“One non-lethal item huh?” Kirette muttered to herself, scanning over the instructions. This was the first hunger games that allowed tributes to take in a second item. Even so, the note may have said non-lethal, but she knew what they were implying.

‘Get creative and find a way to make it deadly.’

The more shocking the kill is, the more entertaining for the capital snobs. Kirette put the note down and scanned the room. Instructions clearly stated it had to be something in the cramped waiting space. Her personal belongings had long been packed in district 10, to adhere to this new rule. Kirette’s bag now sat on a long mahogany table next to some polished capital wares. She strode her way to the other side of the room and zipped it open. It’s contents consisting of pressed flowers her siblings had given her, a copy of her favorite book ‘Sally and the Broken Barn,’ a journal she had barely filled a little over a week ago, and a bottle of hand squeezed juice that she had secretly put yeast in to ferment it. She flipped through the journals contents, hoping for anything that could be of use. When her search proved empty she examined the flowers, keeping a close eye out for any deadly ones that she could poison the other tributes with. She dropped the search as soon as it had began, as she realized the game masters would be able to identify any dangerous plant that she brought into the arena anyways. She didn’t bother with the fermented juice or the book, and she swiftly turned her attention to the items provided by the capital.

Kirette traced her fingers over the impressive tapestries and finely carved statues that littered the table. It was a bottle of expensive perfume that snagged her attention though, and she snatched it up, almost letting it slip through her fingers in her haste. Her heart filled with hope as she read its contents, for the first time since she entered the capital. The bottle wasn’t safe for consumption, she could use it to poison her competitors. A smile spread across Kirette’s cheeks, she had finally found her item! No one would suspect perfume! Her celebration was short lived though, as her pessimism rooted its way into her brain.

‘It wouldn’t work’ she thought. ‘The game makers aren’t idiots they’ll read the contents of the bottle.’ Kirette gave an exasperated sigh and hovered the bottle over the table.

‘But...if I find something to hide it in.’ Kirette carried the bottle to her bag and got to searching for something to conceal her poison. After what felt like an hour of searching, she had found it. A little rubber duck. It wasn’t easy to find, as it was hidden in between jewels and shiny objects, the likes of which Kirette had never seen in her lifetime. Once she saw past the finer things though, it’s faded green exterior shone brighter than any diamond the capital could flaunt.

She poured the perfume into a silver bowl she pulled from one of the shelves and dunked the rubber duck in it, squeezing it as she did so. Kirette continued to do this until the rubber duck had sucked in every last bit of the perfume. She then wiped the duck of any residue and rubbed her dried flowers on it to cover the scent, sealing off the bottom hole as she did so. After being sure that there was no hint of the dizzying fragrance wafting from the rubber duck, Kirette ran across the room and pressed her buzzer, notifying the guards that she made her decision.

There was a short pause before the titanium door made a buzzing sound and swung open. Kirette was confident in her decision, and when she entered the games she could unseal the duck and hatch a plan for its consumption. The tributes and capital members alike would no doubt make fun of her for her interesting choice, but she would show them, and she would be victorious.