The peacekeepers march me off the stage behind Aiden Caldwell toward the Justice Building and as soon as we're through the doors the entirety of what had just transpired- the finality of it – hits me with such gut-wrenching force I promptly evacuate my breakfast on to the back of Aiden Caldwells' legs and feet.

"Honestly Anastasia" Pandora says with exasperation as she throws her arms up into the air, but her spirits are still so high about Aiden that its seems more an unwelcome surprise then a bother "I know you're excited girl, but couldn't you hold it until you got to the ladies room?"

"Whats wrong with you?" Aiden asks Pandora with such disgust that it catches me by surprise. I'm suddenly glad for him, that he hasn't turned me into an enemy, just yet. At least for now, we're still on the same side.

We're led down opposing corridors by the peacekeepers, and I'm locked into a room with high ceilings and no windows. The door and walls have ornate carvings of crustacean shells in the mouldings and plush fabricated panels of ocean blue on the walls. I've never felt the fabric before. It looks like the same shiny material Pandora McCaffertys dress is made from. It's cool and slippery to the touch. The furniture is all so expensive and delicate looking that I don't want to sit down for fear of ruining something. I pace the room instead.

Tributes are given an hour to share words with their friends and family before they leave for the training center, but It's occurred to me that the likelihood of anyone making it is slim. The thought of never seeing Nauplius again, of not knowing what the full consequences of Laz keeping his promise to me would be, of not receiving their forgiveness -doubles me over.

I jump when the door finally opens and its Nauplius standing there, looking over me with simmering anger and desperate sadness roiling behind his features. A big welt has spring up on the left side of his head and his face is streaked with tears. He gathers me up, tugging me off of the floor and into his arms and he crushes me against him. We stay like this for a long time, shaking together and holding on for dear life. "If Laz didn't stop me I'd be going with you" he says in a struggling voice that breaks my heart.

"That's why I made him promise." I answered in the most collected tone I could conjure.

"you didn't know he'd try to volunteer" It isn't a question, it's a statement. An accusation.

"I didn't" I swore pushing myself away "I promise I had no idea he'd-"

I begin to sob, and Nauplis pulls me back to him "for such a smart girl you can be so stupid Annie" he whispers. "Now don't you cry okay? You can't let the cameras see that, the other tributes are watching now, too. "

I nod my head at him but I can't find words. I'm sobbing harder now

"I need you to try, Annie, Okay?"

I shake my head "Nau, I'm not going to be able to-"

"No Annie!" he grabs my shoulders hard, so hard it hurts. "Don't think like that. You can do this" he tells me, looking me straight in the eyes "Remember Beetee? No one expected him to win- but he did. He just waited. Bide your time. You know how to use a spear, you've been using them your whole life to fish and you can weave a net in your sleep. Promise you'll at least try"

"I'll do everything I can" I tell him. This time it's my turn to pull into him.

A peacekeeper opens the door and tells Nauplius we have only a minute. He squeezes me tighter.

I let him go. It's important that I say goodbye. That I tell him how important he is. "If I don't make it out-"

"shhh" he demands and covers my mouth so I cannot keep speaking. He pushes me down into a chair. "You're getting out of there Annie Cresta – I don't care what sort of foulness you have to sink to " his grip on my face gets harder, and the anger that I saw hiding behind his eyes before has come out full force. "I don't care if you have to lie, cheat, steal or fuck your way out of there, but you're coming home. You robbed me of the ability to try to save you." His voice is quivering now, and it's gone up and octave. He lets my face go and gets down on his knees.

He's falling apart. And so am I "I can't do-"

"You took away my choice Annie " he's yelling now, right in my face. I'm reminded, somehow, of my father. "That's all we have, the only thing in this world that's ours and you took it away from me." His face is red and his entire frame is shaking with fury. " YOU OWE ME ANNIE!" He yells when the peacekeepers come in and grab a hold of him. They're pulling him up and out of the room "Remember Annie! You OWE me!" The door is closed in his face and I'm left alone. I can still hear him yelling about me owing him when the sound suddenly cuts off and is followed by a loud thud.

I crumble off of the chair and onto my hands and knees. I'm trying to find my breath between the wracking tears. My nose is streaming and the sounds that are coming from me sound like an animal on its last leg. I'm already broken, and I haven't even gotten onto the train.

How the hell am I supposed to win this thing?