Hunger Games

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President Snow's voice is ringing around you with his usual welcoming speech. You have seconds before you are fighting for your life. Blinking through the light you see your fellow tributes circiling the Cornicopia in front of you. Close by, birds are singing and a breeze whistles through tall grass. Do you [[look around at the lanscape]]? Do you [[look around at your other tributes]]? Do you [[look at the supplies in the Cornicopia]]?

Next to you is a tall, wiry, redhead boy from District 6. He was the one from training that was good at wrestling. For all his acting confident, today his fear gives him away. Even though he is your enemy, you hope he remembers too pull himself together for the cameras. You are shorter in stature, but he is much skinier than you and your muscle will be an easy advantage in hand to hand combat. The boy may be taller than you, but all pity aside, his fear could make him easy to take down. To your left is a meatier girl who is shorter than you from District 10. She has been quiet all week, only scoring a 3 in ratings. But she has a strange glint in her eye today, desperate and mad. Like a caged animal. The President takes a breath before his final words go ringing out into the arena. One last moment of peace. "Let the 74th Hunger Games, begin!" he cries. Do you [[attack the boy from District 6]]? Do you [[attack the girl from District 10]]? Do you [[run for your surroundings|get to the woods]]?

Your eyes are drawn to the structure in the middle of the clearing. The Cornucopia is dark red, the color of clay, or the color of blood. Black, compact boxes are in towering stacks near the entrance. Giant jugs of water, stacks of knives, spears, and crossbows, and bags of tents and shelters. The farther out from the Cornucopia you go, the less helpful stuff becomes. A few feet ahead of you sits an empty tin cup, and farther from that is a tiny brown pouch, no bigger than your hand. Farther still is a small wooden block, possibly a pocket knife. The President takes a breath before his final words go ringing out into the arena. One last moment of peace. "Let the 74th Hunger Games, begin!" he cries. Do you [[run for your surroundings|get to the woods]]? Do you [[grab the tin cup and the pouch]]? Do you [[head for the heart of the Cornucopia]]?

A sprawling field sits behind you with plants up to your sholder of all different shades. There is something beautiful about the rainbow of colors, but you have a feeling there is something menacing as well. On the other side of the ring of tributes, woods, green and towering go on what looks like forever. You grew up surrounded by trees, and know them all by look. But if you want to get to the all familiar woods, you will have to cross the bloodbath that is sure to take place. A cool blue lake sits beside the Cornucopia, a good water source that will proably become in control of whoever wins the coming fight at the Cornucopia. The President takes a breath before his final words go ringing out into the arena. One last moment of peace. "Let the 74th Hunger Games, begin!" he cries. Do you cross the bloodbath to [[get to the woods]]? Do you run for the relative safety of [[the field]]?

Welcome to the Hunger Games! You exist in the futuristic land of Panama in what was once North America. The land was split into 13 Districts, each dedicated to one thing. Luxury, masonry, technology, fishing, energy, transportation, lumber, textiles, grain, livestock, agriculture, mining, and nuclear power. They were all united under the Shining Capitol, located it what was once the Rocky Mountains. Then, 74 years ago, the districts rose up into a horrible rebellion against the Capitol. 12 districts were defeated, the 13th was destroyed off of the face of the Earth and is now inhabitable. Now, as a reminder to never rebel again, every year the districts are forced to compete in the Hunger Games. One boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts are chosen at random and forced to fight for their lives in an outdoor, gladiator style game. Only one survives. Will it be you? [[Continue]]

You grew up in the lumber driven, District 7. Your entire family has been lumberjacks for generations and have spent your life around trees. You are shorter in stature but have muscle. You have managed to put on a few pounds in your time at the Capital while you trained for the Games. Plus your family did well compared to others of your district. You usually had at least something to eat. While some families were always on the verge of starvation, your father had some how learned to whittle and would sell beautiful pieces to the guards and richer citizens. You have made sure to learn all you could in the last few weeks leading up to the Games. But of course, you could already identify trees, climb them with ease, and learned to throw axes from a very young age. You want to go home, even if winning the Hunger Games is what it takes to do it. [[Continue|tips]]

His fear makes him an easy prey, and you intend to go home alive. When the gong sounds you turn to face your newest enemy, only to see him sprinting away from you into the woods. Do you [[follow him into the woods|get to the woods]]? Do you [[go back in to the fight]]?

She is smaller than you and your height has got to be to your advantage. Not only that, but you have to set a standard, for the other tributes and for the sponsors. With a burst of power you lunge at her, your hands reaching for her throat. The force of you hitting her sends her backward, winded. But she only hesitates a second before retaliating. She lunges savagely at you, kicking, screaming, and even snapping with her teeth. Her eyes fly around wildy and you realize she is acting barbarically with pure instinct. She isn't thinking, just letting her fighting instinct take over. She copies you from earlier, slamming into your stomach and sending you backward with strength. The cries of other fights are getting closer, but you feel compelled to finish what you started. Do you [[give up and run|get to the woods]]? Do you [[attack her again]]?

You attacked her once, and her distracted mind is another advantage. Thinking you might as well finish what you started, you jump back in with adrenaline rushing through your veins. You kick out with your strongest leg, sending it into her legs. She stumbles slightly but grabs you, pulling you off your feet. Your head connects with the ground and stars flash before your eyes. You are stunned and you don't get up fast enough. You lay there a second too long and in the Hunger Games, seconds mean the difference between life and death. She pummels you until black clowds your eyes. The grass that tickles your face, becomes the bedding in your tomb. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

You'll take a few risks but you're not stupid. You know you aren't cut out for the bloodbath that happens at the Cornucopia every year so you grab what is in front of you and get out of there. With the little brown pouch in one hand and the cup in the other, your turn and run. You don't know where you're going but you know want to be as far away from your fellow tributes as possible. You don't walk for long before you stop to examine your stuff. The tin cup is sturdy, and will be good for collecting water when you find it. In the pouch, to your delight, is a pocket knife. It isn't the fancy kind for throwing and killing, but the simple tool perfect for cutting and slicing. To celebrate the use of your new tool, you cross to a pine tree to and cut a branch. You recognize the tree and quickly gather some pine nuts growing on it. With nothing else in the pouch, you fill it with your new gatherings. When a tribute is killed, a canon sounds announcing the death to all. At dusk, they will project the pictures of the dead into the sky. Since there are so many deaths in the first bloodbath, they will wait until it's over to sound the canons. Every year there are tributes who have trained their whole lives for the Hunger Games. Usually from 1,2, and 4, these tributes almost always win the Corucopia and go on to become a deadly alliance that hunts down other tributes. By not fighting, you have had a few hours head start on them to get away before they start hunting. [[Continue|keep going]]

