At twilight

Excelsa Serafin (18)- District 1 female tribute

The Ambitious

It has not been that long since the bloodbath, and yet the sun has already gone down, but there's still light. At the moment, we're all resting under the shade of the chestnut tree, while a hovercraft is retrieving the bodies of the fallen tributes. A cannon fires for each of them. Eight deaths… eight is not a bad number, but Vivian… she shouldn't have died, not so early in the Games. With her death, the Career pack has already lost a member. We're still five, but I cannot help but be annoyed, even if I found her behaviour silly and unworthy of a Career.

"What shall we do now?" asks Oliver at some point.

"Let's go hunting! That's what they expect us to do… you know, the show must go on," replies Scarlett with a smirk.

"But someone should stay to guard the cornucopia," rebuts Kyle.

"Why don't you stay, then? For my part, my hands are getting itchy, I'm eager to be back in action!" says Victor, pretending to put his hands on Kyle, who looks unperturbed, though.

"No problem."

Victor giggles in response. "No problem!? I'm asking you to step aside, and that's all you can say!? Looks like victors' children are not that brave, after all. I wonder what your parents would tell you, if they were here…"

That's where I chime in: "Stop it, Victor! We're not here to argue. Yes, we'll go hunting, but Kyle is right: someone should stay here to guard our supplies and to welcome eventual thieves. The Career pack is the strongest alliance in the arena, but we need supplies to survive like all the other tributes, right?"

"I'm not questioning it, but…"

"We will split into two groups: one will stay here, the other will go hunting, okay?" I go on, interrupting him.

"And in which group will you be, boss?" he enquires in an impertinent tone.

"Victor…"

"Oh, I'm sorry, "boss" is not enough… is "your majesty" better?"

At this stage, Scarlett intervenes: "Blah, blah, blah… do you really need to waste our time like that, Victor? You're the only one who's complaining about who knows what! We would already been hunting by now, if you didn't speak too much!"

Victor doesn't say anything in response… finally. Scarlett has managed to silence him, I should ask her to tell me her secret.

I resume my speech: "Ahem… Kyle and I will stay here, the others will go hunting. You could start by exploring the lakeside, you might find someone there."

Scarlett nods in response. "Okay, if you don't want to come with us…"

"Not this night. I've got already one kill," I reply, pointing at the bloodied blade of my sword.

After that, Scarlett, Victor, and Oliver leave. The hovercraft has done its job, so Kyle and I can get closer to the cornucopia. I start cleaning my sword. Killing was not as thrilling as I expected. To be sincere, I felt nothing when I stabbed the boy of District 5. I found him in my way, and I just did it. My brain knew exactly what to do. It was all over in no time. Is that normal? Do all Careers feel like that? Disappointed, empty… as if all their life was just a big lie? Ah, the bloodbath is always a mess, one has not the time to think of what they're doing! I'm going to enjoy the Games from now on!

"Thank you for supporting my idea," says Kyle at some point.

I look at him. "It was just a good idea," I reply with a shrug.

"You okay?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"You look pensive."

"I was just thinking that we lost an ally too early in the Games. I mean, we are the Careers… if we don't want to become the laughingstock of all Panem, we should show them who we are," I explain.

He nods in response. "Yeah, it was a serious loss."

"Do you miss Vivian? She seemed… let's say… fond of you," I enquire.

"Fond? She just flirted," he rebuts with a slight smile on his lips.

"Okay… but maybe you could pretend to love her, if she was still alive, of course. You know, romances in the Games attract sponsors, not that you need such tricks…"

"What about you? Do you miss Claude?" he asks.

His question catches me off guard. Does he know Claude? How? I glare at him.

He looks down, embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry, indiscreet question…" he apologizes, while scratching behind his ear.

"How can you know him?"

He looks at me again. "Well, he came to visit me after the Reaping," he explains.

"Why? What did he want from you?"

"Umm… good question. I think he was angry, because I didn't let him volunteer… at first. But then… I reassured him… I mean, avoiding the Hunger Games was the best thing to do for him, otherwise you would have lost him. At least, you have someone to fight for, Excelsa…"

"Do you really think I need someone to fight for to be here? No, I'm not here 'cause someone told me to do it, I'm here 'cause I wanted it for myself!" I reply, outraged.

That said, I head to the back of the cornucopia with my sword in hand.

"Loving someone is not a weakness," says Kyle, but I don't say anything in response, I don't even turn to him.

