Let the Games Begin.

Chapter 8- The Bloodbath

   As the last second past, I jumped from the platform and my foot sunk into the soft snow. I looked down and saw the snow was deeper than I thought. I looked at the other tributes that were in the snow section and they were as surprised as me. I pulled my foot out and moved over to the grass side. Most of the tributes-except the ones still stuck in the snow- were almost to the cornucopia.

Oh no! I thought as I started running. I got distracted and now I was behind everyone else. I was running fast, my eyes searching for the bow and arrow I had seen. I saw the other tributes, some already fighting others, as I searched for it. I found the bow again and I ran toward it.

I ran as fast as I could. It was insanity all around. I was getting close to the bow and arrow. Just as my hand closed around the cold steel of the bow, I was jerked back and thrown to the ground. I was laying on my back, the snow area a few feet to my right, and a boy with dark hair was standing over me. He raised a sword and began to bring it down. I raised the bow up and his sword clanged against it. I rolled toward the snow area and crouched on my knees. He followed me and raised his sword again. Before he could strike again, there was a deafening bang and a sword that was half in the snow and half in the grass flew up in the air. The boy stumbled back. All movement stopped. My ears were ringing from the noise. Everyone had stopped fighting and they were looking at the snow area. I turned slightly to the side so I could see it.

I didn't understand. There was nothing there. I reached my had out along the grass toward the snow. Right as I was about to touch the snow, my hand hit something. I pushed against it, but my hand would not reach the snow. I stood up, dragging my hand across the wall as well. No, it is not a wall, it is a force field.

I looked at the ground. The snow area and grass area ended right at the force field, right where they meet. I looked up at the other sections. They all had the same thin line where they meet. It was perfect for the force fields to be put right there. They could close off each section, trapping people. Everyone had come to the same conclusion I had. The Gamemakers would trap people in the sections. And they were starting now.

The boy who had tried to kill me ran. Everyone ran. I tuned back to the cornucopia and grabbed the arrow quiver and put it around my shoulder. There was a small bag next to it, so I grabbed that and slung it over my shoulder too. Then I started running. There was another bang, but this one was less loud than the last one, and I knew that the other side of the snow area was closed off.

I ran toward the green forest. Before I could get to the tree line, someone tackled me from behind. We rolled for a few feet and then the person was on top of me. It was the same boy who had grabbed me when we were near the cornucopia. He had a cut along his right arm and his dark hair was in his eyes. He did not have the sword, but he did have a small dagger. And he had it over my face. He looked young. That would explain his clumsiness when he brought the sword down on me the first time and his mistake when he pinned me down. My left arm is not completely under his leg.

He stabbed at my face with the dagger. I moved my head to the right, but the dagger's tip grazed the top of my left ear. Before he could pull it back up, I pulled my left had free and punched him in his right arm- right on the cut. He yelled and leaned away from me. His other leg moved and my right arm was freed. I grabbed the dagger that he had left in the ground. He was still leaning on my legs, so I couldn't get up. I had the dagger in my right hand and slashed at his midsection. He jumped up to get away from the blade and I scrambled to my feet. I could feel warm blood dripping from my ear where he cut it. It was not much so I did not worry about it. All I had to worry about was the boy.

He was smart enough not to come at me without any weapons, but he didn't back away. Instead I was the one to retreat. I took small steps backward. He watched me and followed, slowly, after a few seconds.