sixteen - traitor

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— GWYNETH —

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 GWYNETH 

I WATCH AS the sun rises early in the arena, and immediately check on Eunice and Kunboss.

They seem to have recovered from their fight yesterday, and I watch as they pack their supplies and leave the cave, walking Southwards. They discuss about strategies, about where the other tributes could be, but one particular conversation cracks me up.


"I'm sorry for being brash last night," Kunboss says, his voice hoarse from the crying. "I know they wouldn't have wanted this."

Eunice smiles, and opens her mouth to say something, but I can't hear it, because the screen suddenly freezes, but after a few seconds, it resumes play.

Kunboss laughs, but I don't get to see what his witty reaction is, because the screen suddenly glitches and flickers on and off.

An error message repeatedly flashes on the screen, and I desperately click on all the buttons on the wall that I can find, but it doesn't work.

"What on earth-" I mutter to myself, just as the screen turns black and completely dies.

I'm filled with all kinds of questions.

What's happening in the arena? I thought Byrok had really good telecommunications? Or is this intentional? To leave us hanging?

Is a final fight going on now, with more than ten tributes left?

But that can't be...


A voice booms through the training centre. The voice belonging to Felicity, the announcer and interviewer.

"It happens to be that.. there has been a loss of connection to the arena," she says, broadcasting to all of us watching here in the Capitol City.

And there's a burst of static before the voice reappears, but this time in my personal earpiece.

"It is no longer safe for you to stay in the Capitol," she says. "The Games will no longer be broadcasted back at the Adelaide Woods."

Her words leave me in a daze - why is this happening? And why now?

She clears her throat and continues. "You have to evacuate back to the Adelaide Woods as soon as possible. Don't worry about me - I'll stay here to maintain the connection for the live feed."


My brain makes the last connection.

I realize that Felicity is on our side. The remaining pieces of the puzzle come to me, and I quickly see the whole pattern.

But one thing is still missing. If not all the stylists were forced to be here, what about Felicity? But why does that matter? And why did Cadence seem so desperate for me to answer?

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