The 76th Annual Hunger Games (Black Dog, Phantom Detective & Regireee)

When Reece and I were ushered into the same car, I was slightly surprised. One male tribute and one female from each district. Not two male. It didn't matter. It gave me more time to plan, to analyze. Same for Reece. We were both looking out of the windows when He started to mumble. I heard the word bow. My head whirled. We weren't allowed to hunt, or to have weapons of our own.

"Reece!" I whispered. "We're in the Capital! No weapons!"

"yeah it's a shame I don't have mine with me.." i didn't care about anyone, except for a girl from my district. Her name was Nicola. Her family were one of the poorest in the district. She was an only child, and her parents only just managed. That's why I bought them game every evening. Of course they didn't know it was me, they just saw it outside their back door every evening without fail. I didn't have to work, since I was only supporting myself. So I'd spend most of my days out in the forests.

It was because of Nicola that I'm in the Hunger Games. I volunteered for her, and she didn't even know how I felt...
I noticed Parkers eyes on the back of my head, trying to understand what I was thinking... "So.. Nervous?

"Not exactly nervous," I said. "More like wary. I'm not nervous. I'm not scared. If I die, I die. If I don't, I'll be showered in riches. There's absolutely no in between."

I looked at the Capital, taking it all in. All of the houses seemed like mansions to me. Sure, I was from district two, So it wasn't partculary horrible for me. But still. Two or more floors on almost every building. Some of them were built to high for me to see the end from my position in the car. Everyone in the Capital was rich. One family probably had more money than than three families from district two. it was wrong. I leaned as close to Reece as I possibly could. we were shoulder-to-shoulder. I positioned my mouth maybe an inch from his ear.

"We could bring down the Capital. President Snow. Think about it," I said to him as quickly as I could. My voice was just barely audible to my ears. The Peacekeepers in the front couldn't hear me. Even if they could, what would they do? Send me to my death? They already were. I could talk treason all I wanted. I was untouchable. For now.

I calmy looked over to the peacekeepers in the front, they were busy talking about a party that they attended last night. I glanced at Parker, then back out of the window, then as i turned my head to look out of the back window i muttered "Wait untill we're in the arena, we'll talk then". Id imagined that I was the only one looking forward to the thrill of the hunt. Nothing was going to take this away from me.


The car pulled up to a huge building, it was taller than anything i've ever seen! Massive! It went as high as the eye could see, before being blinded by the sun. I figured that by the size of it, we could have our own floor for each district. Training rooms, private quarters, dining rooms, everything...

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TIME SKIP TO THE ARENA.

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My adrenaline was pumping, the games hadnt even begun but the feeling I got was incredible. 24 of us stood on our own pedestals, waiting for the countdown to hit zero. Id noticed as soon as I came up that there was a bow and a quiver of arrows way off to the left of the Cornucopia. It was along the treeline, surely no one would have noticed it? I looked across the Pedestals and saw Parker on the very far right one. 30 seconds left... Just 30...

As all twenty-four of the tributes stood on the pedestals, I saw Reece. He was glaring intently at the trees. I followed his gaze, and saw what he saw. A bow. Arrows, and lots of them. We looked at each other for a moment. I began surveying the land. The Cornucopia was located directly in front of me. Lots of packs wer scattered across the small field that lay in front of it. Many more inside that damn thing. Woodlands to the left of it, a small lake to the right, surronded by a small prarie.

"Ten... Nine... Eight..." The countdown was almost underway, and I had yet to find my weapon of choice.

"Three... Two... One... GO!"

I made my decision. Run. I was a fast runner, and I figured that I could just make it to the woods, and sharpen a stick on a stone. I didn't dare look back. It would only slow me down.

I jumped from my pedestal and flew towards the bow, noticing that there was someone else chasing me. A blonde girl, tall and slim. She was clearly after the bow too. I slowed my run and let her catch up, before throwing my elbow into her face, causing her to fall. What came next i couldnt help. I laughed. I grabbed the bow, the arrows and dived into the woods... Everyone scattered leaving only 2 tributes in the centre. 6 lay dead, brutally mauled, necks sliced, eyes gauged. One of the two tributes was the boy from district 1.. he looked even bigger now. I noticed two backpacks around the back of the Cornucopia, and darted for them. A knife whizzed past my cheek, cutting it. I swore at the boy who threw it, sitting in a bush, and fired an arrow into his forehead.

