The Huntress

As I walked to my room on the train I started to think of something that could give me an advantage over Gale. He knew my weaknesses and my strengths. I told this kid everything about me from where I lived to why I was an orphan. I then started thinking that maybe we could team up and when there were a few left to live we would spilt up and then he wouldn’t have to worry about killing me and vice versa. I opened my door to the room Effie showed me earlier today and saw that the dress my mother picked out for me was still on the floor in a pile on the ground where I left it. I picked it up and ran my fingers through the rough fabric. The next time I would wear something like this would be if I ever got out of the Games alive and I didn’t have a great feeling from that. I planned on making it to the final four and after that I had no clue what to do. I unpinned the gift that Madge and Katniss gave me and stared at it for a minute. After we stepped off this train everything was going to change for every tribute and district, in Panem. I let out a breath and decided to change and crawl into bed to get some sleep since Effie said during dinner that we were going to arrive at the Capitol tomorrow afternoon and then we were going straight to the stylists and prep teams the minute we got to the Training Center. I changed into a black shirt and the only pair of shorts that I could find and I crawled into the giant bed. The silky sheets felt good against my skin and I slowly fell asleep to the sound of train driving on the tracks. I woke up the next morning to find that it was dawn and there were strays of light rays peeking into my room. I stretched my body rubbing the sleep from my eyes. For the first time in a long time I slept the entire night without a nightmare to wake me up from my sleep. I had no nightmares of watching my father die in front of me over and over again. I crawled out of bed and was about to get changed when there was a knock at the door. I walked over to it to find Gale standing there.

“I was going to see if you wanted to walk to breakfast with me,” he said.

“Let me get changed really quick,” I said.

I quickly picked out an outfit and opened the door to find Gale sitting on the floor across from the door.

“I just have to brush my teeth if you want to come in a sit on the bed,” I said quietly.

Gale nodded his head and sat down. I walked into the bathroom and started bushing my teeth when Gale spoke up.

“How did you sleep?” he asked.

“Alright,” I mumbled while brushing my teeth, “You?”

“Same,” he said and then looked out the window and I knew he was thinking about the fact that we would never get to see each other again after the Games.

“You know if it comes down to it we should work together and maybe we can find a way for both of us to go home,” I said once I was done brushing my teeth.

“Don’t say a thing like that,” he said and stared at me.

“You know it’s the truth Gale,” I said.

“Can we not think about that right now,” he sighed.

“Fine,” I said, “How was trying to handle Haymitch last night?”

“Giving a cold shower to sober him up some wasn’t that hard since he was passed out in the tub,” he said smiling lightly, “He wasn’t very happy when he saw me standing over him though.”

I laughed lightly and shook my head and finally actually took a good look at Gale’s outfit. He was in a similar style to me and I had to laugh.

“Nice color idea Gale,” I said as I braided my hair to the side.

“What can I say,” he smiled when he realized when we were in similar clothes, “You just want to be like me.”

“Please,” I said as we walked out of my room to the dining car, “You want to be as cool as me.”

“Oh whatever,” Gale said and we both laughed.

When we got to the breakfast car, Effie was waiting on us and Haymitch was nowhere to been seen yet again. We had eggs, a type of meat I’ve never tasted before¬—I think Effie said it was pork, potatoes, and a variety fruits that were chilled in ice. I then noticed that there was real orange juice and something that was a dark rich brown color that was steaming hot. I was looking at it and Effie smiled at me.

“It’s hot chocolate dear,” she said, “It’s very good if you dip your bread into it.”

“Oh,” I said and continued to eat as much as I could of the food.

Effie soon finished and Haymitch came in sober as could be. I was shocked to be honest. He sat down and then I asked him a question that I wanted him to ask him last night.

“Any tips to help us Abernathy?” I asked using his last name like he did mine when he saw me occasionally around District 12.

“Stay alive sweetheart,” he chuckled as he grabbed his flask and opened it.

Gale then slapped his flask out of his hands and I slammed a knife in between his fingers as he took a swing at Gale who ducked and decked Haymitch back. Haymitch fell off of his chair and he chuckled grinning at the both of us. As Effie squeaked out of shock and yelled at Gale for hitting someone older than him back.

“Calm down Effie. So I finally got a pair of fighters this year,” he said grinning, “This is going to be fun. How good are you with a knife sweetheart?”

