Journie Teffs, District 9, 17
The next morning, it took me a second to remember where I was before yesterday came crashing back. I woke up alone in the tribute's suite on the train, in a room much bigger than the one I shared with True back at home. I sat up and stretched, taking in the room. I wondered if the ones in the Training Center would look similar, or be even more extravagant. I guessed I'd find out sooner or later.
After I got out of bed, I examined the shower, which was filled with all manner of crazy buttons and knobs. The buttons all had little symbols on them, and it took me a solid ten minutes to figure out how they worked so I could have a normal morning shower. I bathed quickly and got dressed in some of the clothes provided in the enormous closet. Then, I made my way to the dining car.
"Good morning," said Marius, our Mentor, who was the only other one up.
"Good morning," I said politely.
He gestured. "Please, sit and help yourself," he said.
I sat across from him, piling my plate high with bacon, eggs, and french toast. An Avox poured me some orange juice, which tasted incredible. It was like it'd been squeezed straight from the orange.
"Is no one else up yet?" I asked.
"Not yet," said Marius. "How did you sleep?"
"Like a log," I said truthfully. I'd practically collapsed into bed last night, overwhelmed with the events of the day. Sometimes I still wondered if I was dreaming.
"Good," said Marius. "It's important to take good care of yourself before you hit the arena. Eating and sleeping well, and paying close attention in training."
I nodded, my mouth full of bacon. I swallowed. "Got it."
"I'd like to know about the cut on your lip," said Marius.
"Oh, that," I said, touching my finger to it. It had scabbed over already. "I was in a fight, and the other guy got a good hit in."
"Did you win the fight?" asked Marius intently.
"Oh, yeah," I said. "It wasn't personal; it was for the fighting ring. Sometimes I have to fight for money."
"Are you good at it?" asked Marius.
I shrugged. "I don't do it as much anymore, because Mom doesn't love it, but I win a decent amount of the time," I said.
Marius nodded. "That's great, Journie. That's really great news. It's always helpful when tributes have skills prior to going into the arena. If you recall Acadia from last year, she was very strong from climbing trees, and that really helped her out. That's why so many tributes train for this- to get that edge."
"Reese said something like that yesterday, that fighting was my training," I said.
"Do you like Reese?" asked Marius.
"Yeah," I replied. "I might ally with them later, who knows. They're real nice, and they're from home, you know?"
"I do know," said Marius, smiling. "That's great news. I'm glad you're getting along."
"Me too," I agreed. "It's nice to have a friend going into all of this."
"I can imagine," Marius replied.
Just then, Reese appeared in the doorway. "Hi," they said, rubbing their eyes. "That smells good."
"Help yourself," said Marius. Reese sat down next to me and began munching on some toast.
"While we're all here," said Marius, "let's talk through the day. We'll be arriving at the Capitol fairly soon, where you'll both be handed off to your team of stylists. They'll get you both ready for the tribute parade."
"The parade?" Reese asked.
"Yes. If you recall, all the tributes get dressed up and ride out in front of the Capitol in chariots," said Marius. "I think it's mostly watched by the Capitol, but that includes sponsors, so it's important."
"Oh," said Reese.
"Yes. I have to warn you, the preparations for the parade might not be pleasant," said Marius. "Especially if they wax you, which they might."
"What?" I asked. "Why do we need to be waxed?"
"I don't get it," said Reese.
Marius sighed. "I don't either, but we have to do what the Capitol wants," he said. "You'll also be put into costumes, which I have no say in. Hopefully, they'll be decent. When you get out in front of the crowd, I want lots of smiling and waving. It'll be overwhelming, but if you rise above it, you'll really stand out. You're both very likeable people, and now is a good time to play that up."
I nodded. "Smile and wave. I can do that."
"Good," said Marius. "After the parade ends, I'll be waiting for you, and we'll all ride to the Training Center together. How does that sound?"
Reese took a deep breath and glanced at me. "I think we can do it."
I nodded. "So do I."
Ianto Baines, District 8, 16
After dropping off Levi, Senna brought me to the prep team's room.
"Ianto, this is Helena, Divine, and Jimothy," she said. Each of the stylists waved when Senna said their names. "They'll be getting you ready for the tribute parades, okay?"
"Okay," I said.
"I'll see you after the parade," she said. "Remember what we talked about."
I nodded. "Steady and strong."
"Steady and strong," she repeated. She didn't say anything else, just left through the way we'd come in.
"If you wouldn't mind undressing, the process will begin with a cleansing bath," said Jimothy, a well-built man who towered over his female counterparts.
I hesitated. "Uhhh… I have to take off my clothes?"
"Yes," replied Jimothy.
"Everything?" I asked. "In front of you? 'Cause I'm not doing that."
"There's a curtain over there," said Helena helpfully. "And a robe on the hook."
"Thanks," I said, heading over to the corner. I quickly removed my clothes, emerging from behind the plastic curtain in the robe. It was soft and fluffy- I'd never worn anything more comfortable in my life.
"Now, into the tub!" said Helena.
"What was the point of the robe, then?" I asked, irritated.
