The sun sits high in the sky, beating down relentlessly on the arena. Despite the heat, there is no breeze and there’s a certain stickiness to the air - condensation clings to the grass, the plants, even the sides of the Cornucopia, which sits idly at the center of  the ring of pedestals. Slowly, the tributes begin to emerge from their Launch Rooms, and as the tubes release them, a ripple of emotions (primarily shock) seem to pass through each and every one of them. The countdown begins, each second ticking by slowly.

 

60… 59… 58...

 

The tributes, once they’ve overcome their initial confusion and disbelief, take in the arena and one another. They’ve become miniatures of themselves, small and frail-looking compared to the massive blades of grass surrounding them on every side. The Cornucopia, piled high with weapons and backpacks, is at least normally sized. This seems to offer very little relief to even the careers; the arena’s huge proportions are not like anything they’ve ever trained for.

 

28… 27… 26… 

 

Neon Wintermute (D3) scans the nearby faces for his allies. He looks visibly shaken, but he seems to calm down a bit when he locks eyes with Korey Sherman (D10). They share a smile. A few pedestals over, Ayla Yangue (D4) looks focused - she takes deep breaths and eyes the packs closest to her feet. Livianna Kart (D6), who seemed dangerously close to falling off her platform upon rising into the arena, has regained her footing and is taking stock of the weapons laid out in the mouth of the Cornucopia.

 

13… 12… 11…

 

The final ten seconds. Tension rises and the arena is so quiet you can nearly hear twenty-four hearts beating loudly in tight chests. The humidity now clings not just to the horn, but to the tributes as well. Condensation mixed with sweat and determination. Tulle Bonney’s (D8) eyes went round when he saw the grass and the other tributes, but he now looks conflicted. He looks left and right, hands shaking. 

 

3… 2… 1!

 

The gong sounds, signaling the start of the games and pushing the tributes into action. Blurs of green and black race toward the Cornucopia - and away. Mazie Forst (D9) grabs the backpack closest to her feet and takes off toward the horn, snatching a set of throwing knives off of a table and turning abruptly, running away from the Cornucopia and the Bloodbath. She’s disappeared into the tall blades of grass before the next group of tributes can get close. Emma Adler (D1), Opal Van Rusch (D1), Noira Versailles (D2), and Molt Scarlet Nafs (D2) are quick to enter the Cornucopia, a backpack slung over each of their shoulders. The tributes of Districts One and Two have clearly allied, establishing a “Career Pack.” Emma picks up a set of throwing knives, which she tucks into the side of her backpack, followed by a sword. Opal’s head whips back and forth, keeping watch for approaching tributes as she scoops up a scythe and a spear. The District One girls turn and go on the defensive, covering the District Two girls as they search for weapons.

 

Dahlia Cowell (D10) and Pip Amity (D4) jump off their neighboring pedestals when the gong sounds. They run toward the Cornucopia, grabbing the closest backpacks off the ground and running in tandem. They want weapons, but not necessarily a fight. 

 

“Wait, the careers,” Dahlia holds her arm out, stopping Pip in her tracks and pointing at the four girls huddled in the horn, digging for weapons. “We’re better off grabbing things closer to the mouth. I don’t want to leave empty handed, but I don’t think the two of us can take them alone.” 

 

Pip nods in agreement, and the duo sneak around to the side of the horn, picking through smaller weapons and looking for the right ones. They see Lorcan Amino (D5), another one of their allies, looking through spools of barbed wire, looking for copper. Pip spots a flash of reddish-brown hidden among knives and daggers and picks it up, tossing it to Lorcan.

 

“Heads up!” Pip warns the other girl, and Lorcan catches the coil of wire. She gives a small smile and places the spool in the outer pocket of her pack. She turns and runs away, heading toward the Grass for cover and to begin looking for the rest of their alliance. In the meantime, Pip manages to find a mace and picks it up, turning to check on Dahlia just as a scream fills the air surrounding the Cornucopia. Dahlia’s scream.

 

Pip’s eyes go wide and she nearly drops her weapon at the sight of Ezekiel Fruges’ (D9) sickle lodged in Dahlia’s side. Dahlia drops the scythe as her arms go slack and blood begins to dribble from her mouth. Zeke removes his sickle, his eyes wide as well. He looks down at his hands, splattered with blood, and casts an apologetic glance toward Pip before turning to run. Dahlia slumps to the ground - she’s clearly too far gone to be saved, but Pip gives chase after Zeke, vowing to avenge her ally. 

