Hello. I came to write to you about the Hunger Games. So grab a sandwich and start reading.
I walked along side my three fellow Tributes as we were ushered up a shiny silver ladder. We were cheered along as a group of spectators lined the borders. I didn't spot my parents among them, but I did see Juno. I guess he truly cares about me, despite my…shortcomings with him. A small tear seemed to manage to escape my eye, as I viewed the scar on his face when I made direct contact with my tea pot before.
I entered last of the tributes. We proceeded into our cart, which was absolutely fabulous with a capital FAB.
It was Regal White in color and it was like a square apartment sized ballroom. Two tables filled to the brim with various dishes of Chicken, Pork, Fish, Rice, and even some exotic foods I only received for my birthday. I couldn't even imagine how people could think that these games were cursed and they should end, and as to why the other tributes from the other districts wouldn't jump at the chance of participating, except for the fact that only one would survive and all, but still…
We sat at the table that I was talking about. I was tempted to stop my Lady like tendencies and 'Pig out' as the old say. But I managed to retain my manners. Damn that food looks good. I could feel my mouth starting to water.
The spokesperson, whose name was Plaice, walked into the next cart after telling us that we should just relax until we shortly arrived at the Capitol. I took the time to study the fellow tributes.
The first I analyzed was Maikoa. He had small reading glasses on his nose, which I think means that he must have some form of higher intelligence. His skin wasn't as dark as ours, but he seemed to be ghost pale as Plaice. I thought his glasses compliments his hair, which also compliments his handsomeness- wait, moving on! He was currently eating a piece of chicken with his left hand and removed a book from his pocket with his right. He read it with keen eyes, and I was curious as to what it was. When I had looked, I saw the title '101 ways to kill people with flowers'. Well, I can't say he is not well prepared for the Games.
The next person was Henburn, who was eating in a most ravenous manner. He was even eating with his hands, then burping in public. Eww, boys. As usual. Wait, for one moment, when he stopped acting like a pig and looked at me, with the food spotting his cheek. I could have sworn, with those blue eyes and that sandy blonde hair, that he looked …cute. I just wanted to wipe off that food off his face with a napkin. I didn't know what overcame me, but it seemed like reality slowed down around us and we stared forever. The more I stared, the more I saw his face transform into a more handsome manly figure. He then looked away and continued eating like a pig, but without the belching part. His face seemed to have grown a bit rosy red, from the sauce. Yes, it must be from the sauce.
Finally, I turned my attention to Oleander, who was looking at me. She pointed to her cheek, with her fair skin mocking me. I gave her a confused look and tilted my head slightly to the side. She reached over to the middle of the table and plucked a cherry off the sundae that stood there. She pointed to the cherry, then to her cheek, then to me, then to Henburn. I instantly know what she was talking about and I looked away instantly. I already saw her three times in my life; I don't really need to analyze her at this point. And NO, it's not because she taunted about Henburn or that I'm jealous of her, which is completely absurd.
I looked at my plate and started eating very slowly, then gradually increased the pace when I tasted the delicious Goosling. I was soon eating at little quicker than normal, already nearly finishing my plate. It at that time that Oleander conveniently decided to talk.
"So Clematis." She started. I slowed down to listen to her. "Me, Maikoa and Henburn are always at practice for the Hunger Games. Yet I never see you. Tell me; have you any training for the Games?"
"No." I quietly replied, nearly choking on my food in the process. Henburn had stopped eating completely, and Maikoa had shifted his eyes up a little.
"So tell me, have you any fighting experience at all?"
"No." I quietly replied again, lowering my head down in shame.
"What?! No experience?! What are you, a pansy! Normal for some prissy little girl." Henburn stated, he raised his hands in the air and waved them in anger. "For some girl living in the Victor's Town, you're pretty useless. I don't know how your ma and pa won their Hunger Games, but you're pretty much useless!"
"This could be a problem." Maikoa softly said, but loud enough so that I can hear. I can't believe it, how they just nearly tossed me out as some sort of liability. But that I wasn't even responding to them! I felt speechless for once in a long while.
"Wait a minute, guys."
I looked up in surprise at Oleander as she saved me.
"Don't worry; even though there isn't much time, as long as we work together we can survive the majority of the Games. It wasn't easy for me to get into the training, to be honest." Oleander stated, slightly moving her hair. "But I tried hard and now, as a tribute, I was ready. One of the best in my class. The same can happen with you, except the timeline is tighter. Let me see, when we get to the Capitol, I'll teach you everything I know about fighting."
