The 65th Hunger Games

The 65th Hunger Games: Finnick's Story

        I'm running at top speed, probably for my life. I can see the Cornucopia ever so close. I make it to the first couple of boxes and gadgets. I don't see anything I like. Nothing at all. "This is bad," I thought. Then, from behind me I hear the grass crunch, and I turn. I'm staring at a big, brutal looking man with a huge knife in his hand. I open my mouth just wide enough to scream out "NO!" as he brings the knife down my neck...

       I fall out of bed screaming my head off. My mother and older brother come rushing in. I tell them I'm fine and they can go back to bed, but they have real looks of concern on their faces. I'm not usually this scared, but today is an exception. Today is the day I've been dreading for months. I'm sure every family has. Today is the reaping.

     Today 24 innocent kids, anywhere from the ages of 12 to 18, will be selected to participate in the annual Hunger Games. This is an excruciating fight to the death, consisting of mainly your will to fight and survivie. If you are able to fight and get to food and shelter, than you (hopefully) will be okay for a couple of days. If you can survive the bloodbath. This is one of the most deadliest parts in the games. It is very difficult to avoid.

    Inside and around the cornucopia are various things that could very much make the diference between your life and death. They have things like swords and knives hidden all over. The Cornucopia even holds food packets and ointments, usually concealed in little backpacks. You see, it is very easy to get into the Cornucopia. Getting out? Not so much.

    I have trained a little in the schools and stuff, but it honestly doesn't help me nearly as much as one to one training. I prefer private lessons or something. When money becomes very scarce, my uncle comes and teaches me the basic things. My family never really had a lot of money and private lessons were too much, so I was put into the academy.

     One thing about my home, District 4, is that we are Career tributes. Career tributes are mainly from Districts 1, 2 and 4. We are the ones who have training schools to specially prepare for the Hunger Games, even though it is pretty much illegal. "Only if you get caught" one of my trainers, Mags, would say.

    Mags is also the District 4 mentor, along with being a previous victor of the hunger games. She never told us which one, probably because we all would be in so much shock of how long ago that was. Noone really knows how old she is. Probably better that way.

    I'm one of her favorite students, but I have no idea why because all I'm good at is using nets and small swords. Other than that, I suck.

     I drifted off in thought, trying to block out my fear of being picked today. It is quite possible for me to get picked, though. Last year, a girl in one of my classes got picked, and she didn't last in the arena 3 hours. Even though she had never signed up for any tesserae, she was picked. Her name was in there only twice, and mine is in there 6.

     That's not alot compared to other families, but like I said, it only takes one. Three are in because of my age, 14, and three for tesserae. My brother always becomes outraged because he doesn't want me doing it, but with my mom's permission I slip over and sign myself up. Honestly, she thinks I will not get picked mostly because so many other people have their names in it several times. My brother is 17, and his is in there 13 times. He never wants me to put my name in there, but once in awhile I have to disobey to feed my growling stomach.

    I don't want him to put his name in there anymore, so I figure one more of my name couldn't hurt. How very wrong I was.