If Crane Never Made The Call

On Fire

We walk down the hallway heading to where the tribute parade will be held. I'm wearing an all metallic black costume with a cape coming out the back and my hair is greased in the same way it was on reaping day. Reaping day, I think about standing there with the other boys, my name being called, my brother not volunteering and me hating him for not.

Before I know it we're at the end of the hall and Portia is pushing me inside the next room before I get a chance to see whats in the first one. As soon as I see Katniss wearing an exact matching outfit as me I know we're going to be matching all the time. The only thing different about her outfit is that her hair is in braids piled on her head. She makes a fake smile at me and turns back to her stylist.

Once we reach them Katniss's stylist, Cinna, explains how the flames work.

"They aren't real flames, they only look like real flames, they're actually lots of chemicals." He tells us. As the first chariot prepares to leave. "Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid." Katniss says with an expressionless face. Cinna lights the capes and I prepare for some form of heat to hit me, but non does. When I get over my fear of burning to death Cinna ushers me onto the chariot just as district 3 exits the room. The horses can gallop fast so we don't wait long. We're jerked forwards into the stadium filled with more kooky dressed people.

When we've been in there only 5 seconds our faces apear on screens all around the giant room. Citizens toss roses and coins onto the ground beneath us. I reach down to grab Katniss's hand but she pulls away.

"Come on, they'll love it." I tell her and she agrees. We link hands and throw them up in the air. As soon as we do that the crowd cheers louder than before. We make our way down aisle and come to a stop infront of President Snow. Snow stands on a small balcony above us all waving to people around the stadium.

"Welcome, welcome, tributes we welcome you and we salute your courage and sacrifice and we wish you a happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour."

As soon as Mr. Snow finishes his speech all the chariots pull backstage again. I hop off and look to see if my cape had burned off. When I see that it hasn't I turn to face Effie and the others.

"That was amazing!" Effie says enthusiastically.

"Nice job sweetheart." Haymitch says to Katniss. I look around the room to see that the tributes from district 2 are staring at us with 'I'm going to kill you' eyes. I get an unsettling feeling in my stomach knowing that we may have the career pack targeting us. "Let's go, shall we?"