The Boy With The Bread- By Peeta

Chapter 7 - The First Night at the Training Centre

Please read and VOTE and COMMENT! It mean ALOT when you guys tell me what you think! XXXX

The Training Centre is a large building set in the City Circle. There is special accommodation for the tributes. When the party has finished, Effie leads the way into a grand foyer. There are three, plush green couches set around a circular table and the floor is gleaming marble. A white grand piano is tucked away in the corner next to a desk where there is a receptionist tapping on a keyboard and gabbling away on her phone. She is wearing pink glasses and has pink hair tied into a neat style.

Effie starts explaining about are chosen floor. “Ok. Every district is allocated a floor. Since you are in 12, you will be in the penthouse!” Haymitch just grunts approvingly. The elevator doors clunk open and we all bundle inside. Effie presses some buttons on a keypad, and we shoot up to the top floor. The elevator comes to a halt and we are thrown out. We are shown to our rooms. I am so tired that I crash out onto my bed without undressing.

The next day, a wake to someone gently knocking on my door. I sleepily walk over to it and unlock it. “Good afternoon Peeta! Today you can relax a bit. You know you have slept through breakfast and lunch! You can explore a bit if you want to, get showered and dressed. I’ll call you for dinner!” With that she slams the door shut. I was too tired to look around my quarters last night so I decide to take a look. They are larger than our entire house and bakery put together. I decide that I should take a shower as my face makeup has smudged in the night. The shower alone has more than hundred options you can choose: the temperature of the water, the scent of the shampoo, pressure, soaps, scented oils, sponges. I surely won’t have time to press every button. I decide to go for a warmish water temperature and choose a soap that smells like cinnamon as it reminds me of winter at home in the bakery. When I eventually step out of the shower, four heaters blow dry me. It feels nice. I go across to the wardrobe that is filled with different outfits for different occasions. I take a simple pair of shorts from their hanger and take out a simple, orange t-shirt. I look out of the window for a while, and eat some warm bread and then Effie is telling me to come to dinner. 

She leads me to a large dining room where Portia, Cinna and to my disgust, Haymitch, are going to join us. Although I do give him credit, as he seems to have scrubbed up well. He’s clean and groomed, and his sipping his wine and chatting to Cinna. Katniss has appeared and takes her seat to the right of me. A young looking man in a white tux and a black bow tie offers me some wine. “Thank you.” I say politely. He just nods silently. Effie offers nothing but praise to the stylists. For starters is a creamy chicken soup with crusty bread rolls and butter. Then roast beef, with mashed potatoes and an array of vegetables. The servers move silently back and forth making sure our plates are full. They serve us wine and glasses of water inbetween courses. We all clap, as the server sets a beautiful cake on the table and lights it, causing it to flicker and glow with small flames. Katniss is staring intently at the girl. “What makes it burn so beautifully? Is it the alcohol? Hey! I know you!” I nearly choke on my water. The girl looks frail with her deep red, straight hair and her grey eyes and porcelain white skin. The adults look at her in confusion. “Don’t be ridiculous Katniss!” Effie pipes. “This is an avox! How could you possibly know her?” Effie is growing angry and shakes her head. Katniss asks Effie what an avox is, whilst the others go silent. I know what an avox is. Fox told me. Goodness knows how he found out. Haymitch is the one who answers he question. “Someone who has committed a crime. They cut her tongue- she can't speak. Probably a traitor of some sort. Even if you did now her, you’re not to speak to one. Only to give orders. You can’t possibly know her Katniss.” Katniss starts to shake and is going white and sips her water quietly. I help her out. “That’s it!” I say, slamming my glass down on the table. “She looks just like Delly Cartwright!” Only she doesn’t. Delly has pasty skin, and always has a smile and a friendly glow. She's in my class at school. She has yellowy hair and looks nothing like this Avox girl. Katniss gratefully takes the hint. “Yes of course! It must be the hair! They could be twins!”

The tension relaxes. We head into a living room to watch replays of the opening ceremonies, whilst Portia starts talking about how the cake burns and the flames. "Well, you certainly made an impression!" says Cinna. I smile at him. Then, I eat my cake -which tastes delicious!- and drink up my wine. I zone out of the conversation until Haymitch starts to speak. “Tomorrow. Eight thirty. Meet me in here for breakfast. It’s your first training session. Don’t be late.” He excuses us from the table whilst the adults talk about the Games, and I can hear them laughing and joking. 

Katniss and I walk down the corridor until we stop outside her room. “Do you want to talk?” I say. 

“Ok.” she replies softly. “I could use someone to talk to right now.”

“Out here.” I say, and she follows me eagerly. It’s a balcony that Cinna told me about this morning. I push open the door and look over my shoulder, just to be sure. We climb the set of steps up to the roof. The cool, night air brushes against my face. We walk slowly over to a railing where I can see twinkling lights for miles. Can I see District 12? It's preobably bed time back at home. I see the cars rolling along the streets below us, and hear the shouts of the people below. They are all staggering along, probably to some fancy bar. “You could jump right off the edge couldn’t you?” says Katniss. “Escape this whole torture. Make a plan. Just run.”

“No. You can’t. Cinna said." I say. knowingly.

“What’d he say?” she says.

“Well there’s some kind of electric field that throws you back. Watch.” I take a small stone off the floor and throw it into the seemingly empty space. We both duck as it hurtles back onto the balcony, and hits the far wall, then landing on the ground.

“Ouch!” she smiles.

“Look at this.” I say, leading her into a beautiful garden that’s decorated with potted trees, and shrubs of every colour. There are a hundred or so wind chimes, dancing in the breeze. “Peeta. It's beautiful. Can anyone hear us up here?” Katniss says.

“I don’t think so. It’s ok. Just go slowly.” She nods.

“Well, we were hunting in the woods one day. Hidden amongst the trees. Waiting for the game to show up.”

“Was this your father?” I say calmly.

“No.” she says sadly. a tear escaping her eye. “My friend Gale. The birds stopped singing, the trees whispered and blew fiercely. Then we saw her. It was that girl Peeta. Believe me, it was.”

“I believe you Katniss.”

“There was a boy with her. He looked tired, and his clothes were tattered. Same with the girl. They were running, holding onto one another. The hovercraft appeared. The Capitol hovercraft. It was theirs Peeta. Their hovercraft. A net dropped down and carried the girl upwards. They shot the boy with a spear. They took him aswell. He was dead. The girl screamed, I think it was the boy’s name, but I couldn't be sure. Then it was gone and the birds sung their songs again as if nothing had ever happened.”

“Did they see you?” I whisper.

“We were hidden under a shelf of rock, but the girl’s eyes locked on mine. Just for a moment, even though it was dark. I should have helped her. And here I am now, getting pampered and looked after- by her. The way she must feel now. She probably can't wait to watch me die in the arena.” 

“Oh Katniss. It couldn’t be helped. It’s ok.” I can feel her shivering and drape my jacket around her shoulders. “Come on, it’s getting cold- we better go in.” We slowly walk indoors. “Your friend Gale. He took Prim away at the reaping? Is that right?” 

She gives a small nod. “Yeah. Do you know him?”

“Not really. I see him sometimes in school. Not much though."

"You know your father came to say goodbye to me. He gave me cookies.”

“Oh.” This is a surprise. “He likes you and Prim you know. He... knew your mother. When they were kids you know. I think they both grew up in town.” 

“Yes I think that’s true.” she says quietly, handing me my jacket. “Thanks Peeta.” 

“See you tomorrow. Eight thirty. Night Katniss” I smile.