The Simpson's Hunger Games

Chapter 14

Lisa:

A scream escapes my mouth, and I turn and run. I can hear footsteps behind me, and I try to go faster. Suddenly, I crash into a wall, and it takes only one millisecond for the careers to catch up with me. "Well well well...", Nelson taunts, with one lantern held up, his beady eyes piercing me. I'm guessing he got the lantern from the Cornucopia. I swallow, as I remember that I have nothing. I could've got something to fight with, or a small backpack, but I didn't. I ran away. And now, I'll have to pay for it. Terri comes out behind Nelson, holding a knife, and Sherri comes out the other side, holding a similar knife. It's hard to believe that the two of them came from different districts. This is when I realise that Nelson is holding a long, sharp machete, blood dripping from the shiny, curved blade. The District One boy, Jasper, comes out of the shadows as well, this time holding a spear. They surround me, and tease me by poking me with their weapons, and shrieking with laughter when I shrink away into the wall. 

Suddenly, I have an idea. Nelson is coming closer now, his machete dangerously close to my face. "Time to say goodbye, 5", he says menacingly, and wields his weapon in the air. I close my eyes, as the weapon comes down. Just as the blade sweeps down, I dodge it, and, leaving the Careers off-guard, I sprint past them, heading for the Cornucopia. I have to get something. Leaving the shouts behind, I eventually find my destination. The Cornucopia is lit up again, almost untouched. It seems the remaining Tributes had chosen to run, like me. I spot a knife, and I grab it. I gather all the weapons I can see, and start to walk away. Then, I stop. This isn't me. I drop all the weapons. I refuse to turn into a fighting machine, killing everything in my path. I'm Lisa, and no one else. Suddenly, I hear some footsteps behind me. Turning, I can see the Careers. They've caught up with me at last. In a panic, I grab a backpack from the Cornucopia, and a lantern, and run. This Arena seems to be a maze of tunnels. I go down the first one I see, and follow the path. I will probably never find my way back to the Cornucopia. 

I notice this tunnel has hollows in the side of the walls, and I climb into one when I can no longer hear the Careers. I take my backpack, and open it. There is one water bottle, with no water in it of course, some rope, some dried fruit, some string, some lipstick, which I look confusedly at, a sleeping bag and...a phial with some red liquid in it. There's a label on it, it reads: 'For whenever the time be necessary'. A shiver goes down my spine, and I quickly put the phial back into the backpack, along with everything else, except the lipstick. I know what to do with this now. I take the lid off, and start to walk. As I walk, I drag the lipstick along the wall, making a trail. I know this is risky, and I have no weapons but it is my only choice, if I don't want to get lost in here. 

I walk for hours, and I only stop when my feet refuse to move anymore. I climb into another hollow, and slump down into a heap. I sigh. At least I haven't seen anyone else since I started walking, which means I'm safe. For now, at least. A rumbling in my stomach suggests this should be the time to eat. I take the dried fruit out of my backpack. I take one piece and put it into my mouth. Trying to ignore the bitter and sharp taste of the fruit, I put the rest in my backpack, saving them. Who knows when I'll next find some food? I swallow my meal. Suddenly, it dawns on me that I'm thirsty. I have no water, so I ignore it, and take my sleeping bag out instead. I want to sleep. I get into the sleeping bag, and settle down. I put the backpack into my sleeping bag as well, despite the discomfort it gives me. I would rather have my belongings closer to me in this place. Shuddering, I shut my eyes, and try to sleep. But, just as I drift off, some trumpets sound. The Capitol broadcast. I open my eyes, and the Simpnem Seal greets me on the opposite wall. It shows the faces of the fallen tributes, and to my relief, Millhouse or Maude isn't there. 

When the Broadcast finishes, I start to sleep again, with the information that twelve tributes died today. 

My sleep doesn't last long, as it seems I have just closed my eyes, when a itching wakes me. I frown, and wonder where the itching is. My whole body is itching, and I sit up. I scratch the itchings, to relieve it. Is this some kind of rash? Suddenly, when I'm scratching my back, something bites me. I cry out, and bring my hand out, only to see a creature attached to the end. It's about as big as my forearm, and has a shiny black shell, it's body divided into three sections. It has large pincers and fangs, which are currently embedded into my palm. I scream and try to shake the creature off. It stays on though, and the itching continues. I take my other free hand and try to pull off the thing that seems to enjoy biting me. There must be loads of them, biting me. That's what the itching is. I scream again. Finally, the creature comes off. It falls to the floor, scuttling away into the dark. My palms bleeding, and the creature left a red, swollen bump on my hand, like a mosquitoes, only bigger. My heart skips a beat. Mosquitoes suck blood. These things aren't biting me; they're sucking my blood...

My screams echo the tunnel, and the creatures keep clinging to my body, no matter how much I try to get them off...