"WELCOME TO THE 50TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES! MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR. I am Martha Marshalls! As usual ladies first… Lisa Carmichael!" I gaze my eyes over to the gap in the crowd, I see what looks like a 17 year old girl with black hair and green eyes. As she weeps the peacekeepers shove her towards the stage. Her family cry as she is told to stay put on the stage. "But wait… this year there will be 2 of each gender in these games!" Martha exclaims. The whole of District twelve gasp in anger and are scared for who the next people will be. For the second lady… Maysilee Donna! Now this girl does not look afraid at all; she has long messy blonde hair and grey eyes, determined but seems quiet… too quiet. "Now for the boys", Kenny Stevens! Now he seems soooo scared. He has spikey blonde hair.
"The second boy", Haymitch Abernathy! Oh no… this can't be happening, how? There is alot of people in this district and i was the last person to get chosen. The odds have not been in my favour today.
The boys around me spread away to make a big patch in the crowd so the peacekeepers can see me, suddenly i am getting hurried to the stage. "These are your four tributes! May the odds be ever in your favour! The peacekeepers take us to little rooms where we are
told to stay put. Suddenly the doors open, my family bombards me and gives me hugs. They weep on my shoulders and I do exactly the same. "You can do this Haymitch,"
my mum says. I believe her and carry on hugging my loved ones maybe for the last time…
EVER. "Good luck Haymitch do it for your sister, she was in the same situation as you. Avenge her and all of District 12," my mum says
as she is dragged out the door.
On the way to the capitol it is dead silent in the train. No one is talking. I open
my mouth to say "we are unfortunate to be here but we can still win this..." when
Maysilee says "BE QUIET HAYMITCH!" Instant silence again.
Cassian comes out from his room and says "Hello I'm Cassian, I am your mentor
for this year." No one answers. "I need to know what you are good with
weapon wise."
Maysilee says "Blowdart."
I say "Knife and can outsmart some people."
Kenny says "I am perfect with a spear."
Lisa says "I can set traps and I am quick on my feet."
"Good all of you", Cassian says. "When we get to the capitol we will be able to start your training." As soon as we enter the capitol all the citizens are cheering and throwing flowers at the train. I dont like this at all, they are happy for us to go
fight to the death, do they even have a heart? How can they just be happy about watching innocent kids die for their entertainment. I request
to get to the training grounds instantly and everyone agrees,
none of us are impressed in the decency of the capitol. Suddenly we make a
sharp right away from all the audience. Dead ahead i see a big building with the word
CAPITOL across the front. I am intrigued on what the point in this building is. Suddenly i click on to what the building is for, as i open my mouth Kenny says "is that the training centre?"
"Indeed", Cassian says. "This is where you with be judged on your abilities.
You will all be called in one by one to be judged out of 10 on your abilities to fight, hide, or anything really".
We need to get started on your training ASAP. As we enter the training
hall we get escorted to a room with every other tribute. The thing is its dead silent once again.
None of the tributes look like they are going to make an alliance because there isn't even whispering between anyone. I guess everyone
came into this as complete strangers. Even though they aren't talking now, there
are probably alliances everywhere. Already i can tell Districts 1,2 and 4 are going to be a strong force. I need to get some alliances of my own, but who? I don't trust anyone in my district or any of the other tributes. As the number of tributes in the waiting
room decreases, it gets closer to our districts turn.
Suddenly Lisa's name is called out. "Goodluck," me and the other tributes
say. She comes back with a sad look on her face. She gets escorted to the hotel room by Martha as Kenny's name is called out. Once again the words good luck are said to Kenny.
He comes back out of the door with the biggest smile i have ever seen
on his face. "Good news Kenny?" I say.
"Yes, yes it is," Kenny exclaims walking away.
"Maysilee Donna," says the commentator person.
She walks into the room to show the judges what she's got. This time i don't say good luck to her because she gets into the room as fast as she possibly can.
She comes out with no emotion on her face at all, she looks exactly the same as when she went in.
"Good news?" I ask. She doesn't answer, just carries on walking.
"Haymitch Abernathy!" Is the name that comes over the speaker.
Oh gosh… can I postpone? I say in my head. I really don't want to do it right now.
My nerves are getting the best of me, i start hyperventilating as my name is called out
again, except this time with a hurry up afterwards. I slowly enter through the big black doors and see a whole shelf full of different weapons ranging from axes, to swords, to knifes and ropes.
They say to chose your weapon, I pick out the knives as get closer to my opponent.
I start with punches and kicks against the dummy,
followed by 4 stabs in various places including: the heart,
chest, head and throat. I can't really tell if they are even watching and taking notice. I glance
over to the judging room and I see that one of the of the people
are actually interested in what I am doing. I say "thank you for you time," and walk out of the room.
As all the tributes head for the rooms happy, the other tributes from my district
are sad. "We will see your scores tonight," Cassian says. " So don't get too sad, at least not yet".
We head to the room and wait for the verdict. Suddenly the TV automatically turns on and the announcer says, "Here are your results tributes!" We all crowd
the TV as the scores are announced district by district. The highest score has been 9 from
district 1's biggest tribute and a girl from district 2. Finally District 12… Lisa's face pops up on the screen as a score of 5 soars across the screen. She instantly storms off to her room. Kenny's photo
pops up as Lisa slams her door. The number 8 appears.
next to his photo. He starts jumping around out of happiness, he jumps side to side as he heads for his room. Maysilee's photo shows up on the big TV with the number
8 right next to it. She doesn't show any emotion at all and slowly walks to her room.
