The Prep Teams
Amoll Zesterl (16) - District 3
This is it. The Capitol. I take inhale as I survey the Capitol from my trains window. I've never seen anything so beautiful. Huge spiraling silver towers litter the skyline, as well as hundreds of smaller blocks and apartments. Last night I could barely sleep. Dreams of previous Hunger Games and the dark days made my night a restless one. I tried to sleep in this morning, but the prospect of seeing the Capitol for the first time made me excited. I haven't talked to my mentor or my district partner yet, but I'm sure I'll get to see them when they wake up. The capitol has just disappeared behind the wall of a tunnel or something when I hear "you're up early." I know from the sound of the voice that it must be my mentor, Gabriel. I turn to take him in. Short, stocky with long black hair that's braided. He stares at me as well, summing up what he has to work with. After 5 minutes of silence, he says, "you are going to be getting off soon." I'm slightly confused as to whether he means the train or the games. I decide he means the former. "I guess. Do you have any advice for me?" He looks at me for a second, then replies in a groggy tone. "Don't piss off your prep team."
It's not as easy as you think. His small instruction is turning out be quite hard to complete. For a start, the 3 members of my team are absolute nut heads. They laugh childish things like my voice and my hairy body. "Oh how ape-like you are." I want to punch them. Finally, after 3 excruciatingly painful hours, I'm ready for my stylist. Turns out she isn't any better. At first glances, she says, "well you're not as handsome as I was hoping for." She sounds truly distressed. I retort, "I hope I pass your standards." She mutters something inaudible, then gets to work. In 4 hours, I'm going to be on a chariot riding in front of Panem. Let's hope I don't mess up.
Zac Lyall (18) - District 5
I groan as my weird, slightly creepy prep team strip of the old marks of dirt that have been stuck to my kneecaps since primary school. I hope that this will end soon. I can't wait to see my chariot costume. This is my one of my biggest chances to get sponsors impressed. The only way I'm going to that is if I'm ready. And part of that process, sadly, involves me being stripped naked and plucked and polished until I'm practically perfect. My stylist, a middle-aged spiky brown haired man named Kordan takes me through what I'm going to be wearing for the chariot rides. A magnificant green suit that represents electricity, as my district is power, is lying before me. Huge grey lightning bolts are printed across it. I can't wait to be dressed in it.
I learn that my stylist is new, and I'm his first ever tribute. He says that I will be a great starting tribute. I just don't like the way he writes me off, implying that I will be dead soon. I know I stand a good chance, and I want everyone to know it. This year isn't just going to be about the careers. This year, they actually have a challenge. I'm going to make sure of it.
Sarah Ilter (15) - District 8
This is it. I'm meeting my prep team. Even though this shouldn't be that important, I feel like I'm truly special. I want to focus on spending my last few days in a perfect world. That I am in right now. I follow each and every instruction they give me. Stripping down to nude. Easy. Letting them rip off the hair of my body. No problem. I'm not even worried when they say that they might need to peel a bit of worn skin off. I will enjoy this because I know that it's all just making me look stunning. My stylist, an older, gold-haired women by the name of Annabelle, shows me my chariot costume. Beauty is a word to basic to describe what I look at. Intriguing patterns of fine wool and a background of soft leather make my costume unforgettable. I relish the moment when I'm allowed to try it on. I'm suddenly a little nervous. Meeting the whole world isn't as easy as you think. Especially because the people who are going to be watching me, may or may not save my life in the arena...
Piper Noffet (14) - District 12
I'm scared. Stripping down naked isn't easy you know. Especially in front of these freaks. I'm not particularly picky about appearance considering I come from a District where food isn't always on the table. Back home, I enjoyed cooking because it was something I needed to do to survive. But even so, I don't want these strange people to look at my privates. Too late! They've grabbed my pants and tugged them off. I scream in protest, but then one of them injects me with some sort of drug. I feel my eyelids close as I fall into slumber...
When I wake up, the prep team is gone and in their place is a young handsome man, with relatively no makeup on, with the exception of a bit of highlighter around his eyebrows. I listen to his soft voice as he explains what I'm going to be in as I ride in a chariot and make a fool of myself in front of all of Panem. A baggy miners suit is laid before, me. The headlamp has an interesting design that appears to be a coal lump. But apart from that, the outfit is hideous. I'm so worried that he's going to be putting me in this when he tells me that this is last years suit. He wants to assure me that I won't be wearing anything normal. Instead, I'm going in a brilliant black suit that shines in the light of the room. It's design, texture, and colour is perfect. I couldn't want anything more. "Thank you... I don't believe I know your name?"
"David. Call me Dave."