User blog:LightStone123/399th Annual Hunger Games

Welcome everyone to my eighth ever Hunger Games! My last games, The 398th Annual Hunger Games, are still going on but they're ending soon and that's why I'm making these now. I hope you'll join as I plan on making these Games the best I can!

Introduction
Following the 398th Annual Hunger Games the Rebellion that was stirring in the District's seemed to lose its steam and President Stryker's forces brought "peace" back to Panem. However this peace did not last long. Soon, rumours of mysterious figures lurking around the District boundaries soon began to spring up and high-ranking Capitol officials began dying off in puzzling ways. In addition, a few more eager rebels began revolting once more, further frustrating the Capitol. Despite all of these on goings President Stryker has the 399th Annual Hunger Games proceeding as planned...

Rules
1: There will be thirty-two Tributes

2: You may have up to two Tributes (number may change)

3: Each Tribute has $150 in sponsor money for their mentor (creator) to use as they see fit.

4: I will write Reapings, Group Training, and of course the actual Games

5: I will not accept any Tributes that have been in my previous Games

6: Reservations last 48 hours (In certain cases this may be extended)

7: The Capitol is a Career district in my Games

8: Tribute Form:

Name:

District:

Gender:

Age:

Personality:

Back-story:

Height:

Appearance:

Weapon(s):

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Fear(s):

Bloodbath Strategy:

Alliance: (can be filled out later)

Alliances
NOTE: These are not final and can be changed any time up to the start of the Games.

Careers: Fenrir Amarth (0), Jake Locketback (1), Hammer Time (2), Mizu Fall (4), & Kaye Ocelote (4)

Anti-Careers: Kim Carett (8), Jac Price (9), Azalea Finch (9), Billy McGranger (10), Fawn Talons (10), Misty Honeysuckle (12), & Alexandrite Bohamia (13)

Morrisa Sisters: Anais Morrisa (1) & Carmine Morrisa (2)

District 3 Alliance: Iris Pixel (3) & Aspen Bolts (3)

District 5 Alliance: Clark Stevens (5) & Missy Turner (5)

District 7 & 8 Alliance: Henry Polyester (7) & Colin Bisset (8)

Blake Siblings: Bellamy Blake (11) & Octavia Blake (11)

District 6 & Capitol Alliance: Julio Fall (6) & Iggy Coupe (C)

District 0, 12 & 14 Alliance: Bailey Snowbelle (0), Ganta Alomo (12), & Amaya Lovelace (14)

District 13, 14, & Capitol Alliance: Luxray Meganium (14), Luxio Sertralium (13), & Flame Vapore (C)

Loners: Rosalie Sonnet (6) & Arbor Alpine (7)

Key

Bold: Leader of the alliance

Italics: Acceptance pending

Items
Antidote (cures poison): $150

Anti-Infection: $125

Awl: $50

Alcohol: $75

Axe: $150

Baton: $100

Battleaxe $175

Blanket: $50

Blowgun: $125

Bow: $150

Bread: $50

Burn Cream: $125

Canteen: $75

Camouflage Paints: $100

Chakram: $175

Chlorine: $75

Cookies: $25

Crossbow: $175

Crackers: $15

Dagger: $100

Darts (12): $25

Dried Meat: $75

Dried Fruit: $50

Flail: $125

Flares x3: $125

Flashlight: $100

Hammer: $125

Instant Relief: $400

Iodine: $100

Knife: $50

Knife Glove: $100

Mace: $150

Mace (Chained): $175

Machete: $125

Matches: $75

Morning Star: $175

Gasoline $100

Hatchet: $150

Needles (3): $125

Net: $75

Net Trap: $125

Night-Vision Glasses: $150

Piece of Plastic: $15

Painkillers: $75

Poison: $100

Quiver of Arrows (12): $50

Raft: $125

Rocks: $15

Rope: $25

Scythe: $150

Shield: $125

Shield (Spiked): $200

Shurikens (5): $125

Sickle: $125

Sleeping Bag: $50

Sleep Syrup: $125

Slingshot: $75

Soup: $75

Spear: $125

Spike Trap: $250

Spile: $50

Sword: $150

Throwing Axes (3): $200

Throwing Knives (3): $200

Trident: $225

Water: $100

Whip: $75

Wire: $75

Wooden Club: $100

Wooden Club (Spiked): $150

District Zero: Fenrir Amarth
I go up and then down. Up and down. The cold wind blows in my face as I pull myself up on the bar. Today is the day. Today I will take my rightful place in the Hunger Games and bring the glory that has so far eluded me to my name.

I drop from the bar. My feet crunch in the snow below and I shake the snowflakes from my long hair. To many people this bitterly cold weather would be enough for them to pass on training and remain indoors, where they would be warm and comfortable. Pah! Weaklings! The almighty Odin would never endorse the cowardly action of hiding from the weather! My brother, who was named after the almighty Odin, knew that. He trained every day, no matter what the weather was.

My brother...

He entered the Games last year. He believed he was ready, that he could conquer the competition in the name of Odin. He fared well enough to start, defeating everyone in his path. Until the final day, where he encountered an enormous mutt that ended up defeating him in combat.

I snort loudly as I head for the wooden fence and pull my leather jerkin off it and putting it on. Odin should have won! He was well on his way to victory before those accursed Gamemakers had the mutt go after him! But it matters naught now. It's a new year, my year. I will enter the Games and annihilate the competition. I will bring honor to my fallen brother, to my own name, to the Amarth name, and most importantly, to the Almighty Odin!

The bell rings. The annual bell that signals the approaching Reaping. My journey to the District square takes me through a dense forest. There's naught a noise beyond my footsteps upon the snow covered ground. My thoughts are fixed firmly on the upcoming Games. Truth be told, the best thing for me is for the arena to be similar to this forest. Cold and remote. None of the other tributes would be use to such a punishing environment. None of them have ever lived in it, yet alone train every day in it. All the advantages would lie with me.

I arrive at the edge of the forest and join the main path where a multitude of people trudge along wearily. Many of them are bundled in heavy clothing and move slowly. I shove myself past these stragglers and set off at a brisk pace towards the center of the District. The further in I go the more the wind dies down. The taller buildings block it off from reaching us. By the time I've reached the square it's all but gone.

"Get over here!" A Peacekeeper calls me over and when I come he swiftly takes my blood. It does not sting even a little! The square played out before me is divided into two sections. The divider is the large fountain set up in the middle of the circular clearing. On the right side sits the group eligible to be reaped. On the left is all of the adults. I take my rightful place in the line and look up to the stage as the usual video package is played. It doesn't last long before ending and then Elsa De`Cour, District Zero's escort, is twirling onto the stage.

"Hello world!" She beams as she addresses the crowd. "Who here is ready to find out whom our tributes for the 399th Annual Hunger Games will be?" A few rambunctious kids let out whoops but it's mostly silence. I remain silent because I am going for a more serious and deadly approach. "Well, I for one am absolutely ecstatic!" She steps beside the boys bowls and as she takes a name out and begins to read I shout out that I volunteer and push my way through the crowd, jogging for the stage. I take extra care not to slip on the ice as I go. I'd look like a right fool slipping on my way up!

"And what's your name, you handsome young lad?" Elsa asks as I join her on stage, looking down upon the peasants that have gathered before us.

