Nightmare Plot

[the_effect_she_has]

Who: Katniss and You!
What: Welcome to the 77th Annual Hunger Games ...
When: Nightmare plot
Where: The Arena (and for those familiar with it, The Seam.)
Rating: Definitely R for blood, gore, and the death of children.



The first thing you hear booming is the voice, from your glass tube as you slowly rise up from ...where? You're not sure. All you know is that you are trapped in a glass tube and you are going up. And there's that man - that so jovial man calling out over a loudspeaker from somewhere.

"Welcome to the 77th Annual Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor! It's time for the countdown .... "

And there you are, finally, in the light, in a giant semi-circle where the dirt is suspiciously piled high. There's a long, green field, cut off by a fence that says 'High Voltage'. There are woods to one side of the fence, and to the other, a low valley filled with wooden houses. Somewhere, smoke is rising from the coal mines.

"10..."

When you look around - you see ... children. Dozens and dozens of children on similar pillars. Some look scared. Some look determined. Some look ... well you never really thought a child could look murderous. They range from eleven to seventeen, and you might even recognize Clove.

"9...."

On one end, there is Katniss. Looking pale, sick, but there's a fire in her eyes that says she knows what this fight is. When your eyes lock, she looks surprised to see you there, but all she does is tap her nose once, then jerk towards the field in front of you.

"8 ...."

There you will see the cornucopia - a broad, metal one. Filled with supplies, and supplies are spread out all around it. Weapons are right inside, and backpacks are spread in a ever-widening circle around. Katniss nods towards the packs - go for the supplies. She'll get the weapons.

"7...."

She looks to the woods after that.

"6...."

First rule of the Games - always know where to run.

"5 ... 4 ...3 ... 2...1....Let The Games Begin!"

Katniss jumped off the pillar like a gazelle and sprinted right towards the bow and arrows. A large muscled boy came at her from the left; she feints, then jumps, flipping to grab him by the neck with her legs and slam him to the ground, before rolling to her feet and keep running. She grabs a sword, and the bow and arrows, taking the arrow in hand as she sprints back towards you, screaming, "RUN! RUN!"

The Clove-look-alike comes at her from the side, and Katniss doesn't even hesitate, she steps smoothly back and slices her throat open with one smooth, soldierly motion, before running forward again.

Comments

[wizard_redfive]

Breathing heavily, Dairine skids to a stop. They're both still alive. Good. But Katniss's question makes her frown. Five times... Didn't she only face the Games twice back home?

"Beats me. I thought this was another world change." Then she looks back at Katniss. "What about you? You've already won the Games before. Shouldn't that disqualify you?"

[the_effect_she_has]

"I don't think so. Not unless we're changing one person, one world at a time."

She muttered to herself, as she looked around, listening to the forest around her. "I don't think this is the Games, either. Not the ones I remember. For one, we're in the Seam. The Games never took place in one of the Districts. For another, I've gone through this same damned scenario about five times."

[wizard_redfive]

Hmm... Dairine's not sure what to make of that, so instead she'll ask the first question which comes to mind.

"What's the Seam?"

[the_effect_she_has]

"The Seam is where I grew up, in District 12. Where Peeta and Gale and I all come from." She pressed her lips together. The Games should never be here ...

[wizard_redfive]

"So this is your home." What a cheery place. Well... Dairine supposes it could have been pleasant, if things were normal. Still, it made sense for the castle to use something like this. Home was a powerful memory, even in a place like Panem. And the Games, being repeated over and over again... It was like this place (whatever this was) had taken a large chunk of Katniss's memories and mashed them all together. What on earth could have caused this?

Then it hits her. "Katniss," she whispers quietly. "I think we're in one of your dreams."

[the_effect_she_has]

"Yes. It is." She lifted her chin a little, grey eyes going a little harder, feeling a little defensive. Sure, it wasn't the Capital ... but it was real. Well, should have been real.

Her eyes, first narrowed, now went wide, before she whispered back, "...this can't be one of my dreams. Because if it's the Games, it's a nightmare."

Late tag is laaate

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine glances around, nervous but also getting a better view of their resting spot. "Looks like a nice place. When it isn't... you know." She waves her hand in the direction which they came, towards the cornucopia and slaughter.

"True," she concedes. "Still, dream or nightmare, at least it gives us one consolidation."

Re: Late tag is laaate

[the_effect_she_has]

"What are you thinking?" She asked, shouldering her bow, looking at her thoughtfully. Dairine was the smarter one of the two of them, after all.

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine slowly smirks, an idea forming. "Have you ever heard of lucid dreaming?"

[the_effect_she_has]

"...Yes. Of course I've never been able to master it. Why?"

Her nightmares always had a life of their own.

[wizard_redfive]

"I've done it before. Not as good as my sister perhaps, but I can manage in a pinch.

"It could give us a way out."