The 25th Annual Hunger Games: 1st Quarter Quell

Chapter 20: The Games: Alliance

Hey guys! This chapter is this weel's update. It is about an alliance that formed within the games inside the arena. Thank you!!! 

Once I’m on my feet, I realize escape might not be so simple.

Panic begins to set in. I can’t stay here.

Flight is essential.

But I can’t let my fear show.

WINNING MEANS FAME AND FORTUNE.

LOSING MEANS CERTAIN DEATH.

THE HUNGER GAMES HAVE BEGUN….

Julius and Serena escaped the bloodbath at the Cornucopia alive but Julius had an injury. Kristy hit him at the left shoulder. Although far from being a fatal wound, that wound slowed him and made him weaker. Tired and weary from running away from the battle and under the heat of the sun, the two tributes were forced to settle in a small cave that seemed like a pile of rocks. It was fortunate for them to have it noticed when they saw a small pond near it as their water source. Before resting in the cave, Serena persuaded Julius to have his wound treated.

“We’ll have to wash the wound with the water and to apply medicine in it and bandage. I think this pack has some”, said Serena as she was opening her pack finding useful stuff that she could use. “Here found some. I’ll do it. I have some experience so don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you but I’m…”

“We have to use this supply that we have now, otherwise it’ll get infected.”

Gently Serena cleaned Julius’s wound, placed some medicine and wrapped bandage on the wound. As she was doing it, the two had a small conversation.

“Julius…”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. Thank you for saving me back then.”

“…I will…protect you.”

“Those words… The more that I’m hating the position that we’re in but we have no choice. Losing means certain death.”

“I know that. Don’t worry about it.”

Serena didn’t continue the conversation further. She kept her true emotions locked in her heart.

Julius lost his strength furthered by the wound he took so he was forced to lie down in the dirty cave. He used Serena’s pack as a pillow for better comfort. Meanwhile Serena was forced to take guard for the night. She used her camouflage skills to hide the cave that they were in and to remove any signs that they passed that way. She also had the time to retrace the steps so that their enemies would be misled. For the day, the two ate some food the Serena’s pack contained. They made sure to save some for the succeeding days incase something bad happened.

She looked at Julius as he slept, her heart carrying so much weight in it, so much emotion she tried to hide and not to show to anyone. Again, her thoughts were so deep. “Why did you have to volunteer Julius? Why did you have to put so much pain in my heart right now? I don’t want to kill you or see you die. But right now…”

Not long after the sun has gone down, the cannons rang. There were 13 dead in the first 8 hours in the arena. Sooner or later the hovercraft will come and take them. Poor districts. Poor people. Abusive Capitol. “What kind of country are we in. Mass murderers. You abuse your people, you abuse us. Make us work hard until we age and die for what? Your food, your supplies, all for you. And what do you repay us with? Death!!! Why do this game have to exist? Why do you have to exist, you murderers? You claim that this was our punishment for the rebellion? By this, I cannot blame those who rebelled against this abusive country who enjoy our torture, our pain, suffering and death.” Serena thought to herself.

Then the projection light up in front of Serena to see who died.

The district tributes from 1 and 2 were all alive and safe. The girl from 3 died but fortunately, the young Vance was still alive. Then the tributes from 4 were unsurprisingly still alive. As expected, all the Careers made it that day. They don’t usually die in the first day. The tougher it goes for the others though. The ones from 5 and 6 were all dead. Of course, the tributes from 7 were still alive. From 8, the smart girl was still alive but her district partner was dead. It was no surprise. She must have known what she was doing, running away from battle like that. Of course she’ll live. There’s no question about that.

Then from 9, 10, 11. All were dead.

From 12, the female district representative lived. That’s a surprise. They were the poorest and weakest district from the entire country, entire Panem. She must have ran away from the bloodbath and headed for a safer ground and a safer place.

“But it won’t matter” thought Serena. “Sooner or later her cannon would sound. She would die. It’s either she dies because of the tributes that remain, particularly those Career tributes, or from hunger, infection or misjudgement. Or because of the decision of the Capitol citizens themselves. Normally, tributes from their district including other poorer districts besides ourselves never make it to the top 5, the top 10 in fact. They don’t have the skill and strength to go on. Unlike for the Careers where being the candidate is an honor, for them even for us, it’s suicide. But it’s not going to affect me because unlike them, people from my district have a big chance to win. I’ll just have to outsmart the Careers just like what Oak said. Even if they were the best among the rest from their own district.”

Then she looked at Julius, who was sleeping heavily, once again. Then she thought, “But could I be able to kill you, Julius? And that’s precisely the reason why I don’t want to stay with you in this arena. That’s why I don’t want to be your ally. How can I kill you? Or watch you die. But it has to come or else I’ll…”

 ~~~~~~~~~ Next Chapter will mention the Careers and their first kill outside the bloodbath. ~~~~~~~