Rising Flames

Chapter 8: Chariot Ride

The flowing black dress Kafiata dressed me in has beautiful streaks of red and gold, though she's put as little makeup on me as possible. I have what appear to be wings strapped to my arms, but are at this point folded behind my back. My hair feels weird out and spilling down my back. I don't usually wear it out.
I look around at the chariots; because there are so many of us the game makers have decided to have everyone in their own chariot, let everyone have their own glory. We will go out in order of when we were picked, but with the boys in front of the girls... So I'll be last.
"Maysillee!" I turn to see Thomas running towards me in a coal black tuxedo, which I guess is the point. He stops when he reaches me, looking at what I'm wearing. "Well, you look... Amazing." He smiles at me then, that beaming smile that makes my heart melt.
"Thanks," I mumble, trying to hide a blush. "You're looking pretty snazzy yourself," looking at him now, I don't know how anyone could want to kill this kid. Let alone me.
He speaks then, bringing me out of my daydream, "Don't let yourself fall out of that carriage of yours, there's no one behind you to catch you if you fall. Just remember I..." He gets cut off by someone calling his name across the 'courtyard', his stylist no doubt, and he turns to call out to them that he's coming. The he turns back to me, looking rueful. "I gotta go, but you look fantastic. I'll see you later, yeah?"
I nod at him and he rushes off just as Kafiata struts up to me, clearly proud of her handy work.
"You know if you don't want him to know you fancy him, you need to hide your blushing better." She smirks when I feel my face heat up. "I'm just kidding with you. Now," she looks at me with a new expression; professionalism. "When you get in that chariot it'll be a while before you go out, but be patient, when you get out there you will dazzle them!"
I feel the corners of my mouth twitch upwards, "with your design."
"And your personality shining out. Not only a reincarnation but a beauty all of your own. Don't doubt yourself. But now, you need to do something for me. To make your costume really amaze them you need to lift your arms up high, but not to early. Ok?"
I nod to her, as the order rings around the area to board our chariots. It's about to begin.

After about fifteen minutes my chariot starts to roll forwards. We are going to parade all around the Capitol, just so the district 1 people aren't at the end when I've only just started. I steel myself for the onslaught of cheering and screaming from the audience. Tonight is my night to shine. Or burn. Depend on how you see it.

There are screens all around the city, so no matter how long we've been going for, everyone can see us. Everyone. It's only about halfway through the parade that I remember what Kafiata said about raising my arms, so that's what I do. I raise my arms as high as I can, lifting the things strapped to my arms with them.
Wings. Definitely wings. I can see them now, huge, engulfing most of my peripheral vision, bright orange, red, yellow. As I notice the wings spreading out, feathers and all, my dress bursts into flames, or fake flames, as they seem to be. They aren't burning me, hurting at all, or even burning away the fragile fabric of the dress, which if I remember rightly, was highly flammable.
The crowd around me erupts into cheers, and I look to see what they are cheering for. That's when I realise it's me. I'm on the huge screens, flames and all, my wings like an angel's, glowing around me.
I look in front of me, at all the other district 12 people. They are staring up at the screen mouths open. I smile, feeling braver than ever as we roll into the courtyard in front of the lectern where President Snow will speak.
I lower my wings as I pull up, and the flames simmer away into nothingness, as if they had never been there. My chariot is next to Thomas's, and he turns his head and grins at me.
"Good job. You looked spectacularly snazzy up there." He's repeating what I said to him; snazzy.
"You didn't do to bad yourself" I call over the noise.
That's when she appears. President Snow. Standing all proud of herself and believes what she is doing is the right thing. But she is wrong. So very, very wrong.
"Welcome. Welcome tributes to the 100th annual Hunger Games. We acknowledge your bravery and your courage." She seems to look straight down at me, "may the odds be EVER in your favour."
The anthem plays, and she is gone, crowd cheering. The carriages start to roll off and out of sight of the city. We are free of their stares. At least for now. I won't let them change me. But they doesn't mean I can't change them a little.