The Training Centre had changed entirely from the previous Games, and seeing as it was the Quarter Quell, the Capitol had spared no expense in building the six towering spires which glistened like crystals in the sunlight and curved around the City Circle. The tallest of the spires was the home of the Tributes until the Games begin, the place we'd rest for the time being knowing 23 of us face perpetual death.
The sheer sight of the centre when we walk through is breath-taking, and I look up, remembering that each District will get their own floor out of these many levels. It's sad that the Capitol can afford such luxuries as this but can't afford a few more drop-ins of food throughout the poorest Districts.
The elevator opens up in front of us, and Dixie shoves Mason and I into the elevator after Zachariah and she presses the button to the second floor. I've never been in an elevator before, so initially, I start imagining the elevator getting stuck or the entire thing zooming out of the ceiling because it's going too fast. Those fears are extinguished when the elevator comes to a quick halt and the doors open. I liked that, it was strangely exhilarating. I have to take my shoes off before I step out, seeing as I'd rather not have blisters from a pair of crystal high-heels when I'm expected to fight to the death in a few weeks. Dixie guides us through a thin hallway as I clutch onto my shoes, making me lose about 3 inches off of my height, and then I see the most luxurious room I've ever been in.
The entire room was white, and the first thing that caught my eye was a double-storey fireplace which burned with lumber. The sofas surrounding the huge TV and fireplace were several shades of silver and grey, each shade with a different texture and pattern, the pillows plush and inviting. The carpet was soft to the touch and I fought the urge to get down on my knees and spend time playing with the carpet and the softness. There were several large rugs dotted about the room, each as luxurious as the next. The lights were bright and provided great illumination all over the apartment and the light bounced off of everything in sight, in particular the blue crystal-cut end tables that glistened like sapphires.
"So, you've each got your own rooms," Dixie said as she sharply spun around on her heels, causing Mason and I to stumble back slightly, "Mason and Althea, yours' are on the top floor whilst we're down here. That way you won't be falling up the stairs anytime soon Zachariah." Dixie says with a smirk. Zachariah scoffs at her comment and heads straight to the mini-bar where an Avox is cleaning glasses. "Dinner is in an hour, and the Recap Program will begin after that, so you two should go clean up!" She says with a dazzling yet scary smile that was too white to be normal.
Mason and I went upstairs up and explored our floor, and neither of us knew where to look first exactly, so we agreed to split up. My quarters were bigger than the houses back in District 2, probably as big as my entire ground floor. The bedroom was simplistic, with a square bed with a velvet purple cover, and there were several decorative accents dotted about the room to give it a true Capitol atmosphere. I saw all the gadgets placed around the room, and I spent a few minutes experimenting on the different functions; curtains open and close; shutters close and open; lights on and off; air conditioning and heaters, and that wasn't even half of them!
After exploring the rest of the floor -apart from Mason's room- I stripped down and stepped into the shower where the water hot straight away; no wait, no delay. If only everyone could share that luxury. The bath and shower alone had at least a hundred different options that ranged from temperature, pressure, soaps, scents, shampoos and so many skin treatments that made me feel as if the Remake Centre was a children's playground. Once I finished up in the shower smelling excessively of Jasmines, I stepped onto a mat and I was taken back by the sudden burst of wind that blow-dried my body. I also placed my hand on a box, and it sent a slight current up my body, and after trying to find out what it actually did, I found that it separated the knots in my hair I'd otherwise spend hours trying to tame, drying and parting it at the same time. I'd never had my hair in better condition.
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The 1st Quarter Quell
FanfictionThey never tell you about the ones who wanted to enter the Games. But they also never told you about the 1st Quarter Quell. In reality, those tributes had no choice either.
