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Disclaimer: The wonderful Suzanne Collins owns the amazing creation of the Hunger Games Trilogy.

I think I have forgotten how to breathe properly.

My breaths are coming out uneven, sharp and rough.

I have hugged Fesiena, Lycel, Veriah, and Noima good-bye already.

They all whisper the same thing to me.

Good luck.

I pay no attention to Vinster or Shaye. On the hovercraft to the arena, they stick the tracker in my arm.

I hug Marliese last. She is the one who is standing next to me before I step into the cylinder that could take me to my death.

She is gripping my hand tightly.

She pulls me in for one last hug, and I am covered in swathes of clothing, the scent of her perfume radiating from all around me.

She smells like cinnamon and jasmine.

"Where is your token?" She asks me, straightening the collar of my jumpsuit.

"I don't have one." I said absentmindedly.

Marliese looks positively appalled, her mouth in a perfect O.

"Here, take this." She says, quickly prying off the ring on her finger.

"Oh, no, I couldn't – " I start as she jams the ring on my finger. My finger cracks, but she doesn't notice it.

"Yes you can!" Marliese chirps happily. "The Gamemakers already checked it. I had a feeling you didn't have a token."

"I – "I start to say, but I stop.

Instead, I say, "Thank you."

And I mean it.

I admire the ring. It wasn't some gaudy Captiol ring that I've seen Marliese wear before. It was a thin, simple silver ring, which was actually several lightning bolts connected to each other.

"Lovely, isn't it?" Marliese smiles at me. "I got it when they told me I was to be escorting District 5. I thought you'd like it."

"Thank you, Marliese." I said softly, again.

The voice in the speakers tells us it's time for the tributes to step into the cylinder.

I take one scared, nervous step into the cylinder.

The glass panels close around me. I see Marliese, and though she is smiling, I can see the sadness in her eyes.

I give her one last small, frightened smile before the cylinder starts rising.

I will myself not to shake as I descend higher and higher, farther and farther away from Marliese and from safety.

Marliese disappears from sight.

A new landscape appears.

My heart is thumping loudly enough for everybody to hear, but my analytical brain is working on overdrive.

I use the last precious seconds to take everything in.

All twenty-four of us are evenly spaced around the Cornucopia. I can see the large backpacks and tent kits in the heart of the Cornucopia, and worthless things far away from them.

I eye the gleaming swords and knives.

The path to the Cornucopia is grassy, though slightly dewy. It will be slippery.

I eye the tributes around me. Shaye, who is the closest to me, is eying the large, deadly weapons in the heart of the Cornucopia.

Taking a quick scan around at the tributes, I can easily tell who will run away and who will run to the Cornucopia.

I am standing as still as I can, eyes closed, letting everything wash over me.

The voice counts down, but I am not paying attention.

Three.

Two.

One.

Cannons ring to signal the start of the 69th Hunger Games.

Everybody is running. Running to the Cornucopia or running away.

But I am standing still.

What's happening? You'll have to wait 'till tomorrow to figure out!

Sorry about the annoyingly short chapter. I've been on a few side one-shots, which have thankfully just been uploaded. They've been on my mind for a bit, and I've been working on them for the past few days. (And in case you're wondering, yes, they are about the Hunger Games. I don't think I could ever write about anything else.)

So now that those are finished, hopefully the chapters will get longer.

Anyways, so what did you think?

Comments? Feedback? Questions? Reviews are always appreciated.

Thanks again! Next chapters up tomorrow!