The Boy With The Bread- By Peeta

Chapter 6 - The Opening Ceremony

A few hours later, after a fitting for my outfit and a talk with Portia, I am dressed in what I am told will be the costume of the decade. I'm in a simple black unitard that covers me from my neck down to my ankles. I wear a fluttering cape that is the centerpiece of this outfit. Streaks of bright orange, yellow and red glow on the cape. Portia and Cinna are planning to set it on fire, just before I make my grand entrance.

I sit on a comfortable chair in a side room and Portia comes in to make the final adjustments to my outfit. I pull on a pair of sturdy, leather boots and tie the laces nice and tight. "Ok." starts Portia. "Remember: It isn't real fire, it just looks like one. You'll be perfectly safe." A million words cross my mind. Fire. Safe. Burnt. Crowds. President Snow. Fox. Flames.The list goes on and on. Althea and Eunice (another member of my prep team) come in and check that I look presentable. Eunice has green hair flowing down her back and has a yellow flower secured on the side. She is wearing a lot of makeup and a green skirt and white blouse. She has tatoos of flowers uo her left arm.Her dress sense is... well, different. She has a love for flowers."Wait." she says. As she opens a round pot and she smears something greasy onto my face. Then my team take a step back. "Perfect!" smiles Althea. My makeup is minimal apart from some streaks of red on my eyelids.

I am whisked away to the bottom level of the Remake Centre. The ceremonies are about to start! Katniss and I are bundled into a coal black chariot that will be guided by four horses as black as the midnight sky. Portia makes a great deal of arranging my cape so that it 'sits' in the correct way. Katniss taps me on the shoulder and I turn to her. "What do you think about the fire?" she whispers nervously.

"I'll rip of you cape if you'll rip off mine." I sigh. The quicker, the better. She nods. I start to wonder where Haymitch has got to. Probably not wise to have him near an open flame, considering the amount of alcohol he drinks!

The opening music begins and I stand up straight in the chariot. I take in the people and the buildings around me. The ride lasts for about twenty minutes and we end up in the City Circle, where the officials and President Snow will greet us and then we will be taken away to the Training Centre where we will live until the start if the games. Ok, here we go. It's time. When the tributes from eleven are just about to present themselves, Portia comes up to me with a lighted torch that is glowing orange. Before I can even object to this crazy idea, dancing flames of red, orange, and yellow rise up around me. "Good luck!" she shouts over the roar of the crowd, and then we're off. "Katniss! Portia said it would be good if we held hands." I take her right hand, and I see Portia wave madly and start to nod. We take off in our chariot to the sound of cheers from the crowd. The shouts are deafening. We race through the crowds of people who are chanting my name. Our name. I grip Katniss' had tightly as we race in our powerful chariot. I glance up at the huge screens and take in our appearance. We are breathtaking. Magical. Something that has never been done before. A spectacle that can only be thought of by the very best of the best. Katniss's grip loosens but I never want to let go of her. "No. Hold on Katniss, or I might just fall out of this thing!" She holds on to my hand and I instantly feel better. We glide in our chariot into the City Circle where the other tributes are gathering aswell. I can feel their eyes boring into us like lazors as our flames dance and flicker in the mystical twilight. The horses pull us into the circle in front of President Snow's mansion. The loud music ends with a flourish. As far as I can see are clumps of Capitol people 'smartly' dressed in their brightly coloured clothes. With their fancy hairstyles and their faces painted in vibrant colours- they have obviously made an effort for the occassion. President Snow then gives his official welcome from the balcony. Its been decorated with red roses.Then our chariot starts moving again. We parade around the circle one final time and I wave to the thousands of people who have gathered. I have never heard a louder cheer in all of my life.

Then the doors open and we are whisked into the Training Centre. We have barely stepped through the doors when we are hit by a babble of praise. Effie is chatting to Althea and I can hear them praising our amazing performance. Portia, Eunice, and Cinna hurry over and carefully remove our glowing capes. "Come on!" says Eunice. "The after party!" I grin at Katnis. Obviously my prep team have made a huge effort to look their best. They lead the way, and we are taken into a large room where there is a table full of food and a beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There are silver balloons floating in the air. I chat to Effie for a while, occassionaly grabbing some food from the table. Portia comes over and hugs me. "I'm so proud! That was a sensational performance!" She is speaking in a squeaky voice and there are tears in her eyes. Althea comes over to congratulate me and Katniss. "Well done!" she smiles. "You did excellent out there! I'm so proud!" Grey is nowhere to seen.

Katniss and I share a secret smile. Our prep teams and Effie and Haymitch are chatting and sipping champagne, and picking at the food on the table. "Thanks for holding on too me out there Katniss." I say. "I was getting kind of shaky!"

"That's ok." she smiles and reaches up and kisses me on the cheek.