𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬: 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 ✔️

Chapter 16

^Marnie

A/N: This chapter is a rare chapter without just one narrator. The narration will switch between multiple characters as the chaos of the Bloodbath unfolds. Enjoy!

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Chapter 16

POV: Various 

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Soren

The wind whistles around me as I walk across the vast tarmac to the hovercraft. Aboard the ship are all the tributes from Districts 1 to 6. I'm one of the last to arrive, and I sit between Robin and Velia, the girl I saw on the first day of Training in the elevator. Lacie is in the seat across from me, and she simply stares at me, not conveying any emotion. Next to her, Wade stares at the floor, avoiding my gaze. We're all silent as a Capitol worker walks around the plane injecting something into our arms.

We're all wearing matching outfits - running shoes with tight-fitting black leggings and t-shirts. I can tell that our shirts' colors are coordinated by District.

After a few minutes, the craft fills with the last few tributes, and we are airlifted to where we're meant to enter the Arena. Lacie and I wordlessly hug before we're taken by Peacekeepers to our individual rooms.

Cressa is waiting for me in my private room. In the background, I can hear a Gamemaker already counting down. "53. 52. 51."

I embrace Cressa as soon as the door closes. "Don't be reckless," she tells me. "The Capitol loves you - they'll give you sponsor gifts if needed. All you need to do is stay alive. And listen to Lacie to stay alive, but don't listen to her enough to get yourself killed."

I shake my head. My heart is pounding. Everything seems surreal. Is this really happening?

"I got it," I say. "If I am killed, though..."

"Don't finish that thought."

I don't have time for sentimentality right now. "No, if I'm killed, you need to take care of Roman. At this point, you're the only one taking care of him. He'll need you."

"I will, okay? And I'll take care of you, too. In the Arena and back home."

"Okay," I say, my voice shaking.

"30 seconds. 29. 28. 27," the monitor counts down.

I feel a flash of terror overcome me. My body is shaking with fear.

"There'll probably be some sort of twist at the beginning. It's a Quarter Quell," Cressa warns me. "Look for Lacie."

I breathe in deeply. "Okay, I'm going to go before I freak out."

I give Cressa one last hug before entering the glass tube. The tube closes around me, and I'm sealed away from Cressa.

Vispania

"Alright," I mutter as the icons turn from red to green. One of the icons stays red, and I turn to the Gamemaker to my right.

"What's the problem, Lionel?" I ask him.

He touches his earpiece. "It's Nelly from District 12. She's refused to enter her tube. We've deployed Peacekeepers."

After a moment, the last circle turns green.

"Nine. Eight. Seven. Six," I hear one of the Gamemakers count down.

"Three. Two. One," he finishes. The Gamemakers look to me.