The 73rd Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 3- Prepped for Slaughter

I barely had time to even meet my prep team before they started waxing me. I had every last inch of hair ripped from by body, except for, of course, the hair on my head. My legs were practically raw by the time they were done. Apparently, there's no secrets between my prep team and I, because I wasn't allowed to wear a strip of fabric while they waxed me.

Mitt, a slight man with black hair, tipped red, and a beard in the shape of flames examined my hair. "Good condition. Do you bathe a lot?"

"I'm from District 4," I said. He looked at me quizzically. "I swim every day."

"Of course! No wonder why you're so tan!" Saren said. Saren is a plump lady that has silver and gold stripes tatooed to her face. Somehow, this seemed a little farfetched for a trend. They continued to talk about the latest party, and what who said to them, and who was wearing what, and what parties this season were flops, how flavius wasn't accepted to the latest ball, etc. Then, I presumed that they were done, because the endless stream of painfull waxing stopped.

Mitt smiled. "What do you think, Oceania?"

Oceania, whom happens to have my favorite name of the three, smiled. "I think she's perfect." Oceania had flowing black hair, and thick black eyeliner rimmed in gold. She had gold and navy striped nails, and lips.

"We're done! Let's go call in Fern!" Saren smiled. They all three ran out of the room like chickens, or maybe seagulls.

I sat there for a moment, not bothering to put on my robe. I just sat on my chair, where I just got waxed, and waited.

Soon enough, a lady who's body was completely green, corresponding to the latest trend, apparently, walked in. "Well, hello, Caspia," She said cheerfully.

"Uh.. Hi." I responded lamely.

"Put on your robe. We have much to discuss."

~~~---~~~

We were in a room with an enormous window, giving us a view of the Captiol. She was discussing costumes with me.

"What's it gonna look like?" I asked.

"Well, I can't say exactly, but if you like water, you'll love it." She said.

"Oh, I'll more than love it, if it has to do with water," I smiled.  All this smiling is making me tired.

Fern generously passed me sugar, so I could put it in my coffee. I didn't bother with it, because coffee is bittter to me. I don't like it that much.

"Any clues?" I asked.

She pulled out a piece of clear-blue fabric, like glass. She handed it to me.

"It's pretty, but please tell me that the whole costume isn't made of this," I had a frightening vision of parading through the capitol wearing only thin clear material.

"Oh, heavens no. That's never good for getting sponsors. Nakedness, ew." She said.

"I wasn't wearing anything ten minutes ago," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but you wasn't in front of the whole country, was you?"

"Well, this is a pretty big window..." I commented drily.

"Ooh, so you're pplaying the witty role?" She asked.

"More like sarcastic," I truthfully said.

"Good. We haven't had a sarcastic one in years." She smiled.

~~~---~~~

In a few hours, I am dressed in a dress like a waterfall. It goes all the way down to my feet. It's a strapless number, and the color changes as it goes down. At the bottom of the dress, there's foamy white, like the mist at the bottom of the waterfall. In the midsection, she used the clear blue fabric, but the mist hovering around the outside of the dress blocks any ostentatiousness. The chest part of the fabric almost seems like real watter spilling off of a rocky ledge. And the dress has lights programmed in it to mimic the movement of a waterfall.

My hair is spilling down my back in curls, and she even added blue accents, and sparkles to it. My lips have blue lipstick, and my eyes are made up with glittery blue and gold eyeliner and eyeshadow. My face has glitter on it as well.

"Perfection," Says Mitt. Saren and Oceania are putting the final touches on my face, and Fern watches on the sidelines. "GIve her her shoes.

Mitt gors into a closet, and emerges minutes later with a pair of shoes made of what seems to be flowing water, but upon closer examination, you can see the clear tubes running across and connecting. I slip my feet into them, then admire myself in the mirror. I don't even see the same person.

"One last thing," Says Oceania. She pulls out my shark tooth necklace and pulls it over my hair and rests it on my neck. I am complete.

"Let's go to your chariot, shall we?" Fern asks.

Later, I am being positioned on a chariot looking like it's made of a wave. We have two trained white stallions attached to it, and I'm standing beside Kyle on it. We exchanged a tense nod, and I examine the other tributes. The District 1 tributes are wearing glittery unitards, and shiny capes. The District 11 tributes are loaves of bread. I shuddered. The District 7 tributes are trees, and, to my horror, the District 12 tributes are stark naked and covered in coal dist. Kyle is wearing a suit similar to my dress, but his tie has a fish on it.

Finnick walked up. "Well you two look absolutely fantastic."

Kyle scowled and rolled his eyes, but I smiled. "Thanks, Finnick."

"Want a sugar cube?" He asked, mock seductively. He pulled out a couple of sugar cubes. "Here, take one. They're supposed to be for the horses, but.... old habits die hard."

I took one. I popped in my mouth and savored the flavor. Kyle didn't take one.

I heard shouting by the gate, and it opened. Immediately, the City CIrcle of the Capitol was visible, with Capitol citizens screaming and cheering.The District 1 tributes' chariots rode out, followed by DIstrict 2.

"Smile!" FInnick said. He walked away, to the stands where the mentors go.

Soon enough, our chariot rode out into the path to the City CIrcle. I smiled and waved.

"Caspia, Caspia," They yelled, apparently knowing who I am.

Someone threw a flower at me, and I caught it, and pulled the stem out. I put the flower in my hair.

The chariots finally stopped in the CIty Circle, and I felt a feeling of stage fright. I'm not good with crowds. The national anthem played, and the cameras cut to every tribute's face. I saw mine on the big screen, illuminated by the lights on my dress. I smiled at the camera and heard cheers.

President Snow, a thin pale man came out of his mansion and greeted us, then gave a speech that we were obligated to listen to.

Then, after the anthem, and the speech, we paraded around the Circle one more time before disappearing into the Training Center. My prep team surrounded me and threw their arms around me, smiling. Even if their intentions were pure, I couldn't help but think about how they'll prep me for slsaughter, as they prepped me for this.