"I am Fenrir Amarth! Brother of Odin Amarth and loyal warrior of the almighty Odin!" Elsa claps giddily and congratulates me on volunteering after my brother did the year before. I look down on the crowd and expect them to be staring at me in awe but instead they're just shuffling around looking decidedly...bored.

How dare they! Do they not recognise the grandeur that sits before them?! They're staring at the future Victor of the Hunger Games! I grunt loudly and turn to say something into the microphone when I see that Elsa has already moved on to the girls bowl!

"And Fenrir's District partner will be...Bailey Snowbelle!"

There's silence in the crowd. The howling wind that can't reach us echoes throughout the square and then a girl finally moves. She's bundled up in jackets and sweatshirts and I can't make out much detail until she reaches the stage where I see that she has long straight black hair and dark eyes. Though she came from the sixteen year olds line and is older then I am she's much smaller. Not much of a challenge for a warrior of Odin.

"Why hello there!" Elsa waves happily at the girl but she doesn't respond. She's too busy trying to keep a brave face. She's the finest example of someone who was called upon by Odin for a strenuous task and tries to make the best of it. In this there really isn't much room to make the best. With my strength and valor my victory is almost ensured from the start. Though I do have to remember I thought the same thing about Odin. Elsa gives up on speaking to us and turns back to the crowd with a wide smile. "District Zero please help me welcome your tributes in the 399th Annual Hunger Games, Fenrir Amarth and Bailey Snowbelle!"

The usual procedures take place as the Reaping ends. Peacekeepers take Bailey and myself to the Justice Building and after a brief talk with my mother I'm whisked to the train station and am entering into one of the most magnificent dining rooms I have ever laid eyes upon. This is almost like the hall of Odin! I sit myself down at the table and begin to pile the food that litters the table onto one platter. "This shall be our feast to commence my journey to the Capitol!" I begin to tear into a large chicken leg as Bailey sits herself down across the table. Her face is tear streaked and she must have been crying. I begin to laugh at the same time I swallow and I begin to choke and splutter. I struggle for several moments and then spit some chicken out and rub my sore throat. "Servants! Fetch me some of your finest mead!" Automatically a pair of avoxs rush off and I lean back smiling.

"We should work on your manners," Elsa says quietly and I look up to see her and Bailey watching me with disgusted looks.

"Silence woman!" I grab another hunk of chicken and begin to tear into it as the Avox returns with a jug of mead. "You know not to who you speak! I am Fenrir Amarth! Brother of Odin the Conqueror! Warrior of Odin the Almighty!" I finish with a triumphant slam of my tankard against the table. That's when I notice that both Elsa and Bailey have gone, moving on to another train car. "Foolish women!" I mutter to myself and ravenously devour another piece of chicken as the train speeds off towards the Capitol.

District One: Jake Locketback
My hands play with the locket around my neck as I lead my younger sister towards the District square and the richer part of District One. Everyone thinks that District One is just full of filthy rich people. That there's no starvation or suffering. That we're all well off without a care in the world. Well...

That's just not true.

My family comes from the slums of District One, on the very outskirts of the District. The area was never very well off. After all, no place can have everyone rich. There's always the poor, just whittling away as they work. But recently things have gotten even worse. During the rebellion that sprung up two years ago District One was attacked. Naturally, being the edge of the District put us right on the front lines. I can still recall the complete terror I felt as my family crowded under our set of small stairs as mortar rained down upon our homes and the very ground shook. We held on and I actually thought we would survive without a hitch, but when the the rebellion began to die down, the unthinkable happened. My father was killed.

The rebellion then ended. The Capitol forces drove the rebels off. But my life was never the same. My mother couldn't sustain us just by herself and my sister was dangerously ill. I started doing what I could but that was difficult. All of the places that would normally hire people like me no longer were. Having either been destroyed or just filled with everyone else who was desperately searching for a job.

I couldn't just sit back and let my family starve so...I actually came into contact with some of the rebels that were apart of the rebellion and started selling them items I retrieved from the black market. It nearly tore me apart, helping the rebels that were responsible for my father's death. But what else could I do? I had to help my family somehow and it was the only way.

I'm not proud of what I've done, what until last week I was still doing, but it helped us get by. It helped us survive. Until now. Mothers sick with a depression. She can barely work. Our funds and food are running low. We're not going to last long, not even here, in District One. The crown jewel of the Capitol. With no other recourse I'm doing the one thing that could save us. I'm volunteering for the Hunger Games.

"Make sure to tell Mom why I volunteered," I say to my sister as we join the line to enter the Reaping area. We're surrounded by well-fed excited people. People who don't have the risk of dying within the year. "Make sure she knows I was trying to help. Not just running away"

"Okay," She stops and frowns. I know what her question will be. She's asked this numerous times before. "But why don't you tell her?"

I sigh. Truth be told. I'm nervous. Frightened that she would fear for me. That she would try to stop me. I don't want to deal with that and I don't want to tell my sister that. "It would be better coming from you." I say simply and leave it that. We reach the top of the line. My sister is too young to be reaped so she joins a separate line and goes to find our mother, who arrived earlier. I watch as she makes her way through the crowd and then step up to get my blood taken.

"Name?" The Peacekeeper at the station asks.

"Jake Locketback." He zaps my finger and I move on, leaving behind the faint smell of aftershave. The crowd is jam packed with people. All of them talking excitedly as the officials ready the stage. Most of the kids in my line are in groups. Chattering away with gusto, taking bets on which two of the academy's top recruits will step up. I never trained at an academy. But I've see others train. I know the skills and I'm quick learner. I'll be fine. Just fine.

The crowd falls silent as the opening video plays. It tells of how the wars against the enemies of the Capitol have improved our lives and stamped out poverty. Lies. If that were true I wouldn't be doing this right now. I could safe with my family as we watched two other volunteers take their place. But that's not true.

The video ends, the mayor introduces our escort and she hobbles into sight wearing ridiculously high heels. "Hello District 1!" She waves to the crowd whilst giggling to herself. "I'm Delilah Gaulle and I am your Escort!...but of course you already knew that!" Same intro as usual. She hasn't changed a bit. She's also dressed the same, trying her best to imitate a flamingo. "I wonder..." She places her hand on her chin as if she was thinking. "Does District 1 have a Victor this year?"

"YES!" The crowd response with a rambunctious roar of approval. I try to play along but worry has begun to creep in. What will happen to my family if I don't succeed? If I die in the Games? Will they perish as well? The very thought of them starving without me makes me hesitant in volunteering...but if I don't we will all starve.

"Well, ladies first this time!" She goes to the bowl but doesn't bother picking a name. The girls who have gone through the volunteering process all shout out and then Delilah picks one. A pretty purple haired girl who literally skips to the stage. Delilah places the microphone under her and asks for a name.

"Anais Morrisa!" She has a sweet angelic voice and the crowd erupts into cheers. I feel my mouth go dry. Soon Delilah will ask for a male volunteer and I will have to make my decision. Stay and try to fix things here? Or compete in the Games to save my family with the endless riches?

"Well, Anais, it looks like the District loves you!" Delilah says and Anais beams happily. "Now, let's find out who will join Anais in representing District One in the 399th Annual Hunger Games!" Here it is. Delilah takes her place beside the bowl. She opens her mouth to speak. I shout before she does.

"I volunteer!"

Delilah claps giddily and points to me. I head for the stage, ignoring the whispers and dirty looks from the other boys. I go up the stairs and stand beside Delilah. "What is your name?"

"I'm Jake Locketback!"

