The Tribute Parade
When I head home, it is already late. I had passed some time by hunting and setting a few snares which caught me a squirrel and hefty turkey. They are tied to my belt and I sell the squirrel at the Hob, but I bring the turkey home. I need to keep my promise to Katniss. I won't let them starve. But I have my own family too, and I bring this turkey for them.
When I arrive home, my mother gives me a big hug and I hold her for a long time. I no longer feel that Katniss will die in the arena, she knows what to do, how to hunt, how to kill, but I can't help but be nervous, to shake when I think of her out there. I wonder what she's doing now, but when I look and see the lit up screen in the background, I know. The recaps of the reaping throughout the districts is on, just starting as I lay my kill on the table and sit down.
My mother starts to pick off the feathers and I protest, but it falls short when the girl from District 1 is reaped. She is called Glimmer, a stupid name for a stupid looking girl. She looks so happy to have been called to the stage and when asked if there were volunteers, she said she would not want to give up her spot, much to the dismay of some of the others in the crowd. Katniss could easily take her. She looked happy to have been reaped, but she is too vain looking, not smart enough, not strong enough. Then the boy is reaped. He doesn't look like he wanted his name called, but many others end up volunteering and after some long process that was mostly skipped over on this recap, a boy named Marvel is chosen. Anyone named Marvel is going to lose the games. He has nearly no neck, and a long body that makes him look just too disproportionate.
Then District 2 is on the screen and the girl who volunteers is a terrifying little monster. Her eyes are narrow and she looks like she is ready to start the games then and there. The boy is no better, he pushes his way to the stage to volunteer and intimidates the officials into letting him be the tribute. Cato and Clove, the ones I'd say Katniss would be up against at the end. I'd like to see them kill each other just to rid the world of two clear killers. The announcers are already betting on these two as well. I pay close attention to the two other Careers from District 4 but the more I watch, the more I can see that Katniss has the odds in her favor. The boy from District 10 even has a limp and I can't even imagine him running for his life.
Then the District 11 girl is reaped. She looks Rory and Prim's age, this must have been her first reaping. When no one volunteers for her, I think again of Katniss and I know that she won't kill this little girl, she's shy and small, like Prim. But then the boy, Thresh, is reaped and I am almost scared myself. He must be 6'5" or close to it, and he is huge. His muscles are bulging and next to the small girl Rue, I feel like he is a giant. They shake hands and I'm afraid for that girl too.
The announcers, Claudius Templesmith, the main announcer for the games in particular, each quiet each other down with their hands as Effie shows up on the screen. She pulls Prim's name and the camera finds Prim in the crowd and zooms in on her face. Another camera shows Katniss' reaction. I bury my face in my hands, not wanting to watch as Katniss volunteers for her sister. There is a close up of Prim holding Katniss and then I carry her off to her mother. The announcers cut in with their voice over, talking about how sad it is to see the little girl react like that. Then they applaud Katniss for her bravery. Peeta's name is drawn and the reaping ends.
"Remember," chimes Caesar Flickerman, "Tomorrow is the annual Tribute parade! We will see our tributes represent their district before they head off to training. I love the parade, always so flashy and—"
I stand up, content to ignore Caesar. I'll have to watch the parade in school tomorrow when we have to analyze the outfits and see how it represents the district they are from.
"Gale?" asks Rory, my little brother. I've never had to think about volunteering for him because next year, when he turns 12 and has his name in for the first time, I won't be eligible for the Hunger Games anymore. Looking at his face, a very close version of what I looked like at his age, I believe I would have volunteered if his name were ever called. But I really don't know and it doesn't matter anymore because it will never happen. "Are you okay?"
I smile at him and mess up his hair because I know he hates it. "I will be. It's just been a bad day."
"Will Prim be okay?" he asks. They have been very close the past few years, a surprise really since they are almost exact opposites. The only trait I can think of that they share is their compassion.
