All Time Hunger Games

“Hey Alex! We’re matching...” Jack yells as he runs into Alex’s room, ambushing him a hug so tight it was cutting off Alex’s circulation.

“Oh no!” Alex put his hand on his cheek, gasping. “Now I have to change before someone sees us” he jokes. Jack laughed and released him.

“Good idea, since we all know I wear it better!” Jack laughed before releasing Alex and running his fingers through his own skunk hair, attempting to look like a stud. Alex shook his head and laughed at his whimsical friend.

John, forgetting to knock like usual, poked his head into the room. Luckily, this time he was safe, but seeing Jack’s pose he almost walked away again. If only this hadn’t been important... “Boys, come out here. We need to talk.”

Alex and Jack exchanged glances before following him out the door and to the living room section of their quarters. Rian, Zack, and Audrey were already there waiting for them, wearing the exact same outfit as well.

“Guys! We really need to discuss our wardrobe choices each morning,” Jack said, trying to make a joke out of everything. “This is so....” He looks down at himself with a look of utter disgust on his face, making everyone giggle.

“Shut up Jack...” John interrupted, cutting off Jack completely. Clearly he had woken up on the wrong side of the bed and wasn’t going to deal with any of Jack’s childish humor. “This is a big day for you guys. This is your first chance to interact with the other tributes. Also it’s the first chance you guys can show off your skills...”

John stopped talking mid sentence and started to think back to their conversation on the train. None of them seemed to have any skills whatsoever besides Jack’s “guitar playing,” and that wouldn’t help him at all, especially since Jack wins the “most likely to be dead in first five minutes” award. Zack was strong and intimidating, but thats about it. John sighs; District 12 never has any good tributes. “But since you guys don’t have any skills, it looks like we are going to have to find you some in training today.”

On their way to the training room, John lectured the tributes about the importance of finding a skill. He went on and on, but it didn’t really matter. No one was really listening anyway.

“If you going to survive, you’re going to need to develop a skill.” John explained. “Everyone here pretty much has one thing their great at. You guys must be good at something, right?” Hopefully... John thought, almost praying they’d amount to something.

The boys and Audrey looked back and forth between each other completely drawing blank. John let out a sigh as the gang entered the training area. He was dreading this already.

“Oh come on! Even THEY’RE wearing the same thing as me!” Jack said pointing to all the other tributes wearing matching outfits. “WHY IS EVERYONE SO UNORIGINAL!” He shouted. Jack was not going to let it go till he got at least a chuckle out of everyone.

John rolled his eyes and continued his lecture. “Well, since most of you don’t have any special skills, we’re going to have to test you. See what your strengths are...Correction, see if you have any.”

The District 12 team walked to the middle, where all the weapons were located. “Yep, Jack! You’re doomed!” Alex joked, “No way are you gonna be able to do any of this shit.”

Jack picked up the mace, “Watch out, Alex! I can go medieval on yo ass!”

Alex shot his hands up as if he was surrendering, “Oh! I’m trembling!”

John snatched away the mace, scolding “These weapons are real. You can actually hurt someone with this.” Jack rolled his eyes at his warning.

John continued addressing and explaining each weapon. Audrey and Alex weren’t really paying much attention because they were having a poke war as they giggled up a storm, but Audrey stopped when she heard John’s stern voice.

“Oh and Audrey!” She straightened up and looked at John with attentiveness, “You already know what you need to work on, so you don’t need to stay with us.”

Her smile faded slightly, “Alright.” She gave Alex a quick side hug goodbye and trudged over to the bow and arrows station.

Living in District 12, she had to find a way to get food that wouldn't cost her an arm and a leg. She learned to hunt at a young age to help feed her family. With a bow and arrow, Audrey was deadly.

As the boys watched Audrey pick up the bow and line up the arrow, John said, “Zack, you can go to the weights area. Build up some more muscle. You’ll need it.” He pointed the boy in the direction of people lifting and throwing weights. He nodded and began his way over.

When Zack got to where all the weights were, he felt very intimidated by how muscular everyone seemed to be in this area, some people were twice his size! Mostly everyone building up muscle was male, except for one tiny girl Zack spotted lifting a barbell. She looked rather small compared to everyone else in the room. She didn’t have very prominent upper body muscles and was very thin; she didn’t look athletic at all. She must of only had ten-pound weights on the 40-pound bar. Not much at all. How could strength be her skill?

