The Hunger Games: A New Journey Begins

THE HUNGER GAMES/ Chapter 12

The tube lifted me up slower and slower, and by the time I got to the surface of the arena, my eyes were unable to see the bright shine of the sun. Slowly my eyes adjusted. I didn't realize that it had even been dimmed in the last rooms I had been in. My eyes finally focused. The sun was blazing. The tube around me fell back into the ground, leaving just me and the pedestal I stood on. Around me was red. It was literally red. The desert sand was reddish-orange and rocky, tumbleweeds blowing around. Twenty-four tributes stood in a circle on silver platforms around a massive building. I'm talking about at least five stories high. It looked abandoned. There were broken windows, sand covering it, spiderwebs already visible from here, and it was slightly tilted. It was the cornucopia. It was also the only source of shade I saw in the expanse. Various weapons and supplies were assorted around it. My eyes loomed to the small backpack in front of me.

"60, 59, 58-"

The countdown started as we waited for the games to begin... The sun's heat was already taking effect as I was sweaty and hot. I looked at the two tributes beside me. To my left a tall dark boy stood, preparing to launch himself at the cornucopia. I realized it was Drake Morton. I began to panic. My legs began to tremble even more, and I barely could keep balanced. I definitely didn't want to explode before the Games even started, and I would have to be careful balancing. I looked around at the other person beside me, hoping for someone weaker. I almost was thrilled when I saw Benjamin there, in his stout and muscly form, smiling at the sun. I then looked around for Cyrus but couldn't completely picture her because of the bright sun.

"Hey ARCHER!" Benjamin suddenly called. I looked at him again.. "Want to win this with me?." He yelled, unaware that other people were listening. "I know the secret to winning!"

"Um-" I mumbled, when Benjamin interrupted me to continue his speech.

"You see, The Hunger Games is about scare tactics." He smiled, continuing. "If we step off the pedestal we won't explode. We can grab the stuff."

"Um I don't think it works that way Benja-"

"You see," he continued. "I will be completely fine." He stuck his hand off the podium, trying to prove his conspiracy. Nothing happened. He stuck it out farther.

"See I'm-'' There was a loud BANG and an explosion burst right by me. Streaks of flames shot up in the air. I jumped back, screaming, almost falling off the platform. I hurriedly regained my balance, luckily not making the same mistake as him. Debris blew across my face. The whole area beside me was in flames. I stared at the remains of Benjamin, burnt to almost ashes. I almost began to cry, but I was too scared and panicked, so all that came out was a moaning sound. I was screwed. Screwed screwed screwed. I lost my only ally. He didn't deserve this. I continued staring at his remains. This was real. I heard someone laugh.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO!" Everyone ran off the pedestals, going for the assortment of materials. I didn't even realize that Drake Morton began running for me. Oh no. I hurriedly jumped off the pedestal, making my trembling legs move fast. I ran away from him, but he was fast. I looked around, trying to find some sort of way I could lose him. The desert around us offered no protection, and I instinctively ran towards the cornucopia. He drove me right inside it. I instantly heard screaming and yelling, and I tried staying away from it. I was officially screwed.

Inside the cornucopia it was dark. Not pitch black, but it was hard to see, and during the time my eyes focused, I couldn't make out anything. I looked behind me, seeing the murderous face of Drake. Soon the rest of the careers would be on me. I had no time to pause before he started throwing something at me. I barely saw a javelin fly past my head by only a few inches. I looked back again. He was farther behind me, but he was picking up weapons on the floor. More people came in, and a scream startled me. I rubbed sweat across my forehead, confirming I was alive. Suddenly, something struck my calf, causing a burning sensation in my leg. It hurts to stand on it. I continued limping as fast as I could. I couldn't keep running forever.