I wake up in bed. Though I quickly remember that it isn't my own bed. I happen to be sharing it with my brother right now. Thankfully, he's taken the floor. However, I quickly jump out and poke at him. He wakes up and looks at me. "Did you really have to sleep so close?" He asks. I shrug before walking back to my room.

Though to my confusion, Willow is sleeping in it. I ignore her though and I begin to go and grab the outfit they set us before the games. The games are today. My throat dries up like a puddle in the sun. The thought is haunting. I'm nervous, worried. I don't have a plan. I don't know weather I should run from the cornucopia or run at it. How many careers will be in the games. Has my 7 attracted some eyes? Oh god, oh god, oh god.

My thoughts fly around my head. As I rush to the bathroom to change, I can feel my heart pounding against my chest. I've never thought about it this hard. I thought I had some confidence going into the first arena... but Alma is going to be here to protect me... And what are the chances of me surviving the first arena.

I head into the bathroom and begin putting on my outfit. The feeling is dreadful. I try and hold on to some hope... that maybe I'll get out alive. I put on the shirt and then the pants. I look in the mirror. My eyes are a little red and my hair is starting to look a little... nappy. I could've sworn my hair was short when we came here... Ugh.

I walk back out. Soya is already sitting at the table, waiting for breakfast. Ceres walks out of her room with her clothes for the games. Willow walks out of my room. She looks at us for a few seconds before sitting down next to Soya. Eventually, as the Avox's begin putting down all the food, my brother comes in. He sits down next to me. He looks half sleep.

"Did you get any sleep?" I ask. "Some." He admits. I realize that me and my brother haven't had a conversation for a while. I can assume he's been nervous about me...

"I got enough, but I still feel exhausted." I yawn. The morning sun has already risen by the time we begin munching into our food. The pancakes, eggs, sausages. I haven't had a meal like this since the day we got on the train. It feels almost serene, like heaven. However, that just makes me shake. What's to come in only a few hours will shake me out of this feeling.

I look back up. Willow is looking down at her plate. As I look over at the others, I notice that she raises her head again and watches me before turning her head to Soya. Soya is still half sleep it seems. I sigh. Today...

"Today, I got information on the arenas your both going into. I think Soya and Alma go into the first arena while Ceres and Altar go into the second one." She explains. I sigh. I don't know why, but I was kind of hoping that Soya would be in the arena with me. You know, somebody I could relate to.

However, Ceres is going to be in my arena. Hopefully, she won't be going after me in the bloodbath. If I'm lucky, maybe she'll distract the careers. My thoughts turn to my actual partner in the games. Byke. She was a pain during training but she's going to be even more of one when we're in the arena. I sigh... She better not die early on in the games if I want to get out...

As we begin leaving the tribute center, I realize that this is the moment where me and my older brother split paths. Possibly forever. I look up to my brother. He looks down at me. For a second, it seems like he's trying to reach deep within himself and pull out a smile. Just like he always used to do.

However, he can't and instead closes his eyes as if he's close to crying. "A-Alma." I say. He opens his eyes. "Altar... you're so innocent..." He says, rubbing my hair. I really can't respond to that, but I sigh. "Run away from the bloodbath." He tells me.

I knew he was going to say that from the beginning, but I can't really think of any other options. I either go in there and die... or die a slow and painful death. Now that I really lost all confidence in myself now...

However, as we begin to head to the aircraft's, I know this is the part where I say goodbye to my brother. However, I can't bring myself to say anything. Before he and Soya can get on the hovercraft though, I run up and hug him.
It's quite honestly the most awkward thing I've ever done, but I know this may be the last time I ever see him. "Goodbye... Alma." I say to him. He hugs me back. "Be safe. Don't be afraid to do what you must. Just remember... I'll always be-," He is interrupted when a peacekeeper drags him off of me.

"Alma!" I shout as I'm pulled towards the aircraft. My heart is pounding as I'm thrown on board. I stop myself from crying. I know I need to look strong. However, being torn from my brother...

Before I can continue though, a lady walks up to me. She quickly grabs a needle and stabs my arm with it. I'm not too fazed getting it. It's just a tracker. My mind is more focused on the other tributes in the aircraft.

