Young Writers Society

Ryder - Same Stats

I told Des about my family, about sweet Lily, and Haymitch.

"If I die here, Haymitch will have to provide for my mother and sister." I say. I cough.

"I hope to God, if there is one in this God-Forsaken place, that Haymitch or Lily don't have to go through this." I say.

Des strokes my hair softly,

"That just means that you have to stay alive, make sure they don't have to go through this." she says. I know I'm loosing consciousness, or at least sanity. We've repeated almost a whole conversation.

There is a long silence.

"Des, if I do die. I want you to win, either you or Reed. And when you do, I want you to make sure nothing happens to my family. They wouldn't be able to take the loss." I say finally. Knowing that such a thing would be impossible for Des or Reed.

"But Ryder..." she starts. I take her hand lightly.

Reed Willimon, District 11 female tribute: DAY 3, late morning

After about ten minutes of sneaking around the forest in search of animals, Reed decided she had no luck of hunting down a rabbit or another creature to eat. Her sword wouldn't do much good if she stabbed their meal, because it would just create a mess.

Even though there were only a handful of tributes left, Reed still took the precautions of padding through the trees as softly as possible. The leaves covering the ground had already dried from the downpour from the previous morning, so it was harder to conceal the crunches that followed her steps.

She had been following the river that connected back up to their camp. That way, if she managed to get lost, she could simply go back up-stream. So Reed made up her mind to attempt fishing. She didn't want to return empty-handed, especially with Ryder's condition. He needed something more to eat than just stale bread and dried fruit.

Reed set to work sharpening a branch with her sword, trying to create a spear. Once she was done with that, she moved closer toward the water's edge and kept an eye out for fish. She caught the first one with ease, but the next one proved more difficult. As Reed searched for more decent sized fish, she let her mind wander a bit. She couldn't stop thinking about Alen, Luce or Fiske. She didn't want Ryder to end up like them, but she knew in her heart that one of the Career tributes would survive the Hunger Games. Not sweet Des, not strong Ryder, and definately not her. It was the way life had been for thirteen years. Careers almost always went home. They had been properly trained, and they had a good amount of sponsors to keep them going.

The tribute closed her eyes for a moment, telling herself not think like that. She had to continue having hope! She had to remember her promise to her family. She told them she'd try her hardest to win, but now she felt like giving up. She would never become the Victor of the Games.

Reed opened her eyes again, so many thoughts battling against each other in her mind. Even once she made her way back to the camp with the fish, the girl still couldn't decide if she wanted to hold on to hope, or let it go.

Edur-11

Edur woke up to the sound of Tracker Jackers buzzing in a tree up above him. He had been lying at the foot of it for twenty four hours after he fell unconscious. He was tired, hurt, hungry, thirsty and lost. He saw the Tracker Jacker nest and his eyes widened.
He jumped up before realizing his foot was hurt. He winced in pain and fell to the ground.He crawled over to the tree and pulled himself up using it as a guide. He stood on his fine foot and hopped over to a rock about fifty meters away. He sat himself down and assesed the situation.
He had a knife, but that was all. The best thing he could do was get soem good Game, find sime water and hybernat. That would be best for his situation.
He looked up the sky and prayed.

He prayed to his father, his mother, his brother.He prayed to his goat, and then he prayed to Luce. He looked around for a camera and found one in a bush staring straight at him.
"I love you," he whispered loudly.

He got up and walked off, hoping Kurr would get his hidden message...

Bronze- District 1

We had a good fire going. No tribute stupid enough would come and attack us in the middle of the Cornucopia. Sitting down on a log I started tending my arm. I wasn't really good at all the medical junk, but getting a chute out couldn't have been too hard.

Colton passed by and smirked. "Looks like it's infected, Bronze," he chortled.

I rolled my eyes and yanked the chute out cleanly, biting my lip till it bled to keep from screaming in pain. I blinked back the salty tears welling and threw the chute away.

Nya threw over a bandage roll and a canteen of water. "Best to clean it up," she muttered and limped over to another log. Looks like her legs still weren't back up to par. Unfortunately we needed each other right now, wounds and all.

Ryder / Same Stats

"Des, it's Day 3..." I say, coughing more. Blood staining my hands a dull, lifeless red.

"I'm not going to survive to Day 4, the Gamemakers will make sure of that." I say, my voice staggering.

"I'm not going to let them Ryder, you've got too much to live for. When Reed get's back, we'll get you somewhere safer." she says, slowly.

