The 200th Annual Hunger Games

Day 2: Night

Kai Lumen D4

Floating.

It's a strange feeling. It's like you're suspended in time. Not moving, only breathing. I always found it to be the most relaxing activity. Back home when I was caught up in the rush of everyday life, I would run down to the ocean at night and just float. The ripples in the water moving my body slowly from side to side. If I was quiet the only noises I would here were the steady drum of my heart and water pushing onto the shore. I would have to climb back through the window at home soaking wet but that wouldn't bother me, because I was at peace. Now as I float in the warm water of the bay I can almost forget I'm in the Hunger Games. Almost. Just as I did back home I look up at the stars, lighting the sky up like lanterns, except instead of finding comfort in them, I'm repulsed. These stars are too perfect, too neatly placed.

I feel a numb pain in my chest, nothing, not even my stars make me feel at home. Except Coral. She's the one constant in my life.

I pull myself out of the water slowly and sit on a nearby rock. She's sitting at the edge of the water, spear in hand. Her eyes scan the tree line as her free hand subconsciously rakes through the sand. I wonder if she feels at home. The wind blows her hair gently around her face. She's so beautiful, and it kills me that she doesn't realise.

She's always been that girl hides in the background hoping to not be noticed. Watching her in these Games makes me want to protect her from all the bad in this world, and I can, but only as her best friend.

A soft howl fills my ears. I grab the bag of fish I'd caught with my trident and make my way out of the water onto the beach. This arena is very strange. It's like it goes in rings. In my mind anyway. The inner ring is the cornucopia, surrounded by tall walls. Then there's dry bushland. Followed by dense forest which we are in at the moment. The small bay we found was hidden behind a sheet of shrubs.

"Come on" I say taking her hand softly and breaking her out of her daze.

"How was your swim?" She questions looking up at me.

"It was fine, I just hate being here."

"Same" She sighs.

We walk through the forest as quietly as we can. Thick trees lay on their sides and vines wrap around there trunks. Little lizards run across the ground. I contemplate catching one but it wouldn't be worth the fuss, plus we already have enough fish for a meal.

We find a small opening between two shrubs almost by accident when I went to grab onto the plant and nearly fell through. I begin to push my way through when Coral grabs my arm.

"What if someone's in there?"

I peer inside but it seems like it leads to a small passageway. I can't see anything.

"If they're not then we could have found a safe place to sit these games out."

She looks past my shoulder and grips her spear harder before saying, "go"

I walk down the narrow passage way with Corals hot breath on my neck. My trident is stretched out in front of me. The glow of the moon disappears and soon we are walking in darkness. It feels like it goes on for kilometers but that is probably because of the adrenaline pumping through my body. The sticky wall soon becomes wider and we are greeted by the soft glow and the crackle of a fire.

Corals right. We're not alone.

Huxley Flack D3

Failure. Failure. Failure...

The trees seem to be hissing at me repeating one word over and over again. Failure.

I can't escape. Running through the woods the word bounces around me sending shivers down my spine.