_______________________________________

 

Asena Glory (D6) and Livianna are on the other side of the Cornucopia when they hear their ally’s scream. Livianna has secured a bladed staff for herself and a trident for Ayla, and Asena has found a set of daggers as well as, curiously enough, a pair of sewing needles. The girls watched earlier as Ayla grabbed a pack and disappeared into the Grass, and saw Lorcan follow suit after getting the copper wiring she’d coveted. They can only hope that they’re able to find one another later. 

 

“Pip!” Livianna calls out as the red-headed girl runs past her, chasing after the boy from District Nine, who is already bloodied. Pip stops only momentarily, her eyes glossed over with unshed tears. 

 

“He killed Dahlia. I’ll meet up with you later,” and with that, Pip runs off and into the Grass, following Zeke. 

_______________________________________

 

Twyla Rayon (D8), Cassia Aster (D11), and Chantria Pomole (D11) met up behind the Cornucopia as soon as the gong sounded. After waiting too long for Tulle, whom they thought was going to ally with them, and subsequently realizing he’s gone off on his own, they’ve lost out on their chance to get in and out of the Cornucopia quickly. The careers have staked their claim on the horn of plenty. In order to get any weapons, they’ll need to be smart or lucky, or preferably both. 

 

“It’s three versus four, we’re outnumbered. We should just take some packs and worry about weapons later,” Cassia sighs, peering around the corner to look at the career girls. Nafs and Noira have claimed weapons by now; Nafs holds an axe in one hand, a backpack secured on her back, and a bow and quiver of arrows in her other hand. Noira has opted for just a sword.

 

“Well we’re here now,” Chantria points out, “and I doubt we’ll make it very far if those girls see us and we’re unarmed. We should at least try to get something.” Just then, a figure darts past them and toward the opening of the Cornucopia. Josaphine Nightblood (D12) doesn’t stop for any weapons, passing by the horn and heading straight into the Grass. Luckily, it’s enough incentive for the District One and Two girls and they chase after her.

 

“There’s no way,” Twyla says, laughing. “We can’t be that lucky this early in the games.” As the career girls go after Josie, Twyla, Cassia, and Chantria walk straight into the opening of the Cornucopia and take their time picking out weapons.

_______________________________________

 

Pip barrels through the Grass, struggling to see. Her mace isn’t conducive to slicing through the blades, but she can see the back of Zeke’s head as she gains on him. Finally, she’s close enough to swing and catch him in the side with the barbed ball. It hits him in nearly the exact spot where he sunk his sickle into Dahlia. Blood seeps from the wound and Zeke lies on his side.

 

Pip stands numbly, staring at the boy’s unmoving body. She thinks, I’ve just killed this boy. He did nothing wrong, it’s kill or be killed in these games. What have I done? Rustling from nearby startles her, and she turns, holding out the mace defensively. Her assailant looks scared as well, holding her hands up. She’s unarmed.

 

“Ayla!” Pip exclaims, dropping the mace and rushing forward. The two girls embrace briefly. 

 

“You scared me,” Ayla says, laughing. She hasn’t noticed Zeke’s prone body lying a few feet away. “Let’s go. Dahlia, Asena, Lorcan, and Livianna will be waiting for us!”

 

“Ayla…” Pip falters, unsure how to tell her district partner the bad news. It’s so, so, so early in the games to already be grieving someone. “Dahlia-”

 

The words never come. A sickle has impaled Pip through the stomach. The District Four girls both look down at the blade protruding from her midsection in shock. Blue eyes meet brown and Pip falls to the ground, coughing up blood and gasping for breath. Zeke lies just behind her, his eyes dead but a wide grin plastered over his face. Blood continues to pool around him, flowing freely from the gashes in the side of his body.

 

Ayla falls to her knees beside Pip, not at all concerned with the boy not ten feet away who’s just committed her friend to death. He’ll die, too, in his own time. If no one comes to find him, he’ll bleed out within the hour. Even if he does have allies, he’ll still probably die. 