I grabbed the knife and looked at him and threw it towards the wall were an Avox was standing and it stuck perfectly in the center of the pattern on the wallpaper right above the Avox’s shoulder. An Avox is a person who has been punished for rebelling against the Capitol so in other words, a traitor or a runaway. Avoxes have had their tongues cut out, rendering them unable to speak. The worst punishment is death. Effie squeaked in shock again and Haymitch just looked over at Gale.

“And you?” he asked.

“Snares and a bow and arrow,” he said.

“And you have one hell of a right hook,” Haymitch said as he grabbed a handful of ice to put it under his left eye, “How about this, I stay sober enough to help you two and you stay out of my drinking habits.”

Gale was about to protest when I talked over him.

“Deal,” I said, “On one condition.”

“Which is what?” he asked.

“We strategize together,” Gale said and I looked over at him like he was crazy.

“Deal,” he said and then looked over at me, “You agree sweetheart.”

“Yeah,” I said still looking at Gale trying to figure something out.

“Now first thing I want you two to do is listen and do whatever the stylists tell you to do got it?” he asked, “No matter how much you don’t want to.”

We both nodded our heads and then Haymitch started eating. When he noticed we hadn’t moved he shook his head.

“You guys can go look out the window we’re supposed to stop soon to fuel up I think,” he said, “You don’t have to stay here.”

We then walked out of the dining car and Gale was smiling.

“You know that if we strategize together we can take everyone out together right?” he asked.

“And then you will have to kill me,” I said and he shook his head.

“No way,” he said, “that won’t happen.”

“Sure it won’t,” I muttered and headed back to my room.

“Hey where are you going?” he asked.

“Back to my room,” I said.

“Nope,” he said running at me and throwing me over his shoulder as I squealed and he darted into the car where the TV was, “We’re watching the Games.”

We then spent the next three hours watching and learning about what the announcer was saying for each district. The Games announcers were all sitting around talking and saying which district was going to win the Games this year. One of the announcers, I think his name was Ares, said that District 12 shouldn’t be under estimated this year because of the way we looked. They continued in saying that we would give the career tributes, which usually came from the better districts like 1, 2, and 4, a run for their money. As Gale and I continued to watch the show, we both looked at each other and we took deep breaths. I was going to say something until the entire train went dark and I knew were close to the Capitol. The only way we could get to the Capitol is to go through the mountain tunnels that were made for this purpose. We quickly rushed to the window when we could see and saw the city of perfection. The buildings were sparkling and the sun was shining on them giving their cleanliness known. As we got closer into the Capitol, people were waving at us and Gale and I looked at each other and waved back. The minute we pulled into the station, Effie and Haymitch found us and escorted us to the door we would be walking out of.

“Now remember what I told you two about the stylists,” Haymitch said and we nodded our heads.

The doors opened and the shows began. Gale and I were escorted to the Training Center where we would be spending the next few nights and then either Gale or I would spending the last couple days of the Games. Gale and I were separated immediately and I was taken to my stylist and prep team. My stylist wouldn’t see me until I was completely un-haired, scrubbed raw, and my hair was put in a proper hairstyle. After Flavius, the man with purple hair and lips, had rubbed my now clean skin raw, he was working with Venia to remove all hair on my body. They were currently working on my legs and it was the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt.

“You’re doing pretty well at this,” Flavius said as I was gritting my teeth as he took a piece of the paper off of my leg, “Most people cry.”

I’m crying on the inside, I thought to myself and then winced when another piece was pulled.

“You are doing very well Adyrn,” Venia said smiling warmly at me and I smiled back, “We have one more and we should be done.”

Once the last strip was pulled, Octavia did my nails while Flavius did my hair. Flavius lightly curled the hair and then pinned some of it back and then left the rest down while Octavia groomed my nails and painted a black polish over them. Once they were completely done, they all hugged me and rushed out of the room so Cinna, my stylist, could come in and check on their work. I was left standing in the middle of the room naked, as my robe was sitting right in front of me but I figured that if I were put the robe back on Cinna would just make me take it off. A few minutes after the prep team left, Cinna walked in and what I saw something that I liked for a change. Cinna didn’t have the crazy colored hair or lips and he held himself in a way that made me relax a little bit.

“Hi Adyrn I’m Cinna,” he said in a gentle voice, “I’m sorry this had to happen to you.”

“Most people tell me that I have been blessed with a privilege of being a tribute,” I said.

“Well I don’t think that way,” he said.

“Well I think that should be a little comforting right?” I asked as I watched Cinna walk around me.

“You have a great body structure,” he said.

