A Single Victor

The Victor's Ceremony

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victor of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen! I give you - a tribute of District Twelve!"

I move my eyes from Cato's body to the Jabberjays that brought us here. I see their beaks move as they join the shrill of the crowd; the Capitol is buzzing with excitement.

A hovercraft materializes overhead and a ladder drops down. I place both feet on the bottom rung and feel the electric current freeze me in place. Since I was looking down, I watch Cato's body being picked up by a separate hovercraft. The door opens and then closes behind me, cutting me off from the Arena. I slump to the ground, crying in relief. An indiscernible amount of time later, I feel a small jab in my neck and my world goes black.

My routine for the next few days was to wake up to eat a sparse meal and then get knocked back out time after time.

I traversed this period with a light state of mind, uncertain of when I would finally be allowed to stay awake. Finally, one day I wake up with no tubes in my arm and no food waiting. In my meals place was a garish outfit: a tribute's uniform. Even though I know I'm safe I can't help the feeling of panic that returns to my soul.

As I start having flashbacks, Venia, Flavius and Octavia, my prep team, enters and soothes me with their words of kindness and appreciation. Their excitement washes over me and I quickly forget about the unattractive object they're putting me in. Not long after they entered, I've been changed and they're walking me out the door and down the hall. When I look away from the floor and my prep team, I look straight to the end and there I see Cinna, Haymitch, and Effie. I smile happily and as tears run down my cheeks, I run down the hall, launching an arm each around Cinna and Haymitch. They both briefly return the hug, and I let go once I realize my actions.

"Sorry, I just I guess I never really thought I'd ever see you two again." I turn to Effie and hug her gently, "and you too Effie."

Haymitch gives a sad smile while Effie looks at me an arm's length away smiling her brightest smile, "go on with Cinna. He has to get you ready for the big show!" and she turns me around to push me into his awaiting arms.

Cinna leads me and my prep team to a waiting elevator that takes us to the lobby of the Training Centre. We walk across the training floor to the tribute elevator and ride up to the twelfth floor. As we pass each floor I'm reminded of all the tributes who will never come back; of the ones I killed.

The whole way up Venia, Flavius and Octavia can't stop talking. They're so excited to have me back. Once we get to the twelfth floor I am swept into the dining room to get a real meal. They still monitor my portions, but when I ask for seconds they let me have an extra bun, "we don't want it coming back up on stage" was all they said. It was understandable so I let it go.

Once I finished eating I was quickly ushered back to my room, and Cinna left; I assume to get my garment for tonight. The door closes and my prep team quickly gets to work, first by examining my new body, which had apparently been polished and all flaws removed. When I look at myself in the mirror all I can see is a hollow girl, skinnier than when she entered the arena. They put me in the shower and then worked on my hair, nails, and makeup afterwards. The entire time they just talk amongst themselves, which works for me. I put in a word here or there, just enough to keep comfortable with my voice.

Cinna enters shortly after they've finished with me, carrying a normal yellow dress. I smile and ask, "finally given up on the whole 'girl on fire' thing?"

Cinna winks back, " why don't you tell me?" He gently slips the fabric over my head, and I relish in the feeling of something other than my tribute costume. As he's fitting it to me and doing it up, I notice the extra padding, obviously in place to hide how skinny I got. Cinna sees my sad almost distressed look and smiles at me, " Haymitch refused to let them alter you physically, so this was the compromise."