I wake with a start, frozen into a crouching position, physically unable to move as if some invisible force is holding me there. A cool, fresh breeze whistles through the trees overhead. I am in a clearing, much larger than our camp in the woods. Forest is the only thing I can see for miles around. I can smell rain.
I look to my left and see Iggy frozen in the same position as me and on my right is Dylan. I'm relieved to see them, but confused. What is going on? Spread out around me in a massive circle, I count twenty-four other kids, some clearly mutations like me, others I'm not sure about. All I know is none of the others seem to have wings.
I begin to size up my fellow mutations. There are the six of us; Dylan, Max, Iggy, Ella, Fang and I. Dylan and Max are fighters; they'll be okay. Iggy's smart. We're all good at survival. Looking around, I doubt any of the mutations have ever left the lab. Most look fearsome and brutal, but arrogant. Some, like me, are small, but I bet they're quick and most will be strong. Some just look lost and scared. One girl is clearly trembling. I hope I'm not that pitiful.
The whole scene is dreadfully familiar. The tracking device; my twenty four fellow mutations. It only makes sense. This is my worst nightmare. This is the Hunger Games.
But there are a few major differences. There is no Cornucopia here, no supplies. That also means no weapons. How will we survive? Are supplies and weapons hidden somewhere, for us to find? Will the whitecoats send us gifts, like the sponsors from the games? Many of the mutations have clearly been trained, maybe even created, for this. Is this to give them a clear advantage? To see how those of us with little training fare under these conditions?
It's very cold. The wind is picking up now, howling through the trees. I look down at myself and notice that someone has dressed me in a thermal jacket. Not all of us are dressed the same. Some have neglected to wear a jacket at all. Are they able to retain body heat more efficiently? Or is this just another cruel and unfair advantage?
Then, a voice booms out across the clearing. Several people look to the heavens. I've no idea where it's coming from.
"Mutations, the winner will be the last one of you left standing. Let the games... BEGIN!"
The sound of a gong rings out, I'm confused. Where do I run? A full-scale bloodbath has already erupted all around me, there's no way out. A girl enters my field of view, pulling a knife from her jacket, lunging at me. I duck, cowering on the ground. A pair of arms scoops me up and I'm safe in the sky, high above the bloodbath in seconds. I look up at Fang "Where are the others?"
"They had to run, we'll find them." Fang takes off in the direction of a huge cliff.
I should feel happy or at least relieved knowing the flock are alive, but I'm too scared and this is too weird. The girl with the knives; she already had weapons on her, whereas we have nothing... I get the feeling we're not supposed to survive this.
We set up camp on the cliff. The night is too quiet. I feel as though we're being watched. At any moment someone could attack. Neither of us sleeps. It's so cold, but we know lighting a fire would be an invitation to kill us. At sometime during the early hours of the morning, the gong sounds again... once, twice... I count eleven times.
"Eleven dead," Fang says, as though he were telling me it would rain soon.
"Doesn't it bother you?" I ask him.
"Yes. It bothers me a lot." He whispers. Neither of us speaks another word.
As soon as the sun rises, we set off in search of the others. For the first time I begin to worry. About them. About us. What will happen to Ella? She's only human. Has she already been killed... in the bloodbath. No. I refuse to believe it. Iggy wouldn't let it happen. Nor would Max or Dylan...
Fang lands in the middle of a clearing in the dense forest surrounding us. "We'll have to continue on foot. I can't see anything from above these trees."
"Okay, but... can't we rest awhile? I didn't sleep a wink last night."
Fang sighs audibly. He doesn't want to waste time, but he says, "Fine, you rest. I'll keep watch."
I slump against the trunk of a large fir and close my eyes.
That's when I hear the first arrow whistle over my head...