Go big or go home. Why waste time on small items when the best stuff is in the middle? Caution aside you run with all your strength to the goods awaiting you in the center. The sun is making you hot, but the first cries of the Hunger Games victims have already reached your ears. There is a jug of water that will no doubt help you survive in the heat. But there are weapons too. You don't see any axes, but a sword sits waiting. Do you [[go for the water jug]]? Do you [[go for the sword]]?

Fight or not, the real enemy of the Hunger Games is nature. No matter how sharp your sword, it won't stop dehydration getting you. A shred of doubt creeps into your mind that you won't even be able to lift your prize, but your thought goes no farther. You haven't even touched the jug when you are slammed to the ground. The female tribute from District 1 sit on top of you. She has a wicked grin on her face as her spear slices into your throat. Growing up in District 8 all you learned was how to sew, you couldn't keep up with the hard fighting of the Cornucopia. You are given the honor of first death of the Hunger Games, but you'll never know that. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

Water can wait until later, you can already hear the first cries of the Cornucopia infamous fight starting around you. The nearest sword is leaning against a crate next you. The handle is hot and the sword is heavier than you expected. You twist around to see the female tribute from District 1 charge at you with a spear. Her hair is cut in strange lines, casting weird shadows on her face. You raise the sword to fight her but your inexperience fails you. You hesitate before striking and it's a second too long. You fall to the ground with the force of her spear striking your head, and the Hunger Games claim it's first victim. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games. e

Why waste your time on someone running from you? You came to fight and that is what you intend to do. In the heart of the chaos, the girl from District 1 is skewering a her spear through someone's throat. She looks deadly, with her first victim already dead at her feet. Defeating her will definately get you noticed by sponors, and she is distracted by another prey. You could proably be on her before she ever saw you. Closer to you, a boy with straw colored hair is crouching, gathering seeds that have spilled from a bag he grabbed. He looks up and the two of you meet eyes. He freezes, ready for your attack. You don't have any weapons with you, but you can see a sword glinting in the sun at the Cornicopia. Do you [[attack the girl from District 1]]? Do you [[attack the boy on the ground]]? Do you [[head for the heart of the Cornucopia]]?

You grew up surrounded by trees and the woods surrounding the Cornucopia are a familiar comfort in this unfamiliar world. Some of your earliest memories are roaming through the woods, going on pine cone hunts with your friends, and scrambling up the slippery branches of your favorite Sycamore tree. You name them as you go by, as easy as your remember your own name. Elm, Oak, Birch, and Pine, their names come to you and so do their uses. Hemlock is a perferred for building, and Firs have soft needles that will make a good bed. You pause for a moment and listen. The Cornucopia still isn't that far behind you, but you know that a bloodbath awaits there. Every year, the Tributes from Districts 1,2, and 4, you usually team up in a goup nicknamed The Careers. These people have trained their whole lives preparing for the Hunger Gamess, and almost always win the Cornucopia to divide the spoils among themsleves. They will be strong, fast, and very deadly. When a tribute is killed, a canon is fired so that everyone elso knows there has been a death. At dusk, they will project the images of the dead into the sky for all to see. But with so much action on the first day, the only time all the tributes are together, they will wait until the fighting is over to fire the canons all at once. You could keep walking, trying to outrun them. Since there have been no canons they must still be fighting and you will have a few hours head start before the Careers start hunting you. [[Continue|keep going]]

You aren't going to run across the entire open field full of whizzing knives and deadly tributes when this perfect cover is right behind you. You dive into the tall grass, the plants swishing around you. You want to get away from the bloodbath so you try to run as quick as you can but the terrain won't cooperate. The ground is a giant pit of mud and with each step a sucking sound tells you your foot is being drawn into the wet earth. You know you are leaving foot prints but the grass is so high you think it should cover your tracks. It's annoying, but mud means water and it makes you hopeful. [[Continue|snake]]

She is vicious, slashing at all within reach. You run into her at a full sprint. You knock her off her feet and send her sprawling. On the ground. A sharp bladed axe sits nearby and you grab it in both hands. You have thrown axes for as long as you could hold one, growing up in the lumberjack world of District 7. You pick it up and the familiar handle sends straignt instinct tummeling through your body. With a fight or flight sense coursing through your veins, you send the axe flying through the air and landing with a thump in the girls head. You stand there stunned, horrified at what you just did. You are repelled with yourself, stand there paralyzed. But in the Hunger Games every second matter, and it is only a matter of time before someone else comes for you. Sure enough, the boy from District 1 comes to avenge his partner's death and sends a spear through your stomach. You go out with glory in the Capitol, but your destroyed yourself to get it. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

He is crouched over and an easy target. You don't know what he is grasping on the ground for but he collapses on top of it as you jump on his back. He slams to the ground gasping for breath. You bunch him in the back of the head. He looks dizzy but flips around and knocks you off. You skid a few feet before jumping to your feet. You go to retaliate but not before he collapses to the ground. A knife sticks from his neck, thrown by the vicious girl from District 2. She has found an impressive array of knives and her next one slices straight into you chest. Her wicked smile is the last thing you see as you collapse to the ground, right next to the boy you just attacked. The hunter, has become the hunted. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

With the careers behind you, the best thing you can do is keep walking. Good thing too, because it isn't much longer when you hear the cannons sound. 11 in all, but you will have to wait a few hours to find out who. As you walk, you begin to get hungry and thirsty. You think ruefully back to the Cornucopia, the jugs of water, boxes of food, and for a moment you wish you had gone in. But then you remember the stacks and stacks of weapons, and the Careers just itching to use them. The thought makes you move a little faster. It is incredibly hot in the Arena, and you can feel dehydration setting in. A headache is pounding down on you by the time you stop to sleep the first night. By the second night, your skin is incredibly dry and you are getting dizzy. You can only pass a little bit of urine, and it is the darkest color of yellow, almost brown. You keep walking but you know by the end of the second day that you must find water tomorrow. You can predict that you only have one day left in you. A fear creeps into your mind that the only water is in the Cornucopia, almost guaranteeing people being drawn back into bloody fights. But, there good be tiny lakes or streams farther ahead of you. Do you [[head back for the Cornucopia|head back landscape]]? Do you [[keep going|water landscape]]?

