Let the 25th Hunger Games Begin

The Strategies

Colours. Blurry colours are all I see. Was I dead? No, I could feel my bones. My aching, bruised bones. A hoarse whisper breaks the ear-piercing humming in my head.

'Abigail? Abigail.... Please, oh please.' I hear a soft voice cry. A soft sob follows. Groaning, I roll over onto my shoulder and immediately regret it. A seeeing pain pierces it.

'Maddy...?' I whisper. I hear her gasp. I open my eyes to see the moist dirt ceiling of the hill. I see a blonde figure stare down at me, face red and teary eyes. With a look of hope.

'Abigail?! But-but- the cannon.... Oh, you're alive!' two tight arms wrap around me, smothering me. I hug her too, before another pain hits my elbow. I gasp and she lets of of me.

'Sorry. You're probably wondering what's happened. Well- the cannon- it- I'll start from the tree, to make things clearer.' She wiped her teary eyes. 'I'm just so glad you are alive.'

'We were pulled up into a trap- quite a smart one actually. When we were pulled up you hit your head and started bleeding. Only a little though. You kept on telling me to climb the branch, even while you were unconscious.' She laughs, but you can still her the weep in her voice. 'I managed to cut you out with one of your knives, but you fell and I had to drag you into a bush before a boy came along. And Abigail-I stabbed him. Straight in the heart. Oh Abigail...' Fresh tears roll down her face. I wipe them off and smile.

'It's okay- you're getting closer and closer to home with each death.' I whisper. She shakes her head.

'I'm getting close and closer to yours!'

'No, we're both going home.' She looks at me, confused. I point upwards.

'My family is in heaven, with the Father Almighty. Then, when I rest with them, I shall be home.' I cannot believe that words so wise came out of my mouth. But when they did, it made the end of the games more and more appealing. I will finally see Mum, Dad, my brother...

'I think the Career pack made the traps. It's smart- they were all walking in one direction to the perimeter and left traps on the way.' Maddy suggests. I nod slowly. 'I think Keil made them.' I think back to Training.

'No, Eli made them. From 2? She was brilliant at making traps.'

'Hm. We need to be careful around her. But they are probably surrounding the border now.'

'Which means we need to stay as close to the centre as possible.' I follow. This time she nods. 'Or...' I wonder. I shake my head. 'Never mind. I'll tell you when we get to the finals.'

A loud sound interrupted us. Maddy rushes outside with a knife, only to see the lights in the sky, showing the Capitol's symbol and playing their anthem. Ten images come up. 5 died trying to get to the Cornucopia. Two others must have been by other tributes. I recognise the three that I was responsible for. Three in one day? I cannot bear seeing their faces. As I am about to turn away, a video plays. That's new. Well, this is the Quarter Quell.

'10, 9, 8...' The familiar voice comes up as it replays the intro.

'No...' Madeline gasps, looking at it. I speechless. The horror shown on that screen is despicable. And this is ENTERTAINING? It cuts to the girl getting pierced by the stone. Cuts to the boy falling as I cut his arm, my face worried yet determined. I see Cydney attack a male tribute, shooting him in the back. I see the two Career people I attacked fall to the ground. I see Maddy throw a knife at the boy, me unconscious behind her. I see Keil, finishing off a bleeding girl.

What do I see? Not their actions, but inside of them. I see innocence, destroyed and torn apart, replaced with greed and evil.

I see me.

Three children.

A happy Capitol.

An array of devastated districts.

And a handful of torn, ruined children.

Author's Note

So sorry for the late post! So now the girls know the Careers plan- walk to the border, spread into groups and cover as much land as possible. But what about their plan? What surprises shall await them on the second day? And just letting you know.... The arena will soon wake.... Dun Dun Dun!!!!!

😜😝, Alix