A/N: Thank you to

Seanthesheep356

Kongyroo1- I never noticed that! I re-read the chapter and I guess my writing style tends to repeat: P

Miss Payne

MusicForLife

Guest- If you want to review under a pen name I will be able to track your reviews for sponsor points

For reviewing. In one of the reviews I was asked to bring back the sponsor point system. I looked at all the reviews, and here are the points so far.

Seanthesheep356- 11

Kongyroo1- 8

Miss Payne- 1

MusicForLife28- 1

Guest- 1

AlaskanSalmon- 7

Dolphin4444wssc- 4

Buttons301- 5

If you are new to the sponsor system, I'll explain it. It's pretty simple. You get a point every time you review, and I will also have small contests at the end of each chapter, to which the winner will be awarded one or two points. If you wish to sponsor a tribute, simply PM me with what you want to give them and I will tell you how much it would cost.

On a related note, I was really happy with the number of reviews! I was lying in bed with a pile of tissues and cough drops-sts356- and the reviews really made me smile so much! Thank you all!

I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

This chapter is written from third person, so there will be no POV headings. I'll make sure to mention the names though so you can keep up.

Chapter Ten: Countdown

"The human body is robust. It can gather strength when it's in mortal danger."

― Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon

President Snow stands in the control room, overseeing the final preparations to what promises to be the bloodiest Games ever. His puffy lips stretch into a sinister smile as he sees the terrified expressions on the children. Turning away, he runs his tongue over the welts in his mouth. This is going to be a good year.

Eicendetta adjusts several temperature knobs and readies the mutts. Zeneth has convinced her to add more mutts this year, and he pestered her until Eicendetta agreed. She watches the countdown as it sets at sixty, and hesitates a moment before pushing the button to activate the pressure plates and send the clock ticking down. She rubs her head with her fingers. Is she supposed to feel this guilty?

Caesar paints a thin line of orange liner over his lid, preparing for the commentary of this year's Games. His fans are waiting, the Games are starting, and his lips are plump. Could life get any better?

Claudius Templesmith adjusts the microphone and continues counting down, past fifty. The tributes are eyeing the Cornucopia and their allies, and the sponsors are eyeing their tributes. Little does everyone else know, but to him, the Games have already begun.

Mylar looks to her left, and then to her right. Perfect. She is right in between those annoying allies, Autumn and Vida. Hopefully she can get to the Cornucopia, and still have time to choke one. Gilt is a couple plates away. They make eye contact, and Mylar blows a kiss. Who says you can't have it all?

Gilt cringes internally as he pretends to catch Mylar's kiss. He's only a few plates away, and it will be very easy to "accidentally" kill her in the thick of things. He thinks of Silk, and the future they will have together, and smiles. All that's standing in the way now is three plates over.

Copper frowns as she looks around for Apollo, but he is nowhere to be seen. She is on the tail end of the Cornucopia, next to Soya and the boy from five. At least nobody around her is a threat, but that must mean they are all clustered around Apollo. She bites her lip. Will he remember where to meet her?

Maria peers into the mouth of the Cornucopia from the side, and notices a big shiny trident just for her. She is next to Apollo and Alana. Perfect. Dylan is over by Lewis, and they can each take one out during the bloodbath. The only issue is that Dylan is right by Gilt, and Maria is only three plates from Mylar. They have to play this right if they want to pull it off.

Dylan looks around. Gilt is to his right and Lewis is to his left. On the other side of Lewis is that weak boy from District Three, but to the other side of Gilt is that girl with spunk, Autumn. A few yards away from him is a small knife, perfect for stabbing a weak ally in the back.

Vida makes eye contact with Autumn, who is right on the other side of Mylar. The District Eight girl is on the other side of Vida, and she sets her sights on the bounty of food, shelter, and weapons gleaming in the mouth of the cornucopia. She's fast. She can make it. She thinks.

Apollo wastes no time looking for Copper, but she is nowhere to be seen. Her words from last night echo in his head. If we can't find each other, wherever the nearest shelter is behind the tail section. He cranes his neck and looks behind the tail section, to where a huge cliff drops off right behind the plates. This isn't good. How is he going to find Copper?

