Chapter 4

Today's the day. Today I go into the arena.

I didn't sleep much last night. I had that nervous adrenaline coursing through my veins. Some might call it fear, but I'm not that scared, I know my purpose and my determination to win will get me through.

Because of my little misdemeanour in grading, the guards come and take me straight to the tubes where we enter the arena. I think this quick journey odd, not all the arenas can be this close to training, they're supposed to be spread out for different environments and used as tourist spots. My prep team come and give me the assigned clothing for the arena; tight khaki trousers, a plain black t shirt, boots and a lightweight black jacket. So I guess we're expecting fairly good weather since nothing here suggests protection from rain.

Haymitch his come in to say his last piece of advice "Just remember, focus on yourself, if you wanna win this thing you have to be selfish" something about the way his says this suggests he's talking about the boys from 11

"What if I don't know how to be?" all I've ever cared about is trying to help others, how am I supposed to change my core morals within a few minutes?

"Learn, fast. Or at least how to manage it. Just stay alive" he shook my hand and patted me on the back of the shoulder then left.

"Thirty seconds until entry" a voice over the speaker says, so I make my way into the tube that will lift me up into the arena. I stand in there trying to formulate a plan for m initial actions, I'm not a strong enough fighter to go into the Cornucopia fight, but I have to grab something, those with nothing don't last more than a couple of days. My thought train is stopped by the jolt of the lift and I rise up into the sunlight onto my starting podium.

I look around and there are buildings on all sides behind the ring of podiums, straight ahead is the Cornucopia with all the usual supplies of food and weapons, but I'm set on my plan to avoid the bloodbath, but there's a bag a few feet in front of me, I'm going to grab that and run in;

10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2.

I'm sprinting forward at top speed, I grab the bag I wanted, quickly scan round; Eponine's in the fight with the Careers, looking like she's doing well, Gavroche I can't see, I hope he's ok, Grantaire seems to have a similar plan to me, he's running into the buildings on the other side with a bag.

Suddenly, a knife comes whizzing past my head. I'm not harmed but I take it as my cue to leave and find somewhere to hide. I take off directly behind my podium, occasionally looking over my shoulder in case anyone follows me, but for now I'm alone. I run in three buildings deep, it's like maze of concrete.

Once I feel sure that I'm alone and hopefully safe, I enter a building and sit on the concrete floor to catch my breath. I open the back pack that I grabbed hoping there's some water inside. Fortunately, there is, along with a sleeping bag, matches, some crackerbreads, and…a gun. A gun. That's new, there's never been any guns in the arena before, and there wasn't any in training either. Luckily, for me I have handled guns before, when you're actively promoting revolution it's kind of a requirement, but I think of everyone else…little Gavroche, he won't be able to fire one, let alone… I can't think of him being on the other side of a gun.

I settle down in my sleeping bag for the night, it's not too cold. The anthem sounds out through the arena and I peer out the open window space to see who had died in the bloodbath, I had lost count of the canons firing earlier, so I don't know what to expect. The first face we see is from District 4, only one, then the twins Prouvaire and Jehan from 5, and also both from 6, and only Joly survived from 7, Coufeyrac from 8 is out, shame he seemed cool, Fantine from 9 and lastly there's Madeleine from 10. Well, at least the boys from 11 and Eponine survived. I assume that she is with the Careers. Knowing that my friends are safe settles me down enough to get to sleep. Though I'm still wary of what the night will bring.

Author's Note; So my arena is kind of based on The Block from Mockingjay, I figured it was the best way to link the Games and the Barricade Boys fighting in the streets…also I can put the military part of my mind to work.

Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year