Let the 25th Hunger Games Begin

The Individual Assessment

It slowly came to me that these were the last few days of my life. I took everything in- the ability to see, to hear, to breathe, talk and laugh. I searched for jokes and had many great laughs with Opal and Mercilli. I talked and joked with Madeline during practices. I took it all in. The last 3 days of training were a blur. I was Level 3 in food info, Level 2 in plants, Level Three in Archery, Level Three Parkor and in the simulator for both Knife Throwing and Spears. I was the only one to get two weapon areas in the simulator. I wondered what the plant simulator would be. Boring.

Suddenly, I was running. Panting heavily, running through a dense jungle. Someone was chasing me. No, the Carrer Pack were chasing me. Gage, Cydney, the District 2 Tributes and Keil. He was the fastest he was growing larger and larger. I could hear their cries of joy as they chased after me. I jumped onto three tall stones, just like in the Training Room. But the fourth one towered over me. It was impossible to reach. I tried jumping and climbing it, but there was no use. I turned around just in time to see their grinning faces and Keil evil smile. Then black.

I shot up up, sweating and gasping for breath. My bed sheets were everywhere. It took me a few seconds to realise that it was a dream. One that could quite possibly become me reality. How would I die? I thought, flopping back down onto my pillow. Maybe he would eventually hunt me down. Maybe I would already be dead. He would probably lose to the Carrers though, once it was the final five. Who would win then? Who cares. I just want to lay here and cuddle up in my warm bed. A few seconds later I hear a quick knock on my bedroom door.

'Who's there?' I groan, half panicking, half asleep.

'It's Mercilli! It's 6:40 darling- time for breakfast! We will spend the first hour preparing then the rest of the day waiting for the Individual Assessment.' He chirps. I resopnd with a loud groan and yawn. I hear him tut to himself.

'Come whenever you are ready dear.' He finishes.

My morning starts with me falling out of bed. After many groans, I eventually make it to the dining room. Opal sits there with Mercilli. We have eggs and some pink flappy meat.

'It's bacon Abigial,' Opal responds when I ask what it is. 'It comes from pigs.' I rarely saw pigs back at Eight. All I remember is that my brother loved them. Whenever he saw them, he would stare at them and admire them. Probably because they were one of the only animals at home. I shake that thought out of my head. I would see him soon enough. I hope.

I was whisked away with Recilla and Opal into the designers room. It was vast and large, similar to the first room I went in before the Chariots, except the many surfaces were draped in pink silk.

'Op-Opal told me of you plan- and I think that is very brave of you.' Recilla stammers, looking grim. 'But please, if that plan fails, win. For us.' I nod. If that did happen, I would make sure that Keil wouldn't win. Over my dead body. I hear a knock on the door. It was Keil.

'Come on sweetheart. Ready to get a terrible score?' He asks though the thick door. I roll my eyes at Opal, who laughs at this.

'Go out half crying and panicked,' she tells me quietly as we go to the door. 'Make him lower his guard.' We open the door and I walk out, sniffling. He smiles.

'Let's go.' He walks ahead of me, excited and confident. I pretend to sulk behind him. We enter the elevator and go into the AR- Assessment Room- one floor beneath the Training Room. We enter a metal room with twenty-four black stools with our Districts number on it. When the District 10's finally show up, we commence the Assessments.

'Cydney, District 1.' A man says as he opens the large door. She strides out, head held high. I shake my head. Those District One's.

It takes a total hour and a half before I am called in. I lift my head which was buried in my hands. My face was red from my fake crying. Keil laughs.

'Ladies first!' I wipe my face and follow the man through the door. The room is dim. Orange lights lining against the walls give it an evil glow. There is a balcony for the Gamemakers, who have just finished what looks like a large buffet. They are all sitting and watching, with a bit of chatter going on. One stands up. She is a tall woman with jet black hair.

'Abigail Crest. You have 10 minutes to show us your skills. Use your time wisely. Your sponsors use your scores to decide wether or not to send gifts, so show us as much as you can. Your time starts... Now.' She says, looking rather bored.

