Let The Games Begin!

I look at Lerom in shock, what has he done?? Now we will be locked in an arena together to fight to the death. Sure we could ally, but those only last for so long! And that means if I have any chance of making it home, he has to die. And for the first time, I realize that I care if he dies.
He refuses to meet my eyes, and instead becomes focused on some distant point. We have to shake hands and are then ushered into the Justice Building, where we will wait until we are loaded onto a tribute train.
As we are brought to our separate rooms, I hear that peacekeepers saying something about our rooms, an hour, and goodbyes. From what I could put together, I will get an hour in this room to say goodbye to my loved ones. I guess that is only fair if we are being trekked and will most likely die. We have reached the door now and I am ushered, no more like shoved, inside. I heard the door shut behind me, and I was alone. Well, maybe not, they are probably watching me right now with cameras or something.
I survey my room for the next hour. It is nice, there are deep red curtains surrounding the bed frame twice the size of mine at home, a black plush couch on one wall with a table next to it containing a lamp and a pad of paper with a pen. There was also a small window on the far wall that looked out over the square. I walk over and see almost everyone has already filed out of the square, going home to celebrate the life of their children for another year. Although I do see a small group of people assembling at the steps of the Justice Building, but I cannot tell what they are doing, they seem to be talking to a peacekeeper. I browse the crowd and find my mother, sister, brothers, Starlit, and Rachele standing along with what must be Lerom’s friends and family. Now I realize that they are assembling to come and visit us during the hour to come. I turn back away from the window and walk over to the bed, running my fingers over the sheets I become exhausted even though it is only 10:30 in the morning. I guess being sent to almost certain death can really wear a person out. I know that now the Capitol would have switched over to the District 2 reaping, I wonder for the first time who I will be up against in this death game designed as punishment. I will have an edge considering the fact that I am better fed then a lot of the districts, and I have also been training with Lerom. But I have no Idea what is happening in other districts…I mean I will definitely have to watch out for District 2, but other than that I don’t know what to expect…
Just then my thoughts are interrupted by Starlit (Star) and Rachele practically breaking the door down to get in. Just at seeing them, I immediately want to break down and start weeping, but I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.

“Maylee!! (May)” Rachele yells immediately after entering the room.
“Oh, May! I was looking for you guys and then they called the names and OH-“ she is then cut off by her own sobs. I sat there for a couple of minutes while they cried on my shoulder still fighting back tears of my own.
“Come on guys, it’s going to be ok,” I try to say cheerfully, but it comes out more like a question, “but I want you two to remember one thing, no matter what happens to me, ok? Remember that you guys are the best friends anyone could ever have and I will never forget you!”
“No,” Rachele says, “save it for later, because I hope you know that you WILL be coming back.”
“Yeah!” Starlit chimes in, “You know what you are doing and you have been training haven’t you?”
“Well yes, but-“ I reply.
“No! Don’t talk like that May!” Rachele starts, but the doors open and the two peacekeepers come in saying that it is time for them to leave.
“No! Don’t take them away! Rachele! Star! Remember what I told you!” I yell at them being dragged, literally, from the room.
“Don’t you DARE talk like that May! You will be coming home to us!” Rachele yells back to me.
“Win and come back to us May! Win for us! Win for your FAMILY! Just come back and remember not to lose hope! Remember that we will be here waiting for you! May, we-“ then the door is slammed shut, I may never find out what Star was going to say. I can still here them screaming obscenities at the peacekeepers all the way down the hall.
I wan to cry right now, but I know I can’t, it will make me come off as weak, vulnerable.

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It is about ten minutes until my next guests enter the room. This time it is my family. Gem, my sister, comes and clings to my leg, because she is so young she wasn’t entered into the reaping. She is short and only comes up to my belly button when she hugs me. My brothers both come over and hug either side of me while my mother comes and wraps her arms around all of us, trying to protect us, which it pointless because no matter what we all know that they will take me away.
By the time the peacekeepers come back in we still haven’t changed our position, so quickly I speak to each of them.
“All of you, whatever happens to me, remember that I love you! Mom, take care of them. Gem, I want you to be a big girl, ok? Bram (the older brother) take care of Bram (younger brother) and Gem. And Jamen, be strong, and all of you remember that whatever happens, life will go back to normal.”
I am still not sure that Gem knows exactly what is going on because what she says to me is, “I am going to miss you, came back from your trip as soon as you can.”
“I will, I promise,” is all I can say before we all hug one more time and they are escorted from the room.

