At the end of the ceremony the Panem anthem begins to play and the crowd is hushed in respect for our capitol . After it's finished eight peacekeepers enter the stage four surrounding cato, and four around me. They guide us around to the back of the stage into the justice building.

The peace keepers usher us into two different rooms and shut the door as they leave. I know district 2 was ment to be one of the richest districts, but I have never seen a room as flamboyant as this before. The carpet was a thick red, soft to tread and soft velvet chairs and sofas lined the edge of the small box room, the velvet is beyond soft, I run my fingers over it watching the shade of red change brushing it back and forward. I've never seen this room before ,and re-runs of the games are constantly playing, that means there's no cameras .the next thing that will be televised is the travel to the train station. I let my guard down. Smiling. A genuine smile. Not a savage one. I'm going to win. But the thought of the boy killing me enters my mind. No. That won't happen. I'll be victorious.

My mother and father enter the room. Massive grins spread across their faces. I've never seen them like this before, they both lunge in pulling us all into a tight embrace.

"We're so proud of you" mother coos

"We never thought this day would come- and now it's here - it feels like everything's right. You will bring us riches and honour. Our clove" father chirps

We let go of each other moving to sit on the velvet sofa. I've never been this close to my family before. It's weird that maybe this was the only way I could ever make the happy. But I'm glad I volunteered. Not for them. For me.

Mother speaks up "we couldn't believe it when you volunteered over the other girl" she says

"A few People will probably be mad, like the trainers, we hardley ever send a 15 year old, I mean there's a 16 too, might be the youngest we've ever had" mother adds

Father butts in "yeah but they can't be mad after the way they saw clove take out the girl, the first volunteer was like double her size, but Catos even bigger, you'll need to use your speed and knives against him, you won't beat him in hand to hand"

"We'll be prized citizens. If I win this... when I win this" I say in grim determination

We discuss my weaknesses and strengths before my parents are ushered out of the room by peace keepers. They do not turn back the walk out giddy with excitement, that their daughter is in the games.

Next Mae and Ness walk in linked arms. We talk about the games and how me and Ness won't be competing against each other to get a spot in the games next year, obviously mae is out the picture she was never any competition. Ness talks
"I wish it was me in the games, but the way you took that big girl out, I can't imagine anybody who would want to go against you" we start to talk what the Arena could possibly be like I know it will have some sort of wood land, the games were boring when fires couldn't be made. Over half the tributes just died from the cold nights. I hope there's some competition. I think back to Cato
Of course there's competition he's going with you
Death at the hands of Cato some what threatens me. And it finally dawns on me I have never killed anything but Wooden dummies. At least in district 10 they can practice on livestock, killing a person will be so much harder, they can move and fight back
What if I never come home
The horror of this propels me to feet. And I lung forward to hug Mae and Nessie. It's a moment of weakness but nobody sees it. We hug in silence. Maybe they're thinking I won't come back either judging by the way they linger in the hug. We stay in an embrace to till the peace keepers usher them out. They smile at me
"Come home kentwell" Ness says before walking out a grin on her face.

I don't expect anymore visitors so am shocked when the door opens again. A strong women, my trainer at the academy , storms  through the door. She doesn't look happy though she looks angry .

"What the hell did you think you were doing! Huh?   Volunteering. I had hand picked Dathune (that must be the 18 year old)  and you go in thinking your all that, you will make us seem weak to the cap-"

"No" I cut her off "I beat the girl you picked! I won this space! I deserve to be in these games!" Red rage rushes to my face. I can't believe her

"Your just a little girl. So what you can Chuck a few knifes and run around in circles! Dathune was ment to be here not an insolent litt-"

"I DERSVE TO B-"

I'm cut off by my trainer as she raises a hand bringing it down into my cheek, she never thought I was good enough and now... now I'm in the games there's nothing she can do about it. I smile at her. Knowing I've won. I am their tribute. She storms out the room not before saying

"If you die, I will kill you" she finishes

Only when she's gone I raise my hand to my face poking then area that she hit. She always had a legendary temper and you did not want to get on the wrong side of it. Despite that she was one of the best trainers there is. Her harshness brought home victors. It's what we needed.

After I was ushered again by peace keepers into a car. nobody in district 2 had cars but people who needed them to transport goods, apparently everybody in the captiol had a car, at least that's what I heard when the people told stories of it. The captiol really is amazing. The journey was short and underwhelming the car picked up so much dust hardly anything could be seen out the window.

