Sorry for the time lag. Things have been super busy. On the upside i already have a start on chapter seven! Yet again I am sorry for the indent :(
I was right. Being with Finnick did keep the dreams away, at least the bad ones. When I wake up it jars me out of a very pleasant dream involving Finnick…and me…and not much else…
I groan and grumble until I look over at the bedside clock and notice the time. I need to get out of here-fast. The only problem is Finnick's arm that is wrapped comfortably around me, hugging me against him. Thankfully he's a heavy sleeper. I slip out from under his arm and tiptoe out of the room, still in my clothes from last night. I check the hallway outside the door and hesitantly step out. Then I just about run into the living area and take a seat at the table right as Ceely steps out of the elevator and Caleb walks out of his room.
"Oh, look at the state of you two," she moans. "Did you sleep at all?"
"Surprisingly, yes," I say. Caleb shakes his head in response.
"Well, at least one of you is rested. Why don't you both try to eat something and I'll go wake those sleepy head mentors of yours."
Caleb and I butter toast in silence while Ceely knocks on Mags' and Finnick's doors. Finnick gives her quite a start when he dashes out of his room, half-dressed.
"Are they already gone?" he asks desperately. "Tell me they aren't."
"We're not," I supply. Finnick sits down next to me and takes a drink of orange juice from my cup. Ceely is still a little shocked. Reasonably is suppose, a shirtless Finnick Odair is enough to give most women heart failure. But then, what a way to die. Certainly more pleasant than anything in store for me.
"Finnick Odair," mags scolds as she emerges from her room in a dressing gown, "put some clothes on!"
"Alright ma," Finnick huffs.
"Don't you mock me," Mags says. She narrows her eyes at Finnick and he trudges back into his room to dress. "I swear I've raised him better," she insists as she takes a seat and grabs a roll, but I can see her affection for him shining in her eyes.
"So when do we leave?" I figure there's no use beating around the bush. Ceely checks a slim diamond encrusted watch at her wrist.
"Thirty minutes."
"Great," I say.
"That's the spirit!"
"I have the oddest suspicion she was being sarcastic," Finnick says. He sits down next to me, this time fully clothed.
"Oh." Ceely looks actually disappointed. "Well I'm sure you two will do splendid. Who knows, we may even be in the prssence of a future victor."
"That's likely," I mutter. Finnick is the only one who hears me, but he gives me a stern look and I try to be contrite. I know he wants me to be confident, but I've never been any good at lying.
When it's time for Caleb and I to leave both Finnick and Mags pat us on the back. Finnick's hand lingers slightly longer than necessary on mine and leans down to whisper in my ear. "Remember what we've talked about. You'll be fine. I'll see you in a week or so, okay?" I nod shakily.
"Okay."
Ceely escourts us down to the loading dock where she bids us farewell and we join the other tributes on the hovercraft. The interior is very cold and modern, just like the capital. The seats are uncomfortable and when we take off, it's nauseating. Everything is exactly as Finnick said.
I try not to freak out when a woman with a long needle approaches me. This must be the tracker. I know what to expect…and it doesn't help one bit! The pain is overwhelming but I clench my teeth and refuse to make a sound. I can do this. I am strong.
We all sit in a freaked out-or in some cases excited-silence. I really can't believe my luck. Of all the girls in district four it had to be me. It's not that I wish another girl from district four was going to die, but at least there are some who would have stood a chance. The girls who work out on the boats, they're strong and agile, fearless. Finnick insists that I am these things. I just have to listen to him.
When we land we are separated and I am led down an inconspicuous metal hallway. The entire surface of the circular tunnel is one smooth sheet of metal. I am deposited in a similarly designed room with a table, two chairs, and my outfit for the arena. Mariah rises from one of the chairs to greet me. I didn't notice her at first glance, probably due to her new silver hair and snappy grey pantsuit. She is remarkably plain today.
"Well, here we are dear." Her voice waivers slightly and makes me blink. I am not going to cry. I am not going to cry.
"I guess so. Is that what I'm wearing?" I don't see the point of prolonging this goodbye.
"Yes dear. Here, let's get you into it." She pulls the clothing off of the hanger while I strip off what I'm currently wearing. She holds out the undergarments which are plain, but durable. Now she is handing me a pair of pants. They are made out of a thin material that feels breathable, but not water repellant. The shirt is made of the same material and is accompanied by a slightly thicker jacket that Mariah zips up for me. My shoes remind me of the water repellant shoes of home, but I'm sure that they can't be because the rest of my clothing is not.
Observe, Finnick told me. Look at the clues. My only idea is that it is probably an arid climate. Dessert, Jungle, or low land mountain. None of these will be particularly helpful to me.
Mariah indicates that I should sit so I do so. She immediately starts brushing my hair and braiding it in one thick braid down my back.