My photo rolls around onto the screen, brace yourself, I think to myself.
I close my eyes until Cassian says to open them because i really don't want to look.
"Open," Cassian says. I have a feeling that it will be a 5 but when I open my eyes I see one
of the biggest scores of the training. 9 is the number that shows on the TV.
"YES!" I exclaim. Cassian is very pleased with the result.
"The only thing i have a doubt of now is that you might be a target with that high score, Haymitch you need to get some alliances. Even if you don't trust people in your
district you will learn about them over the time and hopefully gain their trust even if they aren't the strongest out of all of the tributes, it is very helpful to have
trust in people," Cassian explains.
I walk away toward my room without answering Cassian. As I sleep I think about
who will be the threats in the games and who I could make an alliance with. I guess I could make an alliance with Kenny if he can earn my trust and vice versa. Lisa may not be the strongest but she has gained my trust already from her kind nature - the only thing is she has a very big temper so i can't get on her bad side, otherwise I
don't know what will happen to me. The thing is… Maysilee is, devious, mysterious and just very un-ordinary. She is obviously a very strong tribute, but she doesn't seem like a person who would just team up with anyone. If i wanted her on my team i would have to
be the nicest person ever to her and stay on her good side (If there is one).
I probably have a 1 in 47 chance of being her alliance. If i could get on her good side I would value from it so much. She is strong mentally and physically. If I got
to know the other tributes from different districts then that would be great.
I awake from my slumber and do my daily routine. At the breakfast table
Cassian brings up the topic of alliances and says, " tributes of district 12, you all need to become alliances. It's your only hope for survival, who is open to this proposition?"
"Me, I guess," Lisa says. Followed by the same response from Kenny.
"For sure," I say.
"Maysilee?" Cassian questions.
"I don't trust some of you yet," Maysilee exclaims."Even though there is one day left until the games i don't and won't trust you, at least until the games start."
President Snow calls everyone to the meeting hall to discuss the games.
Everyone gets into the elevator. As we approach the meeting
hall we see all of the tributes. They stare me and the others down. I stare back at them in fear but I try to stay as strong as I can. President Snow says "Tributes of Panem! Welcome to the 50th annual HUNGER GAMES! Here are the rules
and guidelines for you. If you don't follow these then you will be shot on sight!" He talks for a long period of time as we listen to the rules. They are very in depth and very useful to know.
"Dismissed," President Snow says.
All the tributes rise and leave the room. One of the girls from district 2 stares at me as I leave. She obviously saw my score. She was one of the people that
also got a 9. I think she will be strong, well obviously from her score. As we enter the elevator all the career tributes lock their eyes onto Lisa.
"She is weak," they whisper to each other as we disappear into the elevator shaft.
"Lisa," I say. "Did you hear what they said?"
"No?" Lisa says.
"Good," I respond.
We leave it at that and go to our room . Lisa doesn't ask any questions but I can tell that she
suspects something. I hope she doesn't think anything to bad. I need to help her in the games. It will help me and her. I approach her to ask if she wanted to be my alliance. I suddenly
get stopped by Maysilee.
She says "Don't go in there, you won't value from it. She is weak and vulnerable."
"At least she cares about things," I say back.
"Fine go ahead," Maysilee says as she walks away shaking her head.
I open the door to Lisas room and she says "Hello Haymitch."
I respond by saying "Hey! Can I talk to you about something?"
"Sure" she says.
"I would like to be your alliance, that is if you trust me. What do you say Lisa?" I ask.
"Are you sure Haymitch? I mean, i'm not the strongest tribute by far.
But if you're sure then I would be happy to," Lisa replies.
"I'm sure," I say.
We both sit down and talk about a plan for the games. As it gets later and later Lisa starts to fall asleep.
Eventually she completely falls asleep and I walk over to my room.
I get my mind set for the games before I doze off to sleep.
Tomorrow is going to be a huge day for everyone...
As everyone wakes up Kenny is very pale. He doesn't loom up to the games today but
there is nothing he can do about it. Lisa looks petrified, shaking in her boots she starts to have her breakfast. Maysilee looks as scared as I have ever seen her but not
half as much as Kenny or Lisa. I come out of my room nervous, nervous that this might be
my last day alive… my family wouldn't be able to live with 2 children dead
for the same reason. The Capitols stupid games. My sister, Rachel , she died in the games when she was 17, 10 years ago. My family has despised the capitol ever since that dreadful year.
If i am in a terrible moment in the games I will think of them, of Rachel.
That will keep me strong and determined to win these stupid games.
"ALL TRIBUTES TO THE STARTING POSITIONS," President Snow yells over a loudspeaker.
I swallow and get ready for action. Every tribute has their own capsule that will take them to the games.
The mentors get to go to their tributes capsules to say goodbye and goodluck and any words they would like to say to them. I am the last to get a talk from Cassian.
He says "Haymitch, you are one of the strongest. Be strong and if your fellow tributes need your help, help them. If they ask to be your alliance… say yes and stay with them.
You have a strong chance to win, if your choose the right people to help and be helped by."
As Cassian is talking, the timer for me to be in the capsule is at 3. As the timer gets closer to 1 Cassian says "Goodluck."
Suddenly a weird noise comes from around me. The doors of the capsule close and in the capsule I get shot up into the arena where i can see all 48 tributes. I look around and all i can see is tall rainforest trees. My thinking gets interrupted by a voice. President Snows Voice saying,
"HELLO TRIBUTES! MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR!"
As soon as he stops talking a loud voice starts to call out numbers starting with
10...
9...
8...
7...
6...
5...
4...
3...
2...
1...