The Hunger Lames

District 11 - male tribute - Max/Ruby

(NOTE) This chapter is going to be written a little differently.

Max:

I spaced out again. I could see it in father's eyes. Sometimes I space out and then I do and say things I don't remember.

I don't know what I did when I spaced out, but it must have been bad because father looked angry. His arm reeled back and then the last thing I saw before I blanked again was the belt buckle coming right towards my face.

Ruby:

I remember mouthing off to dad but I don't remember him hitting me. He must have though because suddenly there was a sharp stinging pain ringing out in my left cheek. I pressed my palm to it and then looked up at dad.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snarled out at him.

I straightened my back then looked him in the eye.

"Do it again," I prompted, "I dare you."

He hardened his jaw then cracked the belt down. Before it could reach me, I grabbed his arm and used all my strength to propel him forward. I swept his legs out from under him while his weight was still unbalanced and then kicked him the ribs.

I leaned down low and spit in his face.

I sauntered off out of sight. Then, when I was sure he couldn't see me, I broke off running. I ran until I reached the electric fence. I looked at the waves beyond it and wanted so desperately to run away.

And with that thought came a crushing dread, a heavy darkness that slipped over me as it sometimes does.

I fall to the ground and look at the fence buzzing with electricity.

I cautiously reached out my arm. The pain was shocking but it made me feel alive, it pushed away the darkness for a minute. So I did it again.

Max:

I remember burning myself on the electric fence but I don't remember how I got there or why I was burning myself. It felt like I had no choice, like I was a passenger and someone else was driving the car. It scared me but it happened to everyone so I shouldn't be worried. RIght?

Tomorrow was reaping day so I better get home and face the consequences.

Father wasn't home when I got to our dwelling and I relaxed. I was even relaxed enough to fall asleep tonight.

~

"Max Woods."

No, no, no. I wasn't supposed to be picked. My name was only in there five times. I think. I blanked out when I wrote my name down on the slips of paper but I already worked out I was going to only put five in there. My father wanted me to put my name in for tesserae but I really didn't want to get picked, so I lied to him. District eleven holds back on tesserae often, so I doubt father would question me when we didn't get the extra grain.

Ruby:

I can't go into the arena. I can't. I would rather die.

In fact...

I'll play along, walk up nicely and shake the other tributes hand, but as soon as I'm alone, I will control my fate.

I grip the pocket knife tightly, waiting for the last peacekeeper to exit my room. Then I whip it out and push it against my skin. Before I could break the skin however, peacekeepers swarmed in and surrounded me. They must have cameras in here.

Max:

The train was beautiful.

The training was terrifying. I got a three on my training score. I'm doomed.

I smile weakly at my kind stylist before a tube shoots me up a clear cylinder that will lead me to my death.

Ruby:

Suddenly I'm on the platform, The Hunger Games is moving so quickly, I can't even remember the time I spent on the train on the way over here and now here I am, sixty seconds away from hell.

Max:

I feel like myself for about a second. Then I see a girl get blown up and I slip away again.

Ruby:

I run into the forest as soon as my feet hit the grass.

I'm hungry, but not terribly hungry. I'll find food tomorrow, for now I just want to stay alive for one day.

I find a small cave and settle in there, making myself a bed of leaves and watch the faces in the sky. Soon after the faces are gone, I hear a canon. A lot of people died today. A lot. I may actually have a chance at winning the games.

At least I thought so until I realized the small cave I had temporarily claimed for the night was a bear's home and I was lying in front of the cubs.

I held my breath and tried to quietly get up and out of the cave. But before I could make it very far, the mama bear appeared.

There was no going out the way I came.

Maybe if I went to the other side of the cubs, she'll see I mean no harm.

I didn't get that far before I felt her teeth sink into my calf.

Max:

I woke up in a pool of my own blood and I knew I was dying. I weakly lifted my head up and saw no immediate threat. What happened to me?!

I was tired, oh, so tired. I just want to sleep. I saw a furry brown pillow and tried to pull it close to me. But it was heavier than I thought and wasn't budging. Frowning, I yanked on it. When it still wouldn't move, I punched it.

And then the bear woke up and killed me.

(NOTE)

What I was going for in this chapter is known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder.) It's thought to be an effect of severe trauma during early childhood. This early trauma for Max, was being beaten and neglected by his father. The symptoms I tried to include in this chapter are: having two distinct personalities, forgetting key events (mouthing off to his father), mood swings, depression, suicidal tendencies, harmful self infliction, insomnia or trouble sleeping, and feeling like a passenger in one's self while someone else drives the car. I tried to include as many symptoms as I could but if I got any facts or symptoms wrong, please feel free to correct me (if you know for sure) and I'll do my best to change it.

DID is more common than what people believe, it is as common as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. For more information about DID, please click and read the link.

http://psychcentral.com/lib/dispelling-myths-about-dissociative-identity-disorder/