The End of Innocence: The 72nd Annual Hunger Games

Pressured

"Now for the next exam, the rope climb." Atala says at us. "What you have to do is just climb the rope and don't fall. If you fall these three lovely men will hit you with these plastic clubs until you beg for them to stop. So don't fall, because you're going to have to fight back if you fall. Right, go, Vickin."

The objective of this test is to climb this rope, easy enough, but if you fall, three men will hit you until you're bleeding. How is this to test how well we do if we were to fall off a tree or something? The rules are clear, but not set in stone. Can we grab one of the bats and hit them back? Can we refuse?

I'm beside Ion the same place we were yesterday, the back, and she smiles as soon as Atala announces it.

"Why are you smiling?" I ask.

"Because I'm good at climbing. In District 3 beside my house we have this forest that surrounds the entire District. It's so fun to climb, but they were closed off to us because a group of kids climbed this huge tree and these wasp things killed them."

It seems every district but mine has the advantages. Of course outside of the District Boundary we have all sorts of animals and plants to eat but our district wouldn't allow us to gain knowledge of them, maybe, like the other districts, they'd have a advantage in the Games if they were picked. All we do is convert grain into bread and make pastry and other things related. Nothing else.

"Yeah," I continue. "We have trees and all outside the District Boundary. Not in, of course. Hazardous, and not sufficient to making grain."

"What kind of job do you d-"

Suddenly, a large thump as District 12's boy falls to the floor. Immediately, the men jump on him, hitting him until he gets up, he grabs one of the clubs and begins hitting all of the men in their genitals until they fall down. He runs to the end of the course and Atala smiles.

"Well done, next." She says.

Ion and myself talk for a while about life in our districts. How we do grain, and they do power. It seems we aren't so different after all. When it's Lesa's turn, I don't even want to watch. I look away and don't bother even taking notice of her until I hear her fall. I turn in caution and I see her getting hit very hard by the men. I want to tell them to stop, but knowing her, she's going to get up and hit all of them. But she doesn't. She pleads like a baby for them to stop and she'll surrender if they stop. They do so, and Atala looks disappointed, but I now resume my friendship for her, as I know she's now doing what Mandrel's saying for us to do.

After a few more people it's Ion's turn, she begins climbing the rope. The rope twists and turns but she manages to hold on. The men below her are waiting for her to drop suddenly, as she done the last time. But she manages. She goes across the rope like a Career and doesn't even manage to lose footing. She begins smiling as she touches the other side of the rope and falls down to Atala. Atala looks impressed.

"Well done, Ion." She says. And Ion smiles back.

"Now, the final tribute Max. Go on." Atala says.

I step up on the rope, and being said is easier than doing. The rope immediately twists to the side and before I even have one foot on it the rope twists and I'm suddenly upside down above the men. They swing their clubs at me like a lion jumping for a resting bird in the treetops. But I know I have to at least try. I pull up with all my might and I'm finally up, away from the men. I put one foot to another hole in the rope swing, and I pull myself up. After a few good footings, I finally think it's time to fall, despite that three men will begin hitting me, I know I mustn't act like I can do this.

I purposely fall and I hit the floor hard. The men pounce at me and begin hitting me. The pain isn't as hard as I thought it would be, so I push one man off me and run to the end. Atala looks at me like I'm worthless and dismisses me. I join the line beside Ion and Atala looks up and takes out her notepad.