Mountains.
Lots and lots of mountains- and cliffs and I see some snow on some of those peaks, oh dear god...
This arena looks like a combination of the Swiss Alps, The Himalayas and the Rocky Mountains.
All of their different features somehow combined into one arena. Wow, these Gamemakers are good…
All twenty four of us Tributes surround the golden Cornucopia which is centred in the middle of a valley. The supplies are scattered all around it with the more valuable looking stuff closer to the horn itself, like Katniss says the layout usually is.
I glance around at my fellow Tributes, some of whom are still taking in their surroundings like Graham is and some who already look poised to go, like Titania.
10,
9,
8…
I crouch slightly, fists clenched, ready to go…
7,
6,
5…
I'm going to do my best and show those bitches Dominique and Claudette who's boss around here…
4,
3,
2…
Not to mention returning home alive and hopefully as well as possible…
1…
The gong rings out and I am fast, running as fast as I can, pushing my body to the max.
I somehow reach the Cornucopia first and grab everything I can possibly hold including a waist belt that holds several different knives and pouches, a large black backpack, a grappling hook and a sword.
I feel a presence behind me and I swing around the sword wildly, cutting the District 11 boy across the stomach.
The District 3 boy comes at me next and I run the sword straight through him. Dead for sure, I think.
I risk glancing back and I see that though Graham has a deep gash in his cheek, he has managed to grab a pack and is taking off through the trees.
I also see District 1 boy coming at me and I pick up speed I didn't even know I had, running through the forest.
An arrow whizzes past my head, grazing it slightly, but I ignore the slight pain and keep pushing on.
Perhaps I should have been a track athlete instead of a cheerleader. I could have probably made the Canadian Olympics team!
I come up against a mountain and swing around the grappling hook, using it to help me climb.
I don't look back again until I've reached a small ledge and I see that there's still some fighting going on.
It's mid-afternoon when I finally hear the cannons, just as I've managed to reach a small cave near the top of the mountain I'm climbing.
I crouch at the entrance and pause to listen.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
Seven.
Eleven died-er… will die on the first day of Katniss' Hunger Games and seven have in these Games, so that means more for me to fight.
I wonder if Graham is still alive…
Going deeper into the cave after retrieving the grappling hook, I decide to see what's in my pack.
Gloves that will both keep my hands warm and help climb, a half-gallon bottle of water that's still slightly cold- probably due to the climate, a box of matches, a packet of trail mix, a packet of apple slices, a packet of something that looks like beef jerky, a small box of crackers, a small plastic cup, a small first-aid kit, a pair of night-vision goggles, a small black sleeping bag that looks just big enough to hold me and a rope.
I guess because I was faster than Katniss, I managed to get a better haul. Combine this with my sword, the belt with all the different knives and pouches attached and the grappling hook, I feel that going into the Cornucopia melee has certainly been worth it. And I barely got a scratch.
Stuff it, Dominique and Claudette!
I use my fingers to write in the dirt, sorting out my thoughts, trying to come up with a plan for the next few days.
I will have to leave this cave eventually. Even if I had enough supplies to last me forever, the Capitol must have their victor, meaning that they will drive us together when the numbers dwindle.
Not to mention that someone could come up into the same area I'm in and I'd have to kill them.
And the feast.
And so many other factors…
I dab around the back of my bleeding ear which I've ignored until now with my fingers and wipe off the blood on my clothes- which joins the few splotches I got from other Tributes...
Nothing else to do right now except wait…
Nightfall comes and with it, the anthem begins to play and the seal of the Capitol floats in the sky.
It flashes again and the pictures and Districts of the fallen Tributes are shown.
The District 3 boy, District 5 girl, District 6 boy, District 7 boy, Both District 10 Tributes and the District 12 boy are gone.
Hm. District 7 boy. The bear guy. Rohan. He's the only real surprise there. I expected him to last longer than this with his size and that 9 he got in training. I wonder if a Career took him out…
Well, Katniss did say that high scoring Tributes can go down almost immediately depending on the variables of the arena…
Seven of us are dead. None of the Careers have died, neither Graham nor I have died obviously and even the District 12 girl has survived…
I actually killed someone. The District 3 boy. I murdered him.
