We get taken to what is called the 'Tribute Centre'. Basically, it's where I'll be spending my next week before I go into the games. It has training rooms, apartments and stylist quarters, which is where I am right now.

My prep team consists of Venia, Flavius and Octavia, three people with what I would describe as the worst dress sense ever, but what the Capitol would describe as fashionable outfits.

Anyway, they wash me, hose me down, style my hair and wax everywhere before I'm finally "fit to go out". Next, they lay me on a bed that I lie down on gratefully and trim my hair, do my nails and put some base make up on me. When I'm finally finished, I see Flavius talking to the other two.

"What was that?" I ask, sitting up.

"We were just saying that we might put a bit more make up on before we take you to Cinna," he answers.

They do end up doing that, and when I'm finally finished, I start thinking of what awful outfits I would be wearing. You see, each tribute had a stylist, and the two stylists for each district worked together on making the tributes look like the trade that their home did with the Capitol. Ours was coal mining, and over the years I've been forced to watch the games, our outfits have either been something to do with nakedness or something to do with frivolity.

"That was the bravest thing I'd ever seen."

I turn and see a black man with short hair walk into the room. Cinna. "With the little girl," he explains. "Now, I thought you were sisters, but-"

"No," I say. "We're just... very good friends."

"Well, anyway, I'm Cinna," he shook my hand. I took this time to take in his appearance. I had expected my stylist to be a pompous, badly dressed weirdo like most of them are, but this guy isn't. He looks normal except for gold eyeliner and one gold earring. I instantly take a liking to him.

"Willow," I respond back.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you," Cinna tells me as he gets a chair and sits on it. "But I'm here to help you in any way I can."

"Most people just congratulate me," I look down. Most people in the Capitol.

"Well, I don't see the point in that," Cinna said bluntly. "So tonight, it's the tribute parade, they're gonna take you out and show you off to the world."

I looked straight into his eyes. "You're here to make me look pretty."

"I'm here to help you make an impression," Cinna corrects me. "Now, normally you get dressed in clothes from your district."

"Yeah, mines' coal mining," I say immediately.

"Well, I don't wanna do that," he speaks bluntly again. "I want to do something they're gonna remember. Did Haymitch mention about trying to get sponsors?"

"Yes but I've never been very good at making friends," I look down.

"Well I just think someone that brave shouldn't be dressed up in some stupid costume, should they?" Cinna pulls my hair out from where I had tucked it behind my ears.

"I hope not." I answered slowly.

The dress he made me is beautiful. It's coal black, with flecks of white for ash all about the place. He braids my hair kind of like how my mother did for the reaping, then gives me some charry black high heels to go with it. I stumble around in them for a bit before I finally get the hang of them.

"Now," Cinna finally says after I've got the make up on as well. "I still haven't told you the major part of this costume."

"What?" I ask worriedly.

"What do you do with coal?" Cinna asks me.

"You burn it," I respond quietly. Then I realise. I'm going to be-

"The girl on fire," Cinna smiles. "Don't worry, Willow, the fire isn't real, and even if it was, the suit's completely scorch proof."

I stare at him with wide eyes. "Now, come on, it's time we go meet up with your fellow tribute."

I sigh as I follow him downstairs. On fire?

How would this even work?

☘︎☘︎☘︎

We were in a building that lead to a long road where the chariots that we would ride in would go. Each chariot held two tributes, and they went in order of District, so Austin and I would be last.

Before mounting the chariot, however, I scout out the other tributes. There's the pair from One, dressed in hilarious frilly pink outfits. District One's trade is luxury; jewellery and the like, so even though their outfits are amusing, they do fit with the trade.

District Two's two are dressed in gold, making up the other half of the "career pack". Basically, this is a group of tributes from One and Two (sometimes Four, though this year's tributes from Four were a twelve and fourteen year old) that always got the best weapons, and were the most lethal killers.

I also notice District Eleven. From there, there's a big boy, probably seventeen or eighteen, that I hear the careers tried to recruit. He said no. But then I look to the left of him and see the exact opposite.

The female tribute from District Eleven is a small, twelve year old girl that has dark skin and curly hair. She reminds me instantly of Prim.

I snap out of my daze as Cinna, Austin, and his stylist, Portia, come towards me. "Now, the fire isn't real but the suits are burn proof anyway, so there's no risk of it."

"It looks pretty real," Austin comments as he stands beside me.

"Well, that's the idea," Cinna says sternly.

He holds a lit stick of fake fire to my suit. "Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," I quickly tell him.

Soon, we're lit up and we hear the intercom. "Tributes mount up, tributes mount up."

The chariots are lined up in order and I step in the last one, my back on fake fire. Austin stands beside me, looking the same.

The horses start to move right away, and I hear the Capitol audience cheer as District One must have made it out the tunnel.

This happens for all the Districts before we go, but, finally, I see the two Eleven tributes pull out, meaning that we're next.

When we get out, the effect is instantaneous. People who weren't already standing get to their feet and clap. I get roses and some other tokens of affection thrown at me. I also see Claudius Templesmith and Caesar Flickerman (the narrators and presenters of the games) making various comments on our outfits.

Suddenly, the attention has come off the careers, and it's all flowing in the direction towards us.

At some point during the journey, Austin, who has been waving to people in the crowd, grabs for my hand. I snatch it away, and he looks at me. "Come on, Willow, they'll love it."

Resentfully, I move my hand towards his and when he reaches it, we hold them high in the air. This only ramps up the crowd more.

Finally we reach the point where the road stops. So do the chariots. And so does our fire. I look up and see the face of the man I hate most in the world. This is the man who had been in charge of Panem since about the Tenth Hunger Games. The person in charge. President Snow.

He stands up now, heading to a platform to which he can speak to us. Always above us. Taunting us. "Welcome! Welcome! Tributes, we welcome you! We salute your courage and your sacrifice! And we wish you, Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favour!"

The chariot pulls us off when he's done speaking, back to the tribute centre. When we get there, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna and Portia are all very happy.

"Amazing!" The two stylists commented.

"We are all anybody's going to be talking about!" Effie says excitedly.

"So brave," even Haymitch liked it.

"Are you sure you should be this near an open flame?" I retort sarcastically.

"Fake flame?" He laughs. "Are you sure you-"

He cuts off and I follow his eyes which are looking at something behind me. I see the careers looking at us mutinously, but mostly the boy from Two. He's staring at me like I'm a piece of meat. I turn around, not wanting anything to do with him.

"Let's go upstairs," Haymitch quickly tells me. I follow him to an elevator.

"So, every District gets their own floor and since you're from Twelve, you get the Penthouse!" Effie's so funny sometimes.

We ride to the top floor and when I step out, I'm met with one of those houses I used to dream I would have. Austin too, even though he's not from the Seam, seems mystified with the grandness of it.

Effie directs me to my room so I can get changed and wipe my make up off. But before I do, I have to admire one more time the amazing work Cinna has done.

I change into some blue trousers and green top before going to dinner.