The Loric Games

Chapter 2: Burning Ambition

Katniss' POV

I wake up to Effie knocking on my door.

"Up, up, up. It's going to be a big, big day" she squeaks cheerily.  Ugh, her happiness towards this whole thing makes my stomach turn.

        I saunter out of bed and throw on some clothes. I find Haymitch drinking, but managing to keep a conversation with Peeta. Peeta offers me some hot chocolate which is so delicious  that I want another.  I sit down and grab anything within my reach, eating, knowing I'm going to need it. I never try to take food for granted.

"Got anything to share sweetheart?" Haymitch grumbles, trying to bring me into the conversation.

"About what?"

"Surviving of course," he says, taking another swig from his glass.

My mind goes to last night's re-runs.

"My best advice is to stay alive."

"Very funny," Peeta says angrily and goes for the glass in Haymitch's hand. The glass drops to the floor and shatters, splattering everything within distance with red wine. Haymitch punches Peeta in the jaw causing him to go flying. I react instinctively and drive my knife between Haymitch's hand and the bottle. I wait for him to counteract but he doesn't.

"Well, well, well, did I actually get some good fighters this year?" he asks.

Peeta grabs some ice from a bucket and holds it against his jaw.

"Let the bruise show, it'll make it seem like you know what you're doing."

"We're going to need it," I say. "I saw the tapes of the tributes this year. We've got some serious competition and not just the Careers, but in pretty much all the Districts."

"Am I sensing hesitation?" Haymitch asks. 

"Hell no!" I say firmly.

"Show me what you got sweetheart."

        I grab the knife from the table and get a handle on the blade. I toss it and it lands better than I thought it would. I do know how to throw knives, part of my hunting gear, but I prefer the bow.

Haymitch lines us up and examines us.

"I'll make you kids a deal. You don't interfere with my drinking, I'll stay sober enough to help you guys out. So I want no complaints about anything that you're gonna be put through in the next few hours. Got it?" He says, practically daring us to protest.

"Fine" Peeta says and I nod in agreement.

        We pull into the station. Peeta and I stand next to each other by the window. I keep my lip buttoned and move away from the window, but Peeta flashes a smile and waves to the people in the crowd. It's like the Capitol's own little lap dogs, which I think was the intention before they put us against each other on live TV. I don't want to be a doll, but we promised Haymitch we'd tolerate whatever we're going to go through.  He glances at my disapproving look and shrugs.

"One of them might be rich,half empty, " he says.

        Haymitch comes up beside me a half-empty bottle of whiskey.

"You might want to follow his example, he's got the right idea."

        The next few hours are very painful. My three preppies have been ridding my body of hair and skin in preparation for meeting my stylist. All of team are dressed bizarrely and mutter in their Capitol accents.

"Done!" one of them squeaks happily. I let out a sigh of relief and force a smile on my face.

"Thank you." I say with the best amount of sincerity that I can muster.

        My prep team leave me in peace so I can collect my wits. I'm greasy, cold and hairless, not my ideal position to be in. We're going to be put parade tonight for the entire Capitol. The costumes are supposed to represent our district in someway and the costumes have been hideous or embarrassing.

        My stylist, Cinna, seems normal and nice. He praises me for protecting my sister by volunteering for her. As we eat he tells me that he has a new idea for District 12 this year. He wants to do complementary costumes with an unforgettable twist.

"And what do we do with coal? We burn it."

        I'm surprised but also happy that I won't be indecent or anything stupid.

"You're not afraid of fire are you Katniss?"