As Zack got closer to her, couldn’t help but notice how pretty she was. Her dark golden blonde hair was pulled up in a high ponytail and she was sporting a headband to keep some of the shorter layers up, but she didn’t pin her bangs up so they covered her forehead, getting slightly in her eyes. He noted that she looked kind of cute when she had to blow them out of her eyes.

Zack coughed nervously before asking, “Don’t you need a spotter?”

The girl, about Zack age, jumped, causing the weights on her right side to drop on the floor. Zack was quick to grab the bar and put it on the rack so the girl wouldn’t hurt herself.

“Sorry!” Zack exclaimed as he watched the girl pick the weights off the floor.

‘Smooth Zack, smooth.’ He mentally scolded himself.

“I’m Zack, by the way.” He sat on the bench next to her, pushing his hair back nervously.

“Jenna.” The corners of her mouth lifted up into a crooked, pleasant smile. It was big and sensitive which made Zack find her that much prettier, “You know most people don’t try to kill other opponents until the game starts...right?”

Zack smiled at her joke, “Sorry, I’m new to this whole...Game?”

Jenna pushed her bangs out of her crystal blue eyes before replying, “Oh well you’re gonna have soooo much fun!” The tone in her voice was practically dripping sarcasm. Zack gave a light laugh and continued to talk to her.

“Hey look, I think our little Zacky is trying to pick up a girl...good luck with that dude.” Rian said over his shoulder as he, Alex, and Jack were still trying to find what they're good at.

“Hey Alex! I’m really getting the hang of this mace thing.” Jack called, taking the head off of one of the dummys.

Alex didn’t hear him. He was too busy marveling over Audrey’s amazing bow and arrow skills. She was so calm and completely still, so that each shot was perfect. With the quick release of her hand, the arrow snapped forward and hit right on target.

“Hey John? I think Alex should go try the bows and arrows.” Jack yelled, noticing Alex watching Audrey.

“What! No Jack, I can’t do that, that’s too hard I’ll look stupid...” Alex complained, snapping his attention to Jack. Jack gave him a gentle push towards towards her and went back to whacking anything in sight with his mace.

When Audrey was in between shots, Alex snuck up behind her and pulled her into a tight hug.

“Hey beautiful.” He whispered with a huge smile growing from cheek to cheek.

Audrey froze and shook him off. “Lex, no hugging while I’m holding pointy objects. I almost turned around and stabbed you.” Alex released her,allowing Audrey to sneak in one more perfect bullseye.

“You make it look so easy!” Alex exclaimed in awe.

“Well it is,” She shrugged like it was no big deal. “Here, let me show you.”

Audrey handed Alex the bow and wrapped her arms around him to show him how to hold it.
“Ok, line it up with your eye and then...just let go.” Just like that, Alex’s arrow hit a perfect shot.

“See, you’re a natural. I told you it was easy.” Audrey told him, releasing her grip on the bow.

Alex pulled her into another tight hug. “It’s because you’re my good luck charm.” Audrey blushed, but hugged him back, putting her head in the crook of his neck as their hug lingered for a long moment.

Between Rian’s failed attempts of knife throwing, he leaned over to Jack and asked “What’s going on with those too?” nudging his chin towards Alex and Audrey.

“The boy’s in love. What else can I say?” Jack said in his “hopeless romantic” voice.

John overheard this and his mind started to wonder. Maybe this could work for them. Two lovers in the arena, battling for each other. But at the same time, what would happen to Alex if something happened to Audrey or vice versa?

Pushing his thoughts aside, John walked over to Alex to congratulate him on his impressive shot. “Alex, that was amazing! Who knew you had it in you?”

“Thanks John! I feel like bow and arrow might definitely be my skill.” Alex said still holding Audrey.

“Most certainly,” John said, still in awe. “ Tonight when you're demonstrating to the game masters, be sure to show this off.”

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

There was something about them that he found threatening. Was it the way they all connected? Was it the fact that their were so many of them? Was it just the tall, muscular one who seemed like he could win it all? He watched as the one boy planted a kiss on her cheek. He watched as the intimidating one helped one of the other tributes with their weight lifting. He watched as the weak looking boy swung around the medieval tool, destroying everything around him. Whatever it what rubbing him the wrong way, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Suddenly, a sharp blade flew across his face, just missing him and hitting the dummy perfectly where a human heart would be. He turned around to see a very impatient, blond girl tapping her foot with a fist full of knives.

