Peeta and I are standing on the stage, and I'm trying to think of what I have to do. Surviving will only be possible if they give us swords or axes in the arena. One year they didn't give them any weapons and they sent them into a rocky terrain. That was the year the tribute from District 1 went crazy and killed everyone with a brick. If that wasn't the worst he also tried to eat them once they were dead. I just hope that I don't go so crazy that I start eating people.
After the reading of the Treaty of Treason, which was so long that it was still going on, Haymitch will have to come to congratulate us. That is if he was still here. He'd stormed off stage, to where I'm not sure but he was gone now. So they'll probably skip right to the second round of applause that the audience had to give. Then the anthem will play again. After that all I know is that the tributes are taken into the justice building and given ten minutes to say good-bye to their families.
"…and so began the glorious tradition of the Hunger Games." Finished the mayor and as he sat down in his chair, a little more heavily then normal, (after all he probably knows me as that girl who sells him strawberries) Effie Trinket came scuttling back up in front of the stage holding the microphone to her dyed lips.
"What an exciting day!" Effie Trinket warbles. She's probably excited to have something happening for once with the District 12 tributes. Everyone from the past has always been too scared and starved to do anything with. "And there is more excitement to come in the games! May the odds ever be in your favor!" Effie says and I wait for the applause but like the time before there were no applauds, because applauds are loud and rude.
Instead to my shock, and Peeta's to I'm sure, the audience one by one, starting with one and then another, they touched their three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and then held it out to me. I felt my heart contract. This meant admiration, it means good-bye to somebody you love. I smiled, not for happiness, but with appreciation for the gesture because it'll probably be the last thing I remember from my District 12. I hesitantly returned the gesture before the peacekeepers came on stage and boxed Peeta and I in.
The next part went by quickly as the Peacekeepers forced us into the justice building and then through it. I didn't get to look around because Peeta and I were split as we were shoved and locked in separate rooms. I turned to the room and I have to say t was glamorous. Surprisingly it wasn't as beautiful as Haymitch's house, but it was just as expensive. The curtains were a thick red fabric and the seats were velvet, which I only knew because my mother owned a dress with a collar of velvet. I gently sat in the seat and ran my hands along the fabric.
The justice building really wasn't that fancy when you looked at it, the rooms looked more bare then most of the houses in the seams. I can tell that I was in shock because what other reason could I have for the thoughts of the décor?
I was supposed to wait here patiently but I couldn't help it. I rose from the chair to pace in front of the window. I knew little about what happened once we got to the Capital but I knew that before I could get there I would be surrounded by cameras with Peeta as we got onto the train. Then I knew I had to worry about getting sponsors and there were two good ways to do that. You impressed them at the interview which was held by Caesar Flickerman, who does it every year. Then you have to go through rigorous training in an attempt to give you a sporting chance in the arena. Then I think that the gamekeepers gather to rate you on your best skill. If I'm lucky mine will be axes and swords.
I'm not allowed another moment to think because suddenly the door is forced open and my sister is wheeled in along with the rest of my family. I gather Prim up because she is the first to come running at me. I balance her figure on my hip as she weeps in lung racking sobs.
"Shhh, Prim, Prim I need you to listen." I comforted her and she moved back to listen to me. I sit her down in the chair just so that she'll be able to look me in the face. "I'm going to need you to be a big girl for me all right." I told her, grabbing her attention firmly. "I know you don't like to hunt but you can support the family with your goat if your smart and I know that you are smart. Make sure that Katniss gets her food down and if they go back to that place, don't panic okay. I'll always be right there." I pressed my hand into her chest, right over her heart. She's still crying but I move on to hug Katniss who if possible is crying more than Prim is.
"Katniss," I breathed and looked into her eyes, which conflict with my bright green ones. I know that my eyes will be brighter now, with worry, anger, and sadness. "Don't leave Prim, do you understand?" I asked her. She nodded but I wasn't satisfied. "Don't you dare get out of that bed. I don't want you taking yourself away from Prim or Mom, okay?" She nodes again and I hug her again before moving on to Mom who is trying her best to control her own emotions for the best of her children but I took her small frame into my arms and she collapsed for a moment.
"I'm so sorry Katfir!" Momma nearly screams. I know what she's apologizing for, for having me. I know that she doesn't mean that she hates me but just like me she didn't want children only because of the reaping. If I could not have to worry about my kids going into the Hunger games I would be okay with children but I couldn't do it.
I tightened my grip on my Momma as the door is opened and the peacekeepers are instantly in the room. The ten minutes that they allowed me with my family is up and I let one tear shine down my cheek as they are forced out of the doors and then we were separated by the door. I stare at it for a moment and I wipe the tear from my face and turn back to the window, ready to start pacing again but suddenly the door is swung back open violently. I turned sharply but before I could see who it was I was gathered in a hug. I didn't need my eyes to know who it was though. All I needed was that familiar set of arms, and that same heavy smell of liquor.
