Chapter 1
Reaping Day!
I wake slowly, drifting out of consciousness and sleep until my little sister opens the blinds, bleeding sunshine into our small, run down house on the edge of District 3. Alyssa, my little sister bounces on my bed beside herself with nerves. "Bryanne! Bryanne! The reaping is today! Wake up already." Moaning, I pull myself out of bed and start to prepare breakfast out of the small contents of our cupboards. "Alyssa, wake everyone else. We'll have porridge for breakfast." I pour oats into the pot and slowly stir, trying to make the aroma of my families breakfast wake me up. Soon the 8 other members of our family have gotten up, and I have finished and poured the porridge. "So Bryanne, you think you'll get picked?" asks Sara nervously, (my older cousin who lives with us). "Even though I have 21 slips, there are still thousands. I'll be all right." She smiled and hugged me. "About the reaping, it starts at 1 o'clock so everyone stay clean and get changed now." commanded my mother. I smirked and scoffed the hot breakfast into my mouth. "What do I have to wear?" moaned Timmy my youngest brother. "Just something clean, if you can find it" laughed my dad. I laugh, say goodbye and walk out of the room to get to my factory job. Since my parents have had 4 children counting myself, they have adopted Timmy, and my cousin Sara is an orphan I have to take heaps of tesserae. I am the only of us Taylins that can be picked for the Hunger Games, but I am also a main provider. Sure, my father has an 8am-6pm job at the weapons factory, and I know that Sara makes origami and beaded items to sell at the local markets, and mother does have a part time job at the tailors but without my factory job and hunting we wouldn't survive. I walk to the weapons factory and busy myself with assembling high tech weapons the Capitol takes and gives to the Peacekeepers, how police. It's boring and easy work but it gets money for my family. After a few hours it is 10 o'clock, as says so on my watch that I built. I check out and run home to pick up my knives to hunt in the sparse pine woods outside District 3. The Peacekeepers tell us not to enter them, and they have put up an electric and barbed wire fence but I know of a tree that I climb to get over it. Scrambling up I carefully check that no one is watching then jump down to the woods. Many plants and animals are found out here, and I know just where to look. I collect as many Chicory leaves and Chickweed flowers as possible and stuff them in my rucksack. I know a lot about edible plants from watching the Hunger Games that is the only good thing about the Games. I spot a rabbit and aim carefully at it. Oh good, my family hasn't seen rabbit in weeks. Tying the dead rabbit to the inside of my bag I make the journey back to the fence and climb the tree to get over. Another glance at my watch decides that it is half past 12. I sprint back home, find some clean clothes and help my family prepare. Eventually, (after finally finding Alyssa's left shoe) we all run to the square to make it in time. I hug everyone and race to the roped off section the 12 to 18 year olds stand in, and wait for the names to get picked out of the huge glass bowls by Aphrodite Lace, the Capitol escort for District 3. You see, I live in one of the 12 districts each with a certain skill and job to do to provide for the Capitol of Panem, our rulers. They use us as entertainment as well as supplies, though, with the annual Hunger Games. The Games started 99 years ago, after the Dark Days, a war between the Districts and Capitol. The Capitol won, and killed off District 13, and introduced the Hunger Games to the rest of the Districts. In short, the Hunger Games are a fight to the death between 12 girls and 12 boys from each District, called tributes. The victor has a life of fame and fortune, and the losers die. This happened until the 74th Hunger Games, when a girl named Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark BOTH won, leading to a rebellion. The Capitol again stopped the rebels, bombed District 12 (but it's still standing in places), and reintroduced the Hunger Games. Each year you are given a slip, and that is put in the glass bowls that your Capitol escort picks from. But if you are starving and need food, you can get more slips in exchange for tesserae, food. I have needed to do that every year; hence I have 21 slips to feed my family. "Welcome, welcome! It is lovely to see all these darling children desperate to represent their district in the Hunger Games, isn't it Mayor Serai?" He nods with false enthusiasm and reads out the list of past District 3 victors. Over 98 years 21 people have won the Games for District 3, only 12 still alive. "Kimba Strake, Tom Blade, Alban Kin, Bassila Smith and Candace Marzi. Thank you for your past strength, victors." Now it's time for the stupid Treaty of Treason, a dreary speech mayor has to read every year in honour to the Capitol. Finally he has finished. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, stare at the faces of the other children, and remember that even though I have 21 slips there are thousands of names in those huge glass bowls on the stage. Alyssa and Timmy wave to me from the crowd and their presence calms me. Now Aphrodite is picking the girls slip, let's get this over and done with…. she reads out the name….. "And the lucky female tribute to represent District 3 is… Bryanne Taylin!" Me. Oh crap.
Chapter 2
The Tribute of District 3…
No. This can't be happening. I'm going into the arena. The arena of nightmares and death. I close my eyes, take a breath and slowly stroll up to the stage. Thankfully, I am good at hiding my emotions, so I am glad that I look almost bored. Once I am up on the stage, Aphrodite grins and flounces over to the other glass bowl and picks the male tribute. "Jonathon Baore." The crowd is silent as a blonde boy with glasses who is 14 years old faints in the crowd. Yes! Yes! Yes! No need to wish death on anybody, and maybe you can call me bloodthirsty, but god, I want to kill that dude sooooo bad! The reaping may have been terrible with me being picked and all, but at least I am doing into the arena with HIM, my worst enemy. It all started 3 years ago, when I was 10, and in my 6th year of school…..
I was walking to school one day with my mates Cara, Ciara and Fauna when this nerd Jonathon Baore from a grade up started walking next to me. Now, at that point I was not popular exactly, but everyone respected me. I had loads of friends. Then Jonathon asked: "Will you go out with me Bryanne?" Apparently he had had a crush on me for years. So genius boy asked me in front of the whole school at the morning recess. I could have died of embarrassment but instead I just punched him in the face. I accidentally broke his glasses, so there goes the money I was saving up to buy Alyssa a birthday present. Till now he has stared at me wistfully whenever I walk or sit near him, and has stalked me almost to the fence. I lost Ciara and Cara as friends and I was so lucky to have Fauna still stick by me after the most nerdish, suck-up boy in the whole school liked me.
