I keep telling myself- I'll focus on this story and yet, I don't. I come back to it months later and act like it'll be a regular update thing and then drop it- although, I know this year will be my year, just because of the fact that it is the Games and that's the most exciting part, and of course the victor and epilogues. Hopefully, I can write more chapters and complete this after so many long years.

But anyways, here is that long awaited chapter that I keep telling myself- I'll do, but never did. Until now.

Simplicity of Illusions

~Now I am the violence

I am the sickness~

Pandora Justice (18), District 2

The moon seemed to bathe Pandora in its bright, white light. She looked up at the night sky- noting a couple of stars and the crescent moon that hasn't fully risen above the lit-up buildings belonging to the Capitol. It was rather peaceful, and almost seemed unreal- but it was better than the chaos that surrounded her.

She took a small sip of her apple cider in a champagne flute, all the while, never taking her eyes off the peaceful scene in front of her.

"You should probably get a good… a good night sleep. I mean, the games are starting tomorrow…." Gabriel mentioned, holding onto the wall for dear support. It seemed that her dear little mentor had a little too much to drink tonight.

Pandora turned around to face her mentor, with her eyes narrowed. She set down her drink on the window sill and crossed her arms. Of course, he drank. It was such a very strange sight to see, considering that her mentor was very sober throughout their time together. Yet, here he was, holding onto any sort of furniture and the wall for dear life, as if he would lose his balance quickly.

She knew it was the events that transpired through the rest of the evening after the interviews with Circe Ashton. How the escort promptly brought them ciders and the different types of liquor out of the cabinet (of course, not allowing her and Kai to take even a sip of alcohol), and the mentors celebrating about another possible win between one of them. Although, she knew they were probably rooting for her- as she was one of the better tributes than the rest. She wasn't being arrogant, she was simply stating a fact.

"Are you drunk?" Pandora questioned, her voice sounded a little rough around the edges and a little lower than usual.

It took Gabriel a long time to respond, but it wasn't hard to smell the obvious hint of alcohol coated in his breath. The way it seemed to cling onto his clothing- made it very hard not to notice the heavy smell of the alcohol he had consumed.

"N…No," He said, after a while.

Pandora rolled her eyes, "Right… I don't know why I bother asking, but I'll get to bed in a few, thank you." She dismissed, in a rather cold voice. "You can go now."

"Make sure you two eat enough tomorrow morning, and get to bed within, at the latest of two hours. Considering that this is your last night before going into that arena so you'll need the rest and the food you can get," Sam called out from across the room. In a lower tone of voice that Pandora barely caught over the clinging glasses and bottles, and soft strum of music, "Don't mind Gabriel… I forget how lightweight, he can be after only two drinks."

"Thank you, Sam," Pandora smiled, her smile hollow.

She returned her attention back to the night sky, her mind already slipping away- towards tomorrow's and the days to follow events. Already thinking about how it would feel to have someone's warm, thick blood on her hands- and her clothes stained with blood. How fragile life can really be, knowing that one wrong move and kill someone. It was rather easy snapping someone's neck through the matter of physical force once you got them in a headlock. How easy it was to slip poison into someone's nourishments, or how easy it is to kill them weapon-wise.

Oh, there was so much possibilities.

Ones that she couldn't wait to try out.

This was going to be fun.

~No, no, no (I'm way too good at goodbyes)

(No way that you'll see me cry)

Ah-ah-ah (I'm way too good at goodbyes)~

Kalia Haynes (15), District 5

Kalia picked at her dinner, her fork scraping against the glass China plate as she looked towards Lucia, her escort, and her district partner- Killian. It was very quiet as it seemed that no one wanted to speak- as if they were afraid that by mentioning what was tomorrow morning. It almost seemed that if they dared to mention tomorrow, they would be opening up a can of worms. The atmosphere in the room seemed rather suffocating, and just seemed overall, tense- just from the looming dread of tomorrow.

