The peacekeepers lead me to a carriage. I step inside finding Lentle blabbing away to Thera about how the Capitol is amazing and glorious, but Thera ignored it. She hated the Capitol more than anyone in my district.

"Oh, hi there it seems we have both tributes. We can get going to the train." Lentle informs the rider and we head of. I look out the window watching people crowding the sidewalks and watching the carriage pass by. My eyes meet Katri as the carriage passes her. I look over to Thera, still emotionless.

How does she do that?

I don't know how I look when I walked on stage. I just hope I don't look stupid, that's all I want. Lentle asks the both of us to go off the carriage.

The second I step into the train my eyes open in aw. I take a sniff and it smell fantastic. Things that I have dreamed of having. The floor covered in a deep green fabric, the walls full of portraits hand painted, and the furniture and food looked amazing. Not even our Mayor can afford this kind of stuff. I put my hand on the couch, it was made from silk. Thera looks amazed too. Finally! An emotion on her face! We both took a seat beside each other staying silent. This is awkward. I finally break the silence.

"Nice place huh?" I say.

"I'd rather be at the comforts of my own home, but yes, this place cost more than anyone in our district can afford." She replies.

"So... Do you remember who our mentor is again?" I ask.

"Ducain. Total high ass. All the guy does is pop pills in his mouth. And he's what? 26 now. We'll be lucky if he remembers our names."

"I see my reputation in District 5 isn't good." Our heads shoot behide us and Ducain is in the room and with what Thera just said this ain't looking too good.

"Well your pretty well known in District 5, isn't the most dandy. Most people hate your guts cause you let our kids there die every year." The second she finished saying that Ducain smashed his hand into the coffee table in front of her.

"If your trying to scare me, it's not working." She says sharply.

"Well then missy, what you should be scared of is you might die. So I hope you respect me and just do as I say to try to survive."

Ducain walks out the room. Thera just rolls her eyes.

"What a drug attic. Sure, he won once. Doesn't mean he can make us win."

"Well, maybe he can. You can't tell the future." I replied with a sigh.

"I'm not telling the future, I'm telling the truth."

"How would you know, though?" I narrowed my eyes.

Thera scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"So you hear this years games have some kind of test?" She asks.

"No. I haven't. What do you mean a 'test'?"

"Don't know, maybe something about out smarts or something." Thera replies.

"But don't they do that during the private sections with the game makers?"

"All I know is they say that it is something to make this years games the best ever." She says.

"They say that every year, don't they?" I point out.

Both our mentors walk into the room. Lentle and Ducain. Oh great.

"Take a seat." Lentle sits down.

"I'm already sitting." I joke, I hear Thera laugh. Lentle frowns at me.

"Well, we have some smart talking tributes here." Ducain interrupts the fun.

"Lets just talk for a bit, Ducain." Lentle sits down in one of the two seat in front of me. Ducain sits in front of Thera. This still isn't looking good.

"So, lets cut to the chase, can either of you wield a weapon?"

I think, what can I do? I've never held a sword in my life. Knives? No, not original. Wait, I know, blow darts. There's a bar near my house and there's a section where you can throw darts for fun. And the way I've seen it in the games, many people have used them before. Sure, its not the most original weapon ever but is better than knives.

"I can throw spears and daggers." Thera says.

"Well, that's perfect for training!" Lentle smiled, "What about you, Neal?"

"Um, I can throw blow-darts." I looked down, "They have needles on the end or sharp points. They drive deeply into the skin and it makes the enemy pass-out if it's the kind with a needle." I looked back up, seeing there reactions.

"We'll give it a shot. But we are not so sure if they are blow-darts in the training center." Ducain explained giving a you-know kind of look.

"Are you sure? I've seen them in the games before." I looked at them, waiting for an answer.

Thera comments, "No, not every year."

The room then on stays silent.

"I think the recap should be on by now. Lets watch it." Lentle runs over to the tv and turns it on.

