RUE'S STORY

Chapter 8- The Tributes Parade

CHAPTER 8- The Tribute Parade

The evening arrives quickly and we are sent to the place we will be put on our carriages, and the dress i am wearing isn't as bad as i thought it would be. It is a pretty little blue dress with a bit of a frill at the bottom and on top i am wearing a tiara of silver leaves. Thresh is wearing a tracksuit with a blue t-shirt underneath, pretty casual i suppose.

We are put into our carriages and get ready to show ourselves off to the Capitol. My arms and legs start trembling. I have always been shy infront of strangers and i know that the pressure is on us tributes to make a good impression on sponsors. In the arena, you can only survive with sponsors. Sponsors send you things during your time in the arena to help you get better or give you something you desperately need. Apparently if you don't get any sponsors, your chances of winning are extremely slim. I NEED to make a good first impression, and show them that i am not afraid and that i am a determined girl, ready for the games...even though i am none of those things.

As our carriage starts to move, me and Thresh both give each other a reassuring smile, as we are pushed forward and shown to the public, me and Thresh hold hands and smile and wave. Just like we did when we arrived at the Capitol and got off the train.

Behind me i hear fire crackling and i look behind to see the tributes from District 12 have been set on fire! They look amazing! Sparks and flames cover their whole backs as they smile to crowd and hold their hands in the air. They are seriously breath-taking, they will definitely have caught attention to sponsors.

We finally finish and i look towards the District 12 crew, i am actually really happy for them. They deserve to get as much attention as District 1 and 2 do! But the female tribute catches my interest. She has dark brown hair and hazel brown eyes and she looks like she 15-16 years old. Something about her reminds me of someone i hold very dearly, Lily...

We are taken to our apartment and are given some free time in our bedrooms. That gives me time to think about things which have happened today, which have seemed to past so quickly. But all i can think about it the girl tribute from 12. I still don't know what her name is, i don't even know what she is like! But there is definitely something special different about her, which makes me feel strangely connected to her. You can see she is depressed about something or someone...you can see it in her eyes....maybe thats why i feel connected to her...

After dinner we watch the recaps of the reapings, seeing as we didn't have much time on the train. The reapings of District 1 and 2 are basically the same, both tributes from both Districts volunteered. And all the other reapings are exactly the same as last year, just different tributes. But the one that caught my eye was the District 12 reaping. At first a small 12 year old (like me) called Primrose Everdeen is called up, but then the girl tribute Katniss Everdeen volunteers for her. The first volunteer of District 12.

I suddenly know why i feel so connected to her, because even she is trying to win for her sister, the person she obviously loves the most, just like me. The boy tribute called Peeta Mellark gets reaped, but nobody volunteers for him.

At bed i decide that tomorrow i will try to talk to Katniss and get to know her better, because i might even consider her as an ally...