Safe and Sound || Hunger Games

Chapter Five - We Will Burn

Chapter Five - We Will Burn

I woke up to the most unwanted sound of Effie rapping loudly on my door, insisting that it was a 'big, big, big day!'. I groaned internally (in case Effie was to hear) and steadily got to my feet, my eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight streaming through the window. After stretching myself out, I changed back into the outfit I had picked out yesterday. I still hadn't removed my ribbon and I wasn't planning on doing so just yet, if not ever. It was my token, they weren't allowed to take it from me. If they were, I was going to be able to straight training myself on how to wrestle. All in good practice for the arena.

I slowly made my way to the dining car, where I am met by the eyes of Grayson and Haymitch. Haymitch orders me to sit down while Effie bustles about with her clipboard, insisting that I drink the freshly made coffee she had just made Grayson and I. I took a few sips. It was disgusting, but I figured I should have the decency to drink it.

Haymitch took another swig of whatever liquor he had in his bottle and Grayson started to nibble on his plate of food, which consisted on toast coated with a chocolaty looking substance. Grayson saw me staring at his toast, so he pushed a piece towards me and on to my plate. I would have refused, but it looked so good and plus, it was already on my plate. It was as good as it looked. The brown stuff was practically chocolate made into some sort of spread. Mixed with the toast, it was like heaven for breakfast...and I wasn't being over dramatic.

Grayson and I continued sharing our pieces of toast with the chocolate spread, which seemed to make Effie a little bit teary eyed, seeing as we would be fighting each other to the death in a few days. I would rather not have thought about it and so I enjoyed my toast while it was still here.

Only once Effie had declared that we had had enough toast for a life time, did Grayson and I start on the other breakfast delicacies, eating until we could literally eat no more. That was when Haymitch started looking at the pair of us, as if he was analysing us, sizing us up.

"You two look a bit scrawny this year. Oh well, once your stylists have got a hold on the two of you, you'll both look like flickering, flaming fighters." He said aloud. Grayson exchanged a look with me, as if suggesting that we should run away now, "But you two have still got a lot of work to do if you are to get far through these Games. We are arriving at the Capitol station very shortly. I want you both on your best behaviour when you are on camera and when you are with your stylists. Got that? Good. No arguments, just let them do whatever they are doing. They know their stuff."

With those last words, Haymitch walked (or rather, staggered) out of the car, leaving us in the hands of Effie. But she was soon gone, reminding us to smile and wave. The train slowed down and the view outside the window had caused Grayson's jaw to drop slightly. I turned around and went a little wide eyed too, when I saw that the cameras hadn't edited anything to do with the Capitol. We both scurried over to the window and gawked at the view on the other side of the glass. The buildings were a range of colours and were larger than the Justice Building back at home. The houses in District 12 looked like mere garden sheds to the sheer palace-like homes of the people of the Capitol. The citizens dressed in odd outfits, wigs and body colours. The one thing about the Capitol that actually made me jealous, on the other hand, was how well fed each of the people looked. None of them seemed to have missed a meal. They were all healthy, every one of them.

Eventually, some of the citizens began to recognise the tribute train slowing down into the station, and began to point eagerly and excitedly. It was awful of them to be excited over the fact they were going to watch us all suffer, but I followed Effie's words and waved and smiled weakly. Grayson wasn't exactly beaming either, but he was trying his best not to look scared.