118th Hunger Games - 'The Water Games'

by SPACE MAN OH SPACE MAN

OPEN SYOT. Another year, another Hunger Games. Each District will present two teenagers as tributes for the Capital. They will fight in a high tech gladiatorial arena where only one will make it out alive. Sand and dust cover a desolate desert city in a valley where the vicious sun bakes all living things in this Arabian inspired arena which shall be dubbed 'The Water Games'.

1. The Previous Games

The Year Previous

The tribute from District 2 ran through the forest. This was it. There was only one other left. The hulking sixteen year old boy had one hand gripped onto a long knife as he ran. He knew exactly where he was headed. He felt a purpose in each stride. There was no way he could lose now. The weight of his backpack filled with supplies pressed heavily on his shoulders. He grabbed the straps of the backpack and tossed the bag to the ground. There was no purpose for the supplies anymore. All that he needed was the knife in his hand.

The bright, scorching hot sun would peer in and out from up top the trees above as he ran. Sweat dripped down his face and soaked through his shirt. There was pain in his left knee that made him squint every few steps. His knee had a massive gash, given to him by the female District 4 tribute. He was getting close, the random trees he passed started to become familiar. The path became clear to him. Strained and tired, his muscles agonizing, the sting from all his cuts and bruises.

An axe swung at his face but missed. Gritting his teeth and gripping his knife as hard as he could the District 2 tribute crouched down and tackled his attacker in the stomach. The attacker fell to the ground but was quick to her feet. The two tributes, from District 2 and 7 stared back at each other. The District 7 tribute kept her axe right at her side. She took a deep breath and then charged at the other tribute.

Her speed surprised the District 2 tribute. She readied her swing as she approached. In response he charged at her as well with his knife pointed out held in the middle of his stomach. Her swing was too quick but her timing was off. The tip of the axe grazed his chest as it swung right in front of him. Without a second to lose in this instant of vulnerability he grabbed her shoulder and stabbed his knife into her stomach.

She did not scream. Nor did she cry. She stared at him with broken hollow eyes holding back pain, sorrow, and tears. He pulled the knife out. Blood gushed out of her wound. She fell to the ground on her side.

His hand began to shake as he dropped the blood dripping knife. He looked up to the sky as he heard the final cannon sound. Slowly he began to chuckle to himself. He did it. He survived. He won.

Author's Note and Introduction to this story

Hello everyone. I have decided to do my own SYOT story. The form and rules for submitting a tribute are on my profile. Feel free to submit as many characters as you'd like. If I don't get enough I'll have to fill in the spots with my own characters but if I must create my own characters they will be bloodbath. That's about it.

I want to make meaningful story arcs and character progressions for your characters, make them truly feel a part of a story while still creating a cohesive story that works well on its own. Each character is a puzzle piece, putting them together in the right way can create a great story and I want to try.

This story will probably be a little different than you're used to. I'm thinking writing it in 3rd person rather than 1st like most SYOT stories. Because I feel having it from the 3rd person, allows for more surprises and suspense of what happens next. Plus I can show character's thoughts and emotions in third person anyway.