So, enough flashbacks, back to the present reaping. Jonathon was revived by some Peacemakers, and slowly walked up to the stage. I smirked nastily and scratched Jonathon's hand as he shook mine. He glanced up unsure, afraid of me (well he should be.) "What an exciting Reaping! Bryanne looks like a wonderful tribute, and I'm sure Jonathon has many talents… So anyway, here are the mentors for the 99th Hunger Games… Tom Blade for the boy and Kimba Strake for the girl! I'm sure everyone is looking forward to the Games as I am, and you will soon see these brave young children in the arena soon! Let's have a round of applause for our two newest tributes." A district 3 clap half-heartedly as Aphrodite Lace closes the Reaping. They all slowly file back to their homes while Jonathon and I are escorted to the Justice Building by Peacemakers. I don't know why, there's no point escaping but it must be a Capitol self-esteem thing to like to scare the new tributes. Here, in the Justice Building we will say our goodbyes to our families. I sit quietly on the velvet couch, trying to recap what has happened so far. I am 13 years old. And I am going into the Hunger Games. Interrupting my thoughts, my first visitors, my family, walk in to say farewell. I hug them all in turn and try not to cry (because if I do sponsors and the other tributes will assume I'm weak from cameras). Many a tear escapes my family's eyes, though. "Try to win, Bryanne. We'll miss you if you die!" cries Alyssa sadly as we hug. I hold her in my arms and vow to her, "I will win. I will come home, for you and our family. You are the youngest girl, in our family I know but be brave! I may come home." She hugs me and I hold Timmy. The poor little boy is trying so hard to be a big boy for his adopted big sister and it breaks my heart to see him go.
Fauna Strake, my best friend is my next visitor, and she is carrying a heavy leather necklace with a silenced bell on it. "Bryanne, this is for you. Will you wear it as your District token?" (Each tribute may wear or keep a small item to remind them of home.) "Please do, it's really special to me. Remember when we first met?" I do remember that day.
I was 8 years old and lost on my way home from my factory. I had wandered around for hours, and couldn't find a landmark or house to guide me. I had found my way to the richer suburbs of District 3 and was looking for someone to direct me home. My gaze had fallen on a victor's house that I knew a girl from school lived in. She was playing outside in the rain with a bell, and was trying to thread through some leather. Me as my 8 year old self went and helped the shy young girl I knew from school to thread it, and played games with her for the rest of the day. Eventually her mother (Kimba Strake, the victor) saw me as Fauna dragged me in for some 'hot chocolate', something I could never afford. She asked me who my parents were, and to Fauna why that skinny little girl is here. I smiled and she took me home. From then on Fauna and I were best of friends, not the friend type, but the sister type. We never fought, made up secret clubs and worlds together, and she helped me through the worst times when at home we had almost no food by sharing her lunch with me. I accepted and was her friend, and she stuck by with me. I knew even then that saying goodbye to her if either of us was reaped for the Games would be so painful.
"So will you?"
"Of course. Goodbye, Fauna!"
The Peacekeepers pull her away, and I have an empty feeling of loneliness in the pit of my stomach. Aphrodite comes to get me, and take me to the train on which I will go to the Capitol.
Chapter 3
A Banquet!
We two tributes of District 3 are escorted harshly to the train by Peacekeepers. Jonathon is quiet and sobbing, but I am determined to not seem weak for the cameras (even though he will). Now that we are on the train, Jonathon and I shall meet our mentors. My heart soars with joy and hope for the Games when I see Kimba Strake again, my mother's best friend and past victor. She was chosen when she was 18, much to the agony of my mother, and she won with an electronic trap for the final 2 Careers running after her. We meet for a hug and she is angry that I was chosen, more anxiety for my mum. "So what can you do kiddo?" I grimace and sigh. "I've got a lot to learn. I can use throwing knives though, and have a large knowledge of edible plants."
"All the better."
"Huh? Isn't it good if I am already skilled at everything?"
"Well, at least you'll listen to me!"
"Humph. You are so similar to my mother dearest. So strategy talks?"
"Not yet. First you need to meet your stylist, which will happen once we arrive in the Capitol."
"Great, a stylist."
"This one I had as well, but she'll be very annoying so tune her out."
"Oh great Lord have mercy." I sigh sarcastically. "At least I am skilled at tuning people out. Like you!" She laughs and ruffles my hair. "Well, it could be worse. Let's go, dinner calls."
