Tribute 73

Chapter nine: Happy Hunger Games

Chapter nine: Happy Hunger Games

"One," the announcer calls, as I fly back landing with a thump on the cold, wet ground. I suddenly feel something hit my face and reach my hand up to feel the substance. I run my hand down my face and pull it away revealing warm, and sticky blood. Ewww!

I am so grossed out it takes me a moment to realize where I am. I quickly get up, still slightly in pain from my landing and grab the closet items I could find. These include two very small backpacks, and a couple containers of food. I throw the backpacks on, one on my back, the other on my torso. I use them as protection against flying objects while I glance around for Jace.

I see him not to far from me holding a backpack as well. I run towards him and grab his hand. Realizing it's just me he begins to run as well.

We run for probably a good seven minutes until we stop.

"Look for shelter," he mumbles, his breath visible in the air. I nod and we both look around searching for some form of shelter. The arena this year was basically wide open plains of snow and ice, it would be next to impossible to find water. It also left us very vulnerable to careerers passing by, because what I could tell from where I was standing there was no place to hide.

I was about to give up when suddenly the idea hit me. How did I not think of this earlier?

"Jace!" I speak, not wanting to be to loud.

"Catie?" He asks.

"I have an idea," I tell him as my hand motions him to come closer. "Let's dig a hole, in the snow, it might be warmer and if we cover it up well enough hopefully people won't be able to find us,"

"That's fantastic!" He exclaims in almost a whisper.

And that's how our first day in the arena started.

***

We ended up taking turns digging, that way one of us could keep watch. Didn't want to be snuck up on. But when we finally finished this feeling of accomplishment washed over us, lightening our moods a bit. We climbed in and spent probably another thirty minutes freezing our butts off while we used some of the extra snow to compact the walls making sure they were firm enough to hold up the cave.

I had just finished up smoothing out the walls when Jace actually closed the hold making sure to place it just right.

After what seemed like an eternity we sat down on the dirt floor of our cave (turns out there was only a few feet of snow covering the ground) and we began to search through our new possessions. I took my first bag by the handle pulling it closer to my body, and clumsily unzipped it revealing the contents inside.

Turns out my bag had many things inside of it like, rope, containers of bread, jerky, and..... Cocoa powder. My bag also carried a water bottle, half filled, and a blanket that radiates back your body heat. I was actually sort of impressed, I didn't expect to have some of these things.

I grab the second backpack, and it takes me a minute to open it, but when it finally was I noticed it had basically the same things inside of it, except for this one had slightly less food, and it included a small book which didn't hold knowledge, but held a nice selection of knives. The second bag also came attached to a sleeping bag, which could also radiate body heat.

When I was done examining my things I packed them back up and looked up to watch Jace look through his things.

"Anything good?" I question, and he shrugs.

"Got some food, and a full bottle of water, and erm..." He loses his train of thought.

"You okay?" I ask worried.

"Yeah sorry," he apologizes and then continues his sentence. "Some rope, a sleeping bag, a toy bow,"

"A toy bow?" I chuckle.

"Yeah, I mean look how small this thing is." He smiles. "It seems as if it was made for little kids to shoot their siblings for fun." I smile at his comment and examine the, surprisingly well carved miniature wooden bow, it was probably two feet tall.

"Did it come with arrows?" I ponder out loud.

"Uhh... Yeah." He replies shuffling through his bag to find them. He pulls them out and hands them to me, his fingers shaking from the cold. I set the arrows aside for a moment and pull out my blanket.

"Use this, it will keep you warmer for now."

"Thanks," he nods and I give him a half hearted smile.

Suddenly the anthem of panem begins playing and we quickly dig a small hole to peer through and watch the memorial play in the sky. We sit in silence counting the fallen tributes in our head...... Eight. A little less than half. Well our first day hadn't been a complete slump, I mean we had gotten shelter, and most importantly stayed alive. The question was though how many more days would we live to see.

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A/N

I KNOW IT'S A MIRACLE! I UPDATED!

Heh I'm sorry I got really busy with basketball and stuff but I managed to scrape together this chapter. By the way this book is a short story so it will be over pretty soon, and I just wanted to remind you guys I'm keeping it realistic to the original 'Hunger Games' book.

Anyway don't forget to comment and read and vote and all that stuff.

For more frequent updates look up. NerdyBlondettes1213 for other cool books and quicker updates! :D

Thanks

~Sarah :)