"Haymitch…" I breathed and I wrapped my own arms around his large shoulders. I was so small compared to him but I didn't mind as he lifted my feet off of the ground and he shoved his face in my neck. I knew it would be hard for him. Not only will he have to deal with a teenager going to their death this year, but now it is someone he knows and hopefully cares about.
"Sweetheart…." Haymitch answers but there really isn't anything that we can say to each other, because there is nothing either of us can do but try and get me through the games.
"I'm going to win, Haymitch." I suddenly say. He pulls back, not placing me down and I wonder at his strength that he rarely shows. "I won't abandon you." I told him and I place both my hands on his face. I know when my eyes connect with his eyes that I'm close to giving away that one emotion that I had buried inside me but I was so lost, so scared of dying in that arena by someone's hands and leaving everyone to themselves which is never a good idea.
"Of course you won't, sweetheart, not on purpose." He tells me and I know that he is feeling pain because I can see it in those eyes as he lets me stand back on my feet. I let my hands drop from his face but on to his chest. My eyes were glued to his beautiful blue grey ones and it doesn't seem like he can take his from mine either.
"I'm good at surviving; it's the only thing I'm good at." I told him, and because I can't stand the pain there in my favorite pair of eyes I start straightening his outfit. It hadn't been straight when he'd put it on and walked out in that square but I tried my best to straighten out the shirt and vest.
"You aren't this good." Haymitch told me and bends so he looked directly in my eyes. All my attention is on him and I don't mind that when he bent down his long loose hair brushes my temple.
"I can learn to be." I answered. We stare at each other, and I can't move and he doesn't either. I don't know what he's thinking about but I don't ask either because I don't want him to know that I'm thinking of how close he is, or how I can't think of the games or what's to come simply because he's captured my attention and he's had it for years.
"Times up!" A Peacekeeper's voice comes from behind the door and my eyes involuntarily flick to the door in annoyance. They must have said that before, when it was me and my family in here. I looked back to Haymitch but he didn't seem to have noticed the Peacekeeper's warning so I was the one who had to step away from him, causing him to come back from whatever thought he was stuck in. I straightened my own dress up and straightened the mockingjay pin that glistened in the little sunlight that slipped through the curtains. The doors opened but this time there wasn't a flood of peacekeepers. Instead another stocky man walks in. The doors close, and Haymitch is still inside, which only confuses me.
The man I recognized as Peeta's father and from the poof of his red eyes I can tell that he has only just finished talking to his son. He sits in the chair, heavily and I don't hold it against him that he can't speak because some time in the future I'll be forced into being an enemy of his son. He pulls out a white package from his apron which he hadn't taken off from working this morning. I took the offering, glancing at Haymitch who opens the curtain and looks out to where I'm sure the Capital train is waiting for Peeta and I. I turn back to the man before me because I don't want to see the look on Haymitch's face.
I opened the package and inside was still warm white chocolate cookies. I don't know how he knew that these were my favorites but it was probably through Peeta because he was the only one who knew this seemingly small detail about me.
"Thank you," I force out of my lips. "It's a wonderful gift." I acknowledge and I close the package because I can't look at them for to long because they make me think of how my family and I have eaten nothing like this before even when my father was alive. I can't think of anything to say to the man because despite my friendship with his son I don't know a thing about his father.
"My son talks about you." He says. I look at him from where I'd stared at the floor and his face is earnest. "He loves you, so please, if-if it's you in the arena," My breath hitches because I don't know how to take this news, I've never known how to take news like this. "Please, please make it quick." He chokes out. I'm sure that my mouth is open in shock because Peeta had never let on. He'd never told me and he'd never made any advances. How was I supposed to react to this? All I know is that the Peacekeeper was again shouting for our time to be up and that the man is rising from the chair. I hear the ripping of the curtain as Haymitch turns to the man and speaks something low so that I know that I'm not supposed to hear it.
"Do you really believe that she needs to be thinking about that kind of thing on top of the games? That's just selfish." Haymitch growls at the man and the man flinches away from him. I'd do something but I'm still struck speechless. Haymitch is right though. I can't think of Peeta's feelings towards me so just like my own emotions I buried them deep, deep down in my brain and heart. I can't let them interfere because I've made a promise to Haymitch and when promises are made, I keep them. It's just the way my mind and body works.
I watch now as the baker is hustled out of the door and then the peacekeepers are surrounding Haymitch and I and I realize that Haymitch has to go on the train as well. Haymitch must know that I'm unable to do it myself so it wraps his arm around my shoulders and gets me moving again. Soon, we are walking through the maze like halls of the justice building so that we can walk to the train. I wanted to choke up and let all of my emotions consume me but I can't do that yet, not until night.
