"Grab the essentials. Clarisse, Sean 'n' me will get as many weapons as we can. Meet us north in three trees. Jack, just remember to breathe, OK?" Jack, the boy who had found his peas confusing on the train ride here, looked up at her with nervous grey eye. Leo placed a brotherly arm around his shoulders in silent reassurance. Jack had thrown up this morning. It wasn't pretty. "We need ya ta be the rendezvous point, OK?" Jack nodded. Louisa adjusted her watch.
"Do you really need that?" Clarisse grumbled.
"It's a watch. Problem?" Louisa sighed. "Just trust me, OK?"
"That's what you said and then you put us through a three day training course." Leo complained.
"You'll thank me for it." Louisa smirked.
"Tell me legs that. I can't feel them." Louisa nudged his shin with the tip of her trainer.
"I can feel them. Stop whingin'." Leo glared at her, but a smile broke through. "Suit up." She told them as two Avoxes wheeled in a clothes rack of various sized jackets. The jackets were dark blue with red lining and a fleecy inside. They were also water proof with various zip-up pockets. The jackets had been specially made to fit everyone in the group. On the back was the word 'Team' with a big number '3' under it.
"Snazzy." Leo grinned, shrugging his jacket on and doing up the zip. He looked down at himself. "Very handsome, Valdez, very handsome."
"Leo, shut it." Piper laughed. Leo stuck his tongue out at her. "You're such a child."
The TV on the wall lit up with Effie Trinket's powdered face.
"Time to enter the arena!" She sang. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in-" There was a small explosion, cutting off Effie's words. Clarisse had thrown the clothes wrack at the TV.
"I hate that woman." She grumbled.
"You me both, Clarisse." Louisa agreed before leading her team onto the large metal disk that acted as an elevator to lift them to the arena above.
(Just picture the arena as it is in the first movie)
The sun momentarily blinded them. They were aware of the wind whistling through tree, birds singing, the buzz of insects and the howls of some animal. The jeers of the other teams reached them, shattering the peaceful sounds of nature.
Slowly the jeers died down and the only sound was nature. It was oddly calming.
"Teams!" A bodiless voice boomed. "Prepare!" Louisa recognised Jack taking slow, deep breaths to her right and was aware of the rest of the team warming their muscles. "Let the countdown… begin!" An orange, circular timer appeared in front of the Cornucopia counting down the seconds from sixty.
"Remember the plan. Get the stuff 'n' get out in a minute or less." Louisa kept her voice level, trying to appear confident for the team she was supposed to keep alive.
No pressure.