It was rather strange considering that earlier back when the stylists- Josey, for her, and Roman, for Killian, had brought out a very fun environment. She still could feel the remaining feeling of her raw skin- still reeling from being waxed all over again- and the way Josey took great care of her. She had helped Kalia through her nerves and talked about every step of the process as Kalia was wrangled into that black bodysuit that she thought would squeeze every inch of muscle and fat out of her, or lose oxygen. One of the three.

No one spoke until Lucia interrupted the silence, and mentioning the one unmentionable thing,

"You know," Lucia interrupted the clear silence amongst them. She took a bite of her Swedish steak that had a red tomato on it. "I have to say… I really don't like saying goodbye. I know I haven't been the most present and probably have pretty much given up on actually escorting my tributes, because what is the point… But I wish you luck in the arena."

"Thank you," Kalia mentioned, "It was nice meeting you… Although, I do feel like it could have been under better circumstances than anything."

Killian scoffed.

Lucia turned her attention onto Killian, and asked, "Is something the matter?"

"Do you want my honest opinion or do you want me to sugar coat the truth?" Killian asked, "Either or, it doesn't really matter to me."

Lucia looked a little taken back, before she looked to the left and the right to her- a movement that didn't go unnoticed to Kalia- and leaned forwards in her seat a little bit.

"The truth would be nice," Lucia murmured. "Although, I suggest keeping your voices down… You never know who might be watching… As I feel like something else might be in the works…"

It didn't seem that Killian took much notice of what Lucia murmured as he said in a low, quiet voice, "Honestly, I wish the games didn't exist. It seems rather pointless that we're being paraded around by animals for your sick enjoyment. Yet, there isn't anyone here trying to stop it… I miss my best friend in the entire universe, and I may never get to see her again, because of your sick pleasure-" Killian started to raise his voice.

"I have no control over that," Lucia protested. "It's way out of my hands… And besides, let's not be fighting about this any longer, unless Kalia has something else she wants to say?"

"It doesn't really matter what I say, does it?" Kalia asked, shrugging. "Nothing about my opinion will change whatever will happen tomorrow."

Lucia's smile brightened, "See… I have an idea- let's spend the night together, all as one team and we'll go through every survival tip you may need while you are in the arena. Does that sound like a plan?"

~Don't you be afraid

Everything will change

You and I~

Reese Corprican Crolique (14), District 10

It wasn't that hard to get permission to go on the rooftop, nor was it even hard to be able to go see her best friend. It seemed that both of their escorts managed to get permission from the higher ups to unlock the roof-access for them for tonight, and to at least spend one day (well night) together. Of course, it was directly under peacekeeper supervision (no doubt to prevent them from killing one another or something), and the cameras they probably had posted around the rooftop walls had something to do with it also.

Besides that, Reese was glad she was able to see and talk to her best friend, Jasmine without feeling rushed through being paraded for the Capitol's enjoyment, and being a lamb put up for slaughter.

The cool temperature and the silence of the outside was one of the first things Reese noticed. It felt much more peaceful outside, where they could simply pretend that tomorrow- entering the arena, was looming over them- like some monster silently looming over them.

But for one moment- just only for a few hours- everything seemed like it was going to be okay.

"It's nice up here," Jasmine said. "Probably one of the best views in the Capitol. But nothing beats back home when we were together… You know life didn't seem the same when you were brought back home."

Reese smiled, "I missed you as well. I never forgot you, not over the years that passed. Although, life was very different from back home compared to your family and the familiar routine that your family brought… I miss them a lot."

"They miss you too… You were like a daughter to them," Jasmine mentioned.

Jasmine approached the edge of the roof with Reese following behind her, and sat down next to each other, their feet hanging over the edge. The peacekeepers followed right behind them, and stood directly behind them- standing so close to them that it was hard not to miss the presence of them.

"It is- I missed this. I missed you, in particular," Reese admitted. "Almost reminds me of when we spent our nights together. How we would often look up at the night sky, just gazing at the stars, and ignoring everyone. I'm pretty sure we got in trouble more than once for being on top of the roof, and spent falling asleep, looking at the sky."