“I hope that’s a good thing,” I said quietly.

“It is,” he said, “Why don’t you grab your robe and we head to get some lunch?”

“Sure,” I said and quickly threw on my robe and followed Cinna into his office I assumed.

“You know volunteering to go instead of your younger sister is pretty brave if you ask me,” he said and I nodded my head.

“She’s my youngest sister,” I said quietly as I nibbled on a sandwich of some sort.

“How many siblings to do you have?” he asked.

“I have two sisters,” I said, “One is sixteen and one is twelve.”

“Well if I was your family I would already be proud of you,” he said, “but on another note I would like to talk to you about your outfit.”

As he started talking I was starting to think he was going to make me wear some cliché costume like all the other stylists or something worse when he broke me out of my thoughts.

“Trust me on this one Adyrn,” he said, “You will not be covered in black powder or dressed in some mining outfit. Portia and I are more focused on the fire you get when you heat coal.”

I then let out a sigh of relief and Cinna smiled lightly but the next thing he said made me deflate even more because I was nervous.

“Portia and I are more focused on the fire side. You’ll be wearing an outfit which we can light on fire,” he said and he saw my panicked expression and laughed, “Don’t worry the fire won’t touch you or kill you. Portia and I made sure of this.”

“Okay,” I said wearily and Cinna went to work on me.

Before we knew it, Cinna and I were heading to where all of the other tributes were meeting up for the opening ceremony of the Games. We were on the ground floor of the Training Center and I saw Gale in a similar outfit as me standing next to a woman I assumed to be Portia. As we were standing together in silence, I noticed that the other tributes were dressed nothing alike and were acting very cold to each other. I was brought out of my thoughts when I felt Gale nudge me.

“You holding up?” he asked quietly.

“So far,” I said, “You? How was getting all groomed?”

“It hurt like hell,” he replied and I had to keep myself from smiling, “I don’t know what they used but they ripped a lot of hair off of my chest and eyebrows.

“I know exactly what you mean,” I said, “One of the prep team even taught me how to maintain it after she was done.”

Then it was Gale’s turn to try not to laugh. Soon it was time to get into the horse chariot. Before we got into the chariot, Cinna and Portia set us on fire. As they were doing this I muttered to Gale.

“I’ll make a deal with you,” I said, “If I get caught on fire you have to pull the costume off of me.”

“Right back at you,” he said and then we looked up to see Cinna mouthing something to us.

“What’s he trying to say?” I asked as I was trying to read his lips.

“I think he wants us to hold hands,” Gale said as he took mine in his hands and intertwined our fingers together.

We then both looked up to see Cinna nodding his head yes and smiling. We soon heard the Anthem and the chariot took off. While driving through the Capitol, everyone was smiling and waving at us and I have no idea what came over me but I was waving and smiling back. I don’t know why I was smiling and waving but my gut was saying that I should. I then looked over to see Gale doing the same thing and I was little bit relieved but not much. About halfway through the ride I was about to let go of Gale’s hand when his grip tightened on me and he whispered in my ear.

“Don’t let go or I might fall,” he said and I squeezed his hand to show I understood what I said.

By the time we got to the center of the Capitol where President Snow lived, the knots in my stomach were tightening even more than they were before. The horses stopped and Gale looked at me and we both put on a brave face. As we stood in a circle like the carriages pulled in, I took a good look at the other tributes. I recognized which tributes were the career ones quickly as I realized that they were all together. Career tributes, usually tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4 were all looking over at us glaring. As we stood there, I started to understand why Cinna and Porita dressed us alike and why Cinna wanted us to hold hands. We were going to appear to the Capitol that we were a team and we got along. We weren’t already divided like the other Districts. President Snow then walked out of his mansion and welcomed us like he did every year to the other tributes. After he was done welcoming us, we headed back to the carriages and were taken back to the Training Center. As we pulled into the Training Center, I could tell Gale was staring at me.

“If you take a picture it will last longer Gale,” I said smiling lightly at him.

“I’m sure it would,” he said smiling back at me and that’s when I got a great idea on how to get the sponsors we needed.

We got out of the carriage and Cinna and Portia met us putting out the fire on us. We then headed towards the floor where we would be spending the next few days before the Games started. As Gale and I were walking towards the elevator, Cato, one of the tributes from District 2, bumped into Gale and then glared at us. Gale looked like he was going to go follow him but I stopped.

