Hunger games
It was the second ever Quarter Quell and I was waiting in the crowd like everyone else. We stood there in a silent, terrified awe as we waited for them to announce what the theme for this years games would be.
The women on stage reached into the wooden box to reveal the envelope that held the answer to the question we were all asking. The satisfied look that played on her lips when she opened the envelope struck fear into the hearts of every person in the crowd.
"The theme of this year's game will be double tributes. Two male and two female tributes will be drawn in the reaping this year!" Her voice boomed joyfully. The people from the capitol were twisted; they felt no remorse for the lives that were lost in the "Game", all they think about was the entertainment.
I looked around the crowd and could see the fear playing on the faces of all the children, the mothers, fathers, grandparents and neighbors. We, the possible tributes, stood there solemnly, secretly praying our names would not be called all the reaping.
The blond woman from the Capitol moved towards the center of the stage to the box that held the names of all the eligible tributes. She reached in and pulled out the first name. "Maysilee Donner Will be the first female tribute for district 12." The cold voice boomed. I heard shrieks of horror from Maysville's family as she made her way to the stage. We waited in silence for the rest of the names to be called. Another girl was called, one I don't believe I knew, and a boy I knew from school. Cries of fear and agony erupted from the people in the crowed; no one from our district had one the games before. Watching your child walk up to that stage was watching them walk to their death.
"The final male tribute from District 12 with be," the Capitol woman shouted. I felt my heart stop as I waited in the pause. " Haymitch Abernathy"
My heart sunk in my chest and my mother's voice shouting out " MY BABY!" broke the silence in the crowed. I heard my little brother scream and turned my head to where the girls stood to check on my girlfriend Willow. She had fallen to her knees and tears were pouring down her face. After watching my loved ones for a moment I slowly made my way to the stage and took my place next to the rest of the tributes.
I was given only three minutes, to say goodbye to my family and friends each. I did not want my family to think I was going in unprepared so I told them I had a plan. My brother deserved to have hoped that he would see me again someday, and my mom should have hope that I would be okay, she had needed my help far more since my father left.
After spending time with my mother and brother I asked to see Willow, She would have been so upset if I had not gotten to see her that night. "Don't go Haymitch" She whispered, her voice so full of sorrow.
"I have to Willow, I was chosen." I recited to her as though I had practiced it in the mirror a million times, because I had. Ever since the day I first told her I loved her I feared this day. I feared the day I would have to say good bye to her.
"You don't have to," she explained " we can run. We can go hide out in the forests where they won't find us!"
I stood there in awe of her desire to keep my close but I had to point out her only flaw. " Willow, The Capitol would never stop looking for us and when they find us they will kill us both for running. If we run there is no chance for either of us. I will go to the games and I will do everything I can to insure I return to you. Just promise me one thing, promise me you won't watch. I don't want you to see it and to worry for me." I explained to her.
She replied to me hesitantly " Okay Haymitch, I promise. Just please try to return to me, I don't know if I will survive if you don't."
Just then the peace keepers ran in and dragged her out of the room screaming and crying.
I would return for, as long as I remembered every piece of her and how much I loved her I would have the strength to survive. The way her golden brown hair fell in gentle curls right down to her waist, the way her slender body twisted and bent when she performed her ballet. When our fingers locked around one another's, the energy the pulsated between us. They were aspects of what made her perfect to me, but the one detail I pray I never forget in the extended smile she gave me and as she whispered my name, the first day I told her I loved her.
Training went by in a haze. Team mates struggled for enough attention from out mentors, however Maysilee Donner and I never had much of an issue with it. She and I both had specialties going into it. My skills with a knife, learned from my father at a young age would help me out greatly and Maysilee was trained to use a bow and arrow. It was clear first day that she and I would be the top non-career tribute prospects.
As we entered our tubes to the ring I felt my heart stopping. My body was filled with paralyzing fear as the rules were read to us over the megaphones. As soon as I heard the horn my feet took off for the cornucopia before my head had a chance to stop them. In seconds I had a sword in my hands and was running full force toward the forest when the four career tributes from districts 1 and 2 stopped me. Our fists flew through the air in a tangled scrap, I think they lost sight of me and started beating on each other a few times. It quickly became a battle of who could draw there weapon the quickest, me. The first two were slain in an instant, I single stab to the gut and the first cannon shot rang, then I turned and caught a second tribute by surprise, slashed across the throat and the body fell to the ground. "Nice run 12," The remaining boy called. " but you won't get us that easy." I felt the knife pressing on this throat from the boy who stood behind me. My knees went weak and I could feel my body staring to give way.