“WHAT THE HELL SABRINA! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME.” He yelled at the other tribute from District One.

“Not yet anyway...” she said, walking next to him to see what he’s looking at. When she spots where his eyes are leading to, she turns around, releasing another knife into the dummy with a loud yell of anger.

“You have to stop obsessing over her, Josh.” She told him, her back still facing the boy.

“I can’t help it” Josh told Saprina. “She’s so beautiful and you should see her with a bow and arrow...” Sabrina interrupted with another radged knife throw.

“Just stay away from her or those bow and arrows might be the death of you.”

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

All of the District 12 team gathered in the living room area that evening around the TV. Earlier that day, each of the tributes had to demonstrate their best skills for the gamemasters. For Audrey and Alex, that was bow and arrows, Rian knife throwing, Zack weights, and Jack his “all powerful” mace wielding abilities. Tonight they would get their scores. Everyone was silent, for the announcer was on next.

“Good evening Pandem! Welcome to tonight's tribute scoring!” the announcer began. “The game masters evaluated each of our tributes and gave them a score out of 12. Now it only makes sense to start with District one...”

The announcer went through each tribute giving them a score of mostly six’s and seven’s. Everyone didn’t start paying attention till they got to 12.

“This year, four names were put on one entry sheet for the reaping in District 12.” He said.

Everyone glared at Jack. “Really guys! Really? I thought we were over this...” Jack yelled, sitting back on the couch and pouting

“Shhh!” Effie said. “Your scores are coming up.”

“First from District 12 is Audrey Evans”

Audrey grabbed Alex’s hand. She was afraid she might faint right then and there. Alex gave her hand a tight squeeze just to remind her he’s going to protect her.

“Audrey is not a girl you want to mess with. Her bow and arrows got her a score of nine!”

Effie squealed. “Audrey! Who knew?” she said, stealing her away from Alex and hugging her herself.

The announcer continued. “Rian Dawson is up next.”

Rian froze, afraid of what he might say next.

“Rian displayed his knife throwing skills,” the announcer said “The gamemasters were quite impressed and gave him a score of seven.”

Rian let out a heavy breath or relief. John gave him a pat on the back for a job well done.

“Next, Alex Gaskarth.”

Alex wrapped an arm around Audrey. Having her close helped him calm his nerves.

“Alex showed off how well he can use a bow and arrow. The gamemaster must see great potential in him and gave Alex a eight.”

Without even a second to spare, Alex pulled Audrey into a hug. He put his mouth near her ear and whispered “It’s all thanks to you.”

Jack pulled Alex away from Audrey onto his lap on the couch. “Nice going buddy. Who though you had it in you!” Alex glared at Jack with annoyance. He gave him a quick “thanks” and got up off his lap.

“Jack Barakat... what is there to say about this very interesting tribute” the announcer said.

Jack laughed. “I just take the words right out of everyone’s mouths” he said, feeling very cocky. Rian pushed Jack off the couch and onto the floor to get him to shut up.

“Jack showed the gamemasters his mace skills. I guess they weren't very impressed and gave him a four.”

Audrey took the pin gold pin she found off her shirt and handed it to Jack. “Here. You probably will need the luck” she said pinning it to Jack’s shirt.

John rolled his eyes. Seems like he did a lot of eye rolling when it came to Jack. He knew he wouldn’t take any of this seriously. It isn't that big of a surprise that Jack got the lowest score out of all the tributes.

“Last from District 12 is Zack Merrick.”

Zack said nothing, which isn’t that much of a surprise being the man of few words that he is. Eyes glued to the TV, he waited for his score.

“Zack had done very well in showing his strength to the gamemasters. Whatever he did to win them over definitely worked! Zack earned himself a fantastic score of ten, the highest score of all the tributes.”

A smile creeped onto Zacks face. John walked over to the couch and sat next to Zack. “I’m impressed, but not very surprised” he said to him. “I knew you would do well, but now all the other tributes will be doing their best to get rid of you right away.”

Zack nodded, knowing exactly what he was going to say next. “Zack we have A LOT more training to do...”