The Arena

Chapter 2

I almost chocked on my food. The look on the faces of the others around me told me that this was not a joke and that there was no turning back for them. 

"Why on earth would you guys do this, you had no right. I am not going to let you guys kill yourselves just to prove a point, I am not the one who wants to live with the mess that you all are going to create by doing this. I am not your girl," I am yelling at the top of my lungs. My voice is unrecognizable to me and for a moment I am frightened that this person is in me. 

"Listen, you need to calm down and shut up," Darius says in a voice that is so calm I almost want to tear his arms off, if I could. 

"No, I am not going to calm down, this is my life and you-"

"And we are giving you a chance to live that life," Marky says, an older woman in her 50's.

As Darius grabs my hand to pull me down next to him, I am moving away from the table, running back to my room. Thoughts circling my head. Why me? Why did I have to get chosen? Why can't they just understand that I am supposed to die? I am, was ready to die. Upon reaching my door I hear Darius call my name down the hall, but I am too proud to turn to let him see that I am falling apart.

"Why, I just want to know why you guys have decided that I am the one who gets to live," I ask him as he breaches the doorway. 

"Well for a number of reasons, but I only told the other about one, that if it wasn't you we might not succeed. We needed someone who was already prepared to die, who made peace with the fact that they would not be going back home," Darius said as he sat on the edge on Tela's bed. 

"Any other reason," I ask wanting to know more. 

"Well, I know who you are, who you ancestors were. The Republic does too, keeping you alive might mean trouble for them, I left this part out when suggesting it be you to the others, they might not like to know that it is because of your family that we have these fun games." He looks at me in a way that accusing and sympathetic all at once, he could have destroyed me but chose not too. I had to wonder why. No one was this nice with out wanting or needing something in return. 

"You guys honestly think that the Republic is going to sit back and watch you ruin their games? Maybe for a few rounds, but they want blood, they want murder. What happens then? Do you want the wrath of the Republic to come down on all of them? Do they know that can make it more miserable for us than what it already is," I ask. I know that he has thought of all of this by the look o n his face, he is expecting it, wanting it. Something in his eyes tells me that there is more to him than I know. 

Suddenly it hits me like a wave, I look at him in disbelief, it can't be what he wants, no one on earth would want to go through something like that. 

"You want them to go back to the old method of the games, a free for all. Everyone against everyone! Do you know how any of those ended? Never good, sure there was a victor, but they were never the same, you have to know that there is no way the games going back to the old method is a good thing for anyone! My family fought to end the games, and no one listened so decades went by, then an uprising, a few years of peace and then when the newly formed Republic got board they introduced their version of the game. But don't think for one second that they won't go back to the more brutal ways of the Capitol. And then what will your stupid plan do then?" I am yelling at him, how could anyone who knew the past history of the Games want them back the way they were. 

In my head stories from my village came swarming in, there was the clock, the mocking jay, they blood rain, all of it, all pointed to something that was at times worse than death. My family line had headed the very first rebellion the one that triggered the need for the games. Everyone thought my blood line had been killed but one survived and since then we have maintained a sense of invisibility, that was until I stepped on to the scene. I had attacked an officer of the Republic because he was beating a defenseless little boy. After that they found out all about me, for a while it was nice to not hide my name, but after a few months it turned out that the Republic did not like the idea of someone like me out there in the world, and then my name was pulled for the Games. I knew it was not on accident, they had planned it, they wanted me to die, and a part of me would rather their plan succeed at this point than Daruis's. 

"Who are you Darius, you know about me, but why? Why would you want this?" 

"I am surprised it took you so long to ask, Mellark. I don't want you to be afraid of your name, it is a good one. A strong one. A strong woman in your family almost died to save us all, and I for one am glad to be with you during this games. See our families used to be close, actually closer than close. Gale Hawthorne is from my line. We were meant to be here, to over turn the Republic, it is our destiny," Darius says with a confidence that I have never seen. 

"Look Darius, this is not something that I think we can do by getting ourselves killed. That is not going to start a movement, and even if I live, if the Republic wants me dead they will kill me." 

"Not, if the whole world loves you. Look I just need you to trust me. I know that all of this seems far fetched, but-"

"You are going to get her killed, she knows it better than anyone. You are wrong Darius, and a part of you knows that. I think that you need to rethink what it is you want to accomplish with your death, because what you are thinking will never happen," Laim's deep comforting voice hit us like a bullet, we were not alone and should not have talked like there wasn't someone listening. Laim entered the room, his dark brown hair just hitting his eyes which when he looked at you right seemed like he was trying to figure out everything about you in one minute with those deep brown eyes. 

In my village we only had a few men who were worth anything to look at let alone date. That was almost unheard of, but looking at Laim one knew instantly how and why people fell in love. His presence was one that told you he would protect you. But then I remembered that he was supposed to kill me, and would if given the chance. 

"Mellark, we will talk later. No need to discuss anything among people who wont be able to understand anyway," said Darius as he walked out of my room bumping into Laim with a little more force than was necessary. 

"Listen, we both know that in two days if no one is actually killing each other the old games will return. Neither of us want that, for different reasons you don't want to be the face of yet another rebellion, and I well know how it can effect you for life. Just know that I am on your team if you can think of a better plan."

"Oh, and save this for later, you might need something to tide you over until dinner," he said leaving my room. 

I could not move for a few seconds, what was I going to do? How would the other tributes act when I told them I no longer wanted to be their token? 

But all of the questions stopped when I looked at my dest at what Laim had left me, picking it up I placed it in my mouth and let the sugar cube dissolve into my mouth. 

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