The past few days my older brother Gerome hasn’t done the best and I believe that he could do better. Every time after he sprints from another tribute, the tsunami or Poison Dart Frog he is gasping for air and seems dehydrated. In order for him to live through the Hunger Games he needs to be the healthiest he can be. My family has thought of sending him another silver parachute but this time it won’t be a video of us. This time it will be healthy food and water. I have decided to give him bread, fruits and vegetables and fresh ice water. The bread will fill his stomach so that he isn’t hungry and he will then perform better. Along with the bread I will give him fruit and vegetables because they are very healthy for you especially when you are on the go all of the time. The water will make sure that he is always hydrated and ready to take on other tributes. My family and I are really hoping that by spending all of this money and giving him these three things it will give him a better chance to come home and I can see my favorite brother again.
I ran to the super market in district ten to go and get some the supplies that I was going to attach to the silver parachute to give my brother Gerome. Once I got there I immediately went to the fruit section to find bright red apples and dull oranges, as well as delicious yellow bananas. Next, I went to the vegetable section and picked up green peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes. Finally, I went to go grab the loaf of bread and a pack of twelve water bottles. I then sprinted home to go and give my mom the food and water to put in the basket. She placed the water in the bottom of the basket and then gently placed the food on top so that it wouldn’t get smashed on the flight through the air to Gerome in the games. A kind man about thirty years old came to pick up the basket to attach it to the parachute and gently drop it into the arena so that Gerome can enjoy the juicy fruit and yummy vegetables and slowly enjoy ever single sip of the water. Hopefully the bread would still be warm when it gets there. Then I thought in my head, the next time I will see this basket is on television in Gerome’s hands. My family and I miss Gerome greatly and we pray every night that we will get to see him again when he is back home and healthy.
Although the tsunami just spiced up the games a little bit, it still wasn’t enough. As a Gamemaker I need to think of something cleaver that will really bring entertainment to the capitol watching back at home. I thought for a while about something that could really kill some tributes. Something that is original because all the games have been so far have been the normal, people killing people. There needed to be something different that families back at home have never seen before. That’s when the idea hit me almost as if I ran into a wall that had the answer to my question. To keep my job as a Gamemaker and receive a paycheck we needed to use Poison Dart Frogs. We can release them into the arena and laugh as the tributes run away from a frog that are the same size if not smaller than a paper clip. These frogs are very toxic and they have enough venom to kill ten grown people. With ten tributes left I could let out five frogs in hope that each frog finds two people and kill them. But, because I am evil and want to see intense games I’m going to let out one hundred frogs.
As I sit in my big comfy chair, in a room with other game makers I see a bright red button that is blinking every second. That button is calling my name and is ready to be clicked. I stand up out of my seat and with a great big smirk on my face. I push the button, releasing all one hundred of the Poison Dart Frogs. It took the frogs sometime to go into effect. It didn’t happen right away like the tsunami did. The frogs started going in effect about thirty minutes after they were on the loose. The first tribute that encountered the poison frog was in shock. At first she thought it was just a regular frog so she picked it up. The frog then jumped out of her hands and later she bit her finger nails and die in a few short minutes. I have a feeling that other people died because of the frogs but it wasn’t showed on the camera. Which made me very upset because my job is to entertain the audience and they won’t know what is happening unless the camera captures that moment. Since I only got to see one death because of the frogs I left them in the arena for later. Most of the time I would take them out and change it to something else. But, this year I am going to leave them to continue the killing and allow the capitol to see it on television. The frogs were a great hit, well not for the tributes but for me as a Gamemaker.
