THE 57th HUNGER GAMES
DAY ONE
Sam Fallow-Age 16-District 10
The sun blurs my eyes as the metal plates rise up into the arena. I realise I haven’t seen sun for days; I’ve been stuck inside the training centre. With a spur of fear I realise I might die today. Julie, my district partner, is standing about 6 spokes to my left, surveying the arena. I decide I should do the same. A long grassy plain draws out into the arena. The gold Cornucopia is perched on a small hill, opposite a forest, which covers most of the arena. Behind me, the grass slowly turns to snow and rises up to a large mountain. The other tributes are also surveying the arena. The six careers are standing next to each other, which means that they’ll team up fast and start attacking the other tributes. I jump as I hear a gamemaker starts counting down from 60. I prepare myself for the games to begin.
Rachel Harris-Age 15-District 7
60…59…58…57… the gamemaker starts counting down. I size up the other tributes. I didn’t really pay attention in training; I was more focused on improving my weaponry skills. I catch sight of a bag of axes near the mouth of the Cornucopia, and at once I know it’s meant for me. The gamemakers were impressed when I threw axes in training, and they gave me a 10. Unfortunately, this meant the careers’ attention was drawn to me. The District One tributes, Leighton and Alexa, were especially annoyed after they both got nines. They’ve had it out for me since training. It’s also likely they persuaded the other four careers that I’m bad news, and they’ll probably try to target me during the bloodbath, so I’ll have to grab the axes and get out fast. 40…39…38… I get prepared to leap off my metal plate.
Alexa Cole-Age 18-District 1
That Rachel girl is staring at me. I hate her. Ever since she outscored me in training, I’ve hated her. I don’t know what she could’ve done to get a 10. She showed no talent in training, so she must’ve held her talent until the private sessions with the Gamemakers. Anyway, she’s pretty thin and doesn’t look strong, but I can’t underestimate her. A boy from my district made that fatal mistake a few years ago, and ended up paying the price. I see a pile of spears leaning up against the Cornucopia, and I’m locked onto it. 3…2…1… here we go.
Jamie Sloan-Age 13-District 5
The gong sounds. Me and all the other tributes leap off the plates and run across the grassy plain. The hill has an easy, gradual slope, so it will be easy to climb. I’m there quickly, and begin the climb. I reach the mouth of the Cornucopia and grab a pack. As I reach the end of the large supply of weapons and tools, I’m greedy and grab a small pack and another medium pack. It slows me down, but I’m not a great hunter, and besides, I can’t see anyone else who’s outmatched me so far, apart from a girl who’s running in the opposite direction with a few knives and a large pack. I think she’s from district 9, but it doesn’t really matter. Everyone has to die anyway. I turn and run towards the forest, hoping I won’t be among the dead today.
Julie Speck-Age 16-District 4
I run up the hill and approach the Cornucopia. I can’t see a bow yet, but I’m not bad with a sword. I grab the nearest one, a long sickle, and turn to face the oncoming crowd of tributes. No one has died yet, and getting the first kill of the games would make sponsors think I’m a good fighter. I run towards a boy, I think from district 10, and he looks scared as he stops. I can tell he’s trying the ‘puppy eyes,’ but it won’t work on me. His blood stains the ground and his body rolls down the hill and trips over a squealing girl, who falls and screeches at the body. I smirk and run back up the hill, where about 10 tributes are at the Cornucopia. I’m going to have more than one kill today.
Carlin Jones-Age 17-District 2
As I run to the Cornucopia, I see Julie, my fellow career, kill a tribute. He’s a boy, but I’m not certain what district he’s from. His corpse trips up a tall girl, who’s from district 10, and I kick in her head as I run past. My legs are strong, so I’m certain she’s dead when she falls and doesn’t move. Another boy is running close to me, just out in front, so I jump and grab his legs. He falls hard, and I pin down his limbs and punch him as hard as I can. When I’m finished, you wouldn’t have thought that he ever had a face. He’s so mutilated that I’m sickened, but I’m also thirsty for more blood. A short girl is gathering packs at the Cornucopia. I see a sword lying near her, so I grab it and swing. I don’t quite decapitate her, I was too far away. But she gets a huge cut through half of her neck, and falls to her knees. I move to see her face. I don’t really know her, but that’s irrelevant. She’ll die anyway. I slice her chest several times and she dies. Good.
Jacob Carroll-Age 14-District 11
Anna! I scream my district partners’ name when I see an axe enter her skull. I can’t say I knew her well, but she was the only person I knew at all. Now I’m alone. Death is all around me. In a brief few seconds I see two girls fighting. One is disabled after a knife enters her leg, and killed after it swipes across her face. I think she was from district 6, and the other girl is from district 2. No wonder she’s handy with a knife. She’s a career. It’s evident that the attractive blond over there is too. She’s just stabbed a boy ferociously several times through the heart. That might be me if I don’t get a move on. I grab a few spears and a pack and scramble toward the mountain. The careers and a few other tributes are blocking the way to the forest, and I figure I can get by in the mountains, right?