"Transition," said Jimothy.
"That's stupid," I said. "Why do I have to strip twice?"
"Transition," repeated Jimothy.
"That's stupid," I repeated back.
"Just get in the tub, kid," sighed Jimothy.
"Fine," I said, untying my robe. I turned around, dropping it onto the floor, and quickly climbed into the bathtub while the stylists averted their eyes. Luckily, the water was opaque with different soaps and bubbles, and once I was in, I was well-covered.
Jimothy got to work, scrubbing my scalp clean and rinsing it with a cup of water that he dipped into the bath every once in a while. After letting my hands soak, Divine, the silent stylist, began working on my nails, clipping and cleaning away. Helena busied herself with ironing something across the room. Whatever it was, it was very colorful.
With nothing to do but think, I let my thoughts wander. I didn't completely trust that Senna wouldn't favor Levi over me, but she'd been adamant she wouldn't. I guess I'd have to wait and see if she kept her word. Levi… was it possible to know too much about a person? I decided it was, especially given her… history. I'd thought I had problems, but clearly, Levi had more. At the least, she seemed tough and sincere. And maybe if I stuck with her, I wouldn't have to worry about not getting sponsor gifts.
After Jimothy and Divine had finished, I got out of the bath. The stylists turned around so I could towel off, and then I put the robe back on. They guided me over to a chair in front of a mirror and had me sit down.
Jimothy quickly blow-dried my hair and Helena rubbed some cream on my face. "We'll have to cover up that eye," she said, frowning. "What happened?"
I scoffed at the memory. "Peacekeepers," I replied.
"Oh, rebellious!" said Helena, clapping her hands together. "You'll be fun to watch, I bet."
"Your hair is a beautiful color," said Jimothy, who was rubbing some kind of oil on my head. "I've never seen a color like it. Well, not a natural one, anyway."
"Thanks?"
Helena began to work on my face, throwing creams and powders on top of my eye. I kept wincing as she poked my bruise.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Just bear with me, okay? We're getting there."
"Yeah, whatever," I said.
Eventually, she took a step back, squinting and tilting her head.
"He needs eyeliner," said Jimothy.
Helena pursed her lips. "Right," she said. She came back with a small pen-looking thing, coloring on the tips of my eyelids. It took all I had to not twitch. "Good?"
Jimothy and Divine looked me over, nodding. "Good," said Jimothy.
Divine brought over my costume. It was a long, flowing robe, made up of square panels of different colors of the rainbow. It was soft and silky to the touch. She held a pair of black leggings in her other hand. I returned to the small changing corner to put it on.
Once I'd put it on, Divine fiddled with it, tying the belt around my waist and leaving my chest exposed.
"Don't I need a shirt?" I asked.
"Nope," said Helena. "You look great without one!"
Jimothy nodded. "It looks good."
Divine smiled for the first time since I'd seen her.
"It's perfect," said Helena, clapping her hands. "I'll bring you backstage; the parade should be starting soon!"
Virgil Amatore, District 1, 18
I leaned up against the chariot, bored. Glowy was nowhere to be seen, and there were only a few other tributes milling about. Most of them were young and small, most definitely not worth bothering with. I scanned the room again. Where were the other Careers? What was taking Glowy so long?
Then, I relaxed. There was nothing to worry about. The others would arrive soon, and until then, I could just take in the competish.
Off to the side stood a short boy in a silver shirt covered with lights. What was he supposed to be, a robot? He was rather angry-looking for a robot. He looked so ridiculous, I laughed to myself. This caught his attention, and he rolled his eyes and glared at me, turning away.
Whatever. No harm no foul. Towards the far end of the room, there was another kid milling around. This one was also pretty small and short, with a head of curly black hair. He had to be from Ten, because otherwise, the cowboy costume- covered with sequins, I might add- made no sense. He was clearly miserable, kicking aimlessly at the chariot's wheel.
Already bored of the minimal competish, I let myself get distracted in my thoughts. I was excited to meet the rest of the Careers, especially considering Glowy wasn't my biggest fan. I might have been hilarious and chill and awesome, but I wasn't stupid- Glowy thought she was good at hiding it, but she wasn't good enough. Whatever. It was pretty funny to mess with her in the meantime and watch her try to hide her constant irritation with me. I'd let her think what she wanted to until she wasn't useful anymore. Until then, I'd have some fun with her.
Finally, another tribute wandered in my direction, breaking through my thoughts about Glowy. Well, maybe 'wandered' wasn't the best word- she was definitely too confident to be wandering as she walked purposefully in my direction. The girl's dress seemed to be made of water, and it glinted and shimmered every time she moved. It was a stunning illusion, as well as striking against her dark skin. She wore a pearly crown on her head and held a trident as well. She stopped at the chariot a few behind mine and stood there, studying the vehicle.
"Yoo-hoo!" I called. Her head jerked up, and she turned in my direction. I strode over, puffing out my chest to make a good impression.
"Hello," she said, looking me up and down.
"Virgil," I said, extending my hand. Her face broke out in a smile as I said, "District One."
