I feel groggy when I wake up in the morning time. It feels like those cold winter days in 9. I never wanted to get up. Unless I had school, I needed to drag myself through the floor to get myself awake. I want to lay my head back down today... but I feel... I feel at unease.
That doesn't stop me from getting up and rubbing my head. I have a headache… though I can't exactly remember. I recall we were up last night for interviews. Right… then there were the games… which is today.
My pulse accelerates. Oh… Right… The games begin today. Though they begin around noon and it happens to be 7 in the morning. I think I got pretty use to Capitol time ever since the other few training days but I wish I had been around a little earlier.
I drag myself out of my bed and into the kitchen. An Avox already stands ready to serve. I ignore it and head to the table to see if Oam is up. I walk to the table and notice her on the table. She seems quiet, exhausted and very… nervous.
"Hello… Dagan." She looks up. She doesn't sound enthusiastic or anything. She seems like she just woke up.
"You okay?" I ask, sitting down at the table. "I'm okay. You could say that." She puts her head back onto the table.
For a while, we just sit down and wait in silence before Botan and Agota come down. Botan comes in first. "Hey everyone." She yawns.
"You two should get the clothes you need first. If anything, you can be early that way." She tells us. Agota also comes down later and questions Oam.
"You seemed fine a few days ago? What's up?" She asks Oam. Oam roll her eyes again.
The avox's rush into the room and begin serving breakfast. They have pancakes again, my favorite, but I don't really have an appetite. Though, Botan still does.
She doesn't bother asking why we're not eating though. She just watches us aimlessly. I think for some time about what has led up to this point.
What would dad say about this. I'm sitting in a room with a bunch of people I don't even know and to add to this, I'm in a group with people that I don't even think I can trust.
Oam looks up and then notices the time on the clock. It's about 8AM. Not exactly time but she shakes. Then I understand. She doesn't want to interact with us anymore because she's afraid of what will happen when she loses both of us.
It makes me shutter. Losing both of us…
I shake my head. I recall the dinner on the train ride. Oams word of advice: run. Run away from the initial bloodbath at the cornucopia. The others will hopefully be able to get supplies and hand them to us.
We were told to meet up a few meters east of the tail of the cornucopia. I feel a little nauseated. If the others don't survive… well… then we have nothing to live off of…
Worry. I'm worried. I can't shake off the feeling of anxiety. I'm afraid because… well… I'm probably going to die.
I hate the fact that I'm using it so casually. My stomach feels like it's twisting in knots. I have a slim amount of confidence with my score, the chariot parade got some sponsors and I also have the alliance.
However, my age and District 9s track record are holding me back. I don't want to die...
A few minutes later
I change into a a short sleeved shirt, the one that they assign you before the games. After I put on my arena gear (65% of it. You get the rest before entering the stock yar-, I mean launch room), I lay my head on my bed with a sick feeling in my chest.
Suddenly, Botan enters the room. She has a puzzled look on her eyes. I look up. "Hi." I wave, keeping a neutral face.
"So... you remember the plan." She asks me. I look up at her. She seems on my level of fear. "Yeah." I nod. We both pause for a while, both taking in each others company.
"What're you going to miss the most about the Capitol." She speaks up. I think for a moment. "Anat." I say. She smiles. "Same here."
We both laugh and sit around on my bed. After a few more minutes, Oam comes in and calls us out. We both leave the the District 9 floor and enter the elevator once again.
Oam looks at the two of us. She turns around to the wall before everyone else gets on the elevator. As the elevator drops down to the 1st level, Agota gives both me and Botan.
"You two better put on a show. I can't thank you two enough because you are both such good tributes." She hugs us. Botan rolls her eyes but I give a nod. I feel a lump in my throat. I can barely speak right now.
Agota waves back at us as we are all escorted to a hovercraft outside. Oam departs with us and both me and Botan sit next to each other. Even through the dimmed lighting, I can see who is nearby. The District 1, 3, 5, 7 and 11 tributes are all here. The District 1 female is giving us the middle finger. Her District partner sighs in response. "So immature." Rena, the girl from 11 says.
The boy from 11 (Coba) he gives an amused nod. The District 3 Female comes close to tearing up but her District partner gives her a goofy smile and squeezes her hand. The leader of our alliance pack (Plutark, District 5 Male) is hyper ventilating... some confidence right there. His District partner seems unemotional. Partially asleep in fact. Botan is laying her head back. A women walks up to us. She holds out a needle and jabs Botans arm with it. Her tracker. Botan gives me a look as she gets it. She puts her left hand on my arm. It doesn't seem like a [This tracker or whatever hurts] face. Instead, it seems more of a [Are these really our final moments?] face. My mouth is dry but I still manage to swallow the small amount of saliva gathered in my mouth as I get my tracker.
I flinch but I manage to keep myself down as they put the tracker in my arm. I look over to Botan who seems half alive by this point. Her face isn't as fearful as it was before... but the look she gives Plutark says otherwise...
Then, the lights of the aircraft turn off and we're left in pitch black darkness as we begin flying towards the arena...
Much Later...
Three peacekeepers accompany me to the stock yar-, launch room. Not to be meta or anything but the launch room is where the tributes head before the games. Though in the upper districts, we call them the stock yard because that's where animals go to get slaughters. In this case, us.
I'm not an animal though! I'm not a tribute either! I'm Dagan! I'll let you all know that today!
