I meet my stylists: Heartus, Livida and Bunda.
First they strip my body from hair. Heartus applies lotion to my raw, sore skin. They leave the room, calling for Frozzie, the head stylist, of my prep team.
A young woman enters.
"Hi! I'm Frozivia, but you can call me Frozzie,"
"Hi Frozzie, I'm Newsalie."
Frozzie is beautiful, in a strange way... with her long, blood red hair and purple eyes. She has various tattoos, which isn't so.... beautiful.
She wears a pale green eyeshadow with silver eyeliner. Black mascara coats her eyelashes and finally she wears bright pink lipstick.
As I am District four, and we are in charge of fish, I would suspect that I would be wearing something to do with fish. Frozzie plays with my hair.
"What am I wearing?" I ask,
"You'll see,"
For a long time, Frozzie plaits my hair and then does my make up.
And then she brings out the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. Its a corset on the top and then, just like waves, silky material is in sections of different blues, overlapping each other.
She dresses me and then paints my toenails blue. She then paints wave patterns up my foot.
When I finally look in the mirror, I see an older girl looking back at me. My hair is in two fish plaits, with a tinge of sparkly blue. My eyelids have been painted with wave designs and I wear dark blue eyeliner. My lips are coated with a light shade of blue. As I walk, my dress moves like waves. Then as I look closer, I see a shell clip in my hair.
"Do you like it?" She asks, hoping I will.
"Yes... " I breathe,
"I got it from Katniss Everdeens stylist, Cinna. She was the Girl On Fire. You're going to be so good that you put her out. You're going to take her place in fame, and win!
I smile at Frozzie, knowing I could never be as beautiful as Katniss, but am happy that Frozzie thinks I am.
I meet my brother. He is wearing floaty blue trousers and is topless. Waves patterns cover the exposed parts of his body. His black hair is now a deep shade of metallic dark blue.
Frozzie and Horsha's stylist, Beauvivia take us to our chariot. Massive doors open and reveals the streets lined with people.
District one rides on, then 2, then 3. Then its our turn. Frozzie turns the fans on below us, blowing my dress up, but not revealing my underwear. "Put her out, Newsalie, put her out." Frozzie smiles, then indicates for me to too.
The crowd of Capitol people scream and I blow kisses and smile. Somebody throws me a large shell. They are going crazy. And I think. I've put Katniss Everdeen out.
The crowd starts shouting a mix of mine and Horsha's names.
"Horshalie! Horshalie! Horshalie!" They scream. We arrive at the City Circle and I can still hear the crowds screams. Then, they fall silent. District 12 comes through. Not waving. Not smiling. They are wearing nothing, except black dust.
I look around to see everyone looking at me and Horsha.
I feel beautiful.
I am beautiful.
I've put Katniss Everdeen out.
My brother and I step out of the chariot. I stare at the training centre. Each District has its own floor. We enter the training centre and take the glass elevator up to level four.
My home before the Games begin.
I am very pleased with my new quatres. It is incredible. The first thing I do is have a hot shower. I scrub my beauty off and oil my skin with rose scented oil. I wash my hair to, but keep the shell clip. I am heat dried by the mat and a current goes through my hair, untangling all the knots. I then clip the shell clip onto my crocodile necklace.
Bella calls me for dinner and I quickly throw on a pair of trousers and a white shirt. I take the glass elevator down to the dining room. My brother sits silently. He and Carla haven't spoken since the incident.
Then, to break the awkwardness, dinner is served.
To start we are given cheesy chicken. Our main course is a rare steak with green leaves and pink fruit.
Then for pudding.... a melt-in-your-mouth, chocolate cake with cream and strawberries.
A waitor comes around and offers everybody a drink.
I take one, not knowing what it was. I have five, and then Horsha tells me not to have anymore, and I ask why and he says its wine.
Oh no. My head starts to feel a little fuzzy and I head up to my room. I dizzily make my way to the elevator. When I reach my quatres, I collapse on my bed. The room suddenly starts spinning, so I close my eyes, but lights flash behind my eyelids. After a lot of trying to get to sleep, I give up and go to have a cold shower. Then I throw up. I clean myself up and then put my underwear back on. I turn a fan on and sit in front of it, but it doesn't help. I feel sick again and then grab a glass of water.
Finally I climb into bed wearing nothing. I have disturbing nightmares, including my brothers death, and mine too.
When I wake in the morning, I have a throbbing headache.
I step out of bed and regain my balance by clutching the bed post. I have another shower. I press many buttons in the shower untl its scorching hot. I sit down and the hot needles pout down on my head.
I climb out of the shower and am heat dried. I find an outfit left out for me. Thin black leggings, a white vest and leather shoes.
I'm nervous about training and take the elevator down to the dining room and overfill my plate with eggs, bacon, biscuits, bread, cereal and I get a mug of that thick blue liquid.
I eat everything. There are three days in which all the tributes the tributes train together, then, on the last afternoon, we have a chance to perform to the Gamemakers. The Gamemakers then rate us out of twelve, so the people of the Capitol know who to sponsor.
I lean back in my chair. My brother sits down with a bowl of cereal.
"Looking forward to training?" He pauses, expecting a responce, then continues, "I know I'm not," I shrug. Carla sits down, "So, guys, what's up?" I stare at her. After what she's done, she still acts as if everythings OK?
Horsha stands up, "I'm going to get some HotBlue," Ah! So that's what the blue drink is called! I think to myself. Carla leans forward, "Look Newsal---"
"You... you pretend that you like my brother, and draw him in, like a mouse to cheese, then try to hurt him?!"
"I only tried to make him weak, so you can win---"
"HE'S MY BROTHER! I can't believe you.."
"Newsalie,"
"SHUT UP!"
"Just listen to me!" She shouts. "You need to know why I did it!"
"Go on then," I murmur,
"I was in your position. I went in with my best friend, who was like a brother to me. I couldn't kill him, but in the end I had to. I didn't want to kill him, but in the end I had to. So I poisoned his drink. I don't want that to happen to you, Newsalie! So if I weaken him, he won't last as long---"
"Leave me alone. I want him to win. So if anything, weaken me."
"Newsalie---"
"I'm going." I stand up and leave. I return to my room. I wash my face, and then Bella calls me for training.
Better get it over with then, I think to myself.
I take the elevator down to the training level, and join the other tributes. The head trainer, Bryan, goes over the simple rules: go to any area you like, We can communicate, but not attack each other.
Today, I'm going to get a good look at who I'm going to be killing.
