The Hunger Games - PRIM EDITION

Chapter 4 - It's Not Real

Peeta and I are whisked away immediately into separate dressing rooms. I sit in silence for a few minutes, the butterflies of anticipation swarming around in my stomach, and threatening to push tears out of my eyes.

Just before my mind trails into thoughts of home, the doors open, and a group of extraordinary people enter the dressing room. A woman with green dyed skin, a man with jelled back hair and tattoos, and another woman with so much plastic surgery, she looks unreal.

They introduce themselves as my prep team, their names being Flavius, Venia, and Octavia.

"Nice to meet you." I tell them, shaking each person's hand.

"We are here to make you up for the Tributes Parade tonight." Octavia tells me.

"So, if you'd like to follow me." Venia says, holding out a hand. She leads me to a bed, on which I lie. "I am just going to tidy you up a bit"

"What do you mean?" I question.

"Oh, nothing to worry about. I'll just do the waxing." She tells me. Oh god. I think to myself. Waxing!? I can't stop her through, so for the next half an hour I grit my teeth and bear the stinging pain, and try to hide my watering eyes. After, she soothes the pain by washing me with some special lotion, and my burning skin is instantly okay again.

Next, I am take to a chair, while Flavius washes my hair, and rubs all different lotions into it, making it feel softer than it ever has. He the puts my hair in two braids like it was at the reaping.

Finally, I am handed over to Octavia, who puts me through no pain, but just lets me sit there, while she makes my nails look more grown up with black false nails. And then she adds some gold to the tips of the false nails. I must say, they do look pretty.

They leave the room, and leave me alone in the room, wearing nothing but a paper thin nightie sort of thing. I wonder what I will have to wear. The stylists usually dress the tributes in a costume associated with their district. District 12 is coal mining. I remember one year, the tributes were wearing nothing, and were sprayed black like coal. I hope that doesn't happen this year.

Just then, the door opens, and a man with dark skin enters the room and approaches me. As he gets closer, I see that he has no tattoos or piercings. Only gold eyeliner.

"Hey there, Primrose." He holds out his hand which I shake. "My names Cinna, and I am your stylist." He tells me.

"Nice to meet you." I say. "Oh, and just call me Prim, if you don't mind."

"Prim. Okay, we don't have much time, so I have had your outfit set out just through there." He points towards a small cubicle with a curtain for a door. "Give me a shout if you need me."

"Okay, thanks." I say, glad that there is a costume, and that I'm not going to be completely naked.

When I'm in the changing room, I inspect the garment. It's all black, but has a shiny hint to it. Is this it? I'm not disappointed, but it looks fairly plain to some on the costumes I've seen people wear before. I quickly get dressed, and look in the mirror. The black material bugs my skin perfectly. I put on the matching shoes, and walk out.

Cinna smiles when he sees me. "Do you like it?" he asks.

"Yes, it's lovely, thank you."

"Well, you'll like it even more in a minute!" he tells me. He seems excited. He walks towards the door, and gestures for me to follow. When we're outside, I see Peeta walking down the corridor, wearing matching clothes to me, but manlier. We head to the lift, and go down to the ground floor.

When the lift opens, I am surprised to see twelve carriages, being pulled by two horses of the same colour each. The carriage with a number 12 on it is being pulled by two extremely handsome coal black horses.

Seeing all of the different costumes of the different districts is fascinating. I find the small girl called Rue in the hustle-bustle of people, and she is wearing a light blue dress with a wheat style head piece. Of course! District 11 - Agriculture!

Once we are on our carriage, Cinna speaks up. He is holding a flame. I raise my eyebrows.

"Don't worry, it's not real fire." He tells us, seeing our surprised expressions. "I will light up your costumes before you go out there. But there's no need to worry. You won't feel a thing

The crowd explodes with cheers as the last carriage comes out of the archway. Thousands of voices screaming and whooping is all I can hear. This is their first proper viewing of the tributes, and this is some first impression. Peeta and I stare straight ahead, as instructed by cinna. We were told to ignore the crowd.

Hats and flowers are thrown at us in appreciation, but on we stare.

It is a relief to get away from the roaring audience, and luckily, we are able to go straight back up to the top floor.