What could I tell him, after all? That I do love Claude? That I didn't want him to volunteer, because I knew he would die? That I'm in the Games also for him, because I feel so guilty? If he's crippled now, it's all my fault, after all! No, I cannot say such things aloud! The Gamemakers would see me as a weakling, and I cannot let it happen! If I want to win, they must think that I deserve it! Luckily, Cinnamon didn't ask me anything about Claude during my interview- maybe there wasn't enough time… otherwise I would need to say cruel things- like that he's just a poor suitor- in order to hide the truth. I'm going to fix things with Claude after the Games. Until then, I will be focusing only on winning.

…...

First night in the arena

Christopher "Chris" Terranova (12)- District 6 male tribute

The Explorer

Ambra and I have hidden in a thicket… a little predictable as a hiding place, but it's better than nothing. Besides, night has fallen quickly in the arena, so we cannot go that far without torches, and a torch would be too visible. We didn't see Henry during the bloodbath. I can only hope he's still alive.

Suddenly, the anthem of Panem echoes through the arena. Time to see who died. I look up at the sky, where they start projecting the faces of the fallen tributes. Please, not Henry… and luckily the first face to appear is that of the girl from Four. The girl from Four!? A Career died, then! It means that Henry is still alive; we don't know where he is, but he's still alive, that's what matters. I breathe a sigh of relief. After the girl from Four, I see the couple of District 5. Then, the boy of District 10... another unexpected death... I mean, he seemed so strong. The next tribute is the boy from Eleven, immediately followed by his district partner. Then, the boy of District 12, and eventually the boy from Thirteen- definitely the most predictable death so far. Eight deaths altogether... I hope that the Capitol is satisfied with this outcome- for the moment, at least- and that the first night in the arena will be quiet.

When the anthem stops, I don't expect anything else to break the silence of the night, but I'm wrong. I hear someone scream... well, more than a person... honestly, I don't know if what I'm listening to are human screams. They're deep as if the earth itself emitted them, but also eerie, and they seem to be carried by the gentle breeze that has just risen.

Instinctively, I turn to Ambra, who looks rather nervous. "Mutts?" I offer.

"So early? Improbable," she replies, but she doesn't sound completely convinced; in fact, she starts looking around her, as if she was trying to find the source of these scary screams.

"It's just a trick of the Gamemakers… they want to scare us," I say, trying to think positive… well, as positive as possible, at least; actually, knowing that Gamemakers like playing tricks on tributes is not that reassuring.

"Yeah, you're right," she agrees, and then she resumes what she was doing before the anthem: starting a fire and trying to set it small.

"Eight deaths," she says after a while. "One of them is a Career, but the pack is still in five… too large to be faced. Henry is still alive, but we don't know where he is, so we cannot count on him for the moment. Under such circumstances, we should keep moving during the day and rest during the night, but let's try to avoid the other tributes, okay? We have some supplies- which is good- but they won't last forever, and we cannot wait for sponsors' gifts. We could try to hunt… I mean, animals, not tributes… since I don't know if all these shrubberies are edible. Henry would know it, but he's not here."

"But we should try to find him," I rebut.

"How? He could be anywhere."

"I don't know… maybe with some signals… smoke signals…"

"Smoke signals would reveal our position also to the other tributes," she points out.

"What shall we do with Henry, then?" I ask.

She sighs in response, turning to the crackling flames. "Let's stuck to my plan, if you agree with it, of course. First of all, we should think of our survival. We are of no service to Henry, if we die."

…...

Oliver "Ollie" Litore (15)- District 4 male tribute

The Distant Brother

Fruitless. This hunt around the lake has been fruitless so far. Besides, I think that no tribute would be so stupid to stay in the first place Careers usually explore after the bloodbath, namely one of the main sources of water in the arena. But maybe the darkness and the huge bushes on the ground are enough to hide from view. Hell! I hate this arena! I can barely see my feet, and I constantly risk stumbling on all these shrubberies! Luckily, the vegetation seems to be less thick than in the hills, and you can find also patches of grass among the bushes. But a troublesome vegetation is not enough for the Gamemakers, apparently; they need to haunt the night through these horrible screams! What's the hell are they? Where do they come from? But I don't think that knowing the answer to my questions would make me feel any better.

Suddenly, Scarlett, who's ahead of all, stops and starts looking around her.

"What's up?" asks Victor.

"Shhhh!"

I hear a tinkle, even if it cannot overwhelm the screams… it must be a gift from the sponsors! So early? In fact, a little, silver parachute appears, producing the tinkling sound I heard. It lands before us. Scarlett immediately grabs the packet it holds and frees it from the parachute. It's a square box with a number 2 on its top. Scarlett opens it.

"Hey, it could be for me!" protests Victor.

She doesn't listen to him, though. She pulls out a pair of glasses from the box. Glasses? What's for? There's also a note inside the box:

Good hunt, Scarlett. Beware of the girl from Six.

H.

"Looks like someone wants me to hunt," she says with a smirk.

Victor rolls his eyes in response.

