Hi, ElizaBell3 here! I personally don't like writing the beginning of this story, so I may skip directly to the actual games… I had to reread the beginning of the book multiple times so I could write these first chapters. Please enjoy! I'll try to not ruin this story for you…
I look in the mirror nervously, biting my bottom lip. With a sigh I turn to Amaranth.
"How do I look?" I say nervously, making him glance down at my attire. Felia made me wear an itchy costume made of weaved wheat. 'A living Husk doll!' she said, and I replied, 'Aren't I supposed to look attractive?' She took that the wrong way and exclaimed, 'Aren't Husk dolls supposed to be ugly?'
It was a short dress above my knees with a rope belt, open shoulders, and a hair band with a miniature hat on my brushed and cut hair. My hair is now right on my shoulders and I have side bangs which I really didn't mind.
Amaranth looks forward and answers, "Just fine, and but thankfully I didn't bring up the husk doll!" He chuckles. He's wearing the predictable stereotypical farmer's outfit, with blue-jean over-alls and a weaved farmer's hat. I roll my eyes at his comment.
"Yeah, yeah…"
The beginning ceremonies are about to begin. We are loaded into the 9th chariot- being pulled by 4 tan horses.
The opening music starts, and I look at Amaranth for a second. He seems perfectly calm. I mentally slap myself for looking at him and making him ask, "What?"
I smile sheepishly and reply in whisper, "N-nothing!"
"You're nervous aren't you?" He says, looking forward.
I look forward as the large doors open and reveal the bright light of day, where thousands of people stand, waiting just to see us.
"A little bit…. Okay maybe a lot!" I gush.
"Just relax… Will they all remember us in twenty years?" He speaks out of the corner of his mouth.
The chariot begins to pull forward, which startles me, but I cool down. I've been in chariots before- just not anything so nice. In the fields, we'd have a horse and cart to collect grain that people had gathered and bring it into town. My father drives one of those carts, and when I was little I would ride with him. That thought brought a smile to my face.
"Only if we survive," I reply plainly, making Amaranth give a small grin.
I smile a cheesy grin as the horses carry us through the parade. Amaranth doesn't really smile- but more of a half smile. The chariots line up along the City circle and the music cuts off. The president, a petite man with crisp white hair, gives us the official welcome from the balcony of his mansion. The anthems plays and we circle around once more and disappear into the large building- where we'll be held captive until the games start. The Training Center.
The building is very nice, so I don't mind the elevator ride upwards. I've never been in an elevator before these unfortunate events… not like anyone needed one back in district nine… Most homes were one story. We arrive in our apartment. My room is like a 20 star hotel…. If they existed.
The comfortable beds, clean showers, and so forth… But I remember other tributes were here before us… and they were slaughtered. I shiver at the dark thought. I stand a chance, we all do, but only one survives. One out of twenty four- I think about that for a second. I may never see my home again, my sister's smile, the grain fields. All of that alchemy practice would've gone to waste. My mother wouldn't appreciate that. So I'll win; win for my mother and my pride. But that means murder.
Sorry it's so short… I should get to the actual games in two chapters. Then I'll update more often because I find writing that sort of stuff more fun. Thank you for reading, my friends. -Eliza