It begins sometime in the morning, whether you notice it or not. A faint ticking sound; a rhythmic metronome just below the volume of general sound of life. Only in the calm quiet of things can truly be heard - tick, tick, tick- tick - if you listen. Otherwise the sound goes generally unheard. Does today seem a little milder than normal? As the day progresses, does the air seem more breathable? Less thick with the sticky sweet sent of jungle and damp and green. Can you feel the gentle breeze that rustles through the branches?

When the rains come, they are light and refreshing and warm. Not the harsh and frigid downpours of all the days before, and then the skies clear off into a picturesque blue.

The birds are singing. Beautiful, melodic lullabies.

Sightings of projections seem to be less frequent across the island.

These conditions will all last for 24 hours. And when the ticking finally stops, the parachutes fall.

Small silver parachutes will deliver 1 protein bar and 1 mango to EVERY tribute in the arena. The only message; a red dot on a slip of white paper.

[[Only the following characters are able to enter the Compound at this time, but if they choose to do so, will NOT be able to leave the Compound until told otherwise: Armin Alert, Barbra Gordon, Donatello Hamato, Harleen Quinzell, Homura Akemi, Lin Mayuzumi, Ruby Lucas]]

The audible hum-buzz-drone that comes from the danger zone of the sonic fences ceases and the jungle goes silent. For a breath and a heartbeat everything stops, as if the island and the world itself has paused. Still and dark and damp, the silence is almost oppressive. And in just a blink, the world goes right again.

Perhaps you have noticed. Perhaps you have not. But the fences all across the island turn off and turn back on, like clock work, every two hours. Except for here. In this one area of jungle, in a valley deep in the south, they are ALWAYS on.

Except now.

It's not too deep into the jungle. Only a quarter of a mile or so, until the gradual decent into a low, wide valley opens into a large, green clearing. If you have made it far enough to see this clearing, there is no use turning back now. If you do, you will find that your window of opportunity has closed, and the force filed surrounding this area has turned back on. Unlike the fences, there does not seem to be any noticeable on/off pattern. You may be stuck here indefinitely. Perhaps this leads you cut off from your allies. Or maybe this gets you away from your enemies. Either way, the jungle is no more or less perilous and the rains are just as unpredictable as any other part of the island. You might want to look around if you're going to be stuck here anyway.

In the clearing, you may find your curiosity gloriously rewarded. Six small houses stand clean and neat and inviting in a quaint and perfect circle. Single-story homes that look strangely old and outdated considering their obvious newness, all have yards with large shade trees -- a hammock some, tree houses in others -- surrounded by a white picket fence. Each house is unlocked and everything is open for the taking.

You will also find in the center of this circle of houses is a solitary silver pedestal that is 1 meter high, and 1 meter in circumference. Placed atop this pedestal is a single red button.




If you can reach the button, you can push the button. As often as you like and at any time that you want. The only rule here is that you must respond to the appropriate thread in this post so that the gamemakers know that you have pushed it.

You may respond this post/push the button at any time and as often as you would like. Results of each push may vary.