Chapter 11

Today's the day...

I was woken by Michael telling me to get ready and come outside for breakfast and trotted off to Lindsey's room to tell her the same. I sat up and looked at the window to see that the streets were full as usual but the screens on the buildings were showing all the tributes and their scores. I watched for a little until the full loop had gone through. I turned my attention towards the door just in time to see a pillow flying at my face, the hit startled me and I fell back onto the bed and heard Lindsey laughing her head off, I sat up with a devilish grin on my face and threw it back at her but she saw it just in time to block it, "hey!" she yells and says "come eat breakfast before we go" I reluctantly agree and put on some athletic sweats and a black tee-shirt that had the number 8 on it for my district. Afterwards I push my way out the door and smell bacon, pancakes, eggs, sausage, biscuits and almost anything you can think of for breakfast. As I ate silently and thought about the day and what would play out, remembering my role I kept thinking about grabbing as many backpacks and weapons as possible. Lindsey drifted to my mind a time or two but I suppressed those thoughts as much as I could though.

After breakfast Michael escorted Lindsey and I through the tribute building and on a train to the arena. On the train I told Michael that I needed to use the restroom and he pointed towards the door to my left that leaded to another train cart and said "ours is busted use theirs". I nodded and opened the cart and saw Preston sitting on the couch with a worried look on his face as he turned toward me "Gunner!" he almost yelled as he saw me "what are you doing here?" he asked, I simply replied "I'm using the bathroom, ours is busted." Preston smiles and says don't stink it up too much you cactus!" I laughed and walked into the restroom and did my business. After 5-10 mins of relieving myself I washed my hands and splashed water on my face and stepped out to see the whole gang standing waiting for me to get out. "WHAT?" I said "Is this the only working toilet on this whole damn train?" one of them silently nodded and I just chuckle "Sure it is... you just wanted an excuse to come and see me" Rob smiled and Mitch laughed and Jerome asked "Are you guys ready?", "Today's the day" Preston said "I'm as ready as I think I'll ever be" and I just nodded. We sat for awhile and chatted, soon a voice came over the loudspeaker on the train that said "ATTENTION ALL TRIBUTES AND PASSENGERS WE WILL BE ARRIVING AT THE ARENA IN A FEW MINUTES PLEASE GET BACK TO YOUR RESPECTIVE CARTS AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR" I stood up hugged Mitch, Rob, Preston and Jerome and they did the same, I noticed that Rob and Preston hugged longer and whispered something into one another's ear as they were hugging. I didn't think much of it as I walked with Jerome back to his cart, When we got there I shook Jerome's hand and said "it will be fine we will get through this" Jerome nodded and I started walking back to my cart.

When we arrived at the arena Michael showed Lindsey and I to our pods that would take us to the Cornucopia, I hugged Michael and then Lindsey but when I hugged her she whispered in my ear and said "I love you, stay safe" I blushed and said "I love you too, please stay safe" I saw her blush and smile, she is so adorable I hope she makes it and we meet up later. Michael nodded and said that it was time and we stepped in our pods, I smiled at Lindsey and she smiled at me. I looked up and saw the bright sun blind me as I rose up toward the big arena.

Mitch's POV

Savannah, Kyle and I all walked into the room with two pods at the end and I turned to Kyle shook his hand and said " thank you for your help, I will try my best" he replied with "I hope you and your friends do well" I smiled and said my thanks and turned to Savannah and said good luck I guess (she wasn't very nice but she was still human) she said "thank you" and reached her hands out for a hug and I pull her in for a half hearted hug and pulled back quickly, I couldn't help thinking of Gunner, Rob, Preston but mainly my bacca, Jerome.

Rob's POV

"I WIN" I scream as I beat Susan and Dalton into the room, "I'm the fastest one!" I say as I stick my tongue out at them. "That's not fair!" Susan protests "you got a head start!" she says with a fake pouty face Dalton chuckles and wishes us luck gives us both hugs then I hug Susan or she hugs me to be exact, she jumped on my back and I slung her over my shoulder and yelled "this is SPARTA! I put my foot on her chest and gently push her into the pod she laughs and says goodbye and good luck, I do the same and step in my pod and look at Dalton and fell my stomach drop as the pod starts to move and I look up into the bright sunlight.

Preston's POV

I trudged into the room and walked over to my pod and sat down waiting for it to open and looked at my hands and closed my eyes. Soon after I felt a sharp pain on my arm, I looked up and saw Jessica (who goes by Jess) standing above me after she pinched my arm, she smiled and said "its almost time... can I have a hug?" "Sure" I said as I stood up. I hugged her and I could see her starting to tear up and I wiped away her tear and said "Good luck Jess, stay safe" She nodded and I stepped into my pod and put my game face on.

Jerome's POV

"Ugh" I thought as I was slowly waking up. "Where's Jerome" I heard a garbled voice say "There he is, I'll wake him up" I open my eyes and see Sarah running over to me and yell in my ear "HURRY ITS ALMOST TIME WE GOTTA GO" after a few seconds her words finally hit me like a truck I over slept in the train and the games are gonna start soon, I was kinda mad at her because she interrupted my dream about Mitch, I really hope he's ok I mean he's my benja for pete's sake. I got up and ran to keep up with Sarah sprinting towards a door with several locks on it but as soon as she got there it opened and when I entered I saw 2 pods at the end of the room with our names above them, I stood in shock and was motioned by Owen to enter my pod so I did.

Gunner's POV

I looked at the bright sun above me and the trees around the cornucopia blowing with the wind, soon I turned my attention to the other tributes who were rising from their pod just as I was. Immediately I looked for people I knew and where they were, I saw Lindsey next to me and soon I saw Preston, Mitch, Rob, Jordan then Jerome. I looked at them, waited until they saw me and then nodded. We know the plan but it's only as good as we think it will be until it happens. I take a five deep breaths while taking note of my surroundings, look left and look right. As the tributes and I are waiting I see a countdown appear over the cornucopia that reads 30 seconds until start. I feel my spine tingle and think about my brother once more and somehow I drift off to thinking of Mitch, Jerome, Rob, Preston, and Lindsey. I hear a loud sound that means 10 seconds left, I get ready and count down in my head. 3...2...1...GO!

Sorry for the cliffhanger but I had to! I will be reading reviews and I still need help on deciding who should win. Thanks for being patient and stay in there and wait until the next update!