The train station, just a small drive by a car, which I've never been in before now, is just as bland as the outside of the justice building. I am walking on my own now but Haymitch is not far behind me because we are being mobbed by the fifty reporters that came with the Capital people to catch sight of the tributes from District 12. I climb onto the train that I've seen so many tributes leave in and never come back. Peeta is there waiting for me and together we stand while we load. The reporters had to eventually stop and get on the train in there part a long ways down the large metal train. Haymitch had disappeared into the train and I know for a fact that he is no doubt looking for alcohol to numb the pain that the day has brought him and for once I feel like joining him in his trip down hill.
The doors finally close and we are allowed by Effie Trinket herself to walk away from the door. While we are being guided down the train I feel its smooth take off. I know from the few lessons on the train from school that we are now traveling two hundred and fifty miles an hour to the Capital. Our journey to the Capital will take a day and a night. Peeta and I are both given separate quarters. They come with a bedroom, a dressing area, and a private bathroom with hot and cold running water. I could fit my entire house in my one quarter. I'm left there by Effie Trinket, having already left Peeta at his quarters. She gives me instructions to do anything I want, wear anything I want, everything is at my disposal but I am to be ready for supper in an hour.
So when she leaves I do the sensible thing which is to head to the bathroom. I can't fall asleep in an hour, not with this much to think about and I really don't want to deal with the clothes right at the moment. So I look to the shower. It's just like Haymitch's but the buttons are different. I'm frustrated that I can't tell what I'm supposed to push so one by one I push the buttons. Finally I get the water going as if it was rain and a rose like smell is coming from the water. I took my dress off of my shoulders and I barely remember the pin on my shirt. I don't know what to do with it so I'm forced to leave it there on the floor.
As I stepped in the shower I realize that for that moment I was glad that I wouldn't have to go back home to that bath tub. The shower was amazing. The water cascaded down my hair and my face, over my shoulders, and over my abdomen. I thought I was ready to pass out because the pleasure of the running water and rose scent made me so happy. I ran the soap that was given over my body and my nose smelt a fresh scent of roses. I made sure that my entire body was washed, including hair and when I stepped out I automatically wanted to step back into the warm steam of the shower. Instead I force myself to dry off using the electricity pole. I'm amazed with the laziness of the Capital people.
There was nothing that I could do now except dress so I made my way to the dressing area but then my mind goes blank because there in the closet hundreds of outfits are hung up. I don't know quite what to do. I've only ever had three outfits, my hunting outfit, my reaping dress, and my school uniform. Those were the only ones. So with surprising happiness I go through the multicolored closet. My enthusiasm is soon diminished by the outrageous style of the clothing. Of course one of the things that were meant to make me appreciate the Capital is awful.
Finally, after searching I find a green shirt that flows and black pants that only have small slits in the legs with green embroidery. It'll have to do because I'm almost past my hour time limit and I don't want Effie to get angry with me the first day I've known her. True enough the moment I remember to pin the golden mockingjay pin to my shirt Effie's voice is flowing through the metal of the door to my quarters.
"Katfir, are you ready?" She squeaks out and I roll my eyes skyward because her voice is really annoying with its high pitch. But instead of telling her this I settle for opening the door and smiling tightly at her. I'm happy because for that small hour I was able to block out everything that had happened to me. The moment Effie leads me into the living space of the train though it all comes back because there is Peeta surrounded by all of this fancy metal, crystal, and even mahogany. They haven't spared anything and everything is fancy and something that would shock anyone who hadn't been taking care of Haymitch Abernathy since they were twelve.
So because of this I am not completely overwhelmed like Peeta looks. Instead I take glances at our surroundings, and I can see the darkness out the windows. We must have been going for more then an hour. I wonder vaguely why Effie didn't say anything but I guess they were used to the tributes needing time to themselves. What I want to ask myself is how did I spend so long in the shower and picking out clothes that it had time to turn into night?
I watch, perplexed as suddenly Avoxes start bringing food out. Peeta and I have been taught about Avoxes because they are people who have broken a severe law and their punishment is to serve the Capital for the rest of their lives. I know that their tongues are cut out so that they can't repeat what they've heard to others.
I stare at the food they bring out, because if I look at them I'm not sure which way my thoughts will turn, pity or anger? I've always disdained the Capital but now my anger flared at the treatment that all of the Districts get. I mean we are humans to, aren't we? So we should get all the freedom that they do. I stop my thoughts and focus on the funny food in front of me so that I don't have to worry about that again I don't want to blow up in a rant when this entire train is probably bugged with cameras and microphones, just as every place will be from now on.
