The trains that were taking us to the Capitol made the Justice Building look like a dump. I'm not sure what that makes of my home, since the Justice building made my home look like a barn.
Complete with crystal chandeliers, soft rugs and beautiful dinnerware, the train was like a moving and luxurious house. The food was full of unknown, yet delicious new flavours that were so rich and alien to my senses.
It's like the people of the Capitol want to treat us, maybe to make the fact that twenty-three of us will die more bearable. The thought angers me. What a waste. Why use this food on kid who will die, when there are plenty of children back at home who could put this food to real use. If this meal had been given to me when I was younger, maybe then I would be a stronger person, and maybe then I would have a better chance in the arena.
But it's better to not dwell in the past.
"Isn't this all just lovely?" Cass asks us. I nod but Phelan doesn't even bother answering, he's too busy eating. I can't blame him, Phelan's never been full his entire life, like most in our neighbourhood. Even though I am from the same neighbourhood as Phelan is, my family would sometimes have good days, money-wise, and on those days we would indulge, but not on anything other than food.
Cass seems annoyed with Phelan, but she ignores his rudeness. Instead, she starts talking to me.
"Now, Tallulah, you have a great advantage," she says. "Part of winning the games is getting sponsors, who will pay money to money to make your life easier in the games.'
"Make my life easier?" I ask. "How so?"
"You could get things like medicine, weapons and food from them."
I look at her confused. "But what did you mean when you said that I had a great advantage?"
"You're quite nice to look at," she told me.
That statement doesn't surprise me. I am well aware of that fact, and I've been told it ever since I was a child.
"With the right makeup, you'll be gorgeous, sexy even, during the interview," Cass says.
"Yeah," Phelan agrees. "If she can remember to keep her mouth shut." I scowl and turn to look at Phelan.
"I just want to slap that smugness off your smile," I say, but I'm not serious.
"You see?" he tells Cass. "She's crazy. She just proved my point."
I hiss at him the way we used to when we were younger. He hisses back, catching on. Cass looks at both of us and I can practically read her thoughts as she says "Don't fight. Or... um... hiss."
I go back to eating my food in silence. On my plate is white rice, covered in some kind of sauce. The sauce is a molasses brown in color and in the sauce are vegetables like broccoli, peppers, and other unrecognizable vegetables. There also seem to be chicken and sesame seeds.
When I bite into the food, flavor fills my mouth. It tastes sweet yet sour, and it is good enough for me to take seconds, and almost a third, until Cass shouts at me.
"No!" she says. "Keep some room for desert. Besides, you don't want to get plump. Think of your interview."
I've always dreamed of being fat. I couldn't care less about what I look like, but ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to be like that. It was just the idea that I had enough food each night to fill me up with made me wish badly for that.
But being overweight in the Capitol isn't considered a good thing.
I listen to what Cass says, I have to, and she's here to help me. I don't take any more food.
When desert comes, I fill myself with these small and colorful sandwich-like cookies filled with paste. Cass informs me that they are called "macaroons".
The television is playing a recap of the reapings in each of the districts. I keep my eyes trained on the television to see my opponents.
The people from District Twelve and Eleven are scrawny little kids that even Phelan could take on. The girl from District Three is big and scary looking, same with the tributes in District Nine. The boy from District five is very strong and serious looking; I can easily identify him as trouble. The tributes from Districts One, Two and Four are all well fed, maybe they won't be able to last the harsh conditions the game-makers have set up for us in the arena. The boy from District One catches my eye. He is gorgeous. He seems as calm as he walks up to the podium after his name is called. He surveys the area with those honey colored eyes, and I can't help but feel like he is calculating everything. He seems smart yet mischievous. He will be a threat for sure; he will get sponsors easily, with his looks and win, with his smarts. He is not to be overlooked.
When Phelan and I leave to go to bed, our stomachs are overflowing. Phelan walks up to me before we walk in to our rooms. "Did you see them all?" he asks.
"Yes," I say.
"I don't stand a chance. I'm too scrawny."
"That's not true," I say, and I believe it. "You're smart. You're fast. You can throw knifes and you understand different types of vegetation better than anyone else. You'll be in some hiding spot the entire games, munching on roots until each and every one of us has killed each other."
"Yeah, whatever you say," he says dryly. He doesn't believe me. "Good night."
"Goodnight."
I go into my room and strip off my clothes, all though I want to keep them on, I like the smell of District Seven on me. I take out the beautiful hair pin given to me by my mother.
I go in to the shower. I've never had a shower before but I'm pretty sure showers aren't supposed to have so many buttons. Each one does a different thing.
After a while, I finally learn my way around the shower. I get my blond hair dried and step out of the bathroom.
I brush out my hair and put it up, so it's out of the way. I slip on this lovely purple nightdress made of a beautiful silk material and climb into bed.
But then something makes me climb out of my bed, and that is the hair pin. I want to hold the pin as I sleep. I wrap my hands around the pink petals on the flower that decorates the pin.
With the hair pin in hand, I go back to the bed. I can't help but think of my mother. I think of the way she used to play with my hair when I talked to her, I think of her sweet laughter. I miss home. My thoughts fill with memories of Cara, my mother, my father, the kind people I used to encounter back in Seven and Lauren.
Lauren, I wonder how he feels now. I wonder whether he regrets waiting so long to kiss me, I wonder whether he enjoyed the kiss. Does he miss me? Is he worried? Will he have his eyes trained on the television as I fight to the death in the arena, cheering me on and hoping for a good outcome? What would become of us if I win?
These thoughts explode in my head. I'm so curious, so curious of Lauren and all of the other people I care for. But now isn't the time for this, there are other things I must think of now.