Arrows in the Dark

The Arena

I don't see Peeta in the morning Cinna came to get me and gave me some simple clothes to wear. I would change fully in the catacombs under the arena. They're called the Launch Rooms. They'll have a cylinder tube to shoot me up into the arena at the start of the games. I'll be the only tribute to use the room given to me. The Arenas are historic sites. A favorite vacation place for the people of the Capitol. They can re-watch the games, visit the sites where the people died, tour the catacombs. There's even enactments of the games. Must be nice.

Cinna takes me to the roof and the hovercraft appears out of nowhere. A ladder drops down silently. I look at Cinna and he gestures for me to take a rung. I get one foot one it and one hand. Then it's like I'm stuck to it. I can't move any other part of my body. I panic but Cinna nods encouragingly. The ladder pulls me up. A lady appears with a syringe. She must have seen the wild look in my eyes.

"Calm down Catora. This is your tracker. It won't hurt too bad. Stay still." She tells me. I'm stuck to the ladder. I can't move. She pierces my arm and I cringe but then it's gone. The ladder let's go of me and I step onto the hovercraft. They drop the ladder down again to pull up Cinna. We are shown to a room where breakfast is laid out. Despite the sinking feeling in my stomach I eat as much solid food as I can. Who knows when I'll be able to eat again.

When my stomach is finally full I take sips of water, savoring it. I don't know how long it will be til I have more water. I look out the window and see hovecrafts similar to the one I'm in. They must be carrying the other tributes. I wonder which one Peeta is in. About half an hour into the ride the windows darken.

"What's going on?" I asked a bit worried. The view outside had been keeping me calm.

"It's all right." Cinna said. "We're nearing the arena." I nod. They don't want us to see it. We exit the hovercraft and there's guards there to march us to my room. Upon entering it there is food laid out on a table and a simple wardrobe on a rack. There's another door probably leading to a bathroom. I'm correct because Cinna instructs me to take a quick shower and brush my teeth. I follow his orders trying my best to relish the feeling of warm water running down my back. When I exit Cinna braids my hair down my back. Then I dress in a dark long sleeved shirt and dark pants. Cinna helps me put on a black and gray jacket that all tributes wear. I pull on my standard boots over my long thin socks. I shift around in them. They're light which is good I can run easier in them.

"All set." I say a bit glumly.

"Not quite." Cinna responds softly pulling out a gold circular pin. My mockingjay.

"How did you get that?" I ask a bit astonished. I can't even remember what I wore it on last.

"I got it off one of your outfits when we stripped you down and made you a different person. It's your token right?" I nod as Cinna pins it to my shirt. "The girl tribute from District one lost her token." He tells me.

"Why?" I asked. He shrugged.

"When you turned the top of the ring it popped open. There was a poisonous spike. She claimed she had no idea it was there. We couldn't prove that she didn't. So she lost her token." I nod slowly. Only a Career would have that. "Your pin was almost seen as a weapon too, but it made it through." Cinna says standing back and looking me up and down. "Walk around. Everything comfortable?" He asks. I shake out my arms and walk back and forth for a bit.

"Yeah. Everything fits perfectly." I reply. We sit in chairs just waiting. I'm biting my nails. "What now?" I ask. Cinna shrugs.

"Do you think you could swallow down any more food. I shake my head so he gives me water instead. I drink it all. Then I get more. Why sit and wait, quiet and patient, why not move around. A voice comes over the speakers.