The 49th Hunger Games

Day 2: Autumn and Will

I roll over in my sleep and almost have a heart attack as I topple off my branch, forgetting where I am for a short time. I hit the ground, none too gently, in a pile of leaves. Luckily I don't scream, but I have to groan as the air is expelled from my lungs.

"Ow..." I lay on the floor, safe for some time buried in leaves. Being a fast runner, I made it to the forest before anyone could catch me. I'm only on the edge, because I want to keep an eye on the Careers. Especially Birch, being from my own District. From here I can keep concealed in the undergrowth and away from attacks in the treetops, but I'll know when the Careers are out tribute hunting. I'm concerned about water, but I know I'll be okay for food because I know these trees and plants enough to know that they're no danger to me. Sometimes I manage to sneak off into the forests that border District 11 unnoticed and come back with a few extra berries for my family. I know that if I was ever caught, I'd be killed straight away, so I decided, as well as practicing my spear throwing, to spend a lot of time at the edible plants just so no one would suspect anything of my vast knowledge. Captiol eyes are very beady. 

After I've regained my breath, I pull my pack off my back and rummage through it again. I'm glad I've not actually squished anything, so I just glance ruefully at the empty water bottle and zip it back up, scaling a different tree this time, one with barely any branches. I wish I'd managed to snag a weapon for defence, but I suppose I couldn't really do much with one anyway. It's easier to climb without having any extra baggage other than a backpack to worry about. From where I peak at about 40ft, I can easily watch over the Careers. Truth's caramel brown hair, Wolf's small stature, the District 1 tributes' white blonde hair and toned figures, a slightly short, thick muscled boy that must be from District 4 and of course, Birch's dark skin and black hair. From my vantage point I can see that Truth is talking. Probably planning when they're going to start tribute hunting out in the forest. And when they pass my hiding place and go deeper into the forest, I'm going to abandon my tree, dash for the oasis and run back. I can go like that as long as I have to. I can keep sneaky stealth up, as long as no killers notice me. 

So I wait for nightfall, and I manage to catch a few winks of sleep in my tree, being as - in contrast to yesterday - the heat is lulling. I crouch on my branch, because even though I'm 15, I'm about the size of a 12 year old. A strong 12 year old. I have one foot dangling over the ground, ready to drop for a more delicate landing than earlier, and I'm holding with both hands to a branch in front of me for a falling momentum. It's not comfortable, but when it could be life and death, comfort is a paling factor.

Suddenly I hear a twig snap and I jerk straight, muscles bunched ready to leap. Then the sound of breathing and walking comes closer. They might be good fighters, but wow, do the Careers have a heavy tread. Cockiness, I suppose. Then they come into view just below me. 

"So, our first target's gotta be one of the tricky ones. Definitely the girl from your District, Tiberius. Maybe the boy from seven and the girl from eleven." Truth says. It's obvious she's in charge and, judging by the annoyed look on the District 1 boy's face, whether the others like it or not.

I blink shock. They think I'm tricky? For a minute I'm impressed with myself, but then the feeling fades quickly. I'm a main target. Just what I need. I forget myself for a second and allow a sigh, but then realise with a bolt of alarm and freeze.

Please don't see me, please don't see me, please don't-

My plea falls short as Wolf looks up, blinking with surprise as his eyes lock with my terror-wide ones. I don't move. I don't breathe. It's all over for me if they decide to wait me out. I'll die of thirst quicker than them. I accept the fact I'm a goner just as Wolf returns his attention to the Career pack as quickly as he spotted me. What? He's decided not to give me up? I almost choke on air at the surprise as Wolf instead looks deeper into the forest. 

"I think we should look deeper. Those few don't seem like they'd stay where they can easily be found." he says, pointing towards the deeper side of the forest, away from me. Truth seems to be annoyed at someone other than her making suggestions.

She narrows her eyes, but before she can reply, the District 1 boy adds, "I like that. We should go."

My luck is outstanding, because I know that he wouldn't cover for me. He's just falling for Wolf's rouse. 

"Whatever," she hisses, dragging her knife against the trunk of my tree either in threat or anger, "Let's just move." Without waiting to see who follows her, she stalks - or rather stomps off into the woods. When I'm sure they're all gone, rather than just dropping as I originally decided, I climb carefully down, trying to be as quiet as possible. 

"Thanks Wolf," I breathe to no one, "I owe you." As much as I hate owing, I know he saved my life. If it had been either Truth, District 4 or District 1, I'd probably be condemned to dehydrating to death. Or a knife to the brain.

Wasting no time, I set off at a full out sprint so my feet barely touch the floor, getting more and more wary every second I'm exposed. I've already got my water bottle out so all I do is scoop it under the surface of the water and start back to the forest to find a new tree. I don't go back to where I was, because at least one Career would know where I was if I did, whether he was going to sell me out or not. 

As soon as I'm in a tree and panting, I've added a few drops of iodine to my water and I'm waiting for it to purify. I allow myself to feel small triumph. I've survived day 2. I don't know what I'll have to face on day 3.

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 I've been stumbling through the long grass for 2 days now, and finally it's the second night. The tall, green stalks have finally ended, leaving me in a tiny clearing, ringed with the grass I've been travelling through that towers at least a foot above my head. And I'm around 6ft, myself. I thank my feet that they decided to lead me into the grass, where probably no one would think to go for danger of mutts and/or snakes (which is a risk I've had to take) and collapse onto the ground next to a small pool of water, probably fed from an underground spring. This place is so much like some kind of heaven in The Hunger Games that, as I fill my water up, I remember to be cautious of whatever will be here to ruin it. Not might, will. I don't trust sleeping out in the open, so I cut down some of the stalks with a small, blunt knife I grabbed to make a barely concealed gap where I can lay down. I find in my pack a spray labelled 'Repellent'. I don't know what it's a repellent for - it doesn't say - but nonetheless I spray it on me and around me before I allow myself to lay down in my sleeping bag. No deaths today, it appears. Which is upsetting. I have no one to care about even a tad now I know Stella's dead. She was the closest thing I had to a friend, and now I don't have even her anymore. All I want is to get out of the arena alive.

I remember Apple's advice: Even when you sleep, keep your eyes open. 

Of course she didn't mean it literally, but I know by common sense I'm barely going to sleep tonight, always poised for being attacked. Even if I have food and water, I'll never have safety.