Rebecca Sandros, District 9

Hurting people is way more fun than being hurt.

For one, being hurt makes you feel defenseless. I've been hurt my whole life- my mother left me with my uncle, who has abused me from a very young age. I've mostly put up with it, but now that I'm here, I won't have to. I'm going to win the Hunger Games and get my revenge.

And you know, part of winning the Games is hurting people, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes. It's not necessarily one of the perks, but I'm ready to kill.

So of course I headed right for the weapons.

Now I'm here, in the thick of it. I immediately grabbed the largest set of knives I could find and I'm ready to go. I threw one, a smaller knife that I wouldn't bother losing, and it just barely misses the right arm of the district one boy, Jasper. Crap. Now I've got his attention.

Jasper turns around, almost in slow motion, to face me. The narrow scrap across his arm doesn't even make him flinch, and I shudder. This guy means business.

Holding a sword, he barrels through the crowd towards me, he swings the sword, and it isn't a warning. It's a fatal swing meant to end my life.

But he misses. I'm just that good.

Jasper is breathing heavily now, as we face off. I'm holding a bag full of knives; he's got one large sword. If either of us moves, it's mutual destruction. So we just stand there.

Then the pain starts.

It's a scorching feeling spreading across my back, unlike any of the abuse I've experienced before. It starts just below my shoulder blades, and rapidly moves up and all around until I fall over because I can't bear to stand. And so I lie on the sandy ground, writhing with pain as well as the knowledge that I'm about to die.

I catch one final glimpse of my murderer. Not even her face: I just see the back of the district one girl's head, because her hair is so vividly blonde. She steps over me, and shrieks with joy as she rushes to hug Jasper. In her mind, their little alliance has already one the games.

Jasper doesn't hug her back; instead he just stands there, dumbfounded. He's still holding the sword in one hand as her arms envelop her neck. "My first kill Jaspy! Aren't you proud?!" He seems fine, but as soon as the girl says his name, his expression changes.

"I'm sorry Skye." She stiffens, but it's already too late.

Without moving any other part of his body, Jasper raises the sword and brings it across her neck. Before she can utter a sound, her head falls to the ground next to my near dead body.

We lay there, two hopeless tributes. A minute go she killed me, and I would have given anything to do the same to her. But now we're in the same position, and all thoughts of killing are gone as we wait for death.

Then she lets out a little whimper. I decide a beheading is the most humiliating death of all. She blinks once and then life leaves her.

I scream, and then I've gone too.

Lucinda Elliot, Head Gamemaker

I must say, these games are off to a fantastic start.

6 deaths already, each one more spectacular than the last. The weaklings may have put up a fight but in the hunger games it's no use.

Now that the bloodbath is finally over, I give the signal for cannons to be fired. One, two, three, four, five, six. Only seventeen to go.

The sponsors are rolling in too. There are already two girls with gifts on the way, from some very particular admirer. In one I see merit, the other I'm afraid I could never see winning. But that's the nature of these things: people root for the underdog.

In these games, it might actually be worth it to cheer for someone who would often have no chance. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, a few splendid surprises for our tributes. After all, what's a circus without a few carnival games?

And of course we have the mutts. They're already, but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to release any tonight. I'll give them one night, and then let the show begin.

"Um… Lucinda? One of the alliances is already at the first tent. Should we stop them?" One of the new game makers calls out to me. The young ones really do have no idea how these things work.

"Of course!" No one's watching this late at night, and we need to save that surprise for when everyone's glued to the screens. Lock the tent, and send down a note!" I shout with a wave of my hand.

Really, I was born for this job.

Sorry that was short and not very good. I'm worried about exams and wanted to crank out one last chapter before my hiatus. Speaking of which, no new chapters will be posted for the next two weeks, due to my very first set of high school midterms (wish me luck!). PLEASE DO NOT delete me off your favorites or alerts list during this time period. I promise I will be back after, and then plenty of chapters will be posted as I am on winter break.

Anyways, I think I'm going to put this at the bottom of every chapter, along with the death list, so you don't forget:

So I want to make this clear: just because I kill your tribute does not mean I don't like them or you. 23 tributes will die, so it's less than likely that yours will be the final victor. I kill when it makes sense, if it fits in with the story and so on. So sorry if your tribute dies, but please don't just whine and cry in the reviews. Remember that I'm trying to fit 24 well developed characters into one story, and it's impossible to please everyone. You can in fact enjoy the WHOLE story, not just the parts that are all about you.

And the death list:

Voltaic Nosa, District 3
Zella Nightblade, Disrict 12
Marcas Mac Phaiden, District 12
Pendleton Anderson, District 8
Rebecca Sandros, District 9
Skye Emerald, District 1

In two weeks you can look forward to the list getting longer, but until then REVIEW! (that one was for you, PerfectingImperfections :)

-Zinkyowl