Cirrianetta: The 56th Hunger Games

Chapter 8: The Games Begin

when i awake from my nightmare about Princeton killing me and Sage wickedly slow and painfull., i'm quickly rushed into a hovercraft. Lavina sits down and hands me my breakfast.. i feel sick but i still eat and drink as much as i can since i'm about to enter the hunger games. me and my allies went over our final plan last night before the interveiws and i think i'm ready. ready to win and go back home to District 2. i take deep breathes and Lavina is trying to comfort me. but she doesn't know what this feels like. i wish Enobaria was here because she has at least been in this position before.Lavina's touch almost stings because i know i might never feel it again and i really wouldn't care much if i never had to see her again. her voice annoys me. its too cheery and happy despite how pitiful most of this has been.

 by now i'm in my private prep room underneath the arena with Damion. this year tributes are wearing long pants,tall socks,boots,a long sleeve shirt,and a thick jacket. its ugly,manly,and loose. i dont like it. most of the things i wear are form fitting. the boots make weird noises when they rub against the tiles on the floor. i take a sip of a cup of orange juice and start pacing neverously back and forth.

"well this is a different Cirri than we saw last night."i look down embarrassed.

"i was losing it. he pushed me too far... he had no right i lost my control and i had to put him in his place!" i look up but stare at the wall. Damion hands me my platinum locket. i open it. it has the same things as always but theres a new picture. one of just  Sage. its folded up so it fits inside. it really makes me happy that i can see him while i'm in the games. its almost time. i give Damion one last hug and say goodbye. then i step on my plate as the glass cylinder closes down around me. i wave one last time,and silently say goodbye to my family and Sage and Blare. and in a few minutes i feel the plate start to move. soon im standing out in the open sun of the arena and we still have to stand there for a whole minute. if you step off before the gong you get blown to peices by the mines. i look around at all the other tributes. Catillia is right next to me. Menina is directly across from me and Kyleea is 3 down to my right. we all exchange glannces and prepare for the games to begin. i see Princeton on the other side of the circle. he winks at me and i roll my eyes at him and look back at Catillia.Claudius Templesmith comes onto the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen! let the 56th Hunger Games begin!" then the countdown starts booming bthrough the arena. 4.3.2.1!

and were off. me and Catillia are running side by side toward Kyleea, with Menina following in the other direction.

"Grab what you can!" i shout. i grab 2 orange packs and 3 spears. thats all i can affors to grab right now. i see Menina pull out a bow and arrows and a small pack. Kyleea has some knifes and a tent pack. and Catillia grabbed 4 packs. i think were good.

"run east!" Kyleea yells and we all follow her over to the treeline. we agree to keep jogging straight back,putting a good distance between us and the cornocoupia. after about 2 miles we stop in a small clearing well concealed by the nearby trees. its the perfect place to camp. i sit down on a stump and everyone else sits on the ground. we open up our packs to see whats inside them. we have a total of 4 packs of jerky, 6 gallons of water,10 packs of dried fruit. 3 pairs of night vision goggles, 6 sleeping bags, 2 blankets,8 knives,3 spears, a bow,and 12 arrows, and a tent. i think were good on supplies and weapons, but we need meat so i tell myself i'll go hunting later.thats when the cannons start to go off. a total of 6. that means there are 18 of us left. usually more people die in the bloodbath but this just means the games will last longer than usual. i dont care. as long as i win. we divide up all of our supplies and weapons. you know just in case we get sepperarted. after we've rested for a good half hour we continue going straight back like before. we figure we'll be safe for a while if we can reach the edge of the arena,far enough away from any other tributes. after another 2 hours we get to where the arena ends. we're all really tired so we set up camp. we put up the tent and lay the sleeping bags and blankets underneath it on the ground. we shove the packs down in the bottoms of the sleeping bags so if anyone shows up they wont be able to fing them.we stop for lunch around early afternoon. and then i go off to hunt. i only allow myself 300 yds away from the campsite. i return with 3 rabbits a squirrel, and a possum.

"i got meat." i say flatly tossing the animals down on the blanket. Kyleea picks up the possum and starts skinning it. Catillia goes to work starting a fire, and Menina keeps watch while weaving grass together into a heart. she hands it to me,and i smile. soon the fire is burning and Kyleea begins to cook the meat.

"i'll take first watch tonight. i ...i need some time alone..."i say softly. they all easily pick up on my hint and nod.

"just wake me when you start to feel tired."Kyleea says rubbing me on the back with her hand. i really connect with her. it stinks that i know she has to die. i dont want to be the one to kill her,though!" i take a peice of the possum and sit down on the stump. after we finish all the possum,we talk strategy for a while until the anthem begins. "first tribute shown is Tarney,the girl from 5. Talcum the boy from 7. Orion from 8. Calynda from 9. Mckinley from 10. and finally tevour from 12. then the anthem plays and the sky goes dark. 6 dead. all the strong fighters are still out there,alive. Great! i sigh.as we begin to settle into our sleeping bags, i hear a rustle in a nearby bush.

"shh... there are people in that bush..." i whisper. a second later Lendsi from 10 and Adella from 8 dart out of the bush and run away. i shoot an arrow and it barely misses Adella's head. Kyleea flings a knife at Lendsi and it leave a deep slash in her chest. Adella helps her along as she winces in pain. but no cannon fires. she got away. we all turn in and go to sleep, while i keep watch. i have trouble finding a way to entertain myself before i realize why i volunteered to do this. i reach for my locket and slide it open gently. i pull out the slip of folded up paper aand stare at Sage's face.i start to cry softly but feel joy inside knowing that this will get me sponsors.as i wipe away a tear , the parachute hit the ground in front of me. i pick it up and slowly untie the strings. whats this?its two pieces of paper.one, a map of the arena. then i unfold the other and find a note. a note? what help could this be? it reads

"to my love,

i know these games will be hard for you, but i will always be by you side. i believe in you and i know you can do this. i've known you since you were 3 and all i can say is

loved you once

love you still

always have

always will.

                                                                                -Sage Taylor <3"

the note breaks me down to tears. more than tears. i'm balling my eyes out as quietly as i possibly can, but i wakes up Kyleea.in a flash shes hugging me and trying to comfort me. as a plea i whisper yell "Sage..." and i cant help crying onto Kyleea'sshoulder hysterically. then it hits me full on. Let the Games begin!