As I am lifted I feel my breath catch in my throat. My platform settles in place and then the second countdown starts. Sixty seconds. That's all I have left to think. Better start quickly then.

My fellow tributes are all surrounding me, the twenty-four of us spread out into a semi-circle. I see Blaze, staring straight ahead. To my alarm he's looking at the cornucopia. Surely he's not going to be stupid enough to aim for that? He'll be slaughtered. I watch as Dax catches his eye and they exchange a nod. I'm desperate to know what that means but I don't have time to figure it out. I need to get a handle on my surroundings.

The arena looks far bigger in person than it does on TV. This year we've been thrown into a barren landscape, dirty orange sand and hundreds of large rocks. I can see one body of water, a large lake surrounded by mud with no covering. Fantastic. That makes things a lot trickier. A few metres behind the lake is one of the queerest things I have seen in any games so far. It is a giant dirt mound, easily the size of a skyscraper back home. The whole thing is covered with numerous holes big enough to climb into, like an insect the size of a dog has burrowed its way through it. I eye it up curiously. That would be a good place to hide. But then I think of the dark and the lack of food and suddenly it doesn't seem like such a good idea.

If I turn to look behind me (very carefully so as not to blow myself sky high) I see a few hundred metres of sand and then the dark glimpse of a dense jungle. That gives me hope. There has to be food in there. But of course, I need a weapon in order to hunt. I can scavenge but I'm not sure how long I can survive on plants alone. Maybe I can backtrack later, return to see if I can get a knife or possibly even a blowgun?

Twenty seconds left.

Yes, I'll head for the jungle. Hopefully people will ignore me if I run for it. There will be far easier targets than me. But just as I am turning back I spot something else. Behind one of the large rocks is a small opening, a tiny hole just big enough for a person to hide in…

No. It's too risky.

Now that I've spotted it though I can't get it out of my mind. If I could reach that spot and slip inside, I'd be practically invisible. Unless you knew it was there (and none of the other tributes have spotted it, I'm sure of it) it would be completely hidden by the rock. I could hide there and wait for the bloodbath to finish, the Careers to leave…

I'd have my pick of leftovers.

While I'm still thinking the countdown stops. It takes me a second too long to realize, precious time wasted. As expected, the Career tributes all head for the cornucopia. So do some of the others. Not wanting to waste any more time, I turn and head for the hole. We don't get much of a chance to run in my district and I'm not as fast as I would have liked. I reach it though, pulling myself inside so quickly I barely manage to avoid hitting my head on the rocks. Once I'm in I spin round, checking to see if I've been noticed. I can see the other tributes from inside here. Thankfully none of them are looking my way. My heart is hammering inside my chest and I feel a rush of both elation and fear. How could I be so reckless? I'm stuck here now-I will surely be noticed if I try to escape. And if they spot me I will have nowhere to run, no way to defend myself. This will either be the best thing I could have done or suicide.

Catching my breath, I turn my attention to the cornucopia. Veneer and Luster are right at the heart of it, cutting down the people closest to them and grabbing at supplies. Luster has pulled a knife out from one of the packs and she slashes gleefully at the District Seven girl, slicing her neck like it was made of butter. A little further back Murdock and Nerine are also working together. Nerine is clumsily attempting to use an axe on the two District Five tributes, which seemed to have formed their own little alliance. She misses and one of them slices her arm, but then Murdock quickly jumps to her rescue. He's managed to find a trident among the prizes. He guts them both, little emotion on his face. Nerine smiles and half-hugs him before returning to the slaughter.

I can't see either of the District Three tributes, but both from Two are there. Corin doesn't stay long. I watch as he pulls a knife and a large backpack from near the mouth of the cornucopia, carefully dodging Veneer's attacks. No alliance there then-that much wasn't faked. He stops to stab the District Ten girl before racing away, heading towards the jungle. Both Salvia and the boy from Twelve also went that way. I'm not sure what happened to Mayes or Verbena, although since I can't see them I assume they fled too. I am scanning the area to see who else I can see when suddenly I catch a glimpse of red hair.

Blaze.

I want to yell at him, scream at him to run. What is he doing? I can see Dax is with him, covering his back with some kind of sword. Blaze is running towards the heart of the cornucopia, his sights set on a large blue backpack. I watch powerless as he reaches it, scooping it up with one hand. He turns to go when suddenly Calista is there.

He hasn't seen her. He turned too late. But she's behind him, holding some sort of axe. It's smaller than the ones you usually see. A throwing axe. It takes all of my energy not to scream and give my hiding place away as she throws it with deadly precision at Blaze's head. It hurtles through the air, sure to hit its target…

I'm too far away to hear Dax speak, but I see his lips move. Suddenly Blaze turns, his eyes widening in surprise. He dodges but he's a fraction of a second too late. The axe sticks in his arm and he grimaces in pain.