After our exchange we are led to a mega dining carriage with a huge table and so much food. I can feel the train start to move, and worry for a moment; will I get motion sick if I eat too much? Ah, who cares! Just look at this food, oh my goodness! I look at the food on the table, and think that I am about to drool. As you know, with 9 other people in my family, we never seem to get enough food. But look! All this? On the huge table is a buffet of seafood, meat, veg, desserts, bread, chocolate, anything! My eyes catch on to a huge lobster, which I have never tasted. Yum. Oh, there's the lovely hot chocolate (I still remember the taste and texture). Even though the Capitol is evil, makes 24 kids fight to the death and all, they sure can put on a meal. I load my plate up as high as I can without it all falling off and stuff myself till I'm about to burst. I adore the sponge cake especially, the only time I have had cake is at my father's 40th birthday. I then glance around; I look at my 4 other companions, Tom Blade, Kimba Strake, Jonathon Baore and Aphrodite Lace. Kimba is next to me, still eating, because although she is a Hunger Games victor and lives in plenty, no mere District food can compare to this. She winks at me and mumbles; "Try the crab pate! It is delicious with the crumbling biscuits." I smirk and turn to Jonathon, who is looking around nervously. When he thinks no one is watching, he scurries out of the room into his own. He has hardly even eaten much! Only a roll. What a sook, honestly. Next, I glance at Tom Blade, that bloodthirsty man that won by stabbing all his Career allies in the back. He is ripping chicken off the bone roughly, earning himself numerous disgusted glances from Aphrodite Lace. I now I sneak a peek at her. Being named after the Ancient Greek goddess and all, you'd expect her to be very vain, and vain she is. Aphrodite Lace is checking her gorgeous reflection in a gold mirror for the eighth bloody time, repeat the eighth time this meal. (And I should know I've been counting.) Once she is happy with her make up (did I add that she's got pink mascara, gold eye shadow, purple lip gloss, black blush, oh god,) she smooths the silky fabric of her gold, pink and purple patterned black kimono. The styles of the Capitol are nuts, seriously. At home we wear something clean, probably a dull factory or dim school uniform. Something tells me that she only toned it down for the Reaping in District 3, and that I will be very, very surprised (and shocked) with the crazier fashions of the Capitol. Eventually sick of watching Tom gnaw at the bones, she tells us to go to bed. I stroll out casually, and collapse onto my bed, wanting to get a lot of sleep before having to deal with a seemingly annoying stylist tomorrow.
"My goodness, how much dirt do you have in your hair? I wash mine twice a day. This is disgusting." moaned Alixandra, one of my prep team members. Pompeii groaned and nodded. "District kids are always so disgusting, but I pity the District 12 prep team! They'll have to get gross coal dust out." I'm sick of my stupid prep team! They talk about me as if I'm not there; they love the Hunger Games, and probably can't wait to watch me die! Alixandra, Pompeii and Cleo are their names, and they all look preposterous. Alexandra wears an acid green dress with magenta pink hair. Pompeii has his whole body dyed a deep shade of orange, and has lemon yellow hair to match. Cleo is so tattooed, she is almost gruesome. She has whiskers on her face, a mocking jay across her forehead, and her whole left arm is littered with Hunger games victor's images and names. What is with the stupid Capitol fashion? They seem obsessed with looking ridiculous. Finally they have finished, and I can meet my stylist. She is a short woman with blue hair, purple lips and green skin strolls in as if she owns the place. Come to think of it, she probably does own this room, but still! "My name is Clara Sindh, I'm your stylist. Come-" she looks blank, fumbles around in her handbag and finds a slip with the name Bryanne Taylin on it- "Bryanne. We need to talk about your chariot outfit. I see the prep team did their job?" she asks, glancing down at my glowing skin, silky hair and perfect nails. "No need to ask then. So, come sit down." She takes my wrist and pulls me to a plush fluffy chair, and stares at me hard. "So, Bryanne, do you like the Capitol? Of course you do. So, for the chariot ride you are going to be a robot, since you are from District 3." I try to smile. "Good girl. Though you will look gorgeous, please don't brag about my techniques. I keep them very secret." Yay. I just hope they don't involve pain for my part. "Now let's get started…" she sings.
Three hours later, she (finally) allows me to look in a mirror. On first glance, I hardly recognise me. I must come from a factory, because looking back at me is a robotic girl with shiny metal skin with cogs and wires stencilled on. They appear to be falling from my hair, which is laden with wires and bolts. I am dressed in a tight fitting metallic gold dress that has the inside of some device sketched on. Even though this Clara Sindh is annoying, (she has talked non-bloody-stop about how amazing she is) she has made me look pretty good. Maybe not as good as District 12's look many years ago, but it will do. I grin and she laughs, happy with herself. "Let's go show your mentor, she'll love you." Kimba does like my outfit, and tells me so. "Come on, time for the tribute parade." she says.
Chapter 4
The Chariot Ride! Training!
I am taken down by some Peacemakers as they do to everyone, and I stop to wonder at all the other tribute's costumes. Which are completely amazing! The District 1 boy and girl are dressed as Greek gods, and look fabulous. District 2 is dressed as warriors, the District 4 tributes are mermaids and the District 6ers are dressed in mechanic costumes. I marvel at District 7's beautiful outfits as half human half bird fairies, smile at District 8's colourful gown and suit, gasp at District 12's phoenix outfit, and snigger at District 11's tree outfit and District 10's cow outfit. But more laughs are to come as I see my district partner out, also as a robot. But he is simply wearing a spray painted silver box on his head, ha! Even I will look amazing next to poor Jonathon. He looks desperate, and is trying to talk to everyone at once, though everyone is ignoring him. Casually I stroke the horses when I spot the District 11 female tribute about to set her district partner on fire. I laugh, and stroll over. She looks funny, my type of gal. "Hey, I'm Bryanne. So, I'm guessing your name is Pyro?" She giggles and throws away the match (just as he catches on fire. Once the Peacemakers have put him out, I glance at her.) "You caught me. Actually, I'm Alameda. It's nice to meet you. So, love your outfit. You look lovely as a robot." I open my mouth to respond "Yeah, my stylist may be a pain in the #$ #* but she sure is clever." We talk for a few more minutes but Julius Olm, the host of the Hunger Games soon asks us to all get into our chariots. I bid Alameda farewell and stroll over to my chariot pulled by gorgeous steel grey horses.
I wave and smile as I am on the chariot, and blow kisses to the yelling crowd. The chariot procession is going well; I seem to be popular with Jonathon next to me. I hope I will get some sponsors, but I doubt he will. After a while the chariots have stopped, and President Rose has started to speak to the crowd. I tune out most of it, but hear the end: "And may the odds be ever in your favour." she nods to Julius Olm and he farewells the crowd and the tributes. Back in the Training Centre, Kimba and Clara are happy with me, and tell me to get some sleep because tomorrow Training will begin.
