Inferno: A Hunger Games Fanfic

Chapter 12

Over 400 reads! Thanks guys!!

Meir was waiting for me by the chariot. My dress swishes by my bare feet as I make my way towards him.

"You look hot," he says. I raise one of my eyebrows so high I'm suprised it dosen't hit the ceiling. He realises what he said and his cheeks turn scarlet.
"The fire, I mean, your dress. Umm.." he tries to ammend awkwardly.
"Well you look handsome too," I cut in and we both blush.

And he does look handsome in a vermilion suit with tiny flame embroidery around the cuffs and on his tie.

To match him, I wear a full length dress with a skirt of sythentic flame and fire coloured sleeves. Around my back and behind my head is a kind of grey fabric encased wire that reminds me if a spider's web, with grey circles clinging in places. The bodice is made from a soft black fabric but when the light hits it right, you can see miniscule flickers of orange, like embers on coal.

Our outfits are supposed to represent out district. We make medicines now but apparently Quinn wanted to keep the fire theme. To prove a point. But I don't think it has anything to do with coal mining.

Quinn, Aidi and Meirs stylist, Dew, come to see us off. With a lot of dificulty, I get unsteadly onto the chariot. Meir joins me and has to push back the grey wire collar so he can stand with me. Our entourage waves and departs to be there to meet us at the training centre.

The chariot lurches forward and I grasp Meir's hand to steady myself. He wobbles to but we soon accostumise to the swaying and don't need each other. But we don't let go. We are linked together and it feels as if there is a wire between us, sharing our bravery, making us stand tall. We look at each other and plaster smiles on our faces. Happiness coursing through my veins I look forward as we canter outside to face the capitol crowd, properly, for the first time.

The fire makes us noticeable. No other stylists were brave enough to use it. After all its a symbol of the  rebellion. At least I'm not a mockingjay. That would be paramount to annoucing "I want to be killed" on live tv. But I guess I've already shown a fairly rebellious streak. My outburst at the reaping could be read as act of pity or rebellion . It just depends who's judging. And if it's the president, he'll most likley assume the latter.

Awaking from my daydream I realise I've slid from grinning to slightly drowning and immediately beam again and am rewarded with a cheer from the capitol.

We are thrown delicacies, jewels and flowers. Meir catches a rose and slots it in my hair. The crowd goes wild and so does my heart. Blushing as hot as the flames on my lower half I blow him a kiss, which he catches and puts in his pocket as if it was tangible. Then, as one, we lift our linked arms straight up as if making an arrow to the stars. We stay like this for the rest of the ride, using our other hand to wave and blow kisses. And in a way I forget that we are on the way to the games. And in a way I forget everyone can see us. I feel like it's just me and Meir, on a chariot ride to infinity, and nothing else matters.

Unfortunatly, we stop in a circle to listen to the president give his speech. We are supposed to look at him, out of respect, but I can't. He is the man who started all this; the reason I am here, in the games. I have no respect for him. Instead I look at me and Meir's hands and see faint tattoos I didn't realise the team put on. I trace the flaming lines as Tram's words wash over. I vaugely hear him say "-may the odds be  ever in your favour" and we began to move again, back to the training centre.

Aidi and Quinn help us down from the chariot and Effie and Dew envelope is in suffocating hugs.
"You were perfect!" Effie says, squeezing us in the last word.
"The president. The way you didn't look" Aidi turns to me "it was such attitude. Such a statment! We're gonna have sponsors lined up around the block!"
Effie looks disapproving " it was a bit rebellious though" She stares at me with a motherly expression " Be careful, Hazel"

The next morning light floods into the bathroom with the shower water. I get in and see red, Orange and yellow stream down the drain from my arms like rivers. It's a shame, I'd like to keep the tattoos. But they leave and, yet another good thing in my life has gone.

Before you all kill me for leaving you sooo long without an update I kind of have some excuses.

1. This chapter was supposed to be a lot longer. However about halfway through (a lot futher than where I have ended it) I realised it was going to be too long and I ought to update for you guys. Instead it will be written over 2 or 3 chapters

2. I've been learning ways to make my writing better. This will benefit you readers. I promise! I may also adjust some of my older chapters so not all "updates" will be new chapters. Sorry!

I will update more soon! Expect drama in the next chapters. Vote, comment, Enjoy!!!
Xxx