THE END IS NEAR ? TREECH

vii. the bombing

Evie watched as he gave Treech an unreadable look and continued on his way to the front of the line where Lucy Gray was waiting for him.

"What was that about?" Treech asked, taking Evie's hand and pulling her back to his side when she reached him.

"I'm not entirely sure," she responded with her eyes still locked on where Coriolanus had stopped ahead of them, "but I'm sure I'll find out soon."

The line began moving with Treech and Evie in the middle, seeing as it was set up by district. As they neared the front, Evie heard a woman's voice when someone would walk through the turnstiles,

"Enjoy the show!"

Evie kept her hand in Treech's at the sound of the automated voice, trying to give him comfort.

The peacekeepers kept urging them forward, so Evie and Treech walked through, hand in hand, following the lines in front of them.

"Enjoy the show!"

Once everyone was inside the dark room, the doors shut behind them, and everyone inside was left in darkness. Evie felt her heart beat a little faster when she felt how Treech kept close to her side.

It was completely silent other than the sounds of footsteps on the solid floor and the coughing of Dill from district eleven echoing around.

Then, the windows were uncovered and light flooded the arena.

The cameramen were making their way around the room, surverying all the tributes and mentors. Festus was currently trying to get their attention on his tribute, Coral, who seemed annoyed at the lights in her face.

But Evangeline noticed one camera was locked on herself and Treech. Is this what Coryo meant?

She tried to ignore the cameras and focus on the arena layout as a voice rung out from above,

"Welcome to the arena of the tenth annual hunger games. Tributes, mentors, you have fifteen minutes to survey the space and discuss strategy."

The arena was the same as every year. A wide open space with the capitol symbol stamped on the floor, capitol flags hanging on the walls, and rows of seats lining the upper portion below the windows. To separate the spectators from the tributes. It didn't seem that there were many places to hide in there.

It looked like Treech noticed this too.

"Okay, we can work with this." Evie muttered to herself before turning to face Treech, her hand still in his.

"What are you thinking?" Treech asked her, eyes darting all around the arena.

Tributes and their mentors were all over the arena, some talking, others walking around to look for hiding places.

She almost contemplated telling him what Coryo had pulled her aside earlier to say, but she knew he was nervous enough as is. She didn't want him to have any more issues to worry about, not now anyway. She would tell him eventually.

"It doesn't look like there are many places to hide, but—"

"Hey, Lumberjack!"

Evie and Treech turned to see who had called out.

Coral and Mizzen from four stood huddled with Tanner from ten, and the group was staring at Treech with an unmoving gaze.

Treech looked down to Evie who gave him a nod, telling him to go. This could be his chance to secure a new alliance. He nodded back before looking behind him to where Lamina had wandered off to, "Lamina," he called her to follow him.