I am escorted down by Kimba by an elevator to the Training Centre. I walk into the room and take my place surrounding the head trainer. I stare around at my 23 other competitors, taking in their height, weight and possible ally quality. No one really interests me as an ally but Alameda. "First of all, no fighting with the other tributes. You can do that in the arena." Yells Dyna Banks, the famously tough trainer for the tributes. She tells us about all the stations, then leaves us to our own devices. Trying to get away from Jonathon as soon as possible, I go to the edible plants station across the room from the weightlifting station he headed towards. There the trainer quizzes me on what I know, and is delighted when he finds he can have an educated student (since I have a lot of knowledge about edible plants). As I try some wild parsley and try to remember its flavour, the District 8 female tribute comes over. "Hey, I'm Taylor." I nod and mutter my name, but try to concentrate on the plants and berries. She chatters on, oblivious to my tuning her out. Finally I get annoyed with her talking and move on a ninja star and throwing knives station, that I find I am quite good at both if my target is less than 50m away. There Alameda joins me, but I see she is burning to go to the fire starting station. I reluctantly agree and true to my instincts, the first half of today's training ends abruptly with the Peacekeepers having to extinguish the trainer. Now that is at the end of the training I am intensely proud of myself, silently grinning as the tributes file off to lunch. I sit down with Alameda, the girl I met at the chariot parade, and eat with her. After a while I notice Taylor sitting alone, so I beckon her over. Both girls I am considering for allies (but Taylor may be hard to camouflage, so noisy.) Back at training, I try the knot tying station, (and learn how to make nets to fish with), and try the obstacle course (which is fun but painful if a trainer gets you with a padded club. Once the training is over, I walk back to our room and prepare for dinner with my mentor, stylist, Jonathon, his stylist and his mentor. Yay. I cannot wait. The meal is so very awkward, with no one talking. Finally, Kimba can't stand the silence and breaks it with a, "so, what did you learn today? I break in before Jonathon can, and brag about my learning how to throw knives and ninja stars, about edible plants, about knot tying and that I tried the obstacle course. "Great! What did you do, Jonathon?" says Kimba brightly, and Jonathon mumbles a bit about weightlifting and sword fighting. Tom Blade, this idiotically blood thirsty man smirks and pats him on the back, cheering him on. Jonathon won't live long without food in the arena, so he is surely stuffed if he doesn't learn some survival skills. What use is weightlifting against someone with a sword. Oh wow, you can throw a bolder at them. Gawd. At last the (delicious with orange flavoured duck) meal is over, and I slink back to my room to prepare for another hard day of training.
Chapter 6
Allies and Training Scores.
"So Bryanne…. have you been thinking about allies much?" asks Kimba after another day of training. "Well, I like that Alameda from District 11, she seems nice and friendly. And loyal, which is a good thing."
"Hmmm. I know her mentor, Sky Cloud quite well, and I'd be happy to work with her to arrange an alliance if that's what Alameda wants. Anyone else?"
"Well, Taylor from District 8 is very friendly."
"I think one will do for now. Anyway, what do you want to do for your bloodbath strategy?" I moan and sink my head into one of the plush gold cushions of the royal blue couch. "Don't make me talk about that now! I was having such a lovely night until you mentioned the Hunger Games!" I cried sarcastically. "Everyone wants me to prepare for the Games so they can watch me die!" Kimba hugs me and tells me to get to bed to be ready for my individual training session with the Gamemakers.
The twenty-two other tributes and I wait in silence as we wait for the District 1 boy to have his private session. I thank the gods that I am from District 3 and don't have to wait 78 billion hours before I get to see the Gamemakers.
About an hour later my name is called. "Bryanne Taylin". I pull myself off the steel waiting bench and walk into the chamber where I will hopefully impress the Gamemakers. After surveying my surroundings and the Gamemakers, I pick up some ninja stars and some throwing knives. One by one I hurl the knives at a target, relieved when they all hit it. I jump to the ropes on the ceiling and swing down, smashing the stars at a target as I go. Next I send a few arrows at the force field that protects the Gamemakers from me and dodge them as they come riding back. Finally I jump up and grab a rope, swing on it and kick a target over. The Gamemakers nod and say: "Thank you. You can go." I hope I have done enough to impress them!
"So how badly did you do?" asks Kimba as she slouches on the couch next to me. "I think I did ok, I just shot some arrows, kicked some things, threw some stuff and climbed a bit." Kimba smiles. "Come on, time to watch the scores." We go down into the lounge and slouch in front of the television. Jonathon and Tom join us, and we prepare to see the scores. I hold my breath as Jonathon's score comes up, and smirk when I see his small score of 4. When my score comes up, I gasp at the 9 on the screen. Yay! Not high enough to be targeted, but not low enough that I won't get sponsors. "Good girl. Go to bed, get some sleep, it's going to be a big day tomorrow!"
Kimba was NOT lying when she said this was going to be a big day. Firstly, was stuck with her for 2 and a half hours on how I'm going to act. Sweet, cocky, sexy, vain? In the last ten minutes I figure out that I can pull of a sarcastic and bored appearance very well. Then there is 3 hours with Aphrodite Lace on my 'ladylikeness' as she puts it. I relearn how to walk, smile and sit, and also almost fall asleep. Then it's time for my stylist to dress me up.
"So Bryanne! What do you think you shall be wearing? No answer? Well, I'll answer it then you are going to wear a metallic silver dress, gold heels and gold sash. You'll look wonderful. Prep Team!" Alixandra, Pompeii and Cleo scurry out, ready to make my beautiful. Yippee for me. They wax me, trim my hair, make up me… Finally I am ready to go. I travel to the interview place in a limo, and stand with my 23 other tributes. Soon we all go in, in a line, to our seats on the stage. Every interview with Julius Olm has 3 minutes of talking, then a buzzer sounds and the next tribute is up. Since I am the District 3 girl, I will go 5th. But before me there is…
D1 boy: he is cocky and charming, as if he has already won the games.
D1 girl: she is really flirty, flirting with Julius Olm, the audience, anyone. She's really popular.
