The 200th Annual Hunger Games

Day 1: Bloodbath

24 will rise,
Overlooking the golden horn,
Filled with things needed to survive,
Shining brightly in the sun.

24 will run,
Fast off of their plates,
All far too young,
But with their precious lives at stake.

Many of them will fall,
Touched by tips of weapons,
The game makers will get their haul,
As the grass around them reddens.

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Willow Till D11

The glass tube closes around me with a pop, and just like that, my world becomes silent. The metal plate I'm standing on spins slowly in a half circle, leaving my back facing the room I was standing in a mere few minutes ago. I run my hand over the smooth surface of the glass and take a deep breath.

"Tribute. Welcome to the tube." A mechanical female voice speaks. The way she say tube makes it sound like it's a good place, a safe place. "You will be entering the Games in under two minutes. Before your tube rises please answer the following question clearly."

I've never heard of anything happening in the tube, except for it delivering you to your death, so why is this happening now? Surely my mentor would've warned me about this.

"Tribute" The voice speaks again "Please clearly state, your biggest fear."

I squeeze my eyes shut and spit out my response "Betrayal."

"Approved. Your tribute ranking is, 15." Suddenly the mechanical voice is cut off and a voice that causes a shiver to race down my back speaks "and may the odds, be ever in your favour."

I take a step back wanting, needing to get out of this tube. Even squeezing my eyes shut can't erase the image of the man behind the voice, but that's what he wants. He wants us to be scared.

When I open my eyes, I'm not in the tube anymore. I'm in the Games and the Presidents face is looming in my mind.

Ashton Ford D6

I look around and am greeted with darkness. A long, narrow tunnel is dimly lit showing grey brick walls and a dirty ground. At the end of the tunnel I can just make out something shining and it doesn't take me long to figure out that it's the Cornucopia. I turn around slowly, careful not to step off my plate and feel a hard wall behind me.

"Tributes you have 1 minute" A deep voice says.

I don't understand. Why am I the only one here? Every Games that I can remember has started with all tributes in the same area.

"35 seconds"

I take in a shaky breath and focus on keeping my breakfast down which is trying to make an appearance.

"15 seconds"

The watch on my wrist vibrates softly indicating that time is ticking down. It was strapped to my wrist during the hovercraft ride. Apparently injecting a tracker is old technology and not appropriate anymore, so they've switched to other methods.

"6

5

4

3"

I realise why I'm trapped in this tunnel as the wall behind me pushes onto my back threatening to send me over the other side of the metal plate I'm standing on. They want us to go forward. The Gamemakers are forcing us to go into the bloodbath as there is literally no other way out.

"2

1"

The wall pushes me off the plate and I stumble forward trying to regain my balance. My elbow makes contact with the wall which has now heated up and I let out a cry as the hot surface touches my skin. The wall now feels as though it is a sheet of metal and there is a fire raging on the otherside. I race down the corridor not wanting to get burnt.

The silver horn draws closer and just when I feel like this tunnel stretches on forever, I'm out. The wall sealing behind me with a thud.

I look around and see the horn surrounded by a large area of gravel, the tunnel openings all closed. Packs, weapons and anything else you could neeed in these Games are strew across the ground. Some tributes stand in confusion while others are racing towards the cornucopia. How are we supposed to get out of here?

I watch in shock as the District 1 male rams the end of a sword into the head of the small girl from District 9. She falls, blood already soaking the ground around her.

I spot a small knife sticking out of the ground and sprint towards it, needing something for protection when I slam into another tribute. A small cry comes from underneath me and when I look down I'm shocked. The tiny 12 year old boy from District 11 lays beneath me, and my newly acquainted knife is pressed to his neck.

I can't do this.

I pull him up quickly and push him away from me, shouting "Run kid!"

I turn the same way I came and see that the tunnels have opened up again. I don't know how, but I don't care, I have to get out.

Sprinting as fast as I can and still clutching the knife in my right hand I see the girls from District 8, 11 and 12 running out of a tunnel a few apart from mine, carrying packs and weapons. The little girl from District 7 runs out behind them. She must want an alliance because I am positive that girl isn't capable of murder.

I run through the tunnel not caring about anything except getting out. Even when I find myself surrounded by giant trees that must be at least 100m tall, I still don't stop. My lungs burn but I keep running. I need to get as far away from here as possible.

Barley Farro D9

I had run around the back of the silver horn hoping to escape the bloodbath when I'd tripped over something on the ground.

Falling face first, I landed with a thud. I'd spun around and looked at the weapon or pack which caused me to trip. Only it was neither of those things. It was a body.

That's why I'm here now scurrying to my feet and trying to get away from this place.

I can see the trees through the end of tunnel. It's so close, I think to myself as I pump my arms as fast as they can go. A tear slips down my face, or maybe its sweat, I'm not sure but all I know is that safety is within my grasp.

And then I looked behind me, and I wish I hadn't of, because at least then I wouldn't have seen the spear coming, straight in my direction.

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Whoo first chapter of the games up! How did I do?
Leave comments to who you think the fallen will be after the blood bath and also future predictions for the Games. And yes I'm sorry for ending the chapter like that, I'm a shitty person I know.

Question of the chapter: Do you think Ava wants an alliance with the girls from 8,11 & 12?