Forever in the Games- UNDER EXTREME EDITING

Chapter Seventeen

Sixty seconds is how long we're required to stand on our pedestals for. And in that time, I take in my surroundings. I don't need to even look around to know we're in a forest. I can tell just by the smell. I look to my left, Glimmer was on the pedestal next to me, looking around hungrily. And Rue is on the one to my right.

50 seconds. Katniss is within sight, and Peeta's a few to her right. Cato is looking around, like Glimmer, most of the rest are looking straight ahead.

40 seconds. Stick to the plan Luce stick to the plan. What even was the plan? They weren't very specific.

30 seconds. I can imagine all of the crowds screaming, placing bets, and lining up to sponsor us Tributes.

20 seconds. The deep voice in the background had stopped, and the numbers begin counting down. I keep my eye on Peeta, but he appears to be shaking his head at Katniss

8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2...1 The horn sounds, and my seventh year begins.

We all lunged forward off our pedestals, and towards the cornucopia. Along with the others, I don't look around, and focus straight ahead. As scary as it sounds, I'm not scared. Just like I said I wouldn't. I feel at home. I grab hold of the closest thing to me, a green backpack. Slumping it on my shoulders, I stop, and look around. I don't particularly need a weapon, but it would give me a big advantage. Before I have time to react, someone launches themselves at me from behind. We both collapse to the ground. I regain my breath, but someone very heavy is sitting on top of me.

"This is for my brother" When he said this, I don't take a second guess to know who it is. Cato. He's about to drive his knife down and across my throat, but I grab the knife, inches away. He tries to plunge it into my neck, but I keep tight hold of the knife, ignoring the stinging pain of it slicing into my palms. There was a moment where my body had full control of me, I look to my left, Katniss has fallen over, and is about to be attacked by one of Cloves knives. I look up at Cato, spit in his face, knee his stomach, backwards roll, and stand away from him. Without a second thought, I run at Clove, as she's about to chase after Katniss into the woods. I grab hold of her jacket, and yank her back, until she falls back down to the ground. Katniss isn't here anymore, she's fled. In relief, I get back to work at the Cornucopia.

Many Tributes lay dead already, lucky them. At least they don't have to suffer their way to victory. Grabbing a small knife and my whip, I run away, killing anything that stands in my way.

Where the hell has she gone? I think to myself, after a few hours of walk/jogging through the forest. I know I haven't been around the whole arena, but this is ridiculous, maybe she doesn't need mine or Peeta's help after all. But I suppose a promise is a promise, saving Katniss is Peeta's dying wish, I need to respect that (Even though I find it completely and utterly ridiculously and stupid but-) I set up a small flame on the forest floor, making sure no smoke will appear, and cook my supper. A tree rat. Nice. While that's cooking, I check inside my backpack. Matches, rope, a small, and by small I mean tiny knife, crackers, an empty water bottle, and a sleeping bag, not one of the best types, but I'll make do.

The rat wasn't very tasty, well in all fairness, my nose is blocked from the coldness, so I couldn't taste anything anyway. Climbing up the nearest tree, I wrap myself in the sleeping bag, secure myself in, and roll my head so i'm looking at the sky. 11 cannons sound, signalling the end of the bloodbath. Five of those Tributes were killed by me, bless their little souls. It's usually too hard to keep track of how many deaths there are on the first day, so the game makers just wait for the killers to go on their hunt for more. The anthem will begin to play soon, revealing to the rest us us surviving Tribute's who was dead.

I wonder whether Peeta survived? If he didn't then that's a bit rubbish, but I suppose we all die sometime, don't we? Others sooner than anticipated. I play with my whip for a bit, and end up wrapping it around my arm securely.

When the anthem begins to boom around the arena, I jump a little, as my first attempt of sleep was just starting to work. The girl from District three, the boys from four, and five, both from six and seven, the boy from eight, both from nine, and the girl from 10. That means both Peeta and Katniss are alive, and are most probably being hunted down by the careers. I've watched the way they work, the careers. They hunt down the weak, I'm not saying Katniss is weak, but with a score of eleven, she will be on their kill list.

I manage to sleep for a few hours before I wake. It's dawn. Great. I usually sleep in, usually the day goes quicker. Clearly my mind has other ideas. Stretching my arms above my head, I shuffle quietly out of my sleeping bag, and unwrap the rope. I pause. There's someone underneath my tree. Hiding or waiting, I don't know. But out of nowhere, a dagger launches at the figure. It's caught in their hair, trapping them. I jump down the opposite side of the tree, hiding myself from view. Grabbing my small knife, but staying in the shadows, I pop my head around. It's a small girl, trying to pull the knife out of the tree, and out of her hair. The female from District eight starts hurtling towards her, so stepping into the light, I grab District Eight with ease by the arm, spin her around, and slit her throat. The girl stops moving immediately, as she watches the other girl fall to her knees, and her cannon sounds. Wiping the knife clean from blood, I walk to the girl, and pull the knife from her hair.

I smirk at the little girl. My partner in crime.

"Fancy seeing you here Rue"