She placed her hand in mine, and I gave it a peck.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Isla Evenair," she said. "District Four."
"I can tell," I said. "You look as stunning as the ocean itself."
"Why thank you," she replied. "You look dashing as well."
"Thanks," I said, grinning back at her. I was wearing a see-through toga, draped carefully to cover my precious bits. It was a very minimal outfit, which I appreciated. The rest of the look was made up of extreme amounts of glitter in my hair, as well as on my torso and limbs. Apparently, I was "jewel dust." Whatever that meant. As long as I was hot, right?
"So," I said. "District Four. Are you trained?"
"As a matter of fact," she replied, "I am."
I smiled again. "I suppose that means we're allies, then."
"I suppose it does," she said. She looked me up and down. "Not too shabby."
"Trust me, Isla, I am anything but," I said.
She looked me up and down again, then spoke. "Let's stick together, Virgil," she said. "I think we'd make a good team."
"How do I know you're trustworthy?" I asked. "I know nothing about you."
"My word," she replied.
I scoffed. Her expression darkened, and her chin rose into the air.
"My word is substantial, I can assure you," she said. "I consider myself a politician. I mean what I say."
"I thought that was the opposite of what a politician is," I replied. "Empty promises and all that."
"I'm part of a new generation," she said.
I considered that. "We're already allies, right?"
"Right."
"Then there's no point to this conversation," I said. "We're already allies."
"A coalition within the Careers," she said. "Your district partner can join too."
"I don't think she'll want to," I said. "Glowy doesn't like me much. She needs to chill out."
"All the more reason to align yourself with me," she said.
"We haven't even met the others yet," I reasoned. "Isn't this a little quick? Maybe you need to chill out, too."
She pursed her lips, which had been painted a dark blue. "Think about it," she said. "We have a few days."
"I can do that," I said. "Oh, someone's coming."
Ethan Hart, District 10, 14
I kicked at the wheel of the chariot, not knowing what else to do. There was basically no one around, and when I'd tried to make eye contact with the kid in the light-up shirt, he'd glared back. Didn't look like a potential ally, at the very least.
I wanted to sit on the floor, but my costume was so stiff that I didn't dare. I wore a checkered button-down shirt that was way too tight and way too unbuttoned- were they going for sexy? I wasn't sure- and a pair of ripped pants. This was paired with a bandanna tied around my neck, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat. All of it was made up of bright, eye-catching fabrics, as well as covered in gaudy gems. My stylists had said they wanted me to look like Ten and the Capitol had a love child. I hadn't known what to say to that. Still, I doubted anyone from Ten had ever worn anything like this. I knew I definitely hadn't.
Eventually, a few more tributes came in. A boy wearing a shimmering robe and a crown walked in, heading towards the front. A few more tributes wandered back towards me. One of them had a fruit basket perched atop their head, and they walked towards the chariot behind mine.
"Hi," I said, attempting a conversation.
They waved back, and came a few steps closer. They pulled a small notepad and pen out of their pocket- I was jealous that their pockets were real, mine were all fake- and began to scribble on it, eventually passing me a note.
Parker. They/them. District 11. Hello, it read.
"Hi, Parker," I replied. "I'm Ethan, and I'm from Ten."
Nice 2 meet u, Parker wrote, passing me the note.
"Can you not talk?" I asked, looking at the notes.
No, they wrote. I use sign lang, most people don't know it tho.
"Yeah, I don't know it," I said. "Sorry."
It's OK, wrote Parker. I sign w the Avoxs.
"I haven't really talked to them," I replied.
They r nice, wrote Parker. They can't talk either, so they get it
"That's really cool," I said. "Are you liking the Capitol?"
They considered. I miss home, Parker wrote. Alula avoids me. Mentor nice tho
"Alula? Is she your district partner?" I asked.
Parker nodded.
"That's rough," I said. "My district partner seems okay, which is good. And I miss some stuff from home too, I get that."
Parker nodded again. Then, they tilted their head to the side, thinking for a moment. Did u get Reaped?
Shoot. They remembered me. "Um, no," I said, looking down. "I Volunteered."
Parker hesitated, then wrote one word: Y?
I sighed. "It's complicated," I said. "There's some stuff going on with my family right now."
Oh, wrote Parker. Sorry.
"It's okay," I said. "What about you? What's your family like?"
Parker looked away for a moment, then returned to their notepad. My family is dead.
"Oh, jeez, I'm so sorry," I said, backpedaling.
U didn't kno, wrote Parker.
"No, really, I'm so sorry," I said. "That sucks. You must miss them a lot."
Parker nodded, looking away again. Been a long time. Not so bad now.
"Still, that really sucks," I said. "I can't imagine."
Parker shrugged. Thx.
"Of course," I said.
Muir Jansen, District 4, 16
An Avox escorted me to a large cavern filled with twelve chariots, each headed by a pair of horses. Most of the other tributes hadn't shown up yet, but I spotted Isla standing near the front. She was talking to a guy a few inches taller than me, with dirty blond hair and practically no clothes. The glitter he was covered in made him nearly blinding to look at. I headed over there.
