Passing the Test [[Open]]

Lucillia Fletcher
I eyed the man wearily. I was not impressed with his cocky (immature thought) attitude. Here I was. broken on the inside, and there he was, cracking stupid jokes.
The woman at the counter told him to take me to the lab. I glanced around frantically. Surely there was someone else?
The man started walking down the hall, and I was forced to follow.

The walls were the kind of white that hurt your eyes if you stared so long, the floors a dirty brown.
The man took me down a couple flights of stairs, stopping at a stainless-steel door with no window. I inhaled deeply, and followed him in.

He told me to sit down on one of the plain-colored chairs grouped towards the back of the end. I kept standing.
I didn't trust this man. Not one bit. And if he were to pull anything, I would not take it lying down or standing up, for that matter.
He said something about taking blood. I grimaced. I had never been a fan of the gunky goo since... well let's just say for a long time. But still, I held out my arm expectantly.
I closed my eyes, and focused on breathing in and out. In and out.

In and out.

"I won't be able to afford an abortion," I said. I had no idea why I was telling him this, but it seemed like I had to tell someone. "And, I'm not all that sure I want one." I opened my eye a crack, and saw him standing there. I squeezed them shut again.

"Aunt Rena is going to kill me." And I added, with a shaky laugh, "That is, if I don't kill myself first."

Lucillia Fletcher
I glare at the man as he misses my veins, no doubt on purpose. I don't like the way he looks at me. As if I look good enought to eat.

He talks of abortions. A free one. The way he is unable to take my blood tells me how educated he is in medicine. I glance up at the bag that is slowly feeling up with my blood. I don't care if staying in here another minute will save my life. I am tired of being stuck in this meager hospital room with just him. It reminds me of... it.

I think of Alkin. Just this morning the tributes had been preparing for the Bloodbath. And just that was insanely brutal. I felt breathless. What would Alkin do? He wasn't a very violent person. Would he fight when someone attacked? Or stand there and take it untill he could no more?

"Can I turn on the television set?" Without waiting for an answer, I run over to the dusty set, and punch the button. The arena immediately comes into veiw. They have not taken off yet. I can barely see Alkin over the other tributes. He is a few from the end, and though I know they are all equidistant, he looks the farthest away from the Cornicopia.

I hear the gong go off, and I see Alkin dart off to the supplies just like the rest of them. Immediately I am worried. That was very stupid of him under these circumstances. He should have darted right off into the grain feild, or maybe one of the wooden areas?

But then I see something that makes me hold my breath. He attacks a girl... and lands it! And the girl does not attack him back. She is still totally occupied with the other boy. But he does not attack her a second time, and she flees. He begins to attack the other girl (what is wrong with him?), and she attacks back, giving him a gash on his hip.

There is something off about this scene. Alkin is getting ready to swing at the girl again with his dagger, but the boy next to him is holding his sword up high, and it seems to be moving towards... Alkin!

I mentally beg him to turn around. To do anything but just stand there, dammit! But he doesn't. And I gasp as the sword slices into his neck. My eyes tear up as his head is knocked off his head.

Decapitated.

My mouth is gaping. I try to speak, but all that comes out is wretched chocked sounds.

And then, something does come out.

I scream.