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You walk for a few hours and you are making fairly good time. The sun is hot and you are feeling thirsty, but you'll worry about water later. You have just pushed aside a honey colored stalk when a snake leaps from under it. You jump back in surprise as the snake coils and un-coils itself under your feet. It is a light tan color, with wavy brown markings running down its back. It blends in perfectly with the muddy ground of the field. The only color that stands out is the ruby red mouth with inch long fangs. A rock sits by your foot, but in the second that it takes you to pull it from the ground, the snake could be upon you. In the Hunger Games, seconds mean the difference between life and death. Do you [[run from the snake]]? Do you [[stomp on the snake]]? Do you [[hit the snake with the rock]]?

From growing up watching the Games, you have learned a few things. 1) This is for the entertainment of the people of the Capitol, and the Gamemakers want to make it interesting. They will purposely send obstacles at you to make your life horrible. But that also means that you can get fans. TV cameras are everywhere in the arena, and if you gain tha audience's favor they can pay money to have you sent food, medicine, or anything to keep you alive. 2) Alliances are able to be made, but don't expect them to last forever. There is only one winner. 3) District 7 is very poor with most citizens close to stravation at all times. But not all districts are. In the districts of 1,2, and 4, people train for their whole lives and then volunteer to be entered in the Hunger Games. Once in there they form a group called the Careers. They are fast, deadly, but that doesn't mean they always win. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor. [[Continue|Pedestool]]

You turn and run from the snake. Those fangs look poisonous and you aren't sticking around. But sticking around it just what the Hunger Games wants you to do. The ground has sucked you in during the time that you have stood looking at the snake. You yank your foot from the soft earth but in the second it takes you, the snake is upon you. It must be genetically engineered from the Capitol because the moment it does, the world swims before your eyes. The mud that was once a source of hope, has now sealed your doom. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

Your boot is sturdy and you don't want to waste time getting the rock. That snake looks fast. Sure enough as soon as you move the snake leaps to strike but you are faster. Your boot comes out, stomping right on the snake neck and you feel bones splintering. You stomp over and over, until the head is almost fully severed from the body. Blood is spilling everywhere so you grab the rock from earlier while still continuing to stomp. You smash the stone down on the snakes neck one more time, fully cutting the last tendons, and you are finally convinced the snake is dead. You stand back, remembering how snakes' nerves can still cause it to wriggle after death. Sure enough, the body flops around uselessly. It it disturbing and you aren't sure if you can eat it anyway. So you bury the body in the fast sinking mud and move on. [[Continue|Thresh]]

You bend down to pick up the rock and as you do so, the snake shoots out like and arrow. You pull the rock to defend yourself but the mud has it stuck in the ground. Your struggle with it for a moment, and it is a moment too long. The snakes' fangs sink into your neck and the whole world swims. The mud that sealed your doom is cool and comforting as you lay down in it and the venom clounds your mind. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

The disturbing image of the bloodied snake and the sound of its crunching bones keep playing in your mind but you keep walking it is almost night when you become aware of other sounds around you. You can hear the crunching of plants nearby, like heavy footfalls breaking the delicate stalks. You crouch down, hoping that the tall plants will hide you when a tribute appears. You recognize him immediately. His name is Thresh, from District 11. The district of agriculture. He is giant, proably almost 7 feet tall with dark skin and muscular arms. Upon seeing you, he looks almost sad. He has a pack on a pack with many of the plants you have been walking through sticking out. From the spear and sword in each hand and several packs on his back, you realize he must have done well at the Cornucopia. No surprise considering his size. "I'm sorry," he says lifting his sword. "I followed your tracks, I thought your were Rue. I don't want to do this, but I want to win this. Or Rue." You don't know who Rue is but you realize he is lifting his sword. "Wait!" you cry. He isn't expecting this and stops. Do you [[try to run away]]? DO you [[try and bargain for your life]]?

In the moment he freezes, you jump up and run as fast as you can. But 1 of his steps are 5 of yours. He catchs you almost instantly and staps you through the chest. He seems to be whipering a prayer while he does it and you can think he really is sorry. He doesn't want to kill any of the other tributes, nobody in this game does. Actually, that isn't true. You are glad as your life fades that Thresh got you and not the Careers. The tributes from 1,2, and 4 that team up every year seem to enjoy the killing. They relish in it. Even as your own blood drips around you, you hope that Thresh wins instead of those monsters. For him and for Rue, whoever that is. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

"I,..I.." you stammer, trying to prolong your life. "I can help you! The Careers, the Tributes that train and team up every year, we can team up too!" He looks at you a moment, considering. "How can you help me?" he asks. You freeze for a moment, but then jump in. "I'm from District 7!" you say. "I can climb trees, and identify them, and throw a axe better than you've evere seen!" He sighs, pitying you and there is realy sadness in his eyes. "You don't have an axe to throw, and there aren't any trees around." he says gesturing to your tree-less surroundings. "I don't want to kill you." He whipsers, suddenly quiet, "but it I win, than my whole district wins. They need the food and money, and my family needs it bad." You nod, feeling sorry for him even though he is your killer. Nobody wants to play this game. Where innocent children are turned into monsters. You bow your head and he stabs through you with his sword. He seems to be praying as he does, for his soul or for yours you don't know. For his part, Thresh makes it painless. As the light fades from your eyes, you pray too. You hope that where ever you are going, it is better than the world you are leaving behind. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

Shelter is your number one priority so you look around for a place to sleep. Your dark clothes will keep you fairly well camouflaged in the bushes, but you are drawn to the trees. They are familiar, and you have been climbing them all your life. The winners of the Cornucopia, with all their freely available food and supplies, will go hunting through the night. Do you [[climb a tree]]? Do you [[hide in the bushes]]?

