The Hunger Games - PRIM EDITION

Chapter 3 - The Capitol

"Primrose, it's time for breakfast!" I hear a Capitol woman call. Why is there a person from the Capitol in my home, in District 12? How does she know my name?

I open my eyes and my heart sinks, as I remember the events of yesterday. I am currently on a moving train. I know, because if I look out if the window, I can see the blurred shapes of trees whizzing past. This train is taking me closer towards my death, because yesterday, I was selected to take part in the 74th annual Hunger Games.

I'm not hungry, but I get up anyway. My hair is still in the two braids my mother put them in for the reaping yesterday. I think about what my mother may be doing now. She's probably cooking breakfast. And there is no doubt what Katniss will be doing now. She will be in the forest, hunting with her friend Gale, to bring food home to my mother. I hope they are both okay.

I look in the mirror. I am dressed in the same clothes that I wore yesterday, and the gold mocking jay pin that Katniss gave me to keep me safe is still pinned securely to my blouse.

I open the wardrobe to find it full of luxury clothes, each in different styles or colours. Without giving it much thought, I pick out a cream skirt, and a sky blue blouse. The material feels smooth on my skin, and is much more expensive than anything I have ever touched before. I pin my mocking jay to the blouse, wanting to keep a piece of home with me, and unlock the bedroom door.

The corridor is empty, but I can hear voices coming from the dining room. As I get nearer, I realise the voices belong to Peeta and Haymitch.

"So how do you get sponsors?" asks Peeta.

"Well..." drones Haymitch. I can tell he's not sober, but I doubt he ever is. "You get people to like you."

"How?" pushes Peeta. Haymitch obviously isn't giving too much information, then, but it's a start. I push the door open.

They both stop talking and look around at me. "Good morning." I say, trying to pretend the encounter between me and Haymitch yesterday never happened. I take a seat at the dining table, and pour myself a glass of water. It tastes strangely sweet, and better than anything we had in District 12.

As the train speeds on, I sip at my water, and listen to Peeta helplessly trying to get some half decent advice out of Haymitch. But it's no use, because after barely an hour, Haymitch returns to the bar car so that he can get completely drunk before we get to the Capitol this afternoon.

I glance over at Peeta, who seems to be busying himself folding the serviette in different ways. He looks pale, like I do. Maybe he is nervous too. I wouldn't blame him if he was. I decide to try and break the silence that is hanging thick in the air.

"So, how are you?" I ask. He looks up in shock, as if he had forgotten I was there.

"I'm okay." He replies, with a small smile. "Are you okay?"

What, apart from the fact that I'm going to be dead within the next month? "I'm okay. Did you get anything worth my time out of Haymitch?"

"Not really. You know what he's like."

"A drunken idiot? Yeah."

"Did you manage to get anything out of him yesterday?"

"Nothing at all. Well, nothing interesting. His advice was to 'embrace the probability of your imminent death', or something like that."

"Wonderful advice!" he snorts.

"That's exactly what I said!"

"But Prim," he says, a more serious expression on his face. "We need to know something to help us in the games. I know have no chance of winning, but we need something! We can't just go in with no idea what we're doing! The careers will kill us straight away!"