Melted Ice

Becoming Frozen:

The room is far too stuffy, the sounds of alarms and calls sounding all around,

"One hour!" calls a hoarse voice.

I have the feeling that Flavia despises the position she is in, a small cramped room with barely any room, after once having a whole floor to herself. She clatters about the racks of dresses she has made as I watch myself in the mirror. My hair had been tied in a loose bun with a silver band, my face is simple - just a layer of foundation, lipgloss and a hint of mascara but my eyes look dazzling, as if they are made of metal. Once I had told Annie and Flavia that I didn't want to kill, they agreed to try to get me into one of the well off Districts because apparently, the prize is a large money sum to the tributes winning District and as an added insentive, the winner has the choice to move. I had heard we were hoping for District 4 which was fine with me, I loved swimming.

"Damn it!" I jump up as I watch Flavia breathe out loudly, "Bloody mice, they're everywhere!" She walks over to me with a bag hiding a dress, "They told us to save the special dress for the final interview but this is the nicer one in my opinion."

She unzipped the back to reveal a pretty ice blue dress, the sleeves look soft and the ciffs are adorned with small pearls, the lace that covers the floaty material looks antique and it bunches up just above the knee. It makes me think of ice, as if I will be frozen as soon as I put it on. She hands me the dress and mumbles about looking for shoes while I slip it on. When I look in the mirror, I am shocked. I don't look like a child of the Capitol, I don't even look like the child of a District  - I am indescribable, unknown.

"Nice dress." The voice makes me jump and I turn to see Katniss Everdeen standing at an open door, her arms folder across her dress as she wears a simple yellow skirt and white shirt.

"Thanks," I mumble, unsure of what to say. She shuts the door behind her as she moves in further to the room, something odd about her.

"What District are you hoping for?" The question seems innocent enough but the look in her eyes tells me I should be wary,

"One or Four."  Katniss merely laughed and I could feel myself scowling, just as Flavia burst out carring a pair of simple, light blue heels.

"Got them," she breathed. "Oh Katniss, you shouldn't be here. I think Paylor wanted you and Peeta in the meeting's room." I know Peeta, Peeta Mellark. He was the reason I stuck with the Games last year - he had the innocence about him, the charming rapour that made me want to make sure he won

. "Fine, I'll see you later." And with that she turned on her heel, her footsteps echoing around me as I saw the back of her shirt untucked - much like a duck tail.

Stay with me little duck, please!

****

  All of us are lined up backstage and I can feel my heart pounding. Out there, everyone could hate us, they could want us dead and we'd just prance about on stage like puppets. Interview One will be longer than the next because this is the one where desicions must be made and every district has thourough questions. I notice Viola walking around in a little pink thing, flowers splattered her and there but it reminds me of old curtain material.

"Making a statement?" I turn to see Phoenix standing in front of me, his skin is almost glowing under his dark and prestine suit - like nothing the Capitol would have ever seen.

"Why- why do you ask?" He merely points to me dress as if I'm an idiot and waits for me to speak.

"Never mind," he sighs as a loud buzzer rings. Three guards walk in carrying guns and I immediately feel panic as they hurdle us into alphabetical order and file us onto the stage. I can't see anyone, they're all hidden behind bright lights and flashes but the stage is huge. The chairs line along the outside of the semi-circle with two sitting in the middle. Cameras are hoited high above us on large cranes and I can see a large screen, showing all of us scurrying to our seats. Is this what other tributes felt like? Did they feel this confused? This scared? This weak?  Suddenly there is a roar of applause as we are hushed and Caesar walks out on stage. I turn away as the camera runs past all of us and see Annie taking a seat in a special mentor box, she smile at me incouragingly but I don't smile back, all I can think of is how much she hates me.