The Price of Fame and Fortune (Hunger Games)

16

The ride to arena seemed to only last two seconds. In reality it was twenty minutes and I hadn't even noticed someone had injected a tracker into my arm. I was that out of it that if someone asked me what my name is I'd probably say no fucking idea.

So here I am in a concrete corridor underneath the arena. Two peacekeepers flank my sides providing my ears with the heavy thuds of boots that resemble a death march. Until we stop. Until I face a door with District 7- tribute, female

At the end of the day that's how the Capitol would've seen me as. Only I'm not that title, I'm Victoria Mason. Famous, beautiful and most importantly memorable.

I take a deep breath and open the door to reveal a concrete room filled with outfits and a confused Clement next to a giant pod. My pod...

He gave me a small smile when I entered and indicated to the many outfits around us. "Ninety-Nine. Every single outfit from every arena. Apparently you have to choose".

I felt my head tip in confusion. "B-But how will I know if the arenas hot or cold?. I jus-".

He nodded cutting me off. "You just have to hope you make the right choice. I know as much as you do".

He indicated to an outfit consisting of a singlet with camouflage shorts and combat boots. It was placed front and centre compared to all the many other outfits in the room. "That's what your mother wore in the seventy-first games".

Oh. I stared at the outfit and frowned. My mother's arena was a desert. Not helpful if the arena is going to be cold. Nor could I stand the idea of wearing that outfit.

Clement coughed and I stared at him in slight annoyance. "What?".

He nodded to the tube. "You've got five minutes to decide and get changed."

Right, I have to choose one. One from ninety-nine were all lined up. From snow gear to wetsuits. I decided on basic mountain climbing outfit with a light jacket. Clement nodded. "Eighty third games not a bad choice. Although not helpful if your arena is aquatic".

I shrugged as I put on the jacket. "Too late to change now though".

He gave me a smile. "That's true. Less then a minute now. Into the pod".

I gave myself a determined nod and stepped in only to have the pod close itself behind me. Clement gave a wave and before I could process my thinking, my ears were attacked by humming and I was lifted up. Up out of the concrete room. Up and up until I was blinded by sunlight. 

I squinted only to find myself in a small paddock. I scoffed looking around. That's it...only it's not. We're all in a paddock but everywhere you looked in the paddock were doors. Each numbered. From a glance it looks like a hundred random doors in a paddock. A white picket fenc-

"Ladies and Gentleman, Welcome to the one-hundredth Hungergames and may the odds be ever in your favour".

The voice of Caesar echoed around us only to be replaced by an electronic countdown. 

"60...59...58..."

I felt my breathing increase. Focus! Look around, what do I see?. A force field as a white picket fence surrounding the small paddock. If I touch it I die...I can't run in these games because there's nowhere to run to!.

"45...44...43..."

Deep breath. What else?. All of us in the paddock are facing a small wooden table with only one object placed on top of it...a single dagger. I scoffed. That's it?. No backpacks!?!...No axes!?! No other weapons. No food...