We arrive at the station and it's abouslouty crawling with reporters calling out mine and Catos name. I stare dead ahead with determination. Cato does different again he is raising his fist so cheers erupt and smirking at the cameras. I look up and see there is a screen which is showing us live, Cato looks commanding and strong, he will for sure be a favourite, I look unsettling, like I know I could kill everybody in this room. I probably could. They way you make your first impression is everything. There was one tribute not too long back who came across as scared a timid from 7 she seems so much like a loser nobody bothered to pay attention to her, that's until she sliced them all open with an axe. I think Cato and I have chosen our image well.

The cameras film us from every angle I feel self conscious. But it's stupid I shouldn't ,I can't show any weakness. it's a small mercy when the train door finally opens and we can step inside. I see Cato he is no longer smiling. Like me he is taking in the surroundings. It's the grandest room we've ever seen everything was brightly coloured with spotless fabrics, gold lined the side of the mahogany table, laid with place mats and silver wear in the centre of the room. Nimit informs us we can do what we want, we will arrive in the captiol tomorrow. She will come get us when she needs us . We have private rooms and bathrooms attached to them. I could get used to living a life of this quality. I've never been in a victors house but I imagine it's like this.

I enter my private chambers a double bed with a silk spread is on it. I fall into it. It's so... well it's not soft but it's not hard, it's slidey, especially with my dress matching the material. Thinking about my dress I look down at it , the dust has creeped on to it from the commotion of the day, I sit up taking my boots off my feet and walking into my bathroom. it's all a perfect white it's astonishing, I've never really had a shower the heads are expensive and mostly the quary workers have communal showers provided by the capitol. most people have a tub with warm running water. I've heard rumours that in districts like 12 they bathe in animal troughs and the waters not even warm. I shudder at the thought. But I don't think it could be true because nobody but victors travel to other districts. And the capitol would provide more then that. It's probably a rumour out of pity because district 12 always loose.

I take my clothes off , untwist my hair letting it fall freely and step into the shower, there's so many buttons, they're clearly labelled though, I press the on button and warm water immediately pours out hitting my skin, other buttons have names of flowers on them .I press one that reads lavender and immediately the scent fills the room and a tile comes out in front of me showcasing a line of purple liquid in glass bottles and a purple bar of soap. I pour the bottle labelled hair on my head and massage it in. This is obviously high quality hair ointment. And the soap , it's not harsh but soft. I wash my body and hair but stay a little longer before I press the off button saving the moment. But as soon as I press it warm air shots out the sides drying my body and hair completely. This is the softest my hair has felt all my life. I smile. Dispite this I look down at my naked body, my abs are barely visible. I sigh poking my side . I have to look perfect for the capitol. I walk into the bedroom and open the drawers. The highest draw up contains bigger sizes the second draw a smaller size, so I move down to the bottom draw finding a black v neck t-shirt in my size, and soft baggy trousers In gray, I've never seen trousers like this before . I'm used to harsh materials made to endure the dirt and movement of district 2. I tuck the top in and pull the draw strings up around my waist. The clothes are baggy and comfortable, I leave my hair failing down past my waist. And sit on the bed leaning against the headboard. My eyes feel heavy. And I allow myself to drift into a sleep. Well not sleep but a rest. My heads to bush being ecstatic with what's to come.

Nimit Azaleasing collects me from my room and leads me back into the grand dinning carriage. The train is smooth as we travel at the lowest speed as we are closest to the captiol and all the districts need to arrive at the same time. Two chairs are empty. Nimit moved to the chair at the head of the table. Our mentors, Enobria and Brutus sit on the far side looking at me as I enter the carriage, they're already in conversation with Cato but it quiets as I walk to the table
Where they talking about me? What has Cato said to them?
I hope nothing as I walk to take a seat next to Cato and opposite Enobria. It's weird seeing them up close. It feels forbidden like they're gods to be admired from afar. They both have sunken brown eyes and Enobrias tanned skin looks pale. They look tired. Not like the relentless killers I know them to be. Within a second the remould there features any doubts I might have had are forgotten. They introduce themselves shaking my hand. Like I don't already know them. Even toddlers can mutter their names. They're legends.

