Sobaku-no-Sarah

Upon awakening, I found that I was incredibly close to a large waterfall. It was, in fact, the sound of the rushing water that woke me up. I hadn't drifted, having slept on the stable sand. The gamemakers, being what sadists they were, must have shrunk the arena. They wanted more blood. They wanted a fight. They were driving me towards the Cornucopia. I didn't have much of a choice. I filled myself up with more water and mushrooms. I was still weary from the lack of a full meal and from so much swimming. I wasn't sure how much longer I could go on. I forced myself to get all my gear back on before swimming over back the way I'd come. The wa

After a night of resting on one of the available sand-covered shores (hiding myself beneath that sand for warmth and concealment) I decided to swim out again. I chewed on some grass nearby which I remembered wasn't poisonous then headed back into the water. Though I was soaking wet, my mouth was dry with thirst. The saltwater was refreshing on my skin but would only dehydrate me more. I kept on moving without quenching my thirst. I got tired of swimming after a while and ended up floating on my back, trying to breathe and relax for a while. I closed my eyes and let my thoughts drift to Manon again. I had heard a few cannons going off already

The wetsuit Honey stuck me in was uncomfortable and rubbery. It gave no part of my body shelter I feared it would need. There was an oxygen tank on the back as well as a pair of flippers. Honey looked concerned. Despite having griped at her and hating her almost the entire time I was there, now that I was staring the Games in the face, I felt a comforting familiarity towards her. She wasn't my friend, but she was something of an ally. If we got any sponsors, it would be thanks to her and Cutie and their amazing presentation of us. I'm almost certain my interview and shockingly awful score of three wasn't winning me anything. Manon, however,

She hit me. She hit me. Right square in the jaw! I guess I deserved it and I guess it was fair, but I hadn't expected it so suddenly. It hurt too. If we were play-fighting like I used to do with my brothers I'd have congratulated her on the nice left hook. I gathered myself from the ground as she spoke, only half paying attention. "I know I'm clumsy and ugly," she said, her shouts slowly weakening in volume, "and you could never like me… but why?" Never like her? Of all things she was concerned about our friendship? It didn't make sense. "Manon, of course I like you, but this is a competition. I can't act like I usually would. We can'