Ashes in the Snow

Eighteen

The peacekeepers grab us each individually, taking us somewhere else. We walk down a long hallway until we get to a room where there is a clear tube.

"Get in," one of the peacekeepers demands.

I can feel my body shaking, out of fear. I thought I had more time. I'm not ready for this. I take a few steps forward and step into the clear tube. I turn around facing the peacekeepers and see the tune close. I can't hear anything the peacekeepers are saying now. It's quiet. I'm all alone in here with nothing but my thoughts. This is the most human I've felt in a while. Alone in my thoughts, feeling every emotion. Sadness, anger, fear...even love. I remember the warm embrace of my mother when I used to be scared. She gave good hugs and was a comfort to me. I remember playing tag with Holly Mae. How we used to giggle and feel joy with each other's company. The thought of my father flashes before my eyes. I see his eyes looking into my own. And I can hear him say, "It's okay, babygirl. Daddy's here." Tears slip from my eyes. I forgot how he sounded until now. It's so nice to hear his voice, even if it's my mind saying goodbye. I remember my first kiss with Eric. It was raining outside and we were running inside, but he grabbed me by the hips and pushed me into the side of a house, kissing me in the rain. We were sopping wet, but we didn't care. Then the thought of Coriolanus' lips flash into my mind. I remember the night we kissed. I remember how intense it was, it felt electric.

I touch my lips and my tears stream down my face. I still feel betrayed. He made me care under false pretenses. I also feel jealous. The thought of myself dying in here and him moving on with some capitol bitch, it doesn't sit too well with me. I'm going to survive. I won't let him get off the hook so easily. I don't want to disappear from his mind. I want to haunt him with the things he done to me. If I survive, he'll have to live with it forever.

I can feel everything about me that's makes me who I am, that makes me human...it's all turning off. I feel my tense body start to relax and my mind is clear. I feel nothing. No fear, no anxiety, no sadness; it's all gone.

I feel the tube rising me to the surface, to the arena. I look up and am blinded with the light. After a few moments, my eyes are able to adjust. We're in an open field surrounded by woods. There's a cornucopia of supplies in the middle. Weapons, tools, etc. Then that's when I notice...

a wooden cross in the middle of the cornucopia. And I see Daniel. He's crucified on the cross and his throat is slit. A tiny gasp comes out of my mouth. My body starts to tremble and anger takes control. I take a deep breath in, suppressing how I feel. I close my eyes and let a deep breath out. And when I open my eyes it's as it was before, a feeling of nothingness.

I look around and see the other tributes out as well. We're all circling around the cornucopia. I look around trying to find Bianca and Tate.

Then I hear a voice in a speaker. "Welcome to the 10th annual hunger games and may the odds be ever in your favor. 10...9...."

My heart starts to race. I'm still looking around and trying to find the two of them. "8...7....6...."

I see Bianca and I see her looking at me. I notice her pointing her finger towards the cornucopia. I think she's signaling me to go towards it. I still don't see Tate. Hopefully she'll find us.

"5...4...3...2..." then I hear the shot, signaling for us to go.

Instantly I race towards the cornucopia and I see many other tributes doing the same. I see a boy from district 2 get there first, grabbing weapons. Then Bianca is there next. I make it there next and I grab the first thing I see which is an axe. I look to my right and see a girl from district 8 try to stab me. I block it with my axe and she falls backwards.

"Over here 12!" I look and see Bianca calling over to me.

I run over towards her and see she's already killed four tributes and see her finish another one with her machete. She is by far the strongest tribute here.

We look over at the other side of the cornucopia and see Tate grabbing supplies.,

"Tate!" We yell.

She runs over to us and says, "I was able to grab some supplies." She has a backpack full of stuff and has a trident in her hand.

"Can we grab anymore?" I ask.

"Not without being killed." Bianca says. "Let's find a place to lay low."

We run into the woods and keep ok going until we get to a stream. We all sit down and try to catch our breath.

"What the hell was your tribute partner doing hanging there?" Tate asks.

"I don't know," I say. "I figured they would taken care of the body."

"Clearly not," Bianca says. "Maybe it's a warning."

"A warning for what?" Tate asks. "What more could they do to us?"

"Maybe it's to show that's all we are." I mutter. "We're nothing but a pawn in their games."

It sickens me how they could just crucify his body and let it hang there like a doll. I think they did it to show that we'll never be one of them, even if we win. Whoever's idea it was is sick. I can't even imagine his mother's reaction.

"We should rest here for the night," Tate says. "I can be on watch first."

"Yeah that's a good idea," I reply.

The sky becomes dark and Bianca and I rest while Tate stands watch. I wake up from the music and the fallen tributes announced in the sky. There are fourteen dead. There are nine of us left in total. Which means there's six others out there, most likely a pack and they're coming for us next.