"Jake Locketback!" She grabs my hand and presents me to the crowd. They cheer and I can't help but smiling and even waving. This goes on for a few minutes and then Delilah steps back as the mayor takes back over.

"Hello Jake!" Anais addresses me, smiling sweetly. I'm a little taken back. I'm not use to beautiful girls speaking to me. Heck, I'm not use to any girls speaking to me! I smile back and then realize that the silence between us has gone on for too long. I look for something to say but my mind comes back blank.

"Yo."

Yo? Yo?! What kind of thing is that to say! I give myself a imaginary facepalm as the Anthem that announces the end of the Reaping starts. Anais turns to face the crowd and I can't help but feel stupid now. I guess it really doesn't matter though. We're going to be competing against one another in a fight for survival soon enough.

District Two: Carmine Morrisa
I run my fingers through my long red hair, my matching red eyes watch myself in the mirror. Today is Reaping day and the moment I woke up the words I spoke to my late twin sister Anais ran through my head. ''If you won't volunteer when you're sixteen, I will. ''

This year we both turned sixteen. And she won't be volunteering. She can't. She's not even alive anymore, in all honesty.

I finish with the mirror and exit the house, taking a seat at the bus stop. District 2 has a transit system that will take everyone to and from the Reaping square. I sit myself down and try to wait but I'm not good at waiting. I should probably have left for the Reaping earlier but my stupid alarm clock went off late. Vague memories come back as I remember that my sister Anais would normally wake me, way back when we lived with our parents in the Capitol.

Anais and I were always fans of the Hunger Games, ever since we first saw them. We both always wanted to train but our parents refused to allow us. That didn't stop Anais, who one night came to my door and told me her plan about training ourselves in secret. I agreed to it, of course, and by the next Reaping we were ready to volunteer, only at the age of twelve.

The bus arrives and I get up and enter. It's crowded and I have to go to the way back to find a seat. I sit down and then the rickety bus takes off. We both volunteered, but just as it appeared Anais was about to be selected she was shoved to the ground by an older girl who took to the stage and became the female tribute. Her words stung. "Children don't volunteer. Because children don't win." What stung even more, though, we as that the girl ended up becoming Victor and proving herself right. Neither of us volunteered the following year or the next few years. I don't know why Anais didn't but privately, in my own thoughts, that Victors words stuck with me. That's when Anais said she'd volunteer at sixteen and I'd promised that if she didn't, I would.

The bus travels down the streets. Through the window I can see large groups of people cheerfully making their way down the sidewalks. I'm more at peace here in District 2. Surrounded solely by like-minded people who are eager to volunteer. I'm glad I came here but at the same time that's part of the reason I lost Anais.

Last year Anais and I had wanted to test our strength. See how strong we really were. So, under my suggestion, we stole weapons from the Training Center and broke into a Victors house. The very same victor who had taunted us. We tortured and taunted the young woman before Anais finished her off. It was a shock to me, to realize what we had done. But I shook it off. I became a daughter of darkness. And there was no going back.

Peacekeepers had been called whilst we worked and we had to run. Anais had the idea to run for District 2 and we took off. But the Peacekeepers weren't about the let us go. They captured Anais and she screamed for me not to stop, to keep going. And I did. I never looked back. That was the last time I saw Anais. I arrived at District 2 and started my life anew. The past year has been enjoyable. I've been training and making fun of people as I went. And now it's Reaping day. And my promise to Anais still holds.

The bus comes to a rumbling halt and the people ahead of me climb out. I follow suit and step into the street. Just ahead is the Reaping stage. Sit right at the entrance way to a mountain base the stage is set up at least twenty feet above the crowds head. Several large pillars hold it up and a pair of staircases run from the end of the crowd to the front of the stage. My blood is taken and then I'm in line behind a pair of girls speaking about some sort of "inhuman monster" that lurks in the surrounding forest. I can't help but laugh at them and call them out for being babies that still believe in fairy tales. They begin to defend themselves when a hush falls over the crowd as the opening video plays. Upon its finish our escort, a man called Waco Dawls, takes to the microphone applauding the video. "What a fine video! It really makes one feel for their country!" The crowd joins in on the applause as Waco snaps his fingers and two bowls are rolled out. "As we all know, we have conjoined today to discover which two fine young people will represent District 2 in the 399th Hunger Games!" As more of the Annual speaking go on I feel myself getting antsy. Just get to the Reaping already!

Waco does so eventually, heading for the boys bowl and before picking a name asking for volunteers. As you would expect about half of the boys in the crowd shout out and stick their hands into the air. Waco ends up picking one who towers above the others and the giant slowly shuffles up to long set of stairs. When he gets up the cameras focus on him and I can see that he has spiked black hair and a pair of red eyes. Numerous scars mar his body and he looks like a fearsome foe. Waco asks for his name and he answers gruffly.

"Hammer Time!"

The crowd bursts into laughter and he scowls darkly as Waco asks for his real name. "That is my real name!"

"I. Oh. Uh. Well District 2, please welcome Hammer...Time.." Hammer glares at Waco as he mumbles to himself. Hammer is brushed aside as the Reaping moves on to the second bowl. Waco asks for volunteers and I shout out just as pretty much every girl in front of me does. Waco looks us over and I get fed up with this. I'm not being passed over again! I bowl through the crowd, knocking several girls over as I make my way to the front of the crowd. "You!" Waco points at me and I grin as I run up the stairs to the stage. I'm asked for my name as I reach the top and I answer.

"Carmine Morrisa!"

Finally! My dreams of being in the Hunger Games are being realized! The crowd cheers for me and I see that Hammer is scowling at me. Probably upset that I got cheered whilst he was laughed at. Waco repeats our names and the crowd cheers again as the closing ceremonies begin. I don't have anyone to say goodbye to at the Justice building and I'm just quickly going to the large train station and boarding the long crimson train.

The sitting area is fancy and I sit down on a long couch that leans against the wall. Hammer sits down beside me and Waco shuts the train door and drifts off to another part of the train. I stare across the room at the large television set up and try not to focus on Hammer glaring at me. That doesn't last long. "What are you staring at you stupid pollock?" I snap and he shakes his head like a troubled moose. I continue before he can answer. "You think you're special because you're that inhuman monster everyone talks about?" That does it. His eyes widen in shock as he splutters in disbelief.

"How did you know?!"

"Well, let's see..." I pretend to think for a moment. "The inhuman monster is said to be freakishly tall. Check. It has bright red eyes. Check again. And it wears a watch made out of human flesh. Just like that one!" He lifts his wrist up and gapes at his watch.

"That doesn't prove anything!" He protests and I shake my head indignantly. For someone who's killed so many people he sure is frickin' stupid! As he falls into silence, probably wondering what I could do with this information, I turn my attention back to the television, where the District 1 Reaping is being replayed. A boy takes to the stage but when a girl volunteer joins him I nearly faint in shock.

"It's Anais!"

Hammer stares at me in confusion as I stare silently at the screen. The escort asks for a name and then the girl gives it. Anais Morrisa. Unbelievable. Impossible. How could this be happening? Anais was captured by Peacekeepers! How in the world did she wind up in District 1? The screen goes to show something else but I keep staring in shock. Anais. Alive. A grin breaks out onto my face as I realize what this means.

We can be reunited! Daughters of darkness! Sisters insane! We are Both going into the Hunger Games together!

The grin drops. We're both going into the Hunger Games...where there is only one Victor...I look back to the screen, this time in horror. Me and Anais. Anais and I.

