There's Nothing More Important than Family, chapter 12

Today, we go into the arena. In a few hours, all twenty-four of us will be running, fighting and pleading for our lives. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be dead in a few hours. Maybe the Games will be over entirely. That’s highly improbable, but what if all of us die in the bloodbath?

No, that won’t happen. At least I don’t think so. Last night, after the interviews, Jason invited us all up to the roof and we came up with a plan. I think it’s a great plan, and so did Sean when I told him about it later in the night. It’s risky, but I think we can pull it off. No one will see it coming.

Kerany gives me a white jumpsuit to wear. I won’t wear it in the arena. We have no idea what the arena outfit looks like, so I have to wear this until we receive it. It’s itchy and it makes me sweat. I can’t wait to get out of it.

Olivia pats me softly on the shoulder as I eat as much as I can. I pretend not to notice the tears in her eyes. Her voice is surprisingly steady as she says, “It’s almost time. Nathan’s still in his room. I sent Sean to get him twenty minutes ago.”

“Is he okay?” I whisper. I doubt I could speak louder if I tried.

“He’s probably just stressed; don’t worry. This is hard on him. All he wants to do is protect you.”

“I know.” I mumble. “That’s what I’m worried about.” I start crying and Olivia embraces me, crying too.

“You’ll do fine. You’re quick, and smart! And you have such powerful friends!”

I giggle slightly. “Goodbye.” I tell her.

She wipes the tears from my cheeks. “Don’t give up. Not yet.”

“I haven’t”

Sean and Nathan then enter the dining room and Nathan looks incredibly pale and green, like Caesar, except Nathan isn’t wearing any makeup.

Olivia gasps. “Nathan, what happened?”

“He’s alright, it’s just nerves. He threw up a couple times, but he’ll be fine.” Nathan starts to eat as Sean ruffles my hair. “How are you doing, kid?”

“Fine.”

“Good. I’m rooting for you two. You know, you’ve got about four sponsors apiece?”

“Really? Already?” exclaims Nathan and his flesh turns back to its normal colour.

“Really!” says Olivia, smiling. Only I could ever tell that she’d been crying, and that’s only because I was there. “You two have a shot!”

Suddenly, Kerany and Moray come in together. “It’s time.” Says Moray. His voice is deep and without a Capitol accent.

“Zania, we are departing first. Come now, with me. Say goodbye to your mentors. You won’t see them again before Launch.”

I hug Olivia and Sean. Nathan says, “See you in a bit!” and I leave with Kerany. She takes me to the roof, where a hovercraft appears noisily. It lowers a ladder and Kerany motions for me to climb it. When I get up the first rung, an electric current freezes me in place, and the ladder is hoisted up safely. I’m still frozen when a Capitol woman in a surgically white coat approaches me with a needle. She thrusts the needle tip into my arm expertly and I cry out in pain.

“What the heck was that for?” I yell at her.

“Relax.” She assures me. “It’s only your tracker. So the gamemakers know where you are in the arena.”

I am released from the electric current and she helps me to my seat. The ladder is sent back down for Kerany, and when she’s secured, we’re off. The Capitol lady watches me carefully. We are in the air for a while, when all of the sudden, the windows black out.

“Begin the descent!” The Capitol lady says to her accomplices and I can feel the hovercraft losing altitude. A section of the floor disappears and the lady has me take hold of the ladder once more. The current freezes me in place and I am lowered down in a tube and into the catacombs beneath the arena. Kerany follows closely behind. She leads me through the tunnels and to my launch room.

It’s cosy, but lonely. I’m the first person to ever use this room and I will be the last. Of course, during the re-enactments, they’ll pretend to stay in the launch room, but I will be the only person to truly use it.

Someone delivers Kerany a package and it is full of clothing. “Your outfit.” She tells me. She dresses me in black shorts and a dark green hooded sweater. It looks like what the kids of richer farmers wear. They can afford fancy clothes. Sturdy track shoes finish off a rather casual outfit. “This won’t do much against the cold, so I don’t think you’ll be in a frigid arena. Be prepared for anything, though.” She pulls my hair back into a ponytail and puts my token around it. “There. Now you look as you did when I let you dress yourself for training.”

“You saw?”

“Yes. You are a natural beauty. And I want you to look like yourself in the arena.”

I smile and hug her. A pleasant, robotic, female voice says, “Thirty seconds to launch.” Kerany grabs my hand and takes me to a glass cylinder.

“I’m ready.” I tell her.

“Then step in here.” I do as she says and the door closes around me. I can barely hear her when she says, “Be strong. Good luck.” The platform beneath my feet rises upwards, and I am lifted into the arena.

There’s a sixty-second countdown before I’m allowed to leave the platform, or I’ll blow up. The sixty-seconds begin to count down. I look around and see that I’m surrounded by mountains on all sides. Directly in front of me is the rocky Cornucopia. There are weapons and gear in the mouth and surrounding it. I see my team members, and Nathan motions towards a tent and a crate of food. I nod slightly. This is where we will run to first and the others will gather weapons. We are prepared and we all know what to do.

I watch the clock count down and avoid the Careers’ gazes. They’re coming for me first; I’m the weakest prey.

The gong sounds, and the Games begin.