"Really?" I asked exasperated. A real trained tribute is going to train me?
"Yes."
I couldn't believe a person could be so kind to a complete stranger. I don't remember when I was that kind with anyone…I looked at her and smiled, and, was there a flicker of a smirk on her face?
I heard the door slid open and a woman walked in. I looked up and flinched. She had iron like silver hair and crisp blue eyes. Her face was wrinkled with age and she had long scar on the right side of her face. She stood upright and kept standing, even though we offered her to sit down, which she silently denied.
"Um, hello." I managed to squeak. She had managed to ignore me.
"Hello?!" I replied, a bit louder than last time. She stared us in the eye and ignored us, the nerve. Henburn looked at her and scoffed; he stretched his hand and reached for a bun across the table.
"Well, if this rude bitch doesn't answer…" The lady quickly grabbed the fork from my hand and threw it at Henburn. It impaled his hand in the middle. Blood started too poured down to the plate, staining the food in red.
"Do not speak to your elders in such a manner child! I will ruin you!"
He grunted as he managed to pull out the fork from his hand. I flinched as he removed the fork from his flesh, blood dripping from it. I tried to think of something else, but I felt my stomach getting queasy. I mentally slapped myself. I'll see a lot of blood in the Games; I can't weak out now, can I?
"Now, I am your trainer. My name is Ecuit. I am going to teach you how to fight, or in your case, how to win the Hunger Games." She said with a strict tone of voice.
"I hear that the lobbies are luxurious!" Oleander said with a beam in her eye and with enthusiasm. I eyed her emotions.
"It's true." Ecuit replied solemnly.
The mood ceased to exist until I brought up a certain topic. I looked at Ecuit and smiled.
"You know," I started as everyone turned their attention at me. "I think we have a good chance this year. I mean, one of the female tributes from District 1 managed to get to the Final 2 last year in this same Quarter Quell and nearly won. Now that we might know what went wrong, we can improve and maybe take this thing home." Now even though I didn't watch the Games, everyone was talking about the victory, so basically anyone with ears would have known.
"Fool!" Ecuit looked at me and I felt my voice disappear. She seemed so intimidating as she leered over me and eyed me down. "It was that girl's own arrogance that caused her to lose the last Games. She should have just gone up to him and killed him; instead she decided to throw her axe!"
I remembered that scene from it being described to me from school when the children were downhearted that the District lost. After the 45th Hunger Games when Chaff-I can't remember his last name- from District 11 won, District 1 has won for the next four years until Haymitch somehow managed to win.
"Even without the stupid force-field, she missed and would have lost her weapon. What was she supposed to do then?! Somehow strangle him to death even though she was just as weak. Stupid!"
"She is right, Clematis." Maikoa said as he sat looked at me. His eyes were analyzing me and staring into my soul. "The other Districts saw that we are not as invincible was we make it seem. Force Field or not, the smarter tributes would realize our arrogance can be used against us. Now, Ecuit" He redirected to Ecuit.
"If you are our trainer, you already know how the competition is. So, how is it?"
Ecuit looked at Maikoa. Her face didn't seem to crack one bit of a smile.
"I don't know anymore about this year's competition as much as you do."
"One more question." Maikoa continued. "Are any of the teams willing to become careers?"
''I just told you that I don't know anything about the other competition."
"But you obviously show the signs of deceit, no matter how slight they might appear to me."
For the first time of my ride, I saw a crack of delight on her face.
"Touché. Alright. It seems like most of the upper districts are pretty confident since their numbers are doubled. However, it seems like District 2 is willing to join with you all for an eight man team, but beware. Double the numbers means double the betrayal."
Maikoa looked down at his book and continued reading. And I thought I could swear that I heard him say "Excellent."
The mood of the conversation seemed to have ceased to exist. Ecuit just then nodded and walked into the next cart. I continued my train ride in silent excitement.
When we had arrived at the Capitol, we were greeted by a bunch of cheers and shouts. It seemed like the Capitol was just as Games worshipping as District 1, even more if possible!
I looked outside the window and stared at all the different kinds of people. Everyone was different, yet at the same time, seemed to have looked similar. All these people, staring at me. I started to lose the feeling in my back as my knees fell from beneath me.
"Don't be discouraged." Oleander reassured me.
"Yea. We don't need you to start falling down every time you see people, girlie." Henburn added. Ass.
They both left the train cart and walked out together. I looked down for a bit, not knowing who was left.
