Clato : Till forever falls apart

Chapter 10- night before/entering the games

I'm still sitting on the floor where he had flung me and can feel blood dripping down the shoulder which hit the wall. The gravity of the suitation just hit me, they might think we're running away from the games. I would never do that I dreamt of being in the games.

Brutus is pacing back and forward barking profanities at us when A pair of head lights appear around the corner. A large van appears with Nimit driving. Brutus grabs us by the back of the necks and looks around before shoving us into the back and closing the door before he gets in the front. We stop along the way back to the training centre. Filling the van of what we assume is out search party. First Desmond gets in and looks utterly betrayed when he sees the dress

"Desmond I'm so sorry. It was such a lovely dress an-" I don't know what else I can say. I'm not sorry I just feel bad. I've never said sorry in my life.
And right before the games is not the time to start.

Next one of Catos stylists get in. soon the back of the van is filled with both prep teams. They all babble about something or other. The last stop we do we hear the metal gate rise and a peace keeper get int that back. Only it's not a peace keeper, it takes it helmet off and it's Enobaria. It must have been quite a mission to get us back before anybody noticed. It takes me a moment to register Enobarias arms are around us. She's hugging us. Enobaria.
"Just because I'm happy to see you doesn't mean your not in trouble"

We get in the building undetected and crowed into the elevator. In the light I can see Nimits face is tear- stained. I walk over and squeeze her hand an action I'm not sure will help. I've never comforted anybody before in my life. It's seems to work. She smiles

"You are the two most Human tributes I have ever had the pleasure of escorting" I'm not quite sure of what it means or even if it's good. But this women is not letting go of my hand. This is the last night we will see everyone but our stylists before the games. Nimit doesn't let go off my hand untill we sit at the dining table

We have one final feast together.

The prep team talk about how trying to find us was the most action they've ever experienced in there lives, and of course demand us to tell them everything what happened, even Brutus features soften when Cato lifts my hand to show them the ring. I blush at the fact I brought into all this stuff. And I wonder if there's a layer to Brutus and Enobaria that we still don't know. The conversation quickly turns into talk about the games. Me and Cato clamour excitedly about tommorw, and the night on the town seems to be forgotten
Brutus tells us we need to get sleep. We say goodbye to everyone before heading to our rooms. Nimit pulls us both in to a bone crushing hug
"You two will be great. I just know it"

I shower quickly and put on some bed clothes. As soon as I slide between the sheets Enobaria opens the door.

"Don't let them see you love him, it would be suicide. For both of you, come home Clove. Don't be stupid " she closes the door. I know she's right love is a weakness I can't afford. i spin the ring on my finger as I drift to sleep.

At Dawn I am woken by Desmond. Enobaria and Brutus will already be out making sure all the sponsors are in place. And checking their strategy with Nimit. We wake at dawn but the games won't start till 10am. Desmond will be with me untill that time. I practically leap out of bed ready for the games to being now. Desmond hands me a simple shift to wear. I will be dressed properly when we are under the arena. We both enter the elevator travelling up to the roof, much to my surprise there's a whole garden up here. A hover craft appears over our heads. It just appears out of thin air. It drops a ladder. I hold on to the first rung and then am immediately glued in place by some sort of current. I'm lifted inside of the hover craft it doesn't let go untill a lady in a white coat injects somthing in to my forearm. She says it's my tracker.

Then Desmond is also lifted from the roof. They obviously won't put a tracker in his arm. An avox comes in and shows us to a table where breakfast has been laid out. I eat hungrily making small talk with Desmond "yeah the weathers great" , but I'm too excited to think of anything other than the games. Once we finish breakfast I look out the window watching the capitol skyline beneath me. I wonder if we've gone over mine and Catos spot. The windows balck out about half an hour later .which must mean we're nearing the arena.

We pull to a stop and the ladder lowers us into an underground tube. This must be the catacombs under the arena. So much prep and money goes into making the Arenas for the hunger games, they can't just waste it and destroy it after the games. They make it so for rich capital citizens can visit on holidays they can visit the places where fights happened and sometimes take part in re-enactments of the games.

Desmond tells me to shower and brush my teeth so i do. When I walk out he does my hair. He ties a high ponytail and then little bubbles coming down from it in a bubble braid, that comes just down past my shoulders. It definitely won't get in my way. It's a good look .

The clothes arrive. It will be the same for every tribute. You'd have an unfair advantage if they were different. Say someone was wearing the exact same outfit but one was yellow and one was black, the yellow wouldn't camouflage easy. That's why I'm glad we can't be dressed by the capitol. They'd probably think the look is more important than the survival. We have undergarments, simple tawny trousers, light green T-shirt, sturdy brown belt and a thin black hooded coat which falls to my thighs.

Desmond looks at the outfit
"De jackets made for cold weather, it reflects body heat"

I nod, the final thing he hands me are a pair of skintight socks and boots, they were a soft leather and had narrow rubber soles. Good, they won't be heavy to run in. I turn my ring in my hands

"Should I wear it?" I ask Desmond motioning to my ring

"Yes ze will think itz just from you district. De girl from 1 had a ring it was confiscated. It had a poison spike"

The news doesn't shock me. Glimmer probably knows she doesn't stand the best chance at winning. I can imagine her poking us with poison as we sleep. A voice announces its lunch time and we eat. I don't eat a lot as I don't want it to affect my ability.images of my nightmare come back to my head. But I'm too excited to worry about it .we move over to a small sofa. I mimic throwing knives into the wall. Then Desmond gets up seemingly remembering something important. He comes back with acidtone telling me to dip my fingers in which wash off the bright orange nail polish from the interviews. He also filed them down so they're ovals and not talons. It'll be easyier to throw this way. I'm glad he remembered.

Then it's time to get on the meteal plate. I jump from foot to foot willing it to rise already. And then a glass cylinder closes around me. Desmond blows a kiss and waved as I start rising up and I can feel a strong breeze on my face. The sun is blinding and it takes a moment to adjust.

Then a voice booms "ladies and gentlemen, let the 74th annual hunger games begin"