It isn't hard to find food since, at least to you, the woods are bursting with it. Balling up your jacket to make a slightly working bag, it doesn't take long for your makeshift bag to fill up and your stomach as well. Pines are the most helpful, supplying Pine nuts, bark, and needles. You don't have any fire to boil the needles into tea, but you take them just in case. A helpful, fairly sharp rock, is sitting nearby and makes a decent knife. You scrape off the bark of Elms, Spruce, Birch, and Firs. They pampered people of the Capitol would never like a meal of wood, but you have been munching on bark for years. Now if only you had an axe, you bet you could win this. District 7, being the country's supplier of lumber, has axes everywhere. You can throw them well and you need to get one soon. Or at least a decent weapon. With all the food in your stomach and extras in your coat, you settle down in a tree to sleep with soft Firs as your bed. It is a bit cold, but one of your best nights in the Arena. *** *** *** You awake to a wall of fire descending upon you. Every part of the arena is rigged with cruel booby traps, and this must be one of them. You crawl part down of the tree and fall down the rest. Smoke is obscuring your vision and ash fills your mouth. Coughing and sputtering, you have to get away. The river is only a few feet from you, or you could run and try to escape the flames. Do you [[jump into the river]]? Do you [[run|run with food]]?

You body is exhausted from days of strait hiking so you are relieved to sleep. There seems to be Fir trees everywhere in the arena so you gather a bundle of soft needles to act as your bed. You climb so high in a sturdy oak that the tree sways but you can see for miles. The tip of the Cornucopia glints off in the distance and you are impressed by how far you have traveled. You drift off to sleep, your rest filled with bad dreams. *** *** *** You are awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of cruel laughter and the crunching of leaves and sticks underfoot. By the number of bodies coming, it can only be the Careers. They train their whole lives to become bloody killers, ready for the Games. They almost always win all the supplies in the Cornucopia, so with endless food, fire, flashlights, and other supplies, it is no surprise that they will be hunting through the night. You hear them drawing closer and are glad for your choice of tree. You scramble up the branches, your black clothes easily blend into the darkness. You sit perfectly still in the tree, and barely sigh with relief as they pass by unnoticed. You sit perfectly still in the tree, and barely sigh with relief as they pass by unnoticed. You drift off again into an uneasy sleep, but the night's trials are far from over. [[Continue|fire without food]]

A grouping of foliage looks like it will be the perfect cover. The ground is hard but after today you are relieved to sleep. Drifting off to uneasy dreams, you have no idea what is to come. *** *** *** You are awakened in the early morning by the sound of cruel laughter and the crunching of leaves and sticks underfoot. You get up to run but before you can, your fellow tributes appear. The Careers, the tributes from Districts 1, and 2 are walking casually through the woods. There is another boy too, the one from 12. You are surprised that someone who hasn't trained their whole lives is allowed in the special group, but he must have offered them something they couldn't turn down. They are laughing and talking as loud as they want. They have nothing to fear from the other tributes. Fear strikes your heart as the boy from 2, Cato, goes slashing through the bushes as he walks. His sword cuts through the brush an inch from your face. His eyes widen, surprised for a moment, but then a malicious grin lights up his features. "Wakey, wakey, Sleeping Beauty," he whispers as the others snicker and shriek. You are on the ground exposed and there is nowhere to run. Their laughter fills the air as his sword slices through your heart. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

You keep walking for several days, heading away from the Cornucopia. After only a day, you realize a serious problem. It is incredibly hot in the Arena, and you can feel dehydration setting in. A headache is pounding down on you by the time you stop to sleep the first night. By the second night, your skin is incredibly dry and you are getting dizzy. You can only pass a little bit of urine, and it is the darkest color of yellow, almost brown. You are thankful for the stick you cut the first day because it helps you standing. You keep walking but you know by the end of the second day that you must find water tommorow. You can predict that you only have one day left in you. A fear creeps into your mind that the only water is in the Cornucopia, almost garunteeing people being drawn back into bloody fights. But, there good be tiny lakes or streams farther ahead of you. Do you [[head back for the Cornucopia]]? Do you [[keep going|water]]?

You don't know what you will do when you get there but you decide to try anyway. But within a few hours of setting out in the morning, you know you will never get there. You are walking so slow you must be crawling. Eventually, you do crawl. The world swims before your eyes as you struggle up the hill you came down yesterday. Your mouth is like a desert and you long ago threw up your pine nuts and gatherings. You know your family is watching this on TV, so for their sake, you are glad it is not a bloody death. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

You know you'll never make it back in time so your only chance is to move forward. You don't know if you'll make it or not but you'll try to your last seconed. It doesn't take long until you are crawling. You keep hoping for rain, but the sky is coudless and unforgiving. The whole country knows you are dying so no doubt some cameras are on you. For the sake of your family you try to look strong until the end. Finally though, you know the end is near. The world swims before your eyes and you keep forgetting what you are doing. "Water", you must remind yourself, "I must find water." Never, in all your life, have you been so happy to hear the babbiling of a stream. You would cry if you had the tears when you splash into a river running down a hill. You know that there could be bacteria in the water that could kill you, but this is desperate times. Normally you would purify it but you don't know how to make a fire. But the water is running, and looks clear and fresh. If you don't drink this water, you don't know what your next water source will be and it might be too far to reach. Do you [[drink the river water]]? Do you [[try to find other water]]?

Your body is screaming for water, and even if you find other water how are you going to purify that? The water looks clean and it's moving so you plunge your face into the rippiling surface. You drink as much as you can over the next few hours, only surfacing to breath. After a while of splashing and laughing, you crawl onto the bank and have pee that is light and painless. Now that you can think clearly again, you realize you should proably find a way to purify the water or else you could get sick. But that can wait until morning. Right now, your stomach is growling and night is coming quickly. Before you slept in clumps of bushes, rolled up in a ball for warmth. But now that you have your wits about you again, you would trust yourself to climb. Do you [[climb a tree to sleep in]]? Do you [[look for food]]?

