The 37th Hunger Games: The Beauty of a Pearl

Chapter Six

Damian, Seraphima, Nadia, Nathaniel and I pile into an elevator heading to the floor we will be living on. I've never been on an elevator before and the sensation of falling but also drifting upwards at the same time startles me. When the elevator stops the doors roll open to reveal a modern and elegant apartment. We step out of the elevator and Seraphima leads us, showing us around. I run my hand over the furniture as I walk, looking around in awe. I spot people standing in the corners of the rooms, hands behind their backs and eyes staring off in the distance. My father told me about these people once. Avoxes, people that have had their tongues cut off in punishment. I look away, feeling uncomfortable. What would that feel like? I shudder secretly and push that thought away. After taking a look at everything we head back to the living room, sitting on the expensive couches. 

"The Opening Ceremony will be tonight, and I can't tell you just how important it will be." Damian tells us, getting straight to business.  "This is the first time most people in the Capitol will get to see you. Your costumes are being organized by your stylists so all of the hard work has been done for you. You just need to stand in the chariot and be nice to the crowds. I want you to make it look like you have a strong connection between the two of you. Just do your best to look happy, and act like you are in love with The Capitol." 

 It all seems pretty straightforward, but I know I have to do something to make myself memorable. Once Damian has finished informing us about the Opening Ceremony we are free to go so I head to my room. I sit down on the bed, feeling the soft fabric of the blankets beneath me. I lie down on the bed, feeling strangely tired. I notice a small remote on my bedside table so I pick it up and hold it in my hands. The screen is blank and I don't see any buttons so I touch it and the screen lights up, the brightness hurting my eyes. I see that this remote controls everything in my room, from the lights to the heating. I mess around with the different settings and find that there are speakers hidden in the room. I set them to play sounds of crashing waves and I put the remote back on the table, getting comfortable and lying down. Closing my eyes and listening to the sound of home, I find myself drifting off into sleep.

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"Wake up sleepy-head it's time for dinner."

I slowly peel my eyes open and laugh as I see Damian's face stuck right in front of mine. I push him away and yawn as I sit up. 

"Might wanna do something about that hair." Damian says as he looks me up and down.

"Shut up." I say as I nudge his arm playfully.

Damian laughs and walks towards the door while I stand up and grab a hair brush, running it through my hair. When I finish we walk out together and sit next to eachother at the table. I don't get the urge to shove a fork into his eye, so it's an improvement. The Avoxes bring us our dinner in three courses. A fig salad for an entree, salmon with rice and asparagus puree as a main meal and a small round cheesecake topped with berries for dessert. By the end of the meal my stomach feels weighted down as I'm not used to such rich food, but I savour everything right down to the very last berry on my cheesecake. But I don't have much spare time to enjoy my food because we have to get ready for the Opening Ceremony which will be begin in just little over an hour. Everyone rushes to their rooms to tidy themselves up before we all gather in the elevator and make our way down.

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The elevator doors open and the four of us step out, finding the place filled with the other tributes and their stylists. The Opening Ceremony is in half an hour and people are rushing around frantically, making any last minute touches to their outfits. As we walk over to our stylists I look around, admiring some of the costumes. The stylists try to choose outfits that represent the tribute's district in someway, and most of them are quite interesting, but some are not the bset. I see the tributes from 10 dressed as cows...needless to say it doesn't look great. I hope to god that my stylist has some common sense. I spot Acaccia as well as Nathaniel's stylist through the crowd, Acaccia standing out with the giant bow that sits on the back of her head. We walk over and Acaccia beams as she entwines her arm around mine and walks off with me.