Lilly doesn't talk to any of us at breakfast that morning. Apparently she also has a talent for holding grudges that we didn't know about. But her words last night still have their intended effect; none of us say anything about the Games. In fact, none of us really say anything at all. Her icy demeanor has coated the room, silencing us all. I can't say I blame her, though. I would be pretty upset if it had been me and I had been ignored by my supposed team in favor of a bigger, stronger opponent. Nevertheless, I'm sort of impressed that she was able to stand up to us at all. Most girls her age would have just seethed in silence.
I ignore the iciness in the room and focus on eating as much as I can. Then I am forced to meet my prep team and stylist to get ready for the opening ceremony, where I am sure I will be dressed as a tree.
My stylist is Tricia, an elderly woman who has worked with the District 7 tributes for as long as anyone can remember. She has had a multitude of different partners who work on the second tribute, but they are never able to override her on her decisions as to how the tributes are dressed in the opening ceremony. She calls it her "life's work," dressing children from District 7 with an almost absolute death sentence as trees. I am dead on about my costume; this year Lilly and I will be sycamores. Last year the tributes were maples. While adjusting one of my branches, Tricia tells me that she's thinking of oaks for next year.
"But although the oaks are certainly lovely, I think that a sycamore is definitely the best tree for you," she assures me. "Nice and strong." Personally, I think I would look ridiculous dressed as any kind of tree.
The opening ceremony passes in a blur. I try not to draw attention to myself, instead just hiding behind my multitude of leaves and hoping that the cameras don't get too many shots of me looking like an idiot. If I'm going to intimidate my competition, I don't think that this is the best way to start. I just do my best to get through the ordeal as quick as possible, and then I bolt up to my room and strip off the costume as fast as I can. I throw it away before anyone can think of making me put it back on. I take a shower and fall into bed, drifting off quickly into sleep after a rough day of being a tree.
Lilly seems to have forgiven us by the next morning. She didn't acknowledge me at all on the chariot last night even after I told her she looked nice (not completely true, but she pulled off the outfit better than I did), but she is talking to Logan, Johanna, and Polly when I enter the room for breakfast. I take this in as a good sign and join the conversation as we try to develop a strategy for today's training with the other tributes. Although I would never admit it, I can feel a few butterflies in my stomach. Logan leaves the decision of whether or not to reveal my strengths to the other tributes up to me, so I spend the rest of the morning trying to make up my mind. I put on my training gear and head to the gym, deciding just to wing it.
Atala, the head trainer, gives us a run down of the different stations before releasing us to choose what we want to do. I head over to the edible plants station, figuring that the plants the trainer teaches me about might give me some clue as to what waits for me in the arena. I recognize many of the leaves from the woods back home. Although I pass the test with relative ease, the trainer reminds me to look out for one particular plant before I leave. Monkshood looks like an innocent flower, but its petals are deadly. Even a tiny amount of its poison can kill a person almost instantly. I wonder if his warnings mean that the plant will definitely be found in the arena.
Before I can think too much about the plant, the bell rings, signaling that it is time for lunch. I get my food and am contemplating where to sit when a large, muscular boy approaches me and asks if I want to sit with his group. I agree and walk towards his table, all the while trying to remember his name and district. He solves that problem by introducing himself as Soren, the male tribute from District 1. I feel like an idiot for not realizing he was a career. It seems obvious looking at him now; no other tributes look as strong or menacing. He leads me to a table on the far side of the room and introduces me his fellow tribute from District 1, both from districts 2 and 4, and the huge boy from 8 that I noticed during the recap of the reapings.
Once everyone is seated and eating, Soren begins a speech about how he wants to go down as the greatest Career team in the history of the games. He believes that the eight of us are the strongest tributes and describes how we will hunt down the others and viciously murder them to give the Capitol audience the best show they've ever seen. He dominates the conversation, barely allowing anyone else to make a comment, and the more he talks, the more I dislike him. He embodies the brutality that I've come to associate with Careers, and his thirst for blood is as despicable as that in the Capitol that keeps the Games going. Looking around the table, I see that the District 2 boy, who looks to be about fifteen, is drinking in every word that Soren says. I think I remember his name to be Calvin. He doesn't seem to be much better than Soren except to be less outspoken. Kessia, the girl from 4, looks as disgusted as I feel. I decide I like her. The rest of the Careers appear indifferent.
Despite my growing hatred of Soren, I agree to become part of his "super Career pack." I figure it's probably my best chance at staying alive and, although it would be low, maybe I could slit his throat in his sleep or something.
To prove that I can be a Career, I begin using the weapons after lunch. I throw spears with Calvin, shoot arrows with the District 2 girl, Mara, and wield knives with Kessia and Syndra, the girl from 1. Spending time with them allows me to get to know them better, and I decide that I definitely do not like Calvin. He follows Soren around like a desperate puppy and is just as bloodthirsty as his idol. I conclude that Syndra is evil. With her emerald green eyes and blond curls, she is beautiful, but devious. I make a mental note not to trust her. Mara is all right. She is focused and determined to win, but only to save her own life, not for the thrill of killing like Soren and Calvin.
But the more I get to know Kessia, the more I like her. Even facing the Hunger Games, she has a remarkable sense of humor that makes me laugh more than I can remember laughing in a long time. And although she is a good fighter, she admits that she doesn't want to kill someone unless she's left with absolutely no choice. I know it's a bad idea, but I can't help but be attracted to her with her long dark hair and chocolate brown eyes. I find myself just hoping that it doesn't come down to her and me.
Even though I don't like half of my new alliance, I still wonder how I'm supposed to be able to kill them all. I don't like the idea of taking a life, even to save my own, and I dread the moment when we will all enter the arena.