Here it is... the beginning of the Games. Everyone, grasp your seats. I'm not doing a long A/N, only after the chapter is over. let's get on with it.
Katilyn Foremen, 19
After the interviews are over, Tefar and I drag ourselves into the building.
"I'm so sleepy." I yawn. Tefar gives me a small smile.
"Alright you two. Off to bed with you." Vison says. Our mentors, Cariah and Nemesco agree with the escort, and we walk to bed. I quickly shed of the revealing clothing, and go into my bathroom. While I shower, I scrub my face clean and wash my hair again. Then I go into my bedroom and slide into some flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt. I crawl into bed, and expect sleep. It doesn't come. I try again. Again, nothing. I finally give up and drag myself into Tefar's room. He is flipping through the mindless TV.
"I can't sleep." I whine. He turns his head, and pats the bed next to him. I walk over there, and crawl under the covers.
"I love you Kat." he whispers, and kisses me. I don't respond to the kiss. "I did what I had to do."
"You could have said you didn't love anyone." I hiss at him. He runs his hand through his black hair and adverts his black eyes.
"Let's not fight. Please, Kat, let's spend this night together." he begs. I look at him, and sigh.
"You're right. I'm just angry." I mutter. He places a hand under my chin and tilts my head up to meet his eyes.
"I love you." he repeats.
"I love you too." I answer this time, and wrap my arms around him.
"Kat I need to tell you something." he mutters into my black hair. I freeze.
"What is that?" I ask uneasily.
"I... I can't follow the careers during the Games. I have an alliance." he whispers. My blood runs cold.
"Then I won't leave without you." I answer simply.
"No. You have too. If the careers find out you ran with me... you'd be in danger." he hisses.
"How?" I frown. Jemima, Matsu, Andy and Monroe wouldn't hold it against me. Gander, Soren, and Aijalon might but... they like me. Right?
"Kat, you know they're strengths. And their weaknesses. No. You need to stay." he growls. It scares me to hear him like this, so I just kiss him.
"Okay." I say, and lay my head on his chest. I listen to his heartbeat, which lulls me to sleep.
Tefar Bellersin, 19
I look down at her small frame, clinging desperately to me. I decide that maybe, later in the Games, I'll come back for her. And maybe, one of us can win. That plan seems fitting. I snuggle closer to her, enveloping her body warmth. Then, I drift into sleep.
Nemesco wakes me in the morning. Kat has her cheek pressed against my bare chest, and her top makes her look naked.
"No... she's dressed. I'm wearing sweats, see?" I say. I throw back the covers, and Nem sighs in relief.
"Oh. Okay." he says. I shake Kat awake and her beautiful eyes flutter up to meet mine. She looks content for a moment, and then the day settles on her.
"You have to go get ready, Miss Foremen." Nemesco says. She nods, and leaves the room. I bite my lip.
"And you sir... your outfit is at the edge of the bed. 30 minutes." he orders. I nod my head, and go to the shower. After scrubbing myself down, I go to retrieve my outfit. Black pants, a white shirt, and black combat boots. They also provide a black sweatshirt with a hoodie and pockets. I slide on the bet that has little pockets for knives, ropes, and other useful items/weapons. When I go into the kitchen, our escort, Faver, is crying.
"Oh, I'm going to miss you two!" he whines.
"We'll miss you two Faver." Kat soothes. Under that badass façade, she's a really nice girl.
"Oh, and you've just been an angel!" he exclaims. He gives us each a tight hug and skitters away. Nemesco and Cariah look at us.
"You. You're strong. Stick with your alliance, but by the 5th day of the Games, I want you two together." Nemesco barks out.
"Kat, you're a career. Gain their trust. Sweetheart, you have this." Carriah says. They give us each a hug, and then we're escorted to the roof. Kat's hovercraft comes first. She turns to me with tear-filled eyes.
"I love you." she says, after a bit of silence.
"I love you too." I say. I kiss her, and we stay like that until we have to come up for breath.
"I'll see you on the 5th day." I say. I don't see if. I don't maybe. I know it, she'll make it that far.
"You too." she says, and climbs on the hovercraft with her stylist, Azuria. Hade, my stylist, smiles at me.
"Let's go then." she says. We board the hovercraft and are silent for the rest of the ride.
Katilyn Foremen, 19
I rub the bump where my tracker was inserted, and look at the tube directly in front of me. Suddenly, I don't want my fruit. I set down the fruit tray and sip my water.
"What are you worried about?" Azuria asks. I give her a look.
"Oh. Yeah. Do you have a token?" she asks. I shake my head. She reaches around her neck and takes off a necklace. It has little pearls and diamonds on it. I love it.
"Take it. It was my mother's." she says. She clasps it around my neck, and I smile.
"Thank you." I say.
"Thirty seconds." the computer automated voice calls. My stomach lurches.
"Go on. Good luck." Azuria says.
"Thank you." I repeat, unable to say anything else.
"You're welcome." she says. She ushers me into the tube, and gives me a wink. The tube slowly starts to rise and I have to cover my eyes from the blinding light. My face goes green, when i realize what's in front of me.
Tefar Bellersin, 19
I remember, during one of our late night chats, Kat told me she had a deathly fear of snakes. There are 26 little wedges. One of those little wedges, have snakes in them. I try to look for my wedge. I have one, I know it. Then I see it. My face goes pale, and I try to not vomit. How did they know?! the only person I told was Kat, and she kept it secret. Unless... unless they bugged our room. If that's so then that means... they know we're a couple. There are no weapons at the cornucopia, just food items. An announcement comes over the speaker.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, you may be wondering where the weapons are. Each wedge, holds your greatest and biggest fear. To get your display of weapons, you must go into your wedge and retrieve them. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor." The minute long countdown begins. I watch as one tribute wretches against the ground. It doesn't set off her mine, thank god. So now... I have to swim. I have to swim to get my wires, and my darts and poison. I gulp again.
