Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has read this story so far! Thanks to Arianna Le Fay and KC99 who followed this. And a very big thank you to Drimali who took the time to write such a thoughtful review- and especially for pointing out some of the typos/editing inconsistencies that I'd missed! It was a huge help. I hope you'll continue to read the upcoming chapters. And now, let the Games begin...
Cora
Somehow I had found sleep, but it was restless, filled with haunting images of my brother, of the games, of the way Cesear's makeup erased the color from face. And then I was awake, and Cinna was waiting beside my bed. It could tell it was early. Beyond my curtains the windows were dark.
"It's time to go Cora," he said. Cinna looked tired, as though he hadn't gotten enough sleep either. I got up, and changed quickly into the simple white dress he had laid on the end of my bed. I glanced at his own clothes- black pants and a gold sweater that matched his eyeliner, and the same shade as the tiny gold flecks in his eyes.
"You look nice," I offered as we left my room. I had to say something, I had to keep conversation, doing something to push back the worry that rose in my throat.
"You said you liked gold," he replied plainly. I did. And I had said it looked good on him. He remembered. We passed through the kitchen on our way out, where Finnick sat with his coffee. When he saw me, he stood and walked over to us, placing tight hands on my shoulders.
"Don't be afraid," he told me. "Just grab whatever is close to you and run. You can do this Cora. You can come back." My mentor pulled me in for a quick hug. His arms were strong, and his words were like a plea. For all his confidence in Ronan, he held out hope for me too.
"Thank you Finnick," I said, hoping he understood just how much I wanted him for. For helping me. For being a friend to my brother. For believing in me. Cinna led me outside where the hovercraft waited, and I climbed onto the ladder. I was frozen in place, while a white-coated woman appeared with a syringe.
"Give me your arm," she commanded, and I obeyed. There was a sharp pain inside my arm as she inserted the needle. "Just your tracker, so we won't lose you in the arena." She removed her needle, and the ladder pulled me in, Cinna right behind me. Inside was a room set up with breakfast. It was possible that would be my last meal. We sat at the table, and I took in all the food laid out before us.
"Eat," Cinna urged. "And drink too. You'll need it once the Games begin." I grabbed for pancakes, fruit, and water. Cinna took only some bread for himself. I ate as much of the food as I could muster, and then we sat, watching out the windows as the city passed below us. The fear began to seep back through me, but thankfully Cinna spoke up.
"So what did you do back home?" he asked me. "In District 4." District 4. My home. From the Capitol sky, it seemed so far away, so unreachable.
"Well, I went to school. I had a few friends. Halle and Lucas, they were my best friends. We always hung out together after school on the beach. And sometimes we went fishing. We went out on these big boats, all together. I wasn't good with a spear, but I could catch them in my nets. When it was warm we would just sail for a while. I swam. A lot. I love swimming," I wanted so badly to be back in the calm waters of the ocean. "My mother, she tried to teach me different things. I learned to play the piano, and to sing. I used to paint a bit. And Halle tried to teach me to cook. Though I could never make anything like the food here. I wasn't very good." I was rambling now, thinking of anything I to tell Cinna, to keep calm.
"Do you miss it? And your friends?" He was trying to distract me, and I appreciated that.
"Yes. I miss the smell of the saltwater, and the fish, and the warm sun. I miss my friends. They came to say goodbye to me. My parents came first, but they were so upset. They could hardly bear to talk to me. Then Halle came in crying, with oranges. She said she wanted to give me something sweet before I left. And Lucas came after her, to wish me good luck. I think he was the calmest. He hugged me, and gave me my token. A few kids and an old teacher from school. And that was it. I miss them so much." Desperation cracked in my voice and I hurried to regain a steady tone. Cinna watched me with curiosity, and something else that flickered in his eyes.
"Lucas. Is he someone you want to go back to?" He spoke flatly.
