Kneeling down, I observed my surroundings more carefully. The trees were large, and well built. These would no doubt be very useful in constructing fires. There were many different types of moss in this jungle, and while I did not recognize some, others came to me quickly. Vines would also prove useful, as I could easily use them to block an opponent's path. I look behind me, and there is nothing there. I relax slightly, and take my backpack off. I place it in front of me, and remove the tarp I had wrapped around it. The tarp was large enough to fit a large, and small person underneath of it. Throw some mud, moss, and dust from rocks on it, and you had cheap camouflage. I threw open the backpack, somewhat eager to see what spoils I had obtained from my brief time at the Cornucopia. Inside lies a sap collector, two loaves of bread wrapped in tin foil, a compass, a lighter, and a small canteen with water. Strangely enough, the sap collector was my greatest tool at the moment. I knew a particular type of sap that burned really well, and I could use other materials that I would obtain later on to make a makeshift lantern. The rest of the items were pretty self explanatory. Going camping in the vast wilderness of my home would serve me well. I had been ready to be called into the arena, although I wasn't actually HOPING to get in there. Regardless, I was ready to fight, win, and come home to support my family. However, when I discovered that a thirteen year old had been selected from District 12, I knew that I had to get him home. He was just a kid. Kid's don't deserve death. The rest of us? We're not kids. We're young adults. I hate to belittle the guy, but I don't consider thirteen to be a young adult, that age was fifteen in my opinion. I could hear a cannon fire, and jumped at the sudden sound.

"Just the cannons." I tell myself. I listen, and count along with how many shots I hear. One shot is quickly followed, and drowned out by another shot. And another... And another... Until I hear a total of eight cannon shots. Eight deaths on the very first day, somewhat low compared to some other years I've seen. Careers must have been sloppy this time around. Counting the girl I killed... I groaned and spit, disgusted by the sound of those words. Me... Killing an innocent... To save myself? I sigh and shake my head, I knew that I was fighting for no greater purpose. No great kingdom, not some group of people, nothing. All I could say I fought for was my district, and even that seemed like building a foundation on a beach. No, I was fighting for the kid, that was a purpose. Still... Is one life worth twenty-three? The capitol seems to think so. I shake my head, and pack my rewards into my backpack. I could not focus on my thoughts right now. I needed shelter. I rolled up my tarp as small as I could get it, and placed it into the backpack. Well, more like crammed it in there, but I got it in is the point. I threw the garment onto my back, strapping it onto myself tightly as I observed the knives in the sack. Some were curved, which I had no interest in. True, a knife is a knife, but I don't see the reason to make it look fancy. You use it for the same reason, so what was the point. I found a medium sized one, easily carried in one hand. A well placed stab could probably pierce a major organ. Still, it was lightweight, and could be hidden with relative ease. This would be my weapon of choice. I placed it on a hilt in my belt, and used it to cut a vine from one of the trees. Already I could feel the sweat pouring out of my glands. I had to save my water, however, and decided I would only have a little bit every three hours or so. This wasn't the forest back home, after all. I took the vine and used it to create a complicated knot, tying the bag of knives to my waist.

9 Hours Later...

I collected the last bit of sap from the collector, placing it on a small twig. Carefully, I placed the twig underneath a group of leaves and logs I had made for my fire. This could draw attention, but I would hear those imbeciles coming from a mile away. These careers had clearly not taken stealth seriously, preferring to focus on the up close and personal aspect of the fight. That was just fine with me, easier evasion. It was starting to get dark out, and I could already hear a group of owls begin to hoot. Crickets chirped as I used my lighter to ignite the sap, and watched it turn into a slow blaze. Contained, this could form a useful lantern that would burn as long as you had a ready supply of sap. However, uncontained, such as now, it would slowly spread into a large fire. I blew on the fire, trying to give it more oxygen to make it stronger. Behind me, my tarp has been caked in mud, moss, various types of insect blood for scent, and has even had rocks dumped on it to give it a darker shade. If not for my bag of knives marking it, I couldn't have seen it. I sat beside the fire, listening as the wood cracked, and the sap hissed. I thought about my little sister, Megan. My whole life, fourteen years old and tough as nails, almost like me. Truthfully though, she was delicate, and opened up to those she trusted. I was such a person, and I knew every secret, and thought she had. Not that she minded, she knew my mind set and thoughts as well. We loved each other deeply, and I could only hope she was okay now. I sigh and reach into my shirt, where I have stored my journal. A small, concealable thing that was given to me by my father. I was originally going to use it to detail my camp outs in the forest, but now it would serve as my diary for the events ahead. My father and mother... Two more people I know will miss me. Always doing their best to provide, usually in vain. We weren't poor, and we definitely didn't live off the scraps, thanks to me bringing various birds and vegetables back from camping. Still, it seemed as though we were living pay by pay, and my parents always felt like they weren't doing a good job.

"Just a leaf in the wind..." I said to myself as I heard the anthem of Panem. Unenthusiastically, I looked up into the sky, where the symbol of the Capitol appeared in the sky. As the music of the anthem slowly became more upbeat, and quick, the image quickly changed to the words 'The Fallen'. This was done everyday in the Games, unless no one had died that day. But there were always deaths on the first day. The music continues, and the image quickly changes to that of the male tribute of district 3. Quickly replacing it is the image of the girl from that district. Not unusual for one district to be eliminated right away, this was the twelfth year in a row it had happened. Next was the girl from District 5, and I lowered my head, whispering my apologies to her. The boy made it, but the male from 7 didn't. The female from my district was dead too, which caused me a slight pang of guilt. There was nothing I could have done, of course, but the fact she was from my district made me feel partially responsible. The male from 10 had also been killed in the bloodbath. I held my breath and crossed my fingers as I waited for it to change again... and saw the girl from District 11. I let out a sigh of relief. The kid was still alive. He had survived the Cornucopian bloodbath, and was still out there somewhere. All I had to do was find him. The anthem gives it's finishing flourish, and vanishes into the night time sky, leaving just the sound of crickets, owls, and other wildlife. I leaned back on a tree and pulled out a pencil I kept in my pocket, and began to write in my journal. As far as I could tell, it was still the 14th of May. So that was what I marked my Journal entry.

14th of May, Diary Entry #1

I've made it through my first day of the games, just like I had expected too. Fortunately for me, the kid has made it through as well. Why no one volunteered for him is still a mystery to me, but he is here now, and I am taking it upon myself to get him home safely. The arena is a strange, jungle like climate, with horrendous humidity and who knows what kind of wildlife. Of course, I'm more concerned about the devilish mutants that the Capitol has no doubt set up for us in this year's games. But nothing will compare to that of the other tributes. They are merciless, and only wish to fight for glory, power, and money. The only ones who do not fight for these cause are those of 11 and 12, one of which contains the boy I am going to help. When I'm dead, I'm going to ask him to take this journal to my family on his victory tour. For now, I will wait till' morning, then work out what I will do from there. It's like my father always says ; "It doesn't matter how strong, or smart you are if you don't have the energy to use it."

- Riley, M.

Relaxing, I put my pencil by my bag of knives, and my journal on top of my backpack. I adjusted myself into a lying down position, placing my head on a soft gathering of moss on one of the logs. Not exactly luxury treatment, but it would work for me. My tarp lay above me, blocking me from the sights of those far away. I turn slightly, and support my head on my hands. Looking over to my right, I watch as the fire slowly grows brighter. I smile, and think of my family as I drift off into sleep.