Watching

[ilovepeeta]

Good ch

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Thanks . After months of writing we finally get to the Games!

[TheFoxFacedOne]

So I've read over the last chapter and I'm not that happy with it .
I've made a few changes because Jed was coming across as a wimp, Cole was too emotional and the dream was too weird.

If you don't want to reread it this is what has changed:

1. In the dream Kayden and Fuchsia are Kayden and Fuchsia, Fuchsia is all like: "Did you really think our little dual would change anything, I'm still a predator and your my prey.

2. Jed isn't all like "I'm scared" and he only sheds one tear on the hovercraft. He's still terrified though, he just not crying about it.

3. Cole doesn't break down, he mostly holds it together.

I'm really sorry for all this, I won't change a chapter this much again, I promise .
I hope none of the changes take any of the emotion away.

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Chapter 29: Stella

Chapter 28: Stella
The first thing that hits me is the humidity, the air is so thick it feels like it’s pressing down on me. Next is the smell of filthy water and decay. But the sound of croaking frogs and buzzing flies fills this place with life. The little trees roots reach down into the green, muddy water which will soon have red running through it.
So here we are, in the place we've prepared weeks for: the Arena. We've had six days to come to turns with our situation, but it still doesn't feel real. Even the Careers have a flicker of fear in their eyes as the sixty second countdown begins. Just sixty seconds; that's all that remains until the blood shed begins. The Capital will be watching eagerly as we entertain them with our deaths. But for every cheer, somewhere, there will be a life lost.
I have to block out the image of my father looking at the dusty TV screen in the shop, along with Tia and Brendon trying to comfort him as he witness a loved one battle for their life once again. I push the fear clouding my mind to one side and focus on the Cornucopia, even from where I stand I can see it’s packed full of everything from swords to sleeping bags. But there are also a few things scattered around it.
One of these items is a backpack; it's only about fifteen feet away. With my speed, I could reach it in seconds and put the blood bath completely out of sight in two minutes. An insect buzz's in front of my face, intending to distract me. I swat it away and cannot help but watch its zigzagging path as it flies past Jed. Jed!
I can't leave him, I hear myself think. We've never said we'd be allies in the Games, so technically this boy is nothing to me. I could run away and never look back, and most people wouldn't think the worst of me. I remember Cole's tears this morning and how he vowed he'd help both of us. If I left him here I doubt he'd keep that promise and even if he does how could I take a sponsor without feeling guilty? We also said we were friends, that truly meant something to him and it must have meant something to me too otherwise I wouldn't even be looking at him right now.
He sees me staring. Precious seconds rush between us, we have to use them to think of something. I nod to the back pack and point to me, praying nobody else is looking. Then I motion towards him and in the direction I plan to run. He nods nervously, understanding my message: I'll get the back pack; you run that way and I'll follow.

"Ten, nine, eight . . ." Less than ten seconds until we’re running for our lives. I take a deep breath and get ready, poised to run, shutting everything out except me and my target.
"Four, three, two, one!" The gong vibrates across the Arena as I jump off the pad. Mud and water sprays out as I dash to the pack. I'm the first off. By the time I reach my destination, there is a cluster of tributes heading my way. The battle has officially begun!
The next few moments are a blur as I swing it onto my shoulder and take off sprinting. Then the first scream pierces the air somewhere behind me.
As I dash for the forest, I make the mistake of angling my head back towards the scream and watch as the girl from 12 crumples to the ground. Her is blood dripping from Kayden's axe. This horrific image allows me legs to move faster, propelling me into the shelter of the trees. I race through the swamp for a while, over soft ground and many debris. Once deep enough in the swamp, I lean back to catch my breath, slowly taking in my surroundings. Soon, I realize there is something missing: Jed is not with me.
I force myself to turn back towards the bloody scene once again. I head back, and when I reach the scene, for a moment all that meets my gaze, is the bodies. Some striking others, some fleeing and a few that just lie there, their souls gone. Then I see him, being pinned to the ground by the gigantic boy from 10. The boy holds a knife above his neck. As he brings it down, Jed grabs it, trying to push it away from him. The weapon remains in mid-air, clasped by two pairs of hands fighting for control of it. But it's clear who going to win. If I don't do something in the next few moments, Jed will be dead.
Hurriedly, I glance around my surroundings, searching for something, anything, that can help him. I lower my gaze up, and around, then finally towards the ground, and my gaze lands on a round object lodged in the soil; a stone. Yes, a stone! I lean down and grasp it, coiling my fingers across the smooth surface and aim for the monstrous boy's head . . .
I can hear the impact from where I stand. It was heavier than it looked, and has the desired effect. The boy from 10 falls to one side temporally stunned. Jed pulls the knife from his grip and looks desperately in the direction the rock came from.
"COME ON!" I yell, waving. I realise this is a bad move the moment the words leave my mouth. Jed spots me but so do Kayden and the boy from District 1.
"AFTER THEM!" They chorus, grinning menacingly as they run after him as he follows my fleeing figure.
They chase us through the bog, carrying an axe and sword. We only have a knife; all we can do is hope to out run them. The screams and clashes of metal fade away as the pounding of their footfalls behind us grow louder and louder.
We jump over a root without thinking about it. But they’re too caught up in the hunt to watch where they’re going. A second later there are two huge splashes. Seizing the precious seconds this gives us Jed grabs my arm and pulls me into some shrubs. We lie there not even daring to breathe. They're feet run straight past us.
"Where are they?" Kayden yells angrily as they come to a sudden stop, releasing we're nowhere to be seen.
"I don't know, they must have out run us!" The District 1 boy snaps.
Kayden's jaw clenches in frustration as he stops to think for a moment, meeting eyes with the boy from 1. "The others will still be at the Cornucopia, so we should head back. I can't believe we let those District 7 morons distract us from the action! This is your fault, Chase! You just want to kill that girl because she showed you up in training!" Kayden fumes.
"Hey, you're the one whose hell bent on getting the victor's son!" Chase argues as their voices trail away from us, making their way back.
It's another three minutes before we think it's safe to come out of our hiding place. But we're not really safe; there's no such thing as safe in the Hunger Games.

