"Ladies and gentlemen, let the 238th Hunger Games begin!"
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Chester rose up into the arena in sync with the other twenty-three tributes. He wore the same outfit as the rest of the male tributes. A long-sleeved, gray turtle-neck made of a smooth, polyester material covered his torso. Over that he wore a black, hooded fleece vest. Insulated black sweatpants were tucked into black sheepskin boots that were lined in the soft fur of some animal.
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Looking around, he felt grossly overdressed. The tributes were ringed around the golden cornucopia. It stood in a sunlit meadow that was surrounded by trees. The clothes already felt stuffy and hot. He unzipped his vest.
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The cornucopia looked bigger than he had imagined. It was possible that the television had simply made it look smaller, but Chester felt like it was larger than it had been in previous years.
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Situated at the mouth of the cornucopia were a number of supplies that also seemed different from normal. The packs were larger. There weapons weren't quite so plentiful. There were random parkas strewn around.
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Chester made eye contact with Willow, who was just as confused. She shrugged. She jerked her head towards the pile of supplies as though to ask if Chester wanted any.
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Looking around, Chester found Thea, Conner, and Apollo. They all seemed to be looking to him for instruction, which surprised him. Conner and Willow were both older than him, and Willow was more experienced in taking care of people thanks to her younger siblings.
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To be honest, Chester wasn't sure if his alliance would make it out of the bloodbath alive unless they just ran. However, they'd also struggle to find supplies and they'd certainly be slaughtered without weapons the second they crossed the path of any other tributes.
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And, in addition to that, he had a bad feeling about the clothes they were wearing. The stylists had to have a reason to dress them like this. They could do with some extra layers from the cornucopia if Chester was reading the signs correctly.
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He looked back at Willow, who raised her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side in question. He jerked his head at the supplies and then nodded.
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They'd each need a pack. By Chester's count, there were only fourteen in total, so it would be a stretch. They'd probably be able to share most of the supplies within them, but things like jackets and sleeping bags wouldn't share well.
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Chester still had his doubts on whether or not all of them would survive the bloodbath. Willow's vicious District partner might target her or Conner simply because they were close by. Chester had his doubts about being near October and Levi. Apollo's District partner didn't exactly seem friendly.
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The odds weren't in their favor.
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They especially weren't in Chester's favor. He didn't have strength. He probably wouldn't be able to kill anyone even if the opportunity arose. He was weak.
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Sure, he was smart. But when it came down to wits versus weapons, he didn't see himself coming out on top.
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There were just under thirty seconds until the gong would ring and the Games would officially begin. Chester's heart began to race as the reality of it all washed over him. He clenched his fists, which were sweaty with the heat that his clothes were locking in. He noticed that a couple of tributes had slipped off their vests. He didn't think this was wise, and he was relieved to notice that no one from his alliance had done so.
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Chester breathed deeply. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to remember his short time in the training center. They'd need food, and Chester wasn't willing to rely on the hope that the packs could contain it. This was, of course, assuming that they would survive.
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Concentrating, Chester did his best to tune out the countdown and focused on his environment. He could hear birds chirping, which was a plus. So long as they weren't poisonous, they'd be a good food source. If he could catch them…
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Chester looked up to see that his alliance was still watching him, looking increasingly more anxious. He stared blankly at Willow until he realized they might be looking for clearer instructions. He mouthed the word "pack" and Willow nodded. He then jerked his head to the left to indicate where they were going to run, and Willow nodded a second time.
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Chester glanced at Thea, Conner, and Apollo to see if they had gotten the message. They each nodded at him, and Chester nodded back. The Games were almost upon them.
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The gong sounded and Chester immediately took off running. To one side of him was October, which unnerved him. Thea flanked his other side, which was more comforting. He sprinted faster than he had ever sprinted before, his heart beating in his throat. Tears stung at his eyes as he realized that he could be dead at any second.
He snatched up a pack and paused for an instant. He heard a scream and his head snapped towards the sound, where Thea was kneeling on the ground. In front of her stood October, a bloody axe in her hands. She grinned at Chester, whose stomach lurched.
His legs ran without his brain telling them too. He raced back towards his plate, praying that he could outrun the monster that had killed his District partner. He'd grown up with Thea. They never talked much since she was so quiet, but he knew that she was a sweet girl. She was always writing. She didn't deserve this. She deserved to grow old and write stories and have grandchildren. Not this.
Chester wasn't thinking, he was just running. All of a sudden he noticed Ash and Darryl in front of him, but it was too late. He crashed into Ash, causing him to fall into the point of Darryl's sword. Chester got up, horrified, but he couldn't mourn for too long. His legs began to run again, desperate to regain the ground he had had between him and October. The footsteps behind him, however, had stopped. Chester assumed that October had decided to finish of Ash and Darryl rather than follow Chester on a wild goose chase.
As he passed his plate, the gravity of what he had just done hit him. He'd killed Ash. Kind of indirectly, sure, but he was still the cause. He had a kill to his name already, which was already too much. Not even to mention that it was sweet, oblivious, thirteen-year-old Ash Kamau. That kid had a whole life ahead of him.
Until he was reaped.
Guilt churned in Chester's stomach. He'd never make it out of these Games. His heart was hammering so fast it almost sounded like a sustained noise. His breath was ragged. His legs burned. He couldn't do this. He was not a killer.
After running another four-hundred meters or so, he finally stole a glance over his shoulder. He could see Willow running towards him, about a hundred meters away. Apollo was right behind her. Both of them were, thankfully, carrying packs. He couldn't see anyone else chasing them, which was good. Very good.
He broke through the ring of trees that surrounded the cornucopia's clearing to find himself running towards a sizeable lake. He veered left, knowing that they'd have to get around it if they wanted to keep clear of the Careers for as long as they could. After a couple more minutes, a sharp pain developed in his side. He slowed to a brisk walk, pressing a hand into the pain in an attempt to staunch it. He adjusted the black pack on his back and turned.
Willow and Apollo were jogging to catch up with him. He walked slowly backwards, waiting for them to catch up. Then a thought dawned on him and he began to panic. "Where's Conner?"
Willow paled. "Cedar got him," she said shortly. "Thea?"
"October."
The three continued around the lake for a while in silence. Chester noticed a handful of rabbits and squirrels in the trees along the lake. After a silent spell, the arena erupted with noise. The cannons. Chester stopped abruptly, startled by the sound. Willow and Apollo stopped, too. Chester counted on his fingers.
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"Six," he said aloud. "So there are still eighteen of us." Willow and Apollo both nodded. They didn't start walking again. They were near the curve of the lake, and Chester could clearly see the other side across the thin point of the lake. On the other side were more trees, and the earth began to slope downwards. A chilly breeze swept across the lake despite the warm sunlight.
"We should check what's in our packs, "Apollo suggested, breaking the eerie quiet that had followed the canon fire. "So we know what we need." Chester responded by removing the black pack from his shoulders. He sat down on a rock and unzipped the front. His two allies followed suit.
Inside, Chester found a small tent, a tube of ointment, and a small dagger. He looked up. In front of Willow were two navy blue parkas, a set of matches, and some starter wood. Apollo had laid out a knife, a third parka, and an empty water container. "Okay," Chester said. His eyes studied the supplies. "This is good."
"My one question," Willow spoke up, "is what's with all the heavy gear?"
No one answered.
AN: Oh boy, an update. I am seriously trying to finish this. Even if no one is reading it anymore, which is okay. I'm still going to finish it. xx