Author's Note: This story is loosely based off the Hunger Games and has elements from that novel in this story. Besides that I hope you guys enjoy this new story!

72 Hours

Chapter 1

Hour 71

Emily crouched down trying to keep her balance while wielding her bow and arrow. It had just been a matter of minutes since she had climbed in this tree to avoid whoever was hunting her and they had already seemed to have caught her scent. Whoever these people were had to be skilled beyond their years. She had no clue how she was supposed to take them. All she knew was that she had to try if she ever wanted to make it out of here alive.

Emily's eyes scanned the forest down below trying desperately to catch any glimpse of Maya that she could get. Where the hell was she? She got her bow and arrow ready just in case she ran into any trouble while she continued to try and find Maya. They only had an hour left of this terrible game that some sick bastard had put them in and all they had to do was survive it, but from what Emily had seen so far she knew the harsh reality was that anything could happen in just one hour.

As if some greater power had heard her from up above, A black silhouette raced towards her. She had to be careful though. If it was anyone, but Maya she was as good as dead. And so was any chance of her getting back to Allison. She shook her head as if to get those thoughts out of her head. Emily couldn't be thinking of that right now. Not if she wanted to survive. So close. Just so close to getting back to her that she couldn't stand it anymore. Come on Maya.

Just as soon as she had that thought out, A set of hands roughly jerked her back causing her to scream as the hand clamped over her mouth silencing her. No. She was so close. She couldn't die now. A strong odor wafted through her nose as she felt her eyelids droop. It was over. She had lost. As she felt herself going under she whispered a strained apology to Maya hoping that she would make it out okay before her world turned black.

72 Hours Before

Emily

Emily let out a strained moan as she stretched her arms out trying her hardest not to fall out of the cot she had been sleeping in. She hated the fact that this was the only thing her family could afford to sleep in, but she guessed there could be worse things than the life she had been living in.

Their house was barely a simple shack with with a small kitchen and sleeping area. They didn't even have a bathroom except the port a potty they had assembled outside. She looked over at her father sleeping on his cot as his body shivered from the lack of heat generating through their shack. It also didn't help that he had no blanket to keep him warm. Emily frowned wishing that they could have a better, but in this society they could never have that.

In the generation, you were either apart of the rich society or the poor society. Middle wage had became a thing of the past and sadly Emily and her family were in the latter. The rich would never bat an eyelash as they slaved away to get food on the table at night. Emily shivered at the memory of when her family went a month on bugs, because they couldn't afford to get food and Emily didn't know jack shit about hunting. She wasn't as great of a hunter as her girlfriend Allison, but thankfully she was teaching her so they never had to go through that faze again.

Emily smiled at that though as she tried to hide her blush. People always said that the rich were beautiful and the poor couldn't hold a candle to them, but they were wrong about them. Allison was as beautiful as the poor came even when she was dressed in rags. She'd rather chose Allison over any of those rich snobs any day.

The poor were full of love while the rich were full of nothing but hate. It was only natural that they were natural enemies.

Getting out of her cot, Emily opened the fridge grabbed a fish that her and Allison had caught the other day and cut it in half grabbing a hold of a lemon and squeezing it onto the fish, She turned to the fridge and grabbed some bread which made her father rouse out of his slumber. He frowned slightly as he glared at Emily obviously not amused.

"You should really wash up in the lake. Me and your mother want you to look presentable today. "

"Why? It's not like I ever get picked for these type of things anyway. And why would I want to be anyway? I don't see why we have to have this stupid game show where we have to protect a stuck up rich person for 72 hours that will just turn around and ignore us when everything is fine and dandy? Why risk our lives for that? "

"Because it means more money for us Emily and I'm not sure if you realize this, but money is something we really need right now."

"Why get your hopes up? There's a high chance that none of us will be picked plus you're charge still has to be alive by the time you get to the finish line and who knows what I'll do if I;m picked. They mean nothing to mean like I mean nothing to them.

