Chapter 4: Chariot Rides

"Why don't we just put them in those horrid tree costumes like we do every year?" One of the stylists asked. Her voice croaked a little, so she was probably a bit old.

"Because, like you said, they're horrid. And we do it every year!" a softer voice asked. She must have been the new recruit. She didn't sound like a capitol girl, capitols had high voices that always went up at the end of their sentences. Though she did have the accent. She hissed on her 's' sounds.

"I got tired of creating outfits by the sixth year I was a stylist." the old one said.

"Well, isn't that just swell?" the new one said. "Because I've already designed the ones I want them to wear."

"Well let's see then." the old one said, showing a bit of interest through her voice.

"Okay." I heard her walk to her right and open a cabinet. All was silent for a second until-

"Yeah, it looks exactly like the ones I made in the 8th Hunger Games. Except these ones are decorated with leaves." the old one said.

"Yes, because you haven't been using the same outfit for the past thousand years!" the younger one exaggerated.

"Fine, we can use your design." the old one gave in.

"Yay!" the girl said, bringing out her capitol personality. She shoved something in my arms and took me to a room.

"You can get changed in there!" she said after she closed the door. At least she gives me privacy. Not that her and the old one hadn't stripped me down in the remake center to, well, give me a remake. This included getting rid of 90% of the hair on my body, manicuring my nails, and scrubbing all the grime off my skin. They cleaned my hair, also, making it silky soft and smell wonderful, to my utter horror. Never, not once, has my hair been 'wonderful'.

I took off the robe I was wearing and put on the light dress I was given. I admit, it was so tight I could barely breath. It was a spaghetti strapped dress and it stopped at mid thigh. Why does my life have to be so dreadful? I'm going to be the Hunger Games slut. I hoped it wasn't see through, though. The outside felt like real tree bark, yet the inside felt like normal cloth, that was trying to squeeze me to death.

"You look wonderful!" the young one said. You know what? I hate how they didn't introduce themselves. Of course, they already knew our names. So I'll call them One (the old one) and Two (the young one).

"Come out and see your partner!" two said. I heard a slight slap sound. "I'm so sorry! I forgot you're blind! I don't think we've ever had a blind one be tribute in the Games! Of course there was that one boy with the crippled leg… and that one that was insane- she lasted longer than I thought, two hours before she killed herself."

"Will you stop it? Can't you see you're scaring her?" Warnende said. Indeed, I probably looked a bit frightened.

"Oh… um… I'm sorry, darling." she said. "on a lighter note, you look outstanding!"

"I can't breath." I said in a small voice.

"Here, sit down." Two said, pushing me into a seat. She put on my shoes.

"Warnende is wearing a similar outfit of yours, except it's a suit." Two said. "Here, take this." I outstretched my hand and gripped something wooden. It was really heavy on the end and I almost dropped it.

"What?" One said, horrified. "Don't give the blind girl an axe! Who knows what she'll do!"

"Oh, well, now that I think about it, it doesn't go with the outfit, anyway." Two said, taking the axe out of my hands.

"Um… maybe a bird?" I said.

"A bird?" One asked.

"A bird!" Two exclaimed. "That would be perfect!"

I heard her walk out of the room. She came back in less than five minutes. I could hear a number of tweets. She didn't really get birds, did she?

"They are hummingbirds. The capitol has a bunch of them out in the courtyard, trained." Two said. She set one in both my hands. It was very soft and little. And loud. "I got seven of them total. You know, for your district number."

I could hear them fluttering their wings and chirping all around Two.

"When they call out 'District 7', these birds will burst out from your chariot. It will be fantastic!" Two said.

"Can they really do that?" Warnende asked the question that was forming in my mind.

"Of course they can! They are capitol birds." Two said.

"So they're genetically enhanced?" I asked.

"Something like that." Two said.

"Enough chit-chat. The Opening Ceremonies start in 22 minutes. We need to ge tther eand set up the chariot." One said. One took me by the hand and started fast walking out of the room. Despite her oldness, one's skin was very soft. Sheesh, capitol people.

"Come on, in, in!" One said, putting me into the chariot. My gosh, I'm not totally helpless! I sat down in one of the seats, Warnende following after me. The birds were chirping all around us.

