The Hunger Games

Chapter 25

          Twenty tributes dead, four remain. In a matter of days, twenty tributes have died. Four tributes still remain. Danny, Peter, Shimmer, and I. Who knows when three of us will be dead, only one will remain? It could be today, tomorrow, or next week. Because, the rest of us are smart and know how to kill. Danny and I both hide from our opponents, while Peter and Shimmer would search for us to kill us. But if it takes too long, the Capitol will find a way to make us all face each other, and speed things up. There was one Game like that. Three tributes were left. One was hiding in the forest, the other in the tall grasses, and the other near the lake. To get them all to face each other, they set the forest on fire, got rid of all the water in the lake and streams, and caused the tall grasses also caught on fire. It led all three tributes to the Cornucopia, where they all fought to the death.

          I’ve been up for about two hours thinking of what I should do next, if I should stay in the tree and hide, or leave and search for the other tributes. I have no choice but to kill the rest. I want to get out here as soon as possible.

          The sun’s high in the sky and I still haven’t eaten. I take the rabbit I caught yesterday and decide to climb down the tree. I feel uneasy doing this, but I have to. I have my knife in my pocket still, so I’m armed, sort of. I make a light fire and cook the rabbit. Once it’s done, I eat and put out the fire. Sometimes, I just have to risk things, even at the cost of my damn life.

          I climb back up the tree when I’m done. I sit there just zoned out staring at nothing. I should get going, to get away from here. I have to move on.

          I grab my things and climb down once again. I decide to head off, and try to win this. I want to go home already, and the sooner everyone else is dead, the sooner I could go home. It’ll just be better. No more cowering up in trees.

          The thought of killing someone innocent still gets me. I don’t want to do it, but I have to. I have to win the battle. It’s girl against Capitol. This time, the Capitol will lose. If I win, I might try to start a revolution, a war. Just like the Dark Days over one hundred years ago when the Games were first created. And maybe like what happened after the 75th Games. From my history books I read, a simple 17 year old girl started the war, destroying the Capitol. Because of her, District 12 was once destroyed. But it managed to form back together. Also because of her, the Games stopped several years. Maybe I could do it…but have the Games stop forever. But then again, it’s a risk. The Capitol will want revenge, and will probably kill everyone I love but me. They have done it before. And if they’ve done it before, they won’t be afraid to do it again.

          I’ve been so lost in thought; I haven’t noticed that I’ve been walking in a shallow stream. I shake my head and then rub my eyes and step out of the water. Though the sun isn’t in the highest point in the sky anymore, it’s still pretty hot. I walk downstream, following the stream to where ever it takes me. I don’t really care. I walk away from the hills and just go where ever. After an hour or so, I’ve managed to finish two bottles of water. I then refill it and put it in my backpack for later.

          Snap! Snap!

          I look around, startled at the noise. I turn around in circles, confused on where to go and where the noise came from. I shouldn’t worry, it could be a rabbit, but I’m petrified.

          Snap! Snap!

          There it is again. I begin to run, continuing downstream. My heart starts pounding as if it was going to burst out of my chest and I’m terrified. Whatever is out there may kill me. I don’t see any rabbits, and what kind of animal would follow me. It’s a person, it has to be.