Jasmine laughed, "How my parents would yell at us for being very inconsiderate about our safety, but then forgive us quickly in a matter of an hour… I missed that. It's strange that to us back then, those were seemingly never ending and the world seemed so small… Now, I wouldn't mind reliving some of those moments again."

"Well, why not?" Reese suggested.

"For one, I don't think they'll allow it," Jasmine said. "And if you haven't noticed we're also supervised."

"Yes, but we can pretend that they are not there and enjoy ourselves until we're told it's time to go back into our respected floors," Reese told her. "Besides… I have this…"

Reese turned around and leaned over to grab the ukulele hidden by a planter and positioned it right into her arms. She strummed a couple of notes, feeling the familiar hum of the notes, of the way her fingers carefully aligned itself on playing the notes that were so familiar to her. The beat, the melody rushed over her and she felt like she was back home again, singing to the animals in their pens.

She decided to sing one of her favorite songs and that was all it was heard in the quiet night- her singing voice, and the noises that were coming out of the ukulele. It made her feel more calm, and brought a tear to Jasmine's eye.

~When it's late and no one's around, around

Alone in my room and the tears start pouring

Wishing the night was still the morning~

Dov Blair (13), District 10

Thoughts started to swarm through every nook and cranny through Dov's brain. It felt like no matter if he tried to concentrate on it, or even tried to distract himself from it- it all remained the same. He felt trapped, as if he couldn't escape from the swarm of memories, begging to consume him. It almost made him feel powerless against an unknown monster, begging to be let in and yet, for once- it didn't really seem to consume him.

Although, perhaps, it should as the clock was ticking. Every passing second. Every passing minute, the clock was ticking away; ticking away to his possible unavoidable death, and leading up to the moments to the events that would conspire tomorrow morning. The feeling of dread rushed through him, and yet- for once, he wasn't completely immersed in it.

He knew he should have been, but it was the complete opposite.

He felt the calm and the tranquility rush through him. The calm before the storm has the saying goes, one that probably sounded cliche- but Dov understood its meaning, and the situation he was facing. It was.

Why should he be the one worrying about his unavoidable death, or about entering the arena tomorrow? Why would he want to spend, possibly the last night of his entire existence, analyzing and regretting things in life- from every past action, every feeling of regret, bitterness, and unhappiness that followed him in his entire life.

How it seemed the world came knocking on his door, the moment he came out to his parents. Instead of receiving love and acceptance, he was forced to meet the cold, cruel world in return. Forced to venture through it and try to survive day by day.

It would make sense if he felt the same dread, and all the other negative emotions and let it consume him on his possible last, and yet…

He didn't feel any of that.

He felt peace.

He understood that there was no point in analyzing things that have already happened. It was impossible to change the past, and it was only possible to change the future due to the present. It seemed almost hard to- from everyone who told him that. Yet, Dov knew it was the absolute truth.

Right now, it was best to control how he would try to present itself. Would he rather die, crying and meek? Or would he rather try and face the world head on- like he always did since the day he met the world and everything about it- and continue fighting.

To fight to live another day.

Or give up, and let everything and everyone who had let him down win?

Without a doubt, Dov knew which option was better. It was better than the latter, and he knew- he had to try and defy the odds. He would fight, try to live through day by day, just like he was doing back at home.

"I can do this," He murmured weakly.

Although, those words seemed rather encouraging- it didn't feel right. It was like empty noise, and didn't make Dov believe in those words. Instead, he had to try again- to make sure that those words weren't empty words.

It was better to believe in positive-thinking than the self-doubt that often plagued his days, and nights.

And so, he repeated the words again and again, until he felt like he believed them himself.

"I can do this," He said, rather confidently.

He felt those words in his chest, his heart and his brain. It made him feel like he was on top of the world, able to conquer anything that blocked his way, and destroy them.

And he needed to have that ability to.

He must.

His survival depended on it.