Stay Alive

This was a dream I had today, and I obviously didn't have time to write it down before school because I had to get ready and all that. So here it is, may be the longest story I have written in a while.

            It was the middle of the eightieth annual Hunger Games. You may be thinking about what has happened to the revolution that has happened to stop the games. Well it happened, all right, but it didn’t last long. It turned out that people were more civilized with the games around. And so now, here I am fighting my life off, in the deadliest game in the world. Only this time the stakes are higher. There have been more incidents caused by the gamekeepers, less supplies, even a water scarcity. Even the kids are different, somehow developing a power or as the capitol, people call it ‘natural gifts.’ Throughout the years, I have saw on TV kids with light coming out of their hands, telekinesis, and even super speed. These were the kids that usually won; these were the kids that were the most deadly in the games.

            There were only two sides in the tributes freaks or the ones with powers, and mundanes the ones without powers. And I’m on that side pretty much useless, having never picked up a weapon in my life. It was amazing that I made it this far, I was in the top seven and seventeen has died. Some in painful ways that I have hoped to never see again, and others were lucky just quick and painless. They were my friends, and they were dead. And now I’m doing their promise

Stay alive.

            And I did, or else I wouldn’t have made it this far. “Cadet?” asked a now familiar female voice.

            “Yeah?” I say opening my eyes, and unconsciously look for her even though she was invisible. It was the first time a freak and a mundane had allied together, all over the world the people were most likely spreading rumors high and low about it. I mean it wasn’t as if we’re doing anything very romantic. Instead for running for our lives.

            “Come on, it’s time to go before, t-they find us,” her voice cracking a little bit. I sigh and hold out my hand, and she graciously takes it, gently pulling me up from the soggy autumn ground. And without really thinking about it, we set out in a random direction, away from them. For a moment, it was just the sounds of our breathing and our growling stomach. It has been exactly two days since we ate anything, and I had a feeling that the gamekeepers weren’t going to let out any new game yet. “Oh Cadet, I’m scared,” she whispered softly. And for the first time since I woke up, I felt her hand shaking.

            “Don’t worry, we’ll live,” I smile reassuringly, feigning confidence. That most likely didn’t help her at all, so I squeezed her hand reassuringly. In fact I don’t think I believed that myself. I can feel her eyes looking at me sternly, invisible or not.

            “How can you be sure? It’s been over a week, and the weather is quickly turning cold. What if…” she didn’t have to say the rest, I already knew what she was thinking.

            “They let the winners fend for themselves during winter,” I finish for her. I can tell she was nodding dumbly, tears most likely gathering in her eyes. We continue walking for a bit, before I decided to stop in a middle of a clearing. Autumn leaves full on the ground not yet crunchy enough to make sound. It was full of color, perfect for a lunch. I shake my head thinking to myself that it wasn’t time to be thinking about food.

            “Don’t worry, Cali,” I say pulling her in for a hug. Her heart was beating hard against my chest, and I can tell that mine was probably beating as quickly as hers was. She smelled of simple spring days, warm and full of flowers. Full of hope, and not of the despair that the games carry. I can feel her tears soak my shirt, and for the first time did, I notice how scared she was.

            “I-I’m scared, and I have a feeling that I might…” she trails off, and I don’t bother to try to pry her for what she means. Instead, I just hold her closer. It was a pleasant feeling; sure, the people watching right now might think I’m slightly crazy. But they’ll believe her because of her voice. In fact, a small plan was unfurling, maybe enough to make us alive.

            “We’ll live,” and this time I meant it.