"Ignore Henburn; he's kind off a royal mutt. Here, I'll help you out."
I turned around and walked through the crowd of people that persist to surround us kept at bay by the Peacekeepers there. We moved forward towards a giant building in front of us. I looked around and saw that we were the only tributes there, since we are from District 1 and we are the closest.
We stepped inside the lobby of what is called the Training Center. We are taken through a few doors which open into a bigger room.
The room we see is gorgeous, the floors are wooden and the walls are painted a luxurious mixture of blue and white. I see that the furniture is made from Mahogany and other various expensive materials. I walked in and sat near the table while the others sat near me.
"Welcome to the Training Center. This is where you will be staying until the beginning of the Games. Since the other Tributes are not currently here as of yet, you will stay here until the others arrive. When they do, all of the Tributes will meet their stylist."
Plaice then proceeds to tell us that we could watch some of the other Reapings before to scope out the competition. We all opted to watch, except Henburn who excused himself for the toilet. I rolled my eyes and looked at the giant flat screen TV. Even though I live in the Victor's Village, where we are rich and famous, I never had such a big TV in my house. The quality is so superb that it feels like we are there in person.
We switched on as they had just finished District 1's reaping. I looked away as they had a close up of my face as the girl threw the mud on my lovely dress. They captured my every word; excluding some of the stronger swear words as they captured my emotions very well. I resumed looking at the screen as I studied the reactions of the other tributes. I now see how shocked they all were; even Maikoa seemed a bit surprised. It then ended with us going into the building for our goodbyes.
They then flashed the District 2 symbol as they swapped to that area. The District seemed well off, as almost all of the children seemed fit and healthy. I watched as their male Escort, who seemed very feminine in my opinion, walked up and introduced himself. They then switched straight to the picking of the tributes.
The first male tribute was tall and muscular. He seemed to chest bump his other males and jogged upstage. He had short blond hair and piercing dark black eyes. He had this smirk and aura around him that told me he was showing off like some jock, yet he also had the proof to his claims. He was also very attractive- wait, moving on! The caption at the bottom read- District 2 Male: Flanc Ukindine-
The female tribute wasn't anything to note, except for the fact that she was beautiful and seemed to be his girlfriend, as they shared a quite passionate kiss. She was the same height as him; I smiled as I remember the ever famous rule-only one survives-. Despite my imminent death next week, that would make wonderful TV seeing them be separated if I survive. I caught her first name before they moved on, Heleine.
The next male and female both resembled each other. In fact, they were twins! They both had fiery red hair and had a slightly weaker yet still deadly look to them. Their names were Twei and Lite respectively. Obviously their parents had no originality whatsoever.
The other Districts flew by fast until we had reached District 11. I had managed to catch a few other Tributes which stood out. The second girl from District 5 had dark blond hair just like me and was flat just like me. She was even the same height and all. Her name even mocked me when compared by sound- Kriatis. I stopped myself from taking off my high heels and throwing them at the television.
A boy from District 9 had only one eye and the other was bandaged up. Another girl from 10 was sick with some ancient disease called Leukemia or something like that. The two males from 11 seemed to be brothers, as they had the same facial structure, except one was taller than the other. But what really stood out was District 12.
The entire Reaping was shown from beginning to end. It was glamorous and the entire area was slightly more beautiful- yet still poor. I looked at the escort who was surprisingly young and new. Her name was Effie Trinket, who had just started this year. She read with a strong and affluent Capitol accent. She then introduced the man of the hour.
The man himself was not really a man, yet was close to being one. He had dark blonde hair and was currently growing a little stubble for a beard. His name was shown on screen- Haymitch Abernathy. He sat behind Effie onstage and didn't wave.
Effie had picked the two main Male and Female tributes already when I had regained interest. She had walked back over to the Male bowl as I looked. Is this what Juno had to be in when he was younger? Maybe. I snapped back to the TV as Effie had somehow breezed towards the last person to be called.
"And now for our second District 12 Male Tribute. Please welcome," she opened the small note and read, "Romeus Halright."
The boy had been pushed up to the stage seemed like he was completely starving. You can see his bones though his skin and his face had hollow cheeks. The District was silent, because they always knew a child like that would be easily killed. A woman in the crowd was crying loudly as they closed up on her. The kid was my same age and had very dark hair, except he held the most piercing sky blue eyes I have ever seen.
I couldn't study anymore, however, since we were taken to out stylist. I looked in glee; all of those tributes are here. Let the Games begin.