Grain & Blood | A Hunger Games collection

Going to the arena

I can't sleep. I just can't, because there's a very high chance I'm going to die tomorrow. But I'm not going down without a fight, so at least I'll have fought for my own small victory.
Even Robin has given up pretending to be okay, and he's crying quite loudly next door. My guess is that everyone is awake at this hour, thinking about the same things as I am. In fact, if anyone is asleep, then kudos to them.
Despite the worries that are stopping me from thinking straight, I still feel like some food.
I wander over to the order machine and tap in an order for the same squids that I had yesterday, which are by far my favourite meal in the Capitol.
Soon they arrive, and I sit on my bed and eat them, trying to make the most of what might be my last meal.
I switch on the television and start watching the recap of the interview night. It's not very interesting, mostly just people talking about their families. Hardly anyone gives away a strategy, and only the careers and I give away what weapon we use.
The sniffles coming from Robin's room stop, or at least quieten, and even though I want to go and console him, if he's crying in his sleep then I might wake him.
I could die tomorrow. My brain keeps bringing it up, repeating the same phrase over and over again.
I could die. I could die. I could die.
"Shut up," I mutter, but every time I try to think of something else, my train of thought always leads to death. And the arena. And Robin.
Then the terrain thoughts pop into my head. Woods would be nice, and so would a decent water source that isn't poisoned. But anything could be possible, like one year there was just a huge, empty crater as the arena, another a 30cm deep sheet of snow and ice covered the ground.
I'm not sure what it is that lulls me to sleep but something does. And sleep was not a blessing. I watch Robin die several different ways, and myself, and Clementine, and Jonen, each one as horrible as another.
My eyes shoot open and I'm awake. The clock says that it's 5 in the morning, which gives me two and a half hours until I have to get ready for the hovercraft that takes me to the arena.
I'm feeling hungry, but eating now would just be stupid. Instead I wander down the corridor and pour myself a glass of water from the jug in the dining room. Now that I'm up and going, I don't really feel like going back to my room. Maybe I can go up to the roof an watch the sun rise?
This time I opt for the safer option, and I step into the glass elevator, click the button for 12 and whizz up to the top floor.
It doesn't take me long to locate the stairs to the roof. Silently, I ascend them and sit in the same position as last time just as the first beam of light peeks over the horizon.
I sit and watch for a while, until I decide after about an hour and a half that I should go back down to my floor.
A minute later I'm in my bedroom and ordering a pastry. It arrives a minute later, and I eat it happily, trying to cherish the good things in life, even if it's for the last time.
Aquafina comes bouncing in a bit later, and leaves some clothes on the bed, probably the ones for the arena. I change into them, trying to clear my head and think about why they were chosen.
The beige cargo pants don't tell me much, apart from the looseness of them warning me it might be hot, and the olive green t shirt tells me almost nothing too. At least the sandy coloured boots have thick soles. These will be good for running, and for walking long distances.
I start fixing my hair into the usual bunches when I notice the thing lying underneath the pile of clothes. It's my knife, the one I took from home. Jonen got it for me for my 12th birthday, and it has my name engraved in the handle, with a little purple flower carved next to it.
An Iris.
The blade has been removed, because otherwise I would have an unfair advantage, but the handle still remains.
I zip open one of the many pockets in my trousers and tuck it in before closing it again.
Robin is standing outside, eating a slice of toast. He's dressed in his arena clothes too, which are pretty much the same as mine.
Both of us say goodbye to Aquafina and Pablo and head up to the roof, where the hovercraft is waiting. We get on and sit down next to each other, in the only available seats empty, which are unfortunately across from Kamalyn.
I whisper to her, "One minute," and she nods.
A woman comes around and injects our trackers into our arms. Robin whimpers a little, and I just ignore the pain.
The entire journey I stare out of the window, until it goes dark. I guess we're close then.
The hovercraft lands with a small bump and each of us are led into the catacombs under the arena.
Hannibal is waiting in my launch room, holding a pale green single layer coat, which backs up my theory that it's going to be hot.
A woman's voice rings out from a speaker, "Prepare for launch,"
I pull the coat on and step into my tube. I can't even be bothered to say goodbye.
"Launch in 10 seconds,"
"9,"
Goodbye society.
"8,"
Goodbye happiness.
"7,"
Goodbye family.
"6,"
Goodbye Pablo.
"5,"
Goodbye positivity.
"4,"
Goodbye modern world.
"3,"
Goodbye Jonen.
"2,"
Goodbye reliability.
"1,"
Goodbye fun.
"Launch,"
And goodbye life.

AHHHHH!! I'm not hyper btw, don't worry. I just realised I have uploaded every day for a week! (Which is awesome, I didn't think my streak would stay up this long.) Thanks for reading! What do you think is going to happen to Iris in the Bloodbath? I've already mapped out the basic idea, (It was the 9th thing I did on this story, don't ask,) and I'm going to upload sometime tomorrow afternoon.

-Katherine

Also does anyone know how to write a decent author's note? I'm running out of ideas.