You aren't going to test your luck, but you proably should have. The sound of the river hasn't even left your ears when you collapse to the ground. Darkness creeps into your vision as you feel your body shutting down. It's proably a hallucination from lack of water, but you swear you can hear the most beautiful music singing you to sleep. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

You body is exhausted from days of strait hiking so you are relieved to sleep. There seems to be Fir trees everywhere in the arena so you gather a bundle of soft needles to act as your bed. You climb so high in a sturdy oak that the tree sways but you can see for miles. The tip of the Cornucopia glints off in the distance and you are impressed by how far you have traveled. Finding a strong for, you spread your branches that create your bed. Glad for the first night of real sleep in the arena, you drift off even though your belly is empty. *** *** *** You awake to a wall of fire decedning upon you. Every part of the arena is rigged with cruel booby traps, and this must be one of them. You crawl part of the tree and fall down the rest. Smoke is obsuring your vision and ash fills your mouth. Coughing and sputtering, you have to get away. The river is only a few feet from you, or you could run and try to escape the flames. Do you [[jump into the river]]? Do you [[run]]?

It isn't hard to find food since, at least to you, the woods are bursting with it. Balling up your jacket to make a slightly working bag, it doesn't take long for your make-shift bag to fill up and your stomach as well. Pines are the most helpful, supplying Pine nuts, bark, and needles. You don't have any fire to boil them into tea, but you take them anywhere. A helpful, fairly sharp rock, is sitting nearby and makes a decent knife. You scrape off the bark of Elms, Spruce, Birch, and Firs. They pampered people of the Capitol would never like a meal of wood, but you have been sucking down this stuff from a young age. You spent some time at the

The cool water is inviting when a world of hot smoke exists everywhere else. You dive into the water, your skin glad for the relief from the heat. But when you resurface for air, all you get again is ash. You realize your mistake as no air enters your lungs. The water may save you from the flames, but smoke isn't so easy. With unbreathable ash above and water below, your fate is sealed. The Gamemaker's booby trap has done its deadly work and the water that saved you yesterday, today becomes your doom. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

Water won't help you when you can't breath. Trying to stop yourself from sucking in the smoke, you

ou know you'll never make it back in time so your only chance is to move forward. You don't know if you'll make it or not but you'll try to your last second. It doesn't take long until you are crawling. You keep hoping for rain, but the sky is cloudless and unforgiving. The whole country knows you are dying so no doubt some cameras are on you. For the sake of your family you try to look strong until the end. Finally though, you know the end is near. The world swims before your eyes and you keep forgetting what you are doing. "Water", you must remind yourself, "I must find water." Never, in all your life, have you been so happy to hear the babbling of a stream. You would cry if you had the tears when you splash into a river running down a hill. You know that there could be bacteria in the water that could kill you, but this is desperate times. Normally you would purify it but you don't know how to make a fire. But the water is running, and looks clear and fresh. If you don't drink this water, you don't know what your next water source will be and it might be too far to reach. Do you [[drink the river water|drink landscape]]? Do you [[try to find other water|other water landscape]]?

Your body is screaming for water, and even if you find other water how are you going to purify that? The water looks clean and it's moving so you plunge your face into the rippling surface. You drink as much as you can over the next few hours, only surfacing to breathe. After a while of splashing and laughing, you crawl onto the bank and have pee that is light and painless. Now that you can think clearly again, you realize you should probably find a way to purify the water or else you could get sick. But that can wait until morning. Right now, your stomach is growling and night is coming quickly. Your body could use some sleep, but you will only sleep good with a safe shelter. Do you [[find shelter]]? Do you [[find food]]?

You aren't going to test your luck, but you probably should have. The sound of the river hasn't even left your ears when you collapse to the ground. Darkness creeps into your vision as you feel your body shutting down. It's probably a hallucination from lack of water, but you swear you can hear the most beautiful music singing you to sleep. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

You awake to a wall of fire descending upon you. Every part of the arena is rigged with cruel booby traps, and this must be one of them. You crawl part down of the tree and fall down the rest. Smoke is obscuring your vision and ash fills your mouth. Coughing and sputtering, you have to get away. The river is only a few feet from you, or you could run and try to escape the flames. Do you [[jump into the river]]? Do you [[run| run without food]]?

Water won't help you when you can't breath. Trying to stop yourself from sucking in the smoke, you run with all your might. The trees and plants that you took such careful note of yesterday pass by you in a whirl. Another tribute, a girl by the looks of it, passes by you also fleeing for her life. But she runs so fast you don't have time to see who it was. Running blindly, you hear the sound of crackling wood as its a burning trunk collapses to the ground. You quicken your pace and keep running for what feels like hours. Finally, your lungs burning, you burst into fresh air and collapse to the ground. After a few minutes of gasping with your head in your hands, you begin to realize where you are. Tall grass sways in a slight wind all around you, casting shadows like bars all across your body. This is the field, the one you spotted the first day standing by the Cornucopia. You tentatively peak out over the plants and see there is nobody by the Cornucopia. Sighing slightly and thinking you aren't in any immediate danger, you head out into the field. [[Continue|Thresh without food]]

You can hear the crunching of plants nearby, like heavy footfalls breaking the delicate stalks. You crouch down, hoping that the tall plants will hide you when a tribute appears. You recognize him immediately. His name is Thresh, from District 11. The district of agriculture. He is giant, probably almost 7 feet tall with dark skin and muscular arms. Upon seeing you, he looks almost sad. He has a pack on a pack with many of the plants you have been walking through sticking out. From the spear and sword in each hand and several packs on his back, you realize he must have done well at the Cornucopia. No surprise considering his size. "I'm sorry," he says lifting his sword. "I followed your tracks, I thought you were Rue. I don't want to do this, but I want to win this. Or Rue." You don't know who Rue is but you realize he is lifting his sword. "Wait!" you cry. He isn't expecting this and stops. Do you [[try to run away]]? Do you [[try and bargain for your life|bargain with food]]?

