HELLLLOOOOO And welcome to Chapter 3! :3 I'm so happy I finsihed this, and I will try to get the next chapter up by next Tuesday... Though knowing me, I might not... Okay, Now you read. xD

Chapter 3:

After the ceremony ended, we were allowed to go back to our homes for an hour, but strictly to pack and tell our goodbyes. Each of us had one of these bulky, muscular guards with us. They were all so quiet, and always seemed to be staring into the back of my skull. He was to stay with me EVERYWHERE. And when I say everywhere, I mean everywhere. He had to even come with me into my bathroom... now THAT was creepy. After I ran back into my room, I took one of my pillows off of my bed and screamed into it, tears running down my face like a miniature river. I let it all out, crying my eyes so dry that after a few minutes, no tears could come out. All that was left was the racking sobs that shook my body, causing the bed to shake from beneath me. The guard stood there with no emotion showing on his face, staring at me. "Stop staring at me like that!" I sobbed, trying my hardest to keep it together. "I-Its creepy…." He didn't reply, but his eyes shifted upwards slightly. I nodded in approval and went back to crying my eyes out. No sooner did I go back to the water works did a small knock come from my door. "S-Sissy?" Cassie said softly. I sniffled and slowly stopped crying. Wiping my face I said in a hoarse voice, "Come in…." Cassie opened the door hesitantly and gave me a small smile. "Are you okay?" She whispered, sitting beside me. I was tempted to tell her I was fine, and to give her a big hug and pretend how happy I was about winning the 'raffle'. I would put her on my knee and sing to her or something, just so she could go to sleep. Then I'd put her back in her room and go back to crying. But I couldn't do that… at least… not now. I shook my head and started to shake. "No…. Sissy isn't okay…." I mumbled, putting my face back in my pillow. "Cassie… Sissy isn't going to come home…." Her eyes went as big as saucers and she whimpered. "Wh-What do you mean?" She stammered, eyes starting to shine with tears. "Sissy's going to die out there, with 22 other people." I took her hands in mine and hugged her as tight as possible. "But I love you, Cassie…. I really do…." She sniffled and buried her head in my shoulder, starting to cry. "Bu-But I don't want sissy to die!" She yelled, grabbing my shirt with her tiny hands. "I WANT SISSY TO STAY HERE!" I held her closer and brushed through her thin blond hair with my fingers. "It's okay, Cassie…" I murmured reassuringly. "It's okay…." Pulling off, she stared into my eyes, looking as serious and a hysterical 3 year old could. "Sissy… I don't want you to die…. Don't die…" She sniffled, tears still streaming down her face. "…. Okay…." I said, disbelieving that was I was saying was even true. "I promise… I'll try to come back…." I hugged her again as she started to cry again. I held her until she fell asleep, and put her back into her room. That's when Mom came in the room, mascara running down her cheeks. "N-Nikki…." She sobbed, pulling into a hug. "Promise me you'll win…. That you'll…." She couldn't finish the sentence she was crying so hard. I started to cry again and hugged her back. For a while we stood there in a sobbing silence. She let go of my shoulders and stared me in the eyes, keeping her mouth shut. Dashing her tears from her eyes, she ran out of my room, leaving me and my guard alone in my room to pack. I dried my own tears and threw a few of my clothes into a small duffle bag I had discovered in my closet. Most of which my father had given to me before he died… After I had put that all together, I threw my duffle bag at the guard and stood before him, a cold hatred burning in my eye. I hated them… I hated US. For what we did, what we didn't do… And I hated the districts too. But most of all, I hated this guy. Doing the capitals dirty work… it was disgusting. "Are you ready to go?" I asked bitterly. He nodded and stood up with my back, and walked out my door. I followed him and left the house quietly and secretly, praying that I wouldn't have another scene followed by more goodbye and tears. There wasn't. I sighed as we walked into a small, hovering train car outside of my door; I felt a pang of sadness hit me like a bullet. I looked through the window and sighed, I was never going to see this place again. Not Mom, or Cassie, or Rosette… Before I could rethink it, the train car zipped away, flying faster than any