Nikki Saunders-Age 12-District 8
The forest looms above me. I’ve always been short, but I get by easily. I hope it’s no disadvantage in the games. As I enter, I take a last look at the bloodbath. Several tributes are still trying to kill each other, but many are already dead. Lucky I made it out fast. I run into the forest, and I’m immediately greeted by a rush of warm air. I see another tribute running to my left. I veer off in the opposite direction, hoping they don’t see me. I not hoping for a fight and I definitely don’t want to kill anyone. I’m also hoping that Solomon, my district partner, is still alive. He was always nice to me in the Capitol. I hope he’s not dead. I’m startled by the cannons. There are 10. Ten dead. Thirteen to go.
Brandon Lewis-Age 15-District 9
The sky is turning dark. The anthem will start soon, signifying the deaths today, at the bloodbath. I think my district partner, Katie, survived the bloodbath, but who knows? She could be dead and buried right now. The anthem begins. I guess I’ll know soon enough. The anthem finishes, and the faces light up the sky. First to appear is the district 3 girl. She is followed by the girl from 5, both from 6, the boy from 7, both from 10, the girl from 11, and finally both from 12. So my suspicions are confirmed. Katie survived, but so did the 6 careers. The small girl from 8 is also out there, and so is the tough boy from 3. I can’t figure out the other 3, but if they didn’t make a lasting impression on me, they can’t be that tough. Only time will tell. Even as I fall into a sleep, my thoughts are clouded.
DAY TWO
Solomon Ford-Age 14-District 8
I wake to the sound of footsteps. I jump up and grab my pack and sword and hide behind a couple of shrubs. Six tributes come into my view. They’re the careers. I can tell, because they’re loaded with weapons and packs. ‘I’m telling you, I heard something!’ A tribute says. ‘Well, there’s nothing here.’ Says another. I nearly snigger. They’re trying to find me. Suddenly, I feel something on my leg, and I look down. I nearly gasp with fear. It’s a snake. I’ve been scared of snakes ever since one bit me at the age of two. And then, I do gasp with fear. The careers look right at me. ‘There he is!’ Says a girl. I run for my life. Crashing through trees, well aware of the careers chasing me. Suddenly, I crash into a boy. We both fall to the ground, and I see he’s from district 11. He and I try to get up. I push him back down and run again. I hear the careers run into him and I know he’s done for. I don’t bother looking back. I just run.
Leighton Smelt-Age 17-District 1
The 8 boy disappears into the forest, but the boy from 11 lies squirming under Alexa’s boot. ‘Well, well, what do we have here?’ She says, ‘A little worm, trying to run away? Didn’t work, did it.’ ‘Just kill him, Alexa.’ says Harry Gerrid. He’s the male from district 4, but he’s not as violent as Julie, or any of the other careers. He’s from a career district, but he has no skills. I think we just took him in to make our crowd bigger. ‘I’ll do what I want.’ says Alexa. Harry doesn’t complain. I guess he doesn’t want to die today. Anyway, Alexa stabs the boy in the heart, and his cannon fires. Eleven tributes are now dead, and I’ve killed two; the boy from 12 and the girl from 6. Alexa has killed three; the boy from 6, the girl from 12, and this boy. Carlin has killed three; the girl from 3, the boy from 7, and the girl from 10. Julie has killed one; the boy from 10. Harry hasn’t killed anyone yet, but my district partner, Lily, killed two; the boy from 6 and the girl from 5. The girl from 11 is also dead, but I don’t know who killed her. I hope that I kill whoever did that. I’m thirsty for more blood.
Jamie Sloan-Age 13-District 5
I’m sitting in my tree, chewing on some pine, when I hear the cannon. I don’t know whose it is, but I’m guessing it’s not a career. I’ll see tonight in the sky. Suddenly I hear footsteps on the ground. A boy comes into the clearing near my tree. It’s the 8 boy. He stops and looks behind him. He decides to stop here. He puts his pack and sword down. He’s got a weapon, but he doesn’t look skilled. It’s laying a few metres from him. I grab my spear and stealthily slide down the tree. He still can’t hear me. And he never will. I swing my spear at the side of his head. He starts to turn as my spear swings, but it hits him before he can see me. The side of the spike digs into his temple and I pull it out as he falls. No cannon fires, so he’s not dead. But I stab his neck and blood spurts out onto the ground. His cannon fires, and by the look of him when he came to the clearing he was being chased. And a cannon fired before he came, so the careers must be close. I grab my spear and climb up the tree. I hope they don’t find me.
Logan Swarve-Age 16-District 3
Two cannons are fired in quick succession. It feels about noon, so it can’t be long until the faces show in the sky. I spend the next few hours gathering food and end up with some nuts and some berries that I know are safe. I did a plant test in the private session and scored a 7, so I can’t have done badly. The sky turns dark and the anthem plays for the second time. Two faces are shown today; the boy from 11 and the boy from 8. Thirteen dead tributes within two days is quick, but it’ll slow down near the end. My district partner, Faye, died on the first day in the bloodbath, so I’m clear on fighting her on the last day. I hope I don’t have to face a career, but it’s very likely. It’ll be ugly if I do. I go to sleep, but it takes time.