The boy noticed me as I walked up. "Oh, someone's coming," he said.
Isla turned around. "Hi, Muir," she said, plastering on a smile.
"Hi," I said.
"Hi," said the boy, extending a hand. "I'm Virgil. District One."
I shook his hand firmly. "Muir," I replied. "Four."
"Ah, so you're Isla's partner?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"We were just talking about the other Careers," said Virgil. "Have you met them yet?"
I shook my head.
"I hope we do soon," he said. "This is taking forever."
"How long have you been waiting?" I asked.
"Ten minutes," said Virgil.
I glanced at Isla, who seemed unfazed by his impatience. Truth be told, we hadn't spoken much on the train, and I didn't know a lot about her. Every time our Mentors left the room and we were alone, her entire demeanor would turn cold, like the ocean when the sun went down. Maybe she was different once you got to know her, but from what I could tell, she was fake as hell. I'd have to wait and see how that turned out.
"So," asked Isla, "what's One like?"
"One is my playground," said Virgil, who broke into a grin. "I don't know if you've heard of the Amatores, but we're basically the kings of One."
"Oh, wow," said Isla, impressed. "So you're wealthy then?"
"Duh," said Virgil.
"Good," said Isla. "I can't stand poor kids."
"I don't even think I know any," Virgil chuckled.
"The Districts would be better off without them," said Isla.
"As long as I don't have to look at them, right, Muir?" said Virgil.
I hesitated, unsure of what to say. My family wasn't poor, but we weren't wealthy, either, especially since my father had… died. We'd had to sell some things to make ends meet, like some of our nicer canoes- we only had one now- and some of my dad's old things.
"I guess," I said.
"That's my boy," said Virgil.
"Not that I love looking at you, though, Amatore," I said. "I've seen better views."
Virgil stared at me for a moment. Then he burst out laughing, roaring with delight.
"We'll get along just fine, I think," he said, still smiling broadly. "You're funny, you know that?"
"Duh," I said, imitating Virgil.
"There he goes again!" said Virgil. "Isla, you didn't tell me he was a funny guy."
"I didn't know," said Isla, who was eyeing me closely. She didn't seem too pleased with this turn of events, but to be truthful, I didn't care.
"Thank God someone likes me," said Virgil. "Glowy and I don't really get along, see."
"Glowy?" I asked.
"Yeah, she's my district partner," said Virgil. "Wait 'till you meet her. She's got a stick so far up her ass that-"
"What was that?" asked a girl, walking up behind Virgil. She wore long, flowing, sparkly robes that ended in a train a few feet behind her. A jeweled belt cinched around her waist, leaving a slit down her front that went all the way to her belly button. The bottom had a pretty high slit too, letting her legs peek through. Like Virgil, she was covered in glitter, and sparkled radiantly every time she moved. Unlike Virgil, she had dark hair and eyes, and tanned skin.
Virgil turned. "Oh, hi, Glowy!"
"For the last time, my name is Glowla," she said, exasperated. "What was that about a stick up someone's ass?"
"My stylist," he said smoothly. "She kept getting glitter in my eyes, and when I told her to stop, she yelled at me. A real stick up her ass, that one."
"Mine kept getting it up my nose," said Glowla.
Virgil glanced back at Isla and I, his eyebrows raised. Neither of us said anything.
"They're very aggressive," said Isla, continuing the conversation. "They didn't know how to style my hair properly. I doubt they've ever seen a woman of color from Four before. Too used to pretty white girls."
Glowla raised her eyebrows at that comment. "I guess not."
The conversation continued, and Glowla seemed none the wiser to our coverup. It was already clear to me that so far, within the Careers, Virgil was my best bet. He was shady, as he'd just shown us, but so was Isla, and he at least seemed to enjoy my humor. I wondered how the tributes from Two would be.
Salome Terris, District 6, 14
When I arrived in the cavern, it seemed that most of the other tributes were already there, waiting for the parade to begin. I saw Deltro standing alone by the chariot marked 6 and hesitated. He'd already rejected me last night, and I didn't really feel like getting rejected twice.
I surveyed the room, looking for someone to talk to. There was a group of older kids talking near the front of the chamber. Most of the others were alone, spacing out or just wandering around. At the back of the line, I spotted a girl who looked my age. She looked kind of like Tay! That had to be a good omen, right? I decided that it was a good sign and walked over, putting on a friendly smile.
"Hi!" I said, sticking out my hand. "I'm Salome."
She looked up, startled. After a second, she regained her composure. "Hi, I'm Sienna," she said, shaking my hand.
This was already going better than last night!
"Are you from Twelve?" I asked. "Since you're at the back?"
"Yes," she replied.
"What's that like?" I asked. "I don't know a lot about it."
"It's nice enough," she said, shrugging. "My family is doing okay, but most people aren't very well-off. I guess everyone in Twelve is poor by Capitol standards, though."
"The Capitol is crazy, isn't it?" I replied. "I feel like we've barely seen any of it, but everything I've seen so far has been so nice!"
"It is," she agreed. "The rooms on the train were so big. Even the room with the stylists in it was bigger than the shop at home."
