Authors Note: First of all I'd just like to say how sorry I am for not updating until now. I don't really have an excuse, I just never seemed to have time to get around to writing this chapter. Also I hope no one will mind, but I have decided not to write about Peeta joining in with the careers, simply because there is no real need for him in the plot- not because I have anything against him! Finally thanks alot for all the reviews and sticking with the story, please keep letting me know what you think!
Glimmer felt her nails dig into her palms as she was lifted into the light of the arena. This is it she thought, the place I'm going to die. Looking around she glanced over the worried faces of all the other tributes, but stopped when she met Cato's gaze. Just looking at him made her shaking stop and the count down go silent. It was as if nothing else existed. After around thirty seconds however, she forced herself to re-enter the arena and form some sort of plan, although when she tried it was as if her brain had stopped working. Words floated around in her head but she couldn't form any meaning from them.
Eventually her eyes locked onto the mouth of the cornucopia, where right at the back there was a variety of weapons to choose from. Suddenly the horn went off and automatically she stumbled off her platform and onto the grass. After a second of hesitation her legs began to move and she found herself running towards the mouth of the cornucopia. All around her already she could hear people screaming and pleading, however she refused to look.
She was just about to reach the cornucopia when someone pushed her hard on the back. Almost immediately she fell to the ground. Before she could regain any sense of direction she felt someone dive on top her. Looking up she saw the female tribute from district seven, was now raising a weapon above her head. It looked like a long stick to begin with however after a second Glimmer saw that there were several sharp blades sticking out of it.
I can't die yet, was the only thought going through her head as she thrashed frantically to try and get free. Nothing seemed to distract the girl, however just as she brought her arm down Glimmer felt her weight shift to the right. Quickly she flung herself to the left, but not quick enough to avoid one of the blades sinking into her arm and another into the side of her stomach. She felt herself let out a cry but knew she couldn't give up. Not yet anyway.
Suddenly she saw Marvel run past. "Marvel!" she screamed, but to her surprise instead of coming to help her he simply looked at her blankly for a moment, before fear crossed his face and he began to run in the opposite direction away from her.
"Arghhhhhh!" Glimmer suddenly screamed as she felt the blades being ripped out of her. After a few seconds her vision went blurry and she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness. All she could focus on was the sight of the blades coming towards her once more as the girl from district seven prepared to take another swing-but this time Glimmer knew she wouldn't miss.
Taking a deep breath Glimmer made a silent plead for help, as voices began to fade out all around her. All she could do now was wait until it happened. She prayed it would be quick. Suddenly however she heard a familiar shout and felt the weight of the girl from district seven being pushed off her.
"Get off my Glimmer, bitch!" She heard Cato's voice cut through the noise and couldn't help but laugh as the wonderful warm feeling she got whenever he was near, surged through her. Opening her eyes sure enough there he was standing over the now dead body of her attacker. Only she wasn't looking at the dead girl.
Here in the middle of the bloodbath, with people being killed all around her all she could do was lay on the ground grinning at Cato, who was doing exactly the same. It was a strange thrill for both of them, knowing that you could be killed at any second, but not caring.
"I totally had her," Glimmer said, as Cato offered out his hand to pull her up.
"I know you did, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress," he replied, as Glimmer took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. Suddenly however she let out a shriek and clutched her stomach as she remembered the wound where the girl had sunk the blade into her. A dizziness washed over her as she stumbled and felt her legs buckle beneath her. She would have surly fallen if it wasn't for Cato's strong arm holding her up. All of a sudden Glimmer saw the tribute from district eight run towards Cato, sword raised.
"Cato!" Glimmer's shriek cut through the air as Cato swung them both around to face the boy. But Glimmer needn't have worried. Reliable as ever Cato lifted a sword from his belt and stopped the boy's blade with such force that it fell to the ground. Even with Glimmer propped against him Cato was able to then sink the sword right into the boy's heart. A blood-curdling scream filled the air, and Glimmer felt her stomach drop as she realised it wasn't coming from the tribute Cato had just stabbed.
Clumsily she turned her head to see a small boy running towards her, with a sharp rock in his hand. Before she had to tell him, Cato saw and swung her out of the way, but not before the boy brought the stone down, slicing it across her cheek. Gasping for breath, she fought with her eyes, trying to stop them from rolling to the back of her head, fighting to not black out. Cato felt her head loll against his shoulder as he grabbed the boy with the stone by the neck.
"Don't leave me," he whispered, squeezing Glimmers hand so hard it felt as if he was breaking every bone in it. The pain was good however, it gave her something to focus on, an anchor to keep her awake.
"Never," she whispered under her breath, managing to position her mouth so close to Cato's ear that no one else would hear her. All of a sudden a whistle cut through the air and the boy in Cato's grasp head snapped forward, revealing a small knife embedded in the back of his neck.