One of us will have to die.

District Three: Iris Pixel
I sigh when I wake up as I know that today is Reaping day. Today two kids will be sent to their deaths in another of the Capitols show of power. As usual there will be nothing anyone can do to stop it. And even I'd you tried, all you would get is death.

Just like my parents.

I reluctantly throw my covers off and take a quick shower. I try not to think of my parents death but on today of all days that's impossible. They only ever desired peace, my parents, but the Capitol never wanted that. Despite what their propaganda may claim.

Both were Peacekeepers, my father the head one. They didn't cruelly enforce their will on anyone. One day though, the Capitol brought in a new Peacekeeper who would "jointly" rule with my parents. The Peacekeeper brought weapons and set chains on the people of District 3. My parents were kept from me, the Peacekeeper was trying to teach them that treason or rebellion would be brought down by the death penalty. He tried to get them to follow in his suite of beating people who stole food and for just about every other offense. They didn't change and one day he asked for a meeting with the District's officials...

I climb out of the shower and get dressed. I don't bother dressing in finery like some of the other girls do. I don't want to act like the Hunger Games I anything special. Once that's done I head for the kitchen and am surprised to see a plate of eggs already laid out for me. I step into the kitchen when he wraps his arms around me in a bearhug. "You look beautiful," he whispers and I can't help but get goosebumps at his closeness.

"You're just saying that, Aspen!" I giggle and he lets go as I turn to admire him. He's dressed in plain clothing but with his large muscular physique and handsome dark brown eyes he looks absolutely stunning to me.

"No, I'm serious Iris. I really think that. You look beautiful today."

I smile and sit down at the table where I begin to eat. He says I look beautiful every day. Not that I mind. He sits down across from me and I offer him some food but he declines, saying he had already eaten. Aspen...

He was what kept me going, when my parents where executed. For that was what happened when they went to that meeting. Nooses were tied around their necks and they were killed. That was their repayment for serving their District dutifully. I was crying in our house all alone when I first met Aspen. He just wandered into the house, covered in dry blood and grime. I knew he wasn't a threat so I shut the door and let him stay.

I cared for him in his initial days. I taught him about District 3 as he was not from here. And he helped me cope with my parents death. He helped realize that not all was lost. It didn't take long to for me to fall for him. Thankfully he shared those feelings.

Aspen always speaks but how he loves his new life. Originally, he hailed from District 2, where he lived with his father to taught him how to fight and kill. Aaron knew that was wrong though and spoke against this. I don't know much about what went down between them. Aspen doesn't like to speak much of it, though I do know his father was an angry drunkard who often beat him. When I remember how I first found him, covered in blood and dirt, I shudder to think what transpired.

"Reapings in half an hour," Aspen says casually as he washes his hands. He knows I dislike the Reaping just as much as he does. "We should get going."

I nod, scraping the last of the eggs into my mouth and stow the plate in the sink. Aspen leads the way out of the house and into the sunny street outside. The weather is much better then it was last year, when on Reaping day it was pouring buckets and we were all forced to stand in the freezer rain as our escort Lysander read off the list of all previous Victors. To get a sense of how long that was think of this: There have been 398 previous Hunger Games and several of those had multiple Victors.

We encounter no obstacles as we approach the Reaping square. We both get our fingers zapped and then we're shuffling into line. "Hopefully no moron antagonizes him this year," A nearby boy mutters as Lysander Bilegin slowly takes to the microphone. Last year he repeated the victor naming process after a girl shouted for him to hurry up. Ironically, this girl was later Reaped and ended up dying in the bloodbath.

"Good tidings, citizens of District 3!" Lysander speaks with his nasally voice. If his personality wasn't enough to make people dislike him, his appearance is. He has blonde straw like hair, is paper thin and wears a pair of glasses perched on a long crooked nose. "Welcome to the Reaping of the 399th Annual Hunger Games! The penultimate Games before the 400th Games next year!"

He introduces the District 3 Victors on stage, of which there are currently eight alive, including the oldest of them, Watt Chargy, who won the 327th Annual Hunger Games. After they get their round of applause he goes on to list the Victors from all Districts and the crowd let's out the usual moan of displeasure. But no one complains audibly and we all wait for him to finish, which he eventually does. "And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for, we will find out who your tributes in the 399th Annual Hunger Games will be!"

He approaches the girls bowl. I feel the heart pounding in my chest as it usually does when a name is selected. I don't know why. It's never my name. But I always fear that one time, it will be. Lysander unfolds a slip and holds it aloft. "The female tribute from District 3 who will compete in the 399th Annual Hunger Games is...Iris Pixel!"

My knees buckle and I feel myself falling backwards. Someone catches me from behind and push me back up. Lysander repeats the name as he searches the crowd for me. Slowly my legs get working again as I move for the stage. I'm climbing the stairs when I see him, Aspen, trying to push his way through the crowd towards me.

"Iris! Iris!" He shouts my name, the pain and anguish evident in his voice. I move for him but two Peacekeepers grab me by the arms and haul me onto the stage and deposit me before Lysander, who looks down at me through his glasses.

"What a pitiful specimen. Surely you will not last past the bloodbath!" My only answer is to make a small sobbing sound as my eyes search for Aspen. My eyes finally meet his and I see the tears sliding out and my pain is redoubled. I remember my promise to never leave him. That promise will now be broken.

Lysander heads for the next bowl and plucks a name out. "The male tribute from District 3 who will compete in the 399th Annual Hunger Games is...Aspen Boltsl!"

That does it. As I see the shock register on Aspen's face I feel myself getting faint. I sway on my feet and then stumble backwards. Lysander throws me a curious look and I speak slowly. "I...think I'm going to faint."

And then I feel myself falling as I black out.

District Four: Mizu Fall
I sit on the edge of the curb, watching as everyone in the District crowds down onto the beach. Today is the start of the Hunger Games season. Reaping day. I'm going to be volunteering, but the reason is far more complex then those of normal kids. Normal kids, who aren't monsters that tear people apart.

I don't know why it happens. Or what triggers it. But every now and then, I'll completely snap. Turning into a monstrous person who will kill anyone in its way. It started years ago, when I came down from upstairs. Then an explosion of pain ripped through me and then my body started moving without input from my brain and...nothing. I blacked out and woke up in the closet, tied up for unknown reasons. I was in their for about an hour when the door opened and my mom peeked in fearfully. Her arm was bandaged heavily and I could see it had been torn open. She asked me if I had "recovered" and, confused, I said yes. She warily untied me and when we entered the main hall I smelt blood and spotted an unrecognisable mess of blood and guts. "That's your father. You killed him" My mom said emotionless. That's when I noticed that I, myself was covered in blood. I had killed my dad and attacked my mom.

I ran away, not knowing what had happened to me but knowing I couldn't risk staying with my mom anymore. It was too dangerous. I eventually found myself on a coast, a beach similar to the one I'm sitting at now. The cascading waves of blue brought me peace and I believed that my life could return to normal.

I was wrong

I met a boy and he took me back to his town, an offshoot of the District. I felt the warning pains coming back but I ignored them. I feel in love with the boy over time but then...one day...I woke up to discover myself killing him. I was mortified, terrified, but yet he lived long enough to say he didn't blame me. Then he died.