 

“Dahlia… dead,” Pip manages between deep breaths. She points toward Zeke, whose body has gone limp but whose eyelids continue to flutter, signaling that he is still alive. Ayla doesn’t need to know more. Pip’s body stills and Ayla closes her eyes, then picks up the fallen mace and raises it above her head, bringing it down hard onto Zeke’s midsection. His eyelids cease movement. 

_______________________________________

 

Josaphine runs as fast as she can. She only managed to pick up a pack and knows that if she’s caught by the career girls, she’s done for. She thinks she’s headed in the right direction and prays that her allies are waiting for her. She’s been running for what feels like hours but she knows it can’t have been more than a few minutes. 

 

Just keep going, Josie, keep running. She slows down a bit to listen for the careers, but she can’t hear anything. No rustling, no footsteps. She is alone. Finally, Josie stops. She puts her hands on her knees and allows herself to take deep breaths. 

 

A low whistling sound catches Josie’s attention. She’s heard it before, in the Training Center near the archery station. Thud! A wet feeling accumulates near her midsection and she looks down. The tip of an arrow sticks out from between her ribs and suddenly, it’s so hard to breathe. She looks down in disbelief as blood blossoms from the wound, staining her shirt and her hands as she grabs for the arrow. I hope Mazie or Zeke or Lexa Woods (D7) is nearby. They could help.

 

Josie continues stumbling around, tears falling from her eyes as she realizes the futility of her situation. A second arrow comes from somewhere nearby and buries itself in her temple. She falls to the ground.

 

Nafs emerges from the Grass to retrieve her arrows.

 

“Stealthy,” Opal remarks. “I’m impressed.” 

 

“Proficiency with long and short range weapons is important,” Nafs says, wiping the blood and gore from the arrows. Then the girls are off, heading back toward the Cornucopia to plan their next move. 

 

_______________________________________

 

Hazel Rosewood (D5) is on a mission. As soon as the gong went off, signaling the beginning of the games, she took off, sprinting full speed toward the crossbow perched up high on top of a pile of crates. She jumps up, grabbing the crossbow and is pleasantly surprised to see a quiver of arrows next to the crates. She grabs the quiver and a large pack that’s also nearby before running away and into the Grass to begin looking for Lea Spark (D7) and Violet Jane (D12). She spots Lea in between the blades and calls out to her.

 

“Have you seen Violet? The brunette girl from District Twelve?” Lea asks, looking around. Hazel shakes her head “no” and the pair head off toward the Tree, with Lea leading the way and using one of the knives she was able to grab from the Cornucopia to cut through the obstructive grass. 

 

As they’re nearing the base of the Tree, a small figure pops out from behind one particularly tall and wide blade of grass. 

 

“Violet!” Lea smiles at the younger girl. “I wasn’t able to grab any extra weapons for you, but you can hold one of my knives for now.” Lea hands her one of the knives and together they cut through the Grass until they reach the Tree. It’s massive, taller than any building any of the three girls have ever seen. 

 

“How are we supposed to climb that thing?” Hazel wonders aloud, gaping up at it.

 

“I can do it!” Lea volunteers. “I’ve done this a million times back home. So what if it’s just a little bigger than normal?” All three girls laugh at this.

 

Lea begins to scale the side of the Tree with the expertise only a tribute from District Seven could muster. She realizes, after a few minutes of climbing, that there is an opening in the side of the tree trunk and, after peeking inside, excitedly turns to tell her allies about what she’s found.  

 

“Guys! Can you climb up here? It looks like we can climb inside,” she shouts down. Hazel and Violet begin to climb the Tree as well and once they’ve reached Lea, the three look down and into the hollow of the trunk.

 

“Are you sure about this?” Violet asks, looking wary.

 

Before anyone can answer her, an arrow materializes from thin air and pierces Lea in the calf. She cries out in surprise and nearly topples over, falling from her perch on the outside of the Tree, but Hazel and Violet are quick to catch her. The trio look down and see Emma, Opal, Noira, and Nafs, with another arrow notched in her bow. Lea’s leg begins to bleed steadily, and she knows that they have no choice but to jump into the hollow space to escape any more arrows. Hazel and Violet seem to be on the same page. 

 

“On the count of three!” Hazel shouts. And then they jump.

_______________________________________

 

Mazie waits by the Stream Bed, pacing back and forth. It’s been a while and she’s yet to see any of her allies. Finally, she hears footsteps approaching and turns to see Lexa, carrying only a pack. 