Murdered him. Murdered him. Murdered him.
The words echo around my brain and I moan as I try to shake them out.
Murdered him. Murdered him. Murdered him.
"No…" I clutch my hands to my head and shake it.
I cannot grow this weak this early. I don't like the thought of being a murderer but facts are facts and I will more than likely have to kill even more to make it out of these Games alive.
I take a deep breath and walk around the cave, stretching a bit.
As it gets later into the night, a chill descends and I begin to shiver.
Did I mention I hate cold?
Granted I've lived my entire life in an area where it snows every year, but I still never get used to it.
"I hate cold…" I mutter, hugging myself, trying to get warm.
I shudder my way over to the pack which I've placed in the farthest part of the cave and rummage for the gloves and sleeping bag.
Slipping on the gloves and retrieving one of the knives which I keep in my grasp just in case, I snuggle down into the sleeping bag for the night.
BOOM!
I am startled out of a dreamless sleep by the sound of a cannon blast and wave around the knife I fell asleep with wildly.
Someone else has died.
Now the death total is up to eight.
Eight of us dead, sixteen of us left to play.
I've actually survived a day. It's a miracle, I tell you…
In my sleep, my bun has come loose and I find the band back in the sleeping bag, so I fix back my hair as best as I can.
I take out the food supplies I have and try to decide what to eat now.
The half-gallon bottle of water, the packets of trail mix, apple slices and beef jerky, not to mention the box of crackers…
Once again, I'm glad that I took the risk going into the Cornucopia.
I take two crackers and sandwich a small piece of beef jerky between them, eat a slice of apple and chase it down with half the cupful of water and I'm satiated.
Packing up my supplies, tying the grappling hook around my waist and clutching my sword, I venture forward to the mouth of the cave.
Making sure to keep low, I look around, taking in my surroundings.
The weather has become slightly warmer, though still cool. The pine trees around the base of my mountain and scattered around the arena blow gently in the breeze. It almost feels like I'm on a nice, lovely ski trip and I've got a nice, tiny cave in a tiny mountain to myself…
The afternoon passes peacefully and I even grow bored. The climate prevents me from being easily dehydrated like Katniss was, even at the expense of getting a little chill which I have to remind myself I need to stop bitching at since there are bigger things to worry about at the moment…
Of course, my peace just had to be interrupted…
I hear huffing and puffing coming up the side of my mountain and a male voice grumbling.
Eyes widening, I scramble to the very back of my cave and grab the biggest rock I can lift with one hand and clutch my sword even tighter with the other.
Soon enough, the District 5 boy who's around my age climbs up to the mouth of the cave.
Thank goodness I didn't light a fire or something so he could tell I was here…
He looks even more battered than I am, with a black eye and what look like animal scratches across his face and hands.
Shit. Animals. I forgot they'd have those here. What the hell will I do if they decide to throw in a polar bear and a few coyotes for good measure? I don't have any long range weapons…
From behind the large rock where I'm hiding and by now my heart is racing, I assess the situation.
I'm going to have to take him out. No questions about it. I plan on staying here in this cave until the Gamemakers force me out since it's nice, cosy and only temporarily unsafe.
He's huge though…
The cameras must be in on us now, wondering what I'm going to do next. Those bumbling buffoons of Capitol citizens must be pissing their pants, wondering what's going to happen now.
Not to mention my family and district, plus Ginger, Gina and Melissa. Oh, and the evil bitch queen aka Dominique/Medusa.
If I play this right, not only will I survive, but I'll also get his supplies. Not to mention possibly attracting a few sponsors…
I move slowly, raising the rock and…
Oh shit. He's turned around and spotted me. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…
He rushes at me with a spear and throws it, which I narrowly dodge.
I throw the rock at him and miss.
Shit, shit, shit…
He draws a knife next and rushes at me so quickly, I don't have time to react and he pins me to the ground with the knife at my throat.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die…
People back in District 9 must be clutching to one another in fear…
My mom's probably crying…
Dominique's probably cheering…
He jams the knife down and it scrapes the side of my neck, drawing blood.
