The Candidate [A Hunger Games Story]

Chapter Eleven

The Remake Centre was the closest I'd felt to home in a long time. Much like the spas I used to visit in the Capitol, it had an almost clinical smell and was clean and sparse. It was calming after the hustle and bustle of trying to make it through the crowds once our train arrived. I even recognized one of my stylists from a networking event I'd attended, and her eyes widened as she saw me waiting for her in the Remake Centre. She was sporting a pink fringe tunic over a zebra print dress and black heel so high that she had two Avoxes helping her to walk. I suspected the Avoxes themselves were part of the fashion statement and I didn't approve one bit, but it was nice to see a familiar face. Her cheeks were defined with fuschia powder to match the tunic, but she'd let her silky black hair be natural; the only sensible fashion choice she'd managed to make.

"I knew it was you," she said with a gasp. "I saw your reaping and I swore I knew your face...no District girl has eyebrows as good as yours. It's Aurelia, right?"

"Yeah, that's me...I can't believe you remembered me!"

"It's good to see you again. I'm Gaia, in case you forgot!" She offered up her fruity Capitol laugh. "What's a Capitol girl doing in the Games?"

I struggled for an answer. "It's complicated."

Gaia tutted. "Well, we don't do complicated here, do we, darling? What's the point in Capitol living if we go on and make it hard." She shrugged with a sweet smile. "Well, finally, an easy job, at least! I'll just do your makeup directly before the Opening Ceremony and sort your hair out a little...I do have some bad news for you though..."

I put my hand to my heart. "Please don't say what I think you're going to say..."

Gaia looked at me sympathetically. "You'll definitely have heard about this earlier...the design team for District 10 have been out of action for weeks! Their designs are half finished. It's looking as though you'll have to wear something from a previous Hunger Games..."

I gritted my teeth. If Decimus and I showed up wearing old clothes, Venus would be sure to comment on it. It would like a social suidice. I didn't want that for Decimus, and I certainly didn't want that for myself. I had to do something about it. I took a deep breath.

"Give me the outfit they started on. I'll see what I can do with the time I have left."

Gaia's eyes widened. "But...but you only have a few hours before the Opening Ceremonies! You'll never finish it on time!"

"If I don't finish then at least we have the old outfits as a backup...but you know as well as I do that if I don't create something spectacular, then we'll be forgotten about." I grabbed Gaia's hand. "I know that you must be confused about why I'm here...but there are some things better left unsaid. If you want me to get out alive, I'm going to have to be the perfect tribute...starting now with the outfits. Do you think you can help me?"

Gaia hesitated for a moment. Then she nodded fervently.

"Like I said...you don't need much of a makeover. Let me take you to the costume department. There's some things in there you can use..."

Gaia disappeared for a while and when she returned, she had a black bag that seemed to be bursting with material. She had one of her Avoxes carry it and lay it all out in front of me. Deciumus had been given a shirt that was half finished with scraps of cowhide hanging from it with pins. I looked despairingly at the materials in front of me while Gaia stood close by, watching me. I threw my hands in the air.

"Cowhide? Really? It's so...crude! Why does no one ever think to use leather...it's such a classy material!"

"The budget for District 10 costumes is always low, Aurelia...it's an outlying District. No one expects anything good from them. Up until a few years ago, all they had were people from District 8 making shoddy costumes for them..."