 

“Where are the others?” Mazie asks, and Lexa shakes her head.

 

“I passed Zeke’s body on the way here. I haven’t seen Josaphine anywhere,” Lexa offers. Mazie looks upset at her district partner’s death. “Should we wait here to see if she turns up later?” 

 

“Yes, I don’t want to leave her behind, if she is out there somewhere,” Mazie says decisively. She drops her pack and sits on top of it, patting the area next to her for Lexa to drop hers and sit as well. “If she’s not here in the next hour we’ll assume she’s dead and find someplace to shelter for the night.” 

 

Lexa nods in agreement and the two fall into a comfortable silence.

_______________________________________

 

Ayla walks through the Grass, dragging the mace behind her and not really paying attention to her surroundings. She knows that she’s supposed to meet her allies at the Stream Bed, but she thinks she may be lost. She’s seen nothing but green for quite a few minutes, and she can’t get Pip’s face or Zeke’s bloody body out of her head. She stops for a moment, squeezes her eyes shut tight, and shakes her head in an attempt to clear her mind. 

 

“Snap out of it, Ayla,” she whispers to herself. She opens her eyes and can immediately tell something is off. The stale air seems to ripple around her and she whips around just in time to see Tulle swipe his dagger, slicing her from shoulder to hip. She lets out a scream and, reflexively, swings her mace toward him. He jumps backward and she misses him by a few inches. She sees blood beginning to flow from beneath her shirt and feels faint.

 

So this is it, Ayla thinks, looking back up at Tulle. Such a short life, snuffed out by the Capitol just like my brother’s. Her vision begins to blur and she can just make out three figures emerging behind Tulle. She wonders if she’s dead, if these figures are apparitions of her loved ones, come to take her home. 

 

“Ayla?” Lorcan rushes toward her, catching her just in time as she finally loses consciousness.

 

“Take her to the Stream Bed, start taking care of her,” Livi instructs Lorcan. “We’ll meet up with you later.” Lorcan heeds her ally’s instructions and picks up Ayla as well as her pack and the mace. She runs south as quickly as she can.

 

Once she’s left, Asena and Livi turn on Tulle. They are armed, but so is he. Asena goes in for the first strike, stabbing at Tulle’s chest with her own dagger. He is quick to back up, bringing his own dagger up to meet hers. Livi takes this opportunity to use her bladed staff, aiming for his stomach. She grazes his shirt, leaving a small trail of blood in her wake, but she knows the wound is not deep enough to kill him.

 

Is that what you want? She asks herself. To kill him? Turn around and leave. Let him live. She wants to leave, just run away and find Lorcan to help care for Ayla. But if she doesn’t kill him now, what’s to stop Tulle from killing her later? 

 

A thwack followed by a soft grunt pulls Livi from her thoughts and she looks to see Asena on the ground. Tulle has struck her head with the handle of his dagger - nothing that will kill her, but it may leave a bruise and one serious headache. 

 

Now or never, Livi encourages herself. While Tulle is still facing Asena, she throws the bladed staff. Her aim is true and the staff plants itself in Tulle’s chest. He staggers backward a bit before falling to the ground, his eyes open wide and unblinking. Lifeless. 

 

Livi turns to vomit as Asena stands and rubs her head, picking up her dagger as well as Tulle’s. She looks sadly at Livi, who dry heaves and cries into her hands. Asena walks over and removes the bladed staff from Tulle’s body, wiping it off before handing it back to her district partner. 

_______________________________________

 

Leoni Veneden (D3), Neon, and Korey stand at the base of the Tree. After meeting up during the initial frenzy of the Bloodbath, the tributes were each able to find a pack before heading off and into the Grass. They plan to wait at the foot of the Tree for Cassia, Chantria, Tulle, and Twyla to arrive, but Leoni decides to climb a bit and look for places to hide in the meantime.

_______________________________________

 

Back at the Cornucopia, the District Eleven girls and Twyla have had lots of luck. With the careers gone, they’ve been able to pick through almost everything, even managing to collect weapons and supplies for their allies. 

