Beauty and a Beast

Chapter 4

"And now, from District 2, let's welcome the lovely, the bold, Enobaria Golding!"

Caesar Flickerman cheers with his audience as I walk onstage. After the parade costume, I was worried about what my interview dress would look like, but I actually love it. True to my last name, it's made of golden fabric, ending around my knees. Gaea and Demeter gave me curls, which elegantly flow over my shoulders. I feel like a million bucks.

Heck yeah, I'm a winner. This is the ego upgrade I needed.

"Hey Caesar," I say, shaking his hand and smiling.

"You look confident," he declares while he helps me sit. "As you should be; the highest exhibition rating of all the tributes; the highest placing in the Capitol's prediction poll; and you come from the masonry district. I'm sure you've got loads of experience with making shelters and weapons."

"Yeah. I can use all of that to my advantage. And unlike some tributes, I'm not afraid to kill."

"Oh snap!" Caesar exclaims. "You hear that, tributes? She's coming for you!"

Okay. Confession time. This isn't really going to be easy for me. I spend all night trying to sleep, but my mind races through a bunch of 'what-ifs'. Sure, I feel ready. I'm still just sixteen years old, practically a kid, and I'm more afraid than I want to admit.

Fear's a powerful thing.
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One more breakfast in Capitol luxury, and then, my odds will be tested. But I don't wanna eat.

"Fill that stomach up," Lily insists. She practically shoves food into my mouth, which I nearly choke on. Not cool!

"What do you know," I say. "I suddenly have an appetite again."

Lily throws her head back, laughing. "Uh huh. Works every time. We are gonna own these Games, girl, and don't you forget it. Odair and Golding."

"Always," I reply as we bump fists. An old tradition of ours.

Please say we won't be the final two tributes. Please.

When my prep team comes to dress me, I take long, deep breaths. They put me in a tank top, t-shirt, cargo pants, boots, and a coat made of fur. Hmm. I'm a cavewoman. A primal beast in a teen girl's body. It kinda boosts me all over again, and my focus sharpens.

Inject me with that tracker.

Put me in that launch tube.

And do it before I change my mind!

Well, I got my wish. Now I stand in the circle of tributes, listening to the clock tick by. But more importantly, I observe our arena.

On my right is a forest, which I assume is the largest section. On my left is a massive hillside. It twists and turns for as far as I can see. Possibly, there's a water source up there somewhere. But I don't have to look far for water. The Cornucopia has a moat surrounding it. I'm not sure if this water's going to be drinkable, though. There are the usual bags spread out, filled with supplies and food.

Weapons are another case. One good scan is enough to tell me that we've only got one type of weapon to choose from: spiked, wooden clubs. They come in different shapes and sizes.

Ten final seconds wind down...

Let the 58th annual Hunger Games begin.