For about ten seconds, there is nothing but darkness. All of a sudden, a bright light shines in my eyes. I squint to get a view of the arena for as long as I can. And I'm not on a tropical island.

All of the tributes are on metal plates like mine. We had been instructed to not step off until the gong rang after 60 seconds because there are land mines under the ground. We are all in a circle and the cornucopia, a golden horn filled to the brim with supplies, is a good distance in the middle, maybe 100 feet. It's warm, and we are all standing with our backs right up against a calm river that surrounds our island. Behind where the front of the cornucopia is for me (which is the actual front), is a rope bridge. I can't see it very well, but I'm completely sure it's not stable and the game makers will make it fall. At about 6 places around the circle, there are logs stretched across the river. On the sides of the still water there are cattails and other marsh grasses. Beyond the river is a deciduous forest, probably with trees like oaks, maples, and birches.

I can feel the 60 seconds ticking away, so I make a plan. I can't just leave with nothing since I don't know that much about this environment. Plus, I need weapons. The supplies at the cornucopia are spread out about halfway to us, but the most stuff is at the mouth. I decide to sprint as fast as I can and get a spear and some random pack and swim the channel behind the horn. If the spear's hard to get, I'll just get some other weapon, since I at least know how use pretty much every kind.

I feel the minute getting close to its end, so I shift a little on my plate to get ready to sprint. At my left I hear a loud, "CRAP!" and a BOOM! following it. I glance over and see that someone stepped off their plate. There are a couple singed body parts close by. Another person must have been startled by the sound because I hear another BOOM in the same direction, but this time I don't look because I know the time's almost up. 2 down, I think and 22 to go.

"Bong!" the gong sounds. I race off the plate as fast as I possibly can, staring at the golden horn that's growing bigger each step. I grit my teeth and go even faster. I don't notice anyone, but I'm aware of their presence. I'm about halfway in and I pass a bucket of worms, some rope, and a square of something. I ignore all of them. I look for a spear and I see it at the very top of the mouth on my left. I ditch the spear idea and head for a shiny knife about 5 feet ahead. I quickly scoop it up and notice that other tributes are getting pretty close to the gold horn, too, but I'm probably the closest in.

I hear a splash and think to myself that someone is probably trying to swim the channel, which I was going to do too. But not too long after the noise I hear blood-curdling screams from exactly the same place. I decide not to swim.

I'm about 10 feet to the Cornucopia and I spot a black pack about the size of 2 watermelons at the edge of it. I run for it and snatch it just as I'm passing. As I run, I shrug it onto my shoulders. The straps are nice and padded, but the pack's pretty heavy. I don't loose speed though. In fact, I run probably as fast as I ever have because I'm very aware that people are arriving at the Cornucopia. They will probably be preoccupied with the people around them, but they might throw a knife at me. Right on cue, a knife whistles past my ear. I see where it lands and decide it would be best to pick it up.

By now I'm getting close the cattails and the water. I run the rest of the way to one of the logs and swing under it and start crawling upside down. It's not too far of a drop, but enough for me to have extra space between the log and the water. Thank god, whatever is in the river doesn't jump.

When I'm about three quarters of the way to the other side I notice two people on the rope bridge. I stop myself from yelling to them to get off. Just as I thought, it wasn't stable and the two fall into the water. I hear their screams and look the other way.

When I finally get to solid ground, I run as quickly and as warily as I can into the forest. It would be really easy for me to run right under someone and have them skewer me with a spear, but they probably wouldn't be armed since it takes so long to get to the cornucopia. There are still traps made by the game makers to watch out for.

I realize how quiet the forest is. The sound of my quick steps and the wind in the trees are the only noises. I slow down to a quick walk and hear a jabberjay's warning call in the distance. Muttations. There were bound to a bunch of new ones made specifically for the games.

Water would probably be a good thing to find right now. The river around the Cornucopia probably branched off, but I didn't catch where. Stupid Mags, I think. I walk a little longer under the swaying branches of elms, oaks, maples, birches, hickories, and a hundred other trees I can't name.

After I've decided that I'm far enough away from the Cornucopia I make a sharp turn to my left. At some point I will probably hit a stream. My trail curves ever so slightly so I go in a circle.

After a while, I can tell the sun's on the other side of where it was this morning even through the thick canopy of leaves. I still haven't hit the stream yet. I might have water in my pack, so I drop to one knee in a tiny clearing and open it up. I'm holding onto one knife and still very alert in case someone attacks me. My braids flutter in the breeze, which is getting stronger each minute. It turns out there's a bottle of water and a loaf of bread in the pack, along with a couple glass bottles of medicines, a sleeping bag, some pieces of flint and steel, and iodine for purifying water.

I hear a twig snap behind me and in a split second I'm on my feet, spun around. It's Cayne.