They say it has been an hour, although it was the fastest hour ever, and I am taken from my room and ushered to the train station. I now have one thing on my mind, to confront Lerom, but first I am showed my room car and am left to myself. I step out and walk swiftly down the hall and practically walk into Lerom, who is coming out of his own room, and as he sees me he starts backing up defensively.
“May, I know what you are going to say, but you have to listen to me-“ I cut him off.
“Oh, trust me, you have NO IDEA what I have to say! And listen to what?! Some lame excuse?! I DON’T THINK SO!!!”
“No, May! Just liste-“ He doesn’t get to finish because I hit him in the jaw so hard that my hand hurts, he collapses on the ground holding his jaw and I just turn and walk away and head back to my room car. He will come back to try and explain again and maybe by then I will be ready to talk.

When I enter my room car I am stunned. Everything is so high tech and can be controlled by the flip of a switch or the use of the remote. And there is a big bed covered in silken sheets that look very comfortable, but because of where I am headed, I don’t think that they will be very useful.
I decide to take a shower while I wait so I strip down and head to the bathroom, my OWN bathroom!
I am amazed by the shower, there are so many buttons that I would be here all year pressing all of them. I settle on testing about half of them, getting soaped, sudzed, shampooed, scoured, and frozen ten times over.
I am just finishing drying my hair off when there is a knock on my door. I go and answer it, but to my shock, it isn’t Lerom standing there, it is Shawna.
“Hello deary! It is time for dinner!” she chirps.
“Oh, ok. Will Lerom be there?” She seems puzzled by my question.
“Of course, I have already collected him! Come along!”
I follow her down a few cars to the dinning car where Lerom is already sitting at the long mahogany table.
He is holding an ice pack to his jaw and raises his hands in a way that is both a surrender and also protective at the same time.
“I’m not here to fight,” I say and he becomes more settled.
I have barely sat down when a steaming plate of food is set down in front of me. My mouth starts to water at the sight of it. I have been served two dishes at once. The first one, most likely my appetizer, is a foggy broth, but when I take a spoonful, flavor bursts in my mouth. It is warm and comforting. The second is what appear to be noodles that are covered in a creamy green sauce along with a vegetable that I cannot name. I am mostly done with my second dish when the entire table is served custard that looks heavenly. I practically swallow the rest of the pasta whole before moving longingly to the custard. After that is gone I finally look at the rest of the table.
“So, what’s next?” I ask.

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The Panem seal appears and fades, suddenly I am looking at our town square. Shawna begins the introduction, and then the names are called. I, obviously, am called up first. Then Lerom, we watch ourselves being ushered into the Justice Building then the screen cuts and we are looking at what must be District 2. The reapings go on much like this, although a few tributes stick in my mind. The pair of tributes from District 2, 4, and 7 all make impressions on me. The reapings end in District 12 and then the screen goes dark again.
“Well then everybody! We better be getting to bed! Tomorrow we will make it to the Capitol!
She then glides out of the room leaving Lerom and me to ourselves.

“I am sorry that I punched you in the jaw, Lerom” I begin.
“It’s fine, I probably deserved it for what I did.”
“What was going on inside your head when you volunteered?”
“Well, there was a lot going on actually. You know that he and his family came to say goodbye to me? They went on and on about how they can never repay me for what I have given them! I saved the life of their son! HE WOULD HAVE DIED!” now he was yelling.
“It’s ok, I forgive you and if I don’t make it home, I want you to.”
“No, that is one of the reasons I came. Maylee, I am here to make sure that you make it home, no matter what the cost.” No matter what the cost indeed.