I sighed and clambered out of my dress. The speech has bugged me ever since. It's there, nagging at the back of my mind, forcing me to feel its presence. The way her eyes reflected a thirst for chaos. It reminded me of Eno. They could get along like two peas in a pod...
Knock. Knock.
Jerking my head towards the door, I secured the last button on my pyjama shirt.
"Come in!" I invited.
Porcia slid in the room, smiling wide. I was beginning to warm up to her now. Unlike before, her smiles were now real and full of love. However, caring for us too much was a mistake.
"I just wanted to tell you about your schedule," she sat herself down on a beanbag near my bed, "You'll have to fight next. Prove yourself. You have a lot of potential. You and Jay."
"Thanks!" I beamed, my hand instantly traced the ring on my right hand.
"Where did you get the ring from?" she asked, eyes filling with curiosity.
"I found it," I explained, twisting it off my hand and letting her look at it, "It reminds me of him. My boyfriend."
"You must miss him a lot," Porcia sighed sympathetically, "He was a great boy he was. I liked him, that Jack."
I winced at the mention of his name. It hurt. Even thinking his name hurt. His voice rang in my head. What he said the day he left me, I could still hear several years on.
"I love you, Ki!" he whispered, "But if I don't make it, don't let that pull you down."
Something within me clicked, but it didn't do anything. Strange...
"Well," she sighed, standing up, "That's all I have to say. Good luck!"
Porcia waved and walked out, clicking the door shut behind her. I snuggled into my bed, pulling the covers close around me.
I will survive. I can feel it.
-------------
As the tube brought me up, the courage I felt from last night had evaporated into thin air. The new environment had no cornucopia, a relief for me, but that didn't help my nerves. So far, I had not seen anyone and I hoped not to.
I made my way down the room, letting the colours of silver and black wash over me. From what I could tell, the room reminded me of an office.
A hand yanked my arm, footsteps receded and I felt hands close around my neck. Air was blocked and everything became fainter and fainter...
I felt a sharp jerk and the pressure on my airways lessened. I could finally breathe again. Even though the whole scenario only took a few seconds, it had felt much longer. A hand appeared in front of me and I took it, getting to my feet.
"Thanks!" I mumbled, my blurry vision coming into focus.
"Don't go thinking I'll help you out again," a cold voice replied, "You and I are teaming up. Don't get any ideas that you're special either. You just seemed like someone agreeable and anyways, I need someone else to help me through the door."
Rolling my eyes, I stretched. My eyes travelled my saviour from toe upwards. He had raven black hair that seemed to grow in a naturally messy way that drew you in. I also noticed he was equipped with piercing, emerald green eyes that seemed to freeze your very soul.
At my guess, he was 15- 14 maybe. Older than me. That's what mattered. Anyone older than me could have a possible advantage over me with life experience. I must not let that happen.
"Ki," I introduced, extending my hand, my voice crisp, "Ki Jepto."
He took my hand and shook it. I noticed the ring he wore, slightly similar to mine.
"Jet. Jet Flash."
----------------
"So, this is why you need me," I said, realising that it was impossible to continue without someone else's help.
There were three doors, each with two buttons on either side and a sign reading 'PRESS BUTTON TO ENTER' above. After observing for a while, we figured that the only way through a door was to press the buttons- at exactly the same time.
"It didn't have to be you," he stated in his cold voice, "You just seemed easy to access."
"So, now I'm a machine?" I laughed, rolling my eyes.
Jet didn't reply or laugh, he just continued scanning the room of tributes. Many were looking for people to pair with- unsuccessfully. I spotted a girl with white-blond hair who seemed much to young to be here. She stood awkwardly apart from everyone else.
As I opened my mouth to tell Jet, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards her.
"District?" he questioned the girl.
She spun around and I noticed she was much older than I thought. Scanning her features, I put her down as my age.
"Eleven," she answered, cautious.
"Don't look like you're from there," Jet raised his eyebrows, doubting her.
"So?" her eyes narrowed and her voice became frosty, "Do you think I'm lying? I'm the mayor's daughter, for your info. The name is Evelyn Jensen. Eve for short."
"I believe you," I said, pinching Jet to keep his mouth shut, "I was just wondering whether you would temporarily team up?"
