Don't Play Games

7

I just realized that DPG has 100+ reads!!!! THANK YOU GUYS!!!

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My eyes snap open when I hear a loud knock on the door of my room.

"Hazel! Time to get up! Today is a big, big, big day!" I hear Claudia's voice outside of my room.

I roll my eyes. "I'm up! I'll be in the dining room in a few."

I hear her high heels click-clack away from my room and decide its safe to exit the room now. She can be so annoying.

I pad down the hall and into the dining room, where a whole array of foods are set on the table. Waffles, pancakes, fruits, soups, toasts, jellies, every breakfast food you can think of.

I take a seat at the table and fill my plate - a waffle, an orange, a sausage link, scrambled eggs, and 2 slices of toast with grape jelly on them. I don't get more because I don't want my stomach to think I'll be getting more and more for the next few days - I get just enough some I'm filled with energy, enough energy for at least a day or two without food.

When my plate is clean, I hand it to an Avox and thank her. I feel so bad for these servants - they are probably never spoken nicely to. I manage a small smile. She smiles slightly back at me and hurries away with the plate.

Cassidy doesn't eat anything, she just picks at a pancake. I don't know why she's nervous - she isn't the one about to face death.

I head back to my room to discover an outfit laid on the bed - the clothes I'll be wearing in the Arena. I shudder.

The outfit is simple - stretchy, black cotton pants that fall just to my ankles, a lightweight cotton tee shirt, airy boots that have good traction, and a lightweight jacket with inner pockets. Huh. It'll probably be hot and dry there - the cotton clothes, the absence of a raincoat. It won't be wet there, most likely.

I take a quick shower, with icy cold water and a shampoo that smells sort of like a forest. I file my nails so they're just long enough to grab hold of things without slipping and scratching tributes if need be. They're sharp, I file them to be that way. I'll need every advantage I can get.

I put my hair into a high ponytail, then section off three more mini-ponytails so my hair is stiff yet bendable. It (hopefully) won't get caught on anything.

I take a shuddering breath and brush my teeth for probably the last time.

+

The walk down the hall is the longest walk I've taken. Or it at least feels like it. I hug Claudia, no matter how annoying she was and is, she's still important. Then I hug Cassidy.

"Any last advice?" I whisper.

"Don't go any farther than 20 feet into the bloodbath. Run, hide, and keep going until you find fresh water. Stay alive."

Fresh water. Something about that gives me a clue. Is there salt water somewhere? A beach? A coastline? I don't know.

I nod into her shoulder and back away. She gives me a quick thumbs-up. I nod ruefully and step into the elevator. Birch steps into the other elevator, thankfully.

+

I was wrong. The walk to the hovercraft is the longest walk I've ever taken. It feels like I'll never get there, and I hope I never do. I wish this moment could last forever.

Finally, the sole of my boot lands on the shining metal of the steps that lea into the hovercraft. I take a deep breath and ascend.

I take a seat in between Jason and Ingrid. Daisy, Clora, and Electra sit on her other side in a row. Kia and Coral sit on Jason's other side.

All of the Careers sit on Coral's other side except for Max. He's sitting across of Carter, who's at the very end. I'm sitting opposite of Sparky. Velma and Joseph and are sitting on his other sides. Are they allies? I guess I'll find out.

The Careers shoot glances at Birch as he boards the hovercraft. He's the last one here. He sits next to Max in the last empty seat. Is he one of them? I don't know.

The hovercraft lifts into the air. There are no windows, I wish there were, so I could at least see real nature for one last time before my demise.

The ride is long. About a half-hour into the ride, a woman in a long white coat appears with a needle. She begins sticking the needle in the tributes arms.

"What's that?" I ask as she takes my arm and inserts the needle.

"It's your tracker. So the Game makers can know where you are in the Arena."

I nod slightly, but the thought scares me. They'll know if I'm being followed or shot at before I am, and yet they do nothing.

They'll just let me die.

I feel the hovercraft land about an hour later. My stomach churns, then does a flip, and my breakfast threatens to be lost. I swallow hard and stand along with the rest of the tributes.

Four Peacekeepers come for each of us and lead us down separate halls. All of this is under the Arena. It feels unreal.

The Peacekeepers lead me to a room marked Female7. The door opens, and Anni is there. I give her a hug as the door shuts behind me.

A plate of cheese cubes, crackers, and apple slices sits on a small table between two chairs, with 3 bottles of water at each chair. I sit in the chair that faces away from the glass tube.

I nibble on a cracker with cheese and take a sip of water from the bottle. The cheese is sharp and the cracker salty.

"Oh, Hazel." Anni says, her eyes tearing up. "I know this isn't fair to you. But it's what you must do."

I nod. "I know." My eyes tear up as well but I push the tears down. "Thank you for being my friend in this."

She nods, smiling sadly. "Do your best. I know you have it in you to survive, just try. Don't give up. Ever."

I nod.

"30 seconds to launch." A plain, female voice says over an intercom. I hear the tube open behind me.

I hug Anni again. I hold onto her, not wanting to let go.

"15 seconds."

"Good luck." Anni says.

"10 seconds."

I step into the soundproof tube. It closes around me.

"5 seconds."

The last thing I see before I am lifted up is Anni giving me the three-fingered salute.

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Not yet haha! ;)

The next chapter will be up as soon as I write it.

THANKS FOR 100+ READS!!!

Thanks for reading.