How have I made it this far? Surely I should be dead by now. I mean, I'm from District 10! District 10, of all places!
I must be very good at hiding. I don't see what else it could be. Well, in that case, I needn't worry for now. I'll sleep. My stomach's so empty that I don't think I could stay awake without being distracted by hunger anyway.
I know they're called the Hunger Games, but I'm even hungrier than I expected to be. I can't hunt, and those berries... maybe they're toxic. There was a bush, the berries were safe. But they're gone now, and I don't want to risk my life for a taste of a possibly poisonous berry. I've lasted a week now, sometime soon a sponsor is destined to take me on, surely.
I fall asleep, safe with the thought that I haven't yet been found. It's a pleasant sleep considering where I am. I'm in no more danger than any other night.
I dream of going home, of returning to my grateful family. I miss them, and I need them. They need me, that's why I need to win. I need to get back to them.
"Wha-" I mumble. I've been awoken from my slumber, and it's terrifying. I look for who it is - just a rabbit, hopping about. It probably didn't notice me.
I sigh in relief, and try to sleep again. It can't be much past midnight.
This time I dream of the rabbit, of how its life is so much simpler. Rabbits don't have reapings. Rabbits aren't fearful of being selected for the Hunger Games. Yes, they're hunted, but I very much doubt they realise that. Lucky sods.
Then I'm awoken again. This time, I panic. There's a firm grip on my shoulder and my eyes open wide to see the boy from District 2.
"Well, look what we have here!" He snarls, and the girl beside him laughs. I think there should be another boy, but I can't see him. Maybe he's stayed to guard their camp. Maybe he's just sleeping - it's still very early.
His grip gets even tighter as the girl gets out a knife from a vest she wears. "This is my kill, Cato. I want to kill him. I let you have that girl..."
"You know full well that Twelve stole my glory there..."
"Yes, but you had the chance. It's hardly my fault that you couldn't quite manage to end her life." She speaks in a harsh tone, and I don't like it. She's clearly younger than me, but she's terrifying me.
He scowls. "Fine."
She smirks at him, and then she aims her knife at me. I gasp, unable to get out any words. She throws, and I feel a pain in my chest like never before...
It hurts.