"Why should I?" Eve probed.
"Because the only way we can survive is to get together, even if we wont trust each other," I explained.
Eve bit her lip and nodded stiffly.
"Fine. Only temporarily."
------------
"Let's bring one more person into our team," I suggested, planning ahead, "Just in case."
"Give me a good reason why," Jet frowned, crossing his arms.
"Keep your friends close, enemies closer?" I said, not meaning for it to be a question.
Jet sighed, "Fine. One person only."
Upon hearing the conformation, my eyes scoured the room. I was positive that the person I was searching for hadn't achieved a partner yet and he was a great person at heart. In a way, I kind of owed him one.
There.
I rushed over and tapped his arm.
"Team up with us!" I beamed, dragging him over, "We'll get you through the door, I promise. Come on then. Deal or no deal, Jay?"
Jay stared at me for a while, then rolled his eyes.
"Fine, Ki," he replied, "Let's get out of here."
-------------------
After a short discussion, the four of us gathered around one of the doors: Eve and Jay ready to sprint through, me by a button and Jet by the other.
Even though we thought that pushing the buttons at the same time would open the door, we weren't exactly sure whether the method was correct. So far, no tributes had made it through a door. I had deducted that this was the only possible way since pushing one button did nothing and neither did pushing them one after another. Other had already attempted pressing at the same time, but their timing was in need of some work.
Anyway, we had no idea whether the door stayed open once it had been opened or only opened long enough for one person to get through. Henceforth, Jay and Eve's role. If the door only opened long enough for the one person to get through, there was a likely hood of a button being on the other side. Eve and Jay would press the button and let us through.
We didn't want to think of what happened if there were two buttons on the other side...
"3....2.....1.....PRESS!" I shouted, clicking the button.
The door rumbled open and the two rushed through. As it showed no signs of clanging shut, Jet and I scrambled in after. Once we had all got through, it clanged shut, cutting us off from the other side.
------------------
A glass door stood before us in the new room. This room was considerably smaller and very plain. All the walls were painted white, the ceiling light blue. A red button stood in the centre of the room, looking terribly out of place.
"I'm guessing this opens the door," Evelyn said, pushing the button.
The glass door slid open instantly. Evelyn raised her hand and the door clanged shut in the next second.
"A test..." I whispered.
The door can only be opened if someone presses the button. This suggests that there is a button on the other side with the same purpose. We have to be able to trust one another. That's the purpose of today. We have to be able to bond with one another...
"Guys," I said, "This is a test. Can we trust each other? That's what they want to find out."
I pointed around the room, "They are watching. I don't know exactly why we have to do all this trust stuff but we need to if we want to pass. We'll go through one at a time so if one of us betrays the rest, we still have other chances."
Everyone nodded and once again, we discussed who should go through.
"I'll go," Jet volunteered.
We all agreed and Eve pressed the button. For the second time, the glass door parted and Jet dashed through. Eve let the button go and the doors closed.
"Do you really trust him?" Jay asked me as we waited.
"I have no idea," I smiled in return.
We waited for the door to open again yet three minutes had passed with no events. I was beginning to doubt Jet, but my mind told me to wait a little longer.
"He betrayed us, didn't he?" Jay sighed, reaching for the button.
I slapped his hand away.
"Just wait," I shouted, crossly.
"It's been seven minutes!" he shouted back.
"Four actually," Eve corrected him.
"Well, he's not-" Jay was interrupted by the door opening yet again.
"Sorry, I took so long," Jet's voice floated into the room.
All three of us ran through, relieved we weren't left.
"See?" I told Jay, "We have to trust."
Jay grimaced, "I guess..."
--------------------
I closed my eyes and I saw her again. Occisora. The one who was pathetic enough to earn the job of Head Gamesmaker.
It was disgusting. These Games used humans as disposable toys. It was inhumane.
The day of the speech still remained in my mind, clear as day. The look in her eyes, the fake smile.
I had a desire to kill her.
Why?
This isn't me.
It can't be.
"Face it," Eno whispered in my head, "You're no different to me."
I shook my head violently, wishing she'd leave.
The green eyes that belonged to Occisora burned in my head.
Somehow...
They reminded me of Jet....