Festival for One [Artemis Day One]

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

More cannons fire out as I make way out of the neon circus into an area that can only be described as a monument to surrealism. Various sculptures are scattered across the sand, interspersed with floats with even more neon lights. Paint cans poke their heads out of the sand and not too far away, a giant canvas is wrapped up neatly, waiting for someone to break through its plastic. The sound from the stage has become bearable, but the lights are still goring into my eyes. It's hard to see the details of the sculptures when everything seems to be backlit by the cornucopia, and the lights from the floats aren't strong enough to highlight the statues, but now that I am no longer covered by the canopies and neon lights, I can clearly tell that it's night now. The stars are still hard to see being so close to the main stage, but it's nice to see the sky again. I can only wonder how long this night will last. It was clearly morning/midday when we were collected and raised into the Arena, so will the Arena's day cycle be asynchronous to the day cycle of Panem? Or will our first night be the longest to catch up?

My thoughts continue to wander as I try to interact with the sculptures. While it's nice to have a distraction for a bit, I might be able to find something hidden among the towering art and floats. Did any of it matter anyway? More cannons reverberate in the air, and I can't help but wonder if this is the deadliest first day of a Hunger Games in recent history. Maybe the Game makers were trying to tell us something with the 10th Games viewing. That we should expect something no mercy, and that they will avenge our death. One of us has to win though, and I think it high time that District Two won again.

Except I haven't been able to find Ruby since before we left this morning. She was still getting ready when I was escorted out. But now, I can't help but wonder if she was one of the cannons that just went off. Does reviving the legacy of District Two fall solely on me? Is that a burden I can carry across the rapidly cooling sand? I'm hoping that the black fabric will retain the heat, or that I can find something warm enough to sleep in for the night. I don't want to freeze to death on the first night.

ELEGANT