The Hunger Games, the First Round

Peter followed Clark, Megan, and Conner to the barn where already people had congregated. There was an almost tangible anticipation in the air as the other teams milled about outside the red painted building while those not participating headed in.

Why do I get a bad feeling about this? Peter wondered as they arrived. He remembered what Abel had said about the game. Dodge ball always entailed flying objects, but what would be so surprising about Ultimate Dodge Ball?

"Hey, Clark, what is Ultimate Dodge Ball?" Megan asked as they lounged around the front of the barn.

"Yeah, what is it? I've never heard of it before," Peter piped up.

Conner didn't say anything, but he wanted to know as well. He'd played dodge ball in P.E. class and he'd found that he didn't enjoy it much. It wasn't that he couldn't dodge, but that he was still unable to completely control the power with which he tossed the balls.

Clark adjusted his glasses in thought. Evidently the game was difficult to explain.

"I'm sure you've all read the Hunger Games?" Clark stated in a questioning tone. Peter and Megan nodded (Megan more eagerly than Peter), while Conner shook his. He recalled that title was on his summer reading list that he had yet to actually read. Clark went on, "Well, it's almost a dodge ball version of the Hunger Games and for some it may as well be. They'll explain the rules in a minute, so I'll leave it at that."

That's just perfect, Peter thought as he involuntarily gnawed on his inner lip. It's no wonder everyone's excited about this game.

Despite having every confidence that he could win the game with great ease, he was slightly unnerved by it. Unlike the race, he was nervous for the exact opposite reason. How was he supposed to seem normal during this event?

How was he supposed to play this game without showing off his spider-sense? It was going to be hard to ignore that tingle he always felt in the back of his head whenever danger was near.

"Alright, everyone," called Terry over a megaphone. "Welcome back to the Family Games."

Everyone began to circle round the head organizer of the Family Games. Most of the teens and adults playing were excited.

"As you all know it's time for … Ultimate Dodge Ball." Terry paused for a cheer that erupted in the crowd. Peter couldn't help but notice that the Holt team was among the loudest. "I'll be going over the rules of Ultimate Dodge Ball for those who are new to the Family Games.

"First off the same rules of regular Dodge Ball apply. You throw the ball and if someone catches it you're out. A ball hits the ground and then hits you; you're still in, and so on. Most importantly head shots do not count.

"Unlike Dodge Ball, the only boundaries are the first level of the barn," she declared happily. "When you get out, sit or kneel down and pay attention to the person who got you out, 'causes if they get out, you're back in."

"I see why they call it 'Hunger Game Dodge Ball'," Peter whispered to Clark as the rules came to an end.

"To make this more competitive and a little more timely, this year we're going to have a time limit on this game," Terry said. "There will be intervals of ten minutes. When that time limit is up, all those who are out are out permanently. Now that rules are done let's get started."

"Well, this is going to be interesting," Conner muttered as they entered the barn. The other teams were ecstatic.

"This is going to be fun," Megan answered. She, of course, was excited about this; she'd always enjoyed games like this.

"'Fun' is not the ideal word that I'd use to describe it," Peter said. "The Holts look like they're going to enjoy this far more than they should."

Conner eyed said team. Abel looked rather cocky, Arty and Sal looked like they were all too eager to begin. The second oldest Holt boy (if Conner recalled correctly his name was Brock) had a wolfish grin and a hungry look in his eyes as he evaluated everyone as they entered the barn.

"They might be the Careers, but we can win this," Megan said energetically.

"You really like the Hunger Games, don't you?" Peter asked with raised eyebrows.

Before Megan could answer, Terry began speaking over the megaphone again, "Everyone, get ready … set ….. GO!"

An abrupt cheer erupted in the hay loft as chaos began to reign on the ground level.

Peter wasn't quite sure what was happening, because it all went too fast. Large foam balls were flying to and fro around the room.

Instinctively, he was weaving, jumping, and dodging the projectiles. He was almost tempted to leap onto one of the wooden beams to avoid the fast flying balls.

Clark and Megan and Conner were doing far better than him, or at least that was his opinion of his performance. Megan had caught a ball and was going after the other participants of the game. Clark was dodging and looking like he was enjoying the game. Conner had a ball in hand, a serious expression on his face, and was rearing back to throw the ball.

What on Earth?! His spider-sense erupted as if he was in real immediate danger, and he quickly went into action.

He jumped to the side and practically over a stall door narrowly avoiding a foam ball hitting him.

Looking back, he saw that Sal and Arty Holt were giving him a slightly astonished look. Evidently they'd tag teamed to get him out and were not expecting such moves.

"Let the Hunger Games begin," he muttered softly as he tossed the ball that had been thrown at him at the two Holts.

Sal reacted faster than Arty and dove off to the side, letting the ball hit his brother.

"With some amazing skills, Peter Parker has gotten Arthur Holt out!" Terry said over the megaphone as Conner narrowly avoided yet another foam ball. "That's one Holt down, three to go folks, but you'll have to get Parker out and it looks like his previous injuries aren't stopping him either."

"Oh my gosh, did you see that, Conner?" Megan asked, psychically establishing a communications link between him and her.

