The Hunger Games - The Rise of the Phoenix

Chapter 4

"So, do you trust me now?" Aneen asks.
"I guess so." I say.
"Well that's good isn't it? Anyway let's get to work!" She pulls a rope that makes two curtains slide to the side revealing a beautiful black dress.
"Woah this is amazing."
"Let's put it on you!" I decide I like Aneen. She puts the dress on me in layers. She tells me to not look at the layers because she wants it to be a surprise. So I look at the ceiling as she puts it on me. The next thing she does is my hair. She puts it up in two buns. The last thing she does is put my shoes on. The shoes are just black flats, but you can't see them under the dress.
"We should go to the elevator so we're not late." She says. That's exactly what we do. Once we're in the elevator it scans our faces and goes back down to the first floor. We head into the train to meet River and his stylist. Once we're seated the train starts to go.

We're in the prep room. Aneen is positioning my hair and River's stylist is positioning his long suit. Everyone pauses when a voice comes onto the intercom, "Tributes need to head to the chariots. The parade starts in 60, 59, 58..." the voice keeps counting but I don't listen. Aneen rushes River and I to our chariot. Once we're to the chariot she squats down and talks to us. "Listen guys. You need to hold hands the whole time until the part in the anthem when they start banging on the drums, that's when you hold your hands high. You have to do that or you will get hurt. Okay?"
"Okay." We both say.
"Good, now go out there and be bold. Remember this is your first impression to the audience. Make it mean something!" She says walking away. River and I get onto the chariot, hold on with one hand and hold each other's hand with the other. The voice on the intercom gets to one and the doors open and the chariots start moving one by one. Then the anthem starts to play. Everyone in the audience is cheering. I look at the audience and they're all waving and cheering. Then the drums start to sound. So, I raise my hand and so does River. My black dress starts to burst into flames and so does River's suit. Then big wings of fire came out behind our backs. The audience is chanting my name. The flames go away and so do the wings, revealing beautiful new outfits, the color orange, a dress and a suit. The dress has many loose strands on the back flowing like fire, but now fire. An illusion. I look up and see River and I's faces on two big screens behind Henry. To make a good first impression, like Aneen said to do, I smile and wave at the audience, making them scream my name.
Our hands are still in the air and my dress is still flowing in the wind. We get to a stop. President Henry gets up from his seat and walks up to his podium. "Welcome to the Capitol tributes! We want to thank you for your honor, your braveness, your sacrifice, and the hope you give us all. The hope will come from one of you. For one of you will be a victor. A victor that gives the whole of Panem hope. Now, let's have a very happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!" The whole time he spoke we met eye to eye. We both gave each other looks as if we hate each other, which isn't a false statement. I hate him with my life and if I ever get the opportunity to, I'll slit his neck with a knife.
Then the chariots again move one by one back to the prep room.

We're all in the living room of the district 12 floor. "You two have training tomorrow." Mom says.
"I recommend not showing your strengths in the training room especially because of the careers." Dad says.
"They tend to target the best first. Speaking of strengths what can you both do?"
"I throw knives." I say even though mom knows.
"I haven't really used weapons before." Says River.
"Ok well what about survival tactics?"
"I've survived days without food. I also know how to set up snares."
"That's going to help you a lot River."
"I can climb trees and survive pretty much anywhere."
"You both have qualities that the careers don't have. Like you've gone hungry before, you're used to it. All of those spoiled children are always well fed. You can also both get food. Which they probably could too, but it's still good that you can."
"Well you two should head to bed now it's getting late and you need energy for tomorrow."

I lay in my bed, awake not able to sleep. I keep thinking about how I won't be living in the next couple of days. The thought haunts me and probably always will— well that is until I die in the arena of course.

Ahh ty for still reading!!