"She will be too. But they will need us to be there for them during the games and after too, no matter what the outcome is. Mom, I know how busy you are but if you ever have a minute…"
"I'll check in with her more than usual. I promise you, Gale. I know she is your family and we always help our families." Hazelle Hawthorne, my mother, worn down by four children and endless work, is always up for another challenge. Her heart is too big to only have us in it. She has always treated Katniss like a daughter, like Katniss' mom treats me like a son.
I can't stand anymore, today takes its toll on me and I am the first one in asleep. I wake up again and again in the night, dreams of the arena and of Katniss. Sometimes there are trees for her to hide in, sometimes it is a desert where every tribute is always visible to the others. When I finally wake for good the next morning, I change into clean clothes and walk with Rory and Vick to school.
"I don't see Prim," whispers Rory as we are about to part ways.
"I wouldn't count on seeing her today. She may come in tomorrow. No go to class." I don't blame Prim. I wish I could have avoided school today, but since there is a mandatory viewing of the Tribute Parade, they would have found out if I wasn't here. When I go into class and sit down, I see Peeta's brother also take his seat. Prim is probably at home wishing her sister was walking her to school, while Rusk here is barely flinching.
As the classes go on, I find myself waiting for noon, when the Parade will happen. It will give the betters their first real look at the tributes. It also will show Katniss.
Finally, the loud tone goes off and everyone turns to the screens. The projections show three different views, one of the entryway where the tributes will come from, one with Caesar and the Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane sitting at an table where they watch the parade from above. You can see the large Capitol audience behind them. Disgusting. The whole thing makes me sick, and if Katniss wasn't a tribute, I would be daydreaming like I do every year.
Caesar claps his hands together. "I'm so excited, citizens of Panem! Here with us today are over 10,000 of you just craning to get a glimpse of this year's tributes! Sponsors will get their first view of the tibutes today. The importance of this moment cannot be overstated! With me to get things going while the final touches are going on is Head game maker Seneca Crane! Tell me Seneca, how are the tributes looking so far?"
"It's hard to tell just from a reaping, but I think we have a pretty interesting mix."
"And what will you be looking for when you host the training scores?"
Crane thought for a second. "I think we would like to see something we've never seen before. But of course, we are always looking for strength, skill, and just all kinds of talent."
"Thank you, Seneca. Alright! It looks like the tributes are about to enter! Thank you Seneca Crane, we look forward to hearing from you again! Let's take a look behind me…"
The first horse-drawn chariot comes out and they are in spray-painted silver glittering outfits. Their two names show at the bottom of the screen. Glimmer again, I wonder where her parents got the idea for her name, I think sarcastically. All the while, Caesar is cheering to his other side where Claudius Templesmith is again. Then District 2 comes out dressed like gladiators and stare at the crowd with fierce expressions. There is a close up of their face and the girl is smiling, but it is almost sadistic. The other chariots go by and, except for District 4, the other Careers, there aren't too many faces that can even feign happiness.
"What? What is that?" Caesar asks. I look to his screen and there is a glow in the entry way. Then the camera shows Katniss and Peeta… on fire. The class begins to murmur behind me. Normally our tributes are dressed as coal miners. But this, this is something I've never seen. Katniss looks incredible. Her hair is done up the way she had it for the reaping, but the flames lite up around her, clearly not burning her, and trail down their capes leaving a smoke-less trail of fire behind them. The flames illuminate her face in the dimmed down lighting. It's amazing. I can see Katniss and Peeta holding hands. None of the other tributes hold hands. She begins to lok more confident, smiling and blowing kisses to screaming fans. The crowd is shouting her and Peeta's names.
"Yes! That's what I like to see!" shouts Caesar, "Two tributes saying I'm proud to represent my district! I'm proud to be from District 12!"
The chariots stop around President Snow and the camera briefly moves to him as he reads his welcoming speech. The camera does a round of focusing on each tribute, but lingers on Katniss and Peeta. And just then I know that Katniss, the girl on fire as Caesar called her, can truly win the games.
A/N: I changed the time of the tribute parade for this to show that the schools show the events when they are on. Other than that, there may be a little more time between chapters now that I'm not on spring break, but as usual, let me know what you thought of this chapter!