I got the packs and ran back into the woods, deeper and deeper, before climbing in between several big bushes to check the contents of the bags. They were identical in contents. 2 Waterskins, 2 Sleeping bags, 2 Flints, 2 Bread Rolls, 2 blocks of cheese and 2 heat reflecting coats. "What the hell am i gonna do with..." Then it hit me. Parker. Id forgotten about him, but the rules were different this year. 2 contestants could win. If anyone, id prefer to have him on my team. I packed the bags and threw them both over my shoulders and began to run with my arrow notched.

I flew thre the underbrush of the forest with ease. I went over bushes, climbed trees, looped around. I was trying to lose someone who probably wasn't there. Canons were fired when each tribute died. I counted seven. Less work for me, I thought.

I climed up high into a tree. I could just see the tip of the Cornucopia gleaming in the sunlight. I looked above me, and there it was. A perfectly straight stick portruded from the trees unuasually thick trunk. I broke it away from the tree and began to decsend.

I was at a half run, trying to keep aware of where I was, looking for distinguishing features. I climbed up a pile of boulders, had a quick glance behind me and noticed a child chasing me. She was no older than 12 "first years.." I though to myself. I was prepared to leave her for someone else until she drew a knife. Clearly unsure on any methods to attack, she ran and screamed at me. I knew she was going to give away my position, and let an arrow fly. It was aimed for her throat, but went through her left eye. "Dammit Reece! You're better than that" I mumbled. Of course, I WAS better than that, I'd spent years training with the bow, just to throw it away on a terrible shot like that! Nonetheless she was dead now. So I climbed back down the rocks and checked her body. A pair of leather gloves, a full loaf of bread and a tub of meat. How the hell did she get meat?

I carried on, back over the rocks and further. I didn't encounter anyone else and it had started to get dark. So I climbed into some undergrowth next to an incredibly thick tree trunk. I started a small fire, then put out the flames as to not make smoke. I sat in the bushes, looking into the embers, thinking of Nicola when I heard a snap from above me. It was in the tree... What was it? I silently got my bow, readied and arrow and aimed upwards looking for movement

I had a plan. It called for sticks and stones. I was thinking about the best way to sharpen the stick when I stepped on a dead branch. it snapped onder my weight and fell down to the ground. Damn it, I thought. That one little misstep could have alerted anyone walking by to my location. I stayed still in the tree, left leg bent on a branch, my right leg dangling donw below. my arms still sprawled across the tree, holding onto branches. Nothing moved for a few seconds and I figured I was safe. i continued my decsent.

I saw the dark figure descending down the trunk, and didn't move. I let it get closer, and was about to pin it to the tree with an arrow when I recognised it. "Parker!" I whispered "get out of that tree and have this bag"

Someone yelled. I fell the few feet to the ground. It was Reece. I sighed loud enough for him to hear. I put my hands over my face.

"Reece!" I whispered. "Have you seen a bog rock anywhere? Either that or a knife."

"a knife like this?" I replied smugly, pulling out the huge hunting knife from my bag. "but before you have it, I want your word that it won't end up in my back..." I said I wanted his word, but gave him the knife anyway. I think that secretly we both knew we needed each other. I mean, I'm useless inna close fight, whereas if he can use a knife properly thats that base covered. And i can fight at a distance, which sorts that

"Well," I began, if it's a life or death situation where it's just the two of us left..." I trailed off, cause we both got my point. I held out my hand. "Deal," I said. I thought back to our conversation on the train. "You said nine times out of ten. So don't fir in my direction unless you have to."

"deal" and a small smile broke the corners of my mouth. We both sat down, and I gave Parker one of the packs and pulled a roll out of mine. Whilst chewing it, I whispered " what did you have in mind, in the car, about bringing them down?"

I looked around. I didn't see any cameras, but then again, not many people saw them at all. I leaned closer to Reece.

"Nobody likes the games right? Let alone the people in the games. If we could rally their forces and their skills, It'd be easy. They'd be forced to do something - beam us out and declare more than two winners, or attempt to kill us, and risk having no winner at all. If there's no winner, then what will be the reaction in the districts? Hopefully some type of mob or revolt thing. " I was looking around the forest, observing, listening to what I could hear. Birds, rabbits - the usual. When I finished talking, it was quiet for all of three seconds before a cannon shot.