 

“Leoni’s barbed wire, check. Neon’s sword, check. Korey’s knives, check,” Chantria goes around, double checking that they have everything they will need. “I have my frisbee and some barbed wire. Cassia, you got your scythe and knives? And Twyla, you have your knives and needles?” The two girls nod. “Okay, let’s head out.”

 

The trio are exiting the Cornucopia when they spot Emma, Opal, Noira, and Nafs approaching. They consider making a run for it, but too late. They’ve been spotted. 

 

Nafs notches an arrow and sends it flying toward Twyla, who jumps out of the way just in time. The arrow hits the side of the horn and falls to the ground with a pathetic clang. 

 

“Just run!” Twyla shouts, peeling off in the direction of the Tree. Nafs sends a few more arrows after the girl, but she’s smart and runs in a zig-zag pattern, escaping into the Grass unscathed. 

 

Cassia looks around frantically. She sees Chantria fighting with Emma and Opal. Noira and Nafs are approaching her, closing in fast. Without giving it much thought, Cassia sends one of her knives flying in Nafs’ direction. The blade scrapes the girl’s forehead and the cut is shallow, but it is enough to buy her some time. Blood drips from the wound and into Nafs’ eyes, and she bends over, trying to keep her vision clear enough to fight. Cassia turns to Noira, who lunges with her sword. 

 

Chantria holds her own against Emma and Opal. She’s deflected all of Emma’s knives with her frisbee and has managed to disarm Opal twice. She’s getting tired, though. Finally, she manages to hit Opal with her frisbee, cutting her forearm. Opal drops her spear and hurriedly removes her jacket, tying it around her arm to try and stop the bleeding. Emma, concerned for her district partner, lashes out with her sword and cuts Chantria’s thigh. She, too, begins to bleed. Satisfied that Chantria is incapacitated, and probably figuring that Noira and Nafs will finish off both District Eleven girls, Emma grabs Opal and rushes her into the Cornucopia to search for first-aid supplies. 

 

Nafs, still blinded by her own blood, is no help to Noira as she brings her sword down on Cassia’s shoulder. She had been aiming for the blonde girl’s head, but Cassia rolled out of the way. Noira raises the blade to finish the job and Cassia feels as though she’s moving in slow motion. This cannot be how I die, she thinks. She’s about to turn, to make one fleeting attempt at running, when she sees Chantria jerk her head to the side, as if trying to tell her “get out of the way.” Cassia obliges, stepping a few inches to the left and watches as Chantria throws her metal frisbee. The blade, spinning around and around and around, makes contact with the back of Noira’s neck. There is an awful crack followed by the thud of something hitting the ground, and Cassia is coated in something warm and sticky and metallic smelling. She looks down in disbelief, the District Two girl’s head sitting at her feet, her body discarded on the ground to the right. 

 

Cassia doubles over, vomiting up whatever she had for breakfast. 

 

Six cannons sound in the distance. The Bloodbath has ended.

_______________________________________

 

Lea, Hazel, and Violet explore the inside of the Tree. Sure, there are bugs the size of people (and lots of them), but it is warm and there is light and there are worse places to be in this arena. Lea’s calf has been bleeding on-and-off since she removed the arrow from it, and she knows she needs to treat it soon, but for now, her jacket keeps the blood stanched just fine.

 

“We should find someplace to make camp,” Hazel suggests. After a few more hours of searching and exploring, they come across a warm corner, free of bugs and trouble, to spend the night. 

_______________________________________

 

Lexa and Mazie sit and listen as six cannons sound. There has been no sign of Josie, or any other tributes, for that matter, so they decide to keep moving. Carefully scaling the humongous rocks and giant pebbles, the pair find a small area in the Stream Bed to set up camp. A couple of rocks have made an almost cave-like opening, with room enough for two small girls.

 

“This is perfect!” Lexa exclaims, opening up her pack to see what’s inside. 

 

Mazie nods in agreement, still a bit sad over their fallen allies. 

_______________________________________

 

Asena has a large bruise on her head where Tulle’s dagger struck her, and she does have a headache, but she is far too concerned about Ayla’s state to be worried about herself. The District Four girl has been slipping in and out of consciousness for hours, and she needs medicine quickly. Tulle’s dagger did a number on her. Asena, Lorcan, and Livianna decide they will take shifts: one person to watch Ayla, one person to keep watch for other tributes or mutts, and one person to take a nap. 