"What are these glasses?" I enquire, curious.

"Wear them," she replies and gives her gift to me.

I do what she said. Wow, everything is green… oh, wow! I can see everything as if it were daylight!

Scarlett takes back her glasses. "Night vision glasses. Even if a tribute is hidden in the dark, we can find them," she explains.

"Wow," I say, gaping.

Victor flicks my chin. "Close your mouth, Four, or it will fill up with flies."

He sounds serious, despite what he said. Also Scarlett has a straight face.

"We have no time to waste. Let's show the Capitol that we appreciate their gifts, otherwise we won't get anything else!" she says.

"If Four is ready to be a true Career…" he adds.

"Hey! I haven't killed anyone yet, but I will!" I protest.

"We'll see," he replies.

No, I'm not ready to be a true Career. The truth is that I haven't followed them to kill, I've followed them just to make sure they don't find my sister. Yeah, my sister… she had the courage to kill Vivian… in self-defence, but she actually did it. I won't miss Vivian, but I cannot help but think that my sister would be able to kill me as well, if she saw me as a threat. She won't trust me until I'm a Career, but I cannot betray my allies… not now, at least. Betrayal equals death, right? But I will need to leave the pack sooner or later, no matter what Thalas thinks. I can barely stand them, they talk of killing people like it was nothing! Only Kyle seems okay, but it could be just a facade. Ahhh… what a situation! If Scarlett and Victor found my sister right now, what would I do? Would I be able to fight against them to protect her?

..

Estrella Sol (17)- District 10 female tribute

The Rejected

I can't believe it! Tim is dead… my Tim is dead! I didn't see him during the bloodbath, I didn't even think of him, I just… I found my allies and fled. At the moment, we're resting near a pond. I cannot think of anything else but Timothy's death. How could it happen? I'm crying like a baby now; I haven't got the strength to hold back my tears. Honestly, I didn't think I would live that long to see his face in the sky.

At some point, someone puts her hand on my shoulder. I turn around. It's Rebecca, who's sat down beside me. Christine stands right behind her.

"Estrella, you need to stay strong, your life doesn't end with his death," says the former.

"I-I was just thinking that… I was selfish… I-I ran away from the cornucopia without looking for him," I reply while sobbing.

"Selfish!? Tsk! He made it clear that he didn't want to have anything to do with you! You owed nothing to him, is that understood? Nothing!" retorts Christine, clearly annoyed.

"Christine…"

"You know I'm right, Rebecca!"

"Yes, you're right, but maybe some sensitivity…"

"Sensitivity!? These are the Hunger Games!"

"It's true… I-I know I should be stronger… for m-my grandma, at least… just… I loved Tim, e-even when he mistreated me," I say.

"We're not asking you to forget your love, we just want you to do your best in the Games, okay?" replies Rebecca.

I nod in response.

"This attitude won't help you, though," adds Christine.

"You're both right," I say, wiping away my tears. "I'm in an alliance, and I have to do my part whatever happens."

"Yes, but remember that we can understand your grief. If you need to talk, you can count on us. I mean, when you lose someone you love…"

I look at her. "Do you miss Owen?"

"Owen?"

"I saw how you gazed at each other…"

Rebecca looks down in response. She takes a deep breath. "Well, Owen was…" – she breaths out- "… he was a special boy, but he couldn't win, and we both knew it."

"Ah! Why are you still talking about boys? How boring!" Christine chimes in, but she sounds amused this time.

"Do you wanna talk about girls, then?" Rebecca teases her, but without malice.

Christine blushes in response. "I think we should set up a guard through the night," she says, changing the subject.

Rebecca smirks. "All right. I'll take the first watch. I don't think I could sleep with these awful screams, in any case."

"These screams must be the work of the Gamemakers. I wouldn't worry about them, if I were you. I'm more concerned with the other tributes."

Rebecca nods in agreement.

"But, before going to bed…" adds Christine with a wide smile. "Repeat after me: we are rebel girls!"

Rebecca and I look at each other, confused.

"What?" she asks, turning to Christine.

"Come on! Stand up and repeat it!" she urges us.

"Why?"

She rolls her eyes in response. "It's a battle cry. Let's make a sort of deal: we'll do our best to make sure one of us wins. What do you think?" she offers.

"It's a great idea!" I comment with a smile, and then I stand up.

Rebecca does it as well.

"We are rebel girls!" we say all together.

…...

Cedric Page (12)- District 7 male tribute

The Little Hero

Bella and I have stopped among the shrubberies, in the middle of nowhere… but it's better than nothing, right? Besides, it's too dark to go on. I can't believe it, we survived the bloodbath! I'm so happy! The only problem is that we have no supplies. We thought only of getting together and running away. But we're alive and uninjured, that's what matters. The bloodbath was a horrible spectacle, we were right to stay away from it. But how long can we both survive like that? Without supplies, without knowing what to do or where to go…

"Cedric," Bella calls me at some point.

