100th Hunger Games

Chapter 24

Hazel Rose's POV: (District Twelve)

I glare at the lampshade over my head and growl in annoyance, mentally cursing my idiotic stylist. I can't see anything as my chariot rolls out of the training center. I can hear quite a few Capitol citizens laughing, though I'm not sure if they're laughing at me or the girl from District Nine dressed as a loaf of bread behind me that I managed to catch a glimpse of before my stylist Brynn shoved this lampshade over my face.

I let out a sigh and tell myself that they won't be laughing once the mini games begin. They'll see that I'm not just some silly girl dressed as a lamp, I'm a survivor. My father used to teach me how to use a knife and occasionally a pickax as he claimed it was unfair that the children in the career Districts were trained from a young age to fight in the games.

The chariot comes to a stop so I assume that we've reached the city center where President Snow is to give her speech for this round of the mini games. I can't stand the lampshade anymore so I pull it off, keeping a scowl on my face as I place it at my feet in the bottom of the chariot.

"Welcome tributes to the second installment of the 75th Annual Hunger Games! You have watched the games thus far and I'm sure you know by now that only four of you will come out alive to fight in the full games. We thank you for your sacrifice and wish that the odds may be ever in your favor." The President smiles down at us all and just like that, it's over.

The chariots begin to move again and I reluctantly put the lampshade back on my head. We circle back around and re-enter the training center to meet back up with our escort and stylists. Brynn, my stylist, pulls the shade from my head once again and frowns at me.

"Why didn't you leave it on?" She asks, narrowing her eyes. 

"It was annoying and I wanted to be able to see the President." I roll my eyes. "Please, don't dress me as a lamp, candle, fireplace, or anything of the sort for the interviews."

With that, I march away from her to gather around Frostine with the other tributes from twelve. She leads us into the elevator and we ride all the way up to the twelfth floor.

"Dinner will be served in an hour, be back here then." Frostine instructs after showing each of us to our rooms.

I nod lazily and shut the door behind me as I walk into the room I have been assigned to. It's almost as large as the shop we live in in the town square back home in twelve. There's a large bed in the middle that I will have all to myself, a floor to ceiling window that takes up one entire wall, and a tall wardrobe that I can program to my taste. The thing I'm most excited about however, is the glass shower that has more buttons than I could ever push in a lifetime. We don't take showers in twelve, and if we take a bath we have to boil the water ourselves when warm water is available here at the push of a button.

I peel the skin tight costume off of my body and jump into the shower. The warm water is heavenly and I end up pressing a button that pours lilac scented foam over me that I enjoy immensely. As I step out of the shower, warm air blows up through the mat and dries me off. I program the wardrobe for a soft blue sweater and some grey pants, and by the time I'm dressed it's time for dinner.

Frostine and the mentors for twelve who we met on the train are already sitting at the table by the time I leave my room. Avoxes bring out dish after dish and I try a bit of everything. There's a butternut squash bisque, candied yams, thinly sliced prime rib, cooked carrots, mashed potatoes, cooked peppers served with steak and onions over grains, and much more but that's all I can eat as I'm saving room for berry cobbler dessert.

"You sure can eat a lot for such a skinny girl." Frostine comments from across the table.

"Thanks?" I mutter, frowning.

I feel like going straight to bed but I stay up a bit longer to watch the replay of the tribute parade, mainly because I didn't see much of it the first time. It's not very exciting all the same.

When the replay is over, I begrudgingly say goodnight to Frostine before making my way over to Casey who is the mentor for the girl tributes from twelve.

"So, tomorrow is the first day of training and I'll talk with you after breakfast to get started on a plan for you before you meet Frostine and go down to training with everyone else. Sound good?" Casey asks, talking quickly.

"Yeah, that's fine." I nod.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow morning then." Casey smiles, pushing a strand of hair from her face before looking for her next target.

I yawn as I return to my room and I don't even bother to change into pajamas, I just change into some sweatpants and crawl under the satin sheets. I face the window and count the colored buildings as I fall asleep.