𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 · 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐈

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

~"anytime, odair."~

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Seventy-Second Annual Hunger Games!"

My eyes adjust to the bright sunlight quickly. We're arranged in a circle around the Cornucopia. All around us are rivers and channels surrounding the big piece of land we're on, kind of like an island. There's a lot of tall grasses along the water and in chunks of the land, which I'll be able to see.

The word that comes to mind when I take it all in is marshland.

The sixty-second timer has started. We are required to stand on our pedestals for sixty seconds before a gong goes off and we're allowed to step off our plates. If we step off even a second too soon, we get blown up. Literally.

And that's when I realize that this could be a massacre.

The tributes who can probably swim are from District One and Two. Obviously, Reed and I as well, and also probably Five, because they have a lot of hydropower in their district. Maybe Seven, too. I'm not sure.

And depending on how deep the waters surrounding us are, how many tributes will be able to get away?

I can't think about that right now. I remember Finnick's instruction to only go for the Cornucopia if there's stuff actually worth having.

I scan the Cornucopia until my eyes come to rest on a golden trident, gleaming in the sun next to a large backpack. I then look at the tributes around me. Bellamy is only a couple down, and we meet eyes. We've already decided to run after making a mad dash for the Cornucopia. He gives me a little nod.

I look at Reed, who's conveniently placed right next to me, and my heart sinks a little.

His eyes are also trained on the golden trident.

The Gamemakers set this all up. Putting us next to each other in clear view of the trident? They want us to fight for it.

My second best weapon is throwing knives, and I think they know this, because the closest throwing knives are strategically placed a lot further away.

What the hell do I do? Do I make a run for the trident? I'm pretty sure I could make it there first, but Reed would fight me for it. Do I go for something else and just hope Finnick is able to get a trident to me?

No. I can't do that.

I position myself to run as the timer hits the five second mark.

"...four...three...two...one."

The gong goes off.

I spring from my plate and bolt for the trident. I do make it there first, grabbing the trident and scooping up the backpack at the same time.

I instinctively anticipate reed's grab for me, and I duck under him and just keep going without pausing. I hear Reed swear in frustration, but he knows it's pointless to try and chase me.

Bellamy and I meet up as we run from what's sure to be a massacre. He's holding two spears, a backpack, and what looks like a roll of throwing knives.

"You can swim, right?" I check as we run for the edge of the land mass. I can see both tributes from Five jump into the water.

"Better than you," Bellamy says.

"Okay, Bella," I reply.

"I hate you."

We come to a stop at the edge and hurl our tridents and spears across the weird river thing. We throw our backpacks over next, along with Bellamy's roll of knives. The river's about 7 feet wide. We jump in and I find that the water is about 5 feet deep. We cross over and pull ourselves up onto land.