"This should keep it up out of your way," she says. She ties of the bottom with an elastic band and a little strip of fabric and pats me on the head. "I won't do any make-up. You won't want it where you're going." So I was right. It's going to be hot. That's okay. I grew up hot.
"Thank you," I whisper. "Everything that you've done means a lot to me."
"Just doing my job dear. Though if I may say so myself, you have been an absolute pleasure."
"Thank-"
"One minute to launch. Tributes to their places." I am cut off by the loud animatronic voice announcing my impending doom. Mariah ushers me to my launch tube and I step calmly inside. I am fighting for every bit of my composed demeanor. The front half of the tube slides to meet the back half and I am locked in place. I have never liked small or enclosed spaces, but I breathe deeply and close my eyes. I don't open them as I begin to rise. I feel nauseous and I think that if I do open my eyes I'll throw up what little food I managed to force down this morning. I really can't afford that.
Light stings my eyelids the exact moment that hot air whips across my skin. I open my eyes apprehensively and gasp. Like every other game the tributes are arranged in a circle around the cornucopia. It is huge, twisting, copper and overflowing with all kinds of goodies.
"Sixty seconds!" The announcer booms.
Okay. Sixty seconds, take it all in.
On my right is a tribute from district twelve. Good, no attacks from that direction. On my left is district three, probably not a threat, but on the other side of district three is the girl from district two and she looks deadlier than ever. The second to my left is the male tribute from district eleven. Okay, left it is. Next, check for supplies on the ground. I'm a decent runner so I expand my search to about fifty feet. Thirty feet in there is a knapsack. Ten to the left of it there lays a knife. I steel myself. It will take me closer to the female tribute from two and the male from one, but it is absolutely necessary.
"Twenty seconds!"
Lastly, I have to find cover. I crane my neck and discover a virtual forest of hackberry and Cyprus trees nestled between two mountains directly behind me. It is at least a quarter mile off, but I know I can make it.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven," the announcer counts down as I crouch to spring into my run. "Six, five, four," I lick my lips and tug at my jacket. "Three, two, one!" The buzzer blares and utter havoc breaks out. I don't allow myself to think. I just run. I beeline diagonally for the knife and make it before any of the careers notice me. I'm not an immediate threat, more like small pickings for later. I dash over for the knapsack, but the girl from twelve has the same idea. I don't want to hurt her, but I can't let her get it.
We reach the little bag at the same time and I yank it out from under her just in time. She lunges for me, but back away when I slash out with my dagger. I hear a snarl. Uh-oh. I look up just in time to see a small throwing knife coming my way. I side step but the girl from twelve didn't notice and walks directly into its path. It buries itself in her stomach. She crumples to the ground, not dead, but for all purposes, finished. She pulls out the knife and lets it fall to the ground. I snatch it up and sprint away.
Now is my real challenge. I'm an endurance runner, not a sprinter, but I have to be fast. I hurdle towards the tree line, risking glances back every seventy feet or so. I don't see anyone following me or even heading in the same general direction. The fighting is still raging on and the few that are not in the heat of it are running in other directions. There is a range of caverns a good ways off that the tributes from eight are running towards and a flat valley of tall brush that the boy from three is heading to. I don't see Caleb anywhere. That's okay. I don't want to have to be the one to kill him.
I finally reach the trees and have to slow my pace to accommodate for the amalgamation of obstacles: roots, rocks, weeds. I keep jogging at a steady pace and remind myself yet again to breathe. My lungs are trying to reconcile all of this exertion and my feet are screaming at me.
The longer that I continue at a slower, steadier pace, the easier things become. I finally let myself slow down to a wlking pace as the sky begins to darken. My next big issue is finding shelter. I have been looking out for water as I have traveled, but so far I've had no luck.
I wish that I knew how to climb trees. I mean, obviously you just start climbing, but I've never done it before and it's not worth the risk. Instead I look for a nice secluded area between a few trees with a lot of tall underbrush. When I finally find an adequate location I settle in, set my knives in my lap, and dare to peek in my bag. There is a package of nuts and dried berries which I thank the universe for as I set it aside. I'll save it for later. A small package of cheese and crackers, a little metal container, a length of rope, and a length of wire are also inside. I couldn't have made a better choice than to grab this! I immediately repack everything except for the rope, which I begin to manipulate into a weapons belt.
I am just finishing up when it becomes too dark to see. I fell my through the last know and tie it securely around my waist. I am slipping my knives into the belt when the anthem begins to blare and the images start to flash in the sky. There are no faces from one or two, the girl from three is the first casualty. To my surprise Caleb is not among the fallen and the next face in the sky is from district six, the boy, followed by the girl. One from seven, both from eight and nine. Both from ten, one from eleven, and both from twelve. Thirteen dead in the first day. Ten to go.
So we are already finished with chapter six! I'm still surprised. I keep thinking that we are still only on chapter four or something...anyway there are just a couple more chapters and then we will have a little time jump wheee!
XOXO,
Batty