normal car could. I leaned back and clutched a stuffed animal I had brought. It was in the shape of a honey badger, only instead of black and white, it was blue and purple. I had gotten it when I was around 5 years old, another present from dad when he was away on my birthday. He would send these things in the mail with a card and a couple dollars. The animals were always named, though, each on the tag that was attached to the hind leg. This one's name was Matilda, and it was always my favorite out of the presents. I could always feel my dad's presence whenever I held it… and it comforted me whenever I was scared or frightened. I took it everywhere, in the car, to the store, to my friend's house… And now I was taking it to my death… and I was more scared right then than I ever was before… We zoomed around town, picking up the rest of the capital tributes. First, all of the girls. My heart clenched every time that one of the other girls walked into the train car. I didn't feel as horrible for anyone else, but I could see the terror painted on their faces. I saw Bella come in, then Lizzy, Ali and Georgina. Looking at them, I couldn't help but thinking about how they would die. Who would die first, and who would kill who… it tore me to pieces. They drove us all to a big house on the square, and let us out one by one. Nearly forgetting Matilda, I ran over to Ali and the rest of my friends…. The darker lady stepped out of the car and addressed us. "Hello! My name is Abigail Ferigua. I will be replacing Ceaser Flickerman during the interviews, and hope to get acquainted with you all! I hope we become great friends!" She wore a plastic smile on her face, and her eyes looked as if she was staring off into space. They were a murky kind of blue, like a lake that had too much debris in it. "Now, you all may meet and greet with one another! It's been a pleasure to talk to you all." She went back into the car drove away, still wearing the smile on her face. I turned around and faced Ali, Georgina, Lizzy and Bella, my eyes already swimming with tears. Within seconds, we had engulfed each other in a huge 5 person hug, sobbing into each other's arms. We all knew what this game would do to us… and that we would never see each other all together again. Imagine the most painful thing you can. Multiply it by 6. Add 4. Subtract 2.34. Multiply by 100, and you're still not even close to how much pain and sorrow I felt at that exact moment. We hesitantly let go of each other and wiped our eyes. After a long period of silence, Bella moved her dark blond bangs out of her face and spoke up, "Let's make a promise. No matter what, we won't kill each other… in fact, once we're in the arena, we'll make an alliance." Georgina bit her lip, "Bella…. I don't know if it will work….. wh… what if one of us is killed while we go to the cornucopia?" "Well it better work dangit!" I yelled, gripping my hands in fists, "I'm not going to lose any one of you, at least, I won't be the one who has to decide whether you live or die. We're doing an alliance and you all are going to do it even if it means that I have to force you and torture you into it!" (I meant that half joking, by the way, reader. I would never torture my friends.) Slowly, everyone nodded and their eyes looked a little bit brighter. "Okay…." Ali whimpered, "We'll make a truce. I quickly nipped my thumb, so that a small bead of blood poked out from beneath my skin. They soon did the same, and we pressed all of our thumbs together. We stared at one another in the eyes, and for the first time since this thing began, I saw something that I never would have guessed to felt. I felt hope.

Annnnnnddddd FIN! This chapter at the very least... For all you people who read this story and like it, OH MY GOSH I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I only have one review on this story, and it's from one of my friends. (Maggie-san... You review doesn't count... -.- though I love you anyways...) I already have a really cool idea for how this is going to end, and I hope I can get there. I have been really lazy lately, sitting around watching Tokyo Mew Mew and eating, sleeping, and doing Algebra homework. The only reason I got to work today is because I got home late last night (around 2. Had to go to a funeral.) and slept in... i didn't have go to school! Alright, you know what to do. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! (Wow. That Rhymed.) This chapter wasn't my best work... I know. But review anyway... DAISUKI!

-Ruby-san