"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1..." the gong sounds. Instead of everyone running towards the cornucopia, they turn on their heels and run towards their wedge. I begin to run towards mine too. I can see, that after my wedge, there is land. That must be where the games begin. I open the door, and step in.
At first, It's not so bad. Then the faucets turn on. Little faucets implanted in the glass, start to pour out water. I begin to run. Splish. Splash. The water splashes beneath my feet. Then it rises to my ankles. My calves. I'm going to drown.
Katilyn Foremen, 19
I try to keep my cool as I step over the snakes. I barf on two and receive bites on my ankles. Nothing deathly, but hurts like hell. I stick to the right side of the wall, walking slowly and steadily. I receive another bite. That one kind of made me dizzy. My vision is blurring, but I continue to walk. I can see it now. A set of axes, daggers, and a little purple vial. Poison antidote. I try to walk faster now, stepping on a few of them. Then, a large boa constrictor skewers my view. I look around. There are little branches some snakes dangle from them, but others have fallen to the ground. I jump, and barely catch one. I jump to the other branch. I manage to swing over the constrictor, and make it to the small speaker. behind the glass is the stuff I need.
"Name here please." a voice says. Shit. What's my name? My Name?
"What's my name?" I think aloud.
"Invalid." the voice says. A small snake is shot at me and I scream. There's my name.
"Katilyn Foremen!" I shout.
"You may enter." it says. A little small trap door open and I slide in, shutting it quickly behind me. I crawl through the small hall, and pop up in the open. First, I grab the purple vial, and bring it to my lips. I only need a sip, its strong stuff. Then, I stick the axes and daggers into my belt. There is a pack too. It's empty. So I drop the vial into the back, and strap it to my back. I turn around, and realize that the only food source is the cornucopia. I have to go back.
Tefar Bellersin, 19
I reach the glass door just in time. The water is up to my hips.
"Name?" the speaker asks.
"Tef-aarrhgle!" I joke as water is spitted directly into my mouth.
"Incorrect." the voice says. The tank fills with water faster than usual, and is now up to my neck.
"Tefar Bellersin! Tefar Bellersin!" I scream.
"Correct." the voice says. There is a large slurping sound and the water drains from the wedge. I crawl through the open glass door at the bottom. Over in the dome, is electrical wire, and a pack. There is also dart guns and poison. Lastly there are life savers. I look in the pack. Empty. It's just to put my stuff in. I stuff the electrical wire into the bag, the weapons, and frown at the life savers. They'd only give this to me if... I needed to go back.
Four cannons shoot into the air as I exit the wedge again. I have to go back again if I'm going to get into the actual arena. That's okay, I have floaties now. I go over to the cornucopia, and pick over the food. It seems some people have already been here. I grab a water bottle, three packets of crackers, and three packets of beef. I also retrieve some cheese.
"Don't over do it." I warn myself. I glance around quickly, before darting back into my wedge.
I managed to make it safely in the woods. It's warm, so I strip of my hoodie and stuff it in my back pack. I'm walking when a crunching of leaves sounds behind me. I lift my dart gun and look around. "Oh. My. God. Ellie!" I scream. She looks up and runs into my arms. Marigold and Celeste appear behind her.
"Where's Arielle?" I ask.
"We don't know. We thought you were dead!" Mari shouts. I hug my friends, and then look at their bodies. Marigold's arms are covered in little bumps.
"What was your fear?" I ask. She shivers.
"Bees. My worst nightmare." she hisses.
"Yours?" she asks.
"I'm dripping wet aren't I?" I ask.
"Water. Huh." she concludes. Then, I take in Ellie. She is scratching ferociously at herself.
"I didn't have a fear. But I hate poison ivy." she whispers. I nod. Celeste appears unscathed.
"Yours must have been easy." I note. She shakes her head, and turns around. Her back is burned badly, and is red and angry.
"I'm afraid of fire." she whispers.
"Oh." I answer. We all stay silent.
"Let's get moving, before night falls. I need you guys to apply this burn cream on my back." she sighs.
When we find a comfortable place to camp, we tend to each other's wounds. First, we apply the cream on Celeste's back, and she instantly falls asleep. We have some itching medicine for Ellie, which we give to her. I use the stuff for tracker jackers on Marigold bumps, but it doesn't seem to help.
"I'm tired Tefar." she sighs.
"Me too. Gets some rest, Mari. I have first watch." I say.
The Fallen
Jeb Halmac, 24 COD: Murdered by Brenden Markell
Brenden Markell, 23 COD: Poisoned by Arielle Mellark
Gail Davidson, 22 COD: Mauled to death by bear
Arielle Mellark, 20 COD: Stabbed by Aijalon Pryor
Wolfgang Katsuragi, 21 COD: Stabbed by Gander Glam
Zara Zellweger, 21 COD: Poison berries
Tracey Yuen, 21 COD: Decapitated by Soren Sarutobi
That my friends, is the end of Day One. 19 tributes remain.
What'd you think of the arena idea?
What'd you think of the fallen?
Any hopes for Day Two?
Did the fears surprise you?
I really didn't want anyone to die on the first day, but it would be a Mary Sue story and we can't have a Mary Sue. So, I thought seven deaths were enough. I was really sad about the ones I chose, because again, I didn't want anyone to die. Thanks guys, hoped you liked it and I'm so nervous for Day Two. I have plans.