I discovered that the village was full of bodies and I knew that it was all my doing. I had faint recollections of doing the deeds and I nearly died from guilt. After that, I ran away again. I didn't interact with anyone but I soon learned that people thought that the village destruction was caused by mutts. Two years passed, and then, just yesterday, I went back to visit my mother and I asked about my horrible transformation. She told me that back when I was born that the Capitol and President Dolan Stryker had paid them money to experiment on me. Apparently all they achieved was making my personality split. Making me capable of turning into a monstrosity that would hurt the District and inspire fear in them. I left my mother, for the first time knowing my own origins. That's when I decided to volunteer.

I want to win and get the chance to speak with President Stryker, to have him get my old life back or face the consequences. There is a problem with that though.

President Dolan Stryker died two years ago in the rebellion. Now his son, Leopold Stryker, is president. He's only nineteen. A year older than I am. He was only a baby when I was born and the experiments started. He might not even know about it. So how am I suppose to have him fix me? I don't know. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Right now I have a Games to win.

I join the crowd heading for the beach and pray that my transformation doesn't kick in. That would be bad. Very bad. I look at the ground, ignoring everyone else as my finger is zapped and I join the line. I don't pay attention and wait for the moment I can volunteer...

"I volunteer!"

"You!"

I'm selected. The escort, Karis Aeris, has picked me and I very carefully ascend the stage. What would happen if I were to transform right now? In front of all of Panem? Next to all these people? Would I kill them all? Or would I be gunned down by the myriad of Peacekeepers? I don't want to find out. Karis shakes my hand and I realize I'm sweating profusely. ''Please don't change. Please don't change''. "What is your name?" Karis asks cheerfully.

"Mi...Mizu...Mizu Fall," I realize I'm stuttering. What must everyone watching think? The sponsors? I pull myself together and try again. "I'm Mizu Fall."

Karis nods thoughtfully. "Well Mizu, let's see who your District partner is!" Soon enough, I'm joined on stage by a tall handsome dark haired boy. He has a charming smile and I have no doubt he will gain many sponsors. When Karis asks his name he responds with: "Kaye Ocelote!" And then the girls in the crowd go wild cheering for him.

When Karis lines us up together I can't help but feel inferior. Kaye is strong, good-looking, and undoubtedly talented. While I'm...none of those things. That's not true. A small voice in my head speaks. ''You've killed many times before. You're a natural. Everyone else is just a poser''...

I feel myself shaking. I am a killer. But I don't want to be. I just want to be normal. But being normal won't help me in the Hunger Games. No. The only thing that will me there is being a cold-hearted killer.

And that's what I am.

District Five: Missy Turner
''OMG! Totally forgot today was Reaping day! LOL! Betta get going!''

I finish my message and quickly send it off. All of my fans on Capititer will be all over this. I smile and slide my phone back into my pocket. I didn't really forget that today was Reaping day. Well, okay, maybe I did. But only in the morning, when I first woke up. That was awhile ago though. Like, twenty minutes ago!

"Missy! Are you ready?" I hear my mother calling me from down the staircase and I come prancing down. She and father are waiting beside the door, dressed in their finery. I examine myself in the large mirror set up at the base of the stairs.

I'm wearing my usual clothing. A nice dress that some might call old-fashioned but I know that everything that was old once must be new again sometime! It's a pleasant teal color, which goes well with my pink socks and matching teal socks. "You look lovely Missy!" My father tells me and I smile as I pull my phone back out and quickly snap a picture of myself in the mirror.  Me looking lovely in my Reaping day clothing! I attatch the photo to the message and send it off to Capititer and my many fans.

"You two both look good too!" I tell my parents with a smile. They thank me and then we all walk out the house down the driveway and climb into our car. District 5 is one of the more urban and wealthy of the Districts and as we pass interesting landmarks I take pictures. I'm sure everyone will agree that these are interesting!

We park our vehicle in one of the many Peacekeeper enforced parking lots around the main factory where the Reaping will be held. My parents lead the way as we exit the car. I wrinkle my nose at the acidic smell from the nearby factories. Thick dark smoke that billows from the large smokestacks are obviously the cause. Peacekeepers lead the way but when I try to snap a quick picture of them they wave their hands and yell at me to put the camera away. "It's a phone!" I huff as I lower it. Unbeknownst to them I quickly send the blurry photo off with a message before putting it in my bag.'' OMG! Peacekeepers so rude! Yelled at me for using a "camera"''

There's no more mishaps after that. We arrive at the gates to the factory grounds and my parents hug me goodbye as they pass through to the adult section of the audience. I join the line to get my blood taken and as I do I run into two of my friends, Sierra and Ciera. "Hiya!" I wave happily and they greet me.

"I saw your message!" Sierra says.

"What kind of jerks where those Peacekeepers?" Ciera pouts.

"Like, total party poopers! It was just a picture!" We talk about this as the plan progresses and after they get their blood taken from us we move onto the fifteen year-olds line. We move up past some other people until we reach the front, where we have a nice view of the stage.

"Hello District 5!" Maxwell Ibrahim our escort of just two years now, says as he takes over for the mayor. "As per usual, I will be selecting two slips from these bowls and two names will be written on these slips. The two names I call will be the two chosen tributes for the 399th Annual Hunger Games!" He stops for applause. There's not any so I applaud for him, feeling bad that he looks so awkward up there. He smiles gratefully at me and continues. "Now let's get to seeing who our tributes will be!" Another stop for applause. None comes. He looks around awkwardly then just goes to one of the bowls and goes through the motion of a dramatic name selecting. "And your male tribute is...Clark Stevens!"

A boy comes from the audience. He's a year younger then I am and has mostly blue hair but with black in the front. He sticks his hands in his pockets and just mills around on stage like he doesn't know what to do. Maxwell congratulates him but he only gives a curt nod and I quickly send off a message on my phone about how I feel bad for the boy who just got Reaped when Maxwell reads the name of the girl tribute and I freeze immediately.

"Missy Turner!"

M-me? I slowly look up. Both Sierra and Ciera are staring at me with gaping mouths. Me? Maxwell repeats the name and then Sierra gives me a gentle tap on the shoulder.

"It's you! You were Reaped!"

"I-I know that!" I skirt around the edge of the stage, to the staircase. I can feel my legs shaking and hope no one notices. Maxwell offers a hand and I shake it. People in the crowd give out a few disappointed groans and I give them a brave smile.

"Missy Turner and Clark Stevens!" Maxwell repeats our names and the crowd offers a few claps before the Reaping ends and a group of Peacekeepers lead us down the stage and march us through the factory to the large office complex at the top. They put me in a almost empty room and I go across to a brown armchair and try not to cry as I sit down.

The Hunger Games...

I never thought they were that bad before. The Capitol seems to love them and they always brought extra commerce and food to the District of the Victor. I never thought it could be a terrible thing. Until now. When I know I'm about to die!

I feebly take a few pictures of the room with my phone, knowing that my fans would want to see what it looks like. I just finish when the door opens and a Peacekeeper ushers my parents in. They head straight for me and wrap their arms around me in a hug. I cry into their shoulders and they tell me that I can still live. "You're bright, resourceful," My father tells me. "You know how to keep yourself alive. You can so this!" We spend the rest of our time just hugging and saying what could possibly be our final words to one another. Then all too soon the Peacekeepers come back and take them away.

Several different friends come to visit me next. I try to put on a brave face for all of them and act unfazed until one mentions how I will change. "What do you mean?" I ask confused.

"Oh you know! The Games change people! You'll probably end up turning into some brutal killer or something. Maybe you'll go insane. Who knows?"