"You're right, I have a lot to live for, and there's some many things that I haven't been able to do." I say.

"Like what?" she says.

"I'll never get to see Haymitch or Lily grow up, I'll have only lived long enough to see them young and happy, but I guess that's a good thing." I say,

"And what else?" she says, holding my hand tightly.

"I never fell in love, all the things about love that someone dreams about. Your first kiss, telling someone you love them. Proposing. I'll never do that now."

A single tear falls from Des' eye. Perhaps she's realized that I'm not going to make it.


~~~

Des- District 10-

A tear slipped down my cheek when something landed softly on my head. I reached up and brushed it off, glimpsing the silver out of the corner of my eye. A parachute!

"Des?" asked Reed. I snapped around, startled by her silent arrival. "Did we get a parachute?"

"Maybe it has medicine for Ryder," I said hopefully, and hastily opened the container. It was empty except for a note.

"That looks like Kurr's handwriting," Reed muttered and took the slip. I read the note from behind. On the outside it said: Read Carefully.

Reed looked around for any cameras and kept the note conealed. She then handed it to me. My blood covered fingers stained it, but through the red haze I could make out: Find Tribs. Escape plan for 3. Arena wall.

"What does it mean?" I whispered.

Reed scrunched her face, thinking, but is was soon replaced by determination. "Grab Ryder's arms. I'll get his legs. We're moving."

"M-moving?" Ryder whispered incoherently.

I smiled as the note's meaning sank in. Maybe there was hope yet.

SHALL WE BRING THIS LONG LOST SB BACK? I think we shall.

Ryder - District 12



The world is in a blur around me, nothing makes sense. A silver bird comes and tells us there's a chance for escape. I almost laugh,

You silly bird, there is no escape, only death...

They pick me up and carry me, their running through the forest as fast as possible. It's getting harder and harder to breath as we go, the only this in my vision is Des' face. Her beautiful face.

You're hallucinating Ryder, you have to snap out of it! You can live!

"No, there is no living here. I've been dead from the beginning..." I mutter, Des and Reed stop.

"Did you say something Ryder?" she says, out of breath.

"P-p-p - put me down..." I say, she opens her mouth to protest.

"No Ryder we can't stop! We can escape!" She says, tears falling.

"Is that what the bird told you?" I cough, and laugh. They both bring the same amount of blood to me face.

"You shouldn't listen to birds Des, they lie sometimes." I say.

"Ryder, we can all leave this place! We can live!" She practically yells.

"NO! You two can leave this place! You can live! Don't waste your time on me, I was good as dead when the buzzer first sounded. You know that," I finish.

"I refuse to accept that! I'm gonna save you! And You are going to live!" She says firmly. The two of them start moving again.

The forest is hot and humid, but my body is cold ever still. My mouth is dry and bloody. The world is getting darker.

This is the end....

Des- District 10 tribute-

He stopped breathing... NO! He stopped breathing! No, it can't... he can't... no! no! no! no! NO!

I must have been saying that last bit out loud because Reed was looking at me fearfully. Tears stung my eyes as I started beating on his chest, trying to get his heart going again.

"You can't do this to me!" I scream and bang away at his limp form. He needed to live. He had to--

"Des-"

I barely noticed Reeds presence. He wouldn't breathe. He wouldn't open his eyes.

I fall backward on my rear and sob loudly. "NO!" I moaned and burried my face into my drawn up knees. How could he leave? We were so close...

"Des, please," Reed begged. There were tears in her eyes too. "We have to go."

"No, I won't leave him!" I cried and grabbed onto his body, trying to hear a heartbeat or feel some kind of movement. But he was still, his fingers cold and gray.

"DES!" she shouted at me, causing my flow of tears to momentarily stop. I froze and looked up at her. She was standing over me now, angry and hurt and sad- just like me. "Ryder's gone. He left. We. Need. To. Leave," she ennunciated every word.

I bit my lip and looked down at him again. It wasn't Ryder anymore. It was something else entirely. Instead of a quiet confidence it was a void of nothing. His body once full of life- albeit ill- was now a grey corpse. Reed knelt next to me and embraced me in a hug with as much love and comfort as a sister.

"He's safe now. The games can't get him anymore," she whispered. Hesitantly I let her help me up to my feet. We quickly threw some nearby flower over his body and gave him kisses on his forehead before we began running through the forest again.

Reed Willimon, District 11 female tribute: DAY 3, Noon