We keep running away for about an hour until we allow ourselves to collapse against a tree. The only sounds now are the buzzing of the insects, splashing of water and our heavy breathing.
"I guess this means we're allies then," Jed pants, smiling wearily. It's the first thing he's said since we were delivered into this nightmare.
"Well duh, I saved your sorry butt from 10!" I surprise myself by laughing, but the laugh hurts my rusty throat. I could really do with a drink.
"Yeah, you did! But you got those goons attention!" He tries to be mad at me but he can't stop grinning with pure relief that he's still breathing.
"I know, that was pretty stupid." I shake my head at my actions. "Why do think you're Kayden's prime target?"
He shrugs. "Beats me. Maybe he thinks I'm threat because I got nine."
The sound of a canon firing blows apart our thoughts. It fires six more times before the sound of the swamp is all that can be heard again.
"Seven gone," I say becoming, serious.
"That leaves 17, including us. That's a lot, usually about half die at the bloodbath." Jed frowns.
"I guess it's because two of the Careers were chasing us. Now the Careers have ended their killing spree they'll be setting up camp. That gives us a few hours to find a good tree."
"Let's get moving then; we can hunt for a river while we're at it. This water's far too dirty to even consider drinking but it had to came from some were fairly clean," Jed says, walking on.

It takes another six hours or so to find a tree that's big enough to support our weight. We still to find the river or sea that supplied this place with water. Once we're up there, I open the back pack to see what we've won from the Cornucopia.
"Right, we've got two packs of beef jerky, an apple, two packets of dried fruit, a little box of matches, some rope, some wire, a blanket, a bottle of iodine and an empty water bottle. It's not much for the two of us it's better than nothing and I can make some weapons." I say as a rummage through the bag.
"I guess so . . . hey look at that!" Jed points to the distance at a big grey rectangle that towers above the tall trees beyond.
"I think it's some kind of building." I say, squinting at it. "Wonder what's inside."
"Knowing the Game Makers, it's probably bad," He muses.
We have two slices of apple and three strips of jerky as we survey the rest of our surroundings. The swamp continues for another seven or eight kilometres before the taller trees take over, judging by the humid climate we decide it's most likely to be rainforest, a place that's teaming with food and water. Tomorrow we'll trek through the bog and hopefully reach it by sun down.
As the Sun sets our nation's anthem is played across the Arena. The Capital seal appears in the sky followed by the faces of those who died.
The first face to show up is the girl from 5, which means all the Careers are alive, no doubt getting ready to hunt right now, this thought, sends a shiver down my spine. But this also means Attie the District 3 girl I made snares with is alive too, I feel strangely comforted by this. The boy from 5 is next, followed by the boy from 6, the girl from 9, girl from 10 and both from 12, their controversial costumes being all for nothing. So the stone didn't keep the giant from 10 down for long.
"I could have so easily been up there today. You saved my life, Stella. Why?" Jed says quietly, turning to me in the rapidly growing dark.
"We're friends, and friends don't leave each other to die," I reply instantly, he smiles at this and closes his eyes, fatigue claiming him. I sigh, knowing this friendship can't last forever.