They leave soon after that exchange but their words stick with me. What if I do change? Become something I'm not? Or would that just be the real me? Does it take extreme circumstances to draw out ones true self? My mind buzzes over this even as the Peacekeepers come to take me to the train station. Cameras are everywhere, focused on my and Clark's faces. I try to wave and act happy but my hearts not in it. I'm glad when the train doors slide shut and we're out of sight.

"I'm so excited!" Maxwell practices bounces around the room. It doesn't look like anything special. Just two rows of seats against each wall. "I just know we have a Victor this year!" I sit myself down beside Clark. I don't know if I'll change in the Games but I know I want to survive. And the best way to do that is get myself some allies. Clark seems like a nice enough gut. Might as well start with him. "Its going to be Missy!"

"Huh?" I look at Maxwell in confusion.

"You're going to be the Victor!" He waggles a stubby finger at me. "You're just like the late great Missy Randos!"

"How do you figure that?" Clark asks, voicing my own thoughts.

"Well, they both have the same name for starters! But that's not all! They both were fifteen at the time of their Games, they're both from right here in District 5, and they both had purple in their hair!" He points giddily at the bow in my hair and laughs like a madman. "What's your preferred weapon?" He suddenly asks, taking me back.

"I. Uh. A bow?"

"Ah ha! Another similarity!" He dances around like a loon. I'm getting frightened now at this. Does he expect me to win? Just because of some random parallels? Will the rest of the Capitol think that way?

"What about me?" Clark asks with eager shining eyes. "How will I do?" Maxwell examines him and frowns.

"You'll do decent. Probably die halfway through. But you'll be a good utility player! Oh! Look at the time! I should get your mentors! Toodle-loo!" He happily prances out of the room, leaving Clark crestfallen.

"Ignore him," I say. "He's just overexcited. You'll probably last longer than me."

Clark shrugs. "You could very well win. You look like you'll have plenty of sponsors at any rate." I don't know what to say. Do I? I never really thought about that. I do have a lot of fans. Maybe I will have lots of sponsors...Suddenly I remember my desire for an alliance.

"We should align! We'll last longer together."

"True, true," Clark nods his head thoughtfully. "It's much better than going in alone, at any rate. So, we're allies now?" I smile as I look into his clear honest eyes.

"Yes. Allies."

District Six: Buck Rockwell
It's that time of year again. Reaping day. I remember the events of last year's Reaping, when my name was pulled from the bowl and I was sent into the Hunger Games. I knew it wasn't an accident. My brother Joshua had the Reaping rigged for my name to be the one drawn. My fist clenches around the glass in my hand as I stare off into the gray sky of District 6.

Joshua expected me to die in the Games. He didn't expect me to come out alive, to be the one who would emerge victorious out of the thirty-two tributes. In an ironic twist, when I came back alive he lost his life when President Stryker shot him in the head.

I throw the glass off of the roof, watching as it sails through the air and then smashes into the sidewalk of the Victors Village. I hated Joshua. With a passion. But I never wanted him to die. I didn't want Stryker to shoot him. But it didn't matter what I thought. It never does.

I turn from the balcony and head back down into my house. Last year I went to the Capitol as a tribute. This year I will be going as a mentor. It's a strange sensation, thinking of how two lives will be in my hands now. It's bolstered by the fact that, conceivably, if one of the tributes is eighteen, they could be older than I am. If they are I hope they have enough sense not to just dismiss me out of hand. That would end badly. And not for me.

"Morning big brother!" My sister Rosalina greets me as I come down the roofs stairs. She's wearing in one of the fancy dresses my mother bought for her once we received the Victors money I earned. Rosalina doesn't usually wear them but I guess the Reaping is a special occasion.

"G'morning Rose," I mutter, my thoughts still preoccupied with memories of last year.

"Thinking about him?"

"Huh?" I look up to see Rosalina studying me with a critical eye. "Who do you mean?"

"Joshua. He was the reason for all this. He was the one who rigged your Reap--"

"Shh!" I silence her with an angry hiss and she's taken back. Oh, right. She doesn't know about my conversation with President Stryker, how he's used the rigging as a threat against me. He wouldn't want me telling anyone but I had already told Rosalina this information in the Justice Building last year. "Sorry," I apologize quickly. "Its just that I'm not over it yet..."

"I know. I feel the same." She looks sad as she thinks about Joshua's death. Not that she knows the truth. To everyone but for myself and President Stryker, Joshua was the victim of a mugging gone horribly wrong. He received a bullet through the head and his killer fled. Peacekeepers are supposedly still searching for the culprit. They'll never find him.

"Let's get moving," I say quietly. "We don't want to be late for the Reaping." We make our way down the stairs and into the large main hall. I'm still not use to the house yet, even if I have been here for a year. It's too...extravagant for me I guess.

"There you two are!" Our parents come in from another room. "We should get going. And Buck, isn't the--"

"Isn't the Capitol picking me up? Yeah. They're sending a car."

"Then you should wait for it. We'll miss you." They both go in to hug me and I take it awkwardly. Since I'll be a mentor, I'll be off in the Capitol for however long the Games last. I won't see them again until I return. When they stop hugging me I tell them goodbye and Rosalina gives me a quick hug before following my parents out the door. I watch from a window as they climb into the car we own and drive off. I kinda wish I could go with them instead of being picked up by the Capitol.

I back away from the window and decide I'll wait outside for their arrival. I walk out into the gray overcast day and spot the shattered remains of the glass I threw from the roof. It'll probably be cleaned up by the workers who attend to the Victors Village within a few hours.

"Bucky!"

Oh no. I try not to groan as the door to the house across from ours opens and a woman with long flowing brown hair comes out and approaches me. Marceline. I despise her, I really do. She's annoyingly perky, is always so drugged out that she doesn't make a lick of sense, and constantly calls me "Bucky". "Good morning Bucky! What a wonderful day for growing tulips, isn't it?" Her words are slurred and her eyes are wide and unfocused. Yep. She's drugged out today.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." I crane my head, looking towards the entrance to the village and, hopefully, my ride away from Marceline. She doesn't sense my discomfort though and attempts to hug me. I shove her back and she trips over the curb and laughs wildly.

"Oh! What fun we will have Bucky!"

"What do you mean?" I ask her warily. Marceline is prone to going off on tangents that have nothing to do with the conversation.

"I'm talking about us being mentors of course!" She giggles as she attempts, but fails, to get back on her feet. "I'm so excited! I haven't been a mentor in years!"

"What?! They're making you a mentor?! Do they want District Six's tributes dying in the bloodbath?"

"It's great, isn't it?" She doesn't notice my slight against her and finally succeeds at pulling herself up. "It'll be so much fun!" I don't respond. I'm really at a loss for words. This is my mentor help? A drugged out loon? I can't help but feel this is some sort of statement, a test. They want to see how well I can go. Well, I plan on giving District 6 another Victor!

"Mister Rockwell, Miss Strauss? Your ride is ready."

I spin around and stare at the long black limousine in shock. I was too preoccupied to notice its arrival. The man who spoke, an older man dressed in as chauffeur outfit, stands beside the door with a blank expression as he waits for us. "Umm. Right. Thank you..."

He opens a door for me and I slide in. It smells like mint and leather. Marceline joins me, and almost immediately after the door shuts behind her, begins playing with the windows. Opening and closing them with a button as she giggles like a five-year old. Goes to show all the good drugs do for you. She use to be strong, when she won the Games a decade ago, but now she's just a joke. I don't know why everyone tries to forget what happened in the Games anyway. I have no qualms with what I did or who I killed. I know that they were all trying to kill me, so why should I feel bad for getting them first?