"The shop?" I asked.
"My parents own an antique store," she replied. "It's my favorite place in the whole district."
"That's so cool!" I said, bouncing on my heels. "My parents just work in the factories. So boring."
"Where are you from?" Sienna asked.
"District Six," I told her. "Land of factories and smog."
"Oh, okay," said Sienna. "Do you like it?"
"I like that my friends are there," I said. "Otherwise, it's kind of boring."
Sienna nodded. "Makes sense. Factories don't sound fun."
"They aren't," I said. "I like your outfit,"
Sienna looked down at her clothes. "Thanks."
She was clothed in a black jumpsuit. The sleeves of her shirt were encased in thick black rocks that glittered under the light, and the rest of her jumpsuit had small white dots on it. Upon looking closer, I noticed that they seemed to be pearls. She had dark makeup on her eyes, making her shallow blue eyes really stand out. Her long blonde hair was slicked back and straight, held at bay with glittery black barrettes.
"I think it's supposed to be about coal turning into pearls," she said. "I don't think that's a thing, though. Although I guess I wouldn't know, because I don't work in the mines."
"It still looks cool," I said. "You look intimidating. And the makeup makes your eyes stand out."
"Thanks," she said, smiling a little. "For what it's worth, you look great too."
I looked down at my own outfit. I was dressed in a clunky metallic armor with the image of a train etched on the chest. On my head was a silver conductor's cap. They had curled my hair and put a lot of silver makeup on my face.
"I don't really get it," I said.
"You're a train, right?" asked Sienna.
"I mean, there's a picture of a train on it, so that's what it is, right?" I said. "But then why the conductor's hat?"
"I don't know," said Sienna, who cracked a smile. "I don't think the stylists really get the districts. I mean, look at us!"
I laughed. "I guess not!"
Sienna looked around. Most of the other tributes seemed to be present by now; a lot of kids were walking around, and there were multiple conversations happening throughout the room. Most of them seemed to be between district partners, but there were a few clear exceptions, including me and Sienna.
"It seems like everyone's here," she noted. "I wonder why it's not starting."
"Maybe there's a delay or something," I suggested.
She shrugged. "Maybe."
Halley Todd, District 3, 13
"Halley, this is your prep team," said Mr. Kellin. "They'll be getting you ready for the tribute parade."
In front of us stood a tall, thin man, a short man who was balding on top, and a lady with hair that was pink and curled into ringlets. The short balding man held a pair of scissors, and the lady had a belt with a bunch of fancy-looking brushes in them.
"I can get ready myself, thanks," I said.
"Don't worry, darling," said the pink-haired lady. "We'll be taking very good care of you. Urban will do your hair, and I'll be doing your makeup, and Michel will get you all washed up."
I shook my head violently. "No, no no no no no. That's not happening."
"Halley," said Mr. Kellin, "you have to get dressed for the parade. It's a very important appearance for tributes."
"I can't," I said, my breath quickening. "I won't. I can't and I won't."
The tall, thin man looked disappointed. "Why not?"
"I… I…" I stalled. I looked around wildly, looking for an exit. I needed to get out of there. I couldn't let them touch me. Or bathe me. I cringed at the thought. This was my worst nightmare.
"What's wrong, Halley?" asked Mr. Kellin, his voice soft.
"Don't patronize me," I snapped. "I look fine in this. I'll just go out in this, and I'll be fine. I'll be fine."
"Oh, darling," said the pink-haired lady, "don't you want to look your best?"
I turned to Mr. Kellin. "I don't like being touched," I said. "Please don't let them touch me."
"How about you get yourself washed up, and you can put on your own clothes, and then they'll do your hair and makeup?" said Mr. Kellin.
"No, no no no," I repeated. "Mr. Kellin, please…"
He hesitated. "I don't know what else to do here, Halley. You have to get ready for the parade."
I felt my cheeks flush. If begging didn't work, well, then he'd given me no other choice. I wasn't going to let them touch me. "No!"
"Halley, come on…"
"No!" I screamed. Tears started pouring down my cheeks. "No! No! No!"
"I'll get her arms," the tall, thin man said. "Get her legs."
The two men advanced towards me. The tall one grabbed my wrist with an ironclad grip, and quickly wrapped his other arm around my chest, trying to restrain me.
"No!" I shouted. I went limp, shifting all of my weight onto him. At the same time, I opened my mouth, clamping it around his hand.
"Ow!" he shouted, letting go. I dropped to the ground and began to furiously crawl away, trying to escape out the door we'd come in. But when I was almost there, it shut in my face.
"No!" I screamed again.
Mr. Kellin looked down at me sorrowfully. "I'm sorry, Halley, but you have to get ready…"
He looked to the stylists. "Go ahead."
He turned and slipped out the door.
"Wait!" I called after him. "Mr. Kellin!"
But he was gone.
The bald man grabbed my ankles, dragging me backwards. I began to kick and scream again, still crying as I attempted to scratch him or kick him in the face. As I reached back for another swipe, the tall man grabbed my hands, and I was lifted into the air. I twisted and thrashed and bucked, trying to loosen their grips, but to no avail.
