Stuck

7

"I don't think I can do this." I sighed, taking a deep breath in as I tried to calm myself down, my fingers playing with the fabric of my jacket

"You're going to be fine. I believe in you." Finnick told me as he sat down on the one chair in the room. "You're going to get up there, and the first thing you'll do is run right away from everything and take shelter away from everything. Don't go near the supplies, that's where everyone dies."

Nodding, I ran a hand through my hair. "What if someone gets me?"

"No one will get you when you run right past them. Stay away from that Cole guy, let someone else take him out." He told me as he watched me try to calm myself down.

I bit my lip and slightly chewed at it. "I-I'm just worried that something's going to happen to me. What if I never find Ashton and he dies? I-I can't see that happen." I was getting myself worked up to tears again. Maybe it was the lack of sleep from staying awake all night.

Finnick chuckled slightly and looked at me, gently holding both of my hands. "Macy. You're going to do fine. I believe in you." He said, standing up and pulling me into his arms.

Personally in my mind I didn't want to clutch onto him like this; my face buried in his chest while I tried not to cry. But it made me feel safe, at least knowing this was going to be the last thing I would remember before I most likely die at the hands of Cole in the arena.

"I'm going to miss you." I whispered as I slowly pulled away from the hug.

"Don't talk like that." He snapped at me as he gave me a once over while the countdown started. "Get ready."

I was shaking, as I slowly got to the small platform. "I-I'm so scared." This was it. I was going to die the minute I got up there, and I was never going to see my mother again.

Finnick sighed softly. "You looked so pretty last night." He muttered as he gently pushed my hair behind my ear. "Find Ashton, and I'll send you two something. Okay?"

"Yeah, I'll do that." Tears were fogging my vision as I nodded.

He stepped closer and the sound of the timer ticking went away as he actually pressed his lips to mine. For a moment I forgot everything. The games, Ashton, my Mother. Finnick pulled away form me just in time for the tube to go up around me and I started to rise away from Finnick.

There was ten seconds left in the count down, we all stood in a circle around the cornucopia that was overflowing with goods that I knew I could take. I looked around a little bit more and saw I was right next to the girl from two--Coles partner.

Time must have ended because everyone ran right to the large cornucopia while I did what Finnick told me to do--run away from everything.

It was like someone decided to play this huge trick on me and put me away from everything I knew. I lived by the water, in a little shack on the sand. The ground here was covered in a thick, brown mud that was packed down just tight enough so I could run. I was just hidden under the cover of trees as I watched people fight and grab things.

A canon sounded and made me frantically look at the scene in front of me to try and find Ashton. He was no where to be found as four more canons sounded in the distance. By this time, everyone had run right past where I was hiding and went to find a place to hide out. Well, everyone but Cole and his partner, along with some other people from District 3.

Well. Everyone left, and I had no weapons to protect myself. If I really wanted to die on the first day, I would be brave and go right up to the cornucopia to go grab anything  to at least keep me alive, but that would require me to walk right by Cole and I didn't want to risk anything.

A hand on my shoulder made me jump and duck down, swinging my leg around and kicking the person down to the ground. That was new. Maybe it was me being so afraid of getting killed that I developed great skills. Or better yet it was most likely luck.

"Hey! It's me, it's me Michael!" He yelled, holding his hands up so I couldn't hit him. "God, I'm sorry I scared you." He sighed slightly as he stood up.

"I'm so glad I'm not alone!" I couldn't help but feel happy, and I wrapped my arms around him. "I thought I was going to have to go find a weapon by Cole."

Michael chuckled and pulled away from me as he looked around. "We should go find a place to camp out. Look what I found." He smirked as he held up a backpack.

I grabbed it from him and opened it. A blanket, a metal cup, some trail mix, a tarp, and some knifes. "This is great. We'll be safe for a little bit."

That was when the heavens opened up on us. It had a muggy feeling before, but this was just a downpour. I had to hold onto Michaels hand while we ran so I wouldn't lose him in the rain. We ended up stumbling in a small shelter away from the rain; thick trees and rocks. I laid the tarp on the somewhat dry dirt before I sat down.

"Are you cold?" He asked me as he grabbed the blanket from the bag and already started to wrap the blanket around my shoulders.

There was a thud and I blinked and saw a small silver tin with a parachute attached to it. I reached forward and gently grabbed it.

Michael gasped. "Oh wow,  it's been like an hour and you got a sponsor gift."

"Maybe its for you." I said, my eyes focused on the tin.

He shook his head. "I don't know anyone who could afford one. Come on, open it."

I slowly unhooked it and opened it. Inside was three single darts, all with a red stripe across them. Then a note.

"What's the darts for?" Michael asked as he picked one up to look at it.

"When you find the poison berries, you dip the tips in them to make a poison dart. That must mean there are berries around in the arena." I said as I took it from him to put back in the tin. Next was the note. The small white paper folded so carefully.

You should really smile more. But really, find Ashton. Leave this guy alone-Finnick