D2 boy: he is very annoyed, shooting glances around and was silent.
D2 girl: she was very blunt and cunning, telling the audience she's looking forward to the bloodbath.
Then there is me. I walk to the chair, and smile at the host and the crowd. "This is…. Bryanne Taylin! So Bryanne, how do you like the Capitol so far?" asks Julius. I laugh and say back, "It's gorgeous, but I miss my family back home."
"Really? Can you give us a hint of who your family is?"
"Well, I have 2 brothers, 4 sisters, 1 cousin and my parents. We share a 5 room house. That's why I'm here, really, because of the tesserae."
"Hm. So, what will your arena strategy be?"
"Like I'll tell you! Joking, really. I guess I'll just, I dunno…" I stroke my chin and the crowd laughs. "I'll just try to STAY ALIVE."
He laughs and the crowd joins in. "Any idea of why you can win the Hunger Games?"
"I'm fast and can hide really well. If no one can find and catch me, then no one can kill me. Unless I starve, dehydrate, are poisoned, drown, fall out of a tree, attacked by mutts….."
Everyone laughs now and my buzzer goes. I walk back to my seat. The rest of the tributes are interesting, I note that the Careers don't like Taylor too much, she keeps poking fun at them. Alameda gets bored and sets fire to the host, which gets a lot of laughs and a very annoyed Julius Olm. But I don't listen that much, really. My thoughts are focused on one thing: The Hunger Games. Which are tomorrow.
Chapter 7
Hovercraft ride!
The journey on the hovercraft is completely silent, no one speaks. The other tributes are leering, looking terrified or trying to calm themselves. I am in the latter group, and try my hardest to relax (but who can relax when they're about to be sent into an arena to fight to the death?)
Finally we arrive, and I walk to my launch room where I will farewell my stylist. Clara and I hug. Even though we don't get along to famously, she helped me and I won't forget it. She leads me to my metal plate, and smiles sadly. "Goodbye, Bryanne." I hold her gaze as the plate is encased in glass and I shoot to the surface, and hear the countdown. 60. 59. 58.
Staring around at the other tributes, I find Alameda's eyes and glance questioningly. She signals using Kimba and I's special symbols, and I at once know she is my ally. I signal that she should sprint in, grab a bow and cover me as I get some other weapons. 48. 47. 46. Relieved she knows what to do; I turn my focus to my surroundings. And gasp in shock. To my left there is a forest with the most huge and lovely climbing trees. To my right there is a gigantic lake with heaps of islands. 21. 20. 19. Tearing my gaze from the arena, I stare at the weapons and supplies near the golden horn of the Cornucopia. I spot a bow, and signal to alameda to get it. I fix my gaze on a blow gun, ninja star pack and two backpacks, all in a pile. 3. 2. 1. The horn blows and I dart towards the pile. In the corner of my eye I spy a career from District 1 aiming for me with a spear and duck. I run fast to the pile and snatch up all the items. Calling out to Alameda, we run into the forest together, just to a tall tree. We from there watch the Bloodbath and try to pick off people with knives and arrows. The fighting is very brutal, with heaps of people dying in the first minute. Finally the fighting ceases, and I know that Alameda and I must run. No one follows us and we make it about two kilometres before Alameda is panting and we find a huge tree with easy to climb branches. We scramble up and go through our weapons first. A dozen ninja stars, a bow and 10 arrows, 1 blow gun and 30 darts. The backpacks each contain two plastic bottles, one half full of water and one empty, a bottle of iodine, bandages, pills, a sleeping bag, some crackers, some plastic, two packets of chips, some dried fruit, some matches and some corned beef. "Alameda? Can you do me a favour and scout around for any other tributes? I don't think we are far away enough." Alameda nods and scurries up the tree so easily, I envy her. I hear her alarmed shout and climb up to her. "I can see the District 10 boy approaching. He hasn't seen us yet but he may soon. I vote we stay in the tree tops but move along." I agree and quietly pack up our items and weapons, sharing the load between the two backpacks. We silently move from tree to tree as quickly as we can. Luckily the boy has stopped and is setting up a camp. Once we have been swooping through the trees for hours, it is dark. I want to keep going but Alameda decides we are far enough when she cannot see anyone. "Ok. Do you spot any fruit, animals or anything else?" I ask. Seeing an arrow flying through the air and hearing a dying birds screech, Alameda smirks. "You look for a water source and I'll hunt." She says. I nod and walk off, searching for some water that shall be our life. Soon I find a flowing stream with heaps of fish swimming in it. Good thing I brought some ninja stars. Filling all the bottles and putting in the iodine I walk back to Alameda and grin. "Hey Alameda, I hope you like sea food."
"So you found a water source? Great! C'mon, I got a groosling and two rabbits."
"Cool. Let's cook them all and store all but a fish each in the plastic for later. Can you do the fire?"
"Yeah, sure."
I gather up some wood and we cook the food on the small fire underneath the great tree. It's very cosy, with Alameda with my side and the fire in front of me, so I tell her to keep watch and drift off to sleep. Until we hear the screams.
Chapter 8
The Captive and the rescue!
"Help me!" screams the voice again. We know they must be close, for I can hear the footsteps and laughs of who can only be the Careers. "Pack the things." I whisper to Alameda. I slowly creep up the tree and am terrified by what I see. In the clearing 20 metres away from us there are 5 Careers surrounding Taylor. "Get away!" she shrieks, panicking at the look of their swords and spears. They laugh and the District 1 boy smirks. "Tie her up. C'mon, Jak, Sira, Pearl, you guys go get her. Elanele, bring the rope. You'll pay for the interviews, Miss high and mighty." They stroll over and easily take her, knocking her out with a rock and tying her up tightly. I know it's the Hunger Games, but I have to help her. "Alameda. It's Taylor. The Careers have got her and because she made fun of them at the interviews….." I trail off as Alameda nods. "Come on, let's follow them." We stalk the 5 Careers and their captive as they make their way to a grove with a small steam, tents and a fire. They untie Taylor and retie her to a tree with a straight trunk and branches, in the shape of a cross. "Wait till she wakes, then we'll start." Growls Sira happily. We perch in a tree nearby with a perfect view of the grove. They make a meal out of some Cornucopia supplies and leave Pearl and Jak on watch. "Wake us when Miss high and mighty wakes up." Decides Elanele.