Autumn looks at where three axes lie, just a few feet away from a long piece of rope. If Vida and she can grab that, they will be set as long as they can get food. Vida, however, seems distracted by the huge, gleaming swords, and the full sized tents. Autumn, breaking the unofficial silence rule, yells "No!" over to Vida. Vida nods, but Autumn isn't convinced she understood.

Soya looks around. Her positioning couldn't be better. She is by that small boy from three, and his District Partner, Copper. Dylan is only two plates away. If she can get into the mouth of the Cornucopia, her alliance is set. She just has to not get killed along the way.

Back in District One, Vine stands in the Main Square with his mother, silently cheering on his sister as she prepares to enter the Bloodbath. Only a few feet away, Silk cheers for Gilt, and the future he has promised, while Satin cheers for her little brother to make it home.

In District Three, Wynona holds her mother's frail hand as she watches Copper on the television. Her romance with Apollo has been so cute! Wynona no longer cares about the medicine; she just wants her big sister to come back.

Maria's boyfriend, Whel, has left the land, and is sitting on his boat in the middle of the sea. Why did she have to volunteer? They were going to be so happy! He silently prays to anyone who will listen. Please let her win. Please bring back my Maria.

Dylan's twin younger brothers, Pip and Pap, sit on his Mother's lap as the countdown reaches twenty. They are too young to realize what's happening. In fact, if Dylan died, they would probably be too young to remember him. And that's a tragedy no family should have to suffer through.

Dina and Watt stand near the back of the Center Square in District Five, watching as Vida and Autumn share a glance. They are happy Vida found a friend, but they know Autumn must die if Vida is to make it back home. The baker sees them, and a hint of recognition shows in his eyes, but he just gives the two kids a solemn nod. In these final ten seconds, everyone must come together.

Everyone who ever knew Apollo is gathered around his television: Oliver, Artemis, his Parents, Hestia, the kids from school, and even some of his teachers. He was well liked, and everyone wants him to make it home. Except Apollo. Right now, he only thinks of Copper.

Ava stands in the woods, crying as she breathes in the smell of pine. Why did her big sister volunteer? She is smart; she should have known not to do this. Right now, Ava can't face the crushing sympathy of everyone who knows Autumn. She wants to be alone. Because it's her twelfth birthday—and she will always associate her birthday with the day her role model died.

Sage sits; mute, on the couch in front of the TV with his dad. Soya may not have been a perfect big sister, but she was close enough. She always said that nothing could keep her away from him. Well, it looks like they found something: death.

Juliet spares the television one quick glance, just to see Kiva between the District Ten boy and the District Seven boy. If she plays her cards right, she might actually get out of the Bloodbath alive. Too bad Juliet won't be around to see it.

Sierra grabs Juliet's hand as they step into a hovercraft, piloted by a rebel from District Thirteen, and his young intern, Boggs. Her new, brown hair whips behind her in a sheet and her blue eyes sparkle as they lift off from the Capital for the very last time.

Ian, who is standing by Juliet, yells to Sierra over the roar of the engine. "You know, we should all probably change our names if we really want to live in District Thirteen. When Eicendetta told us about it, she did warn us that they have some Capital spies there. I'll be Sans Malik. It sounds nothing like Ian, so we should be safe."

Juliet thinks. "I'll be Sarah Malik. I like the name and, honestly Ia—Sans, we probably will never get to have a big wedding. What will your name be Sierra?"

Sierra looks out the window, her light blue eyes changing to a slate grey as the clouds reflect in it. "I think I'll be Alma. Alma Coin."

The clock reaches zero and the tributes leap off their plates as every eye in Panem is glued to a television.

Let the 35th Games begin.

A/N: Would you guys like to see more of Ian, Juliet, and Sierra (Or Sans, Sarah, and Alma), or would you rather me focus on the tributes? I left it at a point where I could go either way.

This chapter contest is a Complete The Sentence. I start a sentence and you complete it is a wacky, funny way, and I pick my favorite. It will be worth one point.

The apocalypse has happened, and you are surrounded by a horde of zombies. All you have is the Mockingjay book, a pink bottle of SinfulColors nail polish, and half of a jelly donut. You…

I hope you all enjoyed the double chapter upload today, and don't forget to review!