Playing Games

Chapter Four Opening Ceramony

Off the train I am thrust into the hands of my prep team. After quick introductions they get to work.

They treat me like I'm a doll they can manipulate any way they want. It takes me a minute but I realize that they can and that is exactly what I am.

They pluck, wax, scrub, pull, buff and tug on every inch of my body. My body is tingling with an ache all over my skin from their efforts.

It feels like I have been there for days when they finally say I am done and hand me a robe to put on and lead me to wait for Cinna.

I sit with Cinna and we talk. I'm surprised to find that I like him. We talk about everything, and eventually the opening ceremony.

For the opening ceremony all tributes wear outfits that reflect their districts. District  four fishing, district 7 lumber, distric 11 agriculture. 

"So, I'll be in a coal miner outfit?" I ask

"Not exactly. You see, Portia and I think the coal miner thing's very overdone. No one will remember you in that. And we both see it as our job to make the Distric Twelve tributes unforgettable," Say Cinna, "So rather than focus on the coal mining itself, we're going to focus on the coal."

I sigh, remembering the tributes from a previous year naked, and covered with black dust.

"And what do we do with coal? We burn it," Cinna continues, "Your not afraid of fire are you, Katniss?"

A few hours later I am dressed in what will either be the most sensational or deadliest costume in the opening ceremonies. I'm in a simple black unitard that covers me from ankle to neck. Shiny leather boots lace up to my knees. But it's the fluttering cape mmade of streams of orange, yellow, and red and the matching head piece that define the costume. Cinna plans to light them on fire just before our chariot rolls into the streets. 

"It's not real flame of course, just a little synthetic fire Portia and I came up with. You'll be perfectly safe." Cinna reassures me. But I'm not convinces I won't be perfectly barbecures by the time we reach the cities center. 

Other than the outfit I look like myself. Only a little makeup and my hair braided like it usually is. Cinna says thats to make sure they recognize me in the games. 

Despite my decision to stay clear of Peeta, I'm actually relieved when he shows up, dressed in an identical costume. We're whisked down to the bottom level of the Remake Center, which is essentially a gigantic stable. The opening ceremonies are about to start. Pairs of tributes are being loaded into chariots pulled by four horses. Cinna and Portia direcut us into the chariot and carefully arrange our body positions, and the drape of our capes.

"What do you think?" I whisper to Peeta, "About the fire?"

"I'll rip off your cape if you'll rip off mine," he says through gritted teeth. 

"Deal," I say.  Maybe if we get them off soon enough we'll avoid the worst burns. "I know we promised Haymitch we'd do exactly what they said but I don't think he considered this angle."

"Where is Haymitch, anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing?" says Peeta.

"With all that alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to habe him around and open flame," I say but I'm thinking, where is he, he did promise to help us. I look around. 

Cinna appears with a lighted torch. "Here we go then," he says, and before we can react he sets our capes on fire. I gasp, waiting for the heat but there is only a faint tickling sensation. Cinna climbs up before us and ignites out head pieces. He lets out a sigh of relief, "It works."Then he gently tucks a hand under my chin. "Remember, heads high, and smiles, they are going to love you!"

Cinna jumps off the chariot and has one last idea. he shouts something up at us, but the music drowns him out. He shouts again and gestures. 

"Whats he saying?" I aks Peeta.

"I think he said for us to hold hands." Peeta says. He grabs his my right hand with his left and we look to Cinna for confirmation. He nodds and gives a thumbs up. Then we start moving. 

I don't see Haymitch until we start moving, he is all the way up near where district four's chariot was. He is talking to, two other victors. One of them I don't recognize, he is closer to Haymitchs age and I must have not seen his games. The other one I recognize as the heart throb of the Capitol, Finnick Odair. Hmm I wonder what he is doing. 

The crowd cheers and shouts when the see our costumes. Every head is turned our way looking and pointing at us. At first I'm frozen but then I catch a glimpse of us on the screen and I am floored by how breathtaking we look. I hear Cinnas voice in my head and lift my chin a bit higher, and smile. I wave with my free hand. As I gain confidence, I actually blow a few kisses to the crowd. The people of the Capitol are going nuts, showering us with flowers, and shouting our names. 

Cinna has given me a great advantage. No one will forget me. Not my look. Not my name. Katniss, The girl who was on fire. 

For the first time I start to feel a flicker of hope. With the help of a sponsor, some food and the right weapon, why should I count myself out of the Games?

We are pulled to the center of the city, right up to president snow's mansion. He welcomes the tributes. The darker it gets the harder it is to look away from out flames, and everyone is staring at us, even the camera crew. After we are all wheeled into the training center. 

I notice a lof of the other tributes are shooting us dirty looks, which confirms what I've suspected, we;ve literally outshone them all. Portia helps us down and extinguishes our flames. 

I realize I'm still holding onto Peeta and force my stiff fingers to open. We both massage our hands.

"Thanks for keeping hold of me. I was getting a little shaky there," says Peeta.

"It didn;t show, I'm sure no one noticed." I tell him. I start to feel a little strange about the way Cinna has linked  us together. It;s not really fair to present us as a team and then lock us into the arena to kill each other. 

"I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you."  he says and then gives me a smile that seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unpected warmth rushes through me. 

Does he know? Of course he wouldn;t know, his mother would never have had told him. Dont be stupid I tell myself, the more likable he is, the more deadly he can be, getting me to trust him just to kill me. 

Haymitch starts walking toward us, hopefully to guide us to where we need to be. He is still talking to someone, Finnick Odair. I realize Finnick must be mentoring his own tributes now. 

We both start to speak as Haymitch approaches, but he cuts us off holding up his hand. "We will talk later, not now, now down here." he silences us. 

Finnick Odair is looking at me with beautiful green eyes and I can't help at smile at him. Every women in the Capitol swoons for him and I can;t help but notice why. I shake my head to clear it I won;t let him affect me, I won't be just another silly girl fawning over him. 

Haymitch sees my smile and is confused. He turns and sees Finnick standing there, I guess he expected him to go see his tributes. Haymitch clears his throat. 

Finnick slaps him on the back, "Just spending a little extra time with my friend," Finnick tells Haymitch. 

I laugh, "Haymitch I didn't know you were capable of having friends."

Haymitch glares at me, but Finnick laughs, "The girl on fire has some spark, does she?" he says with a smile. He leans towards me and says quietly, "You should wear flames more often, they suit you." and he walks away without a backward glance. I feel my face turn red.