I eat everything I can get my hands on because suddenly I'm hungry and apparently Peeta is feeling the same way because we are both eating everything. Effie keeps telling us to save room because there is more to come but I'm taking comfort in the delicious food instead of listening to her. When they come out with desert I'm to full to move because I've eaten the same amount that I would eat in a month in an hour.
Still I pick up my fork to taste the delicious looking cake.
"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asks and I glance to the empty seat by Peeta but I know already where he is, where ever the liquor is.
"Last time I saw him, he said he was going to take a nap," says Peeta but my snort brings both of their attention to me and I shift uncomfortably.
"Haymitch is probably where ever the liquor is." I told them. "Not napping." They look at each other but Peeta has that amused look in his eye that he gets every time that I mention Haymitch around him. See Peeta thinks that my drunk crush is a source of amusement. Peeta knows about my feelings, not by way of my mouth but apparently if you talk about someone often then you have a crush on them. No matter how I deny it Peeta doesn't listen.
"Well, it's been an exhausting day," says Effie Trinket. I know that she's probably relieved that Haymitch isn't here. After all he did puke when she tried to speak to us. I continue to slowly eat the pudding on my plate and I ignore it when Effie starts talking about how the rest of the tributes ate like animals. I know they probably did because they were probably starving and from the seam.
Once Peeta and I are done I'm barely keeping the food down. I've never eaten so much before and I'm a little green, and I can see Peeta is to. But I'm determined to hold down this food because I need it.
Effie leads the still nervous Peeta and I to another compartment so that we can watch the recap of the reapings. They try to keep them where everyone can watch them live throughout the day but the only people who can do that is the Capital since they don't have to actually attend a reaping there.
One by one we see the other reapings, the names called, the volunteers stepping forward or, more often, not. We watch our competition on the screen and memorize their faces. A few of them manage to stand out like the boy who lunges forward to volunteer from District 2 or a fox-faced girl with sleek red hair from District 5. There was a boy with a crippled foot from District 10 and most hauntingly, a twelve year old girl from District 11. She reminds me so much of Prim though only by her size and demeanor. How scared she looks up there but there's no Katfir there to volunteer for her when they ask for them.
Last of all they show District 12. They show Haymitch puking, and Effie's face scrunches up at this. Then they show Effie calling Katniss' name and the peacekeepers wheeling her frail body through the lines. They show me running through the eighteen year old group and screaming out to volunteer. They show Haymitch's reaction and I can practically see the shock coming off of him. Then they show him sending the chair crashing against the wall in rage. They show me going up the stairs with my eyes latched on to Haymitch's. Next is me saying my name.
And then they show Peeta's name being called and my own reaction to it. I see the tears in my eyes and the cry leaves my lips. The announcers begin to speculate about everything, the reactions from Haymitch and me; they discuss the audiences refusal to clap. They say that we always were quite peculiar in our ways and as they say this they show Haymitch puking over the side of his chair. I can feel myself wince at that. Then the T.V. goes black.
Peeta and I turn to Effie as she starts speaking. "Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behavior." She huffs and I feel a fire burn inside me at her ignorance.
"Haymitch drinks." I say instead because I still don't want to offend her. So I treat this as amusing when really I want to shout at her about how not everyone is from the Capital.
"He's drunk every year." Peeta says, also thinking it amusement.
"Every day." I correct and Peeta and I share a quite giggle or chuckle in his case. Effie doesn't feel so amused because she's glaring at us. I guess she doesn't appreciate that we don't also think he needs help.
"Yes," Effie Trinket hisses. "How odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!" I straightened, prepared to fight against her for Haymitch but right then Haymitch stumbled through the door with a bottle of White Horse vodka in his left hand. He was hanging with the red hand on the bar.
"I miss supper?" He asks what I think is supposed to me but before I can answer he drops the bottle and vomits all over the expensive floor before falling into the mess with a groan. I hopped to my feet so that I can pull him out of the pool of vomit that I'm so used to seeing with him.
"So, laugh away." Effie tells us and she tip-toes around where I'm hauling Haymitch to his feet so that she can leave the room in a tizzy.
I'm so happy that I finished this. I got so excited because so many people liked this story and reviewed. I haven't gotten such a good response before so I hope that you guys loved this chapter as much as you did the last one.
However there is something you need to know if you guys haven't read my other stories then you need to know that this girl Katfir is Destiny and she is Destiny so she can jump between realms, like The Dark knight, A-Team basically any where I want her to go. Now I'm not planning on making this a big feature in this particular story. What I'm thinking about implementing is this thing she can do which is called fading.
Fading is a vision, where she looses concisous and her mind and soul goes somewhere else. The place can be at any point in time as well. I originally used fading in my Pirates of the Caribbean film.
Now for the question of the update!
What would you do if you were picked as Tribute for District 12?