I see reaping after reaping. The first two districts have all volunteered tributes, of corse. Sparkle is the female tribute from 1. Valeria and Skene from 2. The boy from District 1 is handsome. His name is Byle. The second he walks on stage the girls start gruelling. I look to Thera, she seems wide-eyed. Oh jeez. Then District 3 has a beautiful 15 year old female tribute. What's her name? Saffra, I bet all those Capitol perverts will give her some sponsers. District 4 has a girl volunteer, but the boy tribute has no volunteer. His name is Leonis. It seems that . Nothing seems to be interesting about us, besides Katri screamed my name as I walk on stage. What? I must have not heard her from my train of thoughts. The boy from six is huge! Then.. What the? The girl from seven... is so mysterious. Her long bangs cover her face. No matter how many angles and shots the gamer makers tried, they couldn't see her face. The only thing you can tell about her looks is that she has hazel brown hair and pale skin. Yawda, yawda, yawda. Nothing interesting for District 8. Boring! District 9 has the mayor's daughter as a tribute. That has never happened before. Nothing worth thinking about after her. This IS gonna be the best games ever this year.

More Silence.

"You two should take a break and head to your rooms, its been a long day for you." Thera and I get up. "Oh, and later your stylists will come and get you ready for the tribute parade. You will really need to make an impression." Ducain says.

"Why?" I ask.

"So, they can remember you, it will get you sponsors and that will keep you alive."

Right.

I walk into a room labled

NEAL ROVEN

DISTRICT 5 TRIBUTE

They know my name already? That was quick. I'm not even staying on the train for a day. Oh well. I jump on the bed, biggest I've ever seen. I sit there for a second then all of a sudden the windows turn pitch black. The tunnel, to the Capitol underneath the mountains. I watch as the black stays. No light. We're here already? I wonder, what our apartment is going to be like.

Then a extremely bright light blinded me for a second as it hits my eyes. The light turns to giant beautiful buildings, shining and glistening. The Capitol is beautiful, but horrible at the same time. I hear screaming crowds outside my room. I walk out the room and into the room I was in before. Finding Thera at the window waving at the crowd blowing kisses. I walk toward the window looking outside. All the crazy looking people, even crazier than I thought. Their going crazy. Screaming, shouting, jumping, and waving at us. How it sickens me to know how much these morons love watching kids fight to the death. I look out the window and stare at them, can't even tell if their human or not.

After a while the crowd fades away, but even though I couldn't see them, I could hear them from a mile. I sat back down looking into the distance. Thinking about Katri and the games. We should be there within a few more minutes, then after that I need to be put in a dumb costume in front of all of Panem to see. It will be dreadful. And what will happen to my family? Erwin with Grancy, on their own. My parents are constantly fighting. Grancy and I couldn't take it anymore so we took Erwin and found a new house and stayed there. Watching our parents fight would make Erwin depressed and for, he stayed inside, refusing to eat, and to sleep. It was terrible for his health.

"Something on your mind?" I wake up from my daydreams.

"Just.. thinking." I reply.

"Yeah, it must suck for you. Since you got family and all." Thera says.

"How do you know?" I ask in confusion.

"Isn't that what we're all thinking about? Except those stupid Career tributes. Volunteering for no reason. Dumbest thing to do in the world." She answers. "Oh, wait I know what it is... Your girlfriend! Ha ha!" She burst out laughing.

"Wha, what? How do you?-"

"Are you kidding me? You two make out in brod daylight, I mean seriously get a room." I look down in embarrassment. "Aww little Nealy emb-w-arrassed?" She said mockingly.

"No I'm not!" I yelled.

"Yes you are" She replied.

"Ugh, no I'm not."

"Ugh, yes you are."

"No."

Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

" God dammit, NO!"

"Okay, okay, You just could've said so." Thera was always known to be able to bet on your nerve. Not in a bad way... Most of the time.

"Hey you two, time to get off the train." Ducain pops his head in the door then goes back outside. I stare once more at the window, looking at the Capitol. Then I walk out the train. Me and Thera get escorted by the peacekeepers to a huge building. Once we walked inside We we're led to an elevator with Ducain and Lentle.

"Dang. Those peacekeepers have a tight grip." Thera said holding her shoulder.

"Yeah, I know. They can't afford to lose any of you or they would be killed." Ducain replies.

Lentle gives him the evil eye.

When we arrive to our floor I was amazed. This was way better than the train. The big red water like dinning table was int the middle of the room. I also see Avoxes everywhere.

"Come here you two. I'll take you to washing and waxing stations then you'll be able to meet your stylist." Lentle says.

