Chapter 8: Games & Allies

There's a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I croak.

"Katniss and Peeta."

"Hold on a sec." I walk over to the door and unlock it. I already showered and got dressed. I couldn't sleep very well so I got up at 5am. After I opened the door, I was enveloped in hugs. When I am released, Peeta tells me to sit on my bed. I do as I was instructed and Katniss sits down behind me. Peeta is telling me what is going to happen today and what to expect while Katniss does my hair. I listen intently and by the time he is done, I have no questions. Macklie comes in and tells me it's time to go. I'm really scared about going into the arena. I try to reassure myself but that doesn't help. I'm silent on the way to the arena. I feel sick and want to go home, but Katniss was very encouraging and said she was positive that I was going to come home. That definitely made me feel better. Once we get there, I say good bye to Katniss and Peeta. All 3 of us have tears in our eyes. I give them a final hug and tell them something I've never said to them.

"Thank you. For being so kind to me, even though today, I get to murder innocent people. Thanks for everything. I don't care that we've only known each other for 2 weeks, I love y'all."

We are all sobbing by the time I'm finished. I say my last good bye and I'm taken away. Now I'm in the Launch Room. Cinna comes in. she's absolutely silent as she puts on my necklace and a turquoise and green string bracelet. It looks like some of the friendship bracelets I used to get as a kid.

"Two minutes 'til launch." A robotic, female voice says. It's kind of like its saying '2 minutes 'til you die'. I'm shaking like a Chihuahua. I'm terrified.

"30 seconds 'til launch." The voice says again. Cinna gives me one last hug and whispers something in my ear.

"If I could, I would bet on you. You're the best in there. Good luck."

"Thank you." I croak.

"10 seconds 'til launch." Oh crap. Now I have to get in that tube in the corner. I walk over and say, "I love you, Cinna." Cinna just nods and holds up two fingers as the tube incases me. I'm starting to get claustrophobic, when the base of the tube starts to steadily lift me. Now the bright sun is in my eyes and the scent hits my nose.

"Forest." I say to myself. As my eyes adjust, I see that I was right. All around there are trees. Dense forest in front, on both sides, and behind me.

"10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1… Let the 85th Annual Hunger Games… BEGIN!"

There is a gong and I take off running. I grab a supply pack and the bow and sheath of arrows lying next to it. There is also a bag of apples, I grab those too. I sprint toward the woods when I feel a sharp pain on my right arm. It's one of Madlee's knives. I grab an arrow and instinctively shoot her. It hits the center of her chest and there is a boom. I pick up the knife Madlee threw. I finally get into the forest. I know how to climb a palm tree to get coconuts, but I don't know how to climb a regular tree. I start to climb and easily scale it. I start to go through my supply pack. Rope, plastic, matches, water canteen, 4 packs of meat (chicken, beef, pork, turkey), 6 packs of peanuts, a bottle of iodine, and a small pouch. That should last me for a while. I eat a pack of peanuts and put the rest back in my bag. But, in the bottom, I see something white. I pull it out and see that it's a first aid kit. I take out the alcohol and put some on a small roll of gauze. I wrap it around my arm and cut it with the knife Madlee threw at me. I use some medical tape, I found in the kit, to tape the gauze to my arm and I stick everything back. Just then, the anthem starts playing. I look up and see the faces of the 14 people that were killed. Madlee's face appears. I knew her from my short stay in District 10. I don't see Brendan, but I silently wish he was up there. I go to sleep that night, dreaming of my family.

5 days later…

I'm allies with Brendan and it's my turn to keep watch. There are only 7 people left. It's about 6 A.M. when a voice starts saying something. I wake up Brendan and he grabs his trident.

"Attention, tributes, attention. This announcement if for Terra Kincardine of District 4. The day the Games started, your mom and brother moved back to District 12, where you were born. The female tribute from District 12 is dead and since you were born in 12, and lived there for 10 years, we are allowing you to transfer to District 12. This is the only announcement."

Brendan went back to sleep and is snoring loudly. I grab everything, including his pack, and kill him with an arrow. The cannon sounds and I'm running to the area where I saw the boy from District 12. He is wide awake and I'm assuming he heard the announcement.

"I'm Terra Kincardine. I am now your fellow tribute and ally."

"I know who you are." He turns around and looks me in the eye. I'm shocked. It's Skene Ivory. I've known him since I was 3. Now I am going to win with him.