Growing up in District 12 is the worst thing that can happen to a child of Panem.
In the capitol, and the wealthy districts, children sought the aprobation of their parents. In the intermediate districts, children sought to be useful to their paren...
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My night was suprisingly quiet of nightmares. Maybe the pure exaustion tires me too much to have them or maybe my brain has chosen to protect its self of even more trauma. Either way, when the avox girl comes to wake me up I decide to not waste any time to investigate my closet. The one chance I get to wear a variety of expensive clothes I wouldn't waste them. Stealing some clothes from the Capitol in exchange for my life seems like a fair deal to me. Obviously fashion is not the forte of District 12 but I think about how Effie combines colors one by one and how the rich Districts use non-contrasting tones. Maybe white, everyone hopes to see our district dressed in black like our soot. White is neat and sophisticated, something we cannot afford, A little rebellion never hurt. It seemed like a sign of life that my dress yesterday was white. I choose suit pants, a white blouse, and some silver sandals. As I go to put on some earrings I realize that I never gave Mrs. Everdeen back hers, I guess those will be my token as it's too late return them anyway. I enter the dining car and find that I am the last to arrive. Before the glass door opened, I was able to hear Effie talking about how we had been delayed a few hours due to the bad weather in District 7 overnight.
"The storm forced us to stop and we will arrive with a limited time agenda for the parade so I need you two to collabor... What are you wearing Andromeda?"
"I thought about sticking with white, is that okay? Can I choose something else if not"
"No! Darling that is the most perfect thing I've seen a tribute wear in years, simply ideal" Jamie and Haymitch look at me like with no grimace or any mean comment so I guess I must have chosen correctly. I sit at the table and begin to fill my plate with pastry rolls. I didn't know what anything was but I had no doubt thateverything would taste like ambrosia to my atrophied palate.
"Well I'll repeat what I said before you arrived," Haymitch says. His breath smells of alcohol but not as much as yesterday, he combed his hair and this suit looks much better on him. I guess we all got pretty for the cameras today. "I know that you are an unequal couple but the image of unity is important, I don't care how you do it, but until you make other allies in training or through a mentor, you are both together against the other 22. Okay?" Jamie and I nodded. It might seem logical but it is true that at every years parade one could tell quickly which couples did not get along well and, of course, those had fewer sponsors and tended to be quick prey for careers.
"Looking at the images, apart from 1, 2 and 4, only a couple of individual tributes stood out. Any tips to stand out in the parade?" Jamie asks.
"Well, it looks like you did your homework. You see, if one doesn't have the looks or the money a story can sell just as much or even more. You two are opposites but can use that to your advantage. If I were you I would go for the role of protective older brother with a weak little sister. Your profile fits, as you "says pointing at Jamie" look caring and focused and you" says pointing at me "looking innocent and sweet. If you two manage to pretend during the interview and a couple of hours into the arena the sponsors will come through. If you want the plan that is."
"I think we will try" says Jamie catching me by surprise. He looks into my eyes and for the first time I cannot see any sentiments lingering in them. Maybe he has come the conclusion that it may be our best chance at living at bit longer in the arena. I nod in response as I keep eating the breakfast.
"Any other advise we should know" I ask.
"I won before you two even existed" Haymitch chuckles and takes a sip of the cranberry color liqueur. "And if there is something I know for sure is luck in never on our District side. My only other useful advise, is stay alive"
"Just that?" I say look into his steel colored eyes. They hold a sharpness to them and I have yet to see in anyone else. His apperance was one of someone of our district but those eyes were colder. He holds my stare for a minute or so until he stands up from his chair.
"Every single tribute has failed to follow it so I reckon it cannot be that easy" he simply says as he leaves the table. Jamie looks exasperated at my antics and our mentor behaviour but I cannot get myself to shut up. My words are sharp to compensate or my bland looks and frail state.
"Well" Jamie stands up "I guess I will get going I still need to change before we reach the Capitol". Just now I notice the dark bags under his eyes and the sunken look of he face. He looks as if he had aged almost a decade in the blink of a night. He swiftly turns around but before he leaves I speak up.
"Wear full white" I say, he turns to look back while standing in front the door. This is the sign, I have accepted my side of this deal, he nods in response and go onto the corridor leaving Effie and me to finish breakfast.
My objetive was clear, winning is impossible for me I could still send a message. We are chosing how we fight. Little decisions thats for sure but I refuse to feel insignificant any longer. After finishing breakfast I go the grand living room at the end of the train. As far I remember the reason we are in a tunnel for almost half and hour is because we the in one the passages under the mountains that surrond the Capitol. An estrategic advantage that helped them inmensly in the Rebelion times. After sitting in the semi illuminated compartment for while Christenson appears just to sit silently on the armchair next to mine. I allow my eyes to roam quickly over his body. He chose a white shirt, and a white linnen suit with light cream colored leather boots. He looked like he could belong to a carrer District. He catches my stare and raises a brow in amusement I roll my eyes in response.
"I liked your idea of matching it show unity before even getting to the parade"
"Thanks" I didn't know what else to say to him.
"My father told me about you" I nod in understanding but not knowing where this was going. "I know you have the skills and a personality corresponding of someone older" I squint my eyes at him.
"What are you trying to say Christenson?"
"I will take my chance here because I believe everywhere in the Capitol they will be spying on us. Your inside doesn't match your outside. You see, carreers cannot hide what they are and the other Districts don't even bother to use surprise as an element" I kept quiet as he looks directly into my eyes. "My point is, I will behave like a gentleman, a protector, a guardian and you will be delicate and frail but to a further extend than what Abernathy suggested" he pausses and I take in his words. Waht did he want me to do? "In the scoring you need to fail"
"Ha, ha very funny"
"I'm being seroius" he argues.
"I have many pleanty of reasons to be a target already, why would I want another one?"
"To play into the part, to be belivable. You are going to be a target anyway so we might as well use it"
"Once thing is that they are aware I would be an easy hit and an other completly different is encourage them to kill me" I laugh maniacally. "What do I win? You get to be strong, caring, sweet because I'm defenceless" I do air quotes. "And then you feed the wolves by arguing I was ultimatetly not stong enough"
"Listen Voltaire, you might think I don't care about you but we are eachothers last thing from home". He does a little pause "You get the element surprise. You know no one from the lower Districts has won without tricking the Capitol. It may be our only trick" I ponder his words for a second. The real evidence of his theory was Haymitch, he classified average but won the final battle of the Quarter Quell using the forcefield. He was undeniable prove laughing in Capitol face was possible.
"I need to think about it. We keep to the plan in the meantime"
"Fair enough, but don't take too long star" he winks at me and leaves the salon just as swiftly as he entered.