Soon Taylor is awake again, and she looks terrified. Well, I am too, and I'm not even tied to a tree with 5 Careers around me. Jak is sharpening a knife, and Sira is tying ropes just her neck and arms, leaving her feet free. "Alameda, c'mon! Let's rescue her now!" I whisper. 'No, they won't even listen to a distraction now. Wait till they are bored, then I'll light a fire nearby. We can take off, just make sure Taylor sees our faces."
"Why?"
"Well, then she'll be grateful to us and probably not try extra hard to kill us, you know."
"Oh."
The next hour is one of the worst of my life….. Watching Taylor being tortured…. I realise I am crying. "Now we strike." murmurs Alameda, her face contorted with anger.
Our plan is simple. Alameda sets fire to their packs and supplies, and then leads them on a chase to our stream, where she will climb a tree and hide till they go. I will untie Taylor, use some bandages to help her, give her some water and one of our packs with a full container of water, some medical stuff and the rabbit in it. Then I will tell her to run and disappear.
So Alameda starts the fire. They yell with anger, put out the fire and chase her, as of the plan. I dart out of the tree, check they are all gone, and untie the in pained Taylor. She glances up in me with relief and starts to cry. I wash her wounds, bandage her face, neck and wrists then tell her and hand her the backpack. I then race off, collecting Alameda and heading deeper, safer into the forest of the arena.
Finally the day is over.
We see the faces in the sky, the faces of the dead tributes. Who is left? Jak, Sira, Pearl, Elanele, Zeus, Jonathon, Me, the boy from D6, the girl from D7,the boy from D4, the boy from 10, Taylor, Alameda and the girl from D12. 10 dead and 14 left to play the Hunger Games.
The next morning Alameda and I receive our first sponsor gift: a note with the words: Thank you for Taylor. It must be from District 8. We smile and keep moving, as far away from the Careers as possible. Soon we come across a huge oak, with difficult to climb branches, a small stream and bushes of berries Alameda seems to recognise. "Yum! Pipper Berries! C'mon, try some. We have them at home." I throw a few purple blue berries in my mouth and smile at the sweet taste. "So I think we should stay here for a while. It's near a water source, food source and tree source. Agreed?" I proposed. Alameda smiled and nodded. "Let's make a tree house!" I laugh and we start building. It niggles in the back of my mind though… both of us can't win the Hunger Games…
Then I hear Alameda scream and run to me…
"Bryanne! There is someone there, we better hide."
"Got it. But wait…."
I slowly walk over to the source of the noise, and find a girl with black hair, a green eye and a ruined one, scars and bandages all over…. "Taylor." She smiles and nods. "Thank you so much for rescuing me. I would like to talk to you both. Now." I am surprised by how much Taylor has changed from the talkative girl I met at training. I motion for Alameda to come forward, and sit down. "Come over here. So, what do you want?"
"An alliance."
"Hm."
"Yeah."
"I guess so, let me talk to Alameda."
We walk off and consult each other.
"Yes?"
"Hmm. I dunno, really. We might as well."
"Ok."
We stroll back to Taylor and give her our answer. "Yay! Thank you! So what are we doing now?"
"We will build a tree house. There's so much wood around, it's easy."
We all get to work. Taylor is quite strong, and older than Alameda and I, so she does all the heavy lifting. I do the ropes to tie it together and Alameda directs us. Finally we are done, and Taylor and I sleep while Alameda keeps watch. Once it is my shift, I see the names in the sky. And gasp. "Girls! Look! We stare up into the sky together. Today only 3 people have died. Careers! Zeus, Elanele and Sira are all dead. "I know what happened…." Sighs Taylor. "What?"
"Pearl and Jak betrayed them. Well, that's less competition!" laughed Taylor. I almost gasp at her non worriness about the deaths of two people, then I realise they DID torture her.
Chapter 9
Muttation Attack!
Waking up in the morning Alameda decides that we should go hunting. Taylor stays and guards the base with a knife while Alameda has a bow and I have the ninja stars. Together we set off to the forest. I decide that we should split up, so I take the stream and she takes the grove. I have hit two rabbits and a groosling when I hear her scream.
Racing to Alameda, I am shocked when I see the blur of brownish red hair speeding in front of me in a tribute uniform. It's another tribute! I am about to attack when I see Alameda in a clearing being attacked by muttations. Commonly known as mutts, they are beings created by the Capitol during the first and second Panem wars. Some are tracker jackers, wasp like creatures with deadly stings, and wolf people. These are lions with manes and tails of knives. There are 2 of them, and they have surrounded Alameda. She shoots and arrow at one, but the other pulls it out and the wound heals. I turn to the other tribute (who I recognise as the girl from District 12) and ask her which weapons she has. "Knife and sword. You get the little one; I'll go for the big." We strike at the same time. I slay the small with a ninja star to the neck, and the girl slices off the other's head. Alameda isn't wounded but she collapses into my arms. "Thank you! I am Alameda and this is Bryanne. How can we thank you? Would you like to be allies?" asks Alameda. "I am Zerafina of District 12. Yes, I shall join you."
Back at the camp, we introduce Zerafina to Taylor. She accepts her as an ally and we plan for tomorrow. Our feeble water supplies and food won't last for long, and the games have to end soon…. Time to go hunting for tributes.