The peacekeepers open up the door to my launch room where Oam is already sitting on the couch... waiting...
"Hello again." She opens her eyes. "Oam? I-I didn't realize you'd be here to watch me depart." My eyes widen.
"I know. I'm not even supposed to be here right now but... I just wanted you to know a few things." She stands up from the couch. "I've been a victor for 17 years." She sighs, closing her eyes.
She turns around to the pod. "For 17 years I've roamed District 9 aimlessly. I never knew how it felt to... to have... hope." She breathes out. "Hope?" I ask.
"Yes. It's been a years since Koras died of alcohol poisoning. I've had no one to relate to since then... well, maybe Katniss counts but I only see her once a year. Either way it happens during the games which is the worse time of the year." She breathes in.
"15 minutes until launch" Someone announces.
"I've done everything in my power to make sure you've been prepared for the games. I'll admit... you and Botan were my first success stories." I notice that she's starting to hold in tears.
"Success stories? It was just luck that I happen to be where I am right now. With a 7. With an alliance. You know." I tell her. "YEAH BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN A SINGLE CHILD COME HOME SINCE I WAS FORCED IN!" She yells at me.
After a few moments, she begins crying. "Oh..." I lower my head. "I tried to stay away from you two. Just like I'd done the others. I didn't want to interact with you. The more I knew about you, the worse it would sting to see you in the sky at night..." She cries.
I stand silent. "The more it stung, the more President Kuma would be able to use me. The more fear he'd drug me with." She drops to her knees. I get on my knees and try and comfort her.
"I... I'll win... I'll win for you." I tell her. "I know I subverted you last night for talking about District 9 and its track record... but there's a slim chance of you surviving today." She stops crying and now she is reduced to slow gasps and sobs.
At this rate, I feel like breaking down as well. "I... want to say thank you though." She wipes her tears. She stands up.
"I want you to go in there... and survive for as long as you can." She hugs me. "But... But I ca-," I begin.
"Remember the plan!" She cries. I step back before thinking.
"Run." She nods. "I'll run. I'll run as fast as my legs can carry me!" I nod in agreement. "You better. I'm not saying you'll return home but you'll fight with that intent. If you fail... fail as yourself, not as just another pawn in some shitty Capitol propaganda!" She orders me.
"Yes ma'am." I nod.
"3 Minutes until launch" They announce again. I look over. I didn't realize how much time had passed. I look around and find the District 9 jacket. Bottle green... It kind of reminds me of back at home when me and Stovall helped out at the bar... everything felt greenish to me.
Before I can step into the pod though... Oam gives me a hug. "Thank you." She cries. I can barely muster out a your welcome before stepping into the pod. After a few seconds, the pod then encloses on me and I slowly start to get lifted into the arena.
Hopefully nobody throws a shoe at me...
I'm left in pitch black darkness for a few seconds before the pod ceiling opens and I notice how I'm being lifted into a cloudy arena... My pulse accelerates once again. What type of arena is it?
However, I feel a piercing cold before I even reach the top. Snow... Is it snowing?
By the time the pod lifts us all into the arena, I officially know where we are. A cold... cold tundra...
I look at my surroundings. A white sheet of snow already lays on the grass. Artificial snow also falls from the sky. For those who plan on getting to the cornucopia... it'd be hell trying to get in and out. I know from snowy experiences in 9 that snow isn't anything to take lightly. However, I ignore it and look for my alliance. The District 1 female and District 12 male stand to my left and right.
I look over to Botan who is currently near the left-side edge of the tribute ring. We both said we were going to run away from the bloodbath... but she has her eyes focused on the supplies at the bloodbath. She notices my gaze and gives me a nod.
"Tributes! Just a reminder, if you throw any foreign object before the 60 minute countdown ends, only you will be killed. Let the 99th Annual Hunger Games begin... and may the odds be forever... in your favor." The announcers voice booms across the arena.
I lick my lips.
There are trees stretching as far as the eyes can see. How am I going to find my alliance in there? From what I recall, it was the boy from 5, 6 and 8 while we also had the girl from 11. Hopefully it won't be too hard to find them.
Thankfully, I'm at the edge of the cornucopia so I don't have to run behind the cornucopia to get south of the tail. I just need to do a zig zag.
I look at my surroundings again. There are giant mountains in the background behind those trees. I wonder if we can reach those...
The current situation with the snow makes me think twice though. The last time we had a snowy arena... the games lasted a total of 5 days and everybody pretty much froze to death. What are they trying to pull with this one...
I look back up and realize I only have 15 seconds left before we run off. I remind myself to run away from the cornucopia and in doing so... I turn and look at Botan. She catches my glance and gives me a double nod and mouths the words "I'm sorry".
Before I can even question what she meant, I notice the amount of time. 5 seconds...
I focus my mind on running away once again. In 5 seconds... the world will fall apart... How quickly can I escape this world...
Okay so I completed this rather quickly. If any of you people were expecting the games this chapter, sorry. I had to build up on the games before getting to it. The next chapter will dive deeper.
District7axemurder - Oh my goodness... PEOPLE READ THIS STORY!? Lol, I'm glad someone's reading this. Outside of the careers (And 7), I'm pretty sure everyone would be rooting for either Dagan or Botan. Most definitely. I'm glad you brought up the different color jackets. Though it would be very useless in this fanfiction, it was nice to add a little detail from the movie.
Anyways. I'll get to work on the next chapter soon! See you all later!