Again, again, again. I manage to move my head around and he keeps missing.
"Keep still so I can kill you, man!" He snarls.
"Hell no! I want to live!" I struggle, kicking, screaming, and reaching for one of the knives in my belt…
One of my wild kicks gets him in the balls and he keels over squeaking, just like the trainer did back in the Training Centre.
I can hardly believe it…
While he's down, I take the knife he's dropped and throw it right at him.
What do you know? It landed right in the middle of his chest.
My aim is improving…
His eyes widen in surprise as he glances down at the knife sticking out of his chest.
Before he can do anything else, I use all the strength I can muster to shove him over the side of the cliff.
The death cannon booms before he even hits the distant ground.
My second kill…
I grimace as his body hits the ground and his head splits open.
"That was really unpleasant…" I say aloud as I retreat into the cave and watch as the body is drawn upwards into a hovercraft in those awful metal claws, swinging around the body near the front of my cave.
I wince as I touch the gash around the side of my neck. It's not deep enough to cause some serious problems, but it's still pretty painful…
I drag off my gloves and go into my pack for the first aid kit.
Dabbing some cotton balls in disinfectant, I wipe them around the cut, trying to ignore the pain of the stinging and then bandage it.
Once that's done, I pack up my own supplies and check to see what supplies the wonderful District 5 boy has brought for me…
More crackers, more beef jerky, some raisins, sugar cubes, more water, some more knives, a blanket, a flashlight and a few spare heads for the spear he dropped.
I've done well, hehehehehehe…
Stuff it, Dominique!
I'm smiling to myself as I have some apple slices and raisins for dinner.
Night comes quickly afterwards and just as I'm bundling up for sleep, another canon blast rings out.
A few minutes later, the anthem plays and the seal makes an appearance. Now, the pictures of the District 5, 8 and 11 boys adorn the night sky.
Even though I'm starting to feel groggy, I see the picture of the District 11 boy that I wounded yesterday in the sky and begin to wonder if he succumbed to the wound I gave him or if it was something else…
I guess I'll never know unless I can get out of here and ask Ceres or something…
"Well, I'm glad it's not me…" I whisper to myself as I snuggle down to sleep.
I wake up while it's still dark so I have no clue whether it's day three or not.
A clue I do have though is that it's freaking cold.
Cold enough to make my teeth start chattering, oh dear god…
I draw on my gloves; pull the hood of my jacket up, zip it up as far as it will go and wrap myself in the blanket.
No need for cool water right now. I'm cool enough as it is…
I light a match, building a small bonfire out a few twigs and rocks I found lying around the cave.
As the sun's rays spread out weakly over the arena's sky, the temperature doesn't seem to get any better.
In fact, it seems to get progressively worse…
If there are a few things I actually remembered in school is that the higher one goes up in nature, the colder the air around gets. At least, I think…
The Gamemakers are also probably fucking around with the temperature so combine that with my current high altitude…
If I stay up here, I will turn into a human icicle. What a lame way to die…
Folding up the blanket and placing it back into the pack I got after I… killed… the District 5 boy, I survey the cave to see if I've got everything.
Once I've secured my sword and the spear I got yesterday in that handy weapon utility belt, I shake myself a bit, getting used to the weight of both packs and trying to get a little warmer in preparation for my descent.
"Well, here I go. It's been nice staying with you, little cave, but it's time I get a move on. I can't hide forever, can I?" I smile slightly for the cameras, just in case they are focused on me now.
I retrieve my grappling hook, close my pack and head for the exit.
Once I'm sure that the hook is safely in place, I gingerly put my feet down on to begin my descent.
I panic slightly as I begin to slip, sending some rocks tumbling down the side, but grasping the rope on the edge of the hook firmly, I steady myself and my heart slows down to a normal rate and stops acting as if it wants to leap right out of my chest.
Taking my time going down, the sun has come up fully, but the temperature hasn't gotten any warmer.
Once I reach a ledge, I pull down the grappling hook and take a breakfast break, munching on some trail mix and beef jerky.