Our ride goes by in silence, well, mostly silence. Marceline is still giggling stupidly. It isn't long before we come to a stop and we exit to find ourselves behind the assembled stage. A nearby man directs us to the left and we climb a set of stairs. We walk onto the stage just as the opening video ends, taking out places beside the other four living District 6 Victors. It's kind of awkward standing next to the two parents of my District partner, Amore Madness. I lived whilst their daughter died and I think that they might harbour resentment towards me for that. They haven't spoken to me since the Games ended.

Not that they ever really spoke to me before the Games. They were usually too preoccupied with giving their daughters the best advice they could, at the cost of ignoring me. I find it hard to care that Amore died when they gave me the cold shoulder. I'm actually kind of pleased that they're so peeved now. "Greetings to District Six!" The mayor takes over now. "Welcome to yet another Reaping! This time for the 399th Hunger Games!" A few scattered rounds of applause before he continues. "But first, let me welcome District Six's most esteemed Victors! First, the victor of the 328th Annual Hunger Games, Robert Iran!" He goes on to introduce each of us. In turn, they all dip their heads to the crowd and they applaud. I don't know if from affection or just happy that we each won them a year's supply of better food. When I'm introduced I get the loudest reaction, probably because I just won and my victorys benefits are the most recent. After our introductions, the Mayor passes it off to Calpurnia Joffree. She's dressed ostensibly in a ridiculous outfit that looks like a cross between a bird and reptile.

"Hello District 6! This year two brave children shall face fire and tribulations of the Games, in an effort to emerge victorious and bestow upon District 6 the glorious honor and prestige of winning a Hunger Games! Just like the honor Buck Rockwell bestowed upon us!" Yeah, yeah. The honour I brought. Big whoop. "But now, let's find out if that thunder shall boom again!" She doesn't waste any time and pulls a name out of the boys bowl. "And the male tribute, who must live up to Buck's standards, is...Julio Fall!"

The name hangs over the crowd and then a boy with a cheerful grin strolls out of the seventeen year-olds line. He looks...I don't know. Not exactly the embodiment of intelligence. His face just seems too goofy. Calpurnia puts the Mic to him and he smiles. "Hello world!"

Yeah. Not exactly a show of intelligence. But I guess I can work with him, he looks athletic enough. Calpurnia goes for the next bowl and takes out another slip. This time she opts for a long silence to hype the reading. Then she reads. "Celia Sonnet!"

There's only a few seconds of silence and then I make out the shape of a girl moving for the stage. But before she can get here another girl jumps out shouting. "I volunteer as tribute!"

The girl quickly comes back up to the stage and I can get a better look at her. She has long black hair and striking blue eyes. Her skin is remarkably clear. "She's pretty!" Marceline whispers and I roll my eyes. Is that the best analysis she could come up with?

"What's your name?" Calpurnia asks.

"Rosalie Sonnet."

"Oh? And were you related to Celia, Rosalie?"

No answer. Calpurnia shuffles her feet awkwardly and then moves on. I keep my gaze on her. She volunteered for a relative, and that itself makes her interesting. I watch as Rosalie looks out into the crowd with firm eyes and I figure she could have a decent chance of surviving. She certainly looks capable of fighting. Then Calpurnia has the two tributes, the two kids I will be mentoring, step back and they are presented to the crowd again. Will one of them be a Victor? I don't know. But if I have to make a prediction then I'd say, yes. District Six has another Victor on their hands.

District Seven: Henry Polyester
I can hear many voices as I lie on the piece of flat cardboard. I hear many footsteps. Why? Why are so many people coming to the edge if the District? I raise my head and look around the small alley where we spent the last few nights. Dad and Mom are near the dumpster, speaking in low voices. The flats of cardboard they slept on sitting at their feet. I can just see a parade of colors as people pass by the entrance of the alley. On their way to...somewhere.

I throw the raggy towel I used as a blanket off and get to my feet. This action brings me to my parents attention and they turn to me. Dad smiles. "Had a good night, son?"

"Yeah...it was fine," I scratch at a red bump on my elbow. I don't like when we spend the night near the forest. There's too many mosquitoes there. "Will we have breakfast today?" I ask, craning my head forward eagerly. The dumpster is big. Surely there's something to eat in there?

"Not today son," Dad shakes his head and my face falls in disappointment. But his next words bring hope. "But we'll have a big dinner tonight! Everyone will feast knowing they weren't Reaped. There'll be plenty of food tonight!"

Woohoo! Awesome! I love Reaping day! I pump my fists in the air and then Mom speaks. "Now come along honey. We have to get to the Reaping."

I'm still overjoyed by the fact that we'll have a dinner tonight that I forgot all about the crowd of people. We join this crowd as we exit the alley. I'm actually kinda frightened by the amount of people and stick close to Mom and Dad as we make our way through. We eventually join a forest path and I gaze in wonder at the tall piney trees. Dad said what they were called once but I forgot. Now I wish I had remembered...

Ooh! Squirrel!

I watch as the furry little creature scampers up a tree and disappears into the dark green branches at the very top. Mom and Dad told me to keep a close eye out for squirrels, cuz if there's squirrels, there's nuts. Sometimes, you can even get lucky and see where the squirrel buries its nuts! I like squirrels. Seeing one means that we'll have food that day. "Keep up Henry!" My Dad says cheerfully.

"Oh. Sorry Dad!" I had forgotten all about moving as I watched the squirrel and now I hurry to catch up. We don't have to walk much longer though. We stop behind a line that is gathered before a Peacekeeper stall. Behind this sits a gigantic stage in the middle of a forest clearing. Many people mill about in front and several more Peacekeepers stroll around, armed with guns.

I don't like Peacekeepers. They always yell at us when we dig through garbage cans. But where else would we get our food? For some reason none of them ever tell us...

"You'll need to get in line sweetheart," Mom tells me.

Dad quickly explains what will happen. Apparently they will zap my finger and take my blood. It doesn't sound too bad for me and when I tell Dad this he smiles and rubs my head. "That's because you're a brave boy Henry!" They tell me where in the crowd they'll be and then I'm off in line. Just like I thought the zapping doesn't hurt bad and the Peacekeeper ushers me into the line with a "12" plastered over it. I try not to run into the other kids and look up as a video plays on a giant screen. It's about the greatness of the Capitol, or at least I think it is. It's kinda confusing and doesn't really make sense. I don't think anyone likes it as they all just stare ahead blankly as it plays.

"Hello everyone! I am Wan Dirx!" A man completely covered in bandages shuffles up to a microphone. He looks pretty cool! Like, some sort of monster. I think I saw something like that in a museum we passed before. What did dad call it? A mummy? Well, Wan looks like a mummy! I kinda miss what he's saying as I examine his features and before I know it Wan is calling the name of the girl that will compete in this year's Hunger Games. I don't know much about them. I only see it on the many televisions set up around the District. Apparently kids from every District must fight to the death. The last one alive wins a bunch of money and a fancy house. Mom says the Games are horrible and I think I agree with her.

"Arbor Alpine!"

I watch as the girl, an older one with long dark brown hair, responds to the name and joins Wan on stage. She doesn't look too happy as Wan congratulates her. He then goes for the second bowl and pops a bandaged hand in as he removes a name. "And the boy joining Arbor is...Henry Polyester!"

