Heart of Gold • Finnick Odair

-14-

ROSALIE POV

It's late evening and we will be leaving what has been our temporary home tomorrow morning to head to the place this years games will be held. We say our final goodbyes now as only Mikel and Celia would be coming the rest of the way with us tomorrow.

"I wish you both luck, if one of you succeed to be a Victor maybe I'll be promoted next year," she added excitedly.

Chaff rolls his eyes as he steps forward, surprisingly sober. He shakes Ralph's hand, patting his back with the other and they exchange words I can't hear. I hug him in a friendly manner which he returns instantly and whispers "remember what we talked about, yeah?". I nod in reply, not trusting my voice enough to respond. He talks again, "good luck to you both, watch each other's backs, and try come home."

I give him a reassuring smile that says both 'I'll try' and 'if I don't come back, it's not your fault'. The two leave to go to the Games Headquarters as me and Ralph turn in for bed.

I get a bath, using the rose petals, and sit in the hot water a while before getting out and letting the fancy gadgets dry my body and deal with my curly hair.

I change into some fluffy pyjamas and climb into bed. I must of been lay there for at least two hours before sleep takes me.

I dream about possible arenas, desert wastelands, snow covered mountains, tropical forests, abandoned buildings, the list goes on. I also imagine the many ways me and Ralph could die, dehydration or hunger, mutts, Capitol inventions, other tributes. I wake with a light layer of sweat covering my body.

It's very early so Mikel isn't here yet. I hop into the shower and wash my tears away as I revel in the feeling of hot water soothing my tense muscles, not knowing when i'll get this luxury again. If I ever will. When I reappear through the bathroom door, a simple outfit has been lay out for me by Mikel.

My final dressing preparations will be done in the catacombs under the arena itself. A hovercraft appears and I grab onto the ladders as they lift me up into the hovercraft. I am then approached by a woman in a white lab coat, "this is just your tracker, Rosalie, try to hold still whilst I place it."

I stay as still as a statue as the needle painfully inserts the metal beeping device deep into my forearm. This allows the Gamemakers to know where I am at all times, aka so they know where to send their attacks.

Mikel is then also raised up into the space besides me and we are led into a room by an Avox. The room has two couches and a table full of breakfast items.

I manage to eat one croissant and a large bowl of strawberries despite my nerves because I don't know when, or if, I'll ever get such quality food again. I look at the view out the window as we soar through the sky, over the city and into the wilderness like birds.

The ride lasts about an hour and the windows black out. Me and Mikel are sent down the ladder, through an underground tube, and into the catacombs that lie beneath. We follow directions to my chambers.

The Capitol call this the Launch Room but us in the Districts tend to call it the Stockyard, the place animals are taken before being slaughtered, because that's what we feel like. Disposable animals for the Capitol's benefit.

The entire room is new, and will never be used again. A waste compared to the poverty in all twelve districts. The only other use this room will have is to be visited by Capitol residents on vacation when they tour the arena and gawk at 'where this tribute was prepped' and 'where this tribute died' or 'where this tribute became a victor at the last battle'. It's sick.

I shower again and brush my teeth after finishing breakfast. Mikel removes the acrylics from my nails so they are bare again and plaits the top of my hair then tying it into a high ponytail, my signature hairstyle.

I dress in the given clothes with help from Mikel. Undergarments, black waterproof pants, a long-sleeved dark green skintight top with a looser black short-sleeved top over it, and a black raincoat too. He tucks my rose necklace, my token, under the green top and zips up the jacket.

"It'll no doubt be rainy, I guess maybe tropical or rainforest probably. You're good in trees so that'll be ideal," he sighs and places his hand on my shoulders. "You've got this, okay? You've been advised not to go to the Cornucopia, correct?" I nod. "Then try grab a bag if there's one near, if not sharpen a stick for a spear and sharp sticks or rocks could suffice as weapons temporarily. You're natural beauty will get you sponsors as well as your interview, outfits and personality so if you're ever in need of help I'm sure Chaff will be able to get you sponsors." A countdown begins, telling us we have one minute until I have to leave. "Good luck, not that you need it." He kisses my cheek and I hug him before standing in the tube behind me.

The doors close and Mikel blows me a kiss. I smile at the action before the platform I'm stood on rises into the air until he's out of view, there's a few seconds of darkness as I pass from the catacomb level to ground level.

Once I reach the surface, I'm blinded by the bright light of the beaming sun and the familiar smell of trees enters my nose as I try to calm my breathing. Then I hear the legendary announcer, Claudius Templesmith, "ladies and gentlemen, met the Sixty-sixth Hunger Games begin!"