I stare toward the tube. The tube that will send me to certain death. It's very unlikely that Nine will have a victor this year, especially with the deadly whore from One and the ox from Ten. I'm just lean and toned; able to blend in any background like a ghost.
*Tributes, enter the tube now*
*Tributes, enter the tube now*
A cold, artificial female voice calls out. Well, this is it. I give one final hug to Atilla, my stylist, and I thank her, for making District Nine a hit at the Tribute Parade. As I slowly walk over and in to the tube, I slowly wave goodbye to Atilla as the platform rises up.
While I go up, I think about my family. Mom. Dad. Ceres, my six-year-old brother who just started school. And with that, I decide that even though I'm an easy kill for the Careers, it's worth trying to win.
When I'm up in the arena I'm shocked by it. It's a blue grid, with cyan lasers forming various things, such as trees. The other tributes are equally shocked by this. Then, all havoc breaks loose.
The blue grid flickers, showing different arenas. One second it's a tundra, another second a tropical paradise. Then, we're plunged into darkness.
We wait.
And wait.
The Cornucopia appears first. Then, the arena is revealed. It's split into four sections. One looks like a forest in autumn, the second looks like a winter wonderland. It has stunning mountains, glittering blue lakes, and sparkling ice. And snow everywhere. Yet there's something about it that makes me reconsider going there. Beauty can kill in the Games, as I've learned way too many times. The third is a wild tropical paradise, with islands, vividly green palms and colourful birds soaring. And finally, the fourth one. I'm shocked by it. Lava lakes and volcanoes spewing out lava. The ground is black jagged rocks. It's hell itself. The Cornucopia and the tributes is in the center, which is a grass plain.
The countdown is down to 15.
14, 13, 12, 11, 10…
Where should I go?
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5…
Autumn it is.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
This is for you, Ceres.
''Ladies and gentlemen, let the Fourty-Third Annual Hunger Games begin!''
And with that, I run towards the first pack and knife.
The girl from Five fails to notice me as I stab her and then run towards the forest.