Haymitch Abernathy has been selected as a tribute in the biggest hunger games on record. He joins fellow tributes in the arena for a fight to the death. He goes into the games with the attitude of never coming out but a friend has other ideas.
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I saw it coming, saw it coming like the mist summer rains. I had already started to move before the Capitol representative had finished reading my name out. She had smiled cheerily over the lethal occasion. I am yet to remember her name, as she was the ringer of my death bell. The other tributes stared despairingly out of the train windows, as I myself, concentrated on the preparations of my imminent death. Against the usual flow of the Hunger Games, there is twice the number of tributes this year in celebration of the 50th Games and second Quarter Quell. One of the tributes, a twelve year-old I didn't care to know the name of was hiccupping in hidden sobs as a girl of my age tried to comfort her.
"It's going to be okay." The older girl said soothingly.
"What's the point?" I called across the room, storming across to where the girls sat. "She's only going to die and so are you. There's no point in pretending that any of us are going to make it out alive. There's twice as many tributes as normal that means twice as big a chance of dying."
The older girl stood up. "It also means twice the chance of surviving. You can at least try to think a little optimistically." She countered.
"No one cares though." I yelled at her. "No one cares who we are or how we die or that we're going to kill each other as long as the Capitol gets a good show. See I've thought about this, that's why I know that it's pointless learning you names or the names of the other tributes. It just makes them human."
"Wait. You're not bothered to know our names?" The boy from the window said turning around to face me. "That's disrespecting – in your eyes – our future dead souls."
"What I'm saying is that I'd make better use of my time coming to terms with my immanent death then learning things that are never going to be useful in the arena." I argued. These people need to adjust their way of thinking because District 12 is never, ever going to win the Hunger Games.
"Well your going to know our names whether you want to or not." Said the older girl standing almost nose-to-nose with me. "My name is Maysilee Donner and this is Juliana Mender." She gestured first to herself and then to the crying girl.
"And I'm Sander Hafe." Said the other boy who joined the Maysilee girl and me in the centre of the train car. "And we're all decent enough to know that you're Haymitch Abernathy."
"I am 'decent'." I growled at him. "I just have a better perception of things."
"Says who?" He countered shoving me hard in the chest. I shoved him back before I swung at his head. He ducked and punched me in the jaw.
"Stop it!" Maysilee yelled pushing herself between us.
"Standing there isn't going to do anything." I said to her. "We're going to have to kill you anyway may as well get a head start." I swung my fist trying to get passed her but she intentionally got in the way of the blow resulting in a broken nose.
At that moment the Capitol women from the reaping bustled into the car and saw the mess we had made of each other. Sander and I rubbed our bruises and Maysilee tried to stem the flow of blood from her nose with the hem of her sleeve.
"What is going on here?" Shrieked the women. "No fighting before you enter the arena! Who started this mess?" The others all looked at me.
"What? I did nothing wrong just defended myself and stated the facts."
Sander explained to the women. "He thinks that we shouldn't try because we're going to die anyway. He thinks we should just get on good terms with death and just wait for the careers to come by and take us to our destinies."
"I never said that!" I said jumping back to my feet from my fallen position, ready for a repeat of the past events.
"Enough!" Yelled the women who had gone red in the face. You're all going to stay in your separate compartments until we reach the Capitol." She let out a deep breath and helped Maysilee to her feet. "Now dear lets fix you up before you're presented to Panem." The two of them bustled out of the room leaving the Sander to his dark mutterings and Juliana to her weeping. I chose to make good use of my time and to think of ways I could kill Sander before I, myself die.
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My costume for the opening was as inventive as the inspiration of coal aloud. I wore black pants and my exposed skin was smeared with coal dust and atop my head was a miner's helmet. Sander wore an identical outfit while the girls wore tiny black dresses instead of pants. I stared numbly at the crowd as the chariot rolled passed. All the chariots came to assemble in front of President Snow.
"Welcome to the 50th annual Hunger Games, and may the odds be in your favour." He dismissed us and we entered the training building and were guided up to the twelfth floor.
I pushed past my fellows to grab a bedroom without a word. Sitting on my bed I could here their muffled voices through the door. I heard my name a few times and knew they were talking about me. I stood up and shoved the door open.
"I know your all talking about me!" I yelled at them fury in every syllable. "I don't care what you say but just leave me alone!" I slammed the door shut and fell into an uneasy sleep.
Hi guys, let me know what you think of the first chapter I kinda have big plans for this story but I want to make sure you guys approve. Also let me know if I made any mistakes and what could be improved. Thanks
