The Hunger Games; Peeta

~The Capitol~

I get up from the floor and grab a fistful of ice from under the fruit tureen to but on my aching jaw, but Haymitch abruptly stops me.

"No. Let it show. The audience'll think you mixed it up with another tribute before you get in the arena."

Thoughts flash across my mind of me being beaten and hung by peacekeepers. No one brakes the rules of the Hunger Games.

"But that's against the rules." I say, curtly.

"Only if they catch you, if not, it'll say you fought and didn't get caught. Even better." He swiftly turns to Katniss

"Can you hit anything other than a table with that knife?"

I realise in the next few moments that Katniss Everdeen is a hunter, and I am absolutely not.

She proceeds to yank the knife out of the table and throw it across the room into the wall. It lands perfectly in between two panels. A sick thought crosses me, of that knife ending up perfectly in my eyes. I gulp.

"Stand over here, both of you." Says Haymitch, gesturing to the centre of the room. I get up and stand with Katniss in the room. He begins to circle and prod us, as if we were animals, checking our faces and poking our muscles.

"You aren't entirely hopeless. Seem fit enough, and once the stylists get a hold of you, you'll be attractive enough."

I feel myself growing flustered again. Katniss is attractive sure, but me? I doubt Katniss agrees regardless.

But still, I don't question it. The Hunger games isn't some kind of beauty pageant, but the hotter tributes always pull more sponsors. It'll be easy for Katniss.

"I'll make a deal with you two. You don't interfere with my...drinking, and I'll say sober enough to help you. But you must do exactly what I say."

It's not a great deal, but it's a whole lot better than five minutes ago, when we were going into the arena empty handed.

"Fine" I say.

"Help us then." Says Katniss. "In the arena, what's the best strategy at the cornucopia for someone-"

"Jeez, one thing at a time!"

I see Katniss roll her eyes out of the corner of my peripheral vision.

"Pretty soon we will be pulling into the station, the stylists will take you from there. You are not going ti like what they do to you, but whatever it is, don't resist."

"But-" begins Katniss

"Don't. Resist"

He grabs his bottle from the table and exits the dining car. The door crashes shut behind him, and we are left in a sudden darkness. There's a couple of lights inside, but outside it's like night all over again.

I was pretty sure that we were in the tunnels that go through the mountains on the way to the Capitol. It's funny in a way, because the mountain range forms a natural barrier between the Capitol and most of the districts.

We stand in silence as the train zooms along. The tunnel goes on for what seems like an age. It's an odd feeling, being surrounded by rocks, and I watch Katniss's fists clench. It probably reminded her of her father's accident in the mines. It took everything in me not to reach out and squeeze her hand, but still I resisted.

Finally the train starts to slow and overpowering lights flood the compartment. Katniss and I run to the windows, and see the blinding buildings and lights of the Capitol, just like it is on the cameras.

One thing the Capitol hasn't lied about. Strangely, the colours all seem artificial, fake. Much like the majority of people who live here.

People near the train begin to point at us excitedly. I know it's wrong that they are so excited to watch them die, but I thought I might as well enjoy it.  Katniss steps away from the window but I stay there, waving and smiling at the staring crowd.

I only stop when the train pulls into the train, hiding us from their intrusive view.

I turn and see Katniss staring at me. I know what she's thinking, but at this point I'm basically beyond caring. "Who knows?" I shrug "One of them might be rich."

I see her face go through the twists and turns of different thoughts. All I hope is that she knows I have accepted my death, accepted that she will live. Because I want her to live.