“Don’t even think about stooping to their level Gale,” I said loud enough for them to hear, “Career tributes just are to coward to come face to face with people they have a problem with, they just like to glare and make menacing faces.

Then Gale and I walked to the elevator and Gale looked at me as the elevator door closed. I pushed the 12 button. I could feel his stare burning a hole into my head and I turned to look over at him.

“So how do you think we did tonight?” Gale asked.

“Alright I guess,” I sighed.

“Is everything okay Adyrn?” he asked confused at my sudden mood change.

“Yeah fine,” I said lying and Gale sighed.

Gale didn’t say anything but when the elevators opened he pushed his way past Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, and Portia.

“Anyone care to explain?” Haymitch asked as I headed to my room.

“I don’t know Haymitch but don’t worry about it,” I said shaking my head sighing.

I headed towards my room and I changed out of the outrageous costume Cinna created for me, and then headed back to where dinner was being served. When I walked into the dining room, everyone was sitting down and Gale was already sitting at the table. I sat down and the Avox started serving the dinner. It was awkwardly quiet until Effie and her oblivious state started gushing about how we looked.

“You two look fabulous tonight,” Effie said beaming, “Great job on the costumes Cinna and Portia. They were amazing.”

“Thank you,” Cinna and Portia replied and they carried on the conversation.

I wasn’t paying attention to what they were talking about but I did notice that since Cinna and Portia were here Haymitch and Effie got along a lot better. They were at least civil to each other which was a huge step from the reaping. As I was looking at Gale, I was brought out of my thoughts by Haymitch throwing a bread roll at me but I caught it before it hit me in the head.

“I don’t even want to know,” Haymitch said, “but Portia asked you a question.

“I’m sorry Portia what did you ask?” I asked.

“How close are you and Gale?” she asked.

I then looked over at Gale who was just staring at me waiting for my answer.

“I would think we’re pretty close,” I said, “We’ve had each other’s back since our fathers died in the same mining accident four years ago.”

“Oh my,” Portia gasped and I felt Gale and Haymitch looking at me, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright,” I said quietly, “It’s was a huge accident. Coal mining is a very dangerous job.”

“It’s so sad that your fathers aren’t alive,” Effie said and I had to contain myself from speaking my mind and rolling my eyes.

“It’s quiet alright,” I said, “Like I said it was an accident no one could’ve known.

Soon the conversation changed and I could still feel Haymitch’s and Gale’s stares. I looked over to them and soon went back to eating. Once we were done eating, we all went into the sitting room to watch the recap of today’s opening ceremonies and to see what Gale and I looked like to the rest of Panem. I took a seat on the couch and felt someone sit next to me. I looked up to see Gale sitting next to me with an apologetic look in his eyes. He was telling me he was sorry and I shook my head yes signaling I forgave him. I could see Haymitch watching us out of the corner of my eye but before I said something the Anthem started and the recap was on the TV. To say Gale and I looked pretty would be an understatement. Gale and I looked like we belonged in the Capitol all along. We stood together like we were meant to be together and the costumes Portia and Cinna came up with complemented both of us in ways I can’t even describe. As President Snow welcomed us, the cameras were showing each tribute and I could tell they were already thinking of ways to kill the tributes but when the camera came to Gale and I, we looked like we partners. We looked like we were going to work together until we had to separate. During the program Effie and everyone were making comments and congratulating us and Cinna and Portia for a job well done and as the program came to a close, Effie was squealing at the top of her lungs.

“Oh I’m so excited for this,” she gushed, “This is the year we’re going to show them not to underestimate District 12.”

She then quickly said good night and told Gale and I should get to bed since tomorrow was training day. Cinna and Portia left soon after, leaving Haymitch, Gale, and I in the sitting room together. As I stood up, Haymitch made a comment that made me turn around.

“Care to tell me what just happened?” Haymitch asked and I sighed annoyingly.

“I don’t know Haymitch maybe they’ll be able to talk their friends into sponsoring us,” I snapped in a quick, quiet, and harsh voice, “Isn’t that what you want Haymitch? Want us to play nice so people will help us stay alive?”

“Adyrn,” Gale said and I shook my head.

“I’m going to go to bed Gale,” I said in a tired voice, “I just need some time alone to clear my head. What time do you want us up tomorrow Haymitch?”

“You have to be down at the training field tomorrow at ten,” he said, “Be in the dining room no later than nine tomorrow morning.”

I nodded my head and said good night to both Gale and Haymitch and walked to my room. I changed into pajamas and crawled into bed.