The buzzer sounds, and it sets my feet racing toward the cornucopia. As soon as I get to the knives I hurl them at the nearest tribute, killing the boy from district four. For now, we careers are sticking together, but I know that could change in an instant, so I keep my guard up and keep killing, not looking at the faces of those I hit, just thinking about what I'm fighting for- Home, family, honor, and pride.
The tributes from two are organizing the weapons and doling them out according to our skill level and preference. I, of course, take all the knives. The cannon begins shooting, and I count the number of fires in my head. Twelve. I can see many bodies strewn across the sand, but I don't look at them. I look at the other three career tributes and think of how I'll betray them. I'll slit their throats in their sleep- quick, simple and easy. The boy from my district has a set of arrows on his back and a bow in his fist. Something about his face reminds me of Granite, and I let the thought sting me for just a minute. We're moving now- as a pack. away from the beach and onto the sand dunes.
I wonder how the other tributes are faring. Surely someone must have died of dehydration by now? It is nearing noon, and the others are getting thirsty. We have to find water. I hear footsteps in the sand, quiet and hushed, and instantly hurl my knife. Blood thrusts up into the air, and I know another tribute is dead. When I go to retrieve my knife, I see the boy from seven staring up at me with glazed eyes. I retrieve my knife, pushing the feeling of guilt out of my conscience.
An hour later we find water. I gather water up into my bottle, the smell of wet sand nauseating me to the bone. I tamp the feeling down. This is not the time to show weakness- this is the time to show strength. I have to stay alive. There is a scream, clearly a girls, before the cannon fires again, interrupting my thoughts. Fourteen, I think. Fourteen are dead, which means there are only nine of us left.
That night I watch from the sand dunes as the sky goes from blue to sunset orange with tinges of red and pink as the sun sinks below the horizon. The others are yawning- probably exhausted. I volunteer to take the first watch, stoking our fire. The other tributes wouldn't dare come near us- not with all the weapons at our disposal, so I can safely stand watch.
The capitol symbol leaps up into the air, and sounds music as they show the faces of the fallen tributes. Both tributes from district three and four, the girl from district five, both tributes from district seven, the boy from eight, the girl from nine, both from ten, the boy from eleven, and both from twelve. The symbol shuts off, and I wait until everyone is breathing evenly to execute my attack.
The boy from my district is first. I position the knife by his neck and sever his head quickly, with only a grunt. The cannon fires. I flinch, but see the other two still sleeping. The boy from two is next, and the knife severs his head cleanly. The girl from two is last. I deliberately take my time slitting her throat, letting her scream before fully severing it, The cannon fires twice, and although I feel guilty for betraying my fellow careers, I don't stop moving. Let them keep their precious fire- I have more important things to do.
I find a blanket in my backpack and lay on my side under it, hoping and praying as hard as I can that I'll make it through the night.
When I wake, it is early morning. I fold up my blanket and put it into my satchel. I'd better be getting a move on if I want to make any headway today. Maybe they'll even do my work for me- that would be nice. I am tired and exhausted, but I have to keep moving. I can't stay in one place for too long, so I get as much water as I can from the small oasis, I now carry a bow and a sheath of arrows, an axe, and a bat along with my trusty knives.
Suddenly, I notice a pair of footprints in the sand that I hadn't noticed before. I follow them into steep sand dunes. Just when I think no one is there, a boy comes lunging at me out of seemingly nowhere. I kick him hard in the chest before he has the chance to make me fall over, and pull an arrow into the bow. It misses his chest and hits him in the shoulder. I grab one of my knives and prepare to dig into him, when someone jumps onto my back. I stab him in the throat before trying to throw off the person on my back. I fall backward on purpose, letting the person hit the sand dunes before retching myself free of their grasp. When I look I see it is the girl from district eleven. Before she can react to my getting out, I stab her in the throat with an arrow. That slows her down enough for me to shoot another one in her heart, killing her for good. The cannon fires twice, and I can't help but smile. Two more down until I get home.
Days pass until they don't even feel like days anymore. The boy from five and the girl from eleven are the only ones the cannon has fired for. It just gives me a better reason to fight for my life. I wonder if I'll be here for the rest of my life, because nothing seems to be happening. Everyone seems to have hidden themselves well, and I remain in the same position for hours at a time. My sleep schedule is erratic and I am always hungry. I stop by the cornucopia everyday for food. I am surprised that no one has gotten there yet. From my spot in the sand dunes, I can see the cornucopia, and have a good chance of shooting anyone who tries to get into there.
I can't make sense of the days now, and don't know how long I've been here. In the distance I hear the sound of wild dogs, and a scream. Finally, the cannon fires. That means there are only three of us left. Suddenly, I am frightened. What if the dogs come after me? Would I be able to defend myself?
I lay on my back, surrounded by weapons, and the cannon fires once more. There's only one left. I could go home. I have to.
Suddenly there is a shadowy figure a distance away. Instantly I sit up and arm myself with my knife. I toss it, and it hits right in the head. The cannon sounds, and I realize that I have done it. I survived- I get to go home.
All I know is the feeling of a cold table against my sweat-covered body, and I instantly relax.
Soon the craft lands and lets me off. The peacekeepers instruct me to wait there, and I do, quiet and contemplative. Suddenly I'm being lead to a stage and my entire district is there, cheering for me.
I did it. I won the 73rd hunger games, and I'll never live to regret it.