Flesh and blood

Chapter seven

I was sitting in the makeup chair while Corio did my hair I sat silently my heart racing, tomorrow I would be in the arena it all seemed to real now, there wasn't a fairy godmother coming to save me, no air vent I could hide in until it was over, there was no escape for me. I felt like sobbing but I couldn't ruin the makeup that took him so long to do.

"Nervous?" He asked letting a curled piece of hair fall from the curling iron.

"Nervous might just be the understatement of the century" I chuckled slightly.

"I understand what your feeling." He said quietly, I know he was trying to be comforting but something about it just made my blood boil.

"No you don't, You have no idea what I'm about to face, hate to break it to you but kids from the capitol have no idea what being from a district is like. You guys think the games are good and entertaining while families and children from the districts are terrified each year, well except for districts 1 and 2 but they were more capitol then district anyway aren't they."

"You're right I don't know whats it like in the districts, but I don't view the games as entertainment my mother who was from a district taught me to see the games for the horror they truly are. When my grandfather eventually passes on, my first act as his successor will be to do away with the games for good. I understand what your feeling not because of the games but because of my grandfather because I'm terrified of him. I'm terrified that he is who I'll become, Neither districts nor Capitol know who he truly is, and what horrors hes committed."

"I'm sorry" was all I could say a lump forming in my throat.

"Don't be, you have every right to be angry, no one, let alone a twelve year old should be forced to kill for survival" he finished curling my hair. "Stylists aren't allowed to bet, but if we could I'd have my money on you. I hope you'll steal the title of youngest victor from that peacock known as Finnick O'dair." He smiled at me helping me down from the chair. "Now go out there and ace your interview with Caeser" I nodded exiting the dressing room. I walked down the hall seeing the rest of the tributes lined up I saw my dad talking to Char, I looked around for peacekeepers before quickly shuffling my way towards him.

"Psst dad" I said quietly getting his attention, He had a long scab on his nose and a black eye that looked to be halfway healed, he looked both ways down the hallway for peacekeepers. He cleared his throat and shoved me into the line in-front of Char, before a peacekeeper shoved him out of the way, the peacekeeper grabbed me by the arm and pulled me and my dad away into another room.

"You have 2 minutes" he said, closing the door behind him, leaving me and my dad alone, before I could even react my dad had me in a hug.

"How have you been Junebug?" he asked.

"Good" I responded holding back tears, "I got a 12 for the assessment score"

"I saw, you'll have to tell me about that when you get back home-"

"But what if I-" I interrupted just to get interrupted again

"You will, I promise you, You will make it back home, you just need to have faith." He said, pulling something out of his pocket. It was a necklace with his victors ring on it "Here, Tributes are allowed to bring one thing into the arena with them, a token from their district." He placed the necklace on me.

"Thank you" My voice broke, the peacekeeper came back into the room.

"I'm sorry but your time is up." My dad gave me another quick hug before leaving, I took a deep breath.

"Thank you" I told the peacekeeper

"Don't thank me, thank your stylist." He responded ushering me out of the room and back into the line of tributes, district 1 had already finished their interviews.

My dad was nowhere to be found. I took a deep breath fidgeting with the ring, feeling the engravement and diamonds across my fingers. The ring was gold, the engravement was my dads name along with "II quarter quell victor" with a band of diamonds on the top and bottom of the ring. I didnt pay much attention to the interviews only really taking note when my name was brought up. It seems that I'm target number 1 for a little less then half the tributes. Time seemed to be speeding up, before I knew it, I was on the stage.

"I will be the first to say that you look amazing tonight, The presidents grandson has quite outdone himself for his first year as a stylist, now whats that necklace you have on?" He asked placing his palm underneath the ring showing it to the audience.

"Its my Fathers victor ring, he gave it to me" I sat down folding my hands into my lap.

"Yes your father, he was quite a character, I remember his snark."

"Well thats dad for you, 25 years later and hes still 75% snark" I said sarcastically

"I can see you take after him, now enough about your father, I want to hear about you, specifically about how you managed to get a perfect 12 something we havent seen in a very long time," he dragged out dramatically.

"Well, I'm sorry to say but its a secret, maybe if I make it out of the arena one day I'll share that secret but for now." I smiled

"Awh thats to bad" Caeser frowned "Can you atleast tell us the skill you presented?" He seemed determined for an answer and wasnt going to stop beating around the bush till he got it.

"Well," I cleared my throat, "All I can say is that I have quite the skillset when it comes to blades, and hand to hand combat."

"That is very good for you, it will be very helpful in the arena, say how did you learn such skills?"

"My father has been teaching me and my friends Pax and Prim." I forced a smile to hide my turmoil over the fact that theres a good chance I'll never see them again, I never even got to say goodbye to prim.

"You got private training from a victor, that doesnt seem very fair now does it?"

"Well Caeser, I think it actually evens the playing field a bit" I tried to hide my gritting teeth, "after all take the careers they train in an elite academy to become the best of the best, and win almost every year, what seems more fair to you? Hmm" I questioned.

"Well you do have a point, I wish we had more time to talk but were almost out of time and we still have another tribute to interveiw, I hope you understand" He smiled at me holding out his hand to help me up.

"I understand perfectly, thank you for the interview" I smiled back taking his hand as he led me to the other side of the stage, where Corio was waiting for me just past the threshold of what the audience could see. I let out a large sigh hugging him "thank you for letting me see my dad" I whispered in his ear he just nodded, leading me back to the changing room.

We were both silent as he wiped off my makeup and handed me pajamas to change into, not a word was exchanged between the two of us, maybe from guilt, not knowing what to say or tiredness, maybe a combination of all 3, the silence continued as we were riding the elevator up to the fourth floor, all we did was exchange simple nods as I entered the suite and the elevator doors closed. I shut off the reamining lights walking into my room and collapsing onto my bed, I wanted to sob and scream into a pillow but I was just too tired I crawled under the covers and waited for sleep to overtake me, I would never admit it but I wish I wouldn't wake up.