[ilovepeeta]

I want to know whats in that bulding sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo badly

[TheFoxFacedOne]

That's not the only surprise in this Arena .

Anyway I've come up with the mentoring and sponsorship system, what do you think?:

The two mentors watch the cameras covering their two (or just one if one is dead) tributes in 12 hour shifts, one covering 12am to 12pm and the other covering 12pm to 12am.

The escorts meet Capital people in the social areas of the control centre (where the mentors and escorts are) and try to get their sponsorship or discuss what they need with current sponsors. Mentors can also carry out these duties in their breaks.

Mentors can take up 6 15 minute breaks.

Half an hour between the switch over time the mentors meet up to keep each other up to date on what's happening and discuss tactics.

Sponsors chose from a wide range of items from The List, which is sort of like a shopping website, they then send a sort of email to the mentor stating the item they've brought. This goes into the districts inventory.

When a mentor wants to sent an item to a tribute, they select from their inventory and it's parachuted into the Arena.

[ilovepeeta]

Wow thats really cool i like it

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Good, I was worried it was to complicated.

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Chapter 30: Cole
The big screen in front of me begins to blur as my eyes drop. I force them open, I have to stay focussed it's only 7pm, 5 more hours until the switch over.
Mentors watch the cameras covering their tributes in 12 hour shifts, I take 12am to 12pm and Torey takes 12am to 12pm. We can have to 6 15 minute breaks each, since arriving here I've had none, the terror of seeing Jed nearly have his life taken away and their narrow escape from the Careers have kept has kept me awake. I have to stay in this room, if anything were to happen while I'm gone...

Donk! My sleepy head hits the monitor, the sudden pain jolting me awake. I fell asleep?! How could I let myself fall asleep?! Actually no, how could I force my mind to work like this? I glance at my wath: 9pm, I been out for two hours. I look at the screen, the scene is pretty much the same: Jed is sleeping in the tree and Stella is sitting on a branch above him, sharpening a smaller branch into a point with knife. She looks around every couple of minutes, checking for anything unusual. Comforted that at least one us is alert I finally tear myself away from the little District 7 Control Room and head to the Break Spot where the mentors eat, drink and talk to each other and sponsors who want to speak to them personally.