I turn to her. "Yes?"

"You okay?" she enquires in a worried tone.

"Why shouldn't I?" I reply with another question.

"Cedric…"

I snort. Why do elder siblings need to ask about everything?

"Is it due to the bloodbath?" she goes on.

My plate was located on the front of the cornucopia, so I could see what the Careers did, how they killed without second thoughts… awful things to see. In the past, I watched the Hunger Games on TV, but they were on TV, I wasn't involved! To be sincere, a part of me believed… or, rather, wanted to believe that it was all a fiction. Those tributes were not dying for real… but they actually were, instead. I'd like so badly to cry, to shout out so loud to overwhelm the horrible screams that are now echoing through the arena! But I promised my parents that I would be as strong as a knight, and I don't want to disappoint them. What I promise, I keep it, after all. Besides, Bella has already to think of our survival, I don't want to make her worry even more.

At some point, she sighs. "Okay, if you don't want to talk…"

"It's just… watching the Games is one thing, but being a tribute… I'm just trying to get accustomed to it, that's all," I reply with a shrug.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, don't worry."

"Okay. Why don't we get some sleep? The night is chilly, but we're wearing warm clothes, and if we stay close, maybe we'll manage to warm up a bit," she offers.

"Okay."

Bella stretches out on a patch of grass that is hidden among the thick bushes. I take a minute to look up at the moonlit sky. It reminds me of the summer nights I spend with my friends back in District 7, when we sneak out of our houses and head to the woods to watch the stars. There's a little glade in the woods. There, we may spend hours without saying a word. I sigh. Axel, Rob... will I be able to see them again? I look at my sister, who's lying on her side. That's a selfish thought... if I do see my best friends again, it will mean that Bella is dead, and I don't want her to die... I don't want anyone to die, not even the Careers, but it's not possible.

Suddenly, my thoughts are interrupted by a noise coming from above, and it's not a scream. I look up again. I see a silver figure floating in the air. It produces a sort of tinkle, and it slightly shines under the full moon. It's a parachute... a gift from the sponsors!

"Bella!" I call my sister, but she's already asleep.

The parachute lands right at my feet. The gift must be for me, then. I'm as happy as if it was a birthday present. I open it with trepidation, indeed: the sponsors sent a bottle of water and a loaf of bread. It's not much, but it means that Bella and I can hope, because someone in the Capitol is rooting for us.

…..

Mircalla Blutdurst (48)- Announcer for the Hunger Games

"My dear Cinnamon, have you got any comment about the first day in the arena?" I ask.

"Well, eight deaths are a good beginning, don't you think? However, the first night has been kind of boring so far- no new alliances, no deaths... but there are those screams, what do you think they are?" he replies.

"No idea, Cinnamon, but I'm really curious. The Gamemakers must have something special in store."

"You're certainly right."

"By the way, I don't fully agree with you, the first night is not that boring. The sponsors are already at work, and I really love the rebel girls. If you think about it, there are more females than males now, and most of the fallen tributes were killed by females for the moment. Girl power!" I say with enthusiasm.

"It costs me to admit it, but it's a fact... should I feel threatened by you, Mircalla?" he replies, pretending to be worried.

"Who knows?"

That said, we both burst out laughing.


So, the first night in the arena was, let's say, quiet. To be sincere, I meant this chapter as an update on the tributes' positions and situations, that's why I decided to keep everybody alive. I know that Henry and Tartan are still missing, but I'm going to write about them in the following chapters, I promise. Anyway, what do you think the screams are?

Submitters can assign points to: Excelsa (D1F), Oliver (D4M), Christopher (D6M), Cedric (D7M), Estrella (D10F)

Specific question about tributes:

Excelsa: what do you think of her attitude?

Oliver: will he be able to leave the Careers?

Christopher: should he follow Ambra's plan?

Cedric: if you were a sponsor, would you root for him?

Estrella: is she a rebel girl for real?

GROUPS IN THE ARENA

Careers: Kyle (D1M), Excelsa (D1F), Victor (D2M), Scarlett (D2F), Oliver (D4M)

No longer a trio: Ambra (D3F), Christopher (D6M)

We are rebel girls: Rebecca (D9F), Estrella (D10F), Christine (D13F)

Siblings: Cedric (D7M), Bella (D7F)

Loners: Alexa (D6F), Autumn (D8F), Adam (D9M), Yolanda (D12F)

SUPPLIES SENT

Scarlett: night vision glasses (category: useful items)

Cedric: a bottle of water and a loaf of bread (category: food/water)