Chapter Seven:

Don't own the Hunger Games...

Like a crash, I wait for the impact

And like a train, I wait for the smoke

Like a storm, I wait for the silence

And like a bluff, I wait 'til you fold

"Tomorrow's the first day of the Games you know," Parker slips into our conversation about the best weapon ever.

I had totally forgotten about it. How could I? It is the day that will define me forever.

I suddenly remember what that also means. When that all is over, all of my friends will be dead and gone. And I will be alone.

I chew my lip, trying not to dwell on those thoughts. "Do you think we can prepare with the others? It'd be a good idea to go over stuff with them."

Parker shrugs. "I would think so. If they didn't want the tributes to see each other, you'd think they'd keep the ones from the same District separated, too. I'll ask Emberlynn when I find her."

Parker walks off to find Emberlynn while I sat on the couch, watching the later interviews. Apparently, Samantha goes by Sam. That could be nice to know if I end up torturing her at some point.

When Parker returns, Emberlynn is right behind him. "I can get the escorts from One and Four to bring their tributes to our floor, but not Three," she explains. "I'll retrieve them now."

While we're waiting for the others, we watch Prim's interview. The entire audience is sobbing for her. I can't imagine how much medicine she'll get. And of course it will be the best in existence, too.

I frown. How am I supposed to kill her when she can just heal herself over and over again?

Just then, I hear the elevator open. Rosie and Jack enter our room, followed by Hunter and Stingra.

"Are we planning for tomorrow?" Jack asks. He looks excited, but something tells me he's a little nervous too. In fact, I'm sure we all are.

"Yeah," I reply, "I think it's best to figure out who's gonna be killed in the beginning. Also, we don't know what the arena's biome is gonna be, so we need to ready for all possible outcomes.

"This is sorta random, but did any of you get the Build-Your-Own-Arena thing?" Rosie ponders. "It was that huge toy that let you design your own Hunger Games."

My eyes light up. "Are you kidding? I love Build-Your-Own-Arena! I had every extension and played with it all of the time, it was so addictive! I even had the limited edition tributes that were so hard to find!"

"Same," replies Hunter. "The little weapons were my favorite. Anyway, we need to think about what would happen in each arena. I really hope we a have a different game plan for a desert than a tundra."
"Exactly," I agree. "No matter what, we should use the Cornucopia as our shelter."
"Good idea," Stingra agrees. "It'll protect us from wind, cold, sun, or whatever."

After we make plans for the arena, we decide who our first kills will be.

"I think the Bloodbath will take out a lot of the tributes. They seem especially stupid and weak this year," I say. "It'll probably include Victoria, Rayn, Blaze, Karlie, Sam, Edward, Rayvenn, Bob, Asher, Alex, Cyrus, and maybe Prim, but I think she has enough sense to run away." This sounds odd, but I somewhat hope that Prim gets away. I want to relish in her agony myself, rather than see her die by a flying knife.

Parker agrees. "They would be the obvious targets, but I think that if anyone seen as a threat comes to get supplies, we should kill them first. That way, we don't have to worry about them later." We nod collectively.

"I wouldn't be afraid to kill Tonya or Edison, either," Hunter adds. "I don't really trust them. I think that we should all agree not to kill Prim. Aqua deserves to do it herself." I smile. This is why these people are my best friends.
"Thanks, Hunt. It means a lot," I say honestly.

"We'll just have to wait to see how tomorrow plays out," says Rosie. "Until then, all we can do is hope that none of us are killed." I swallow hard. I don't want them dead.

Everyone leaves except Parker and I.

"This is it." He purses his lips. "The big day is almost here."

I nod. "You ready?"

"I think so. Let's just make sure we kick a lotta ass."

I smile. "Yeah. Well, see you tomorrow," I conclude.

We both walk to our individual rooms and try to get some sleep. I don't know if Parker's out yet, but I'm too excited to even close my eyes. Soon the world will see me killing children without mercy. As awful as it sounds, I can't wait. That's what I was born to do, so I have every right to cherish it.

When I finally fall asleep, I wake up not long afterwards. Parker, already bright-eyed, is poking me in the shoulder.

"Your stylist wanted me to wake you up. It's almost time to go to the arena." I bolt upright, suddenly energized.

Today is the first day of the Games. The lack of sleep doesn't affect me; I'm too full of adrenaline. I know I will suffer the consequences later, but, hey, a little epinephrine never hurt anyone.

When we enter our floor's main room, Emberlynn, Enobaria, Skittora, and Parker's stylist are waiting there for us. As soon as we arrive, Emberlynn and Enobaria say goodbye.

Our stylists take us to the roof. When I look up at the clear blue sky, I see nothing there. When I blink my eyes again, there's a hovercraft above my head.

A ladder drops down, and Parker and I climb in.

The hovercraft is gray and full of lights on the inside. "This is your tracker, Aqua." An unidentified woman sticks a needle in my arm. "So we can see you in the arena." It is only a pinch, and I'm too hyped to notice.

After she's placed the tracker, Parker and I each go into a separate room to eat breakfast. Once I finish the delicious food, I'm taken to a row of seats where a few other tributes are sitting. I'm placed next to Blaze and Sam, Parker directly across from me, next to Constance and Rayn. We just sit there for almost an hour before we reach the arena, and at some point, the windows go black, so I know we have to be close. Finally, everyone's released into the Catacombs, where we will change and be launched into the arena.

After I shower, Skittora dries my hair and dresses me. She puts me in brown cargo pants, hiking boots, a maroon shirt (my District's color), and a maroon jacket, which gives me no idea what the arena will contain. I drain a glass of water until I hear a voice saying that it is launch time.

My heart is beating so intensely I feels as if it could combust at any moment. I'm much more nervous than I expected I would be. It's possible I could die, but it's not likely. I push that thought out of my head and imagine torturing Prim to death. It's much more soothing.

"It's time to get in the tube," Skittora tells me. She waves and gives me a thumbs up.

I mosey into the glass tube. It closes around me, and I know that this is it. I feel myself being lifted up, but around me is only darkness.

Then I see the arena.

I sit back, and just watch it happen

Just like you, I won't say a word

"Harper Lee" by Little Green Cars

Is the revised version better than the original (if you've read it)?

Which characters do you expect/want to die in the Bloodbath?

Favorite characters so far?

Bye byes!

~Aoife O'Regan