I quickly walk over to the plant and food section.

'The many poisonous plants are distinguished by their odour and scent. Most of these plants are cleverly disguised as other edible plants to trick tributes. These include the famous NightLock, made to look like blueberries...' I continue for the next two minutes, and watch as a few nod in approval. Some were getting bored. I decide to move over to the Parkor simulator. Some sit up, excited since they already knew what I was capable of.

The lights went dim. Three trainers popped out and a rocky landscape rose. They charged at me. Panicking, I run forward. I see a slightly raised rock ahead and smile. This was just like the simulator. I run onto the rock and jump backwards, throwing in a summersalt- on purpose this time. I land in front of the first trainer and scare him. Using my wrestling practice on the last day, I use a sweep and he falls. I kick him where the sun doesn't shine for good measure. I take his sword and spin around. I duel with the first person, when I sense the other rushing up behind me. I take note of the large rock I'm standing off. Just in time, I use the rock to jump to the side and they collide. I land behind them and cut the second one, now accidentally hurting the first, on the shoulder and back. They scream and I stop.

Panting, I walk back out. Now all of them were watching, impressed. I looked at the wall, where a holograph showed my time left. 4 minutes. I decide to show some Archery skills. I chose the still target for this one, as it wasn't my best skill. I pull back and let it fly. It hits only a centimetre next the the yellow. I aim once more and get the bulls eye. I shoot two others but miss. I flinch. That could cost me many points. I had to make up for it-somehow. I am thinking hard before realising I only had 2 minutes left. I rush over to the knife-throwing area, my favourite. I choose the moving targets and pick up three knives. They start moving.

One charges towards me with a sword in its hand. I knock it out with my first dagger, hit them in the face and drag it down, making an impressive cut in it. I step to the side to see one attempting to sneak up on me. These robots are smart. I rush up and throw the first one into it's head. The force is so great it knocks over. Two knives left. One comes behind me and duels with an axe. Suddenly the world goes in slow motion as the axe swung at my legs. If it hit me, I would lost many points. Time speeds up once more. I jump just in time and kick it in the stomach. It stumbles back, and I throw a knife into the stomach. One next to me which I thought wasn't working sprung to life and attacked with a long sword. It sliced down, and would have cut me in half if it was real. It attacks again, and I fall onto the floor. I see it plumeting down on me. Just in time, I roll out of the way. Using my Parkor skills, I jump onto my feet in seconds and knock the sword away with my foot. I use my last knife to throw at it's throat. Done. Or so I thought. One final one comes up behind me. I breathe heavily. I didn't have any weapons! It comes closer. Well, I didn't have any in the Simulator and I defeated real people really easily. I hear an axe coming down and sprint towards the second robot I hit, the knife still sticking out. I trip over the body of the first and fall to the ground. My leg! I groan in pain. The robot is racing towards me. I crawl to the knife and try yank it out. It's too deep. The robot is only a meter away. I am sweating and panting. Finally it yanks free. With no time to think, I spin around and throw the knife straight into its face. It stops, then breaks down.

I lay there. In the metal pieces, tired and sweaty. A "ping" sound went off, signalling my time was up. I stood up, remembering I was with the Gamemakers. I was greeted with a round of applause. I think that was the most exciting one they had seen so far. I bow, then look up.

'Thank you Abigail, for such an entertaining performance. You shall make excellent entertainment in the Games. You may leave now.' The lady who welcomed me says, looking the exact opposite of bored. The second line struck me. I swallow, then raise my head.

'I won't go,' I say. They stare at me. 'I will fly. Thank you.' I bow once more to the people in shock. As I exit I am given another round of applause. I leave, beaming and extremely proud of my work.

Those last words came out of nowhere. But they were truth. I wouldn't leave them, or this world. I would leave in an act of bravery when I save Madeline. I would rise above them in multiple ways. I smiled to myself. I will fly.