My platform begins to rise. By the time the various bolts and pipes have locked into place at the top, I have already mapped out the layout of the arena.

One giant island in the middle, surrounded by a ring of water. We all start on the island, with the Cornucopia in the middle. Palm trees mean coconuts, so there's no need to worry about food if I can get a knife. If there are trees, then there must be a water source somewhere.

Now there are thirty seconds until the gong sounds.

I look over at the girl from 5 sobbing on her pad. She hasn't stopped crying since her chariot pulled her and her partner around the town square in the Capitol. I feel sorry for her, but she isn't any worse off than me.

Suddenly, she stops crying. For a few seconds she stares at the ground.

Then she throws herself off of her pad.

I turn my head away quickly just as the mines detonate and blow her to kingdom come. Something lands on my shoulder, but I'm too scared and disgusted to look at what it is. I shake myself vigorously to get it off.

It's her hand.

I start to hyperventilate.

I hear the girl from 8 scream next to me. The boy from 2, who was to the right of the blown-up girl, laughs and says, "Twenty-two to go!"

BOOONNNGGG! The gong sounds and everyone runs off towards the golden horn. Except me. I can't force my legs to move. I see the boy from 2 veer off to the right and tackle the boy from 8. He grabs the boy's head and shoves hard. The boy's neck snaps and I know he's gone.

"MOVE!", I tell myself. Finally, my legs connect with my brain and I start to run towards the fray. I spot a knife sitting up against a gray backpack.

No sooner have I started running for it when the girl from 1 tackles me to the ground and puts a knife to my throat.

I close my eyes and wait for the end, but instead hear a battle cry and feel her fly off of my chest to my right. I open my eyes and see that Girph, my partner from 3, has tackled her off of me and is now rolling around in the sand with her. I would thank him, but I need to get to safety.

I grab the pack and knife and turn around to tell Girph to follow me.

Too late.

I see him lying in the sand with a knife in his heart.

The rest of the afternoon is a blur. I slightly remember running into the palm tree forest. I remember finding a hiding place between two rocks where no one would find me. And I remember bringing my knees to my heaving chest and silently crying.

Night falls. The anthem sounds. I look up in the sky to see who is dead.

Girph is first. Next is the girl from 5. Then the boy and girl from 6. The girl from 7. The boy from 8. Both from 10. The girl from 11. Both from 12. 10 tributes dead.

13 left for me to fight. Or hide from. My odds of survival at the moment are 19.1%. Not including the fact that I am seriously outmached in terms of fighting and survival skills. My stomach begins to tie itself into a knot and I fall asleep listening to the waves of the sea slosh back and forth. Back and forth...