"Lucas?" I laughed. Cinna had misinterpreted it. "Lucas is with Halle. But they're my friends. Of course I want to see them again." It was a far off wish, but there was always a chance. Cinna looked relieved.
"Oh," he said. "I see." He fell silent again, and this time, I didn't mind. It was a comfortable quiet. I ate, and drank more water, and soon enough, we were at the arena, the windows blacking out to obstruct our view. The hovercraft landed and I followed Cinna out, into the catacombs below. My heart began to beat faster as we walked through the halls. Any calm Cinna had given me on the flight over was gone. This was it. This was the arena. The Games would begin here. I could die here. We entered my Launch Room, fresh, clean, ready to prepare me for the arena.
I headed to the shower first, for one last soak in the waters. I set them to smell like salt. It took me only three minutes, including the few seconds needed for the shower to dry my hair. I change into the undergarments from the arena uniform. Cinna was waiting for me when I came out of the bathroom with the rest of the uniform. He helped me change into it- a light blue tank top with a high neck, and fitted black pants. I slipped my feet into thin socks and a pair of warm black boots. When I hold my arms out, Cinna pulls a thick gray jacket over them. Though his hands were warm, I shivered when they brushed against my shoulders. He looked me over with a careful eye, trying to guess what sort of environment awaited in the arena.
"It could really go a few different ways, but I'm guessing it's going to be a little cold in there," he decided. Cold. I was used to District 4 sun, that I wondered just how much cold I would have to face. "Stand still for moment," Cinna said. With steady hands, he tied my hair into a loose, low bun. "You don't want to have to worry about your hair once you get in there." Then he reaches into his pocket. "One last thing- your token." I'd nearly forgotten about that. Cinna pulled out the pearl bracelet from his pocket, the one that belonged to Lucas's older sister. She once dated my brother, Tyde had given to her as a gift not long before he died. Lucas thought it was only fitting that it should come full circle. The bracelet was small, but the pearls were braided tightly into the strong twine. Cinna tied around my wrist, where I knew it would be secure.
"The perfect touch for the girl from the sea," he murmured. We waited together on the couch, and I tried to eat some more bread and sip the water. But it was harder to keep back the panic now.
"Cora," Cinna said, breaking the silence. "What is it that you wanted to come home to?" I blinked, wondering why he was asking me that now. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. When I said that, it had been spontaneous. It came out in a rush of hope, something I never expected to give an answer to. And I could've made something up, I could've said nothing in response to Cinna's question. But I knew what the answer was. One that had been pulling quietly at my heart for days. It ran through my mind in midst of restless sleep. A wish among nightmares. I figured I had nothing to lose. And so I decided to say it out loud.
"I was thinking that I wanted to come home to- to come back to-you," I whispered. My face had gone red, and immediately I wanted to take the words back out of the air. What was I doing? I needed to focus. The Games. The arena. But Cinna was looking at me now, his eyes bright and relieved, but sadness was plain in his face. Relieved? Did he feel the same? What did he think of my confession?
"Cora. Please. Try to win," he begged. I looked away.
"I don't know if I can," I admitted. The hope I had felt during the interview seemed miles away now. And if I hope was gone I would at least hold on to honesty. "I made a promise, after my brother died. I promised myself that I wouldn't let anyone else feel that pain, not if I could prevent it." My voice caught now, finally understanding the gravity of my decision. It was one thing to be there for friends who had lost someone to the Games, to illness or the ocean. But this was a bigger sacrifice than I had ever understood to how to make. "And so I won't kill anyone in there. I can't. I can't be the cause of someone else's pain."
Cinna started to speak, but stopped short of words. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts. "I respect that Cora," he said gently. "But please. Promise me you'll at least try to stay alive."
"I think I can promise that much." I replied back. He his arms around, me pulling me into him, into the gold sweater, the sweater that he had worn because I liked the color, close enough to feel his heart. Cinna held me there longer than he needed to, and I thought, I dared to hope, that I knew what he was trying to tell me. Why was this happening? Why now? Why when I was about to die? It wasn't until he pulled me so close that I realized how badly my body was shaking. I was afraid of dying after all. Did I have a chance in that arena? There was something else I needed to know.
