The Boy With The Bread

Chapter 14

A/N sorry for that super long chapter that took me like forever to write LOL. Anyway, hope you like it!;)

Prim POV
Today is the day the Hunger Games will start. The day that Katniss is forced into the arena. I know she is smart enough to not go headfirst into the bloodbath, for that surely will get her killed.

Last night, I was overcome with the fear that the Capitol was changing me. It's strange, I'm not even going to be in the arena, but I'm afraid my innocence will be killed. It has been killed. As the sun signals a new day, I am terrorized by the fact the Capitol is changing me. I feel a need for the other tributes to die.

I know it's gruesome, and my mother would be horrified if I told her this. But I'd much rather be a gruesome girl and have my sister back, than an innocent one who lost her sister. It's early, and the games won't start until midmorning, so I lay in bed unmoving. Right now, I'm sure Katniss is biting her nails in agony, and if not, she's gnawing the inside of her cheek. I can almost taste the blood in my cheek empathetically.

The ceiling, though cracked, yellowed, and barely supported by the weak walls, is fairly comforting to my frazzled mind. I feel as if the insides of my brain are sinking down, down, down to my heart, then pulling my heart down to my stomach and so on until everything just seeps to my feet and sits there in a melancholy fashion. Surely, school will be cancelled for the first day of the Games. Will my mother and I watch it in our confined home, join the Mellark's, or witness it live in the Town Square?

I drag my lifeless body out of bed and plait my hair. I slip into new clothes then go to the tiny kitchen where my mother is waiting.

"Good morning Prim. School is cancelled for today. Cray announced that everyone will have to watch it in the Town Square." I wonder how it feels to lose your husband to a mine explosion and your daughter to the Hunger Games. In would go insane.

Every citizen of District 12 is gathered in the Town Square, just as if it were another reaping. There are sections roped off for different ages of children, and the adults push and shove to try to be as close to their children as possible. I search the sea of people for my mother and Peeta. I spot my mother right away, the only blond out of all the adults. Then I find Peeta who sends me a thin smile.

The giant screen whirs to life. The Capitol seal flashes, and there is Caesar Flickerman, cockily showing off his orange hair, and welcoming the viewers. Oh gee, thanks, Caesar. I feel so welcomed. Caesar chatters on about mindless topics; Glimmer's eyes are so bright, and how he's planning on purchasing a glow in the dark suit, and blah blah. He gossips about Katniss, Cato and Gale's love triangle, though I know there is no such thing. Katniss wouldn't dare fall in love with a fellow tribute. However, I know Gale likes Katniss. I spied on them sometimes. I saw the way Gale looked at her, longingly and lovingly. I'm sure Katniss doesn't notice. She's the most oblivious girl in the world.

Finally, after what seems like hours of Caesar's highly annoying voice squawking, the screen goes black. The words, LET THE 74TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES BEGIN! blink on the screen. Then it displays a landscape of hard packed dirt and very few grassy patches. Twenty four tribute podiums are placed in a half circle, equidistance to the gleaming gold Cornicopia. I can see the horn filled with mounds of goods: swords, knives, water bottles, tents, backpacks and more. My eyes find a silver bow and sheath of arrows that are perfect for Katniss. I try to use telepathy to send her a message although it's useless and that kind of stuff only happens in my dreams.

The camera swivels around to show behind the flat land, which is a large, dense forest looming with tall green trees. There is a lake to the left surrounded by shards of huge rocks, and to the right is a wide, pretty meadow filled with tall grasses of all colors. Stripes of red, green, white, yellow, brown, lavender and navy intertwine seamlessly, but not so that they lose their vibrant hues. It looks so beautiful, but I bet there are all sorts of animals and traps in there.

The screen gives a stirring noise, and I see the podiums spin, as their tops pop off. I see tops of heads rising to the plate, then faces, then full bodies. I scour the screen for Katniss, and there she is, her dark hair braided loosely. She looks defiant and courageous. I see her nod to Cato who is on her right. Clove is a few tributes down, and Gale a bit further.
The tributes all wear a long black jacket, dark green pants and sturdy leather boots. The holographic clock on the top of the Cornucopia counts down. 58, 57, 56....

A hand grasps mine tightly. Frightened, I try to pull away, but it's only Rory, whose hands are as clammy as mine. I smile to myself because it's nice to know that someone understands how I feel. The clock ticks hauntingly. 10, 9, 8... I barely have enough time to wish Katniss luck before the gong sounds.

Katniss POV

Cinna and I are waiting together in a small room. The room is sparse, excepting the glasstube I will enter. The tube will rise up and I will enter the arena. This might be the last time I talk to Cinna, so I make sure to pour my heart out when I thank him for all the beautiful dresses and costumes he designed for me.

"Good luck, girl on fire. You'll do well." Cinna tells me.

"Thank you. For everything." Cinna nods, then slips something out of his pocket. He fastens a gold pin to my shirt. "Oh, Cinna! Thank you! where did you get this?"

"From your black reaping dress. I thought you would like to have it. Quite a beautiful dress by the way. I saved it." I hug him, never wanting to let go. Cinna may be the only person I have hugged voluntarily, besides my father and Prim. I may have hugged Gale once or twice, my mother several times. Last night I hugged Effie, although it was a strange experience. She was crying so much her heavy makeup was grossly dripping onto my shoulder. I even hugged Haymitch, who was sober, and he gifted me with a smile.

"Ten seconds to enter." A robotic voice says over the intercom. I embrace Cinna one last time. He whispers into my ear.

"Katniss, I'm not allowed to bet, but if I were, I would bet on you. Win for me, girl on fire." He smiles sadly.

I remember how last night Levia wrote me the same thing. I never got my surprise. I reluctantly walk into the claustrophobic glass tube, and the doors slide closed. Cinna waves goodbye, and the tube slowly rises.

Blinded by the sun, an artificial neon orange, like Caesar's hair, I whip my head around, searching for Gale, Cato and Clove. Cato is directly to my right. On my left is the disabled boy. Good. No one very harmful is close. I find Clove and Gale, who are dangerously close to Thresh and Glimmer, then take in my surroundings. The trees are excellent, like my woods in 12. There is a thick field with long grasses that I dare not venture into, and then there's the lake.

Haymitch ordered me not to go to the Cornucopia, but the bounty is so tempting. I have to grab the bow. There is only one bow and some sheaths of arrows, and I won't go down without a fight for my prized weapon. Decisions must be made during these precious moments on the podiums. I decide I will participate in the bloodbath. I grab Cato's attention then discreetly point to the bow, and he nods.

10, 9, 8... I blow Prim a kiss in my mind, and prepare to sprint. I know I'm fast, but will I be fast enough to grab my bow, possibly a knife, backpack, and other necessities?

3, 2, 1. The gong crashes, and with Cato beside me, I take off running, faster than I ever have before.