But then they start bringing out food, rich foods bound to make you loose a hard earned figure over night, and I look back thinking about my body when I came out the shower, how it wasn't sculpted exactly the way I wanted it to be. They way it should be to be a Victor. Nimit natters on about somthing. My mouth waters when I see the thick carrot soup and lamb chops. Placed in front of me. Everyone digs in to their food, I know none of them have probably ate since before the reaping, and now it's late evening, Enobaria raises an eyebrow, I don't know how long she's been looking at me for. Or how long I've been staring at the chicken. But if Cato said somthing to them about our brief shared past, I need to prove him wrong. I can't have my idols thinking I'm some weak little girl. I pick up the cutlery and eat every bit of the food in front of me, relishing at each flavour. We have training daily I'll work it off. Next they bring out baked sweets like cake and pastry's my stomach rumbles for them but I just can't afford to eat it I politely decline and stare at the empty plate in front of me. Cato looks at me, he looks like he wants to say something but decides against it. Focusing back on his on meal.

The whole meal was mostly silent,Enobria and Brutus seemed to be able to talk through facial expressions and hand signals. Cato mostly stayed quiet .the complete opposite of the boy at the reaping. Nimit would prattle on about somthing or other, oblivious to the fact nobody was paying much attention. Everything was overwhelming yet so underwhelming at the same time. I thought everyone would be lost in the excitement nonstop chatter. But I suppose the adults have made this journey several times, it must've lost the wonder for them.

After all the plates and cutlery are taken away, we follow Nimit into another room with a massive projector across the wall and velvet sofas not unlike the ones in the justice building. Nimit immediately sits in the middle Brutus sits to the right of her and Enobria in the corner whilst Cato sits to the left and I sit in the other corner. It's weird being this close to him. I cross my arms and look unbothered. We came to this train compartment to watch the reapings, to study our competition, this is where the real mentoring starts. I grin at the thought. I can't wait to get into the arena.

The reapings are generally staggered throughout the day according to district number, for the views in the captiol, it makes it easier for them to watch all in real time, we watch only the replays meaning it will be a lot more condensed. And in the right order 1 through 12. Watching it live you'd see district 7 first, at 7o clock in the morning, then 8, all the way up to district 6 being the finishers at 6pm being district 2 and two o'clock were in the middle on the live stream, but now we'll see ourselves second. The national anthem plays signiling the start of the replays.

"Watch 1 and 4, they'll most likely be your Allies" grunts Brutus

I'm well aware of the partnership that usually occurs due to us being known as the 'careers'. It's because we train. your not actually ment to train but we do it anyway. Anything to impress the capitol.

First we watch district 1 . a girl called glimmer flounces onto the stage, I feel I twinge of jealously she looks perfect curled blonde hair, and a dazzling smile. Next is a boy named Marvel he is strong and walks carelessly to the stage pulling a comical face, they know what angles to play to get sponsors. They are both well built for 17 year olds. Next you see me I look muderous beating a girl for a place in the game, Cato smirks looking monstrous as we stare into the crowd. I'm happy with this, I let myself relax we sure have made an impression, the next people I take notice of is 4, the girl Marina looks like a useful ally she looks about the same height as me but much bigger in the sense of power/build. The boy however will be of no use to us. A mere runt of a 13 year old. The tributes go on as each extravagantly dressed escort picks another name. I take note of a girl from 5, she looks like Mae with her sleek red hair, her eyes dart around. Another thing I notice is the boy from 10, he limps to the stage. Me and Cato laugh together at the misfortune of this boy. Surely he knows his already dead. I also take notice of an 18 year old from 11, Thresh he is much bigger than Cato. Though it's uncommon for outer district and careers to allies this could work. Then the last district come on, district 12. Their escort reads primrose Everdeen, but a girl, her sister darts forward to save her and volunteers. I scowl, the girl from 12 has stolen my moment. What if I'm no longer remembered,
Overshadowed by her?Katniss her name was Katniss , and I can't wait to drive a knife through her heart.

"So what are we thinking" Enobria says

I talk to them for what sees to be the first time Since I said my name at the reaping "both from one seem like they'd be good allies, 4 we could have the girl. The boy looked pathetic, and maybe the boy from 11"

"She talks!" Brutus chimes sarcastically

He wasn't saying much either the silence was collective. So I don't know why his so sarcastic,

Cato talks "I don't like 12. I want to get her"

We all nod in agreement. The audience needs to think about us, not twelve