Hunger Games Entries

Task 4 - The Bloodbath

Within moments, the 56th Hunger Games will begin. I will never have enough time to prepare myself for the possibility of not seeing Coreen again. That's just how much I miss her.

When I enter the tube through which I will enter hell on earth, I make a pact to myself that I will get out alive. Especially because I promised Coreen that I would.

I feel my hands tremble as the pedestal elevates me up into the arena. A gush of cold wind blows right onto my face when I finally emerge from the ground along with the other tributes.

I see the cornucopia, a big dark silver horn-like structure loaded with various weapons and supplies. The other tributes are on their pedestals. We are all at equal distance to the cornucopia, pedestals arranged side-by-side around it.

The place is populated by randomly-placed mountains of snow and patches of lightly-grassy ground. I've quite some experience dealing with the cold, but not a tundra like this. Also I've never been on top of a mountain.

While the tributes prepare themselves to dash, I hesitate about heading towards the cornucopia immediately. But I risk dying either way. Anything can happen.

Although I wasn't as terrible as I thought during training, some others were definitely better. I made enemies, which wasn't at all surprising, but also allies. Now that's new. A lot of them have their weapons of expertise, and the fact that they've had a lot more chances to train for the Games than me only adds to my fear. Yes, although I may look relaxed, I'm just as scared as the others are.

Before I have time to further process my surroundings, a loud blast stuns me. Soon explosions after explosions come to life, and the whole scene deafens me momentarily. This I did not expect.

My eyes watch as more tributes step on landmines, putting their lives to a quick end. It hasn't even been that long since we're exposed to the arena.

A few seconds is all it takes - thirteen souls have left, and now only eleven remain.

Suddenly, the other tributes hop off their pedestals, and I unconsciously follow suit without having planned my next move. The timer must have gone off without me realizing.

A boy chops the head off a smaller one, beginning the bloodbath. I just stand there like a statue, two yards in front of my pedestal. My fists are clenched tight.

Someone is running towards me, fast. I can feel it. Quickly, I turn to face the girl from District 8. I believe her name's Amanda. The tip of her knife grazes the skin at the front of my neck. Her eyes show not even the littlest intention to spare me. I'm not surprised.

Rapidly I duck, avoiding her nearly-fatal swing. She glares at me furiously.

When she is about to swing her knife at me again, I take hold of her wrist with my left hand and take a step closer to her. I tilt my face down to look her in the eye.

"Leaving so soon?" I whisper in her ear. "Shame."

I give her an empty smile before redirecting the knife towards her neck, slashing it deep. Blood rushes out of her, onto my hands and black jacket. Her body and knife lands dramatically on a pile of snow.

I watch as her lifeless eyes stare back at me. My hands are tainted with her blood, but surprisingly my trembling has stopped.

My eyes widen when I see her skin dissolving like ice, revealing the layers of muscle and flesh within. Soon her bones become visible. Her knife blade, embraced by red snow, corrodes at an astounding rate. I silently gasp. The snow - it's acidic. It must be.

Having made my first kill, I stand up again, my mind somewhat clearer. I move away from the snow and towards the cornucopia.

The other tributes are busy with their own battles. Limbs slashed, necks snapped, and joints crushed. The pictures painted by streaks of fresh red blood against the white snow are actually quite beautiful. Brutal, but surprisingly not unbearable. To me, at least.