Warnende laughed. "Man, I wish you could see District 10's costumes." he said. "They appear to be naked, but covered from head to toe in chicken feathers. I'm really glad for what stylists we got. And District 3. All they are wearing are wires, wrapped around… parts…"

Hmm… maybe I am glad I got a stylist like Two.

"But I do like District 11's. The girl has a plain white dress, decorated with colored flowers. It's plain, but I can tell the stylists were going for 'pretty'. Feel bad for the boy, though." he shuttered. District 5's chariot was just called out. Reluctant clapping.

"Don't forget to smile!" Two said. Then, "District 7!" our chariot pulls out. As soon as we get outside, the birds started chirping and flying around our heads. I heard claps all around. I'm still not sure it's enough to get us sponsors, even though I also heard people chanting our district. But who wants to sponsor a blind kid? Ah well, I smiled brightly, waving at no one in particular.

Something hit my head. It wasn't hard, but I put on a show and folded my arms and pouted. Some people laughed. I found the flower and shouted out "Thank you!" with a big grin, waving again. They called out all the other districts and the chariots made another loop around the city circle. The president welcomed the tributes and made the speech he makes every year. After he is done, the anthem plays and the chariots make another circle, heading towards the training center. When we got there, I got off the chariot myself.

"There you guys are!" Mandy's voice came in. "You guys have gotten 12 sponsors!"

"Really?" I asked skeptically.

"Really!" she said. "Of course, that's really nothing to be proud of. Most districts get 50. Usually the districts in 1, 2, and 4 get more than 100. But I thought we'd only get 5! I mean, who wants to sponsor a district who has a blind tribute?"

I was definitely fuming. Why does she keep saying that? Does she have no manners at all?

"Anyway, let's go! We have a whole floor to ourselves!" she opened a door and the smell of ham and eggs and others I couldn't identify hit my nose. Dinner!

"There's eggs, toast, ham, French toast, pancakes, waffles, hash browns, sausage, and bagels." Mandy said. I didn't know what half those things were. But it smelled delicious.

I sat down in a seat after I heard someone else do so.

"We decided to have breakfast for dinner!" Mandy said. "You should try the sausage and hash browns, Cecilia!"

"Umm… okay." I said while I heard her put them on my plate. I found my fork and ate some. It was the most amazing thing I've ever tasted. I could tell it was meat, it was very greasy. I kept eating. Everyone else was, too. I heard someone come in the door.

"Ah, Vince! Just who I wanted to see!" Mandy said. "Now, they've got 12 sponsors, which I can say is way more than last year, so do try to give them parachutes this time."

"Whatever." Vince said. "You know, maybe this year isn't that bad. Well, I lose hope on the blind one, but you, boy, you look like you can do something. Can you throw? Punch? Maybe even shoot arrows?"

"Um… I can throw axes pretty accurately." Warnende said. I folded my arms grumpily. I know it's hopeless that I win, but still…

"That's good. So I think you'd do good teaming up with the careers."

"Never." Warnende said without a heartbeat.

"If you want to survive, I suggest you do what I say." Vince growled.

"I'm not stupid. Teaming up with the careers will only earn me a stab in tha back. Literally." Warnende said.

"Well, at least you'll get far into it." Vince said.

"I've already decided who I want to team up with. It might be stupid not to team up with the Careers, but I'd rather die with honor."

"There is no 'dying with honor' in these games. It's either live or die. Probably die." When Warnende didn't answer, Vince said, "What about you, girl? I know you're blind, but can you at least swing an axe?"

"Well, my mom kept me from working in the forest because of my blindness." I said. "So, no. I can't swing an axe."

"Can you do anything?" he asked rudely.

"I have good… hearing." I told him. Vince snorted.

"That's not going to get you far, girly. I predict you'll last ten seconds." Vince said. I didn't say anything back. I didn't think I'd last five. I know I only have a day or two to live.

"Hey!" Mandy said. "When they need something, just send them it. At least make an effort to keep them alive. And enough with this. It's time for bed. It's going to be a long, long day tomorrow! Let's go, Cecilia!" she dragged me to my room. Again. I'm getting really tired of her. She's very psychotic. But I guess without her I'd be lost. What am I going to do in the games? I know I need an ally or two. But who? I've already thought of Warnende, but I don't think I'd be able to kill him in the end. I wouldn't be able to, even if I had the skills.

"There you go, Cecilia, get some rest!" Mandy said and left, leaving me to my negative thoughts.