Percy’s POV
Considering the circumstances, I actually had a pretty good night sleep. Call me crazy (maybe I am) but I kind of enjoy being here, in the Capitol. I mean, I get pampered, there’s always food on the table and I don’t have to worry about feeding anyone. Of course, it’s only for a while. Unless I get crowned as a victor, then it’ll probably be a permanent thing.
I wake up feeling very hungry. I always do, actually. Addy used to say I have a stomach the size of a house. Which I suppose I do, since I am easily hungry. After having a shower (which involves some certain accident with the temperature), I quickly dress up. Looking at the mirror, I think I’m looking a little bit paler than usual. Maybe a bit gaunt. Must be the stress. What do you think?
Well, looks like nobody is going to yell at me to come down to breakfast. And Haymitch didn’t say the exact time he wants to meet us. I’d better go and stuff myself first.
I was really pleased to see that there are food served on the table. One of the Avoxes, a young man, nods when I asked him if I could help myself to the buffet of food. So, I start with the bread, which had always been my all-time favourite, and some of the hot chocolate we had yesterday. I must have drank around three servings of the hot chocolate when Katniss appears.
“ You, too?” she asks, rolling her eyes.
“ Hey, I was starving,” I shrug. “ Figured that they are going to be late, so I’d better start first.”
“ I thought so, too. Is that what you are just going to eat?” she asks, raising an eyebrow when she sees me only eating bread and hot chocolate.
“ Nah…this is just the starter,” I say. “ As Addy,” I stop, a sudden pang of sadness hits me, “….as Addy used to say, I have a stomach the size of a house,” I say, trying to sound cheerful. But of course, my hesitation didn’t go amiss. But Katniss was tactful enough to avoid questioning it.
“ Well, then. Start filling that house of a stomach of yours, then,” she grins. And that’s what I did. Stuff myself. It does help me numb the pain I suddenly felt when I remembered Addy’s joke. We continue to eat in silence, watching the sun rise over the Capitol.
I was pretty impressed to see Katniss continuing to eat; this time the rolls with the hot chocolate. I mean, she ate much more than me and she’s still not full!
“ Someone’s got a big appetite,” I comment. She didn’t answer; merely rolls her eyes.
The door suddenly opens and Haymitch staggers in, looking only a little bit drunk. “ Mornin’,” he slurs. “ Had a good night sleep?”
“ Kind of,” I reply.
“ Good,” he says. “ ‘Cause you’re gonna need it,” he guffaws before filling his plate with food. I had to stop myself from grinning at his uncare-ish attitude.
I see Katniss playing with the roll she had just taken from the basket. There’s a look of queasiness on her face. I think my face probably has the same look on it. I mean, we’d be nutters if we don’t feel queasy and/or nervous about the Games.
After Haymitch has finished several platters of stew, he pushes back his plate with a sigh. He takes a flask from his pocket (spirits, no doubt about that) and takes a long pull from it and leans his elbows on the table. “ So, let’s get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, I’ll coach you separately. Decide now.” Oh, yeah. Training. Facing the other tributes for the first time.
I totally forgot about that.
“ Why would you coach us separately?” Katniss asks.
“ Say you might have a secret skill that you don’t want the other to know about,” says Haymitch.
