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he wall thatˇs airing my arrival live and
feel gratified that I appear almost bored。
Peeta Mellark； on the other hand； has obviously been crying and interestingly enough does not seem to be trying to cover it up。 I immediately wonder if this will be his strategy in the Games。 To appear weak and frightened； to reassure the other tributes that he is no petition at all； and then e out fighting。 This worked very well for a girl； Johanna Mason； from District 7 a few years back。 She seemed like such a sniveling； cowardly fool that no one bothered about her until there were only a handful of contestants left。 It turned out she could kill viciously。 Pretty clever； the way she played it。 But this seems an odd strategy for Peeta Mellark because heˇs a bakerˇs son。 All those years of having enough to eat and hauling bread trays around have made him broad…shouldered and strong。 It will take an awful lot of weeping to convince anyone to overlook him。
We have to stand for a few minutes in the doorway of the train while the cameras gobble up our images； then weˇre allowed inside and the doors close mercifully behind us。 The train begins to move at once。
The speed initially takes my breath away。 Of course； Iˇve never been on a train； as travel between the districts is forbidden except for officially sanctioned duties。 For us； thatˇs mainly transporting coal。 But this is no ordinary coal train。 Itˇs one of the high…speed Capitol models that average 250 miles
per hour。 Our journey to the Capitol will take less than a day。
In school； they tell us the Capitol was built in a place once called the Rockies。 District 12 was in a region known is Appalachia。 Even hundreds of years ago； they mined coal here。 Which is why our miners have to dig so deep。
Somehow it all es back to coal at school。 Besides basic reading and math most of our instruction is coal…related。 Except for the weekly lecture on the history of Panem。 Itˇs mostly a lot of blather about what we owe the Capitol。 I know there must be more than theyˇre telling us； an actual account of what happened during the rebellion。 But I donˇt spend much time thinking about it。 Whatever the truth is； I donˇt see how it will help me get food on the table。
The tribute train is fancier than even the room in the Justice Building。 We are each given our own chambers that have a bedroom； a dressing area； and a private bathroom with hot and cold running water。 We donˇt have hot water at home； unless we boil it。
There are drawers filled with fine clothes； and Effie Trinket tells me to do anything I want； wear anything I want； everything is at my disposal。 Just be ready for supper in an hour。 I peel off my motherˇs blue dress and take a hot shower。 Iˇve never had a shower before。 Itˇs like being in a summer rain； only warmer。 I dress in a dark green shirt and pants。
At the last minute； I remember Madgeˇs little gold pin。 For the first time； I get a good look at it。 Itˇs as if someone fashioned a small golden bird and then attached a ring around it。 The bird is connected to the ring only by its wing tips。 I suddenly recognize it。 A mockingjay。
Theyˇre funny birds and something of a slap in the face to the Capitol。 During the rebellion； the Capitol bred a series of geically altered animals as weapons。 The mon term for them was muttations； or sometimes mutts for short。 One was a special bird called a jabberjay that had the ability to memorize and repeat whole human conversations。 They were homing birds； exclusively male； that were released into regions where the Capitolˇs enemies were known to be hiding。 After the birds gathered words； theyˇd fly back to centers to be recorded。 It took people awhile to realize what was going on in the districts； how private conversations were being transmitted。 Then； of course； the rebels fed the Capitol endless lies； and the joke was on it。 So the centers were shut down and the birds were abandoned to die off in the wild。
Only they didnˇt die off。 Instead； the jabberjays mated with female mockingbirds creating a whole new species that could replicate both bird whistles and human melodies。 They had lost the ability to enunciate words but could still mimic a range of human vocal sounds； from a childˇs high…pitched warble to a manˇs deep tones。 And they could re…create songs。 Not just a few notes； but whole songs with multiple verses； if you had the patience to sing them and if they liked your voice。 My father was particularly fond of mockingjays。 When we went hunting； he would whistle or sing plicated songs to them and； after a polite pause； theyˇd always sing back。 Not everyone is treated with such respect。 But whenever my father sang； all the birds in the area would fall silent and listen。 His voice was that beautiful； high and clear and so filled with life it made you want to laugh and cry at the same time。 I could never bring myself to continue the practice after he was gone。 Still； thereˇs something forting about the little bird。 Itˇs like having a piece of my father with me； protecting me。 I fasten the pin onto my shirt； and with the dark green fabric as a background； I can almost imagine the mockingjay flying through the trees。
Effie Trinket es to collect me for supper。 I follow her through the narrow； rocking corridor into a dining room with polished paneled walls。 Thereˇs a table where all the dishes are highly breakable。 Peeta Mellark sits waiting for us； the chair next to him empty。
¨Whereˇs Haymitch？〃 asks Effie Trinket brightly。
¨Last time I saw him； he said he was going to take a nap；〃 says Peeta。
¨Well； itˇs been an exhausting day；〃 says Effie Trinket。 I think sheˇs relieved by Haymitchˇs absence； and who can blame her？
The supper es in courses。 A thick carrot soup； green salad； lamb chops and mashed potatoes； cheese and fruit； a chocolate cake。 Throughout the meal； Effie Trinket keeps reminding us to save space because thereˇs more to e。 But Iˇm stuffing myself because Iˇve never had food like this； so good and so much； and because probably the best thing I can do between now and the Games is put on a few pounds。
¨At least； you two have decent manners；〃 says Effie as weˇre finishing the main course。 ¨The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages。 It pletely upset my digestion。〃
The pair last year were two kids from the Seam whoˇd never； not one day of their lives； had enough to eat。 And when they did have food； table manners were surely the last thing on their minds。 Peetaˇs a bakerˇs son。 My mother taught Prim and I to eat properly； so yes； I can handle a fork and knife。 But I hate Effie Trinketˇs ment so much I make a point of eating the rest of my meal with my fingers。 Then I wipe my hands on the tablecloth。 This makes her purse her lips tightly together。
Now that the mealˇs over； Iˇm fighting to keep the food down。 I can see Peetaˇs looking a little green； too。 Neither of our stomachs is used to such rich fare。 But if I can hold down Greasy Saeˇs concoction of mice meat； pig entrails； and tree bark a winter specialty Iˇm determined to hang on to this。
We go to another partment to watch the recap of the reapings across Panem。 They try to stagger them throughout the day so a person could conceivably watch the whole thing live； but only people in the Capitol could really do that； since none of them have to attend reapings themselves。
One by one； we see the other reapings； the names called； （the volunteers stepping forward or； more often； not。 We examine the faces of the kids who will be our petition。 A few stand out in my mind。 A monstrous boy who lunges forward to volunteer from District 2。 A fox…faced girl with sleek red hair from District 5。 A boy with a crippled foot from District 10。 And most hauntingly； a twelve…year…old girl from District 11。 She has dark brown skin and eyes； but other than that； sheˇs very like Prim in size and demeanor。 Only when she mounts the stage and they ask for volunteers； all you can hear is the wind whistling through the decrepit buildings around her。 Thereˇs no one willing to take her place。
Last of all； they show District 12。 Prim being called； me running forward to volunteer。 You canˇt miss the desperation in my voice as I