by: Pikachu10740 or Jennifer Tang
~~Before reading note that I do not own hunger games. This is only written for a contest. and I was given limited words so that's what it's really bad and empty.~~~
The screen goes black and everyone is about to leave the theater. “O.M.G! Catching fire was way better than the Hunger Games!” said Lindy, my best friend.
“Well yeah I guess.” I said somewhat agreeing. As we were heading out the theater, we heard people screaming, cursing and running and what I assumed were gunshots.
“What the hell was that?” I screamed.
I was looking for Lindy but she was already gone. I couldn’t see in the darkness but before I knew it, I was gone too.
...
When I woke, I was in a huge stadium full of other kids around my age I’m guessing around the range of 10-18. I felt claustrophobic being squished beside kids I didn’t know and Lindy wasn’t anywhere to be seen. My eyes started to linger to the middle of a stadium where there was a huge orange sitting on a podium. Except it wasn’t an orange, an obese chinese man in an orange suit was standing there. “Welcome kids.” he started to announce into a microphone that disappeared when he clenched his hand, “to the first annual game of life, also your death.”
The entire stadium was silent. “Enjoy killing each other, Sosumi Announce the tributes and lock the rest in the underground stadium.” and with that, he was rolled down the podium and a tiny asian woman came up and starting announcing the tributes.
It came to the last one and… I was the last one, the way she announced my name. Jean Zhao
We were then thrown onto a ship forced to forge our own weapons while we sailed to Intelligent island.
...
3 days and 3 nights and sadly, we made it. It was early in the morning but enough time to finish Xenia III. The perfect sword. I didn't get enough time to admire it 'cause security came to get me for the games, no ceremony but just starting it. I was given a bagpack and yet again thrown off into a Forrest. In the distance you could hear a voice announcing the commencement.
I just sat there strategizing in my notebook, hey maybe it’s called intelligent island for a reason. But I came up with the perfect plan.
...
Blood covered me and I was up against the last tribute. I didn’t expect to so easily kill off everyone. I was a murderer but I had the desire to win and live. His name I couldn’t quite remember. Jason? He was a skinny asian kid appearing to be only one year older than, probably around 14? His swords skills were noticeably crappy, but he did have fast reflexes to block my thrusts.
I almost looked back and decided to give up, but I was a coward. Afraid to die and shame myself, though I would shame myself for killing as well. By then I could notice his blocks lacking the strength and tiny legs giving out so I went for it. I didn’t feel as ruthless as I was before and hey, he’s a guy and kinda cute. So I faked a kill.
“You better thank me for sparing you.” I mumbled trying to hide that I faked the kill.
“I..” and he gave out.
There was one last task to do. I remember reading in the back of the notebook what the final survivor’s task. Find the Headquarters and accept my prize. In the past week of slaughtering and assassination I had memorised most of the island and drew a rough sketch of a map. While running away from one of the other tributes, I roughly remember seeing some clues to where it may be. I retraced some steps and hunted some wild creatures, surviving only on that until I made it or at least I thought I did. When I looked inside it was horrible, there were hung bodies, dead corpses and skeletons. “Just what is the chinese government up to?” I thought aloud.
“They’re doing this for money.” I heard a faintly familiar voice.
I turn around and see Jason, bruised and tattered still barely able to stand from my doing. I was kinda relieved that he was alive, yet also aware and ready to kill if I had to.
“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. You've pretty much already won anyways.” he said calmly a tiny quiver when he talked.
“But how did you recover so quickly? What do you know? Do you.” He put a finger to my mouth gently and sat down to explain everything.
From the overpopulated country excuse, to money, he explained everything he knew. It suddenly came to me, the chinese government was using the Game of Life for money. They couldn’t use adults since they were pretty much the source of money. They really were as ruthless as I thought and only cared about themselves. They didn’t care about the kids, they had power and authority so no one could face them. Psh, stealing the Hunger Games idea too! “Why are you telling me all of this, nonetheless trusting me to not kill you.” I asked him quietly, still in shock from the intake of information, the secrets the chinese governments have been hiding.
“I’ll find the headquarters. But after I do, I will come back for you.” I said before I even had the chance to think.
I was instantly embarrassed and felt my face burning up but he didn’t seem to notice.
“I’ll wait for you here. Hey, I got some company so don’t worry too much alright?” he said jokingly looking at the dead bodies,
“Not appropriate.”
As I was almost out the door he grabbed my hand before I could leave. “Stay safe alright? I’m counting on you.” he winked.
“No sweat.”
…
This time for sure I found the headquarters. I headed in and there were all these soldiers looking at me as well as the asian orange guy, which really pressured me. “Congratulations punk.”
“Thanks.”
He was gonna shake my hand but something or someone that was armed came out of nowhere and stabbed him. “I don’t think the games are over. I recall seeing some footage of another surviving tribute.” he said slyly.
The security immediately rushed trying to handcuff him for murder of someone of high importance but he showed identification. He was greater. He was the head of the chinese government. No. No! No. it can’t be Jason he’s talking about i screamed in my head feeling my face burn up a tiny bit with tears. Then he showed me a picture of a skinny girl I roughly remember killing. “The games are still on my dear. Jean.” he said really pissing me off.
But Jason was all I had in mind. I had motivation to win now. I will win. I will save Jason.