"I,..I.." you stammer, trying to prolong your life. "I can help you! The Careers, the Tributes that train and team up every year, we can team up too!" He looks at you a moment, considering. "How can you help me?" he asks. You freeze for a moment, but then jump in. "I'm from District 7!" you say. "I can climb trees, and identify them, and throw a axe better than you've ever seen!" He sighs, pitying you and there is really sadness in his eyes. "You don't have an axe to throw, and there aren't any trees around." he says gesturing to your tree-less surroundings. Silently, you grab your makeshift bag and empty its contents of bark, nuts and berries onto the ground at Thresh's feet. He stares at them a moment before picking up a pine nut. He sniffs it, and delicately places it on his tongue. Chewing slowly, he reaches back into his bag and for a moment you are afraid he is getting another weapon. But then he pulls out a gleaming hammer that he must have stolen from the Cornucopia. "Come on, partner," he says handing it to you and walking away. You follow after him and despite the danger of this new arrangement, Thresh could still kill you at any time, you are dimly aware that you may have just made the best partnership in the game. [[Continue|axe throwing]]

"I,..I.." you stammer, trying to prolong your life. "I can help you! The Careers, the Tributes that train and team up every year, we can team up too!" He looks at you a moment, considering. "How can you help me?" he asks. You freeze for a moment, but then jump in. "I'm from District 7!" you say. "I can climb trees, and identify them, and throw a axe better than you've ever seen!" He sighs, pitying you and there is really sadness in his eyes. "You don't have an axe to throw, and there aren't any trees around." he says gesturing to your tree-less surroundings. "I don't want to kill you." He whispers, suddenly quiet, "but it I win, than my whole district wins. They need the food and money, and my family needs it bad." You nod, feeling sorry for him even though he is your killer. Nobody wants to play this game. Where innocent children are turned into monsters. You bow your head and he stabs through you with his sword. He seems to be praying as he does, for his soul or for yours you don't know. For his part, Thresh makes it painless. As the light fades from your eyes, you pray too. You hope that wherever you are going, it is better than the world you are leaving behind. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

You follow Thresh the rest of the night until you reach a small campsite. He has cleared away plants on this spot of higher ground with the Cornucopia in front and the woods to the left. A sea of plants go on in all other directions. He starts a fire in his clearing with a fire starter he must have gotten at the Cornucopia. "You got a lot of supplies," you say, your first statement since he decided not to kill you. "Yeah," he says with a slight smirk, "the Careers were too busy hunting down the little guys that they didn't notice me stalking up. The one boy from 2, Cato, he saw me at the end and tried to take a swipe at me. But I beat him back." You nod, admiring his ability to fend off such strong fighters. Cato was the tribute that during training had put a spear through a dummy's belly from 15 feet away. When all your supplies have been added with Thresh's, you have an impressive arrangement of things. Your food definitely adds to his meager stalk of bits of flat bread and a few crackers. He must eat a lot, considering his big size. The thing you are most excited to see that he has is an axe. He hands it to you when he sees you staring at it. "You said you can throw one, so throw one." he says. You cross the short distance to the tree line. You can still faintly smell the scent of charred wood. Taking careful aim, you hand shifts around the familiar handle as you hurl it into the air. It lands with a satisfying THUNK into the tree. Thresh doesn't react besides a slight nod of his head. You are beginning to realize he is the strong and silent type. He turns to head back to the camp and leave you to practice when shouts fill the air. The Careers are running across the open ground around the Cornucopia, shouting about stings. They dive into the lake as two canons sound. Cannons go off to signify when a tribute has been killed. Tonight, their pictures will be projected in the sky. You have watched each night, but none of them have been of much interest to you. The boy from your district, Eric, was killed the first day. Thresh heads back to his camp and you retrieve your axe. The shouts keep coming from the Cornucopia, and all you can think is "2 more down.” You practice for the rest of the day. Whatever skill you lacked by not throwing in the last few weeks you have gotten back. Your acute skills have been broadcasted all over the country, and sponsors will now be looking at you as a possible winner. The sun is setting and you throw one more before heading back for camp. You aim for a tiny black dot on one of the lowest branches. The axe sinks in an inch deep with perfect accuracy, and deadly accuracy. [[Continue|explosion]]

You awake the next morning with Thresh already up and stoking a fire. You were concerned he would kill you in the night, but he didn’t. Obviously. You have fallen into a pattern, during the day you go out and gather food in the woods while Thresh gathers wheat for bread. Then you come back, put your food together, and go your separate ways for the rest of the day. You spend your time practicing with the axe, you don’t know what Thresh does. Despite neither you nor Thresh trying to hide yourselves, from both the smoke of your campfire and your obvious place in the field, nobody comes to bother you. You get the impression that they are all scared of Thresh. You’re scared of him too if you are honest with yourself. After 2 days of relative peace since the chaos by the Cornucopia, you are wondering if you are missing anything going on in the Arena. The only thing that has happened is the 2 deaths, which turned out to be the girls from 1 and 4. You are just starting out to get food for the day with your axe by your side when both you and Thresh look up to see bright, black campfire smoke billowing into the sky. “Who would be stupid enough to do that?” you ask aloud. The fire’s maker is broadcasting their location to the entire area, not that you and Thresh haven’t been doing that. “Not Rue,” he replies definitely. “Who is Rue?” you ask. “Rue is the girl who came with me, the little one. She may be small, but if I had to bet on anyone to win this, I would bet on her.” he finishes somewhat ominously. You aren’t really sure how to respond to that proclamation of your obvious inability to win in his eyes, so you just remain silent which seems to suit Thresh fine. You remember Rue somewhat. She was 12, the youngest out of any of the other tributes. You didn’t think anyone cared about any of their fellow tributes, they were your competition to stay alive and all. But Thresh had definitely had something resembling affection in his voice when he talked about Rue. You head off again to the woods when you notice a second fire’s smoke beginning to float to the sky. “It’s a trap,” you whisper to yourself. Anyone that made it this long can’t be stupid enough to light a fire in mid daylight when the Careers are probably recovered from the incident that sent them screaming into the lake. Now with 2 fires, it’s confirmed to be something that must be luring the Careers or someone to those spots. You are just reaching up to gather some hazelnuts when an explosion rocks the arena. You fall to your knees from the shock of it and the whole Arena shakes. You are surprised that the Gamemakers would put something like bombs in since they usually prefer bloody hand to hand combat, but they must have since it came from the direction of the Cornucopia. Do you [[go back to the campsite]]? Do you [[go to investigate]]?

