The 67th Hunger Games

The Unwilling Career

     Seeder told me that all dreams have meaning, they are your minds way of processing the day. It can also give you hints to your survival. If your mind registers a threat, it will wake you up.

     It's not hard to figure out that my mind woke me up for a reason. Underneath me I can hear the Crunch. Crunch. of boots on leaves. I look down, and what I see terrifies me. I see at least half of the career pack, including the boy who fell off the tree earlier. I feel my breathing begin to speed up as panic sets in.

"You sure this is where she was?" the female District One tribute asks. 9. I remember. She is 9 years old, yet her voice gives off the impression she is much older than that.

"I'm positive. Look at this," he says kneeling down, where there was still clearly the impression that something big hit the leaves. The girl nods. She points to the other tribute, this one sounds much younger than the other two.

"You, climb the tree and see if you can spot her," she orders. I can't see very much from where I am, but I can clearly see their head nod.

"Yes ma' am," a very young boyish voice says. That's when it clicks. He's the male District 4 tribute, and he's only 6. He's the same age as me. I hear him begin climbing the tree, and my breathing becomes quicker, louder ,faster.

Calm down. If you don't stop making so much noise, he will find you for sure. Curl up inside your sleeping bag and make yourself as small as possible.

If you do that, from under you will just look like a large bird nest. The voice tells me.

     I don't hesitate to follow instructions. The night before I had put my packs inside the sleeping bag, to save room. I tuck myself into the sleeping bag and pull into myself until my legs touch my chest. I can hear the young boy grow nearer. I hear him stop right under my semi-shelter. He doesn't talk for several seconds, almost as if he is trying to hear something. Any sounds I would have been making have been isolated by my sleeping bag. After about 10 seconds I peak my head outside the bag and to the branch below me.

     He's still there. He opens his mouth to shout, but stops when he sees me. His eyes widen as he realizes that I am barely older than him.

"She's not here!" he calls, "She must have moved on. I'm gonna keep searching. I'll meet you back at the Cornucopia!"

"Alright! We're gonna go on a hunt! You know where to find us!" the other girl shouts back. I hear the other two walk away. The younger boy climbs up to talk to me.

"I don't really want to kill anybody. But I'm from District 4,and that doesn't give me much a choice. When I was reaped, my world came crashing down. I started my career training this year. I haven't been taught to kill an actual person yet, only wound them," he says. He pauses for a moment.

"When they find out, the other careers I mean, they're going to try to kill me. They will find out. You know that, right?" he asks me. I nod my head. Careers learned to detect lies in their second year, all of the others had which completed.

"Because I'm not ready to die yet, I am going to run away. I won't last long however. Careers learn how to track people in their third year, two of which have completed. I can't promise you much, but I can promise you that if we ever meet paths again, I won't kill you."

     I nod my head, it's not much, but it's something.

"Thank you, the same for you," I tell him, "you should probably get back to the Cornucopia."

     He nods his head in understanding and begins to climb down the tree. Once I'm sure he's far enough away from me, I begin packing up my stuff.