"Cinna, who would you bet on?" I asked, the desperation clear in my voice. Julietta had explained once the customary Capitol celebrations. There were parties for watching and sponsoring tributes, and of course there was an official betting pool. Those who had ties to the tributes- the stylists, and escorts for example- were barred from official betting. But they had their opinions, and I needed someone who wasn't Finnick- whose job was to encourage me- to tell me whether they thought I would make it out of the arena alive. I could trust Cinna. Cinna who was my friend. Who felt like far more. He would tell me the truth. Cinna pulsed away to look at me, puzzled.
"Cora, I'm not allowed to bet," he said.
"I know, I know," I waved it off. "But Cinna, if you could bet, who would you bet on?" It was so silly, such a stupid question. But I wanted to know. I needed to know. He considered this, then responded with a certainty in his eyes.
"I would bet on you Cora. I would bet on you." He was being honest with me. Perhaps it was a stupid bet. But it was the one he would make. Cinna would bet on me. At that moment, he leaned in and kissed my forehead. "I would bet on you," he murmured again.
A robotic voice announced that the launch would be in three minutes. I rose from the couch, trembling harder. Cinna was right there beside me, holding me tight. Everything we said was being moved with great care to the back of my mind. My only thoughts could be of the Games. Of surviving. Of hope. Now we were no more than stylist and tribute, below the arena, comforting one another in these last moments. Two minutes. One. Thirty seconds. Cinna kissed my forehead once more.
"You can do this," he whispered. He squeezed my hand twice, and I stepped into the Launch pod, the glass lowering around me. There was no turning back. I locked eyes with Cinna, gray set on green. He nodded, steady. Twenty seconds. I pressed my hands against the glass. I was not ready for this, I was shaking, how could this be happening to me, I was going to die. Cinna was still nodding his reassurance. I had promised I would try to live. I had promised him. The plate was rising into the dark, and Cinna was gone. I was going to die. And then, I was in the arena.
Everything was so bright. The voice of the announcer, Claudius Templesmith came on, echoing all around. "Ladies and gentlemen, let the 72nd annual Hunger Games begin!" The sixty seconds began. I tried to take in as much as I could. We were at the base of a large stone mountain in a grassy clearing. To the right, there was a small section of woods, and to the left the grass gave way to sand. Behind us seemed to be a swamp. Three sections and a mountain. I would have to choose. At the Cornucopia, a bounty awaited those who were brave enough to take it. Inside I could see food, powerful weapons, and other gadgets and necessity items. I wasn't going to risk taking the bait. I'd have to make things work on my own. I spied a backpack, only a few yards away from me. I don't know what was it, but I would have to take the chance. Across the field, Ronan eyed the Cornucopia. He had made his choice. And if he made it out of the bloodbath alive, he would join the Career pack, who almost always got the majority of the bounty. I would try to hide. I would try to stay alive. I had promised Cinna that much. The gong sounded.
Stumbling off the platform, I sprinted across the grass and snatched up the backpack, just barely grabbing the strap. I thanked the Gamemakers for leaving it so close by, and slung it over my shoulders, as I took off running towards the woods as fast as my legs could carry me.