"Thought I'd get him for you, he's been annoying me all through training," Clove laughed harshly, jogging over to Cato and ripping the knife out of the tributes neck. Looking around Cato felt relief pass through him as he noticed the last tribute run into the forest, leaving only himself, Marvel, Clove and Glimmer in the clearing near the lake.
They all stood in silence for a few moments, trying to regain there breath as the gentle hum of the hovercrafts gradually grew nearer; getting ready to move the bodies of the fallen tributes. Glimmer stood frozen, gripping onto Cato's waist as she tried to think of something witty to say, something the Capital audience would like.
She opened her mouth, but instead of the flirty laugh she had planned, she felt bile rise in the back of her throat. Try as she might she couldn't calm it and eventually was sick over Cato's shoulder, before passing out.
…..
Cato leant over Glimmer, willing her to open her eyes. It had been seven hours since she had passed out and Cato was beginning to wonder if he'd injected her with too higher dose of medicine.
"Don't die on me. Not yet anyway," Cato whispered, wrapping his hand around her skinny wrist. Suddenly he felt her stir and looked up to see her smirking at him.
"You're not getting rid of me that easy," Glimmer said, wincing as she propped herself up on her shoulders, whilst looking around. She seemed to be in some sort of tent and couldn't help but feel relieved as she realised that only Cato and her were inside.
"What time is it?" Glimmer rubbed her head and looked confused as she realised it was dark outside the tent.
"Erm well it's hard to tell, but probably about eight. Marvel and Clove were planning on us all heading out to hunt, how do you feel?" Cato couldn't help but feel concerned about how soft he was coming across, but hoped that the Capital audience would have much better things to watch, on the first night of the games. Somehow Glimmer seemed to sense this and Cato could tell she was thinking of a good way to please President Snow. She didn't disappoint.
"Well…I think I could do with a kiss better," she whimpered looking longingly at Cato, her blue eyes clouding over with a fake glaze that showed she was entering Capital mode. For a second they both stared at each other, as if silently apologising for how they were acting. Then without hesitation Glimmer grasped Cato's shoulders and pulled him towards her roughly. Searing pain shot through her as she moved, but the moment Cato's lips collided with hers, she knew she couldn't back out.
A soft moan escaped his lips as he fell backwards onto the floor, with her lying on top of him. Every bone in Glimmer's body wanted her to close her eyes, and cuddle into Cato, allowing him to protect her from the outside world. But they weren't at the training centre anymore. They were in the heart of the arena, and the Capital didn't want to see loving embraces. They wanted hunger, lust and danger. Everything that she wasn't.
Cato felt his heart pound wildly in his chest as Glimmer's lips met his. Immediately everything felt foreign and wrong. The way their hands moved over each other roughly. The way her eyes- as he knew his were- searched over him hungrily. The way that the taste of sugar he always got when they kissed, was buried under taste of mud.
Glimmer felt pain running through her- however it was no longer pain from the wounds she had received earlier. After only a few hours Cato was already being taken away from her, slipping further from her grasp. All she wanted was five more minutes alone with him, without the prying eyes of Panem, forcing them to be something they weren't.
But she knew she couldn't stop now. The sponsors would be hooked, there mentors flooded with offers, offers that could help Cato survive when she was no longer in the arena. Forcing the thoughts of how wrong this was out of her mind, Glimmer silently squeezed Cato's hand before tugging his shirt over his head.
Cato watched as Glimmer sat up slightly, chewing her lip, an action that he now knew meant she was worried and wondering what to do next. Silently he prayed that somehow Glimmer's poor family weren't watching, even though he knew they undoubtedly would be.
Looking into her eyes he hoped she understood that he had wanted this to be completely different and was sorry for everything. Then silently he forced a grin onto his face as he began to pull off her shirt.
"Hey are you guys ready?" Hearing Marvel's shout caused both Glimmer and Cato to sit up, and heave a small sigh of relief. At least for now neither of them would have to continue this 'show' for the sponsors. Marvel had saved them, at least for now. Suddenly remembering they should be annoyed by the interruptions Glimmer kissed Cato one final time before beginning to speak.
"We'll continue this later," she said smiling mysteriously as she fixed her shirt and walked out of the tent. Just as she was leaving a small parachute landed on the ground outside. Happiness washed over her. A happiness that wouldn't last. For when she opened the container she found a small tub of super-strength painkillers along with a note from her mentor, district ones famous victor; Star.
The only victor in history to convince three tributes to kill themselves, because they were so madly in love with her. So it wasn't surprising she thought Glimmer could win the same way, not knowing about President Snow's threats. Glimmer felt her heart drop as she read:
Good work with Cato, now start with Marvel. Put on a good show.
Glimmer's eyes widened as she blinked over the last four words, the exact four words that President Snow had said to her, the final time they had spoken. Immediately she knew he would have had something to do with the note. He wanted her to act this way, to humiliate her father further. As if watching her die wasn't enough.
Closing her eyes for a moment she realised she would have to do what the note said, to keep her family safe. She had no choice. She just hoped Cato would somehow understand.