The 74th Hunger Games Rue's POV

First Day

As soon as the gong sounds, I jump off my plate as quickly as I can. I have never been a fast runner, but luckily for me, right next to where I am standing is a backpack. Usually in the games, these backpacks are very handy, as they contain a small amount of food, maybe water if I'm lucky, and some survival tools. 

I turn and look around me. Fights are raging everywhere, and a few people are in the Cornucopia, where all the best things are. No one has come after me yet, thankfully. The arena looks like it is one big forest, filled with lots of trees. Perfect.

I hear footsteps behind me, and turn to face my attacker, just as he is about to stab me in the back with a knife. As a sheild, I guard myself with my backpack, and the knife sticks into it. "Thanks", I say, before I kick him to the ground. I don't want to kill anyone, but it's kill or be killed in here.

Before he can get up and come after me again, I sprint into the forest, every once in a while looking behind me to see if I have followers. But there is none. I bet most of the tributes think I'm dead already. They shouldn't underestimate me.

After about maybe an hour of jogging, I stop for a break. As I sit down, the cannons boom, telling us how many tributes have died so far. I count 12. 

I wonder how Katniss is doing. I hope she is ok. Someone as courageous as her shouldn't have a death in this dreadful place. She was protecting her sister, and I admire her for it. 

I remember the backpack on my pack, and decide to look through my things. I have a knife, the one the boy from I don't know his district threw at me, a few beef strips, some pieces of dried fruit, iodine tablets and a bottle to put water in. Hopeful, I open it, only to find it bone dry. Also in the pack, I have some rope, a plastic sheet and, to my delight, I see a Capitol made slingshot. This pack must've been for me.

I continue walking, looking for water. Above me, birds are whistling tunes, acting like today was a normal day and that nothing else was happening. And no matter how much I wish this was true, it's not, and The Hunger Games are my reality. And I'm not going to live much longer if I don't find water. Then I get an idea.

Placing my pack on my back, and my knife and slingshot in my belt, I start to climb a tall sturdy tree. Hopefully I might be able to see a stream. And I'm right. I am actually pretty close, it's probably only a kilometre away. Great. At least I have some luck.

I descend the tree, only to find at the bottom, footprints that aren't mine. Someone has been here, and they are probably waiting to kill me. I pick up a rock with a sharp end and place it in my slingshot. At the ready, I move away from the tree and start walking, my eyes alert. And that is when I see her. I hear a faint whizzing sound, and duck just in time before her throwing knife hits my chest. I hold up my slingshot and fire.

I'm sorry.

My aim, too good for my own good, has killed her. The sharp end of the rock is stuck in her head.

I have killed someone. I killed someone.

BANG! There goes her cannon,

With tears in my eyes I move away from her body, as I hear the sound of the hovercraft. I continue making my way to the stream, as I need water or I won't survive long. 

Finally I make it. I pull out my bottle and scoop up some water, making sure to purify it before I drink. I finish the whole bottle, and refill it again. But then I hear it: Crack. 

I whip around, hearing the snap of a twig. I recognise the male tribute from 10. 

"Please, don't kill me," I say. He is probably about 17 or 18 years old, and could easily kill me. I don't trust him.

"Rue. I have lost my district partner and have no allies. Please, we could help each other and-"

"No. How do I know you won't kill me." He moves his hand behind his back slowly. I know what he is trying to do. "I know you have a weapon behind your back. You will kill me. So no, we cannot be allies."

I start to run, and I hear his heavy footsteps behind me. I am going to die.

Running as fast as I can, I weave in and out through the tress, jumping over logs and big rocks. Quickly turning behind me to see how much distance I have gained. He is getting tired, I can tell, and is falling behind. Just as I'm about to face the direction I want to go in, I see him tripping over a tree root, making him  fall to the ground. 

Maybe I'm not going to die.

It's starting to get dark, so I decide to climb a tree to sleep in for the night. I quickly find one with branches in the shape of a fork, making it more comfortable. I climb, and lucky me I'm small, because I don't break any of the branches. Nearing my destination, I look below me and see the boy from 10 trying to climb. He doesn't have a hope at climbing this tree, most of the branches are too flimsy. 

Satisfied with my bed for the night, I settle in, making sure to secure myself with my rope. I notice the boy has given up and has left me.

I am safe, for now. And I'm not dead on the first day. I'm not a bloodbath tribute, and I haven't been killed by the career's. Thank God.

I hear Panem's anthem ring out through the arena, and a projection of the seal comes on. Then it starts showing the dead.

Both pairs from 1 and 2 are alive because there faces aren't shown. These are the careers I'm guessing. The girl from 3 is dead, both from 4 dead, the District 5 male is dead, and so are the pairs from 6, 7 and 8, along with the boy from 9, and the female from 10. That makes 13 dead, including  the girl I killed. 

Only 11 to go.

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Hope you liked this long-ish chapter and are enjoying the story. I'm sick at the moment, but that means I could have some more time on my hands and I can update sooner. But I don't know.

I have decided I'm not going to post my Quarter Quell fanfic until this one is done, otherwise updates will be even slower.

Vote and comment as usual, and please go read my friend @PartyPig_Hopey's hunger games fanfiction, called What really happened to Effie Trinket. 

Thanks everyone!

da_happy_mockingjay :D