The 50th Hunger Games, Second Quarter Quell

Chapter Four

Supper was held in a dining room of polished wood and panelled walls. The table was laden with dishes that Haymitch had dreamed of but had rarely eaten or never before eaten. Roast beef, a sausage casserole, soups, roast potatoes, gravy and vegetables. Then the desserts chocolate cake, creamy yellow custard and eclairs. Haymitch ate until he was bursting. They then had a drink (teas, coffees, sparkling waters). Haymitch ate mostly with a fork, he had no idea how to use the rest of the cutlery provided. Poppy and Clay ate with their fingers. Clay shovelled the food into his mouth while Claudia watched disapprovingly. Poppy did the same but with more hesitation, prodding the food before she ate. Maysilee was the best at eating. She was a little privileged, more so than the rest of the tributes. She cut her beef into dainty portions with her knife and fork. Her parents didn't earn much from the sweet shop but Maysilee's father worked in the mines. Haymitch knew Maysilee had a twin sister and wondered what it was like for them to be separated.

After supper, they all went to the comfy room again. A television was set up there so they could watch the Reapings from all the other districts. Four tributes per district so there was a lot to get through. Four volunteers from District Two and two volunteers from District One. An older boy volunteers in place for a younger boy in District Five. There are no more volunteers after that. Haymitch watched as the reaping from District Twelve took place. He watched himself walk up to the stage. He remembered how it happened hours ago when it seemed days ago. The cameras easily showed how scared he looked. Haymitch cursed that. The careers would see him as easily intimidated, as easy to kill.

After this, they all went to bed. None of them spoke apart from Claudia, only she had something positive to say. Even Crocas had nothing of encouragement to tell them. What could he say? Haymitch was just as bewildered as the others. He lay in his bed under the silk covers and thought.

The careers who had volunteered looked confident and scary. How the hell was he going to get them? He had a sudden thought that maybe he wouldn't have to, maybe nature would deal with them for him. Haymitch shuddered. He didn't want to think like that before he even entered the arena. Maybe even never. However as he shut his eyes, a voice in the back of his head said quietly, it's true though.

The next morning, after a dreamless sleep, Haymitch woke up and dressed again in new clothes. This time, khaki shorts and a dark blue shirt. He went to the dining car of the train where Claudia was up. She had got rid of all the blue today. Instead, she was dressed all in pink. Pink knee-high boots, pink stiff floaty out dress, pink hair of ringlets, pink lipstick, pink eyeshadow. Crocas was up too. He looked pale and needed a shave. He was slumped over a cup of coffee. Poppy was up at the far end of the table and Clay was opposite her. Once again they were eating with their hands. Clay's eyes kept speeding around the room, nervously.

Haymitch sat at the table between them. He started to help himself to pancakes and lathered it in syrup. He used a fork again.

"Good morning, Haymitch. How did you sleep?" Claudia asked in a too bright voice.

"Uncomfortably. I'm not used to sleeping in luxury." Haymitch's voice was clearly sarcastic but Claudia clearly wasn't used to sarcasm. She smiled wide.

"Fantastic! Well today, we arrive at the Capitol so eat up. Luxury at the Capitol doesn't end. Course, the wine could be a bit better tasting..." Clay scoffed quietly but Claudia still heard and her smile turned into ice. "Is there a problem, Clay?"

"Come back to me when you've spent every night sleeping on the floor just so your little sister has a bed to sleep in. My sister with illnesses that the Capitol can't afford to pay for. And yet, her name was still in the Reaping. But yet... The WINE could be better tasting." Claudia sniffed and picked up her cup of honey tea.

"I'll be at the front of the train if you need me." She then swept out of the room. Haymitch smirked. Good on Clay for standing up to her! Crocas had woken up. He reached across the table towards Clay.

"Best not make enemies of people in the Capitol, Clay. They'll be your sponsors when you're in the arena."

"The people who have the money to save my sister and give her the medicine she needs but won't?"

"If you win, you'll get the money to do it yourself," Crocas said. Maysilee came in at that exact moment and also helped herself to food.

"So when we go to the Tribute Center, what happens next?" Maysilee asked.

"First you'll go through the parade. This is a completely unnecessary show in front of the Capitol and of course, it's televised so everyone in the districts can see it too. President Snow will give a speech. The parade is all about showing off. You'll get a designer and they will primp you up and make you look nice. It seems unnecessary but this too is important to getting sponsors. Sponsors are what will keep you alive so make a show of it."

"I'm in this to win. Not to make a show." Clay muttered. Crocas heard and frowned at Clay.

"Well, then you'll lose. You'll be one of the first to lose. The Hunger Games is a show. A very popular one. So focus."

"What about training? And mentoring?"

"Normally, tributes get one mentor each. There's four of you and only one of me so training you together or in pairs will be easier than doing it individually. If you would prefer individual training, then you'll struggle to learn and I'll struggle to teach."

"Training?"

"You'll train together. Every tribute will train together. My advice is to not show your talents when training. Talking of which, what talents do you have?" All of the tributes looked blank. Even Haymitch. Haymitch tried to think. He had no talents. He was a little strong maybe but that wasn't exactly unique.

"Nothing?" Crocas groaned.

"We DON'T train for this. Unlike the careers." Maysilee pointed out.

"Everyone needs to have something. Looks like we'll have to work even harder." Crocas muttered.

"What about after that?" Haymitch asked.

"After you have trained, you'll do a show in front of the Gamemakers. They will mark you. This is critical and you must show anything you can do differently or well here but this intrigues the sponsors."

"Then the arena?"

 "The arena is different every time. Until you actually get in there, you won't know what you're up against. I'll explain more at the time. But do yourselves a favour and practise at every station when training," Crocas stood up. "We'll be at the Capitol soon. You scrub up well. Remember the Capitol is completely different to what you are used to. District Twelve do not appreciate the Hunger Games but the Capitol celebrate it. So put on a show. You are no longer from the Seam. You are tributes. You are the people the Capitol will love. Put on a show."