The 74th Hunger Games.

Arena, Day 1.

Me. It was supposed to be me. It spun towards me, I heard it hit me, I felt the blood on me.

But Chase is dead. Forever. When once yesterday he was full of life, energy, hope, he is now dead. A corpse being sent back home.

All that life and energy and hope; died.

***

I finally got allow myself to rest. It is quiet now. I sit, my back against a highway rock, beside a waterfall. The creek is clear, and fast moving. It will be safe to drink.

Taking the pack off my shoulders, I take inventory.

Inside, there is an empty water bottle, a sleeping bag, anti-bacterial spray, a pack of nuts, a simple black beanie, a pack of matches, a coil of brown rope, a pocket knife, and some sort of mystery meat.

I also have a set of six silver hunter's knives slipped into my jacket and the loaf of bread from the Cornucopia.

Putting everything back, I dip the bottle in the stream until it is full. I drink it all, not realizing how thirsty I was. Refilling it, I put it away and sit thinking for a minute.

Suddenly, I gasp. Tears come down my face again.

I was back in Twelve, talking to Emmica. She said something about being in a serious relationship...

"Emmica! Hi!" I call out. She looks over, he long raven hair over her shoulder.

"Hi Lola! I haven't seen you in days!"

"I've been busy with work. After that mine explosion, a lot of people need to be healed."

"Oh, yeah. Another one so soon. We've only just had one two years ago," she says sadly, though even the tragic accident can't keep the smile off of her face.

"You look really happy about something. Like, more than usual. What's gotten into you?" I ask.

She grins, leaning in. "You can't tell anyone!" she tells me.

I nod, not sure what to expect.

"I'm engaged! Chase proposed last night! I'm getting married!" she cheers.

"Really? Oh, Emmica, that's amazing!"

"I know!" she giggles.

"What are you guys planning?" I ask.

"Well, it'll be simple, but we'd defiantly like to have close friends and family. Your absolutely invited, Lola," she says.

"Aw, thanks," I say.

***

"Emmica. I know you and Chase were engaged," I say, speaking to the cameras that I know are there.

"There was going to be a wedding. He loved you so much."

My lip wobbles. Tears slowly trickle down my face.

"He thought he owed me. From when I healed his mom a year ago. He told me last night that he would eventually find a way to be even with me."

Somehow. Someday. I will be even with you, Lola Revi'ar.

"I'm so sorry that he's gone now because of me. Because he thought there was only one way he would be even with me. I didn't know then what he meant. I do now."

I have to force the words to come out clearly now, as my voice has gone thin and watery like it does when we cry.

"And I wish a thousand times that I had known that he meant to sacrifice himself for me. I would have stopped him, I would have saved him. I should have known! He died and now I can't bear it! I am alone and I've never felt so empty!"

Deflated, I slump down and cry into my hands.

***

Startled out of my comfortable silence, I clap a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming when the anthem suddenly blasts from hidden speakers.

I rest my back against a rock wall, waiting. The emblem disappears, and is replaced by faces.

District Three male, Four male, Five male, Six female, Eight female and male, Nine female and male, Eleven female, and the Twelve male. Chase O'Neill.

It brings a new bout of sadness, but I don't have any tears left in my body to cry.

Letting out my breath in the cold, quiet night air, I decide that I will need an ally to keep the ghosts at bay.

So Lola survived day one in the arena, but sadly, Chase did not. I am so happy that the arena is finally underway!

I don't know what I will do when the arena ends, but I will take a long break after that. I think I will make a new book after this, because it will be at least thirty chapters long, so more shorter books will be easier to write, and read.

Thank you for reading, and I also have a new book published called Random Crap About Me. It's exactly what the title says it is.
~DW888