The Price of Champions and Crowns (Hunger Games)

11

I feel very much alone here in District Twelve with my 'team'.

Johanna Mason, mother and stranger.

Blight Perry, unknown victor and complete mess.

Clement...never-bothered-to-ask-for-a-last-name, clown and capitolist.

All three of them are polar opposites of each other and the types of people you couldn't pay me to be around. But, walking amongst the tight lipped, stone cold, crowd of District Twelve, I'm almost greatful for their presence.

Greatful that Clement wore a yellow suit with a matching wig that first captures your attention before my own.

Glad Johanna is treating this like Twelve is beneath her, gliding almost in front of me with air of flare, imtimidation and composure. Stealing glares and turning them into a twisted fascination that well known Victors possess. 

Somewhat content with Blight muttering to himself behind me while he sways as he walks. The smell of alcohol rolling off him, causing some hard faces to fall soft with pity.

They hide me.  And for the first time I'm grateful for them, for the first time I feel like we're an actual team.

Strong, intimidating and a little bit crazy. The embodiment of District Seven, I smirked. We wear it well.

So, hidden amongst the three of them I'm hardly seen by the crowd around the stage. Especially, if all the craned necks and tippy toe standing is anything to go off. I blew out a sigh of relief and for the first time took in my surroundings.

I've never been anywhere outside my district before apart from the Capitol. This is the first time I'm visiting a district that's not my own. A privilege, considering if I wasn't a Victor this would be highly illegal.

Its...poor. Gosh, even saying that word inside my own head makes feel sorry for these people. Its not that I'm not used to poor. I mean, by most standars District Seven is considered poor. We, like all 'poor' districts take tessare, most don't eat three meals a day. Under minimum district wages too but... District Twelve is poor.

And I don't mean parents skipping a meal to feed their kids poor. No. That's District Seven poor.

But District Twevle...they need to invent a new word because poor doesn't do them justice. I can see bones protruding in people, they're dirty. Covered in grease, the kind of dirt that needs to be build up onto you to show. And the square is covered in ash, wooden shacks surround us. At first, I thought they were abandodned wooden axe sheds which...seems odd for a place without lumber yards. Until it dawned on me...

That's their housing. We have wooden houses in Seven. But that's the thing, isn't it?...they're houses and not barely standing wooden sheds.

I rubbed my neck anxiously and followed behind Johanna until she and Clement stopped at the foot of the stage. I felt an abnormal amount of weight push back and I staggered unnaturally forwards before turning behind me and shooting a glare at Blight. "Watch it, Blight".

His bloodshot eyes only blinked at me in response. Great, so he's high too. Not really that suprising though.

A cough caused me to stare at Clement in alert. He had obnoxious yellow glittery make up which contrasted greatly to the dirty faces of those from Twelve. "Now, you're to go up on the stage when the Mayor introduces you. I'm sure the Victors will be on the two platforms soon. And you'll try to present to them. However, I know you can hardly ever do as your told so if that doesn't work find a familar face in the crowd like...Johanna and say it her. The Capitol won't know the difference".