The Hunger Games- Prim's Story

Chapter 27

The anthem plays loudly and Caesar Flickerman addresses the crowd. He has to get this right. He will, I'm almost sure of it. He'll paint me in a flattering light. The prep team rises to the stage and I can imagine them taking their ridiculous, over-eager bows, their faces smeared with bright makeup and foolish smiles plastered on their faces. Then Effie rises to the stage. I briefly saw her before, in a bright pink dress with so many feathers you could mistake her for a bird. And with a wig to match. She's been waiting so long for this moment it's almost laughable. Cinna rises and receives loud, excited cheers from the crowd. His styles have had a dazzling debut, complete with a winner to wear them. Haymitch receives a round of cheering and stomping that goes on for a long time. Both of his tributes made it to the end, with one winner coming out of it. The crowd must be very pleased with him.

I feel the metal plate rising to the stage. I'm greeted by blinding lights, much like how I felt being risen into the arena. But I'm not scared. I smile and wave to the crowd excitedly, bouncing on my feet as I walk to the ornate chair. Caesar compliments my outfit and cracks a few jokes then begins the show. It lasts three hours, and all of Panem is required to watch. Putting two to three weeks of the Games into three hours means cutting out a lot of footage, so they only show the highlights. I've had twelve years of experience of watching the other victors watch their highlights and I think back to their reactions. Some were proud, pumping their fists in the air and grinning, but most were numb, like they couldn't believe it.

The first half-hour is dedicated to the pre-arena footage. The chariot ride, my training score, my interview, even footage from inside the tribute center while we were training. I didn't even know there were cameras in that room. When we get to the arena, they fully cover the bloodbath and all the deaths, but it's mostly me. Me running from the bloodbath, meeting Glimmer, and, as the video suggests, her taking me under her wing. Finding Rue and then Thresh and finally, teaming with Peeta. Killing that one boy. I can't even remember what District he's from. They don't show much on that though. They only show a little about killing Peeta. They mostly show me hugging him, edited me to look small and weak. 

As I watch a feel a sense of pride. I did that, I survived that. I can't show that of course, so I wipe away nonexistent tears and cower at the "scary" parts. Then all of a sudden, it ends and the anthem starts. Everyone rises as President Snow takes the stage, followed by a little girl, just about my age. President Snow takes the crown from the pillow the girl is holding and places it on my head. He leers down at me but when he steps away, he gives me an approving smile. 

Bows and cheers ensue and I wave childishly to the crowd, a huge grin painted on my face. My arm feels like it'll fall until finally, Caesar waves to the audience and reminds them to watch the interview tomorrow. 

I'm taken to the President's mansion where Capitol officials and sponsors fight to get a picture with me. The attention makes me glow with confidence, so much so, I don't even care if these people even cared if I could make it out or not. I'm here now and they can pretend all they like, it gives me enough satisfaction to see them flapping around me, hanging to my every word. Intoxicated face after intoxicated face begs to take a picture with me, or tries to hold onto me for a minute of conversation. 

The sun is rising as I make it back to the penthouse. "You're on air at two!" Haymitch calls as I leave for bed. I barely hear him in my half-asleep state. I'm exhausted and fall into a deep, uninterrupted sleep. But too soon, Effie's scampering around my room telling me what a "big big day" it is.  After a quick breakfast, my prep team is swarming me, chattering loudly. They leave my hair in soft waves down my back with a simple pink headband. Cinna comes in with a white, gauzy dress and pink shoes with a small rose on the toe. 

The interview takes place in the living room, just across the hall. The table next to the sofa has a vase with red and white roses and there are only some simple cameras to record. I kind of miss the live audience. It's a nice feeling to have a group of people hanging onto your every word. Caesar gives me a warm hug before the interview. I squirm out of it and wipe down my dress. "We're going to have a fabulous time!" He squeals, then the cameramen tell us to sit down. 

I curl up on the side of the couch, looking as girlish as I can. Caesar is a wonderful actor, laughing, joking, teasing, getting choked up. Finally, at the end, he brings up the golden dollar question. "So, Primrose, you surprised us all, when you," He falters for a second, then quickly regains composure. "When you, well when you killed him. Can you explain why you did that?" I hear Haymitch suck in his breath when Caesar mentions Peeta. It was always so obvious he liked Peeta better. Too bad he's stuck with me. 

I look down and say quietly, "I don't know why. I loved him like a brother, I really did. And I miss him every second of the day." 

None of that is true, and to my dismay, he presses on. "But he was your sister's boyfriend. What do you think she'll say?" 

I put my head down and will tears to come, but they don't. I attempt to feign tears by wiping my eyes with my hand, and a sympathetic Caesar hands me a tissue. He ends the interview and I'm ushered onto the train to take me back home. I don't have time to say goodbye to Cinna, but maybe it's best that way. He's been strangely cold since I made it back. It doesn't matter anyway, I'll see him in a matter of months for the victory tour- when they tour me around all the districts for victory parties, plaques, and speeches. 

The train starts to move and we're plunged into the dark of a tunnel. I'm accompanied by Haymitch and Effie, but there's not a lot of chit-chat going on. We eat a huge supper and watch a replay of the interview. We have a quick rest stop and I'm finally allowed to step outside for some fresh air. I walk to the end of the train and look out at the sky. I can't wait to get home. I'll be perfectly set up. Fame, money, enough to eat, fans everywhere. It'll be heaven on Earth. I hear Haymitch coming up behind him and he lays a hand on my shoulder. "Keep up your little girl act until the cameras are gone. It'll be a week." I nod and he turns to leave. I follow him back to the train and retreat to my bedroom until we pull up to our grimy little station.

I wave to the smiling faces in the crowd, among them, my mother's teary eyes, holding Buttercup, and Katniss, a smile gracing her lips but in her eyes, there's something unforgiving.