The deep voice of the commentators booms through the living room. “Oh look at this. The Gamemkers have a special trick up their sleeves for today.” The entire room sits in silence as we wait and see what the Gamemaker will do to bring attention back to the games and entertain the capitol. A minute or two later a ginormous tsunami come crashing down onto the shore. I watched as 2 tributes were pulled under by the strong currents. Thank goodness it wasn’t Gerome because he doesn’t even know how to swim. The waves keep crashing in, one after another. Ripping down trees and destroying all of the land. I could see tributes sprint as fast as a cheetah up to higher grounds to stay save. Wave after wave coming to kill them all. It was almost as if the waves wanted to eat the land and people for breakfast.
Finally the waves seized to exist and what was left was demolished. Trees were ripped out of the ground and bodies lay everywhere. Some unconscious while others were dead but it was hard to tell the difference. The camera zoomed in onto the people who raced up to the hill. I saw, standing tall, my older brother Gerome. He’s done it again and he is my hero. Our whole living room burst into excitement when we all have noticed that it was Gerome standing to represent district ten.
The television screen flickered as my older brother Gerome sprinted across towards the cornucopia and did a double back flip over Yolanda Bubblebench and stabbed her in the throat with a sword, decapitating her. His kill total was up to three now and he was thirsty for more blood. Gerome seemed nervous when he was called to be a tribute in the Hunger Games but I knew that he would win it for our family. Once he entered into the cornucopia he snatched a backpack filled with a nylon rope, sword and bunch of food. The camera followed him as he ran into the woods and suddenly he was unseen as the camera view switched back to the kids near cornucopia. The thought crossed my mind that that was the last time that I would ever see my brother.
My entire family, mom, dad and younger brother all had our eyes constantly on the television. Almost as if we took our eyes off the screen Gerome would die. Each time that he came up on the screen the whole room seized their conversations with one another. Everyone was tense while watching, including me. I noticed my dad in the corner of my eye biting his finger nails. I knew from past experiences that this is what he did when he was worried. These past few days without Gerome at home has been challenging. It means that I need to do more work around the house which is never pleasurable. But, my motivation is that he is going to come home then I would be off to my normal chores. But then again, what if he dies and doesn’t come home. Oh, I would miss him so much. My brother has shown me the way through life and I still need him by my side to continue the journey. Overall I really miss my brother. He made my life so much fun but now without him I feel like I’m stuck in a black hole in which I can’t escape. Every night I say a little pray to myself before I go to bed wishing that he would come home safe and healthy. But the reality and probability of that happening was extremely slim. I would do anything to have him back home because without him our family isn’t complete.
The thought came to my head the very moment I was standing on the metal circle made me shake on the inside. What happens if I never come out of the arena? This has been popping in and out of my head the last few days but now it is reality. It is now time for the gong to sound so that kids are released to begin killing each other. What a messed up idea this is. As I was lifted from the ground on my very own stand I see all the worried faces of the competitors. But, in the corner of my eye I see one boy who seems thirsty for blood and death. The look on his face made me believe that he was the one who will kill me. I quickly looked away when we made awkward eye contact. I hear birds chirping which is unusual because the arena is a scary place and when birds chirp that is peaceful. The birds reminded me of back home and how much I missed my family. I wanted to come out alive so I can see my mom, dad and twin brothers but I had that feeling deep down inside me that I would never come out. Well, the only reason I would is because of my funeral back home in district 7. I grabbed my necklace that my mom and dad gave me. I squeezed it so tight and said, “This is for you, all you back at home.” In a soft voice so that no one could hear.
It felt like ages that I was standing on that metal circle awaiting the start of the 80th annual Hunger Games. A drip of sweat drops down my face and I felt, at that moment the evil of me come out. I was totally ready to kill. That sweat dripping down my face made me heat up inside and the devil came out. Magically, all of the sudden my nervousness and fear ran out of the door like a scared cat. I’m not sure what I have been worrying about this whole time. Confidence is key in the games. I have plenty of that, I’m strong, independent and most of all now fearless. Most people are majorly strong, I have that a little bit but my plan is to outsmart the other weaklings. I have this totally in the bag. All I got to do is kill twenty-seven others then I’ll win… easy right?