I'm frozen in shock now. Blaze yanks the axe out of his arm, quickly tossing it aside. It's left a deep wound, swelling now with red liquid. He's hurt. He turns to run again and this time he makes it, him and Dax disappearing across the sand and into the jungle. Calista frowns and picks up her axe, looking very irritated indeed. She takes out her anger two seconds later on the District Twelve girl. I flinch as the axe buries itself in her neck, having to look away. If Blaze had only kept it that wouldn't have happened. Why did he throw her weapon back?

He doesn't have a killer's mind. He doesn't think about things like that.

Trembling slightly, I retreat into my hole. The bloodbath is almost over now. It's hard to count the dead but there seems to be less than previous years. Not as many Careers working together to take them down. Calista has also fled after picking up a reasonable haul, leaving only the District One and Four tributes. For a second there is hostility between them. Then they seem to relax and I realize that they at least are working together. They begin to sort through the supplies they have gathered, splitting up food and weapons. It takes them longer than expected. Normally you don't get to see this bit. The camera focuses on the survivors, showing their escape and showing off the arena. I wonder what the audience will think of me hiding? Will they think I'm a coward? Heartless for not helping Blaze or smart for not giving my position away? I hug my knees to my chest miserably, watching the Careers. Praying they don't find me.

Veneer gets the lion's share, picking up a huge spear and a backpack large enough to hold a week's supply of food. Luster handpicks several knives, almost as if she was out buying clothes or whatever they buy in her district. Murdock keeps a tight hold of his trident, also taking a knife or two. Nerine is the most puzzling-she only picks up a simple sword and a large net. They start talking as they dish things out, probably discussing strategies. I try to listen but I'm too far away. My legs start to cramp up and I begin to think this was a terrible idea.

I panic as the Careers vanish from view. I panic even more when Luster appears a minute later. She's about three metres from my cave, idly playing with one of her new knives.

"Shouldn't we be hunting them down now? They'll only be getting further away."

"Agreed." Veneer nods, stepping up next to her. He's looking almost right at the rock which is hiding me. If he takes a few steps to the left he'll probably be able to see me. I swallow nervously, well aware that the cameras will be on me now. Ready to get a close up of my death.

Steady…

"We should get more water first," Murdock argues. Despite the fact they are allies there is still a clear division between him and Nerine and Veneer and Luster, "I doubt there will be any water source as good as this lake, and if we're going to be travelling we don't want to dehydrate."

"Leave it to fish boy to think of water." Veneer smirks, and Luster laughs like it's the funniest joke she's ever heard. Murdock only scowls. Somehow I don't think this alliance will last long.

"I'm right."

"Yeah, I suppose so. Come on then." They head for the direction of the lake, disappearing from view again. I relax for a little while, stiffening when they come back. They have their packs on their backs now, massive ones which dwarf whatever Blaze picked up. There's one awful moment where Nerine suggests they search the rocks, but thankfully they dismiss her.

"No one would be stupid enough to hide here. Let's go." They head off towards the jungle, weapons drawn and at the ready. I start to smile as I watch them go. I did it! It worked! Thrilled, I force myself to wait at least five minutes before crawling out. My outfit is covered in mud but I don't care.

Most of the supplies are still here.

Of course. That's the one thing about the games-the start is usually predictable. The Careers stay and get the supplies. Other people who stay die. And the rest of the tributes run away, trying to get as much distance between them as possible. They wouldn't think anyone would be close enough to get their supplies for a few days at least. No reason for them to protect them now then.

Dusting myself off, I head hesitantly towards the cornucopia. I won't be able to hide there twice, that's for sure. When they return they might well search the rocks and besides, the hole is far too small to sleep in comfortably. Not that I'll be able to sleep comfortably at all while I'm here.

Everything is eerily quiet now. I walk for quite a bit until I reach the first body. I almost crash into it in my haste. I glance down, not wanting to look but being unable to ignore it. It's the District Five girl. The one I barely paid attention to. Her eyes are open, stunned. I look away, knowing that her gaze might haunt me forever now.

The closer you get to the cornucopia, the redder the sand becomes. I avoid the bodies, focusing all my energy on getting the best supplies. I don't know how long I've got but I don't want to linger. I pick up one of the largest backpacks, grab a knife or two and make sure I have a drinking flask. In the end I pick up three just to make sure, filling them up at the large lake. I'm not entirely sure it's safe but the odds are the water from there will be fine to drink. I've just finished filling up the second one when I spot something else in the pile.

A blowgun!

Utterly thrilled, I practically dance over. It's a small blowgun, almost identical to the one I practised with. Next to it is a bag of shiny needles, each one ending in a deadly point. My hand has just begun to close around them when I feel someone's fingers grip my shirt. They yank me back sharply, away from my weapon. I barely have time to panic when I feel the razor blade at my throat.

Author's Note: Yep, I'm still writing albiet slowly. Sorry about the wait. Keep those reviews coming and thanks again to the people who have reviewed. It's really helpful to know I have an audience who actually wants to read more and feedback is always great