Ready or Not, Here I Come

by In the Blink of an Eye

The year of traps and betrayal, tricks and deceit. The arena of cliffs and sharp edges, hiding places and hidden dangers. The games ruled by an erratic fruitcake of a Gamemaker. And they wonder why the victor went delirious. Welcome to the 51st Annual Hunger Games - the odds will definitely not be in your favour.

2. Building Up to the Moment

The way that the POVs are going to work, are a sort of random pick. Obviously, as there are no District One tributes yet, we'll start with District Two. Then I'm moving on a random pattern, no particular order. When a character dies, then they will simply be removed from the list and it will carry on. Confusing huh?

*WentToTheMoonToday

...

Priya Pendus, District Two

A dagger protrudes from the stomach of an unfortunate dummy and I remove its head with the sword in my hand. I spin around, stab the dummy behind me, jump and kick it in the chest. It falls onto the mat, imaginary blood gushing from the wound. I smirk and look at my friends.

Mina gives me the nod. She was a victor after all, just three years ago. If she can do it, I can. Stephano observes the damage and pats my arm. "You could win this year – you honestly could."

His pale blue eyes which so similar to mine, seem like a soft oblivion. He chuckles, "that is, if you're still going to volunteer."

I mock punch him on the arm. Obviously I misjudge my strength and he gives me a reproachful frown before walking over to the weapon rack. Here in District Two, out training centres are the bomb. Almost literally. They are stuffed with all kind of weapons, training instructors and mats, so you don't injure yourself to badly. (Not that anyone actually uses them.)

My personal favourites are the swords. They're long and have a great reach, and when you get the balance right, it almost seems like an extension to your arm. Mina won the 48th Hunger Games with a sword. She played down on her talent, only receiving a 6 in training. Then, she stuck to the career pack, living from them like a scavenger. She managed to get her hands on a sword and killed all of the careers in their sleep when they were least expecting it.

I know that I can't use her exact tactics – I'm sure they won't be forgotten until about the 60th Hunger Games – but I can improvise on them. When I volunteer (and I will thankyou Stephano) I will act like a normal career. I will survive as long as possible, make as many kills as possible to get sponsors, then there will most definitely be a showdown in the careers. I will then do the 'Mina' effect and reveal my sword-fighting talent. And voila, the victory is mine.

'Lash' Frist, District Seven

"NO! I will not come out of here until you take it back!" I yell. He triggered it. He said he wouldn't trigger it. I won't come out of my den until he says he is sorry.

He said that if I was picked, then I wouldn't last a day. I'll show him. He triggered the syndrome again, he should pay for it.

He calls up the tree. "Lash, get the hell out of that tree and get down here – the Reaping is in one hour!"

But I won't come down. He'll have to chop the tree down before I will. He triggered it, and he said he wouldn't. He triggered the rare syndrome I have which makes me lash out at people. The syndrome was healing, until he opened his big fat mouth.

My mind swims and my vision distorts – it makes it hard to think. I am thinking of a beautiful garden, of my beautiful mother, then a Capitol building.

Then I am back here again. In my tree, my den. And the Reaping is one hour. Why am I up here? I've forgotten. My syndrome makes it hard to think straight. Oh yes, the Hunger Games. I need to get dressed.

As I descend the tree, his features relax into a smile. "I told you Lash, it will be fine. I'm sorry for what I said." He reaches a hand towards me in an attempt to calm me down. It is then when I remember what he said.

I growl and bolt towards my bedroom. I will go to the Hunger Games. I will show him.