"Ah … was I supposed to see something?" he asked. He was starting to feel like he was on a mission or doing a training exercise back at the Cave as he kept moving. Already a number of people had gotten out, so it was becoming harder and harder to maneuver around.

"Yes, Peter has some hidden skills or something," she exclaimed. "He pretty much jumped over a stall door before throwing a ball at Arty."

"So that's what happened." He moved closer to where Megan was playing. Tag teaming was a pretty good tactic.

"Yeah, but it looks like he might have made a few enemies too," she said, concern evident in her tone.

Conner took a minute to spy Peter across the room. He seemed to be doing fairly well, especially considering that the Holts along with some other people whom Megan would probably deem 'Careers' were ganging up on him.

"He looks fine to me."

"Yeah, but they're cornering him," Megan pointed out and Conner realized that the Holts and company actually were. Peter was being driven into a corner by two of the three remaining Holts and possibly a whole other team. "Come on we have to help."

This isn't good. This really isn't good, Peter thought frantically. Sal and his second oldest brother had rounded up a posy and were trying to eliminate him from the game.

Peter had pretty much given up hope of avoiding relying on him spider-sense and was listening to the warning mechanism within the realm of human possibilities as much as he could.

He hadn't a clue as to what his excuse would be later, but he didn't care. He'd suspended normal for a moment and put on his Spider-Man persona.

The six guys surrounding him looked like they very well could have been related to each other, and Peter was pretty sure that they all qualified as Careers, but it appeared that Sal was their leader.

"Hey, Don," the second oldest Holt commented casually. "You want to do the honor of getting this shrimp out?"

Don accepted the ball that was offered to him with an arrogant that reminded Peter too much of Flash's expression when he was about to be shoved in a locker.

"It'd be my pleasure, Brock," the teen practically growled and tossed the ball at Peter.

Instead of dodging, Peter grinned broadly and decided to pull a trick out of his sleeve.

The ball sailed towards him and within a few seconds of hitting him, he caught it.

"Nice shot, Don. How does mine compare?" Peter quipped before tossing the ball right back. Don was so stunned that he didn't even attempt to dodge it, he just stood there, and eyes widened slightly and let the ball hit him.

"Get him," Sal ordered, stepping closer and the others in the Holt posy followed his lead.

Peter's smirk faltered momentarily as he noted the expression of the Careers.

Maybe that wasn't such as smart move.

He glanced around, looking for a way out. If he didn't weasel his way out of this one, Peter knew that he wouldn't be proceeding to the next round.

"Alright folks," Terry said through the megaphone after she'd sounded an air horn to get everyone's attention and to indicate that this was more than a commentary. "That's the first round. If you're out, and we know who is, please make your way up to the hay loft. Those who are still in, please step out of the barn so we can set up for round two."

Peter breathed a sigh of relief as the Holt posy dropped their balls and trudged outside. He wasn't out, not just yet, but he'd definitely made enemies.

"Are you alright?" Megan asked Peter as she and Conner approached him at a water station. Conner and Megan had attempted to get to Peter before the round was up, but they'd gotten side tracked avoiding a hailstorm of balls courtesy of Abel.

Peter took a swig of water before replying, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little worn out. Clark wasn't kidding that this game is the Dodge Ball equivalent of the Hunger Games."

"Speaking of which, where is Clark?" Connor questioned as he turned to scan the crowd. He hadn't seen the older man since the beginning of the game. It really didn't bother him while he'd been playing. He figured that Clark could handle the game by himself, but now that the first round was over he had to wonder what happened.

"I don't see him," Megan commented worriedly. "Did you see him at all during that round?"

"Yeah, I did once, but he looked like he was doing just fine," Peter responded.

"If you guys are looking for Clark, you won't see him here," someone said and the three of them turned around to see Brock Holt getting a drink of water.

"Uh-huh and why is that?" Conner said skeptically.

"Abel got him out, and you're team had better watch it, 'cause all three of you are next on our list," he responded in an ominous growl. "'Specially the shrimp. Your tricks are only gonna get you so far."

"Good to know, and may the odds be ever in your favor," Peter retorted with a self-satisfied smirk.

Brock just shook his head and walked off to join his brothers.

"Well, this is going to be fun," Conner murmured.

"Yeah, no kidding, not only have I got the Holts trying to get me, but I think every other team is going to try to get me out," Peter groaned. Conner scanned the crowd again and noticed some askance glances in their direction.

"Yeah, you sure surprised everyone when you pulled off that move you did," Megan said happily. "I wasn't expecting that and I doubt anyone else was either."

"I think I surprised myself."

"Well, I hope you keep surprising yourself, 'cause the next round is about to start," Conner interrupted the conversation before Megan could reply.

"Yeah, me too."

I had wanted to make this chapter the whole game, but found that it'd take too long and I was sortya running dry on ideas on how things happen.

As always I'm opened to suggestions, comments, concerns, and questions. Please review. I kinda wanna see if we can get to a hundred reviews. It doesn't seem unfathamable.

Yes, for those concerned, the chapters are going to get longer. I now have a designated notebook to tote around and write in whenever class work becomes too much of a bore.

Special thanks to all the loyal reviewers, I hope you've enjoyed this anticpated chapter, and there will be more to come.

~Rayner out