"Let me go!" I screeched. "Stop touching me! You can't do this!"
"We have to," said Baldy.
"No!" I screamed. "No!"
They brought me back towards the bathtub, where the pink-haired lady began to unbutton my shirt.
"Stop it!" I yelled.
"I'm sorry, darling," said the lady. "You'll thank us when we're done, I promise."
"I won't!" I replied.
After a solid ten minutes, they got my clothes off and put me in the bathtub. The tall one held me down, still screaming and crying, while Baldy quickly washed my hair. I spent the whole time squirming around, trying to loosen their grip on me, which only made the session last longer. I hadn't had a full-on bath in a long time, and I was quickly remembering why. The feeling of the warm water on my skin and the soap in my hair made me want to gag. It was too much. It was all too much. I wished they would stop touching me.
After that, though, things didn't get any better. The lady toweled me off, and the towel was scratchy and horrible and the feeling of it touching my skin made me dizzy. Then they put me in a robe, which wasn't bad. But then they carried me over to a table and strapped me down.
"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
"We have to remove the body hair, darling," said the pink-haired lady.
"Please," I said. "Don't. It can stay."
Mr. Kellin, who must have come back into the room at some point, spoke up. "Leave it," he said. "It's not worth the trouble."
The lady hesitated. "But it's so ugly."
"We're already running behind," said Kellin, "and she's suffered enough. Just do her hair and makeup and get her dressed. Luckily for us, she's not the only tribute putting up a fuss this year."
"Oh?" asked Baldy. "Who else?"
Kellin shrugged. "Don't know, don't care. Let's just not be last, okay?"
"Fine," the pink-haired lady grumbled.
The lady whipped out her tools and began dusting my face with different powders, which was extremely unpleasant. They kept making me sneeze, and even worse, they made my skin crawl. I wanted more than anything to get away- it was probably smart of them to tie me down, or else I'd have been long gone. Meanwhile, Baldy dried my hair, blasting my head with hot air, which wasn't as bad. Then he worked on curling it.
The pink-haired lady stepped back, studying my face. "Do you like it?" she asked the tall man.
"More glitter," he commanded.
"Always," she said with a grin. She stepped closer and whipped out another brush, dipping it into a small pot, and dusted it over my eyelids.
After another five minutes, she stepped back again. "Done."
Baldy stepped back too, studying his work. "I think she's ready."
"Good," said Kellin. "Let's get her backstage."
When I walked up to the chariot marked 3, Damion was waiting nearby.
He burst out laughing. "You look ridiculous."
I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing a shirt with a bunch of buttons and flashing lights on it, and a stiff skirt that did the same. My hair was pulled up into two space buns, and every time I moved, glitter flaked off of me. He didn't look much better, though- he had the same version, but with a pair of shorts instead of a skirt. All of his exposed skin was covered in a silver, metallic finish. From what I could tell, so was mine.
I flipped him off. "Screw off," I told him.
"You took forever," he said. "I've been waiting for you for ages."
"No one said you had to wait," I shot back. I was too tired for his games.
He pursed his lips. "What else was I supposed to do?" he asked.
I didn't respond. Instead, flipped him off again.
Sadie Wilson, District 2, 18
A voice crackled through the speakers overhead.
"The parade will begin in ten," the voice said robotically, "nine. Eight. Seven…"
The tributes in the cavern scattered, heading for their chariots. Cal and I were already next to ours, hanging out, and hurried in. I stood on the right, and Caligula was on the left.
"Four, three…"
"You ready?" he asked, grinning.
I nodded. "Of course. You?"
He nodded as well. "Of course."
We grinned at each other, adrenaline pumping, as the voice finished counting down. "One. Prepare to begin the parade."
In front of us, the chariot marked 1 lurched forward, pulling away from ours. Our chariot followed suit, our two stony gray stallions trotting forwards toward the mouth of the cavern. In a moment's notice, we'd left the cavern and emerged in front of the Capitol.
Wow.
The light was blinding for a moment, but after a second, the world came into view. In front of us was a long, narrow road, and we rode down the center of it. On either side were stands, towering over us, filled with screaming Capitolites. I heard my name a few times, and Caligula's as well. The sun was bright and the sky was clear, and in the distance, the city shone under the light of day.
The Capitol was stunning.
I smiled and waved, which seemed to increase the volume of the cheering. Next to me, Caligula did the same, occasionally flexing his muscles as Godric had told him to do. The crowd roared for us, begging for more. I tossed my hair, which had been left loose and wavy, over my shoulder, letting it flow out behind me. I held my back straight and my shoulders tall, making sure to never let my smile flicker for a moment.
As the crowd blurred by, I couldn't help but think of my parents. My mother's rebellious rants echoed in my ears: "The Capitol steals from us. They take and take and take until we have nothing left, and then they take some more. Don't be stupid, Sadie. Can't you see what's going on here?"
"I'm not stupid, Mom," I snapped back. I was sixteen, only a few weeks from moving out. I'd been training for years at that point. The conversation was one of many like it. "The Capitol doesn't steal, it provides. The Capitol wants to see me succeed."
