The Hunger Games - Phan

Chapter 8

Coming out of the training session, I didn't feel much more confident than I did going in. Jennie and I were good, we had practiced both knife and axe skills, plus we had made allies in Thorn and his partner Caritta. Despite this, the only thing the session really did was make me more worried: I saw how skilled in combat everybody else is, how would I have a chance? I did, however get to speak more to the raven-haired boy. I'm still kicking myself for not learning his name, a habit I seemed to be getting into a lot since this whole process began.

All these thoughts swirled through my brain as Millicent lead me and Jennie back to our floor, where our stylists awaited. This, I thought to myself, was going to be interesting.

Millicent stepped out of the elevator gently, heels once again clacking on the polished floor and ran, with an excited shriek, to greet the woman casually leaning against the wall of the dining room. She had long lilac hair, stand out freckles and silver eyeliner, a violet plunging jumpsuit, silver wedge heels and a huge black cape on. Somehow, this all worked for her.

"Children, this is Enya" Millicent seemed to gleam as she introduced her. There was no way she could.... could she? Millicent didn't seem the type to have crushes. Especially on women.

"Enya is your stylist! A big upgrade this year; Enya has worked for all the biggest names in the Capitol" Enya looked first Jennie and then me up and down slowly, as if calculating something.

"I will see the girl first, and then him" She nodded to me.

Jennie followed the purple haired woman into her room, seemingly awe struck, as I sat down on the couch opposite Millicent. Great, I thought to myself, now it's time for small talk.

"Wonderful isn't she?" Millicent grinned, "your costumes this year are going to be out of this world"

"I mean, as we've all seen before, there's not much you can do with wood, or trees, or chopping them. It doesn't make for the nicest of outfits" I replied.

"Just you wait and see" She winks. I've decided to ask Millicent about the other tributes. Perhaps this way I could find out the dark-haired boy's name.

"What do you know about the other tributes, Millicent? I mean, I've only really spoken to one or two". And only really thought about one, I silently added.

"Oh, everything! They are pretty exciting this year!" Despite finding myself warming to Millicent, she still treated the games as fun, after all, she was still a member of the Capitol.

"From 1, there's Tiger and Paris - the two model looking blondes. They really are gorgeous in Luxury". Paris must have been the girl who death stared me after looking over after the dark-haired boy caused a commotion in the training session. I've decided I don't like her. Well, she's a career, in it for sport; we were never going to be besties.

"From technology," she continued, "theres Rakesh and Fuse. They're smart, scrawny and not exactly...pretty, but smart. From Fishing, there's Marina and Troy; from Power, 5, there's PJ and Coral; from 6, transport, there's Carter and Serena; from 7, you two obviously" she winked and reached over to squeeze my hand in what she must have thought was a motherly way, "from 8, Chris and Sash; from 9, Maizie and Harvey; from 10, Buck and Eve; from 11, Thorn and Caritta". Oh yes, our allies. They seemed okay, shit aim though.

"And from 12, Harrison and Primrose" She finished, looking pleased with herself. She didn't mention 2, the only reason I asked about the tributes in the first place.

"What about 2? Masonry?" I probed.

"Oh goodness of course. From 2, Lana and Philip. Handsome one there, Jennie better watch out" She giggled.

Philip. So that was his name. Finally a name to the face I had been thinking about for what seemed like forever, only really a couple of days. Before I had time to mull this over, the stylist walked back into the room, Jennie behind her.

"Daniel?" she called, and like magic, my legs decided to follow her.

---

"I am Enya", she re introduced herself, holding out a hand. I kissed it, hoping that was the right thing to do, she seemed like royalty. Apparently it was as she smiled and motioned for me to sit down on the satin stool next to. As I sat, she opened up a sketchbook. Being in a district of wood chopping, the only art I had ever experienced was my brother's flair for carving. But this was something else. Pages upon pages of browns, greens, oranges, reds, rough bark textures, delicate leaf skeletons. This was like autumn in a book.

"I want you to stand out this year," she began, "this is the year of District 7". I didn't even have time to doubt her before she made me stand up and began measuring.

"Your attire will be flawless, you and Jennie will stun the Capitol". From her tone, I seemed to pick out that she, despite being from there, wasn't the biggest fan of the Capitol. I warmed to her slightly.

"However, you will not see your outfits until later tonight. I want you to be just as stunned as everyone else". I nodded, wordlessly. She had an aura of calm and intensity that I just seemed to want to please. I felt more confident, suddenly.

"Well, that is all. I will see you tonight. Please do not eat too much beforehand, these measurements are exact" With that she walked out of the room, kissed Millicent once on each cheek, causing her to blush as deep as the crimson in her new wig, and elegantly stepped into the elevator before disappearing.

"Well, well," exclaimed Millicent, clasping her hands together, "isn't this exciting?' and for the first time since my name was called three days ago, I began to agree.