"What am I supposed to do in front of the gamemakers?" I ask.

"Whatever impresses them the most, higher scores mean more sponsers." Ducain says. In one hour it will be mine and Thera's turns for the private sessions with the gamemakers.

"I don't know what will impress them the most. Who knows if they'll even be sober by the time its get my turn."

"Okay." I reply. "But, I'm just.. Afraid that I'll get a bad score."

"Don't worry kid, now take a break and I'll tell you when to go."

1 HOUR LATER

I'm shaking. knowing that Thera is going before is the only thing keeping me from freaking out. I sit there on a silver bench with Thera waiting for our names to be called.

"Thera Cligtan." A motoned voice says.

"That's me." Thera stands up and walks toward the door.

"Good luck, knock their socks off." She walks out the room.

Ten minutes pass. I feel my heart beating fast, faster than usual. I wish I was first now, cause if I was, I wouldn't have to sit here on my own.

"Neal Roven." I turn my head towards the door. I swallow hard and walk to the door. The door opens and I look at the gamemakers. Oh thank god they haven't drank too much. I come to the darts and pick them up. I take one deep breath and begin. One after another, I hit every target in sight. After a while, I start throwing two at a time. I decide to continue until my arms feel as if they can't function anymore. Or is that pushing myself to hard? I think it is.

I finally stop breathing in and out cause I don't think I have enough oxygen in my body, I don't even think I was breathing at all. I turn around and walk straight out of the room. I don't bother looking at the gamemakers, nor do I care for what they are thinking of me. All I care about is the score that will seek a big fraction of sponsers I can possibly earn.

I continue to walk until I reach my way to the elevator. Two Avoxes moved out of the way and step into the elevator. I press the button that said '5' and I zoom up and the door opens. I come to see Thera and the other sitting in the living room area.

"Come join us Neal, we were waiting for you so we can talk about what you did for the gamemakers." She offers me a seat by Thera and I sit.

"So what happened?" Ducain leans from his seat toward Me and Thera.

"I threw a bunch of darts."

"And..?" Ducain says raising an eyebrow.

"That's its, was I supposed to do something else?" I ask.

"I'm just asking if that's all you did?"

"Yes, that was all I did but I was good at it." Oh jeez Ducain, come on man what was I supposed to do?

"Okay then, moving on." His eye switch from me to Thera. "What did you do?"

"I threw daggers and used a sword for a bit." She replies.

"Good, but the thing is, did you get their attention?"

"Well they seemed pretty expressed. How about you Neal?" Everyone's attention turns to me.

"Well... Um, you see... I didn't really pay attention." Thera's eyes widen and Ducain's jaw drops.

"That's fine Neal, Ducain only asked because it gave a slight clue to what your score is." Lentle said calmly.

"His score is also what can decide his death." Ducain snarls at her.

"Just please calm down." First she was slowly reaching for his shoulder then sly and quick she reaches his jacket and took a handful of pills out.

"You bitch! Give me those back!" He stands up from his seat and tries to grab her hand. Thera jumps up and clutches on to Ducain and tell him to stop.

"No. You need to get your act together if you expect one of these kids to come home." Her eyes are now tense and serious. Lentle gives the Avoxes the pills and ordered them to put the pills in the trash. "Now if you can stop getting high, you can start being a bit respectful."

"You are mental! I've been perfectly fine and I've been trying my best to help these kids get through this!" It seemed like Ducain was going to open his mouth and say something then he closes. He falls to his knees and passes out for a second. Lentle runs toward him and puts his arm around her and the Avoxes help.

"Goodness Ducain, you were taking the pills again weren't you?" She stands and allows the Avoxes lead him to the elevator. But he just yaks away and turns to his room. Before he turns the doorknob his head turns to Lentle.

"If you think I'm doing so badly, you mentor them." He opens and slams the door.

Lentle seems to look down for a second then quickly springs back up in a smile.

"Well, I apologize for the small conflict, but I am guessing he was meaning to ask what do you think your scores will be?"

"I might get a nine or eight." Thera says shrugging.

"Maybe an seven or eight."

"Okay, well take a break and I'll go talk to Ducain." Lentle gives her a faint smile and walks off.

I watch Lentle walk to the door and shuts it. The second the door closes I hear screaming and yelling already. It reminds me of when I still had my parents and they would fight all the time. Thera takes her seat beside me.

"What do you think they're yelling about?" She asks.

"Shit, and crap and stuff." Thera looks at me then looks at the door.

"Come on." She starts tip-toeing to the door to Ducain's room.

"What are you doing?" I snap while following her. She leans the side of the head on the door and I do the same.

"I feel like we're stalking right now." I tell her in a whispered voice.

"Shut up." She says.

"Get the hell out of here!" I'm guessing Ducain said that.

"Look, just lay off the stupid drugs until the entire games are over. There's just something about those two that makes me feel like one of them actually has a chance of being victor." Says Lentle.

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know, maybe cause their just...Different. And being good looking is a good thing. You have to have hope, Ducain."

"No, I don't. There's a reason I'm not getting to attached to these kids you know-"

"I know why. Its because you don't want to get hurt again, have to see more people you care about die."

After that, It stays silent. I start to hear footsteps heading towards the door. My eyes widen and give Thera a look to move away. We run into our rooms and shut the doors. Once the footsteps fade into nothing I open my door and knock on Thera's door.

"She's gone." Thera opens her door.

"Good. I never knew how mush Lentle cared. I guess Ducain really is a high ass. I think we should get ready for dinner and wash up." I nod and return to my room.

The dinner stands before me. I look from my plate to the chair where Ducain is supposed to sit. Its empty. Our meal continues silently, my heart pumping louder than anything in the huge room. It feels like forever until I finish and all I wanna do is just get my death over with instead of making me stay in a prison. Something tells me I should eat more. If I'm going to be put in an arena to my death, might as well enjoy their luxury items. I grab some duck and mash potato (whatever that is) and eat it. I look up, and see that Lentle is not in the happy mood she's usually in. I want to say something and break the ice, but there's nothing to say and I don't wanna bring up Ducain.

I figure there's no point in me staying and continuing with the awkwardness.

"I'm gonna go in my room." I stand up and walk to my room, dodging Avoxes on my way there. Once I enter my room and close the door, I take a deep breath. I walk towards my bed and slowly sit down. My eyes are on the ground, processing everything that's going on. I lay down on my bed with that its high quality sheets were the thin, grey ones and home.

No, thinking of home makes my head ache.

I lay there in my bed as stiff as a rock. I shut my eyes trying so hard to fall asleep, cause if I don't... I might scream, or yell, or break down, or anything! I just wanna let it all out! But I can't, not when I know the cameras are watching me now.