saved by grace! "The
good book says, 'The people perish without vision'. I say go give it 'em." (Mr. Nathan v.)
"I guess that means we're supposed to be grateful to die for his enjoyment." Katniss grumbled, as Effie
and some women from The Capitol applied make-up to her face.
"It's hard to put make-up on a moving face!" one of the women complained.
"Katniss dear, no talking. You are our masterpiece tonight! You will be the envy of this ball!" Effie said,
with a dainty smile.
Katniss doubted it. She saw herself in the mirror and could hardly recognize her face. She felt like a
spoiled and pampered princess. District Twelve was suffering, and here she was getting the star
treatment. She began to think about the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. He deserved
treatment such as this, but that wasn't what she read about Him in the Bible. He was beaten, and
whipped. He was punched. He was mocked, spit on, kicked, humiliated, rejected, ostracized, and
was crucified. How could a valuable life like His, be thrown away, when one as worthless as hers was
being preserved, like a porcelain doll that was made with the only purpose of sitting on a shelf and
collecting dust?
Gale looked at himself in the mirror in his bedroom. He was wearing a grey tux, with an emblem on
the sides of the jacket. It looked like the wind. Who was he kidding? No one could see the wind!
"Do you like it?" Cinna asked, suddenly appearing in the doorway.
"It's not me." Gale commented.
"Would you like me to make alterations?" Cinna asked, somewhat alarmed.
"He needs to be present." Haymitch came up behind Cinna.
"You are the wind to Katniss' flame." Cinna announced, as if answering a question.
"I'm not having an identity crisis!" Gale snapped.
"You think you're not worth this treatment. You don't see the meaning for your life."
"Stop trying to figure me out, Cinna! You live in La-La Land! The rest of us, face real problems that have
nothing to do with whether or not our clients have a fashion sense!"
"Don't assume that because I live here, I don't care about what's going on, out there."
Haymitch put his hand on Cinna's shoulder.
"This is like a first date for you and Katniss, isn't it?" Haymitch asked, earning a glare from Gale.