Rythian, Teutron, Kaeyi and I were riding the lift up in the hotel we would be staying at.
"Each district have their own floors" Kaeyi was saying.
"And because your District 12, you get the penthouse"
The doors opened to revealing the most luxurious hotel room I had ever seen.
There was a sofa in front of a huge TV to our right, up two steps to the left was a dining table, laid out with fancy foods. Everything looked expensive. We all walked in, looking round. Rythian an I were stunned at the layout. Kaeyi laughed and Teutron smirked.
"All right you two" Kaeyi said.
"The tributes parade is tonight. You have to go met your stylists so that they can prepare you"
Stylists? I thought. This can't be good. I'm probably going to be prancing around in some stupid costume.
I was sent to a room in the tributes parade hall which was somewhere across town.
I was lying on a table while three stylists poked me and proded me. I was hosed down, twice.
They plucked my eyebrows, did my hair, everything. While they styled me, I tried to remember there names. Strange ones. But then, all names in the Capitol were a bit different.
The ginger one was Alsmiffy, the dark haired one was Ross and the younger one was Trottimus. They took me to a room and made me lye down on a gurney, then they left.
It took five minutes for my stylist to show up. He came in, and the first thing he said was;
"That was one of the bravest things I've ever seen" I sat up and looked at him. He had ginger hair, swept to one side, and pale blue eyes.
"With your sister" he explained.
"Hi, I'm Sparkles, your stylist"
"Zoey" I mumbled. He helped me up, and spent two minutes, circling me, examining me.
"Usually, we would dress up the tributes in clothing that represents their district" he said.
"Yeah, mines coal" I said, a little sadly.
"Yeah, but I don't wanna do that." I looked up, slightly confused. He smiled.
"Now, I don't want someone this brave, to be prancing around in some stupid costume."
I smiled. Sparkles was different. He saw me as a person, not just another piece in the games.
I was standing in a chariot that would be pulled by horses out into the road. We would be surrounded by cheering people.
I stood next to Rythian. We were both dressed in a silky black material. My red hair had been braided, and then the braided bits had been clipped around.
"It's not real fire" Sparkles was saying.
"Looks pretty real to me" Rythian said.
"Well, that's the point" he said. He stood on a stool beside me, and held a machine next to my arm.
"Don't be afraid" he whispered.
"I'm not afraid" I responded automatically. He smiled.
The first chariot left, I could here the crowd screaming. Then the second. Then the third.
I grabbed Rythian's hand when our chariot started moving. I felt like I was going to fall over. I felt his fingers close around mine.
When the chariot left the station, the screams got louder. I almost fell over from the sound. Everyone was screaming and yelling.
I smiled at the crowd. Even though I hated this kinda thing, I decided to enjoy it.
I glanced up at the giant tv that hung above the crowd. I saw myself, my red hair, braided back. My piercing blue eyes. My silky black clothes. And I was on fire. The orange flame covered my entire body, making it look like I was burning, and yet, I was grinning.
I must admit, Sparkles knew how to make me look pretty without some stupid costume.
We were carted round the middle, high above us was a balcony. I could see the president standing above everything else.
Ridgedog. I thought.
When he spoke, his voice echoed around the whole stadium.
"Happy Hunger Games" he announced.
"And may the odds, be ever in your favour!"
When we went backstage again, Teutron and Kaeyi were there. Kaeyi was excited, bouncing from foot to foot and squealing.
"Nice work sweetheart" Teutron said, actually smiling. I grinned.
"Dot get too close to the flames" I said.
"Fake flames?" He said, raising an eyebrow.
"Well you-" he cut off, looking over my shoulder and I looked too, seeing the boy from District 1, glaring at us. Teutron led us away, back to the hotel.
The ride back was silent, as soon as we got back to the hotel, Rythian and I changed, then came out for dinner. There was lamb, soup, and a range of vegetables I was both familiar, and unfamiliar with.
"Careers" Teutron explained.
"From districts-"
"One, two and four." Rythian said. Teutron gave him a look for interrupting him and continued.
"They train their entire lives in a special academy for this, then when they turn 18, they volunteer."
I hadn't said anything since the tributes parade. I didn't feel like talking.
I just drunk some soup, then went to my room. I lay in bed, thinking about tomorrow when we had to go to the training centre. It was going to be a long day.