Her father shook his head ignoring Emily's words as if he could care less. He gathered some fish on his plate as he gave Emily a side glance.

"Aren't you going to be late for work?" picking at his bread.

"Not if I leave right now."

"Well try not to forget that we all have to gather in town square at six."

"How can I ever forget that?"

Emily opened the door to the shack carefully closing it so it wouldn't break off it's hinges again She set off to the downtown area where she finally made it to the bakery who had been more than generous to hire her on.

As one of the poor however, Emily's only form of payment was in food which she only would receive if her work was up to par, which in her case wasn't very often. It wasn't the fact that Emily didn't work as hard as she could. It was the fact that the people she worked for were one of the most obnoxious families that she had ever met from the rich side. The St. Germains. Even their name was obnoxious to Emily.

Emily rolled her eyes as she remembered her horrible bosses. First was the father, Bill St. Germain, the head of the house and the mayor of their tiny town. He was also extremely arrogant. His wife Cristina was the owner of the bakery and the only one in their family who Emily could stand even though she would never admit it to her family. Her children, however, were an entirely different story. Two girls who couldn't be any more spoiled. First was Haven who had just turned twenty three and was extremely shallow when she had to come into the shop to help her mother. When Haven was there she would usually ignore the staff unless she wanted to treat them like dirt in which case Emily was glad that Haven was mostly silent. But she paled in comparison to her other sister, Maya St Germain.

Maya and Emily were both seventeen, but while Emily was humble and honorable while Maya was extremely cocky and arrogant just like her father. She believed that she could get anyone she could get her hands on. She even tried to go for Emily a couple of times which Emily had politely declined. Who needed an abusive girlfriend who didn't mind name calling her and slapping her around when she was displeased. She hated Maya St. Germain with every fiber of her being.

Emily opened the door to the bakery and immediately turned back around when she saw Maya staring at the ceiling. Judging from her work clothes it was as if her and Emily were working together today. Great. Exactly what she needed. It was times like this that she wad glad that she was getting off early today so she could hang out with Allison before the festivities began. If she could remember that than she could get through anything life through at her today.

Maya

The doors to the bakery chimed forcing Maya to look away from the ceiling that she had been looking at to avoid the most recent question that her boyfriend had asked her. Thank God for distractions. She looked away from the spot and looked at the one person she could never have. Her name was Emily Fields and she was the most beautiful girl that Maya had ever laid eyes on. Unfortunately, Emily did not see her in the same way.

Emily rolled her eyes at Maya and Justin making her way to the kitchen smiling at another girl whose name Maya barely knew. She had bigger things to worry about like the competition that was supposed to start today. They hand drawled ten pairs to compete in this competition five rich and five poor who were supposed to act as the body guards to them in order for all of them to survive. She prayed to God that she wasn't the who was picked. As if she wanted to put her life in the hands of some poor scum who probably hated her anyway. What a dumb concept for a competition.

"Well I have to go get ready for the draw, Will you be okay here?" Justin asked sending her out of thoughts.

"Of course, They won't hurt me if they want to eat tonight."

Justin smiled and gave her a kiss before leaving causing her to roll her eyes. She swore if it wasn't for his status Maya wouldn't have bothered to date Justin to begin with. Not when the person she wanted was in such easy reach. She turned around observing Emily who was now laughing and joking around with the girl who Maya couldn't help but hate at the moment. What did that girl have that Maya did not?

Not thinking clearly like she always did, Maya made her way to Emily who was now working on stirring the baking mix. Maya palmed the bowl sending it flying on the other girl who squealed in surprise. That should teach her to flirt with things that weren't hers. Maya laughed as Emily, who was now also covered in batter gave her a death glare.

"Oops, Looks like you two should be more careful. Do me a favor and clean this up for me?" she said laughing all the way to her mother's office and leaving Emily's wrath in her wake.