"Do you not trust me?" she'd said. "Your own mother? Don't you think I know what's best?"
"I love you," I'd said. "But you need to stop gaslighting me."
"I'm not-"
"You are! You have to stop this," I said. "They'll find out. They always find out."
"Don't play the victim, Sadie," said my mother. "I'm the victim here, not you."
"Can we not talk about this?" I'd asked. "It's not safe."
"We can't avoid it any longer," she'd said. "Someone has to take a stand. If it has to be me, then so be it. I hope you can live with yourself, knowing you were an idle bystander during this crisis."
I'd left a few weeks after that. Two months later, their crimes against Panem were discovered, and the sentence was death. My father, public whipping. My mother, firing squad. They'd dared cross those providing for them, and they'd paid the ultimate price. Just like I knew they would.
Waving at the crowds, I had no sympathy for my parents. They'd chosen their paths, and I'd chosen mine. The Capitol was cheering my name, throwing flowers in my direction. My parents had scorned those who dared think differently from them, including their children. The Capitol supported me. My parents never had. The Capitol wanted to see me succeed. My parents had never believed I could.
As we reached the end of the road and looped around, Caligula glanced, at me, smiling. "This is amazing!" he shouted, barely audible over the crowd.
I nodded, my smile widening.
The Capitol always provides.
Samuel Harris, District 5, 16
The automated voice started counting down just as I walked into the cavern. I got in the chariot next to my district partner, trying to stay as far away from them as possible.
"Samuel?" they asked gently. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said tersely. "Leave me alone."
"I won't attack you or anything," they said. "I… I know you're scared, but I am too, okay?"
I eyed them. Sometimes the demons hid behind a facade, saying nice things to lure me in. The stylists had done that too, and after they all turned on me, I'd spent a long time fighting back before they succeeded in tying me down. My wrists ached at the memory. I bet that's what my district partner was doing. "I don't trust you."
"That's fine," they said. "I just wanted to let you know."
Before I could say anything else, the automated voice finished counting down. "One. Prepare to begin the parade."
In front of us, one by one, the chariots jerked forwards, pulling away from us. As the District Four chariot pulled away, so did ours, making both of us lose our balance. I reached for something to hold myself up, and in doing so, accidentally grabbed my partner's arm.
They looked at me, still clutching the sides of the chariot, with their eyes wide. "You okay?"
I yanked my hand away, shuffling back to my side of the chariot. After a few seconds, we exited the mouth of the cavern, emerging into the bright daylight.
In front of us was a long, narrow street. On our sides, I could see nothing but spectators screaming. Occasionally, they would throw something our way, which I'd dodge successfully. Roars and jeers filled the air, and I shrank back. If District Five was filled with demons, then the Capitol had to be demon HQ or something. The stands were full of demons, I just knew it. They wanted me dead, they wanted me to suffer, they wanted to watch the demon tributes around me rip me to pieces and shred my bones.
My partner's voice brought me out of my head. "Samuel!" they shouted, looking concerned. They touched my arm.
"Don't touch me," I spat, ready to jump from the chariot. I eyed the road, considering how painful the leap would be.
They caught my glance and raised their eyebrows, alarmed. "Please don't," they shouted over the crowd. "You'll hurt yourself!"
"You're just like the rest of them, Demon!" I shouted back. "I can't trust you!"
"At least don't jump towards the crowd of demons, then, right?" they said back. "They won't like that! They could attack you!"
I hesitated. Demon or not, it was a good point.
"Fine!" I said back. "But don't touch me again."
"Okay," they said, nodding. "Promise?"
"Demons can't make promises," I said. "They always break them."
They nodded, still concerned, but turned back to their side of the crowd and waved, like our Mentor Demon had told us to this morning. At least they were leaving me alone now. I shrank down to my knees, gripping the front of the chariot to keep from falling, and tucked my head under my arms. I just wanted to block them out. Maybe if I pretended they were all gone, they'd really disappear, and I'd be home with my parents again. They were the only other true humans in Panem, as far as I knew. I'd never successfully found others. In the end, the demons always revealed their true selves. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block it all out.
We rounded the bend and rode back- I could tell from the way the chariot moved- and I took deep breaths, trying to steady myself. You'll be away from them soon, and then you can go back to hiding in your room, I told myself. No more demons. No more demons. No more demons.
After a while, the chariots arrived back in the enormous cavern. Feeling the sun leave the back of my neck, I raised my head, looking around. I didn't uncurl myself, though. There were a bunch of people in the room, and other tributes were getting off of their chariots. My tribute hopped out, careful not to damage their costume. They looked around.
"There's Albert," said my partner, looking back to me. "Come on, let's go."
I shook my head. "I'm not going with you."
They sighed. "Samuel, please…"
"Just because I didn't jump out doesn't mean I trust you!" I said, struggling to keep my voice down. "You're a demon, just like the rest of them…"
The Mentor walked up briskly. "Hi, Ainsley. How did it go?"
