Deceived: The 500th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 24 - The Capitol

GRANDIS CALDWELL'S P.O.V

I shook hands and waved at the citizens of the Capitol. It's an honour to be here.

"Grandis!" A lady screamed. "What is your favourite weapon?"

"A sword," I smiled at her a blew a kiss.

"Grandis, hello," a male with a very fancy top hat said, "how do you feel to be here?"

"It is a massive honour to represent my District," I replied. He laughed and waved at me as I walked to the training centre.

Sage was to me left, an Phoxus was behind us. Phoxus doesn't think it's an honour. He thinks it's a family tradition.

He's still a Career.

I noticed Tifa, the pretty girl from District 6. I want her to team with us, but she won't do it.

"Grandis, who are your allies?" A lady asked.

"Sage and Phoxus from District 2," I say, straightening up my tie. I hadn't adjusted my suit since we left my District.

I felt Peacekeepers ushering my to hurry along, but not forcing me, seeing as I am from District 2. We are like royalty compared to 6 and 10.

"Psst, Grandis," Sage laughed, "who has the best hair and outfits here?"

I pointed out a man with bright red and lime green hair that stuck out in 50cm spikes all over. He looked like a mace. He looked awesome.

"My award for best hairstyle goes to you, sir," I say as I walk past him. He yells my name happily. I know I have a sponsor.

"My award for best dress goes to," Sage looked around. A lady to my right wore a dress that looked like a piñata. It looked awesome. "You, lady." She swooned over us.

We were doing really well.

Sage and I groaned when we reached the Remake building. We don't get to talk to the sponsors anymore. It's a shame, they're all so lovely.

The Remake Centre was huge. It looked so small on TV. I wonder what outfit I would be set to wear...

We waved to the sponsors one last time before heading into the large building to be prepped for tonight's parade.


CHERRIE SCRABBLE'S P.O.V

I yelled in pain as the prep team ripped hair from my body. If this is the kind of pain I'm receiving here, imagine what the Careers have in mind. I'll probably be tortured for 2 weeks until I die.

Riiiiip!

My arm hair was torn from my body. I'm not even hairy, but the Capitol insist on leaving me hairless. They may as well wax my skull.

I wonder how that haemophilic kid from last games got her body waxed. Wouldn't she have bled to death?

They made me dip my fingers in this weird solution. I soaked them for a while; the waters temperature was really nice.

After I took my fingers out of the pot, they rounded my nails. They complimented the length of my nails, saying that most tributes don't bother to grow their nails.

They gossiped amongst themselves as they ripped hair out from my armpits, even though there wasn't any hair there.

They plucked my face and waxed my body for hours before the pain was over. I was then dipped into a bath of cream that smelt of mint.

I let my skin sooth in the cream, the raw skin becoming moisturised. At home, you have to be extremely rich to get this stuff.

The poorest in the district don't even get warm water. We don't bathe everyday, we can't afford it. These people abuse their luxury.

"We are finished," a man with orange hair said in his stupid accent. "We will take you to the stylist now."


DUNCAIN MUGORT'S P.O.V

I decided whilst waiting for my stylist, I would pray. Pray to God. When else will I have time to do it?

God, if you can hear me, please give me the strength to stay happy through tonight. Make the sponsors love me.

The door swung open. My stylist was a lady with eyelashes longer than her fingers. Her skin was dyed blue and she had whiskers. Ridiculous.

"Hello, darling," she laughed. "You look so weak and ugly."

I don't think God answered my prayer.

"To hide your ugly face, you will be dressed as a cow," she said, holding up a disgusting looking outfit. No one cares for District 10.

I was dressed up and left for an hour. There had to be something that could make me look better.

I saw Nitya. She had been abandoned by her stylists too. She was dressed as a cowgirl. We had nothing to make us look cool.

"I know stealing is wrong," Nitya started, "but we are going to die. The least we can do is make ourselves look better."

I didn't feel happy with doing this. I followed Nitya down the hallways and into a large room.

I gasped. Thousands of outfits everywhere. We closed the door behind us and quietly walked along the aisles of clothing.

There seemed to be hundreds of outfits for the Careers. Where is the District 10 stuff?

We found it. Dozens of cow outfits. I hate being a cow.

I grabbed a pair of scissors. I started cutting up my ridiculous outfit. Nitya helped me. No one bothers with District 10 because of how poor we are.

If they won't help, I'll make the outfit myself.

We found some props. I grabbed a bell to put around my neck. Nitya grabbed a toy whip.

We ran out of the room before the stylists had the chance to find us.

We raced to our chariots and took our position. I was a multicoloured cow - colour and the Capitol mix well. I painted a mark onto my back that looked like the Capitol symbol, as if I had been branded by the Capitol.

I have stolen. I have destroyed a creation. Oh my god.

Oh no. I just misused the Lord's name. I am a sinner.

God, please forgive my sins.