Hunger Games 1

Chapter 20 Sleepless Night (2)
The more I want to fall asleep, the more I can't sleep.In the end, I was too restless to stay in bed.I was walking up and down the room, my heart pounding and my breathing short of breath.The room felt like a prison, if there wasn't any fresh air I'd throw things again.I ran along the corridor to the door, trying to get on the roof.The door was ajar, not locked.Maybe someone forgot to close the door, but that's okay, the electric field will stop anyone who tries to escape out of desperation.And I didn't want to run away, I just wanted to get some air, and I wanted to take one last look at the sky and the moon, because this was the last night before the game when no one was chasing me.

The roof was unlit at night, and as soon as I stepped onto the tiled floor in bare feet, I saw his black silhouette against the dimly lit night sky of the Capitol.The street was extremely noisy, music, singing, and car horns, but I couldn't hear anything through the thick glass in my room.I could slip away without him seeing, and he wouldn't hear me over the noise.But the night air is so fresh, I can't bear to go back to the stuffy room again.After all, what does it matter if we speak or not?

I walked over quietly, and when I was only a yard behind him, I said, "You should get some sleep."

He was taken aback but didn't turn around, and I saw him shake his head slightly. "I don't want to miss the event, which is for us anyway."

I walked over to him and leaned against the railing.The people on Broad Street were dancing wildly, and I squinted and watched them carefully. "Are they wearing festive clothes?"

"Who's to say it? They always dress weird here. Can't sleep, can they?" Peeta said.

"Always thinking about things," I said.

"Miss your family?" he asked.

"No," I admitted guiltily, "All I think about is related to tomorrow's competition. Of course, it's useless to think about it."

At this moment, under the reflection of the light downstairs, I can see his face clearly, and he clumsily raises the bandaged hand.

"I'm so sorry I hurt your hand."

"It doesn't matter, Katniss," he said, "I'm no match for anyone else, anyway."

"Don't think so," I said.

"Why not? It's the truth, and my greatest wish is not to embarrass myself, and not to..." He hesitated.

"What?" I said.

"I don't know what to say, anyway... I'm going to die for the real me, you understand?" he asked.I shake my head.Who else could he die for but himself?
"I don't want them to change me and turn me into a completely different monster than I used to be."

I bit my lip, I was so mean, I kept thinking about whether there were trees in the arena, and Peeta was thinking about how to maintain himself, innocent self.

"Are you saying you don't kill people?" I asked.

"No, I'm going to kill like everyone else, and I can't go back without a fight. It's just that I want to find a way to tell the Capitol that they can't control me, and that I'm not a piece of their game. Pieces," Peeta said.

"But you are not, neither of us are, this is just the rules of the game."

"Yes, but in this rule, there is still you and I. Can't you see?" he insisted.

"A little bit, but...it's okay, Peeta, who cares?" I said.

"I care, I mean, is there anything else I care about right now?" he asked angrily, now staring at me with his blue eyes, searching for an answer.

I couldn't help taking a step back, "Trust Haymitch and come back alive."

Peeta smiled at me, looking sad and mocking, "Okay, thanks for the reminder, honey."

I feel like I've been slapped in the face, and he's talking to me in that haughty Haymitch tone.

"Well, if you want to spend your last hours plotting noble deaths in the arena, that's your choice, but I want to spend the rest of my life in District [-]," I said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you said that," Peeta said. "If you make it back alive, please say hello to my mom, okay?"

"Sure," I said, and then I turned and left the roof.

I spent the whole night half asleep thinking about how I would say goodbye to Peeta Mylark one last time tomorrow.Peeta Malack, look how noble he can be when faced with life and death decisions.He may turn into the most ferocious beast.There used to be a "tribute" from District Six named Titus who ate the heart of the deceased after killing someone.He became a complete savage, and the contest organizers had to stun him with a stun gun before he could eat the hearts of other "tributes", and then carried away the corpse of the "tribute" he had killed.There are no rules in the arena, but man-eating savages are not acceptable to the Capitol, and they try to avoid them.It is rumored that the avalanche that finally killed Titus was aimed specifically at him, lest the eventual victor should be a madman.

In the morning, I didn't see Peeta.Cinna came to me before dawn, gave me a quick change of clothes, and took me to the roof.My final attire and preparations will take place in the basement of the arena.A helicopter quietly appeared above us, exactly the same plane that appeared the other day when I saw the red-haired Avax in the woods.A ladder was lowered from the helicopter. As soon as my hands and feet were on the ladder, I felt as if my whole body was frozen. An electric current stuck me to the ladder, and then the ladder slowly rose and sent me into the plane.At this point I thought the ladder would let me go, but I was still glued to it.Then a woman in white appeared in front of me with a syringe in her hand.

