I do not own the Hunger Games.

I'm Siera Cal, I'm 12 years old, from District 8 and I am in the 44th Hunger Games.

The tubes start to rise, and I feel bile rising in my throat. In just a few minutes, I could be dead. I could've been killed by a career. Or, on the other hand, I could be very much alive, running for my life away from the chaos that is the Bloodbath. On

As soon as we rise up, I look around for Maya, my ally. She was 14, and from District 5. Somehow, we'd ended up talking at lunch on the second training day and she managed to convince me to pair up with her in the arena. I spot her 3 plates to my right. She waves at me and smiles.

Knowing where she is, I turn my attention to the arena. To my right was a meadow dotted with pink flowers, a small stream meandering through. The sun shone off the water, reflecting back, causing me to squint my eyes. I knew, as soon as I turned my head that most tributes would head to the meadow instead of this way. The sun didn't touch this side, dark scraggly bushes were scattered around and dozens of trees shot right up into the sky. It looked terrifying.

As the counter reached 15, I looked back to Maya. She cocked her head towards the dark forest, and I nodded slightly. Swallowing as the counter displayed 10.

10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

0.

I launched myself off my plate. Maya was running in front towards a blue backpack. I turned and headed towards a dark brown one. Whilst I was running, I stumbled, scraping my knee on the ground. I got up and continued toward the backpack. Screams were all around, ringing in my ears. I turned my head to the right just in time to see the district 6 boy's body crumple to the ground, a knife sticking out from the back of his neck.

My eyes widened in alarm, and I pushed myself to run faster. I needed to get out. The district 7 girl had fallen a few feet in front of me, her face contorted into a wide scream. I didn't look to see what had killed her. I finally reached the backpack among the chaos and slipped in on my shoulder. My knee stung, but I tried to ignore it. Others had sustained much worse.

I burst through the tree line of the dark forest, slumping down. I could still see the bloodbath, but was hopefully hidden by the trees.

"Siera!"

I hear Maya yell, and I watched as she paused on the edge of the bloodbath, scanning the fight for me. She turned back, and I was just about to say something when the blade erupted from her chest. As her body fell lifelessly to the ground, I saw her district partner grinning from ear to ear, a backpack dangling from his shoulder and a sword gripped in his hand, the same sword that he'd just stabbed Maya with.

He started towards me. I was too numb to move, my eyes still fixed on Maya's unmoving body. I couldn't control the sobs that forced their way from my throat. "I'm coming, little one." he growled, locking his eyes on me as he stalked closer.

My legs wouldn't move.

He chuckled as his blade pierced my thin body, my scarlet blood dripping from the wound. It didn't take long.

I'm Siera Cal, I'm 12 years old, from District 8 and I died in the 44th Hunger Games.