A/N: Thanks to mangesboy01, richards25, Burningbrightforyou, charliesunshine and DigbyThompson for reviewing!
Here, as promised, is Beetee's Games, I hope you enjoy the chapter :)
P.S. To the best of my GCSE-level physics knowledge, the electrical trap used in this chapter SHOULD work. I'd guess that I'm allowed a little artistic licensing, anyway.
"God help them
When they find out
That's what life is all about."
- Ian Broudie, 1990.
The 38th Annual Hunger Games
Brian T. 'Beetee' Matthews (18), District 3 Male
The Lightning Seeds - God Help Them (1990)
It's amazing what I've been able to scavenge in the arena during the last two weeks.
The first thing I found was the length of black electrical cable that was in a backpack I found a few yards from the cornucopia during the bloodbath before I escaped into the swamp-based arena. Due to the water-based nature of the arena, I've kept to the large, low-lying willows and elms that hung to the low areas of land above the waterline to keep out of the way of the tributes of District 4, who quickly dispatched of the other Careers on the second day. Their mobility in the water is second to none. The rest of us would have been fools to pick a fight with them.
And so, just like many others, I've found myself mainly restricted to the trees, through which, if you are deft enough, you can move quite easily as the branches regularly overlap. However, District 4 have hunted most of us down. Now, along with the tributes of District 4, there is only myself and the boy from District 8 left.
The second thing that I found was an electric torch. Not particularly useful, considering that nobody would dare navigate the trees at night, but at least it still worked.
And then I had an idea.
I had been weaponless during that first week, unfortunate not to gain much from my trip to the cornucopia during the bloodbath, where the worst that I suffered was a throwing knife flying over my shoulder, which had been thrown by the boy from District 1. I had, however, received a decent length of electrical wiring from the supplies. With the arena being water-based, maybe I could build some sort of electrical trap? I had plenty of cable to dangle some out of a tree into the water, which would complete a circuit. My only issue was that I had no power.
And then I remembered the torch. I remember quickly pulling the batteries from the torch to find out if they would be of any use. My answer was both a yes and a no. The batteries would cause an electric current to flow into the water, but twelve volts wouldn't be enough to kill anyone. I needed to raise the voltage. I needed a transformer.
Transformers are really useful devices. We've learnt about them at school back home in District 3. They're used in all sorts of chargers, for mobile phones and the like, to reduce voltages from mains electricity to more safe amounts. The Capitol need thousands of the things, and it's our district's job to supply them. But they don't just reduce voltages; they can be used in reverse.
I know how to build one; I've even fixed a few transformers when things have gone wrong in electrical appliances at home. I know I'm one of the smartest of my age at home in District 3. I'm not even fully-qualified yet, and people around the district come to me for help with their electronics when problems occur instead of the professionals. If anyone would be able to build a transformer in the arena, it would be me.
The principle is easy. Two wires wrapped around an iron core. The physics behind it is difficult, but the basic idea is that electricity flowing through the wire generates a magnetic field around the iron core, which induces a current in the output wire. The important bit is knowing that if the input wire, which is coiled around the core, has one turn in it, and the output coil has five turns in the coil, then the voltage of the output would be five times stronger. In my case, that would give me sixty volts. Still not enough. But if I had fifty turns in the output coil, then that would give me six hundred volts. Way more than enough to be lethal.
My issue was the fact that I lacked any iron. Never mind a proper manufactured core, I had no iron from which I could construct a core with. I spent four days searching the arena for iron, but there was nothing. Then yesterday I had an idea. If I showed the audience what I was planning on doing, then maybe a sponsor would understand, and pay to parachute in a proper core, like the ones we make at home?
I ended up crafting a makeshift wooden transformer from willow branches (even though I knew it wouldn't work) to show the audience what I was trying to do. I even remember what I had said, covertly asking for supplies.
"If only I had some iron, this would work," I had muttered, but someone must have heard me. Within half an hour, I had the part parachuted to me. As I inspected it, I realised that it must have been manufactured in District 3. There was a good chance that someone I knew back home had made the thing in my hands. May be the pepole of my district had sent it to me? I still don't know, and nor do I care.
All I know is that now I have a working electrical trap, capable of delivering over five hundred volts. And so I sit in the branches of my willow tree, waiting for some poor soul to wander along and feel the power of my homemade weapon. I haven't tried it yet for fear of draining the power from my precious batteries, but I'm certain that-
BANG.
Damn. The arena is down to three. My bets are on the boy from Eight being the latest fatality, and that the tributes of District 4 are still standing. I know that with only three of us left, the Gamemakers will try to force us together. But I'm not going anywhere, and I'm sure that the Gamemakers won't be in a hurry to move me. They will want to see my trap work as much as I do. When the tributes from Four finally find me, it will have to work. Either that, or I'm dead.
And God help those poor souls if and when it works.
Two days after the death of the boy from District 8, the tributes of District 4 moved within range of Beetee's electric trap. It worked exactly as he'd expected, and killed both of his enemies, crowning him the victor of the 38th Annual Hunger Games.
A/N: If you've liked this chapter, please review! Constructive criticism is welcome!
Also, we're halfway through the story! *Jumps for joy* Please let me know what you think of it all so far! Favourite moments, what you thought was creative/interesting, what you didn't like, etc. Everything will help the second half of the story go one better than the first half.
Of course, thanks to everyone for your continued support, I can't say how much I appreciate it. I never though I'd be nearing 150 reviews by now when I started this two months ago.
I'll try for another chapter tomorrow, I'm really enjoying writing this at the moment :)