" Not so fast!" I heard Maysilee voice ring through the forests behind us. The knife held against my throat was loosened slightly and panic arose from the two district 1 tributes. I saw a dart wiz past my head and strike the girl right in the forehead and watched her fall to the ground. The cannons for the last two had not ringed yet, the game keepers much be amused by out debate. The knife was cutting into my flesh hard as the boy panicked, having watched his companion die. I knew this would not be the end of me though. The knife fell from the boy's hands and landed on the ground in front of me as the boys lifeless body fell limply to the left of him.
Maysilees voice boomed "Be more careful next time Haymitch! I don't want to lose the only respectable team mate I have! One of us has to survive, that won't happen if you die on the first day!" Her distress was clear in her voice as I watched her drop out of the tree she has disguised herself in. " Come on. We need to get somewhere safe so I can look at that cut on your neck, it looks pretty nasty."
"Alright, but I am feeling sort of faint." I replied, feeling the warm blood oozing down my neck. I followed her off into the forest and we ran up and down hills and dogged trees. After a while we reached a sharp cliff, clearly the intended edge of the game zone. Knees weak and chest heavy I laid down, leaning on a rock. Maysilee took her spot next to me and began to examine my neck. Her hands were cold on the wound and they caused a burning sensation I couldn't quite handle.
" This looks really bad Haymitch, but I will do what I can." I could see fear and worry in her blue eyes. She took the knife out of my pocket and used it to cut a strip in her pant lag. Removing a piece of fabric to use as a cloth she reached into the back pack she had grabbed at the cornucopia and began to search it for supplies. She found only water, a sleeping bag and a device to clean dirty water. Pouring some of the water on the fabric and dabbing it gently to clean the would out. After she had cleaned the cut she tore another piece of fabric and tied it to me to use as a bandage. "Stay here, just don't move. I am going to hunt for some food for us to eat tonight. If you get into trouble call for me."
After Maysilee ran off back into the forest I picked up a rock and flung it over the edge of the cliff. Shocking me greatly it shot back up and landed right next to my hand on the ground near where I had picked it up. 'Interesting' I thought to myself ' I could use this to my advantage later on.'
Many nights Maysilee and I stayed at the edge of the cliff, it made for a good hideout where we could wait out the game and I could heal from my neck injury. After the first day I guess the two of us as a pair had won over a few sponsors so someone had dropped us some medicine to help heal my neck. Only two or three tributes ever found their way to where she and I had set up our camp, but they were never an easy kill.
The first night Maysilee and I set up camp she went out to hunt. While she was out a tribute from district two turned up, career tribute. I stood on my feet abruptly, knife in hand but I could feel the weakness in my knees as they shook. I leaped forwards in an attempt to disguise my lack of stability, striking the young man in the face with my blade. Arms flailing and blades slashing. It was no more than a two minute struggle before we were back to our feet and I had him pinned to the mountain wall, under my heavy muscular arm and dug my knife into his chest.
During the nights we stayed at camp we only kept track on killings by cannon fire and the pictures displayed in the sky. By the end of the 12th night at camp the death toll was 43 tributes total. This left only 5 tributes in the game, one girl from district two, the two boys from district 6, Maysilee and I. This was the night her and I decided it was time to go our own ways. We were down to the final five and we had to insure one of us survived, our best chances were to split up. Plus, I think we both secretly hoped someone would kill the other so that we did not have to do it ourselves.
Over the next two days only one of the district 6 boys had died, but I think it was a death caused by the game makers to keep things moving. I wondered through the forest, hoping to spot the other and take him out before having to go head to head with the career tribute girl from district 1. There was no doubt in my mind that she had completed a vast majority of the killings so far and I knew she would be a tough fight. As I continued on my way I heard a scream, one I could only recognize as my former companion and I ran off in that direction, following her voice. Where I found her I would surely find another tribute to kill to reap vengeance for her.
Instead of finding another tribute, I found a flock of birds pecking at her. One swooped in and knocked her over and tore at her throat leaving an open gash. I ran in, making every noise I could to scare them off. Taking a place alongside the bleeding girl, I pulled her head gently into my lap. Instantaneously I noticed there was simply no way she could survive this wound. The only thing I could do was hold my companion close to me and stroke her head gently as though I were putting my little brother into a slumber. This was no ordinary sleep though, it was an eternal slumber she could never escape. As her eyes began to waver shut she whispered to me " Good luck Friend." And a tear gently slipped down my cheek, at that moment two cannons fired.
' WAIT," I thought to myself, 'not one cannon, but two? Another tribute must have died around the same time as her.' I laid there, in the meadow with her through that whole night, wishing more than anything I were at home with Willow. I missed those gentle pink lips, but I would be home to them in no time at all. The pictures in the sky that night showed Maylisee and the last remaining district 6 tribute, meaning it would be me and the female from district one tomorrow, the game makers would make sure that the final fight was tomorrow.