"Aieeeeeeee!" screams Taylor. We have been travelling around for the last two hours, trying to find other tributes and fights when we hear the scream. Alameda, Zerafina and I run to Taylor, but it's too late…. Taylor lies convulsing on the ground with a spear in her neck, and Jak and Pearl stand over her. I throw without mercy, slaying Jak. I miss Pearl, and Alameda and Zerafina try to hit her, but she gets away. We run to Taylor. One look says that the spear is too deep in her neck, I couldn't save her. Alameda and I start to cry and try to comfort Taylor. Taylor smiles sadly and murmurs to me: "Good luck Bryanne. You can win these Hunger Games, you can. Give my family the best when you go on the victory tour." I push her hair behind an ear and smile. "I'll do it. For you." She laughs quietly and a tear slips out of my eyes onto her cheek. "Don't cry for me….." her voice dwindles and I can see that she is in a lot of pain. "Goodbye" And she dies. There. In my arms. Alameda and Zerafina go comfort me. "It's ok…"
"No its not…"
"Let's go."
Sobbing, we walk off. But I can't live with leaving her there… I race back and see that her body is gone. The hovercraft must have taken it when we left… "Goodbye Taylor."
A few minutes later, when we are walking along…
"Jonathon?"
"Bryanne!"
I was walking along, having a wonderful day (apart from the death of Taylor a few minutes ago) when HE appeared.
"Who's he?" chorused Alameda and Zerafina. "My district partner."
"Oh."
"GO AWAY Jonathon or I'll kill you." I yelled bluntly.
"But…"
I sent a ninja whirring through the air, deliberately not hitting him just scaring him. "But Bryanne…" he whines. "Oh lord. I'll be hated if I win and I kill him, so Zera, can ya finish him off for me. Please?" She grins and sends an arrow and him. It hits Jonathon in the leg and he runs off. We scowl and set up camp in a tree. "Ala, you make the fire, I'll roast the food, Zerafina, keeps watch." I command.
Chapter 10
Jay? Zerafina? Alameda?
Soon it is night and the deaths appear in the sky. Who died today…? Taylor. Jak. Oh, the D6 boy, I think his name was Starlow, is dead. So that's Pearl, Jonathon, Me, the girl from D7, the boy from D12, the boy from 10, Alameda and Zerafina left. 16 dead and 8 left to play the Hunger Games.
In the morning I hear a rustle near me. In the next door tree there is a blonde boy staring at me cheekily. "Can ya catch me, b*# #s?" That wakes Alameda and Zerafina, and we stare as he swings to a tree with a rope tied to a branch. I fire a ninja star at the rope and he falls, probably breaking an arm judging by the noise he's making. "Oppsie, my bad! Meant to hit you. So don't call me a b*# #." I growl. "Sorry!" he cries. Zerafina looks angry, but also guilty. "Zera, what's up?"
"Oh, I just know Jay's brother…." She murmurs. Her eyes are looking around guiltily. "I promised to look after him…." I sigh and apologise. Alameda just fires an arrow into his throat. "No mercy. Let's go." I hear the dying scream of the boy and gulp, sorry that I let it happen. Zerafina is so angry she jumps at Alameda with her knife, about to kill her. Alameda just trips her, and Zera falls, falls, falls… onto the ground with Jay. "I'm sorry! She was attacking me!" cries Alameda, her eyes wild. I don't answer, and jump down to see the damage. Zerafina has broken her back for sure, since she cannot move. I glare at Alameda, who is white with guilt. "Sorry!" she cries to Zerafina, and Zerafina try's to speak. "My…. fault….don't... blame… yourself… its okay… now I'll be… with my….. Family…." I sob and hug her. She smiles and says: "sing… for me…. a… song….." I do know one, a traditional District 12 Song. "Come on Alameda..." we hold her hand and sing.
"Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise."
I'm crying now, not ready to let her go.
"Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you."
I can't go on, so Alameda finishes the song for me.
"Deep in the meadow, hidden far away
a cloak of leaves, A moonbeam ray
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.
"Here its safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you."
She dies. Another ally that dies in my arms.
"I'm so sorry….." cries Alameda
That night we sit in a tree together, far away from Zerafina's and Jay's death tree. The sky tells us that died today? Jay. Zerafina. So that's Pearl, Jonathon, Me, the girl from D7, the boy from 10, and Alameda left. 18 dead, 6 left to play the Hunger Games. They are getting through us tributes fast these games. I cry with Alameda, so angry and sad that Taylor and Zerafina are gone. How is it fair? I hate the Capitol so much….. "Sleep tight…" I whisper to Alameda. She lies next to me and I can tell that she tries to sleep, but can't. "OK, you can keep watch." I murmur. She try's to laugh but fails sadly. "Ok." I drift off to sleep, dreaming of Taylor and Zerafina….. Then wake up in the morning to find her gone.
I wake up and she is gone. On the tree she has scratched a note: I can't forgive myself for murdering Zerafina. It may be the Hunger Games, but she was our ally. Don't come looking for me, I deserve to die. I'm just so sorry. If I can't help Zerafina, then I can avenge Taylor.
I haphazardly grab our bags and weapons then follow her trail. And am so surprised by what I see. There is Alameda, silently sitting in a tree and watching the burning Pearl's base with Pearl trapped inside by a rock fall I suspect Alameda fabricated. She's close enough to the flames to burn, so I shut out the screams of Pearl and pull her away. "Alameda, don't leave me with no allies. Zera attacked YOU, it wasn't your fault. Let's go." Alameda nods and runs off with me. I am so glad that she has seen sense. Together we climb a tree and debate on where to go next. "I vote we look at the islands. I don't think there are many people left in the forest, and if there are only 4 more people left then we should try to end this." I propose. Alameda agrees and we hop down and jog to the Cornucopia. It takes forever, and we get there without any hassles by dark. Alameda thinks that we should camp here, so I start to set up a camp when a voice crackles over a loudspeaker.
Chapter 11
A feast!
