One Fell Swoop { A Banana Bus / Hunger Games Story }

Chapter Eleven - The Bloodbath

Craig was pushed towards the capsule by his mentor, it was finally time. It was too soon, happening too quickly. What if he died straight away? He wanted to at least give the games a proper shot, test his survival skills before dying.

"Stick to Tyler, Craig. Evan and Jon are good people, but the way Tyler treats you, he won't let harm come your way," Diana said, giving him a warm smile. The glass closed around Craig's shaking form.

"I can't stop shaking," Craig whispered. Behind the thick glass, Diana could read lips.

"Just remember this, play up to the sponsors! They won't sponsor a shaking boy," she shouted through the glass. Craig nodded and forced a smile. Something about the psychology of forcing a smile made Craig's muscles slightly loosen and stop their shaking.

Craig began to rise in the capsule, his mentor waved at him as she disappeared behind the surrounding black walls. Sunlight shone down through the opening at his capsule.

This.

Was.

It.

Craig rose above the ground, looking around, already analysing the playing field. Everyone else was rising with him, the glass barrier staying underground. A countdown began, the deep voice resonating to his core. On his left was Tyler, around fifteen metres over. Tyler hadn't spotted Craig yet, he was too busy taking in their environment.

A forest stood tall with distant hills straight ahead of Craig, due north. Craning his neck, Craig saw fields of wheat and other head high, long grasses spanning to the edge of the arena, kilometres away. Those fields only took up a small segment of the arena, the rest was all forest.

Craig finally met Tyler's eyes. They both locked eyes with Evan and Jon, so all three of them were looking at Tyler. The taller man subtly gestured with his head to the north west, signalling to all meet up deeper in the woods once the bloodbath ended.

The countdown was on ten and Craig was shaking again. Nine, eight, seven. Tyler winked at Craig and shot him a sympathetic smile. Three, two...

The explosion, the cannon, and the automated voice saying "1" all rang out at the same time. Craig's head snapped over to the noise and saw that it belonged to the District 2 tribute, Ze. He didn't have much time to think and ponder before the countdown had finished and everyone was running towards the cornucopia.

Craig jumped down from his pedestal, slowly stumbling forward with his head where Ze was standing. He tried to cheat, to get a head start.

"Craig! What are you doing?" Tyler screamed, snapping him out of his stupor. Craig's head whipped to Tyler's voice, just in time to witness Tyler slit Cody's throat and let his body drop to a harsh landing. He flinched, but he was expecting Tyler to do these kinda of things.

Craig ran passed various people, throwing a hand up to Jon as he passed. A knife flew passed in front of Craig's face, halting his long enough to see it land in Max's chest. Craig looked to see the source. Mark, the towering dark man from District 7. Craig kept running, fearing he would be next if he stopped for too long. Littering the outside of the cornucopia were different coloured backpacks. Craig scooped up one of the bigger ones and threw it over his back. The extra cushioning would provide armour for his back while he was running away. Craig also grabbed two hunting knives off a rack of weapons before dashing from the cornucopia.

Craig reached the edge of the forest, and with one last glance back he disappear into the thick trees. Tyler, Jon, and Evan would meet him soon.

***

Marcel didn't have time to dawdle as the countdown ended and everyone began running towards the centre. Except Steven Ze, whose remains startled one of the District 3 tributes into a stupor. Marcel wasn't stunned, he just dashed forward, dodging the instantaneous combat. Knifes whizzing through the air, the clank of metal against each other. A spurt of blood from Max landed on Marcel's skin.