Dear Diary

Chapter 1: Escape

It is a bright sunny Tuesday morning, 9AM sharp. The clones (Peacekeepers) have just checked in on me. They looked thoroughly disappointed to see that I am not yet dead. I am close though. I have only been here for 5 days and I can feel my body wasting away. My beard, once supreme in its glory, has grown slightly wild. My throat burns for the bitter-sweet taste of water. The plain white walls and forest views have long gotten boring.

I could end it. End this pathetic half-life that I have been condemned to. So why haven't I? The sparkling glass bowl of perilous nightlock lies untouched. Why do I refuse to just do it? Damn my stupid pride. My name is dust now! I should have let those two stupid brats die! The girl would've chickened out! There's no way she'd of left her sister on her own! Why didn't I see that?! And now I'm being punished. All because of a spark, a tiny flame in the woods. Well, no more. I WILL get out of here! I will hunt them down and kill them both! There is no more waiting, hoping that someone will come and save me. I need to do this. I need to get out of here!

I could smash the glass, but with what? The nightlock would just splat; the glass bowl would smash itself AND set off the alarm. Then I'd be executed immediately. And with my luck, in front of all of Panem. All of a sudden, sunlight bounces off the glass and a thousand sparking slinters fill the ceiling. THAT'S IT! A small cluster of diamonds is sewn into the creased black jacket strewn on the floor. I rip them out and examine the edge. Still intact. I run one along the edge of the glass bowl and watch cautiously and a fragment of glass falls to the floor, creating a glittering rainbow as it moves through the light and crashes to the floor. "Brilliant!" I whisper.

"OYE! WHAT'S GOIN' ON IN THERE?!" a harsh voice screams through the doorframe. Oh god. What if he comes in? There's no way for me to explain what I'm doing! "YOU AIN'T TRYIN' TO ESCAPE ARE YA?" he yells again.

"No sir. Just debating whether or not to eat these berries or save them for later." I shout back. I can almost hear him smile as he gives a low throaty chuckle. "That's okay then mister, but you may as well eat them now and save all the mess. It'd be much more honourable." The peacekeeper says laughing to himself. "No offence sir, but I think I lost all honour when I was sent to die here." I reply, hoping that he won't open the door and see what I am up to. "Well, maybe you're right Mr Crane, but it would be a hell of a lot easier." Thankfully, I hear his footsteps start marching down the hallway outside. "Now I'm goin' to go. Don't be tryin' to escape, you understand?" he shouts through the hall. "Whatever you say." I whisper as he walks away. Thank god.

I get back to work. I draw a curve towards the bottom left corner of the window, just big enough for me to fit through. I remove the glass-without shattering it of course-and set it on the floor. Just as I am about to climb out into the bright, miscellaneous landscape and escape this hellhole, I hear a key slide into the door at the other end of the room. Panicking, I quickly jam the piece of glass back in, hide the diamonds in my pocket and pretend to be admiring the view. I turn around as someone sets foot into my prison, only to come face to face with my unforgiving captor. My ruthless leader. My pernicious death sentence. Snow.

"My dear Seneca. I have come to ask for a rather unfortunate favour." He begins uneasily, the overpowering scent of roses making me nauseous. "And why should I oblige to this demand?" I spit at him. Honestly. HE locks me up for almost a week, to die a painful death, and then asks for a favour? People these days! "Well, MR Crane. I am prepared to make a negotiation. I am willing to give you one thing, and one thing only, if you agree to help me." This is actually very intriguing. One thing could mean anything. I could get out of here! Be a gamemaker again! "One thing, huh? Anything? Anything at all? Anything I could possibly desire?" I question.

"Within reason, of course. But yes, anything." He replies with a smile, his blood-stained gums brighter than ever. This could be my chance.

"What do you want me to do?"