The Simpson's Hunger Games

Chapter 25

Lisa:

I cling pathetically to the rock, chanting in my head over and over again that I'll be alright. I look for any sign of escape, but I needn't have bothered. I already knew that there was no escape, except from jumping in...My legs start to shake, and my eyes start to see hidden dark shapes from my imagination. Am I really this scared of the water? Or is it where the water will take me? I close my eyes. I go over any possible alternatives in my head over and over again, but for the first time in my life, I am stuck. I notice my hands are starting to slip, so I turn them into claws and dig them into the rock face with all my might. There definitely isn't any other option than jumping into the water and letting the flood take me into the unknown. I sigh. I'll just have to motivate myself. I think to myself all kinds of inspirational, but completely pointless, quotes that help me in no way to let go of the rock. I have to hurry up soon, or I'll just slip down, which I don't want to do. I rest my head on the rock over my sore hands. Why was I even chosen for these Games anyway? Why did those Sponsors give me a 12? Why couldn't I just stay invisible? I long for Millhouse to be with me, to comfort me. I should never have left him at the Cornucopia. But then he would also be in this situation. And he has to look after Maude, who is about as defenceless and harmless as anyone would expect her to be, being raised as the Mayor's daughter, and almost deceived that she was protected from the Games. Poor Maude. 

 But my sympathy for her is short-living, as I remember the book I read about District 12, and how I learnt about all the starvation and poverty for those who live in the Seam. I would never like to be in their place, and I can guarantee at least one person envies Maude somewhere from the Seam. Then, someone comes into my memory that I have barely thought about over the last couple of weeks. Maggie, my little sister. What does she think about all this? Is she confused? Lonely? Hurt? My chest slowly starts to fill with pain when I think of her. Then, my other sibling sweeps across my mind briefly. Bart. He used to always tease me, and at times I used to think that he was the person I most hated in the world, but now I would do anything to have him here, ironically. Thinking about the many times he has teased me, I suddenly have an idea. I close my eyes again, and picture Bart. I put a voice next to the face. I make him say, "Who would've thought that the famous Lisa Simpson is afraid of water? You're only let everyone see who you really are; a coward!", my eyes narrow, but I continue to imagine Bart teasing me, "You're a disgrace, Lis! Look how pathetic you are! Even Homer has more IQ than you at the moment!". 

"When will you grow up Lisa?! When will you stop acting like a child?! When will you actually think of Millhouse or us, your family, instead of yourself! I never knew you were so selfish!", to emphasise this, 'Bart' spits at me, the habit he had I hated the most. I think this was my breaking point. I take a deep breath, and let go of the rock...My hands feel instantly relieved, my body flying through space. My spine hits the water first, and the adrenaline rush I got, however small, instantly disappears. A sharp pain in the middle of my back replaces it, and I wince. The pain persists, as the rest of my body submerges into the bone-chilling water. I wonder what I hit that had caused the pain. I reappear to the surface, and I am faced with a sharp-looking rock, directly underneath where I was suspended seconds ago. I gasp, my arms flailing around in the water to keep me afloat. It isn't the threatening point of the rock that I hit...it's the smear of dark blood on it...

Bart:

I wake up with a start. Sweat comes down in beads down my forehead. I was dreaming about discovery. Again. I sigh, and look to my left in the tent. Charlie is still asleep, gentle snores coming from him. I squint my eyes towards the small digital clock in the middle of our sleeping bags. 5.00 AM. I roll my eyes, but free myself from the sleeping bag anyway, and pull on a jacket. I put on my boots, and head out the tent. I look from left to right. I've only been here for about a week, but I already know that this place is full of unwanted surprises, from the poisonous snakes camouflaging themselves in the dirt to the people themselves, each of them suspicious of me and why I came here. 

I walk my way through the maze of tents. I stop at one nearly at the end of the mass, close to the boundary of our little 'community'. I walk into it. Sean is there, as usual. In the middle of the tent is a small, but working, TV. It runs a signal the Capitol cannot detect, so we can watch the Games in peace. Sean has a strange obsession with watching the Games, and rarely leaves this tent, except if he has guard duty. I sit down next to him. "So...", I start the conversation, "What's happened?". Sean smiles wryly. "Careers got lost. Again.", he snorts, "And, um, most of the tributes are still on the First Floor.". I clear my throat, and reply, "And...My sister?". Sean looks at me. "What about your sister?", he asks. I glare at him. "What has happened to my sister?", I say through clenched teeth. Sean looks shifty, but he does reply. "She reached Floor Three. It seems to be some sort of water world or something...", he tails off. I can feel myself becoming pale. "Lisa can't swim.", I say quietly. Sean rubs his chin, "It looked like that was the case", he says in an even quieter tone. "Is she ok?", I question him. Sean looks at the floor when he gives his reply, "I don't know, Bart. She's alive, if that's what you mean. But, she had a fall, and um...I don't know.", he gets up quickly, and goes out of the tent, obviously very uncomfortable. I am left in the tent alone, with only the sound of Aristotle Amadopolis, on the TV, broadcasting to millions more citizens, far away, in the Capitol.