2 LONG HOURS LATER.

OWWWWW! My everything is hurting! And are they even supposed to pluck a guys eyebrows? I've taken 4 burning hot baths, Extreme waxing, and been scrubbed to the point I feel like I'm burning in hell. When is this torture chamber over! Now they start brushing my hair. I hate that too.

They do another scrub down on me, then put me in this room and told me to wait for my stylist. I've waited for 2 minutes or so. She comes in the room. Well she doesn't look as bad as I thought.

"Hello, are you Neal?" She asks.

"Yes, I am." I slightly tilt my head down "Sadly."I whisper under my breath.

"Well congratulations!" She tells me. "I'm Iberis. I'll be your stylist. Tonight Thera's stylist and I have agreed on an outfit for the both of you for you."

"Your not gonna put me in a stupid looking costume right?" I ask.

2 EVEN LONGER HOURS LATER

I've been pampered to the point I feel like a princess. On the bright side (If there is one) My costume isn't half bad. I'm dressed in what looks like a silver fabric and two lighting bolts on my head. Their still putting make up on me. They won't let me move until its finished. Are they making me look like a clown? Oh god no!

"Here we're finished, what cha think?" She turns me over to a mirror. I look a bit flawless, but some of my flaws are there. Must be, because once I enter the arena there's no way I can cover my flaws with make-up.

"Now hurry and get in your chariot." Iberis led me to the chariot. "Here put these on. Its gonna be loud out there" She hands me a pair of earplugs. No wonder, there are gonna be thousands of people out there screaming.

I put on both earplugs and my prep team comes and lifts me on the chariot. Thera is already on. I look around seeing all the tributes. District 12 looks horrible of corse. The Career districts look good. District 3 girl looks stunning, I think I started to stare at her. Am I gruelling?

"Wow, found a new girlfriend already?" I hear faintly. I see Thera took of her earplugs so I do to.

"Say what you want Thera, but its not true I love Katri and that's that." I say.

"Whatever." She rolls her eyes. "Hurry, put on your earplugs." I feel our chariot move and sounds of screaming mobs. I quickly put them on. I'm close to being outside... Then the sounds hit. BAM. AHHHH! I LOVE THEIR COSTUME! Even with earplugs it hurts. I start waving and smiling like everyone else. I don't dare look at Thera, everyone is standing strong on their own. Not even giving a glance at their tribute partner. I stay like that to. I hope at lease some people are giving their attention to me. Most of the attention is going to District 3 and 1 cause of Saffra and Byle. And some attention to the other tributes I mentioned earlier.

We start to come to the City Circle and stop in front of a tall balcony where I see President Snow.

"Hello to all fellow tributes" He begins, I don't bother to listen to what that bastard says after that. I mean he is the one making 24 kids fight to the death, including me. The speech of boredom ends and the chariot moves make into the building. I see our stylist waiting for us along with Ducain and Lentle.

"Oh you two were great! There must be some sponsers for you." Lentle helps us off the chariot.

"Well its workable." Everyone turns to Ducain looking mad. "What?" He aks stupidly.

"Um, lets get you guys to your apartment."

We walk to The Training Center or other known as my prison. It looks so strange so much like a tower. I walk into the building and Ducain, Lentle, Thera and I step into an elevator. Lentle presses a button that says "5". The elevator shots up faster than anything I've ever seen.

The elevator doors open and the apartment is amazing, much better than the train. There's a huge dinning table in the middle of the huge room along with a bunch of Avoxes too. My eyes widen at the sight.

"Well you two go wash up and we'll have supper. I'm sure you both must be hungry" Lentle tells two Avoxes to escort us to our rooms.

The Avox opens the door then leaves. I stand there looking around the room still stunned. I snap out of it. I hurry over to the dresser and change out of my costume and into sweat pants and a simple T-shirt and wash my hands.

Hunger over bares me as I walk out my room finding Lentle and Thera waiting for Ducain and I. I rush over to my seat and stare at the food. I think im gruelling again. Egg rolls, rice, chicken, soups, drinks, cheese, fried fruits, and everything else.

"If you'd like, you can dig in-" Before Lentle was even finished I Scarf down as much as I can bare.

GOD KNOWS HOW LONG LATER

I can't consume anymore food. I ate too much, and know I feel sleepy. Its been a long day.

"I'm going to bed. Good night everyone." I slowly pick myself up from my chair and head to my room. I collapse on my bed and fade to sleep.