The Rose Games

Chapter 8

This chapter is dedicated to Gunnernite because she asked for an upload soon after the last chapter, and here we are, nearly a month later, and I'm like craaaapppp.....  Sorry guys, been busy with exams (I know, BLECH!) 

I do have some good news though, I now have an OUTLINE for this story!  *claps*  Yes, I got motivated to just start writing ideas down once a bajillion suddenly popped in my head and I'm like WHERE IS MY NOTEBOOK?!  Lol but you're not gonna like the huge things that are gonna happen, I know you're not.

So, with this book, as I already said, it's different from the Hunger Games.  Honestly, Katniss pisses me off with her psychological breakdowns, and she never recovers.  I mean, I can UNDERSTAND, but isn't finding the love of your life and having CHILDREN for god's sake compensate for that?!  I guess NOT, Suzanne Collins....  Sorry for you guys who were Katniss/Gale, I personally liked Katniss/Peeta.....

But ANYWAY, Artemis will of course break down with these changes and catastrophic things that are gonna happen, but it's not PERMANENT.  I mean, she'll never be the same, no, but she won't be as insane as Katniss was -____-  Honestly, I hated Mockingjay and Catching Fire, I would have been happy if she had just left an epilogue in the first book to tell us who she ended up with.....

Just my opinion.  WOW long author's note.  I know it's taking Artemis, Nickolai, and Alex a long time to get to the Games, but trust me, SOON!  And drama, oh sweet drama.....  I think that's all for now.... ENJOY

Song of the chapter (mostly for the meeting-the-parents part): Harry & Hermione -- Nicholas Hooper.  (From the 6th HP movie.  It's actually spelled 'Harry & Hermoine' by some idiot who didn't know how to spell her name on iTunes so...yeah....)

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                                                                         Chapter 8

Her words kept ringing in my  head.

"In order for you to survive, Artemis Diana, you must die."

The mist from Kassandra's eyes dissolved, she gathered up the Oak Leaves, which turned back into a seamless apple again.  She leaned back in her chair, staring at me, cradling the apple.  I was obviously dismissed.

Curtsying awkwardly, not really sure whether to say "thank you" or "thank you for ruining my life," I briskly walked out of Kassandra's little cave-thing, down the dripping hallway, out of the cellar, and back onto the deserted alleyway.

At this point, I no longer cared if a thousand black-cloaked demons swooped down on me from the heavens, I just wanted out.  I ran down the alley, my sandals splashing in the algae-filled puddles, not even looking at the abandoned dress store as I passed it, I flung myself out of the alleyway, back into bright sunlight, and turning around --

The alley had disappeared.

I was staring at a stretch of wood, the side of a house.  I gingerly put my hands on the wood, and they sunk through.  I bit my lip to try not to scream, and then, closing my eyes, rested my head against the wall.  Opening my eyes, I was staring back down the dank alley.  I drew my hands and face out of the wall/portal/THING, and stared at it in shock. 

"Wha......?" I whispered to myself, staring at the wall, slack-jawed like an idiot.

HOW?!  How did a WALL melt into an ALLEYWAY?!

"Hey, missy, you okay?" a voice asked, and I slowly turned to see a stall-manager staring at me worriedly.  Well, DUH, I must have looked mentally insane staring slack-jawed at a WALL.