Not even my best friend who seems to guess everything guessed what the arena would be! Yes!

Thanks MusicFlowsWithin, theatergirl129 and TheHungerGamesForever

Chapter 16: Arena

I look around and see looks of realisation and dread cross the faces of the others. Good, they see it too. We're surrounding the Cornucopia like in other games, the gold of the giant horn glistening in their artificial sunlight, but it was never like this before. It was never in the middle of a football pitch. It was never in the middle of our football pitch.

It was never at McKinley.

Ten. The countdown starts and people start remembering where they are.

Nine. This may look like their High School, but it's so much worse.

Eight. The cameras are rolling; ready to capture every second of the bloodshed.

Seven. I see Owen; he's directly opposite me and he winks when we make eye contact.

Six. I roll my eyes in disgust, how can he be so calm?

Five. May's on the podium next to him, smirking at me, I smirk back and she scoffs.

Four. I can feel glares coming from the careers, I didn't join them and now they want revenge.

Three. Bex and Leon blow a kiss to each other from across the circle; this is their last three seconds.

Two. I can already tell that the people at home are getting anxious, they're wondering what the pile of weapons is for.

One. I send a final prayer to my family. I hope to god that they never get picked.

Go.

I dash to the Cornucopia, I think I get there first but I'm soon face to face with Owen, ready to block his sword with a knife

"Allies?" He asks hopefully. I nod, I'd be dead if I didn't, he signals for me to duck as he sweeps the sword where my head would have been, effectively killing Laila from Drama who was literally about to stab me in the back, I smile in thanks before spinning around so we're back to back as we gather up the supply's we want.

Owen and I manage to hold our ground at the cornucopia but when we realise that the careers are almost done with slaughtering as many people as they can we make a hasty retreat into the school building.

"Where to Santana?" Owen asks me once we get through the door. There's something eerie about being inside for the games; it's always been such an outdoor thing and especially walking through the school you used to rule. It's hard not to let your guard down.

"Why would I know any better than you?" I ask him, I thought he was meant to be the 'expert'

"Because you seem like the sorta girl who knows all the best places to hide." I roll my eyes but he's right

"Follow me. Don't die." I order and he sarcastically snaps to attention before mimicking stabbing me "Yeah right." I walk through the corridors, pretty confident that Owen has my back although occasionally sneaking glances at him until I spot the familiar, almost invisible square in the ceiling, I point up and Owen grins

"Smart kid, very smart."

"I'm not a kid." I growl at him "I have kids."

"Okay! Jeez, snappy much?" I gesture for him to lift me up like Brittany would have done in our days at McKinley. Brittany, I miss her already. Once I'm through the hatch I pull him up and replace the trapdoor.

"No one will ever know." I smirk

"We're not just gonna hide up here right?" He asks "Because that is gonna suck."

"No, this is like our base."

"Oh is it now?" He mocks

"Unless you have any better plans." I raise an eyebrow

"Whatever." Owen sighs "Who else d'you want?"

"No one. I didn't even want you."

"Well aren't you just miss sociable this morning?"

"It's not the morning." I tell him, lying back on the backpack I grabbed as I watch the 'sun' go down.

"I don't get how they can just make the days like two hours long"

"It's there games." I say, disinterested "They can do whatever the hell they want." At that point the national anthem goes off and the seal of the games comes up. She counts as the faces appear;

Laila from Drama. One.

Ruby from Literature Studies. Two.

Frank from Boys Soccer. Three.

Peter from the Muslim Students Union. Four.

Brent from the School Newspaper. Five.

Charity from Synchronised Swimming. Six.

Jack from Ice Hockey. Seven.

One more than in my last games. It's official now I guess; there's no way to stop them. If there was no one would have killed. If there was any hope twenty four tributes would be alive. Not seventeen.

"I guess it's real." Owen sighs, voicing my thoughts

"Guess it is."

...

Do we like?

Thanks MusicFlowsWithin for the idea of using McKinley!

Reviewxxx