Arrows in the Dark

The First Day

After Peeta and I reintroduced ourselves we were swamped by our teams. Literally. He shook my hand, that goofy grin on his face of pure satisfaction, and they appeared. Scrambling through my backdoor and i swear they seemed to climb out the windows. The untouched snow got kicked up and I felt some find its way to the soles of my boots. We were rushed into opposite directions. Peeta with Portia went back to his home and Cinna and I stayed at mine. My parents were there as well. "Oh honey! You're going to be leaving again soon." my mother cried out. Was she crying already?

"Mom you'll see me on TV." i replied as my team pushed me into the bathroom and locked the door. I felt like i was back in the Games. Well before the Games. They had to re-remove all the hair on my body that grew back. Every inch of it from my legs to my arms and my eyebrows.

"Oh Catora you really should do something about all this." Venia cried out as i winced in pain at the ripping sound. I didn't reply. I didn't know what to say. I was still thinking of Peeta.

"This Victory Tour is going to be so lovely!" Octavia beams proudly as she runs her long fingers through my hair.

"They left this alone right Catora, my dear?" Flavius asks pointing to the messy locks.

"Yes. Nobody's cut it. It didn't need it anyway." i shrug my shoulders while he smiles happily.

"Good. We specifically wanted your hair left alone. Ok! Shall we get started." they begin to fix every little thing about my appearance while i sit and stare at the mirror. They talk around me about the Quarter Quell and this years Victory Tour.

"It'll be so invigorating!"

"Nothing we've ever seen!"

"Two Victors on this tour how exciting!"

All idiotic babble. The Quarter Quell. They occur every twenty-five years. As an added twist to our misery something "special" happens. The last one that occurred was not only the year that Haymitch won but the year that twice as many tributes were placed into the games. Back when i had school they didn't talk about it much. It made me wonder what happened and how Haymitch had actually won that year.

"Haymitch is going to be the talk of the town!" Venia squealed.

"And to think we've met him." Octavia replied with just as much excitement. I rolled my eyes. Haymitch was nothing special. He was drunk, old and cynical. I hope to be like him when I'm older. I think I'm halfway there. My parents get showered with praises and compliments once we emerge from the bathroom. They compliment them on doing such a good job with me, how I was raised very properly, with manners and everything. Their compliments seem to shock my parents who stammer out thank yous a bit flustered. My hair is getting pulled by its roots and tugged back into the signature braid everyone knows and loves. I wince as Venia pulls just a little too hard on the strands.

As we head down the stairs my stylists annoying chatter never ceases. Rolling my eyes and scowling I plant my feet on the landing and hear a commotion in the living room. I glide towards it and push open the doors to find a team of people preparing to interview me on my talent. The thing you pick up after the games to keep you busy.

With all my running around, arguing with Peeta, and drinking I didn't have much time to figure out what mine would be. Sure there was that gap of four months where I hardly left my house and didn't speak to a single soul but it's hard to concentrate on picking something up if you have a lot on your mind. Peeta already had a talent. Painting, drawing, sketching. Just anything artistic he was good at. I was a little jealous. Back when I was searching for a talent and they suggested drawing I tried, really hard, to make my drawing something that could compare to Peeta's. Eventually I decided that wasn't something I could do. Effie, Cinna and my parents suggested a lot of things to me. From cooking, to singing, candle making. We were running out of ideas.