THE 150th HUNGER GAMES

The Training Center (Day 1)

Cory Finn's (District 5) P.O.V:

My district partner, Bertha, she's going to crush me. I mean, seriously, I'm up to her shoulder and a whole lot skinner. I am going to need to get away from her in the arena.

I watch as she goes to lift some 200 pound weights and speed-walk over to the first station that comes to mind- fishing. I learn how to fashion a fishing rod and catch fish. I don't know how useful it'll be in the arena, but, oh well.

Next I head over to the shelter building station. Gretchen from 4 is already there, so I work alongside her as we construct a shelter together. "Thanks," she says as we put the finishing touches on.

I shrug. "No problem." I'm not sure if I want to make any alliances yet.

"It's okay, you know."

"What's okay?"

"That we're going to die."

"How do you know?" I, at least, am still hopeful of winning.

"I'm not the kind of gal that's gonna win. And you're not the kind of guy."

"How can you tell?" So much for my meager confidence.

"We're just pieces in the Capitol game. Unimportant. Just there to die," she says, almost dreamily.

"Well, who is going to win, if not us?"

"Oh, you'll see." She begins to walk away.

"But I won't see if I'm dead!"

"You'll understand in time..." Her voice fades away as she goes toward the knife station. I watch her take a knife from a rack and turn it so the point is facing her stomach.

"Gretchen, what are you doing?!" I cry out, and dash over to her.

"I don't want to be a pawn... Better now than then," she stares at me creepily, smiling.

"But-" she stabs the knife into her stomach and falls back. "She's crazy," I whisper, and then correct myself. She was crazy.

The rest is a blur. People run over. They confirm she's dead. Her body is carried away. A dark stain of blood marks the floor where she killed herself. Eventually I find my bearings and go back up to my room, in awe and despairing at what I just witnessed.