The Hunger Games: Peeta's Point Of View

chapter 2

"PEETA MELLARK" I'm frozen. i cant move.i cant breath. everyones looking at me. i unfreeze and my jaw drops open. "come on" Effie squeaks.

i take a few steps and i cant feel my body. im shaking, alot. my legs feel numb. did i really just hear my name? i slowly take wobbly steps in the direction of the stage. whats going on finally registers in my mind. I've been picked. i try really hard to keep my self together but its almost impossible. tears form in my eyes i hope katniss doesn't see them. as i step onto the stage, the mayor presents the treaty of treason. i dont listen i look at katniss and try to see how she is taking this all. she looks surprisingly calm.when the mayor is done we shake hands. i look her in the eye she does the same. her hand is warm and small but clammy. i slowly look away and release my hand from her grasp, wishing i didn't have to.

a pair of peace keepers yanks us inside the mansion and throws us into different rooms. my dad walks in. quiet. i can tell he's struggling not to look worried in front of me. i am too. all i can do is choke out "ill miss...you" he was silent. he walks toward me and gives me a hug and says "love you son" theres a

long pause. "keep an eye on her family, will you... please?" i ask "yes" he replies quickly. after that peace keepers come and take my father away from me my last words to him are "i love her dad.... and you.." i see a sence terror his eyes. the door slams before i could finish my sentence. my next visitor is my mother. she walks in and gives me a hug. the first in a while. "shes a fighter" she says "we might even have a victor from district twelve this year." she says timidly. im so enraged and sad all i can do is say a shallow "ya" after a long, awkward pause, a peacekeeper comes in and takes my mother. and thats it just like that i see my mother and father for the last time ever. i know that i have no chance of winning.if anyone does, its katniss. my mother is right. i have no chance. no chance at all.

katniss and i board the shiny,

sleek capitol train. i wonder who visited her. before i could think anything else i look up and my breath is taken away. this train is out of

this world. plush couches,mahogany tables, golden floors, crystal chandeliers, and pastel painted walls. theres so much to take in. everything is so fresh, so...new. effie shows me to my room. its silver, and shiny, there is a new pair of clothes on my bed . a cotton, white t-shirt, and fleece pants. after i dress, i walk

into the dining car and sit down with haymitch and effie and start to stuff my mouth with all this capitol food. its so tasty and rich. at least ill be fat and happy before i am sphered or stabbed to death i think to myself. a few minutes later katniss walks in. i see they have given her a new set of clothes as well. she sits down and starts eating too , stuffing her face as i did. after a long silence, katniss says to haymitch out of the blue "so your supposed to give us advice?"

i can tell haymitch is drunk. he has a flask with alcohol in his hand, his eyes are blood shot and half closed. he laughs and then he replies smartly back "heres some advice, stay alive" he laughs hysterically at his lame joke. i am so enraged at him for treating katniss that way. she and i exchange looks and we both are thinking the same thing. "thats very funny" i say i knock his alcohol to the ground where it shatters and red

liquid sinks into the capitol carpet. "only not to us"

haymitch takes it in and then punches me, hard, knocking me out of my seat. i was about to punch him back when he starts reaching toward the liquor. katniss grabs a knife and stabs it into the table inches from his hand, in between his hand and the glass bottle. katniss has showed him. "whats this?" he sits back in his chair. "did i actually get a pair if fighters this year" i ignore him.

after he circles us a few times and takes a good look at us, he finally says "alright heres the deal if you guys don't interfere with my drinking, ill stay sober enough to train you."

"fine" i reply. im still upset with him.

but hes the our only hope. our only

hope of surviving, of living, of winning.

haymitch exits the compartment and probably goes to his alcohol filled room to pass out. leaving katniss and i to sit in a silence that seems to go on forever. we enter a dark tunnel and if it wasn't for the lights in the train then it would have been pitch dark in here. i see katniss tighten up. her muscles seem to tense and i can see worry in her eyes. its like she sees a memory. i know why shes so afraid, she has remembered her father, who died in a mining accident. before i could do anythin to help her, the tunnel ends and light fills the train. katniss and i rush to the window to see the capitol. this place that i have only seen on camera is so much more glorious then i ever imagined. beutiful buildings painted bright colors. wow. to think and i thought the train was nice this city is beyond beleif. as we pull up the station there are hundreds of capitol citezens awaiting us. the citezins are all dressed up like they where dipped

in one if the cakes i decorated. they all have dyed skin and hair. they are all cheering and waving. i have to smile and wave back...for the games. katniss gives me a look. "who knows... maybe one if them is rich." i say i keep reminding myself these people are here to watch me die. im like a dog that they can dress up and joke around about. someone that they use. i am their entertainment. so thats what i have turned into? entertainment.

"AAAAUUUUOOOOCH" i yell in pain as a funny looking woman rips

of some of my leg hair. "sorry" she squeaks. " when is it over?" i plead. RIIIIIP! "now!!" the woman says excitedly as she hurries out of the room. i sit there alone my skin aching for a few minutes and then someone walks in. a woman she is wearing all black, high heels, her hair is cut at her ears, she has no makeup on, exept for some black eyeliner and mascara. "hi peeta, im your stylist, portia." "hello" i say "peeta, im here to make you look desirable and to help you in the arena. but as i can see you are already desirable." she says. i try to hold back a smile. "but i can make you irresistible." she says. "okay" i reply. "so, for opening ceremonies my partner, cinna and i will be working together for you and katniss. we where going for something to do with your district right?" i think of the former tributes in their coal miner outfits. "coal miners?" i ask. "no, cinna and i think thats a little overdone. district twelve. coal mining. coal burns, using fire." she explains "fire?" i ask. her eyes widen with excitement. "yes peeta, fire."

i am dressed in all black. i have barely any makeup exept something that portia on my face. my hair is gelled over. on my black costume i have black leather boots laced to my knees. i am all black except the cape on my back that has streaks of red and yellow flames. i believe portia is planning to light me and katniss on fire. im a little iffy about this, hearing about what these capitol people do to themselves. "its something that cinna and i thought up" ya that makes me feel soo much better. "its not real fire,its perfectly safe." portia says hopefully. she guides me out into the hall where cinna and katniss are. katniss is dressed exactly like me but she looks gorgeous. little makeup on. (I'm glad because she doesn't need makeup) her hair is beautiful, braided, as always. cinna and portia guide us to the bottom floor of the remake center. our carriage is awaiting us with four black horses and a coal black chariot. we get on and cinna and portia scramble to get everything in order. katniss and i are sitting there while they are doing last minute touch ups on us. "what do you think?" asks katniss. "about the fire." she says. at this point i think the fire sounds extremely deadly, so i reply. "ill rip off your cape if you rip off mine." i reply. katniss looks me in the eyes. "deal." she says. "i know we promised haymitch we'd do what they said but i dont think he thought about

this." she says. " where is he

anyway? isnt he supposed to protect us from this type of thing?"

i ask. "with all that alcohol in him its probably not good to have him around an open flame." replies katniss. this is the first real conversation I've had with her. i am so happy i start to laugh. we both do. i calm myself down because this will probably also be the last conversation ill have with her as well.