I am glad that I never really ate that much, even when I was back in Montreal. Add that to the extra nourishment I had while in the Capitol and I still feel okay.
What will I do though when my little snacks start to run out? Will I have to learn to hunt? I don't know a thing about hunting like Katniss did! Plus, I'll actually have to kill it myself, skin it, gut it…
Eww…
Despite the fact that I have killed two people and possibly three if the wound I gave the District 11 boy on the first day was the cause of his death, the thought of having to kill an animal like that and cook it myself on a bonfire instead of a stove makes me slightly nauseous.
I shake off the feeling and continue down the mountain. Thoughts like these will not help me to survive these Games and I want to survive them so I can beat the shit out of Dominique and Claudette when I get out of here.
Plus the experience I will have gained in this arena will give me more experience to make their demises more… painful.
I snicker to myself as I continue my descent. Let them make what they will of that…
Finally, I'm back on level ground.
My knees are a bit scratched up and I got some dirt in my eyes and ears, but I'm not that much worse for wear.
Stepping back to get a good look at the mountain before I leave it, I take a deep breath of air.
This would almost be refreshing. Almost. If I weren't in the Hunger Games that is.
Shaking myself up a bit and stretching, I move off into the forest, spear raised and one of my knives- a pretty butcher knife type- clutched in the other hand.
BOOM!
I jump, startled.
Another kill. That's about eleven of us dead now right?
Now's not the time to try and remember the death total as I hear the sounds of immediate danger i.e. the sounds of several pairs of feet approaching me along with the sound of a voice I'd never forget.
Titania.
"That was quite the number you did on the District 3 girl, Gemma!" She says.
I don't stick around to hear more as I take off through the trees.
However, they seem to have heard me as the footsteps continue behind me, speeding up and now hoots and shouts of laughter have joined them.
"Where are you, little Tribute? We're coming to get ya!" A voice I faintly associate with the District 4 male calls out.
I'm certainly not going to tell you, am I?
Picking up even more speed, I see that ahead of me is another female Tribute- the one from District 6, I think.
She watches, stunned as I speed past.
Barely a minute or two after I've passed, I hear her screams and the boom of another cannon.
Somewhere, something inside me feels slightly sorry for leading the Careers to her, but she would have had to die for me to live anyway…
Ahead of me, I see a small cave into which I'd barely be able to fit lying down with all my supplies.
Behind me, I hear the footsteps of the Careers approaching.
I slip right into the space in the tiny cave and pull two rocks in front of it, leaving just the tiniest of cracks which I can peek through.
I see six pairs of feet rush into the small clearing, twisting around as if their owners are turning around to look in all directions.
"You sure you heard 'em go this way, Caspian?" A male voice I don't recognise says.
"Absolutely, Silver. I heard them go in this direction!"
"Well they're obviously not here anymore…" Another male voice I don't recognize says, sounding annoyed.
"You saying I was making it up, Mason?" Caspian says, sounding irritated as well.
The second unfamiliar male voice speaks again. "Well, maybe…"
"Knock it off, Mason." Titania's voice cuts him off. "No use arguing. They probably sped off somewhere else. There's nowhere for them to hide around here…"
I hold in a snicker.
"Gemma, you go in front. You've got the pretty arrows. Brooke and I will join you since she's got that fancy fork and I've got throwing knives. Mason, Silver, Caspian, you can cover us in the back…" I'm guessing Titania's the leader of the Career Pack this time around, kinda like how Cato was… will be next year.
Well, it makes sense. She and her District partner Mason were the only two to get tens for their training score…
I wait for what feels like hours after I see their feet disappear, until I decide it's safe to remerge and glance up at the sky while dusting off myself, trying to get my bearings.
It doesn't even look like it is quite afternoon yet, oddly enough. I suppose because I really woke up early and started moving before then, the time flew faster.
Plus my little near-encounter with the Careers…
My heart hasn't even slowed down yet and putting my hand to my chest to steady it doesn't seem to help much…
Taking a few deep breaths and shaking myself to calm down, I decide that it's time to move on again.
And that's when I hear the animal roars and bloodcurdling screams.