_______________________________________

 

Nafs, after finally getting all of the blood from her eyes, wishes she were blind. The sight of her District Partner dead and mutilated in the dirt is seared into her brain. She wishes she had never looked.

 

You are from District Two. You have a legacy to uphold. Get it together, she thinks to herself. How did you let those little outlier girls get the best of you? Pathetic, really. She can’t help but put some of the blame for Noira’s death on herself, despite what Emma and Opal tell her. If she had just been a little faster and dodged Cassia’s knife. Then Noira would be alive and there would likely be two less tributes to worry about. 

 

Opal, Emma, and Nafs, after scouring the Cornucopia for leftovers, decided to move and make camp in the Grass. It was annoying and intrusive, but it provided great cover. They decide to take turns keeping watch overnight.

_______________________________________

 

Leoni, Neon, Twyla, Korey, Cassia, and Chantria sit together in a knot on the Tree. After returning from the Cornucopia, explaining why Tulle was absent, and distributing weapons and supplies, the group decided not to venture into the hollow part of the tree after Leoni reported seeing human-sized bugs crawling around.

 

“No thank you,” Korey said, laughing. “I barely like regular sized bugs.”

 

Everyone in the group agreed with that sentiment.

 

Even though the blood had been cleaned off of her hours ago, Cassia does not think she will ever be able to scrub her mind clean of Noira’s death. Senseless. Violent. Gruesome. She thinks these words are not enough to describe how horrible it was. And what next? I could die like that. I could die in one thousand worse ways. That is what these games are. She hasn’t spoken a word to anyone since settling down in the knot, despite everyone else’s best efforts. The sun begins to set and morbidly, Cassia wonders if she will ever see it set again.

_______________________________________

​

END OF DAY ONE STANDINGS

Emma Adler (D1): alive, obtained a hand pack 

Opal Van Rusch (D1): alive, obtained a medium pack, mild injury (shallow cut to right forearm) 

 

Noira Versailles (D2): deceased, 19th place

Molt Scarlet Nafs (D2): alive, obtained a medium pack, mild injury (shallow cut to forehead)  

 

Neon Wintermute (D3): alive, obtained a small pack

Leoni Veneden (D3): alive, obtained a medium pack

 

Pip Amity (D4): deceased, 23rd place

Ayla Yangue (D4): alive, obtained a hand pack, severe injury (dagger wound from right shoulder to left hip)

 

Hazel Rosewood (D5): alive, obtained a large pack

Lorcan Amino (D5): alive, obtained a small pack

 

Asena Glory (D6): alive, obtained a small pack, mild injury (hit in the head with butt of a dagger)

Livianna Kart (D6): alive, obtained a medium pack

 

Lexa Woods (D7): alive, obtained a small pack

Lea Spark (D7): alive, obtained a medium pack, moderate injury (arrow in left calf) 

 

Tulle Bonney (D8): deceased, 20th place

Twyla Rayon (D8): alive, obtained a large pack

 

Ezekiel Fruges (D9): deceased, 22nd place
Mazie Forst (D9): alive, obtained a large pack

 

Dahlia Cowell (D10): deceased, 24th place
Korey Sherman (D10): alive, obtained a small pack

Cassia Aster (D11): alive, obtained a medium pack, moderate injury (deep cut in right shoulder) 
Chantria Pomole (D11): alive, obtained a large pack, mild injury (cut down right thigh)

 

Josaphine Nightblood (D12): deceased, 21st place
Violet Jane (D12): alive, obtained a small pack

_______________________________________

​

 

ALLIANCES: END OF DAY ONE

Fearless Fighters

• Emma Adler (D1)

• Opal Van Rusch (D1)

• Molt Scarlet Nafs (D2)

 

Birds of Prey

• Ayla Yangue (D4)

• Lorcan Amino (D5)

• Asena Glory (D6)

• Livianna Kart (D6)

 

Moonlight Alliance

• Hazel Rosewood (D5)

• Lea Spark (D7)

• Violet Jane (D12)

 

The Outliers

• Neon Wintermute (D3)

• Leoni Veneden (D3)

• Twyla Rayon (D8)

• Korey Sherman (D10)

• Cassia Aster (D11)

• Chantria Pomole (D11)

 

Team Nightlock

• Lexa Woods (D7)

• Mazie Forst (D9)