Hunger Games (DNF)

Part 1, Chapter 4: the stylist

George POV.

Eret watched in the corner as some men and women fiddled with my hair, making it look presentable. He was talking on his phone to Darryl’s stylist as they talked about the outfit we were going to wear during the parade. I just sat tapping my foot boredly as the hair stylists and make-up artists fussed over my appearance.

After at least 2 or 3 hours Eret walked over and examined my appearance as I tried to cover the worried look present on my face.
Eventually he spoke, “you look good George,” he said as he nodded in approval, although I didn’t really believe him.

“I just spoke to Philza,” he continued, “he and Beetee want to talk to you before the parade. I’ll have your outfit for you before then.”
I gave a small nod as I stood up, two peacekeepers were waiting by the door to escort me to wherever my mentor and district advisor were waiting. They began to lead me back down the hallway towards the elevator.

As they led me I glanced into all of the other small rooms and found most of them filled with tributes getting their hair done by stylists but found one room with a blond boy sitting boredly on a seat while his female designer droned on opposite him. He glanced over to look at me and a small smile formed on his face, which I returned before continuing to walk.

They pressed the button on the elevator and sent us up several floors and pressed a button which read 3 with the crest of the technology district beside it. As the elevator ascended I just stared at the crest, at the outline of a factory with 3 gears underneath, and some of the other crests too, including the scratched out crest of District 12, the mining district.

The District 12 crest was of 2 pickaxes over a rail with a mining helmet. I'd always found that to be one of the most interesting Districts and had wanted to go check it out, that and District 13 which was the graphite mining District. But both were destroyed and uninhabitable now due to bombs that The Capitol had dropped on them.

My eyes stayed focused on these crests until I was shoved forward by the peacekeepers towards the now open doors and into the room I’d be staying in for the next few days before the arena. The large main room was as big as the main square in District 3, and was designed similarly as the main room of the train was.

Philza, Beetee and Darryl were all sitting around the table, why am I always the last one here?
Philza looked over to me and gave a welcoming smile as I walked over to sit down, I didn’t give him one back.

“Would you like a drink George?” Philza offered. The enticing offer made me lick my dry lips, I hadn’t had a drink since this morning and was extremely thirsty.
I gave him a nod and then watched as a man dressed in red walked over and poured me a drink.
Once my glass was full of water I thanked the man, he didn’t respond. I looked up into his eyes which were lifeless and dark, it sent a shiver down my side to be in his presence.

My fellow tribute seemed uncomfortable too and when the man disappeared we both turned to Philza.
“Why was he like that?” Darryl asked with a shaky voice, “why was that man like that?”
“He’s an avox.” The advisor explained, “he and some others will provide you with anything you need before heading into the arena.”

“Why doesn’t he talk?” Darryl continued to question.
“Because-” Philza paused and looked over to Beetee, unsure of what to say before letting out a deep breath, “because they can’t. Avoxes have their tongues removed, they are unable to talk. People in The Capitol use them as servants and waiters.”

Darryl and I both looked down worriedly and uncomfortably. Philza seemed to notice the tension in our actions. “Beetee wanted you both, he wanted to tell you some things before tonight's parade.” He explained as he took a step back.
Darryl and I turned to look at our mentor who began talking.

✨Time Skip✨

Eret passed me an outfit and told me to change as he left the room. The parade was starting in half an hour and we were supposed to have make-up done by now, not that I wanted any make-up.
I examined what he passed me for a moment before slowly stripping off and changing into it.

The clothes were almost entirely black, with only some faint blue outlines for decoration, and made of leather, flowing, thin fabric and something plastic. When I had changed I admired myself in the mirror, overall I looked good, besides the outfit showing off what I was most insecure about, mainly my skinny feminine waist and frame.
The outfit covered my entire body and had a high collar which covered all the way up to the back of my neck, only my head and hands were exposed under the thin fabric.

After several minutes Eret came back into the room, not bothering to knock. He looked up and down my body and smiled, “you look quite good George,” he stated.
I gave him a nod and an unsure smile as the stylist continued. “Want to see the best part?”
“There’s more?” I asked, to which Eret responded with a nod and a chuckle.

He passed me a button and told me to press it when I was ready during the parade, but that I could try it out now. I spun around to look in the mirror as he turned off the light in the room and I pressed the button.
Immediately my body glowed, the faint details now emitting the bright blue which caused the room to almost light up.

From behind me Eret gave a satisfied smile, seemingly impressed with his work, in his hands I noticed he was holding a headpiece, reminiscent of a crown and as I turned to face him he carefully placed it on my head. It glowed the same colour as the rest of the outfit and when I pressed the small button on the remote Eret passed me both items of clothing turned off, plunging the room into darkness.

After a moment in the dark Eret turned the lights back on as he stepped closer to me and told me to sit down. I cautiously did as he approached me with some sort of glowing face paint. Without waiting for my permission he began painting a lightning bolt design which wasn’t too large but made a good contribution to my look.

Eventually he put the brush down and took me towards the elevator before I even got a chance to look properly. The doors opened on a floor just below ground level where a bunch of chariots were lined up, there were 11 chariots each with the crest of their corresponding district. Since I was from District 3, Eret and I walked up to near the front where Darryl was already standing on top of our chariot gripping the railing so tightly that his hands were turning white.

His tense expression relaxed slightly when he saw me and stepped down off the chariot wearing a similar outfit to mine, except his was more red while I was blue. We smiled at each other before turning to Eret and Darryl’s stylist’s who were talking.

Darryl’s stylist turned to me and Darryl and smiled, “you two look great, your district would be proud.”
Darryl copied her smile but I mumbled something under my breath, “yeah, they’re proud to watch two of their kids die. Who wouldn’t be?”
She clearly heard my comment but ignored it, Eret spoke up. “Just before you two head out we want you to press the button’s on your remotes and make sure they have lit up before you get out onto Tribute Avenue. You’ll have about a minute after the parade starts until you’ll be visible by the public… Good luck.”

Both of us nodded before climbing onto the chariot.
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1381 words.