Jade Waterly
My worse fears are coming true. The games haven't even started and I'm already freaking out. They've shoved me into a small glass tube. I feel as though I can't breathe, and all of a sudden I'm being lifted up. Fainting would not be a good idea right now, so instead I focus on breathing.
Light streams into my vision. The first thing I notice is that I'm terribly high up from the ground.
60…
The timer. This is about to become real.
59…
Glitter Harison
I quickly assess my surroundings. Jade is on my left, and Aeron is on my right. Which one should I go after first? Jade will be easier to take down, but Aeron is strong and I could catch her off guard now rather than later.
58…
The cornucopia is sitting at least forty feet below me. Do they expect us to jump down?
57…
I turn around. We are suspended above the arena. I can see everything.
Aeron Swan
Where is Noah? I'm stuck near Jade and Glitter.
56…
I squint my eyes, and he raises his hand. He's all the way across the circle from me. How am I to get to him?
55…
I might as well fight my way into the bloodbath. I did get one of the highest scores. I can do this.
Stephanie Fox
I am shaking.
54…
What should I do?
53…
I should run, but how do I run? I'm stuck up here.
52…
I want to go home. No I must stay calm. There's an opening near me. I can run towards that.
51…
River Belaqua
Scout is next to me. Where are her allies?
50…
Stop worrying about her. I need to figure out my plan.
49…
Get to the cornucopia.
Scout Calloway
I can see the entire arena. It's designed like a hedge maze. Are those hedges though?
48…
How are we supposed to hide here, or find food?
47…
Oh I see. There are four small sections in each corner. I can barely see them from here.
46…
Kyra and Dorien and I are all separated. We don't all need to go to the cornucopia. I catch their eyes. Dorien nods. She always was a brave one.
Faunas Dunois
This is it. I have to survive this. Should I run to the cornucopia? I can't even see what's down there.
45…
I shouldn't because I could more easily perish, and I must make it if I am to restart rebellion.
44…
But there will be no supplies in this maze, unless I can make it to one of the four areas that lie in each corner.
43…
Boxer Lightwood
The one in the top-left corner looks like a forest. The one in the top-right corner is a… beach? I think. I squint harder.
42…
The bottom-left corner has some kind of barren land, and the bottom-right corner has… is that a barn? Interesting, it's farmland.
41…
I will go towards the barn, but should I fight in the bloodbath? Can I make it without supplies? Kyra is only one platform away. Should I kill her?
Lucian Sparx
I need to find Athea. She is not anywhere near me.
40…
There she is, basically across the circle from me. Ashley and Alice flank her sides. I cannot go into the bloodbath. I am not strong enough; we have decided that, but is Athea going? One of us will have to cross to get to the other.
39…
Athea falls into running stance. Please don't let her die doing this. I turn and look behind me. There's an opening, I will go towards that one, and Athea will find me later.
Kyra Valente
38…
Dorien is crazy! She shouldn't go, but one of us has to. Supplies will be important in this arena.
37…
I catch Scout's eye. She nods towards the closest opening; the one at the bottom of the circle near me. We are going towards the barren land or the farm area, but who knows where this maze will take us?
36…
Shoal Creek
I am near one of the openings from the center circle. There are four lining the circle; each one is ninety degrees from the other.
35…
Alice is standing closer to the top opening, and Mika is next to me.
34…
She glances at me. She wants me to make a choice.
33…
I will have to make a choice.
Mikaela Northman
Shoal is standing next to me, and Alice is all the way across the circle.
32…
If Shoal meant what he said days ago, he will come with me and we can run and grab a few outlying supplies and then make a break for the bottom opening.
31…
Shoal stares ahead, then glances to me, and then stares ahead, and then glances to me.
Escule Hirosho
Dorien is next to me, but she isn't allied with me.
30…
Will she kill me if I try to follow her? I guess I shouldn't take the chance.
29…
I will have to go alone, but which opening should I go through? I want to head towards the forest, but the opening is all the way across the circle from me.
28…
There's not much time for me to make a decision.
Dorien Oakfree
The Dorien who was reaped would have never ran towards the cornucopia.
27…
That Dorien would've ran away from everybody and tried to get as far away as possible.
26…
But I am not that Dorien anymore. If I am to make it out alive I must fight. I must face this head-on.
David Hammer
Jasten is standing next to me. This is working out great. I look over to him, but he stands like a statue. Please don't tell me that he's just going to stand there.
25…
Who is near me that I can take down? Dorien, Escule, Mika, Marilynn, or Daryl? Mika is standing next to Shoal. Shoal is too far away for me to grab.
24…
He deserves to die for sneaking around. What if he hurts Alice?
23…
I can't let that happen.
Jasten Redwood
Mom, Dad, Nique, Bex. Where are they?
22…
I am in the factory. I need to fix the machine.
21…
No, no, no, this is not the factory. Where am I? What are these people doing here?
Marilynn Rockford
Faunas is too far away.
20…
Should I run towards him, or should I run away and risk losing him?
19…
I shouldn't hesitate. He's too far away for me to see. Maybe I'll run around the circle's perimeter to get to him. But what if he decides to go into the bloodbath?
18…
Why didn't we talk about this beforehand?
Daryl Rivers
I'm next to Noah. I'm sure he would kill me without a second thought.
17…
Ashley is a few platforms away from me. I must get her out of here safe before I worry about myself.
16…
Bullet Daniels
I need to get to Aeron, so I'll fight in the bloodbath.
15…
We can grab our supplies and leave through the top entrance. We can walk until we get to one of the four areas, and then we can make camp.
14…
Elle… I hope you're safe at home. I hope Dad isn't letting you watch.
Audrey Carpenter
This is my worse nightmare. Rion is standing next to me. I glance over at him, and he's eyeing me like I'm his next dinner. What can I do? I can't turn and run unless I want to jump over the hedge and fall to my death.
13…
I can outrun him though.
12…
I'll get to the right entrance opening, but how are we going to get down from here?
11…
Oh I see, there's a platform rising up now.
Orion Kelsey
I don't need any weapons. I can use sheer strength.
10…
I'll kill Audrey first.
9…
And then I can grab the little girl next to me.
8…
This is it, my thirst will soon be satiated.
Ashley Henns
I should get out of here.
7…
Daryl told me to look out for myself, so I will.
6…
There's a platform rising up towards us. It looks like a giant slide. I'll slide down and go through the top entrance near me. But what about food?
Athea DiMae
I am fast enough. I'll pick up a few supplies as I cut across.
5…
Then I'll exit towards the bottom and meet Lucian.
4…
The time is almost up. My heart is pounding. Will I survive this? I feel the chip throbbing in my leg. I must survive this.
Alice Leigh
3…
I meet Shoal's gaze. What is he going to do?
2…
I cannot worry about him. I must get out of here. I must run.
1…
Run.