Cinna
I fell back against the couch, a sigh of relief escaping me. She made it out of the first bloodbath unharmed. She had a backpack which should've contained some sort of useful items. She was okay for now. Ronan was alive as well, though the Cornucopia was brutal. The screen flashed updates of who was dead- Aya Ping from 3, Bard Canid from 5, Avantine Loom from 8, both from 9, Aglet Wispus and Osric Cumulo. Flores Ceris from 11. Ford Loac from 12. I wondered if they had someone they had wanted to go back to. Had they made promises they would be unable to keep? Seven were dead so far and the first day had only just begun. But more would surely fall. On screen, Career pack scouted the area near the Cornucopia- where the two tributes from 1, Diamond and Peris, decided the group would camp out. Those two, Ronan, and the tributes from 2, Sloan and Flint, made up the Careers. I wondered if the girl from 7, Ursula, would eventually join them. She was certainly tough enough to. The Cornucopia bloodbath had ended, and now there was nothing to do but wait for the cameras to find Cora again. I pulled out my sketchbook and began to draw absent-mindedly. I wasn't watching the screen, but I left it on, just in case Claudius or Caesar said her name. Just in case I needed to watch. But the hours passed uneventfully, and during dinner I headed over to the District 4 apartment. Annette was sitting primly on the couch beside Julietta, and Finnick strode in from his room, his hair wet.
"Good evening ladies- and gentleman. I assume you're here to watch, seeing as though I've been a little too preoccupied lately to order food for dinner." Was it possible that had something to do with the Capitol woman I had passed on my way up? "Feel free to ask for something if you really need it though," he added, plopping down on the couch next to Julietta. I sat next to Annette, and tried to ignore the way her eyes flickered over to me every few minutes. Finnick turned on the television just as the announcers were recapping the night. The arena had fallen dark, and they panned over each tribute for a few minutes. The Careers were all shown together. Diamond and Peris were rummaging through the supplies; while Sloan, Flint, and Ronan stood guard outside the Cornucopia. Ronan managed to find himself a sword and some throwing knives- no spear though. Yet.
"I just knew he would do well!" Annette beamed.
"It'll be smooth sailing for now," Finnick agreed. "He won't have much trouble until later." Though I said nothing, I hoped Ronan wouldn't let them hurt her. The boy from 3 was on the edges of the swamp, with only a canteen. And then there was Cora- she'd gone deep into the woods, and taken shelter in a deep thicket of pine trees surrounded by bushes. At the base was a large oak tree, with branches she could probably scale if she had to. At the moment, she was going through her backpack. The small sack provided a small water bottle, a poncho, a pack of crackers, thick rope, and what appeared to be a small hollow cylinder. Cora took a sip from the water bottle- a very small one. Then she examined the cylinder and pushed a button at the end. It lengthened out and her eyes went wide. She had managed to get a hold of a small retractable fishing rod. It wouldn't too strong, but it would help. Putting things back into the bag, she climbed up a pine tree carefully, and tied the rope to a high branch on the oak tree after making several expert knots along it. It dangled just above the ground. She climbed back down onto the forest floor, and admired her handiwork. If someone came along, she could climb the rope out of reach. Cora ventured out quickly to lay a pile of sticks in a large semi-circle, about 20 yards away and hurried back into her hideout. She would hear someone coming now. With that done, she zipped her gray jacket, and rested against the base of the tree, waiting.
"She did it," I whispered.
"She sure did. She's smarter than I thought," Finnick admited with a look of pride. I felt proud myself- Cora was smart. Cora would be alright. I didn't pay much attention to the rest of the tributes. Finally, Iris, the girl from 12 was shown to be hiding somewhere on the verge of the forest and the swamp. Nobody seemed to be too close to Cora. She would be safe for now.
Finnick decided he wanted dinner after all, and we ate, always listening for the mention of Ronan or Cora. The day became night, and we watched as the faces of the dead tributes were shown. The girl from 3, the boy from 5. The boy from 6, Gregorvitch Lander had found by Flint, and was gone. The boy from 7, Bunyan Beech was taken out by the boy from 10. The girl from 8, both from 9. The girl from 11 and the boy from 12. Nine down already. While it wasn't the highest number for the first day, it wasn't the lowest either. Tomorrow would be a big day, now that weapons were accounted for and the Careers had stocked up. Tomorrow, I hoped that Cora would stay safe. I walked home, wondering if ever while she was in the arena, she would think of me. It was such a selfish wish.
