New Era: A Hunger Games Story

Chapter Six

The drive to the train station was silent. Joel, Cordy and Felix sat in the back of a luxury car, watching their way of life disappear. In Cordy's mind, she knew that only one of them would see all of this again. She looked over at Joel, who wiped his eyes and continued to stare out of the window.

As they drove, her mind drifted to Katie. She hoped that her best friend was safe, and that she had been spared the same fate as her. She forced the alternative out of her mind; the odds of all three of them being Reaped were slim, near impossible, but still the thought crept into her thoughts, and she shivered.

"You cold?" Felix asked. "Don't worry, the train's nice and warm."

The car came to a stop at the train station. They climbed out of the car and stepped onto the train, and Cordy gasped. The train was gorgeous, full of rich green upholstered furniture and bright swing lights. Food covered a long table, things that they had never seen before.

"This is all yours," Felix said, "until we reach the Capitol."

"Is there a bathroom?" Joel asked.

Surprised, Felix pointed to a door on the other side of the carriage and Joel walked away. Cordy waited until Joel was out of earshot before rounding on Felix.

"How exactly are you gonna mentor us?" She asked.

"I am an expert in Victor strategy!" Felix announced.

"Have you ever played the Games?"

"No."

"Ever had to fight for your life?"

"Never."

"Then what use are you?"

She stormed away after Joel, leaving Felix standing alone, stunned. He felt his faith growing as he watched her leave, knowing in his heart that she had the soul of a champion.

The train ride was silent; even Felix didn't dare to speak again. Joel paced back and forth, occasionally tearing pieces off of a bread roll and eating like a mouse. His eyes were less puffy now; as if he had no more tears left to cry.

Cordy on the other hand, was sat like a statue, hardly breathing. Her eyes were fixed on Joel, and her heart was aching. Already she missed her family, wishing she had had more time to say goodbye. She missed the guys at the yard and the playful banter they had as she outshone them. She missed school, and smiled a little at the memory of her friends laughing and Russ telling them off.

Once again, Katie sprung to mind. She looked around the room and spotted a large television on the wall, the remote sat tantalisingly close to her hands. An internal conflict began: did she turn it on and see the other tributes, or wait until she reached the Capitol and faced them, fighting for her life. Gingerly she picked up the remote, but stopped herself. She knew that she would meet the others soon enough.

                                                                                          ---

The train station in the Capitol was a sea of bright colours and sparkles. The cheers of the crowd were deafening, and the colours were so bright that they made Cordy's eyes hurt. They were gently pushed into another car and taken through the bustling streets of Panem to a black-fronted building. There, Joel was taken away from her, and she was guided into a small blue room.

In the room was a silver table, and she perched on the edge, watching the door. She tried to collect her thoughts, but the silence was overwhelming. She sprung off of the table and paced around the room, counting the tiles on the ceiling and on the floor. She had just reached 24 ceiling tiles when the door opened.

In walked a young man. Unlike Felix, his hair was a natural shade of brown, and he wore a plain white shirt and trousers. He looked like a brunette version of Joel, and he smiled at her as he closed the door with a click.

"Hello, Cordy." He said, "My name is Florian, and I am your Stylist."

"Hi," Cordy said, "nice to meet you."

Florian smiled again. "Nice of you to say, but I know it's not true."

Cordy relaxed, and immediately felt like she could trust this man. He looked too normal to live in the Capitol, and his normality put her at ease.

"It's my job to help you make an impression."

"On who?"

"The Sponsors, who will be lining up to see you in less than six hours."

"The Sponsors that could save my life."

Florian looked at her sadly and walked around her, scrutinising every detail of her person. He chuckled when he asked her to take her jacket off and she hesitated.

"It's my father's." She protested.

"Then we'll use it in the Parade!" Florian declared.

                                                                                        ---

The Parade drew closer; now it was less than an hour away. Florian had ordered Cordy to strip down so he could assess her, and had laughed as her hands jumped up to cover herself. He had made sure she looked her best, and now it was time for the final touch: the outfit.

Florian pulled out a black bag, and laid it out on the table. Cordy now stood in a blue gown, feeling incredibly vulnerable. Florian slowly unzipped the bag and lifted out two items. The shirt was designed to resemble a Redwood tree trunk, right down to the miniscule ants that moved across it. The trousers were the same, and Cordy fell in love with it from the second she saw the colours.

"It's gorgeous." She said, "I was expecting to be a lumberjack."

"I considered it," Florian replied, "but I thought this was better."

He helped her put the outfit on, and then she picked up her father's jacket. She hesitated before putting it on, unsure whether she wanted to couple something from home with something from the Capitol. She relented, and the jacket was slid on over her bare arms.

"Fabulous," Florian beamed, "now let's go find your partner."

                                                             ---

The Parade itself was tense. Cordy stood on the black chariot in her outfit, with Joel by her side. He was dressed as a lumberjack, but not in a clunky as she expected. The shirt complimented his slim figure, and the leggings showed off just how tall and lanky he was. They stood together as the chariots moved out, struggling to breathe.

They left the stable and entered the sunlight. The ants on Cordy's shirt started to move around; a red mist on a dark green body. The crowds watched them and cheered, throwing roses at those tributes they liked.

Cordy grabbed Joel's hand. She was starting to fade, her legs were shaking and her head was spinning. She grabbed the only solid thing she could get hold of: Joel's hand. As they touched, the crowd roared, and she turned to face her best friend. He flashed a small smile before pulling her into a hug in front of the entire Capitol.