Soon, we are ushered to a red pick-up truck in the gravel road just behind the Justice Building. I try to stay as close as possible to Gale as I possibly can. He is the only one I trust now. The only one. Effie tries to get in before me just so she could sit between us. No, like I said, unseperable. He has always been there for me when Katniss wasn't so, I won't let him leave my side. Effie starts to tell us how we're in for a special treat and that we won't have it for long, well, as you can tell, she has no hope in us. But we will win. For Katniss. Well, I'll try. And for mom. Hot tears roll down my cheek at my saddening thoughts. I block Effie out, and listen to the crackling of the rocks under rubber tires of the pick-up.
Then, we leave the truck and transfer to the train. Effie tries to hurry us in but at first sight of the handlebars I was glorified by the shimmering beauty. When I unexpectedly stop, Gale whispers, "It's okay kiddo, keep on with the walkin'." So I walk. Slowering the pace to savor the glory. I seat myself and make myself comfort in the left chair of the pair facing the door we came in. Gale sits next to me. Effie sits across. "Well," she says and clears her throat. "you must meet Haymitch he might be in the bar car. I'll go get him." She hoists herself from the chair and leaves the room. I turn to Gale.
"It's going to be okay, Prim," he says. "I'll take care of you. Every step of the way." I nod.
"Oh Katniss..." I murmur.
"It's okay," he says. "It was my fault. I was distracting her accidently." I nod again. "Then, it was too late. I took his spot for you. And for Katniss. So you could see her again."
"What about y-?" I stop when a drunken man wanders into the room. He goes to the drinks in the corner and lifts a container lid.
"Where's the ice?" he slurrs. We don't resond. "Well?"
"Uh..." Gale wonders. The man slams down the lid. He wanders to the chair in front of us where Effie was just sitting.
"I can't get crap around here!" he yells. His suit is in very bad shape. And he's barefoot. His shoulder-length blonde hair is matted.We sit in silence. They do, I sit in discomfort. I reach to touch my pin then the drunken man yells out. "What a cute little button little girl. You know... usually you tributes arn't so quiet about this time. It's usually 'Can you keep us alive until the end of the games?' I'll answer no of course. You know... I'll just go to my room since none of you two talk much." He gets up
"Can you?" I ask quietly. He stops half way/
"Speak up! My drunken ears can't hear you sweetheart!"
"Can you help us! Just help!"
"Here," he slurrs. "just stay alive. You'll be fine."
I've been wandering around this car for a while hiding places and taking a nap. Until Effie finds me with my knees propped up on the chair tucked into my chest and say that it's about time to go to sleep. So she leads me to my room and I just put the bedspead on me and sleep.
That morning I see Haymitch talking to Gale about the survival skills. Do's and don'ts. Meanwhile, Effie does her nails. I sit down with Gale and Haymitch. I try to reach for a biscuit but Gale looks at me. No. No biscuit. Probably because I shouldn't be eating while District 12 can't. My blonde messy braids stick to my dress. I lay back. "So that's why you shouldn't light a fire. Especially not at day or darkest night. Evening so the smoke can blend with the purple sky." Gale nods in agreement. The train screeches to a sudden stop. I run to look out the window.
"We're here," I say terrified. When we get off they take up to a building and inside it looks like a hostpital. But no it isn't. It's where they make you look clean. Oh, how I wonder what I'll look like really really clean. The undress me and put a paper-like cover dress on me and I lay down on a metal gurdy like table. What are they? But they rinse me with hoses and put hot wax on me and tear the paper off. It's very painful. But only lasts a minute and fades to a sore. They tweet my eyebrows and they tweeze much. Also very painful. Then, they take me to a man named Cinna, who will design my costume. I ask questions like always no answers.
He enters the room long later. Before he entered I was trying to bare the cold metal in the a/ced room while laying on the body sized table. I gave up and slept. Making it now warm. I awaken at his arrival.
"Hello," he greets me. He extends his right hand. I take it and I shake. From what your friend Gale has told me, you have an older sister... who is quite a shooter."
"Uh... yeah," I respond moments later. "But I don't want to talk about it." I rub my right arm with my left hand.
"I completely understand," he says with a crooked smile. "Let's get to work, Hon. The tribute parade is tonight." I nod.
"Let's get to work." I smile shyly.