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You take off at a run toward the sound of the explosion, jogging up the slight bank that leads down into the field from the Cornucopia. Several smaller blasts go off on your way up there, but these aren’t big enough to knock you to the ground. When you reach the top, a surprising sight meets your eyes. Entire parts of the field have been blasted away, leaving scared and burned dirt. The area surrounding the plates that all the tributes stood on at the beginning of the Games have mounds of dirt dug up around them and you realise where the explosions were from. During the President’s opening speech, the Gamemakers have live bombs placed around each of the tributes. Then, once the President's short speech is over, they are deactivated for the rest of the Games. This is to stop any of the tributes from getting off their plates and getting a head start too early. A tribute, most likely someone from District 3 where they make the bombs, must have known how to reactivate them and done it for some reason. Well why ever they did it, someone must have set it off. And you realise who. A girl in a sweatshirt is laying on the ground on the other side of the field. Her hand is up against the side of her head which is bloody, probably damaged in the explosion. She turns her face to you briefly and you recognize her. She is Katniss Everdeen, the girl from 12. She has been a favorite to win the games. The audience loves her since she volunteered to save her sister who had originally been chosen, and when the Gamemakers rated the tributes on how likely they were to win, she got 11 out of 12. It was the highest score of any tribute, and the highest you have ever heard of someone getting. She is on her hands and knees and doesn’t know you are behind her. She has a bow and arrow next to her, but looks disoriented and defenceless. But the Careers no doubt heard the explosion too and are coming back to see what happened. Do you [[go back to the field]]? Do you [[kill Katniss]]?

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She is a deadly enemy and you can't afford for her to stay alive. You throw your axe with perfect accuracy and it nails her right in the back of the head. A canon goes off, signifying her death, as she collapses to the ground. You run over to retrieve your axe and are repulsed by the amount of blood that comes cascading out. You feel bile rise in your throat as you realize that you did this, you killed this once living being in front of you. Not wanting to stay here with these horrors, you grab the axe and run off. You only stop to look again at the blown away field and burned grass still smoldering over what was once the Careers' supplies. You don't how she did it, but now the Hunger Games do have a bit more "hunger" in them. One of the only things that survived the inferno is a silve knife, sticking out from the ground. You grab it on the way by, it's always good to have another weapon. *** *** *** You are still horrified with yourself with what you did this morning but try to put it out of your mind as you remind yourself you are trying to survive this. Now you sit with Thresh, waiting for the projections of the dead to be shown in the sky. 2 more canons went off today, one mid-afternoon and one from the Careers that you saw happen. That was the best part of the day was watching the Careers flip out when they saw their wrecked supplies. The boy from 2, Cato according to Thresh, began ripping out his hair and beating the ground with his fists. Then, in a fit of rage, he killed the boy from District 3 that was in their group. He is the first to appear since the pictures are shown in order of District. Your breath catches as Rue, the little girl from Thresh's district, is shown in the sky. She must have been the one killed this afternoon. Thresh walks away, into the field, and you don't follow thinking he wants to be alone. The last one to be shown is the girl you killed, Katniss Everdeen. She looks happier than she did today, but you guess everyone looks happier alive than dead. There aren't many of you left in the games you realize as the sky goes dark. There is you and Thresh, the boy from 12, both from 2 and the boy from 1. There is someone else too but you don't remember who it is. *** *** *** The next morning the Careers aren't camped out by the Cornucopia like usual, but you guess they are out hunting more tributes. The Cornucopia isn't deserted though. The red-headed girl from District 5, the one you couldn't remember last night, is standing in the middle of the burned field laughing. She is overjoyed at the loss of the Careers' supplies. Thresh walks up beside you, rustling the plants around you. Upon seeing the momement, she takes off into the woods. "The Careers are weak right now, they are used to having all of those supplies. If we are going to attack, we should do it now." he says solemnly. "Isn't that your choice?" you ask, confused why he is asking you. "We're partners." he says as if that answers the question. Do you [[attack the Careers]]? Do you [[wait to attack]]?

You spend all that night planning the attack for the morning. Right at dusk a canon goes off, and when you see the projection you see it is the boy from 12. Thresh says he was with the Careers at the begininging which surprises you since higher Districts don't usually go with the Careers. But he hasn't been there in a while and today, where ever he went to, he died. One less enemy you suppose. Thresh's plans are fairly straight forward. He will do a straight on attack of the Careers, coming from the field when they first emerge. He will try to take out both the boys while you are left to spring a surprise attack from the woods on the girl from 2. Thresh warns that she is extremely deadly, with knives that will slice you in 2 almost instantly. But the good news is, nobody but Thresh has ever seen your deadly axe skill. Crouched in the bushes now, you watch as they Careers come from the trees weary after a day of hunting. Apparently they were unsuccessful since you haven't heard any canons today. They are turned toward the Cornucopia, completely looking the other direction. The girl has glinting knives under her coat but nothing in her hands. The one boy has a sword, the other a spear. Thresh hasn't come out yet, but this could be the perfect opprutunity to nail the girl without her ever knowing she is under attack. But you only have one shot, and there are 3 of them. Do you [[wait for Thresh]]? Do you [[kill the girl now]]?

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3 against 1 is not good odds and with only one weapon you stay put. You only sit a moment before Thresh runs up the bank between the field and the Cornucopia. The boy from District 1 only has time to draw his sword before Thresh stabs him through the stomach. His blood spills as he falls to the ground but your attention is diverted as the boy from District 2, Cato, grabs his friend's dropped sword and begins fighting Thresh. They dance back and forth as the girl pulls back her coat to show an impressive array of throwing knives. She is grabbing one to throw at Thresh and I know this is my perfect opportunity. I run forward and heave my axe at the girl, but she moves at the last moment. It hits her on the shoulder and she grimices, but it isn't a fatal wound. She uses her other arm to grab a particularly deadly looking knife and lobs it at your head. You dive out of the way, realizing she can throw just as good with her left hand as her right. She sends another knife whizzing past you. You have a knife in your pocket but don't know how to throw it and are left to dodge knife after knife as each one barely misses. Do you [[retreat]]? Do you [[try to retrieve your axe]]?