Tributes from District 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Ceres is next to me with a incredibly bored look on her face. I'm shaking a little in my seat. The District 7 Female looks over to her district partner who is taking deep breaths. The District 1 female is picking at her fingernails while the District 3 male has his eyes closed. One of the bigger District 9 tributes who has a annoyed look on his face. Everything seems to be black and white for me. My mind can't understand what is going on. Or what is about to happen.

The lights in the aircraft go out and I take a deep breath. I guess this means it's time...

Later...

I'm escorted to the launch room by two peacekeepers. I'm not sure what to focus on. The fact that these peacekeepers are uncomfortably close to me and holding guns to me or that the games will begin once I enter that room. Well, technically not until I get into the pod which takes me to the arena but you get my point, I'm a scared bastard at the moment.

My heart is pumping a lot faster than it should before I'm finally thrown into the launch room. However, I'm still almost relieved for a moment, that is until I realize who's also in here with me.

"Hello." Pan waves at me from the other side of the room, still smiling like she has always been. Now I'm just annoyed. Of all people, it had to be her. She's also holding something in her hand. She quickly hands it to me where I discover that it's my jacket for the games.

It's a dark brown, like chocolate. I'm reminded of that winter day so many years ago. My 9th birthday to be exact. After I came home from school, my mother and brother had finished their shifts while my dads would continue into the night. While we sat around a small fire that my brother had made, my mother gave us something that she had found laying around her workplace.

I would later learn that it was a small chocolate bar. It was soft and creamy but tasted amazing. Out of the small pool of food we had been getting, I was thankful we had gotten anything at this point. Sadly, my father never got to try it.

He wouldn't come home in a while in fact...

I shake my head. While it does feel good being nostalgic for a few moments, I have to remind myself that I have to forget all of that for a moment. Especially the memories with my older brother and my mother.

I feel almost sick. The moment I was torn from my mother, I didn't feel the worry and anguish of the moment because I was with big brother. However, now that he has been torn from me, I don't feel brave anymore. I feel like a 12 year old...

I begin to feel a burning sensation in my eyes. The feeling of dread, worry and fear of death all come crashing down like a rock. I don't feel as invincible. Then, I begin crying. I'm almost like a waterfall. However, Pan quickly rushes over to me to try and cheer me up.

"Get away from me!" I shout at her, more harshly than I mean to. By this point, I'm afraid and scared.

"10 minutes until launch." Someone goes over the intercom.

I sigh. I slowly begin to wipe away my tears as the 10 minutes slowly pass. I can't help but really reflect on everything that has led up to this moment in time... The reapings in which both me and my older brother were called. The moment my mother was taken from us without even a goodbye. The train rides where I learned of Soya and Ceres. The training, where I met Byke.

The moment I learned of the rebellion. Finally, all of those moments where me, Alma, Willow and the other tributes would sit around and just casually talk. I feel like a fool for being so casual with things. Acting like everything was going to be okay. Acting like I knew I was going to live.

"2 minutes until launch." After drying my eyes, I look back to Pan. She sits away and for the first time, I notice that she isn't smiling. I go over to her and apologize for my earlier outburst. She says it's fine and her smile grows back. I smile back before getting putting on my jacket and slowly walking towards the pod.

I expect the pod to enclose when launch happens but surprisngly, it closes right as I jump in. For the next two minutes, I'm awkwardly sitting in the humid pod until it begins to rise.

When it does though, Pan waves a goodbye. However, her face is more concerning. As if she cares at all about what is about to happen. For a few seconds following this, everything is a pitch black. For a while, I wonder if this is how the arena is going to be until I notice a light. I look directly up. I see blue and a possibly a few clouds.

"So this must not be anything insane then..." I say to myself as the pod continues rising. My breath goes quiet. I feel almost at ease for a moment knowing that this arena is a specific death trap, but I know I just need to be careful with how I approach it.

Finally, the pod reaches the arena. "Well..." I whisper to myself.

I look around. "Let the 100th Annual Hunger Games begin." I say to myself.

Anyways, this is easily the shortest chapter in the story so far because of my lack of motivation but I think I'll pick that up when I get to the bloodbath next chapter. Please review. Thank you and goodnight (Well actually this is going up in the middle of the afternoon but... Eh)