My partner glanced at me. "Um… I had to keep him from jumping out of the chariot, but other than that, it was okay."
"Okay…" said our Mentor, looking over at me. "Samuel? Are you alright?"
"I'm not going anywhere with you," I said.
"You can either come with me willingly to the Training Center, or else I'll have to call the Peacekeepers," he said. "I'm sorry, Samuel, but there's really no other option. For what it's worth, I'd prefer it if you just came with me."
"Of course you would," I said. "You're a demon."
He sighed. "I know," he said. "Once we get there, you'll have your own room you can stay in, and then I won't bother you for the rest of the night, okay? I promise."
"He doesn't like promises," said my district partner.
"Well, then… no promise. But there'll be a room for you," said the Mentor. "How does that sound?"
I eyed him warily, unsure. "If you're lying…"
"I'm not," he said tiredly. "After all that, I'm sure you could use a rest."
"Come on," said my partner gently. "I didn't attack you earlier, and there's no reason for me to attack you now. And there's no need to get Peacekeepers involved."
I considered that. It was true; my partner, however demonic they might have been, had had many chances to attack. And the Peacekeepers were some of the worst demons of all. How they'd gotten that name, I had no idea.
"Fine," I said, unclamping my hands from the chariot. "But don't try anything."
Parker Dillio, District 11, 16
After a tour of our floor of the Training Center, I was hungry and tired. I changed out of the parade costume in my room, grateful to be able to take the fruit basket off my head. When I returned to the table, which was full of food, only Grover, our Mentor, and our Escort, Dominica, were there.
I sat down across from Grover and started piling my plate high with food. The bountiful nature of the Capitol was still a wonder to me; I couldn't get over how much stuff there was, especially food. There always seemed to be food shortages in Eleven, which I found ironic. But here, the fresh meals seemed limitless.
"Where's Alula?" asked Dominica.
Grover shook his head. "In her room," he said. "I heard her talking, but when I knocked, she wouldn't answer."
"There's something wrong with her," said Dominica. "Like, in the head."
"Don't be cruel," said Grover, casting her a look.
"I'm not being cruel, I'm being real," said Dominica. "The only person she talks to is herself. That's not normal."
"Maybe not," said Grover, "but she's a kid. Lay off."
Dominica rolled her eyes, but said nothing. Grover took the opportunity to change the subject.
"How was the parade?" he asked me.
I pulled out my pad of paper and my pencil and began writing. I'd gotten it from an Avox, who had been all too happy to help me. Apparently it wasn't often they encountered someone who spoke sign language. They seemed happy to be able to speak back for once, although they were still generally reserved.
I passed the pad over to Grover, who read it out loud for Dominica's benefit. "Okay. Very loud. Little overwhelming."
He passed it back, nodding. "It's true, it can be a lot. I'm sure you're tired after all that."
I nodded.
Dominica shrugged. "I don't get it. All they do is stand there. Doesn't seem so hard."
Grover sighed, rubbing his cheek with his hand. "Did you meet anyone?" he asked.
I nodded.
His eyebrows shot up. "Who?" he asked. "Were they nice?"
I nodded and wrote on my notepad again.
"Ethan. D 10 boy," Grover read.
"Isn't that the Volunteer kid?" asked Dominica.
I nodded.
"And he was nice?" Grover asked, dubious.
I nodded and wrote again.
"Didn't mind that I didn't talk," he read. "Was friendly. Seemed nice enough."
"Interesting," said Dominica. "I can't get a read on him. I thought he would be, like, the badass rebel type, but now he seems kind of wimpy and stupid."
"Dominica," said Grover, gritting his teeth, "could you leave us for a moment?"
"Fine," said Dominica, who stood and returned to her room. Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked away. I watched Grover's shoulders relax once she turned the corner.
Grover turned to me. "I apologize for her. She's very… ah, how do I put this?"
I wrote again.
"Capitol?" Grover read. He half-smiled. "That's a good way of putting it."
Thanks, I wrote.
He nodded. "I'm glad you've found someone friendlier than Alula. I need to remind you, though- this is the Games. Keep an eye on him, especially because he Volunteered, okay?"
I nodded. I understand. But he seemed sad & miserable, not aggressive
Grover read the note to himself. "Got it," he said. "Still, do you see what I mean? I don't want him to trick you into doing something you'll regret. If he seems like a good ally, I trust your judgement; but remember, allies don't stay allies forever."
I nodded, processing this. Grover's words made sense, and he was clearly genuine in wanting me to succeed. I wasn't sure how far I'd get, but maybe with his advice, I could survive beyond the Bloodbath.
I understand, I wrote. Can we eat now?
Grover read it and smiled, for real this time. "Sure, buddy."
*Hi, everyone! This was a lot of POVs, haha. There's a lot happening here, and just a reminder that I'm doing my best to balance the POVs- I know it hasn't been 100% even so far, but by the time we hit the Bloodbath, everyone will be equal.
How did you like this chapter? Be sure to let me know; I love reading the reviews! I hope everyone's doing well and not too stressed out :)
See you next time with Training Day 1!
-r-b*