I was caught day dreaming as I heard the loud irritating sound of the gong. I was caught sprinting into nearby trees. I squatted behind a bush and began to regret me not making a decision on how I was going to start off the games. The rest of that day I just avoided all of the killing and just stayed in hiding. I was saving my energy to kill for the next day. By nightfall I was exhausted and ready to fall asleep. So climbed up into the trees and rested on an oversized branch. Almost immediately I was out like a light bulb.
I am sitting on a soft, red and cozy chair with a stream of tears running down my face when I hear a slight knock on the door. I quickly wipe my tears away before the guest enter. It is my mom and dad; the two most important people in my life. They both came in and they sat on a wooden bench across the room from me. There was an awkward silence mostly because we just all had a reality check that this is actually happening to our family. My parents have to say goodbye to me because I am going to fight and kill other people for the capitols entertainment. I wasn’t too sure what to say so I just said a quiet, “Hi” to start off the conversation. Immediately my mom started crying. Just seeing her sitting there and crying made me wonder what was going through her mind. Then, I heard the deep voice of my dad say, “Close your eyes and put your hands out in front of you.”
I hesitated a little bit but then I did as I was told and gradually close my watery eyes and unfolded my hands and placed them palms up on my lap. I could hear the swishing of my dad’s raincoat and the creaking of the floor as he walked towards me. Then, something jewelry like was laid down on my hands. I waited a second or too to see if my parent would give me an okay to open my eyes. But, that never happened so I did that on my own. As I slowly opened my eyes I notice that what was placed in my hands was a beautiful necklace that was once my great grandmothers. It was mostly silver but with a circle that was blue in color with two trees that symbolized my district which is lumber. In the past I have always seen this necklace around my mom’s neck and I never would have thought that it would be my token to bring to the game that reminds me of back home. Then I asked my mom, “This necklace is so important to you. Why would you want me to have it during the games?” She answered a very simple answer, “It is because I love you. And I am very proud of you for taking on the games.”
Then I got up out of my seat so that my mom could put on the necklace that I am probably going to die in. We all got in a big group hug and stayed like that for a long time. I could tell that my dad was crying on my shoulder and the weird thing is that I think this is the first time I saw him cry, ever. Next thing you know a guard knocks on the door and opens it a few seconds later motioning my parents outside. My mom give me one last kiss on my forehead and says her final words, “Go kick some butt out there. We love you so much.” They then walked out and the guard closed the door behind them. Well, that’s the last time I’m seeing my parents.
As I was standing in the crowd waiting for the upcoming reaping of the tributes to begin for this year’s Hunger Games, my heart was racing and beating faster than it has ever gone before. Although I am in a great shape because of tree cutting I do, I’m still afraid to get called and go to the games. It’s possible that I would never come back. Harper Hayes was the women who picked the name from the shiny and clear bowl that everyone had their eyes on. She reached her hand into the bowl and very slowly pulled out a white slip of paper. First she said the district number and then the person’s name. “District one… Tammy Cottonhead. District five… Juanita Plumcat.” Other people were called afterwards but I didn’t pay any attention to their name because my nervous level was over the roof. I just noticed Tammy and Juanita because their names are so original. I heard Harper say district 7 and was hoping it wasn’t me. Lucky, this time it wasn’t. It was another young girl from my district. After a few more names were called I was almost positive it wouldn’t be me.
Next, Harper said, “District 7,” the pause between the district and the name felt like ages. Then, over the loud and booming speaker I hear my name called, “Yolanda Bubblebench.” Immediately my face turned as red as a newly harvest tomato. As I walked forward to the stage I could see everyone staring at me, it made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I saw teens from my district show a sign of relief when they realized there were no more slots for kids from our district. To be honest, I don’t know how I feel about being in the Hunger Games. As much as I want to win I still and very nervous. Although I’m in a pretty good shape for a girl my age I may not come out alive.