Johanna Mason- 68th Hunger Games (EDITING- ON HOLD)

Chapter 8

I got strapped in by the attendant. I looked up at her as she moved onto the next person. I glanced down at my seat. I was fully strapped in- my shoulders, across my stomach, and my chest. The inside was more Capital-like than the outside. Lights were everywhere, and each of us had one over our heads. Another person walked around with a metal gun of some kind that they stuck up to each person's arm.

She walked over to me and said, "Arm." I lifted it up, and she held it in one hand. With the other, she pressed the button against my arm. Slight pain zapped my arm and she moved on. I looked down at it. There was a lump where she pressed it. It was my tracker.

Then we took off. It made almost no movement, and felt like the train- smooth. I looked at everybody's faces as we traveled through the air. I studied each of them more closely.

"Johanna," I heard my name across the craft. I turned my head to see Flora on the opposite side of me. "Hi." She smiled. I did not feel like smiling at this time, though. I looked down.

"Hey." I said. I didn't talk anymore to her. This was to painful for me. It was painful to make friends, only to watch them die. Just like the time I watched my best friend die in the Games. Flora seemed to accept I didn't want to speak. I was just hoping I would meet Sellia in time before I enter the arena.

Time passed. I was busy thinking when the attendant said, "One more minute until landing." I lifted my head up and gazed around. In a few more minutes, this crowd will be out to kill me. I gulped and glanced around. Then the straps lifted and I stood up along with the others. They opened the door and we stepped out of the plain, and into our stations.

Our launching room was brand new, unused by any other tribute, and I will be the last to use it. Sellia was waiting, and stood up to embrace me in a hug. She let go and grasped my shoulders.

"I'm counting on you, Johanna." she said softly. "Win this for me, and for everybody back at your District." Sellia tugged my jacket into place. "This jacket will keep you warm. Don't take it off at night, understand? Or else the cold will get you."

"What if we're in a desert?" I asked. I was scared of what lied above me in the arena.

"It'll still get cold at night." she told me. Her eyes filled with tears. "Good-bye, Johanna." The speakers said "Ten seconds." I waved good-bye to her and stepped into the glass tube. It shut over me, and complete silence met my ears. Sellia had her face in her hands and was crying. Great good-bye, I thought.

The glass tube rose up, and I looked upwards. Then it stopped.

I stared around in glee. Pine forest surrounded us on all sides. The golden Cornucopia sat less than 100 yards away from my starting place. They started to count down from sixty. I glance around, and met Cetus' eyes. He glared at me, and looked forward again. I stared at the items surrounding the Cornucopia. I glazed my eyes around, looking for a certain object.

There! Next to a bush behind me and the Copia, lied an axe. A beautiful, razor sharp axe. That's where I will go. I will run from people's sight, grab the axe, and run into the woods. Maybe grab a backpack on the way.

They reached fifteen seconds. I got ready to run as they counted down. Three.... two.... one...

I ran for the axe. I ran as fast as my feet could carry me. I spotted a black backpack, grabbed it while running, and aimed my gaze on the axe. With one swift movement, I grasped the axe. I looked behind me- nobody was following or looking at an innocent, weak girl. I smiled to myself as I ran into the woods.

I jumped over ferns, brambles, and more undergrowth. The backpack was heavy, and so was the axe. My feet and legs were getting slower.

Suddenly I spotted a green coat moving through the woods. I aimed my axe for the speed they were running at, and threw it. With a sickening thud, I ran over to it.

My new ax was lodged in the side of a boy's chest, and he was dead by the looks of him. Then a boom of a cannon confirmed my suspicion. Then another. Three more cannons fired in the air, then stopped. I bent down and got my axe.

I left my first kill lying there. I felt a little sad, but I shrugged it off as I contiuned to run with the bloody axe still in my hand. I ran until my breath was out and I was about to black out. I sat down in a small clearing surrounded by thick pines.

I thought to myself, try and climb these trees, Cetus. I smiled to myself and stood up. I studied my area I was in.

It was shady, and the pines reached high into the sky, blocking off some of the sunlight. The dirt was covered in pine needles- which was good, because at night if I slept on the ground, I could just sleep on them. This was a fantastic arena for me. I was used to the woods because I used to live in them.

I wiped the blood off my axe on the tree. I sat down on the ground and too off my backpack. I set it down in front of me and unzipped it, anxious to see what's inside. It was heavy, so something good must be inside.

A box of crackers, a knife with a cover, socks, a box with four measly matches, and a thin brown blanket. I looked in the other pockets, but nothing was in them. I put the things back in and zipped it back up.

I started to think about what I am going to do for tonight. I would be too exposed to just sleep on the ground. The careers would get me before I could wake up.

Then I saw a clump of ferns on the opposite side of the clearing. I walked over to them with the axe in my hands. I gazed down. The ferns would make a perfect bed, I knew that, but what about protection? Maybe I could cover myself in my blanket, and put pine needles and dirt over it. There was no leaves in sight anywhere, because there wasn't deciduous trees here.

I sighed tiredly and lied down on the dirt. I gazed up into the pine needles and tried to catch my breath. I needed to find a water source quick. I was already getting thirsty, and it was the first day. Tomorrow I will go look for water, I promised myself.

It started to get dark. The gamemakers must want the day to end early. I grabbed my backpack and took the blanket out. I got comfy on the ferns and layed the blanket over myself. Then I reached to the side and brushed pine needles on top of me, even a branch of fresh pine needles. I hid the backpack in the bush next to me, and the axe hidden under the blankets in my hand. I just hope none of them would come across me.

I sat there all night, worried. I listened for steps, but didn't hear anything. I was wide awake, and not tired or sleepy at all. I rolled onto my side and stared across the clearing.

Something blinked. I started, almost screamed, but I managed to stop at the last moment. The pair of eyes blinked again, and stepped out. It was a racoon. It's white patches gleamed in the moonlight as it scuttered away from me. I layed my head back down, feeling stupid to get scared over that litte thing. Being here must've gotten to me. I usually am not this jumpy out at night.

I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep. But I couldn't.

I started to play with my axe. I ran my fingers over the sharp, sharp edge. It had a nick in the sharp part, probably from me throwing it. The handle was smooth wood, but a leather handle grip. I smiled to have run across this special weapon. Experimentally, I took a small clump of the end of my hair. I cut it with the axe. It cut the hair like it was butter. This was a very strong, dangerous weapon I had to be careful with. I don't want to drop it and chop off my toes. 

Then something lit up in the sky. I watched as they played in the air, the tributes faces. I watched the sky as three faces appeared in the air. The boy from District Six, the girl and boy from Ten, the girl from Eleven, and the boy from Twelve. No Cetus in the sky yet. 

I started to wonder where Cetus was right now. Was he safe somewhere, or trapped by the Careers? But there was no way I could know, and I'm not going after him. He wants to handle this on his own, and I will let him. Just watch out, I added darkly. If I come across you, I won't hesitate to kill you with a flick of my axe.

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Thank you guys for reading!!! i hope you liked my story! :D

~kantiss_on_fire13