The 200th Annual Hunger Games - The Ultimate Games

The Ultimate Games - Day 3 (Afternoon)

Nick Ericson POV

"She just left?"

Mike nodded, staring at the horizon with a vacant expression. I sighed and stared ahead as we walked.

"Didn't think she would do something like that."

"Well, she did," Mike said sharply. He strode further ahead, coming to a stop at the edge of the lake, "I think we should swim across."

"Really?" I asked incredulously, pretending not to notice the subject change from Hope, "Can't we just walk around?"

"Maybe," Mike squinted across the huge lake, gnawing on his bottom lip gently, "I know it's not what you wanna hear, but swimming will get us across way quicker."

"The weather isn't looking great, Mike," I said uncertainly. Another clap of thunder boomed through the sky as if to further add proof to my words.

"It's a lake, the worst they can put is waves. It's not like they can use a giant tsunami, it'd wipe out half the tributes, and that's not very entertaining," Mike turned to me, "You know how to survive through waves, right?"

No.

"C'mon, let's go," Mike said. He began to wade into the water, the lake level rising from his ankles to his knees to his waist, very fast. Soon enough, he was neck deep. He glanced over at me as I stood uncertainly at the water's edge. I glanced up at the sky. It was getting dark despite it only being around midday, and as I stood there I heard thunder crack through the sky again.

"I don't know, Mike,"

"The more time you spend dawdling, the more time this storm has to progress," Mike said. Clearly, he was getting fed up with me.

"Fine," I grumbled. I slipped into the water, shivering as the icy cold lapped at my shins. Within a few moments I was beside Mike, paddling at the surface to keep myself afloat.

"Let's go," Mike said. We turned and began to swim across the lake. As we swam, I felt something slimy and cold slither across my ankle and shivered internally, kicking my leg out to try and rid myself of whatever it was. Mike growled at me that it was just seaweed and continued to swim, keeping his eyes trained on the ledge further ahead.

Suddenly, a rumble went through the earth. Mike and I stopped, almost three quarters of the way across. I felt my chest begin to palpitate.

"Oh my fucking god," Mike stuttered out. He tapped my shoulder and I turned around, my stomach immediately dropping at the sight before me.

A giant wave. Headed straight towards us.

Hope Surrey POV

I coughed violently as another wave crashed over me. My head plunged underwater and I struggled to reach the surface again, my lungs screaming, until I was tossed through the water once again.

I spluttered as my head broke the surface, my arms splashing around wildly in a futile attempt to keep my head above water. I hacked up a lungful of water and looked around for a ledge desperately. My eyes found none. Instead, they found another tribute.

Nick.

"NICK!" I called. He looked over at me, his face full of uncertainty and fear, then another wave crashed over him and he went under. I paddled towards him, spluttering as more water splashed me in the face. Nick emerged from the water with a gasp, wiping the water off his face with his hand. He looked over at me.

"Hope."

"How do we get out of here?" I yelled over the waves, looking around again. What looked to be the corpse of a tribute bobbed in the water a few metres away, but nothing else.