Let the 25th Hunger Games Begin

Tributes and Chariots

I expected to walk into a building. Instead I walked into heaven. It was a large  20 meter tall cylander with eight balconies overlooking the ground level wheer we stood. The walls were large, smooth grey blocks. On one wall was a glass/tube thingy. The first balcony was split into 12 areas- the bedrooms for the tributes. But there was one thing puzzling me-hanging on the ground level wall, under each section, was a long banner.

I gaze at the first, royal blue banner. On it was a golden fountain spitting out gleaming blue water, surrounded by flowers. Dirstrict 1. My throat goes tight and I stop breathing. I look at the second. It's shiny orange material had two silver guns crossed over each other. District 2. The third, a grey background with black cogs. District 3. On the fourth was a mix of light blue and yellow merging, a golden trident in the center. District Four. I spin my head slowly around. District Five. District Six. District Seven. District Eight. District Nine. District Ten. District Eleven. District Twelve. All of the Districts' banners in front of me. I stare at the ninth. The crison red banner was lined with gold, yellow and orange swirls. A golden thread and needle sat in the center. District Eight. My home. My heart races with anger. I remember years ago. When me and my family were forced to make these banners when the old ones turned grey. Screamed at for being late. Whipped for each needle out of place. These banners were my last physical connection to my parents and brother. To Eight.

'Abigail, this way!' Mercilli's high pitched voice squeals. 'I just love this part!' Confused and still in a daze, I follow them over to the glass tube. With the push of a button, the doors open and I am guided into it. Keil shoots me a worried glance, which I return. Suddenly I feel a tug upwards, and the box moves up. I grip tightly onto the golden rail and look down, the ground getting smaller and smaller. We slowly pull to a stop and the doors open. Mercilli guides us through the brightly lit hallway, Opal getting annoyed at his constant cheers. We pass doors the colour of the Districts, until we reach a crimson coloured one.

'Here it is! You are going to LOVE it!' Mercilli tells us. He opens the door and I once again enter heaven. The marble floor lead to a T shaped hallway with staris at the top and both sides. I look at the stairs to the left and into that area. It has glass windows viewing the Capitol with a plush couch, undoubtedly made from District 1. There was a long, glass table against the wall with a hologram. I recognize it from the Market when we watch the Games. I then look at the stairs leading to the right. Instead of a living area, it lead to a hallway with five doors. Probably our bedrooms and the bathroom. They were locked each night to prevent Tributes attacking people. I would explore them later. I tehn stepped into the dining room. The walls were completley mad of glass, with a long gold  couch with no back against it. A table was covered in deep red table cloth, and both sides of the room had fake garden beds with one gold-painted tree and fine grass.

Mercilli clapped his hands and woke me from my daze. 'Lunchtime!' Three Avoxes, two boys and a girl entered with tomato sauce covered pasta dishes, which is strange for a lunch. But then again, this is the Capitol. I've only had pasta once in my life, but at one point in my life I basically lived off of tomatos when my other crops failed. Keil jumps into his chair and immediatley digs in. We all take our seats and begin the meal.

'Now, after lunch you will meet your stylists, Rellia and Geff. They will take around five hours to work on you. So after that it will be 6pm, and after dinner we will go to the Chariots and on show at 7 on the dot.' He blabs, drinking some deep blue wine.

'You must act confident and strong- but act independantly.' Opal says, eyeing me. I nod in response. 'Since District Eight is textiles, it was easy for them to design outfits for you both.'

'One year they dressed them up like Echidnas- needles poking out of their thick gold costumes!' Mercilli laughs. I shudder. What would they dress me in? I hoped that it wouldn't match, but it would have to. The second we finished out meals, we were rushed out of the hallway and up another level into a surgical like floor. I am greeted by a yellow haired sparkly woman, who must be Rellia. She leads we away from Keil and into a bright, white room.