Prim's games - the hunger games

Chapter 3 - Goodbyes

As soon as the anthem ends, a group of peacekeepers march us through the front door of the justice building.

Once inside, They guide me to a room and I'm left alone in, probably, the richest place I've ever been in! There's thick deep carpets and a velvet couch, which I know because my mother has a dress made with this.

As I sit down, I can't help running my fingers soothingly over the silkily fabric as I try to prepare for the next hour that's given to us tributes to say goodbye to their loved ones.

My sister and mother rush in, with Katniss holding buttercup, my cat. My sister wraps her arms around me as I try to resist the urge to cry until the peacekeepers have to drag me out of here.

Katniss suggests- demands, actually, that I learn how to use a weapon, preferably a bow and arrow. I promise I will since most of the tributes probably already know how to use a weapon.

I turn to my mother after a couple moments of silently petting buttercup and I reach over to hold grab her arm. "Listen to me, you have to promise me that you won't leave again.

My mothers eyes find the floor. "I know. I won't. I couldn't help what-"

"You have to at least try this time. You can't clock out now and leave Katniss by herself. You have to promise me you'll fight through it." My eyes start to water as my mother pulls her arm from my grasp, and promises me.

Katniss clasps my face in her hands. "You need to be careful. You're fast and everybody loves you. You can win if you play your cards right."

I can't win. Katniss must know that I can't compete with the kids from wealthier districts, where kids are twice my size and who know 20 different ways to kill with a knife.

I start sobbing into Katniss shoulder as she rub my back and whispers words I can't make out through my cries.

After a couple of minutes, I finally calm down and that's when a peacekeeper burst through the door and drags them out as we say our final goodbyes.

I bury my head into one of those soft pillows, trying to forget about this horrid day. I hear the door creaking and when I look up, I'm surprised to see it's the baker, Peeta mellark's father.

I remember whenever I went with Katniss and Gale to the hob to sell my goat cheese, I always set two aside for him and in return he'd give me a generous amount of bread.

The baker perches himself, carefully, onto the left side of the couch and I notice his puffy eyes. He must've just said goodbye to his son.

He pulls a white paper package from his jacket pocket and holds it out to me. I open it to find some cookies, 4 to be exact. "Thank you" I say. I can't seem to find my words today, and Mr Mellark isn't a talkative man in the best of times, and today he has no words either.

I fidget with my hands as we sit in the uncomfortable silence. "I'll keep an eye on your sister. Make sure she's alright." I can feel a small smile on my face as he waves goodbye.

My next guest is even more unexpected as it's Madge, Katniss' friend. She wastes no time and pins a golden pin, in the shape of a mockingjay, onto my oversized dress. "It's for luck. My aunt used to have this."

I mutter a quiet thanks, hugs me, and then leaves the room. Rory then enter's and rushes over to hug me and I gladly return it. "Listen," Rory says "when you do your interviews be your normal self. Everyone loves you here and the capital will love you too."

"What if they don't like me?" I mumble thinking of all those tributes that never got a single sponsor. "They will." Rory reassures and I believe him, I believe that everything will be alright and that this is just some terrible dream. "What I think you should do is climb one of those massive trees and hide there."

The peacekeepers come out of nowhere but they start to drag him away. "Don't let them starve" I cry out hoping he understood me as he shouts one final thing."I won't! I-" The doors slam harshly in my face as I stand there, wondering what Rory was going to say.

It's a short ride from the justice building to the hectic train station full of reporters shoving their insect-like cameras into my tear stained face. I rub my eyes and pretend to be brave as i look at peeta Mellark, who's also been crying and I try to send him a comforting look and he sends a small smile right back at me.

We step into the train and the initial speed of it takes my breath away. I've never been on a train before but I'm already enjoying it before Effie trinket basically orders me to change my clothes.

I shrug of the loose dress and turn the shower to the highest setting available which I soon find out to be a terrible, terrible, mistake as the water burns my body.

After that ordeal, I change into some black trousers and an orange sweater and make my way into the main dining room of this train-mansion. I sit next to Peeta and marvel at all of the food.

"Where's haymitch?" Effie asks brightly.

"He said he was going to take a nap." Peeta shrugs.

"Well, it has been an exhausting day," I think Effie might be relieved by haymitch absence, and I can't really blame her.

For dinner we get a thick carrot soup, green salad, some heavenly lamb chops and mashed potatoes, cheese and fruit and finally a silky chocolate cake. Throughout the meal, Effie keeps reminding us to save space for the next courses but I'm stuffing myself because I've never had so much much like this and because one of the best things I could do before the games is to put on a few pounds.

"At least you two have decent manners. The pair last year ate with their hands like a couple of savages! It completely upset my digestion." Complains Effie.

The pair Last year were two kids from the seam, who had never had enough to eat. And when they finally did have food, table manners were surely the last things on their minds.

I quickly shove the rest of the chocolate cake into my mouth and I try to make a quick escape but peeta suggests that we should watch the reaping recap in the compartment across.

One by one, we see all of the tributes, or volunteers, step forward. A few of them stand out in my mind.
The two tributes from 2, clove and Cato. The boy from 4 and Rue from 11, who has dark brown skin and eyes, and she looks about my age and height. When they ask for volunteers, all you can hear is the leaves rustling as she fidgets with her hands.

Last of all, they show Katniss walking forward only for me to run forward and volunteer for her. You can't miss the anguish in my voice as I grab Katniss' arm in a surprisingly strong grip. The unknown commentators aren't sure what to say about the silent salute. The one on the right says that district 12 has always been a bit backwards but that local customs can be charming. As if on cue, haymitch knocks himself unconscious and they groan comically.

Effie trinket is disgruntled about the state of her wig "Your mentor has a lot to learn about televised behaviour."

Peeta unexpectedly laughs. "He was drunk," says Peeta. "He's drunk every year."

"Every day" I giggle. It's funny how Effie makes it sound like haymitch just has some rough manners that could be easily corrected by her.

"yes," hisses Effie trinket. "How odd you two find it so amusing. The fact that haymitch is the one that's supposed to give you advice, lines up your sponsors, and gives you those sponsor gifts in the arena. He could mean the very difference between your lives or your deaths!"

Just then, haymitch staggers into the room "I miss dinner?" He says very intelligently and then he proceeds to vomit all over the expensive carpet and falls into the mess.

"So laugh away!" Says Effie as she tiptoes across the pool of vomit and flees the room.