The 150th Annual Hunger Games

The Bloodbath

Janice Senn's P.O.V. (D3)

"Good luck," Pau says to me, giving my shoulder a little pat, "Remember, only go into the bloodbath if you know you can make it. It's not worth it otherwise."

"Fifteen seconds," a computerized voice reminds me.

"Bye," I say as I step backwards into the tube that will take me into the arena.

I take a deep breath, sucking in as much as I can of the normal world before I never see it again. I stare directly at Pau as he nods to me, giving me an encouraging thumbs up. I can't seem to bring myself to smile. I clench my hands, but they are shaking and dripping in sweat. My heart is racing at a pace that should give me a heart attack.

I jump as the plate beneath me starts rising. Pau tries to smile, but I close my eyes tightly. As I rise higher, I feel coldness biting at my face and hands. I am wearing a thick, black, insulated jacket with a yellow stripe on the sleeve. There is a bold '3' printed in black on the stripe. Under the jacket, I have a long-sleeved shirt on, and I'm wearing greyish pants with a lot of pockets. Then, to finish it off, strong black boots. They look waterproof too. My warm clothing tell me one thing-- the arena is a snow theme.

My plate suddenly stops rising and I open my eyes. I was right. All around us is pure white snow, about half a foot deep. Mountains are all around us. A forest of pine-trees acts like a blanket over the base of the mountains. The sky is bright blue and the sun is shining brightly, reflecting off the cornucopia. The tributes form a perfect circle around the horn.

I hear someone clear their throat to my right. I look over and see Danielle Sottington standing on her pedestal. She looks prepared, ready, determined. She is facing the...cornucopia? I wonder why. She's too young to do that.

"Tributes, welcome to the one hundred fiftieth annual Hunger Games and sixth Quarter Quell. The gong will sound in sixty seconds. May the odds be ever in your favor!"

I shake my head as my heartbeat increases in speed. I frantically look around for my allies. Steve is six pedestals to my left and Harper must be on the other side of the horn. Now I look to the cornucopia. Then I see something. Something I want. Something I know I can get to in time.

A sword.

Steve has his eyes locked on a mace several yards in front of him. He's going in too.

Twenty seconds...

I can't stop blinking. I keep trying to register everything. The tributes. The mountains. The snow. The weapons. My allies. It too much for me to take.

Five seconds...

My heart is pounding in my ribcage and my ears are starting to ring. This can't be happening. This can't be happening!

Before I can do anything, I feel myself grow numb and my eyes closing. I feel my knees give out. No, please don't pass out. Not again! Not now!

But I can't stop myself. The blackness covers my vision as I plummet to the ground.

GONG!

Fynn Salasi's P.O.V. (D7)

I throw myself off my pedestal as far as possible and start sprinting towards the cornucopia. My hands are itching for a weapon, any weapon.

There is a scream from Kara as the little boy from her District tackles her to the ground. I don't bother watching them. I just continue running to the horn.