hope in our eyes || 37th hunger games ✔️

Friends

Mackenzie

I wake up early to the sound of Knoxy banging on my door.

"Up up up dear!" She chirps. "You have a big day ahead!"

"Coming!" I yell.

I groan. Of course I do. Today is the day the gamemakers will evaluate us and give us a score that will supposedly decide whether or not we get good sponsors. At least I'm not alone, really. Although I'm really sore from our training sessions yesterday and the day before, I met some people who I think will make really good allies. There are these really cute siblings from 11 I think, their names are Aspen and Olive. It must be so hard for them. I couldn't imagine having my sibling with me in the games. The boy, Aspen, looks pretty decent though so I bet he'll get a lot of sponsors. You can tell that all those hours in the fields in 11 really paid off.

There's also this girl named Hazel from 12. She's really quiet but I really like her. She has the most beautiful eyes and this gorgeous black hair.

I roll out of bed and plod my sore body over to the bathroom and take a quick shower. I then slip on the navy blue top and the black leggings that all of us tributes wear for training and brush my hair before meeting the others for breakfast.

One piece of toast and an elevator ride later, River and I arrive at the training gym and I scan the place for one of my friends. I meet Aspen and his sister over by the Careers, who are laughing and smiling, probably making fun of us weaker tributes. Then we find Hazel near another girl and walk over to them.

When we reach them, the other girl slips away and I turn to Hazel

"Hey." I say, playing with my necklace.

"Hi." Hazel mutters.

"Who was that?" I ask.

"Um, her name's Lily I think. She's from Four." She replies.

"Is she with the Careers?" I ask.

"I think so." She says, looking over at Lily, who is now laughing with a boy over at the spear throwing station.

"Oh," I say, disappointed. "She looks so nice though."

We're interrupted by the instructor yelling,

"Time's up! Practice time is over. The evaluations will start in a few minutes." I stay with Hazel as the first names are called. I scan the group of tributes and my heart breaks when I see Olive and Aspen. Olive is pressed against her brother, who has his arms wrapped protectively around her, while they whisper to each other quietly. I fiddle with my necklace nervously as Hazel and I make small talk.

"Mackenzie Crew, District 8." Someone calls.

"Good luck." Hazel tells me as I stand up.

"Thanks, you too." I say.

She gives me a small smile as I walk towards the empty gym. River, who just finished his evaluation, comes out of the gym and pulls me aside.

"What are you doing?" He hisses.

"What?" I ask, pulling my arm out of his grip.

"Why are you making so many allies? They're just going to kill you." River snaps.

"No they're not!"

"And how do you know that?" He asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because they're my friends." I say defiantly.

"They're not your friends, Mackenzie. If anything, they're your tempory allies."

"No, they're my friends!" I yell and storm into the gym.

"You have ten minutes, Miss Crew." Says the head gamemaker once I enter the empty gym.

Not really knowing what to do, I walk over to the tray that holds the daggers and pick one up. I couldn't really do much with them but I could handle them better than I could other things. I take my dagger over to a few dummies and stab them, nearly cutting myself in the process. I go to pick up a few more daggers, and as I release one into the dummy's heart, the cool metal slits my skin. 

"Oww!" I yelp, dropping the daggers as the gamemakers laugh at me. I feel the tears pricking my eyes as small drops of blood start to flow out of the cut on my palm. In a pitiful attempt not to look weak, I hold my head high and leave the room, running towards the elevator. As the doors close I start panicking.

I'm going to get a terrible score because of this.

I'm going to have no sponsors.

I am going to die.