You aren't going to miss an opportunity like this. You run forward and send your axe straight into the girl's neck. She collapses as a canon rings out but now both boys have their gazes fixed on you. A moment of shock rings out but the boy from 2 reacts first. He takes his spear and wails it at you with anger and years of practice driving it forward. As deadly as your own axe skills have been with the girl, his skills are just as deadly. It hits you right in the chest, and you collapse in a pool of blood. A canon sounds as you hear Thresh's cry ring through the Arena. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

You hate leaving your greatest weapon behind but it is only feet from your increasingly dangerous enemy. Yelling to Thresh to retreat, your turn and head back to the cover of the trees. Crashing through the leaves and plants, your lungs burn as sticks and logs spin out from under your feet. Twigs scrape your arms and legs and bushes with inch-long thorns tear at your clothes. Never in your life have you been so relieved to crash through plants above your head. The giant stalks if plants confirm you are back in Thresh's territory of the field. You collapse with relief onto the ground as the world slowly stops spinning. Once you have caught your breath, your grudgingly head back to your campsite with Thresh. He is sitting there, using his coat to try and stop some bleeding on his arm. "I lost my axe," you say with a tone of defeat in your voice. "I didn't even kill the girl." "Yeah, Cato is alive too," he says grimly. You both sit in silence, down about the failure of your attack. But then a canon sounds and that, at least, is rewarding. "That would be the boy from District 1" he says with a reluctant smile. "At least it wasn't a complete waste." "No," you agree. "I guess it wasn't." There is really nothing funny about it, but all of a sudden you are laughing. You haven't laughed in a long time and it feels good to have the sound of joy coming from your mouth. To your surprise, Thesh starts laughing too. "Did you see the girl's face when you jumped from the bushes?" he says chuckling in his deep booming voice. "It was like I was crazy or something," you squeal not sure why it is so humorous that you are crying all of a sudden. Both your jokes are interupted though with an announcement coming over the Arena. "Attention, ladies and gentlemen. Congratulations on surviving to this round of the Hunger Games! Each of you needs something desperately so we are inviting you all to a feat. Tomorrow, at dawn, the Cornucopia will have each of those things there. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor." the announcement concludes with the common phrase used in the Hunger Games. You have seen a few feasts in the Hunger Games before. The Gamemakers throw supplies in when food or weapons are scarce. Or now, when everyone needs something. You know what you and Thresh need. His sword and your axes were both lost. Do you [[go to the feast]]? Do you [[ignore it]]?

You run forward with all the speed your body can create. But just as you dive for the axe laying in the grass, the girl from 2 dives forward and stabs you through the neck. At least she didn't make a show of killing you like Thresh warned she could. She must have thought you dangerous enough to kill quickly. You are glad that your family won't have to watch a terrible death on TV as the light fades from your eyes. Your dying wish is that Thresh will somehow get to go home someday. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.

This could be your only chance to get any more weapons and without them, you are sitting ducks. The careers are afraid of Thresh, and possibly even afraid of you. If you can get your packs you will have weapons so you can stand a chance in open combat. You still have your salvaged knife if they get to the packs first, but hopefully you won't have to use it since you are basically incompetent with it. Thresh, with all his strength, takes a large rock as his weapon. You sit in the early morning of dawn, waiting for the feast to begin. As soon as the first bit of sunlight leaks into the sky, a grinding noise can be heard. A table rises into view where 4 backpacks sit, each with a number on it. The backpack marked 2 is large and black, indicating it if for Cato and the girl from District 2. Next to are 2 equally large bags marked 11 and 7 for you and Thresh. The final backpack is smaller, with a number 5 for the red-headed girl. She is the smartest out of all the tributes waiting. Sometime during the night she hid out inside the Cornucopia and the moment the table is raised, she grabs her backpack and sprints for the woods. You and Thresh must reach there first. You see a blur of movment behind you as you reach the table and yank open your various backpacks. Thresh pulls out a double-bladed sword and immediately turns to face Cato when he comes. You open the backpack marked 7 to see 2 shiny silver axes, polished and shiny. You pull them out just as a blinding pain spreads through your leg. You look down to see a knife has appeared and behind you a whistling noise tells you another is on its way. Ignoring the pain, you see the girl is almost upon you

You aren't going to run head first into a blood battle with no weapons. You and Thresh sit and watch as at dawn, a table is raised infrot of the Cornucopia. 4 backpacks sit, each with a number on it. The backpack marked 2 is large and black, indicating it if for Cato and the girl from District 2. Next to are 2 equally large bags marked 11 and 7 for you and Thresh. The final backpack is smaller, with a number 5 for the red-headed girl. She is the smartest out of all the tributes waiting. Sometime during the night she hid out inside the Cornucopia and the moment the table is raised, she grabs her backpack and sprints for the woods. You watch as Cato and the girl stroll casually up to the table and take their and both of your backpacks. They look surprised that you didn't come to get them, but soon realize you don't have any weapons. You sit around for the rest of the day. You started to go collect food, but Thresh stopped you. "Don't bother," he said. This surprises you and you aske why. "We're dead," he says simply. "We have no weapons and they know exactly where we are. They have our things and whatever was in their bag. By the end of the day, they'll come for us." "Then," you start confused, "why don't we just go and end it now?" you ask. He looks at you and there is defeat in Thresh's strong dark eyes. "I want them to come to me. I may be doomed, but I will not walk to them with shame. I will sit here, and let them come on my terms. I will die because I choose to die right here and right now. Not because I walked into their waiting arms." Thresh doesn't talk for the rest of the day, and you have nothing to say anyway. Sure enough, just before sunset, they come. They come with their sharpened weapons and cruel hands. They both wear a kind of full body armor that must have been in thier pack. It goes from their necks to their ankles so you couldn't kill them if you wanted to. With murder in their eyes, they come and finish you sitting there like a waiting duck. But as your life fades you realize Thresh was right. Your last thought is triumph that in the end, they came to you. [[Try Again|Hunger Games]] for guts and glory in the Hunger Games.