Helena stood on the platform as it rose through a pitch-black cylinder. Heart thumping. Claudius Templesmith's voice rang out once more. "Tributes, the Arena is about to be revealed to you. Do not leave your platform until the countdown has
concluded. The penalty will be severe." His warning was clear. The platform continued to rise. Then, blinding light emerged from above. Daylight breaking through as Helena's cylinder rose from the catacombs.
And she saw it, at last: the arena. A winter wonderland layed out before her. Snow blanketed the ground and dusted the pine trees all around. Far in the distance stood a mighty mountain, a vantage point for many but one that Helena would be avoiding. And all around her, the 23 Other Tributes, each emerging just as she did, their platforms settling. 24 sets of eyes landed on the very same thing - 100 yards from here: A giant golden cornucopia, its mouth 20 feet high, spilling over with life itself: food, water containers, fire-starters, medicine, blankets, backpacks, and weapons galore.
"Good luck! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" Templesmith said as a clock began to count down.
60...59...58...57
Helena steadied her breathing as she continued studying her environment. To her left, she saw a river meandering through the forest.
56...55...54...53
To her right was the mountain in all of its glory. Jagged rocks formed snow-capped peaks with shrubbery dotted all around.
52...51...50...49
Before her was the mouth of the cornucopia - all those weapons. Knives, spears, maces clubs. An intricate looking double-bladed scimitar also lay there enticingly.
40 seconds, 39...38...
Only a snow-covered plain stood between Helena and the scimitar. That, and the 23 other tributes trying to get a weapon.
She swallowed hard, her breathing shallow. Watching the others: Dominic, Stella, Carlisle, Lucia, Nathan, Portia - they all looked so steely. Weren't they terrified, too? They didn't seem scared.
30...29...28...
Helena continued to scout the area surrounding the cornucopia, but her gaze kept lingering on the scimitar. Then she saw Cole, looking right at her, shaking his head as if to talk her out of running for it.
20...19...18...16...
Tension began to grow as the clock continued to count down. Eyes darting, hand clenching.
Helena looked all around her, seeing who was where. The careers were all on the other side of the cornucopia, Cole was riverside.
5 seconds to go.
Helena's eyes widened. The boy from 7, his impatience getting the best of him, stepped off of his platform. Then, he exploded, just like that. A Landmine - Helena noticed - sending pieces of him spraying in all directions. The countdown stopped momentarily.
No one breathed. Or blinked. And a cannon blast went off, signalling his death. Then the clock resumed.
3...2...1...
Helena prepared to run.
When the clock reached zero, the sound of a Gong echoed throughout the arena. The 66th Hunger Games had begun.
Alongside the other tributes, Helena burst off of her platform, racing towards the cornucopia. It was a dizzying, chaotic blur - children, all running for weapons. A scream sounded to her left, followed shortly by a cannon shot. The second death.
Helena was first to reach the cornucopia. She did not want to waste any time. She grabbed a belt of throwing knives and secured them around her waist. Next, she grabbed a backpack and shoved different foods and a blanket into it. Finally, she grabbed her double-bladed scimitar, securing it to her halter, and ran.
As she ran for the forest, she saw as the careers surrounded Dominic. Lucia kept on bouncing her battle axe in her hand menacingly, and Dominic looked terrified. "Come on, guys!" He pleaded in panic. "It was a joke..." However, none of the other careers bought it. Lucia raised her axe, ready to swing, and Dominic let out a scream. A cannon sounded as his head rolled on the floor.
Helena kept running, not looking back, leaving behind the horror of the cornucopia. Adolescents murdering each other in desperation - or for fun.
With the careers' attention back on the other tributes, cannons continued to fire. One after another. The snow stained red with blood.
The land sloped down into a valley. Helena jogged as her stamina slowly dwindled,
head swivelling - looking for danger. She stopped and took in her surroundings as she panted. Snow topped pine surrounded her in every direction. Looking to the sky, it was beginning to turn dark.
Helena was tired and parched, and staying on her feet at night could only be dangerous. She looked around for the tallest tree and began to climb. Once at a safe altitude, 50 ft, Helena took off her backpack and began rooting for something to secure herself to the tree. Luckily, she found a rope.
After carefully wiggling into a sleeping bag, she tied herself to a branch. With a sigh, she looked through her bag: A pair of goggles, a good supply of food, bandages, matches, pocket knife, and a 750ml flask of water Helena hit the jackpot.
Cannon shots stopped at nightfall. And when the Panem anthem began to play, Helena prayed she wouldn't see Cole's face in the sky.
The Fallen - All dead - in order of death
District 7, male, Woody
District 3, female, Electra
District 1, male, Dominic
District 10, female, Corral
May the odds be ever in your favour.
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