It is Ahab Kinge, the announcer for the Hunger Games. "To all tributes! You have so far been in the Hunger Games for 4 nights, and the Capitol knows some of you have been starving and running low on food. So I am inviting you all to a feast! Be at the Cornucopia at dawn to see this banquet. May the odds be ever in your favour!" I turn to Alameda and smile. "Maybe we should stay here until tomorrow… Some food shall be nice and we'll see the other tributes." She grins and we start to plan our strategy for the feast. The names are in the sky, and only Pearl died today. 5 tributes left to fight in the Hunger Games.
That morning we wake to the sound of a hovercraft lowering a large table down to the ground next to the Cornucopia. Alameda smiles and we get our weapons. One of us will keep guard for other tributes and one with collect and eat some food. I am on guard for the 2nd time when another tribute appears, it is Jonathon. I yell and charge at him with ninja stars, and he screams and runs. I throw a star at his back, catching him in the crook and he faints. I feel so guilty, he will be my second kill, but I still hurl the ninja star that ends his life. The cannon fires and I take his pack from his back. Alameda and I watch as a hovercraft takes him up. We have soon filled our stomachs and taken some food, and we lie in wait for other tributes. After almost an hour of waiting a red headed boy sprints out and Alameda aims an arrow at his neck. He dodges and sends a spear flying back, hitting her in the neck. I try to dart him with the blowgun but it misses and he snatches up some food and runs. I crouch next Alameda and see how much damage has been done, and see whether I could heal it. Alameda is unconscious from blood loss already so I pull out the spear and try to staunch the flow of blood with a bandage. Soon I have stopped the blood and wrap it up with a bandage. She eventually wakes up and seems shocked that she is still alive. "Bryanne... I'm still alive! Thank you. Can I sleep again, or do I have to stay awake?" I hug her and smile. "Sleep. Hopefully if we have sponsors then Kimba will send me something."
And send me something she does. A few minutes later a silver parachute drifts down from the sky. It contains a strong smelling drug in a vial. I get Alameda to drink it, and she soon feels better. When she is ready to move we begin and start to move towards the islands. We are about to cross the water, Alameda first when it rises up in a spout. I scream and pull Alameda back, and we sprawl quivering on the sandy ground as we watch the deadly creation of the Gamemakers spin in the ocean. A water spout! I have never seen one before but in our books at school we learn about them. We scramble farther away from it, but in our daze we did not notice the red haired boy that speared Alameda coming up behind us. I spin around and slap him in the face just as he shoves Alameda into the water. "Alameda!" I scream, and whirl around to the boy. He sneers and aims a spear at me. I duck and he sprints off. It's too late to chase him so I search around for something that will float. I find a piece of driftwood a few meters away and chuck it out to the far away Alameda. She manages to grab onto it and try to stay afloat. I get a rope and pass it out to her, and command for her to tie it onto the driftwood so I can pull her in. Alameda obeys and I drag her in. She is coughing and spluttering and her neck wound is bleeding so heavily again. Judging by the amount of blood in the water, and the paleness of her skin, I judge that Alameda has lost too much blood. She is a goner. I crouch down beside her, and hold her hand for her final minutes. "You know I'll never forgive myself for Zerafina, ay?" She asks. I nod sadly and have to agree. "Then it was a great deal of luck that I was pushed in, not you. You are the better person. But now you have 3 allies depending on you to avenge us, you know. Win for Taylor. Win for Zerafina. And win for me." She dwindles off, looking so tired. "I'll win. Now there are 3 people I have promised this to, but I'll win. That red-haired boy will die, and so will the D7 girl." "Thank you. Thank you and goodbye….good bye bryanne…" She fades away and dies in my arms.
3 allies. Three deaths. I run away, as fast as I can, to get away from the terrible occurrences of today. Not caring where I go, I find myself at the water's edge again, but further away from the water spout. I swim as fast as I can, making it to a deserted island rich in trees, so far away from the deaths of my allies and enemies. Climbing a tree, I can hardly think straight. I sort out the packs, putting all of my alliance's weapons and Jonathon's sword in a bag, and all the feast food and supplies in another. I shouldn't really sleep, because the red haired boy may come, but I want my mind distracted from the evil time I had today. My mind gives me a perfect dream, with me back in District 3; with Taylor, Zerafina, Fauna and Alameda dancing at a festival with me. I feel so joyful when I wake up, but that happiness seeps away as I realize all but Fauna are dead. Knowing that I have missed the names in the sky, I mentally make a list of the alive tributes. Not many, really. They are really zipping through us, 21 tributes dead in less than a week. Me, the red haired boy and that girl from D7. I haven't noticed her once, but I think her name is Aurora…. Oh yeah, she was that shy 12 year old. I wonder how she has survived this long. I heave on the bags and go hunting for her.
Chapter 12
The Victor.
I creep through the branches, trying not to make a sound, something that I am skilled at doing. I have followed the tracks of a girl running through the greenery, never taking a care for concealing her steps. Maybe she was being chased by a Muttation? I soon find an abandoned campsite, and follow the next steps. And am surprised and horrified by what I see. There is the red haired boy, holding the near dead Aurora by the shirt. She has had her throat slit, and he is finishing her off. This is the perfect time to kill him! A ninja star slices through the air next to him, and hits him in the leg. He stabs Aurora one last time and rips out the star. He throws it back and me, but I dodge it. By the time I look up Aurora's cannon has fired and he is gone. I take Aurora's whip from her bag and hunt him down.
The red haired boy is waiting for me in a clearing, and I know that all cameras are focused on us. I use Aurora's whip and crack it, a skill I learned from my cousin. He hurls himself at me with a spear, and hits me in the leg. I hiss in pain and throw ninja star after ninja star at him, in my blows all the anger of Aurora's and Alameda's terrible and painful deaths. The torrent kills him, and a canon fires. Trumpets blow and I find myself on a hovercraft ladder. I have done the seemingly impossible. I have won the Hunger Games.