First thing when I woke up I headed for the cornucopia, that is where the girl from district 2 would expect to meet me and I hoped to avoid interference from the game makers. When I got there I found her waiting, axe in hand. She ran at me full force and went to swing, I took a step back and caught it with my hand only taking a slight cut to the side. I twisted the axe from her hands and it landed with a slightly metallic clunk. She pulled a knife and lunged for me and we wrestled around for a matter of moments. Some time in our struggle I flailed my arm up to her face, the blade sunk into something and I sliced down words and was surprised to see her eyeball roll to the ground.
In shock of what I had done to her and slightly grossed out by the opening in her eye socket I took a step back, thinking she was probably in too much pain to react. I was wrong, in one swift movement she disarmed me and grabbed her axe. I stumbled back, knowing I had no real line of defense now, My mom, brother and willow were at home watching on the edge of their seats right now I was sure. The axe came in quick and hard in the stomach, any more force behind it and I probably would have died. She let it go and stood back to watch thinking this was the end of me. Pulling the axe out of my stomach I began to run back to the forest. I now had a plan to insure I saw my girl again.
The tribute from district 1 followed after me, she was far faster than me, but I had one clear advantage, I could still see. I made my way to the cliff, watching carefully behind me to see when she would throw. She whirled the axe at me and I watched in slice through the air, at the last second I dodged out of its way and watched it fly off the edge of the cliff. Perhaps surrendering or maybe just deciding to wait out my death she just stood in her place. The arena did the rest of the work for me, the axe came hurdling back up through the sky and landed with a gruesome crunch in the head of the girl from district 1. I watched horrified as she fell to her knees and burred her head in her hands, It should have been an instant kill but somehow she managed to whisper to me " Good game 12." Before slipping into her cold, dark, unfortunate death. What a stupid game.
The next number of days I spent in the hospital recovering from the slash in my stomach. The days went by in a blur of consciousness, sleep and a little fighting with the doctors. I really just wanted to get home to my girlfriend and baby brother.
I was forced to take a two week tour of all the districts following the games, ending finally in district 12 where I would find my family moved into the big beautiful home in the winner's district. Two days after I returned home President snow came over to discuss the games with me.
"I am upset with you Haymitch." Snow told me. " You used my arena against your opponent. I am not okay with that."
"I am sorry." I whispered scared for my own life.
"This kind of crime cannot be forgiven, and you will be punished." He warned me. " Go to town square and you will find your punishment."
I left the house in a worried rush, and ran for town square with such haste I worried everyone in town. When I arrived I saw my first saw Willow, she stood there in chains, with her mouth covered by a thick piece of tape. Then I noticed my brother and mother standing in the same fashion beside her, all of them surrounded by peacekeepers. I pushed my way through a large gathered crowd and tried to push past the peace keepers.
"WILLOW!" I heard my voice scream. As my knees grew weak, there was nothing I could do to save her. She turned her head slowly to look me in the eyes. They were as gentle and loving as always with a simple tear falling off the edge of her cheek. I feel to my knees and called to her, I told her I loved her and I would never ever let her go. I told them all I was sorry that they would suffer this fate. This was a day I would never recover from.
President Snow Walked out onto the stage and gave a long speech about how I had cheated the game with my stunt with the force field and cheating would not be tolerated. The murder of the ones I held most dear would serve as a warning to anyone else who dared cheat the games. The first shot rang loud in my ears as I saw my mother's body fall. Then a second shot rang out. His scream etched itself in my mind as I watched the bullet pull out the back of his head and into the post behind him. It took a few seconds for his lifeless body to fall to the stage.
There was a brief pause, just long enough for willow and I to look at each other and see the pain in one another's eyes before the third and final shot sounded. Life slowed down and I could see the bullet flying through the air as I stood back and watched it fly for the head of my dearest love. The bullet missed its mark be no more than a centimeter. He did that on purpose, her death would be slow, and I would be made to suffer. As soon as she fell the peacekeepers left the stage, allowing me to run to her side. I scooped her into my arms and rested her head on my chest. Her eyes were open and she looked at me with a sort of loving adoration. I could see her pain on her face as she cried into my chest. " I love you Willow, and I am so sorry that this happened. I will never forget you baby. You were the only reason I survived." I cooed to her.
"Haymitch, I am so proud of you." She whimpered softly. "I love you." Her eyes fluttered gently as they closed. I felt her body go limp as her life force drained from her being it has once inhabited. I felt a blood curdling scream creep its way out of my body. My family, my love, my life, gone, all gone. I lay there, holding on to her sobbing in a sea of blood and tears.
" Stupid fucking game!" I shouted into the pure black night sky before falling into a pained and heavy sleep.