The 45th Hunger Games: The Tribute of District 4 (Watty Awards 2012 completed)

Chapter 6

The District 1 chariot started signaling that we were good to go. Their horses were painted gold, and their outfits were filled with different jewelries. The District 1 tributes and their stylists always had it easy, what with their industry being luxury.

Slate and his partner were soon off, looking formidable in their outfits. I could hear the cheers of the crowds as our horses made its way toward the door. I hoped that Alta had done a really good job at this. Even I could admit that our outfits stood out, when all the tributes were assembled before the ceremonies.

The crowd shouted loudly as Xavier and I were in view. I saw that their vision had worked. From the television, I saw myself, looking breathtaking and attractive in the outfit, with my best features highlighted. Xavier couldn’t be overlooked either, even with my dramatic outfit. The fabric attached to the net was actually longer than I expected, and it looked like we had waves rippling behind us as the chariot proceeded at an even pace.

Flowers were thrown at me and I caught them. I gave the most charming smile at the audience, even though I really couldn’t see anything, what with the lights in my eyes and the music pounding in my head. I blew kisses and batted my eyelashes.

Use your physical attributes to your advantage, Travis had said. Maybe I should appear ethereal in beauty. Mermaids weren’t even supposed to exist, but they were believed to lure sailors because of their beauty. Alta must have had the same idea of using my looks. They had no way of knowing that I was just as deadly with weapons.

The cameras seemed to focus on our chariot more than most. Even the long train of waves that kept flowing distracted me. It made the chariot seem longer, and us look larger than life.

The tributes all ended up at the City Circle. The music ended. I glanced at Xavier. He was only a few years younger, but he looked like a child to me. As much as he tried to look brave, I could see the flicker of fear fill his eyes.

I reached over and squeezed his arm in reassurance. I looked up at the screen and saw that this was captured on television, which had made all the Capitol citizens go wild again. Kindness from two Careers seemed to be something to enjoy.

The president came out and welcomed us. While he said his speech, the camera went onto the different tributes. I could see the cameras lasting on 1, 2 and 4 longer than most. Our chariot was even more distracting, with the waves billowing in the wind. Alta and Beagan did a great job of it.

After rounding the circle one more time, all the tributes headed into the Training Center. The doors shut after the District 12 tributes finally came in, wearing their miner’s attire. The doors shutting sounded like the last bits of freedom closing in.

Our prep teams and stylists, congratulating us on a job well done, suddenly surrounded our chariot. Alta and Beagan were given recognition for their amazing work. I was getting slightly dizzy, with all these different colors, and the tight outfit suddenly felt tighter.

A chariot away, I saw Slate watching me, as his admiring prep team and stylist surrounded him. He was one of the handsome tributes this year, certainly. It was hard to miss him. He saw me glance at his direction and he gave another smile.

Did I really plan to keep up this obviously fake flirtation? Fake or not, I might as well make good use of the last few days that I might be alive.

It was no use harboring on it. I better take everything good that there was about this.

I gave the most dazzling smile that I was capable of. He seemed to be caught off guard, but he started making his way to our chariot. The female tribute watched him curiously, probably wondering why her partner had taken an interest in this District 4 tribute that looked like she didn’t have the brains to survive.

I stepped off the chariot and met him right when I resisted tripping on the train of my dress. If I had caught this guy’s attention, what were the chances that I had caught a few of the sponsors as well?

“Mind if we see each other without all these people around?” Slate said as he bent over so that I was the only one who could hear it.

There was a collective sigh of surprise from the Capitol people around us. They must have been jealous of Slate or me. We couldn’t have met each other prior to this, so this must have only been recently. It wouldn’t hurt to have gossip like this around. I only wondered what my parents and brother would think about me doing this.

Aldo certainly never told me to mingle with the other tributes. I didn’t need to impress anyone. I would just automatically get in with the Careers because of my district. This bit I was doing on my own.

“Tell me tomorrow morning if you find a place.” He was tall, but I managed to plant a light kiss on his cheek.

That was another thing that got everyone excited. Slate looked pleased, and he turned back to his perplexed district partner as they headed for the elevators. Xavier and I were in the same one with them.

It was a short ride, but I could feel everyone in the elevator dissecting Slate’s behavior and mine. It was probably a first when two tributes from different districts showed any interest in each other. After all, it wasn’t a very good investment, with one of us only coming out alive. The District 2 escort and Lolly were conversing in hushed, excited tones. It wasn’t very discreet though. I could hear that they were evidently talking about Slate and me.

His District partner, who was a tough-looking girl, kept glancing at me. I bet she couldn’t figure out whether I was a threat or not.

Since they were on level 2, their ride was shorter. It didn’t mean that Slate didn’t have time to return that kiss on the cheek I gave him earlier. He gave a quick one on my forehead this time. The doors closed and Lolly suddenly became noisier than I thought possible.

“You have to tell me all about what’s going on between you and Slate over dinner!” she squealed. Xavier glanced at me as if to say, ‘What is wrong with these people?’ I smothered a laugh and he smiled.

“Everyone has been asking about the two of you.” The doors of the elevator opened and we stepped in. Lolly rushed us into the entrance foyer. The rooms were huge, with a dining area and a hallway that led to what I assumed to be our quarters for the rest of our stay. “We’ll discuss it more after you get dressed for dinner.”

My living space was even better than the one of the train. My room back home was about a quarter if this. The sheets here were soft and smooth. There were different buttons that had different commands. Everything that I could want was available to me at the touch of a button.

Everything except freedom.