Rising Rebellion [#3]

Chapter 11 - Distadvantaged

John and Sylvia spent that night together. They didn’t know if that was to be the last time they could be together like this. At the same time, they were both experiencing memories from the last time they were in that position. Both twitching and turning in their sleep, only comforted by the fact that the other one was right next to him or her. As the morning came, John woke up, kissed Sylvia gently on the cheek and left to his room to change into the District uniform. The Arena-outfit, unlike the last time, wasn’t to be found there. He guessed they would all find them in the launch-room before entering the Arena.

John and Sylvia were separately led to the top of the building by peacekeepers and in separate hovercrafts. After what happened last night with all the Victors holding hands, it only seemed to be a reasonable procedure in John’s mind. In the hovercraft with him, were only a few peacekeepers and Lizzie, who was going with him to the launch-room. On the way over, he was told to give his arm so that they could inject his tracker. John’s heart was pumping faster than ever as the hovercraft took off.

In the launch-room, Lizzie was the one to find his outfit. “Here you go, John. I’ll turn around as you switch into it.” She said as John took off his artificial leg, which held the golden bracelet give to him by Haymitch. His outfit was specifically designed for him as his right leg didn’t exist anymore. He grabbed the bracelet and put it on his wrist as he put on the artificial leg afterwards. “The Arena has to be very hot, or humid. That won’t keep you warm at night.” Lizzie said as she turned back around. “Well, it’s really nice and tight that’s for sure.” John said as he moved around in it. Lizzie smiled weakly. “You look ‘smashing’!” She said. John noticed the hint of irony in her voice. “I’d never take you for knowing irony.” John then said. “You and Sylvia have underestimated me on those things.” She answered as the 60 second announcement came over the speaker. “I suppose it’s time for me to go in the tube.” John said before he hugged Lizzie. She hugged him tightly back. “Thank you for everything, Lizzie. Take care of yourself, will you?” He said. She nodded weakly. “Good luck in there, John. I know you and Sylvia have an edge in there. Use it.” She said as she glanced as his bracelet, as if she knew.

John stepped into the tube when it was still 30 seconds to go. His platform didn’t move at first, but when it just had started, he saw peacekeepers entering the room and grabbing Lizzie. At first he couldn’t understand it and banged loudly on the tube to stop them, but he found it useless as he just saw them take her away from there with force. As he stood back up, he realized that this was how Snow eliminated all the loose ends. As the platform kept rising, in the silence before the light hit him, he remembered his father’s last words before he left on the Tour and never saw him again: “There’s a sacrifice to every victory, John.” He took a deep breath as he was bracing himself to make that sacrifice. If it meant ending his life for Katniss and Peeta to live, he would do it.

As he got closer and closer to the end of the tube, the anticipation of the Arena grew. What kind of landscape would they be facing this time? What kind of hot landscape were they going to face? The stakes were so high in these Games, everything depended on that Arena. As the light hit him brighter and brighter, he noticed a particular smell. It was the smell of saltwater. As he got to the top and the light hit his eyes, he had to adjust to it before he could see the Arena ahead of him. The saltwater smell wasn’t unreasoned at all as he looked at what was to be his biggest challenge yet: an ocean.

He was standing on a pod in the middle of the ocean, with a path separating him from the others closest to him. The paths led to the Cornucopia and back to land which was in the shape of a big and dense jungle. As John looked around at the tributes next to him, he saw Beetee and Wiress had been put together. Sylvia was on the other end of them, so they were safe from attacks. To his right was one of the tributes from 11. All the tributes had been put in a circle around the Cornucopia, so there was a fair amount of tributes that he did not see from his place. He managed to get in eye-contact with Sylvia as she pointed towards the Cornucopia. First she was pointing at John and then at the Cornucopia. John nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.