The steam from the fresh coffee drifts into my nose, making my senses stir. I take one the cups from the marble counter and sink back into one of the throne like chairs that sit in small groups around the room. A man lays slumped in another one a few yards away. He snores loudly, clutching an empty shot glass in his left hand, which has become as much a part of his appearance as his olive skin and black hair, everyone knows of Haymitch Abernathy’s drinking. It’s drained him of any youth he has left, making it hard to believe he’s six years younger than me and not six years older. I decide it’ll be best to leave him, I’ve seen someone wake him before and he caused a massive scene, not that that’ll be much of a problem now. A part from the odd Avox laying out food and drink on the tables the place is deserted, which isn't very surprising. Normally the place will be crawling with Capital people, talking to the escorts about sponsoring a tribute or just looking for some behind the scenes gossip. But tonight is the night of the second Sponsor Banquet where all the sponsors and escorts will gather as they did the night of the first day of training. Still, I just want to recharge and get back to the Control Room with no distractions.
Just as I’m draining the cup of its last drop when a young girl with golden blonde curls walks in. Not noticing me she collapses into one of the chairs on the other side of the room and buries her face in her hands. I recognise her but I can’t remember from where, I search the gradually clearing fog of my mind to find an image of her with a crown of golden leaves on her head, smiling prettily, but her eyes hold a unique sadness that only a victor knows. Of course: she’s Serenity Solomon, the victor of last year’s Games! This must be her first year mentoring.
At 15 she’s District 9’s youngest victor so far, she mastered poisons in training and covered tributes food with them while they were asleep. It was a far from honourable tactic but it worked. She may have seemed sweet, looking younger than her years with her freckles and childish smile but underneath it all was someone who was ruthlessly resourceful and cunning.
Although she doesn’t look it now, with her shoulders shaking as she cries quietly into her hands. I should be going, have to return to the Control Room but this picture of her holds me back. She’s 16 now the same age as Jed, responsible for the life of another despite only just being to put the pieces of the life they once had back together. I feel a jab of concern for her, even though she’s a complete stranger I find myself working over to her. It not until I’m standing over her when she notices me.
“Hello, you’re Serenity, aren’t you? I’m Cole.” I say softly, still unsure as to why this is happening.
“Yes, that’s me, and I know who are.” She lifts her head up, revealing her misty green eyes which attempt to look at me defensively despite the tear rolling down her cheek.
“The first year is always the hardest. It’s like you’re there again and the images are still fresh from your mind from last year.” I say taking the seat next to her, recalling my first time, the tributes that year both getting slaughtered in the blood bath. She stares at me, unsure of what to make of my revelation.
“Yeah…it’s a lot harder than people think. They look to you like you’re some sort of expert teacher. But I don’t know anything! How am I supposed to know how to play this side of the game?” She says sadly to the far wall, as if she’s talking to herself. She then she shakes her head, trying to clear it.
“Why are talking to me?” I ask myself the same question, why would I try to comfort a crying girl but leave a broken man in a drunken sleep? Maybe it’s because this could be Jed or Stella next year.
“Because I feel the same, I feel useless but at the same time I know they’re counting on me and I can help them. When they die you think you’ve let down.” Serenity turns to me again but this time the defence in her eyes is gone.
“Seeing Lilly, the tribute I mentored, die, I thought I was back in the Arena again, but I’ve seen so much death; I could keep it together. But just now the Careers where talking about the blood bath and her killer was bragging about murdering her. Said the look on her face was priceless, they laughed, and I guess I just snapped” fresh tears well in her eyes.
“They’re Careers, they have to appear tough and unfeeling, it’s how they’ve been taught to act, and they would have said that about anyone.” I say handing her a coffee from the table next me.
“Thank you.” She manages a weak version of her signature smile as she takes it. “I should get back, bye.” She goes as quickly as she came.
Suddenly there’s the sound of a glass breaking on the other side of the room. The remains of Haymitch’s shot glass lay strewn across the floor.
“W-what was that?!” He slurs sleepily.
“You dropped your glass.” I tell him.
“Oh, better get another then.” He gets up swaying slightly before staggering to the drinks table a few feet to his right. Even in this state he pours the whiskey without spilling a single drop.
“I think you’ve had enough already.” I say firmly as I walk over, afraid he’ll hurt himself after seeing him stagger around broken glass.
“Who are you, my mother?!” He slurs irritably, taking a big gulp.
“Shouldn’t you be on the train back to District 12 by now?” I don’t mean to sound so blunt but now I think about he should have left hours ago. When a Districts out of the Games their mentors go home since they’re no longer needed. He laughs loudly.
“I can enjoy one last night of good drink, can’t I? After all it’s not like I need my wits anymore, but not even that could help them. They could barely hold a bottle, let alone an axe. They were dead the day they walked onto that stage. Just like the rest of them.” He says it like it’s obvious all tributes from 12 are destined to die.
“How can you say that?! You were supposed to help them, support them no matter what!” I nearly yell shocked at his lack of caring, even if he is drunk. He just laughs again.
“Here’s some advice: don’t get attached. It’ll only make losing them worse. After a while they’ll just become a blur of faces and names. They’re only special to those who know them, so they’ll just be yet another poor soul you’re stuck with for a while.” His voice is edged with the bitterness and agony of seeing child after child die, each and every one once looking to him for help. I don’t know who I feel more sorry for: the drunk forced to pull himself together every year with the promise of redemption by mentoring a victor, only to see it shatter and to find himself in only the company of a bottle one more. Or the poverty stricken tributes whose only chance of survival is too drunk to see straight.
“I can’t do that.” I murmur darkly.
“Oh yes. You’re Cole Livingstone, the mentor of your son and the niece of the girl you let go. Do you feel guilty about that? Is that they’re paired up in the Arena, you feel like you owe her father that promise and keeping his daughter alive will make it all better but you can’t chose her over your own son?” He sees the utter shock on my face, it’s like he’s seen right through me. “They can’t stay together forever. Sooner or later you’ll have to decide which one matter more: your son or the ghost of the girl you were supposed to protect.”
His words echo in my head as I walk back into the Monitor Room. I scroll through the “items” sponsors have “sent” us on a touch screen computer the desk. Cassia has really out done herself at the banquet, at least eight more items have appeared on the list since I last checked it this afternoon, including water, something they really need. I have to resist the urge to press “send”, there only about half a kilometre away from the river, they’ll find it by midday; the water can be saved for a more urgent time. With Jed keeping watch in the tree and with no mutant or career insight I’m left with the question of what I will do when their alliance is over. If I did have to choose between them I would pick my son in a heartbeat, so why do I feel so torn?

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Not too sure I portrayed Haymitch every well