Writers' Games - Free Falling {CLOSED}

Devlin Summers' Bloodbath

I sat next to Elaine on the way to the arena, we were in the same vehicle as some of the other tributes from outer lying districts, the pairs from eight, nine, ten and eleven. We sat uncomfortably looking at each other, we knew that this would be the last time we would see each other without being enemies, the ride so far had been tense and awkward no one really knowing what to do.

Elaine leans into me and whispers; "We should be getting close to the arena."

I was surprised that she had talked to me, we hadn't talked since they revealed our training scores, she'd gotten a seven, a decent score for an average tribute, but fantastic for anyone from twelve. She was happy with it, well happy until they revealed my score. A ten I was tied for second highest in these games, they had shown highlights from District 12, the crowd's reaction when they saw my score was ecstatic, there was interviews with people from home, all of them saying that District 12 could have a victor this year. Of course Elaine wasn't too happy with my score, she had been training all her life for the games, and to only score a seven must've been devastating.

I simply nodded at Elaine's statement and she went back to ignoring me for the rest of the trip. I did the same, trying to ignore everyone for the rest of the ride, unfortunately Noelle was sitting on my other side, she stared intently at my scarring, for some reason she was fascinated by me, and every time we'd meet she would try to touch it. I looked at her intently, she was only twelve one of the youngest tributes here, and while she was violent and psychotic, I could tell she had a fragile side, one that comes with having your childhood violently stripped from you... it's safe to say I know the feeling. She finally realized that I had been returning her stare the whole time and looked up from my scarring to my eyes, her piercing blue eyes looked into mine and I saw the child in her, I remembered that part of me well. The innocence which had brutally been stolen from me, the years I'd both literally and figuratively spent on the outside looking in as my neighbours and schoolmates all grew up and had normal lives, I slowly began to despise them all, they could live a life that wasn't defined for them, their lives could be defined by what they did, who they were not by a mark on their faces.

As the memories ran freely in my head I forgot about Noelle, she was now reaching her hand trying to touch the scaring on my face. I move uncomfortably in my seat as her fingers get closer and closer to my face, my head flinches back out of habit as she lunges trying to feel my face. Her persistence is extraordinary without much room to escape her curious hand I just give up her fingers brush against the rough skin on the left side of my face, she seems mesmerised by the different patterns in the colours. Apparently satisfied with her experience Noelle goes back to doing nothing in particular, for the rest of the ride to the arena I catch her glancing at my face, but I just ignore it, right now I need to focus.

We finally feel the vehicle stop. The peacekeepers order us off. The entrance extends into a cement corridor so we don't get to see the arena, as we march down the corridor tributes are pushed towards doors, starting with the District Eight female. As we walk further and further down the hall our group of tributes gets smaller and smaller. When Elaine is pushed towards her door, she looks at me and nods farewell before stepping confidently through. Finally my door comes up and I step through.

The room is fancy just like any other Capitol room, I run my eyes across it taking in the details, my eyes linger on the glass tube, it would be delivering me to wherever I would be forced to fight to the death.

"Do you think you're ready?" says a familiar voice behind me.

My face beams up at the sound of the voice, it's a voice I've come to love and enjoy these past since I got to the Capitol, I quickly compose myself. I was still a little unsure about this emotional stuff. But I'd gotten much better. I turn around and she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me. I've also grown more accustomed to her touch. I no longer flinched when she touched my scarring as we hold each other a robotic voice rings out around the room.