What if Katniss didn't Volunteer? (Complete) (2013 Watty Award WINNER:)

Part 17

I wake up and go right back out. I see trees and the sun, then darkness again. This occurs about 3 times until I'm finally awake. I sit up but find I'm very weak. I feel above my right eye and find stitches that send shocks of pain down my face again. I'm not fully aware of where I am. I force my eyes to stay open and see leaves. I think I'm in a bush. I reach out and grab something red. Berries. Yeah, I'm in a bush. Why am I in a bush? Then it hits me. "Oh no." I whisper. They have put me into the arena. I shouldn't be surprised really, since they have to have a female tribute. But still obviously needing medical attention and they put me in. What do they care though? They brought me here in the first place. I'm sure to be on camera now. So I don't let any weird emotions cross my face. To my right I find a backpack. I grab it and find 3 containers of water in it. I drink about half of one and put it back. I also have bread, beef, dried fruit, fresh strawberries, matches, fire starters, a blanket, a pillow, and bow. There is no sheath of arrows though. Wow. I would have traded in some strawberries for a sheath to get meat. How long has it been? Since the Games started? An hour? A day? A week? How many people are dead? How many alive? Are Peeta and Rue still alive? Where are they? Do they have food and weapons? Are any of the careers dead?

I need to get up and find Peeta, if he's alive. I can't though, I'm really weak and I want to sleep. I eat a piece of bread with 2 beef strips on it. I find it challenging to even eat this. So I put half of it away for later. I start to gather sticks from around me. I cut in the end of one side right in the middle so it fits my bowstring. I sharpen the other end. After about an hour I have two dozen hand-made arrows. It's the best I can do. It's starting to cool down and it's getting dark. I pull my blanket and pillow. The blanket is actually a sleeping bag and it seems to reflect body heat. I'm about to go to sleep, when a cannon fires. Then the anthem starts playing. I look up in the sky and see a lot of people. Both from 3, boy from 4, boy from 5 both from 6, both from 7, girl from 8 and 9, and boy from 10. Eleven of us dead, and I'm guessing that it's the first day. Most of those deaths were from the bloodbath I'm sure. So I was only out until about 6 this evening and they wanted to make sure I had enough stuff to fight when I came to, but I don't think they expected me to be in the Games this fast.