y for the life of the boy in the woods。
But instead of fleeing the room； the girl closes the door behind her and goes to the bathroom。 She es back with a damp cloth and wipes my face gently then cleans the blood from a broken plate off my hands。 Why is she doing this？ Why am I letting her？
¨I should have tried to save you；〃 I whisper。
She shakes her head。 Does this mean we were right to stand by？ That she has forgiven me？
¨No； it was wrong；〃 I say。
She taps her lips with her fingers then points to my chest。 I think she means that I would just have ended up an Avox； too。 Probably would have。 An Avox or dead。
I spend the next hour helping the redheaded girl clean the room。 When all the garbage has been dropped down a disposal and the food cleaned away； she turns down my bed。 I crawl in between the sheets like a five…year…old and let her tuck me in。 Then she goes。 I want her to stay until I fall asleep。 To be there when I wake up。 I want the protection of this girl； even though she never had mine。
In the morning； itˇs not the girl but my prep team who are hanging over me。 My lessons with Effie and Haymitch are over。 This day belongs to Cinna。 Heˇs my last hope。 Maybe he can make me look so wonderful； no one will care what es out of my mouth。
The team works on me until late afternoon； turning my skin to glowing satin； stenciling patterns on my arms； painting flame designs on my twenty perfect nails。 Then Venia goes to work on my hair； weaving strands of red into a pattern that begins at my left ear； wraps around my head； and then falls in one braid down my right shoulder。 They erase my face with a layer of pale makeup and draw my features back out。 Huge dark eyes； full red lips； lashes that throw off bits of light when