Seducing the Careers

Chaos

The games were about to begin.

Beetee was taking me up another elevator to the helipad. I told him about what happened with Lumen yesterday, so Beetee quickly abandoned him and came with me.

"They put all kind of stuff right in front. Right in the mouth of the Cornucopia. Whatever's there, go for it. Take as much as you can. You have the careers to have your back" he says.

My brother died in the initial Cornucopia bloodbath. But then again, he didn't have the career pack. 

"Wait, wait. What about Lumen. I'm not doing this whole lovers act. I've got enough going on. Is he gonna try to kill me?" I ask.

"No, it's a bloodbath, the game-makers are trying to pull him in. That's not his game. If he's smart, he'll run. If not, you won't have to worry about him anymore" he assures me.

"Stay with the pack as long as you can. Try to be resourceful but don't give yourself up too early. Look for water. Don't step off that pedestal early or they'll blow you sky high. There are usually mines right under" he starts giving me advice.

"Okay, I won't" I say, trying not to sound scared. Or stressed.

"Toni. You can do this" he reeked to assure me.

Then the doors open, with another "DING".

"Thanks" I respond.

I leave Beetee and go into the helicopter with all the others.

I heard a woman repeating the phrase, "Give me your arm" to everyone and injecting them with some sort of device.

Tracking devices, by my guess.

Soon, I have one in my own arm and the helicopter takes off.

Clove was seated diagonally in front of me, allowing us the luck of being able to see each other.

I give her a small smile but she does not respond. Her eyes tell me she wants to but can't show that type of weakness. At least that what I hope they tell me.

I look around at the high tech, clean, white environment we were in.

All of us in the same helicopter. And as I look around, I remember they all had to die for me to win. Even the one diagonally in front of me.

I remind myself to stay calm. Don't think about what's happening or you won't be able to do what you have to do in that arena. After a few quiet but deep breaths, I clear my head and my conscience.

After we arrive, I am sent to the room with my stylist and the tube that will send me into my platform.

She pulls me in for a hug, which I awkwardly return.

"Anna dear, you are going to be fabulous. Oh, here's your outfit. Too bad you have to dress the same as all those other boring tributes" she laughs but I just put the clothes on in silence.

"30 seconds" a robotic voice announced the time I had to enter the tube.

"I know it can be scary, but I do hope you have fun in there, darling. Best of luck!" she cheers, ushering me towards the tube.

Fun?

I turn back towards her. "Chastise, if I die. Will you mourn for me?" I question, innocently.

"20 seconds"

"Anna, darling, why ask such a preposterous question? Of course I would mourn. I'd be heartbroken. Absolutely heartbroken" she says, dramatically.

"I'm scared" I say, honestly.

"Sweetie. I know. I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way when I said to have fun" she says.

"10 seconds" I turn my head back to the tube.

"Just... when I die. You better keep your word and mourn hard" I say with a dry chuckle while tearing up.

I get in the tube and it closes around me.

She nods. "Darling, I promise. Now good luck" she says, encouragingly.

And with those final words, I begin ascending to the platform above.

As I rise up, the world shifts from a safe place with a stylist who maybe isn't so bad, into a dangerous one. A place where I am likely to die.

Then comes another countdown. This time down from 50.

"50...49...48...47..."

I remember my parents and my big brother. The people I was fighting to go home to. They can't afford to watch another one of their kids die on their television screens.

I look around and see the tributes are arranged in a circle around the Cornucopia.

I try not to wonder how my brother felt going into the arena. In the moments before his death. Did he feel how I feel right now?

I see Lumen a few tributes away from me. Even he begins to look a bit nervous. But then again, I guess he should be more nervous than me. I have the careers.

I look to Clove and see a determined look on her face. She wasn't like me, looking around at the others. Her eyes were on the prize in the middle.

Marvel almost looked like he had a smile on his face. He looked like he was having fun.

"30...29...28..."

I looked at possible opponents.

The boy from 11 was big, but his person seemed Anti-Games. He'd go into the cornucopia. But he wasn't looking to hurt anyone.

Most other non-careers will either run or head for the Cornucopia for supplies and then run, save for a few boys who might want to get one kill in.

Looking around, I saw the girl from 7 and the boy from 4 would likely not be able to survive, based off their slower speeds and positions near bloodthirsty careers.

I luckily had Glimmer to my left, but had the boy from 8 on my right.

He was no career, but judging based off his training score and overall training, he seemed semi-confident. I expect he might try something bold, like attacking a nearby opponent before even reaching the cornucopia.

Logically, he will attack the boy to his right. But there is still a small chance he will try to assert dominance over the careers by killing me first. So I remain prepared for it.

"20...19...18..."

I map the landscape in front of me, accounting for dangerous surfaces that I could trip over in the heat of the moment.

I discover a seemingly loose rock halfway to the cornucopia. Tripping hazard but also an impromptu weapon or shield, if others reach the cornucopia before me.

I look at the supplies themselves in the cornucopia. Most will be reached by the other careers first. All I have to do is stay alive long enough to share them.

The final countdown brings me back from my thoughts.

"10...9...8...7...6...5..." suddenly, the words distort into silence and time seems to slow.

The amount of focus and adrenaline I have keep me centered before I hear the beginning of the games with the sound of a gong.

And then it all erupts into chaos.