Reed's breaths were shallow as Des and her sprinted through the forest. She knew it was the smart thing to leave Ryder, but was it the right thing? Should she have supported Des more? Should Reed have stayed, and sang her friend a song as a departing gift? 

Tears streaked down her face as they fled, dodging outstretched branches and jumping ridges and tree stumps. She realized she couldn't let Des see her cry. Reed knew she had to stay strong for her broken ally, but it was one of the hardest things she had ever done. She choked down another sob, and focused at the task at hand. They were so close to freedom. There wouldn't be anymore deaths.      But the heart crushing boom of Ryder's death cannon still rang in her ears, reminding her of their loss. 

Ryder's sad, helpless face as he died flashed before Reed's eyes. She suddenly stumbled and lost her footing. Reed had let herself become distracted. The world tumbled upside down for a moment, then straightened out as she hit the forest floor with a soft thud. Her sword banged against her leg. Reed blinked away a few stars in her vision, groaned, and looked up at Des who had heard her tumble. 

"C'mon, Reed! Please, please, please get up," Des whimpered, kneeling next to her.

Reed spit out a dirt clod that was stuck to her lip, and drew in a breath. She had a headache from clenching her jaw as she had fallen, but tried to ignore it.

Des reached out her shaky hand, and Reed grasped it, before being pulled up by her teammate. Soon, they began jogging again, but at a slower pace. The sun was high in the sky when Des and Reed paused to fill up their canteens. Reed poured some of the stream water over her neck, to cool down. The Gamemakers were definately messing with the arena temperature again. Des helped Reed clean a few cuts on her arms and cheek, but they never once carried on a conversation. Once again, they continued their trek, side by side. 

"Do you think there's an actual arena wall, Des? I mean, what happens when we get to the end of it?" Reed finally said in between steady breaths, breaking the silence. 

Des shrugged. "I    don't    know," she huffed tiredly. "Let's just keep going in one direction, then maybe we'll hit it."

Reed wiped sweat from her brow, and nodded.

----------------------------------------------------------

Kurr, District 11 mentor:

Kurr knew Edur couldn't go much longer. He needed supplies. The mentor was pretty proud of Edur; He had done well so far. Things were getting more expensive, but he had just gained another sponsor.

After he sent food and mostly water to his boy tribute, he checked on Reed. Oh, God, he whispered. Ryder was dead. He looked over at Veronica who was standing next to him. She was shaking. 

"Every time," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. Kurr put a protective arm around her, trying to comfort her. Ilija glanced at them, and Kurr expected him to make a remark, but he said nothing. Instead, he patted Veronica's back reassuringly.  

Then he spoke, his eyes sincere the entire time. "I know this is a sad time for you, Veronica, and I'm truly sorry, but Reed and Des still have a chance to make it out." 

Kurr nodded slowly, and looked down at Veronica. She returned his gaze, then did something unexpected: She kissed him.

Des- District 10-

"I don't know... let's just keep going in one direction, then maybe we'll hit it." I regretted those words. We had been walking for what seemed like hours, both of us agreeing to follow the moss north, an old trappers trick. Now it was getting dark and the gamemakers weren't letting up on the heat.

I wiped sweat from my burning eyes. Oh how I could use a cold bath... warm food... a dry bed...

"Des, wake up."

"Huh?"

"You looked dazed for a moment. I was getting worried," said Reed. We were still walking through the trees.

"Sorry, I was daydreaming."

"We can't let our guard down," she reminded me.

I nodded. "I know."

"What were you dreaming about?" Reed asked curiously.

"If I told you, it would only hurt more," I muttered tiredly.

"Ryder?"

"Among other things."

We continued hiking in silence, the terrain slowly sloping upwards. The sky above us began to clear and soon Ryder's face appeared in the night sky. I bit back my tears until my lip bled. Not only did Ryder appear in my mind's eye, but also Fiske... Luce... Allen... and so many others.

Before I knew what happened, I was suddenly falling and sliding down the side of a precipice. It must not have been a very tall one because the first thing I knew, I landed hard and there was a snap like a twig breaking. I screamed.

Bronze- District 1-

Out of nowhere a scream broke through the darkness. The two other careers with me looked up, immediately looking for where the source came from.

"It sounded like it came from that direction," pointed Nya. I grinned cruelly, hungry for some action. Colton seemed to be thinkin the same thing and took off.

"It's about time!" he shouted back. Nya and I bolted after him.