"This is so I can find you, Katniss. The quieter you are, the faster I can install it," she said.

Still want to put this?Even though I was stiff, I felt a tingle as she implanted the tracker under the skin of my forearm.Now no matter where I go, the contest organizers can find me.They don't want to lose a "tribute".

Once the tracker was installed, the ladder released me.The woman in white disappeared, and the helicopter picked up Sina on the roof.A male Avax came in and led us to a room where our breakfast had been laid out.Although my stomach still felt sick, I tried to eat as much as possible and wasn't overly impressed with what I ate.At this time, I was so nervous that I didn't even feel the coal ash.The only thing that distracted me was the view from the window of the plane flying through the city, and the wilderness seen from the plane.This is a scene that only birds can see, except that birds are free and safe, but I am just the opposite.

The plane flew for about half an hour before the windows were blocked.That means we're getting close to the arena.After the helicopter landed, Cinna and I went to the ladder again.The difference this time is that the ladder is connected to an underground pipe leading directly to the basement.We were directed to the final waiting place - a hut for preparations.In the Capitol they called it the "Departure Room."In our area, people call it a corral, which is where the animals sit before they are slaughtered.

Everything is brand new and I will be the first and only "tribute" to use this departure room.The arena is where each match is reserved.This is also a place where the Capitol often visits and takes vacations.They often spend a month re-watching the game, visiting the basement, and even pretending to be a "tribute" to re-act the scene at that time.

People say the food here is great.

When I brush my teeth, I try not to let my stomach full of food spill out.Cinna combed my hair into one of his signature long braids and carried it behind my back.Then someone brought the clothes, the same for every "tribute".Cinna had no say in my costume, he didn't even know what was in the bag.But he helped me get dressed anyway: underwear, plain tan trousers, a pale green top, a sturdy brown belt, a black hoodie that fell to my thighs. "The fabric of this jacket is designed to reflect body temperature, maybe it will be cold at night," he said.

The boots fit better over the tights than I expected, the leather is very soft, unlike the pair I wear at home.The rubber sole is narrow and soft, with tire tread, which is very suitable for running.

I thought it was over when Cinna pulled the golden mockingjay out of his pocket.I have completely forgotten about it.

"Where did you find it?" I asked.

"On the green coat you wore on the train," he said.At this moment, I remembered that I had taken it off my mother's clothes and pinned it to the green coat.

"It's the symbol of your district, isn't it?"

I nodded and pinned it to my shirt.

"It almost didn't get passed by the review committee, and some people felt that it could be used as a weapon to give you an advantage and be unfair to others. But in the end, it passed." Sina said, "A ring from a girl in District [-] didn't pass. Ring When twisted, it can turn into a thorn. And the ring is poisonous. She claims she didn't know the ring could transform, and can't prove it. Still, she lost the symbol. Well, you're ready, turn to Check to see if your clothes and shoes are comfortable."

I walked around the house a few times, waving my arms.

"Yes, very good, just right."

"Then, there's nothing to do now, just wait for the order to go," Cinna said, "unless you can eat something more?"

I refused the food, but took a glass of water, sipped it slowly, and sat on the bench to wait.I don't want to tap my nails or bite my lip anymore, so I'm biting my own cheek.The place where it was bitten off a few days ago has not grown well yet.After a while, my mouth was filled with the smell of blood.

I imagined what might happen, and my mood changed from nervousness to fear.I could die, dead straight, in an hour, not even an hour.Involuntarily, my fingers kept stroking the bump on the woman's forearm where the tracker had been implanted.I pressed it hard even though it hurt, and a bruise popped up in no time.

"Do you want to talk, Katniss?" Cinna asked.

I shook my head, but after a while I reached out to Cinna and he took mine in both of his.We sat like this in silence until a woman's lilting voice announced that it was time to go.

Still holding Cinna's hand, I walked over and stood on a circular metal plate.

"Remember Haymitch's words, run, find water, and everything else will be fine," he said.

I nodded.

"Remember, I'm not allowed to gamble, but if I could, I'd bet all my money on you."

"Really?" I said softly.

"Really," Cinna said, leaning over and kissing my forehead, "good luck, Burning Girl."

At this time, a barrel-shaped glass cover fell from my side, separating our tightly held hands, and Cinna was separated from the outside.He tapped his chin with his fingers, which means: You have to hold your head high!
I lifted my head and straightened my chest.The glass dome begins to rise.After about 15 seconds, I was in total darkness, and I felt the metal plate push me out of the glass dome and outside.The strong sunlight outside made me unable to open my eyes, and I felt the strong wind outside, and the fragrance of pine trees wafted faintly.Then I heard the legendary voice of announcer Claudius Templesmith: "Ladies and gentlemen, the '74 Hunger Games begin now!"

(End of this chapter)