(Thanks to Percival Jones and Angie2282 to for the reviews! So, in hour 6, I reveal who the special guest presenter is. Fun! Read on!)
Adam Christy panted, sitting back on the tree, staring at the hole, which he had sealed up. Originally, people would have thought that his assigned weapon was a bad thing. But Adam had managed to use the thick steel plate to his advantage. After leaning down, he managed to stick one end into the moss, and into the mud beneath. It then acted as a lid.
He had watched and listened to the scrabbles, the bangs, and then the silence.
The silence was the worst. The silence acted as confirmation that Adam had killed a man.
"I had to." Adam said to himself, nodding and reassuring himself. "There was a chance, and I took it." He gulped and took a gulp from his bottle of water.
Why did it have to be so hard? He'd killed birds and shrews when he was sorting out people's gardens. They were lives. Are human's so different? Yes... Adam sighed. They were.
But he couldn't allow it to live on in his conscience. He stood up, brushing his trousers down, and hung the bag on his shoulder. On the map is showed a small beach to the North-East. The cliff rose high above it, so he'd have to climb down, but Adam would be glad of the secluded space. No-one would think to find him there.
He turned to walk off, when he was suddenly tackled to the ground by something dark. No, not tackled, but fell on. Adam groaned, and the figure stood up, looking scared and shocked.
Carlos Strouse panted, sweat running down his dark skin. "Oh gods... please... I don't want to die..."
Adam's mind worked fast. This guy could be an ally. And as much as Adam hated to admit it, Carlos could be used, manipulated. He seemed like that sort of guy. "I'm not, I wouldn't... I don't want to die either." Adam managed a weak smile. "And I certainly don't want to kill anyone myself. I've been trying to avoid everyone in this forest." Adam extended his hand. "Adam Christy."
Carlos bit his lip. He had been careful, very careful over the last six hours. He had just about avoided the careers, but he had felt he was being watched. Then, as he ran in fear, he had collided into someone, and before he could see what, the figure had fallen down the pit near here. Carlos started to run again, then once more hit someone. Adam.
Carlos' first impression of Adam was a sympathetic one. Adam was pale, sweat on his face. He definitely looked like a lost person, who didn't want to be in the games. Just like him. So this combined with Adam's tone of voice, reassured Carlos. And Carlos knew he would fare well with an ally.
"My name is Carlos Strouse." Carlos said, grasping Adam's hand. His voice was heavy and slightly slow. "I'm so glad you are here, I mean, as someone who doesn't want to play."
"Who would want to play?" Adam asked, raising his eyebrow. "This is crazy. This whole new scheme they got."
"Those careers are intent on playing." Carlos said lowly. "They want to fight. They almost caught me, but thankfully I just missed them."
"You're lucky man." Adam took a breath, and decided to make the offer. "Carlos... in these games numbers are better, you know what I mean. Better to survive. I figure we work together. You and I could work well. You're strong, and I'm intelligent. These work well, and we could possibly survive. Let the others do the killing and we'd outlast them. What do you say, allies?"
Before Carlos could reply, there was a sudden hiss of static, before a voice echoed all over separate speakers around the island. To Raymond in the military base, Brittany in the church tower, and Kayla and Craig on the beach. Everyone heard what was being said.
XXX
"Hello, Tributes. I want to get something straight out of the way. I do not want to do this. I had to, and that was not my choice. But, let's introduce myself. My name is Ryder, and you may know me from the last Hunger Games, where I was the winner." Ryder's voice was slightly sad, but also had a sense of anger. "What am I doing here talking to you? Well, I have been chosen as a 'guest presenter' for the 101st Hunger Games. Basically, this means that every six hours, I will give a report on who has been killed and by whom. Well, let's start then, shall we."
The unfortunate first victim was Sheryl Saldana, who comes from District 11. She was gunned down by Cindy Curule in the forest, who wielded a machine gun."
The second and third victims happened near the same time. The so called 'career' group went into a small house, and was met with a resilient Amanda Rowell, from District 9. She killed the second victim, Nathan Paradise from District 1, with her scythe. But then Amanda was killed by Victor Durand, from District 6, by a pistol."
The fourth and latest victim was Donald Lubin, from District 2. He was knocked unconscious by Carlos Strouse – Apparently by accident – and was trapped in the trap he fell in by Adam Christy."
I have to go into the details so that you can anticipate who you decide to ally with, and who has what weapons. As a previous winner, I know what it takes. At the moment, I hope that all you have what it takes. One piece of advice: Do not succumb to the games mentality. Keep your humanity."
I'll see you in another six hours, where hopefully not many have died."
XXX
As the voice died down, Jeremy Magruder grinned to himself. Four dead already. A career and three useless people. No bad losses. This Cindy sounded like a likeable fellow though.
Jeremy quickly shook his head and stared down from the tree he was sitting on, at the heads of Carlos and Adam. They were arguing over the recent announcement.
"You trapped him in!"
"You knocked him down!"
"I didn't mean to."
"And I didn't mean to trap him in. My piece of metal just dropped and lodged itself in the hole. There was nothing I could do! Look, we shouldn't argue. There's a secluded beach north-east on the island. We should stay there until this whole thing is over."
Jeremy sighed in disappointment. The argument didn't develop into blows, or even death. That would have been exciting.
"But nothings secluded, is it Damian?" Jeremy muttered lowly do himself, so only he could here.
'Not at all. You'll follow them and kill them. They are the rats and you are the owl. They are the rabbits and you are the fox. You are the predator, and you will hunt them down. No one escapes you.'
"Oh, I know... I know..." Jeremy licked his lips, and saw Carlos and Adam moving. Quietly and expertly, he hopped to the next tree athletically, and continued this way, following the new alliance.
