The Starving Artist: Hunger Games 2015

ENTRY: Ian and the Giants

DISTRICT 5 MALE: IAN NIGHY

The sun was sinking, and the light was being obliterated by the horizon. Our camp seemed to be the only source of sound in the entire world, and that was just from the crackle of flames and the hiss of green wood.

I rubbed my arms, trying to keep warm as my guard shift began. I would let Azrael sleep for as long as possible. Whatever medicine I had given him may have saved his life, but it hadn't returned him to full health. He needed rest. I glanced down to my foot, where just a few days ago my ankle had been red and swelled with inflammation. Only a few faint scars where the wolf's teeth sank in deep remained.A branch broke from somewhere out in the woods. My head snapped up, eyes scanning for anything that could approach the camp. But in the dying light, it was impossible to see very far. I tried to relax and convince myself that it was just an owl, or some other nighttime creature. But the giggle of a tribute brought me to my feet.

"Azrael," I hissed, nudging him with my foot and trying to get him up. "Azrael!" It was no use. I would have had an easier time waking the dead. Then I heard it again: a little girl's giggle, too young to be anyone in the arena. It sounded close, just on the outskirts of the camp. I took a step closer, hesitant. "Who's out there?" I called. "Come closer to the fire. We won't hurt you."

Again, I could hear the little girl laughing. She was closer now, no more than ten feet away, I guessed. When she spoke, I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, "Ian, come and find me!"My blood ran cold. I couldn't remember how to draw air into my lungs. I knew that voice. My feet carried me out of the camp, numb to everything else. "Emily?" At the sound of my voice, a silhouette detached itself from the darkness. The shadow of a little girl waved at me, beckoned me closer. Then she turned and sprinted into the forest, peals of laughter making a trail for me to follow.

I couldn't help but follow her. The branches of the trees clawed at my skin, growing thicker as I headed further away from the camp. "Emily!" I shielded my face as best I could as I ran. My heart hammered in my chest, veins pumping fear for my sweet little sister. She was too young to be in the Games. "Emily!" I could hear her laughing, her light footsteps breaking through the trees.

"Ian!" Her voice rang out from behind me, sending my feet skidding to a halt. I spun around, my breath ragged in my throat. She was there, sitting snugly between the limbs of a tree, her face pale.Something was wrong here. Something was different. I had been here before, done this before, but there wasn't time to question it. I staggered over to her in a daze. "Emily...What are you doing here, sweetheart?" I could hear her breathing hard, knuckles turning white as she clutched the branches. Her dress was dirty and torn, and for a second, I thought she couldn't hear me. I swallowed hard, "Em?" I was invisible to her."Em, how did you get here?"

Then she looked at me, her face filled with terror. Tears started to stream from her eyes. "Ian, I'm stuck. I can't get down," she sobbed. "I'm gonna fall."

I looked up at her, walking to the base of the tree and trying to smile reassuringly. "No," I shook my head, "no, no. You're not going to fall," I told her. "I'm going to come up and get you, okay? Just stay there."

My hands gripped tightly to the branches, the bark scratching at my skin as I started to climb. She continued to sob, trembling with fear. The higher I got, the more I could feel the afternoon sun warming my back and casting shadows through the trees.

"We're going to get in trouble, Ian!"

I dismissed her fear with a wave, "Hey, hey, don't you worry about that. Besides, how often do you get to see where the giants live, huh? This is fun, right?" I looked back up to the branches above my head, climbing a few feet higher before I turned back to her. "It's a piece of cake."