The Second Annual Hunger Games (Book 2)

Four

Tullis comes over to me shortly after. "We should get to the parade." For once she doesn't sound excited, for once she doesn't smile. I follow her from the building to a taxi and then back to the training center. She leads me through many hallways and down three flights of stairs to where the chariots await the tributes.

Only the tributes from District 12 are here. They are dressed simply as coal miners.

Tullis and I wait by the chariot for District 11. We don't speak, which is extremely odd for Tullis. Soon more and more tributes enter the room. Fergus and Sybille and one of the last pairs to come out and they have been completely transformed. Inala and another stylist follow behind them.

Sybille wears a strapless dress made entirely of what looks like eggplants. The bodice fits her form and the dress ends just above the knees. Fergus wears a similar suit that is also made of eggplants. I have to admit it looks a little odd paired with his dark skin.

I smile at the tributes as best I can. "Okay, so while you're on the chariot I want you to smile and wave at the audience."

"Smile and wave? While wearing this?" Fergus asks. His stylist raises her chin.

"Pretend you're not wearing that or suck it up. I don't really care," I say. "You guys have to realize that this is it, this is your life now. You smile for the cameras and you act like this is the best thing that's ever happened to you. There are people out there that could be your sponsors and that could mean saving your life. You won't get any sponsors if you don't put on the act."

Tullis nods. "Be confident." A voice comes on the speakers telling the tributes to get ready. They get on their chariots.

"We'll be waiting for you when you're done," I tell them as the District 1 tributes pull away. Tullis gives them a thumbs up and soon they're gone. I turn to Inala. "It's so good to see you again."

She smiles and hugs me. "How've you been, dear?"

I nod. "Uh, good," I say quickly.

She nods too. "Come on, let's go watch." We walk out to where the rest of the audience sits. Huge screens show each of the tributes as they ride down the street.

The District 1 tributes wear clothes that look fit for royalty. The girl wears a huge dress that's deep purple and the boy wears an extravagant suit in the same color. They even each have a crown atop their heads and they carry themselves with great confidence.

The outfits for District 2 are based on bricks. Both of their faces are partially covered by a wall of orange and brown bricks built up from their shoulder. Both outfits continue downward with the image, the girl's turning into a dress and the boy's ends in shorts. Like the tributes from 1 they have a lot of confidence.

Both District 3 tributes have bright green leggings on that look like circuit boards. The girl has a small dress and a very long train made out of different colored wires. The boy has a vest made partially of the wires and partially of more of the circuit board material. They both stare at the screens and cameras filming them.

The District 4 tributes wear what look like bathing suits with nets draped over them. They have the same attitude as the 1 and 2 tributes.

District five's tributes have fairly normal outfits on except attached to them are coils of metal that have electricity bouncing between them. They're both too scared of getting shocked to wave, smile, or even blink.

For District 6 they are dressed as train conductors did a long time ago. They both wear blue suit jackets and stiff blue hats. The girl wears short shorts made of the same material and the boy has suit pants. They give shy smiles and wave.