Hey. I just wanted to say that today I saw the Catching Fire film. It was absolutely perfect, splendid, wonderful, magnificent, charming, overwhelming. I was trembling through the whole film, it was so... ugh, so real. I was crying in two parts. The ones who haven't seen it yet... do so. Enjoy the chapter! A.
"Wake up! Wake up!" someone's shaking me. I open my eyes and see Mary. I yawn and ask her what's up.
"Oh, well nothing really, we're just going into the arena today. We're leaving in 2 hours," after she says those words, I fall into a shock. But not the kind of shock where you don't move for days, just a few seconds - kind of shock. And when I wake up from this shock, the whole thing falls on me. It's a matter of hours until my death, only these few hours are a wall between me and my death.
I get up, and I notice that Mary is still in her pajamas. We decide to lie down again. We rest for a few minutes, calming each other.
And then Katniss is knocking on our door, telling us to go for breakfast.
I take a shower, and put on the most beautiful dress I can find. You know, it's my last day so I want to wear something perfect.
My breakfast includes everything on the table. Cereal, toasts, eggs, fruit, vegetables, cakes… And lots and lots of water. Literally, liters. I know I'll need it, and that I won't have enough of it.
It's too soon, when Katniss and Peeta get up, and say it's time. I hug with everyone, including Katniss, and head to the elevator. When we get on the roof, there is the hovercraft waiting.
We get on, and get seated in strange and uncomfy chair. A doctor comes to me and injects me the tracker. We travel for about 45 minutes, and I watch the ground below us. It's a forest. I try to remember everything I learned about surviving in the forest. Good thing I chose archery, it's gonna help there. Okay, remember. Edible - katniss roots, easy.
Puffball mushrooms. They come in different sizes, but they can be recognized. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries. Mint leaves. I can hunt fish, if I find a pond or a river. I can make a fair fishhook. I can hunt squirrels, rabbits. When we get into the arena, I'll have to grab the nearest backpack and if I'm lucky, a bow would help.
I'd think about it more, but my time is up and we are getting off the hoverplane into our Launch Rooms. I walk into mine and Beta helps me get into the clothes. It's sport shoes, the ones you use for running. Brown pants, probably waterproof and windproof. A white ,long-sleeved shirt and a brown jacket, water and windproof too. Yep, it's going to be a forest.
"60 seconds to launch," says one of the Gamemakers.
I calm down and drink 2 more glasses of water.
"Remember Vanda. First thing you need to do is find water," says Beta.
"30 seconds to launch," announces the voice.
And then Katniss walks in.
"Vanda, you're good with a bow. If there's time, grab one. If there is one. Grab a backpack of supplies too, believe me, you won't survive long without it. There should be a sleeping bag, some food, a water purifier and a plastic bottle. At least that was it when I competed. I don't know what the Gamemakers will think about, even though I'm the Mockingjay," she says quickly.
"10 seconds."
I walk into the tube, turn around and get a last look from my designer, and from my mentor. Then the disk starts sliding up. Sunshine is blinding me.