Me?!

I look around and see that everyone else is doing the same thing. I was chosen? How and why? I don't know what to do, so I try to mimic Arbor, walking to the stage with my hands held at my sides. Sighs of disappointment echo through the crowd as I finally stand beside Wan. What? Do they not like me? "Congratulations Henry!" Wan claps me on the shoulder cheerfully. I'm still confused and look for my parents. I spot them where Dad said they would be. Mom is crying and Dad has his arms around her in comfort. All of a sudden I get a terrible feeling run through me. Kids fight to the death...only one wins...

Am I going to die?

I'm spinning around in the large office chair when the door opens and my parents are led in by a Peacekeeper. As soon as the Reaping ended two Peacekeepers took me to the Justice Building. I tried resisting at first but then they told me my parents would come visit me and I stopped. Now I'm in this amazing room! It even has a sink in it! Apparently, these people wash their hands every day!

Mom rushes for me and envelopes me in a hug. When she finishes dad reaches into his pocket and pulls out what looks like an old dollar. Memories come rushing back to my head.

It was years ago. We had no food and were wandering around town, asking for food or money from anyone who passed. One man pushed me to the ground as I asked and I fell, crying. Dad crouched beside me and took a dollar out, handing it to me as he spoke. "Let this dollar remind you that it is a cruel world out there, and that when it pushes at you, you must push back harder. Let it remind you: Don't let them see you cry, because one of them may be a predator, and there's nothing a predator wants more than is to see their prey cry. This dollar, my boy, symbolizes strength."

I took the dollar and held onto it, Dad's words forever immortalized in my head. But that wasn't the only dollar I received from him. A few years later we were once again asking for money. But this time someone, a kind-faced lady gave me money. I was confused and asked my parents why she gave it to me. In response Dad took out another dollar and gave it to me, saying: "This, child, is a dollar. Let it remind you of this kindness you were shown tonight. Let it remind you, that even without all the evil in this world, there is still those few people that will do nice things for even a stranger. This is why I still have hope that this world isn't doomed. This is the dollar of hope."

And now Dad has another dollar. His previous words still linger in my mind as he unfolds the dollar and presses it into my hand. "This, Henry, is the last dollar I have from the day you were born. Let this be a reminder to you that your mother and I are routing for you. We believe you can win. We do. So, my dear son, this dollar is the dollar of belief."

I don't know what to say. Tears build in my eyes as I stare at the dollar and then both of my parents hug me. We just sit there in silence until the Peackeepers come back. They lead my parents away and then I'm taken to the train. Despite having never seen such a magnificent thing before, I don't pay any attention to anything except the dollar that rests in my hand.

Strength. Hope. Belief.

I still have all three dollars. And I have, deep within me, all three feelings. As long as I believe, I cannot lose.

District Eight: Colin Bisset
I sit on the stoop of an abandoned building as the rain comes down in a light drizzle. The sky is dark and gloomy. The streets are empty. On a day like this, of all days, it's almost impossible not to think of her.

Aisha Hakeem.

She was, well, not technically, my girlfriend. But my father didn't approve of our relationship and Aisha, in an effort to prove herself to my father, volunteered for the Hunger Games.

I punch the side of the wall in anger. My fists immediately begin to flare up in pain but I ignore them. She didn't need to do that! Who cared if we didn't have my pig of a father's blessing? We didn't need it! I would have ran away with her if I had to! What was worse though, is that I never got to speak to her on Reaping day. I never managed to say I still loved her. And now I'll never be able to say it again.

I want to throw another punch but that would accomplish nothing but harming myself more. And it's not myself who I want to harm. It's everyone who contributed to Aisha's death and those who've harmed her in life. But maybe...maybe I do want to harm myself. After all, Aisha may not have volunteered if I had gotten to speak with her...maybe I am to blame after all...

"Attention District 8," A loudspeaker booms from a nearby building, the voice slow and robotic. "The annual Reaping will occur within fifteen minutes. Those who have not arrived and do not have a verifiable reason for absence will be imprisoned upon its finish. That is all. May the odds be ever in your favor." It clicks off, leaving me in the slight pattering of the rain on the cobblestone. I should get going. Before Peacekeepers come to detain me.

I get up and hurriedly make my way down the slick streets. The haunting emptiness of the city painfully reminds me of the arena where Aisha drew her last breath. Where she was beaten to a pulp by that troll Solar...I remember it happening. Watching in shock as she was brutally killed. And then, seconds after her cannon boomed, my father said that she deserved it. That she deserved to die. "Just like every Muslim". I couldn't contain myself and attacked him. Savagely beating him just as Aisha was beaten. People always say that harming someone else feels bad. That you regret it. But as I beat my father bloody I didn't feel bad, in fact, I felt...good. Happy almost. Like something being caught in your throat and after many, many attempts, you finally pull it out. It gave me a sense of relief. But I didn't kill him. I eventually relented and stopped. He lost his right eye and the ability to walk yet he still lived. I suppose he could have had me arrested, he was Head Peacekeeper after all, but he didn't. I can only assume that he's frightened of me.

"Aha! A straggler!" Something hard hits the centre of my back and I fall forward. I try to get up when a follow-up strike hits the back of my head. "Why aren't you at the square?" I'm gripped by the collar and pulled to my feet. Two Peacekeepers, two of my father's goons, leer at me. One holds a baton.

"You should be at the square by now!" The one holding me growls as he shakes me from side to side. "Everyone is supposed to be there!"

"Oh yeah? Then why aren't you there?"

I earn a swift punch to the gut for my cheek and the one with the baton waves his weapon at me menacingly. "Tough guy huh? Who do you think you are?"

"I'm Colin Bisset," I grunt and they both turn to look at another. They recognize the name "Bisset" alright. They don't seem to know what to do. I am my father's son after all. But I know what I'm going to do. "And I'm going to kick your ass!" Before they have time to react I sweep out the legs of the baton wielder and rip the weapon from his grasp as he falls. The other goes to pull his own weapon out but before he can I clock him in the side of the head and he goes sprawling to the street.

The former baton wielder scrambles to his feet and frantically tries to pull his tazer out. I just swing the baton hard into his midsection and though his uniform protects him from majority of the swing, he still bends off in shock and I slam the baton into the back of his head.

I stand back, the adrenaline still pumping through my body. They aren't getting back up anytime soon. "You should have worn your helmets!" I tell their unconscious bodies. "Like Article 4-15 states! " "While working Peacekeepers are to wear their protective headgear at all times". Guess you didn't get the memo?" I throw the baton to the ground and stalk away, finished. That fight, it felt good. I was able to get all my pent up anger out, able to do something with it. I know I'd usually have hell to pay for that. When they wake up they'll get the rest of their squad and form a search party for me. I won't be able to take down nine of them. But I don't have to. By the time they wake up I won't even be in the District. I'll be on my way to the Capitol.

I'm volunteering.

I keep seeing Aisha's death. In my head and on the television. I need to bring redemption to her and I really don't know any other way. I need to volunteer for the Games. And I need to win.

I hear the voices from the square before I even see it and when I arrive I quickly get in line. The Peacekeeper who takes my blood informs me that I'm late. The opening video and speech have already happened and Escrow is already selecting a name for the females. I push my way through the crowd and by the time I reach the front a girl named Kim Carett is on stage. She's a pale girl. Her wavy brown hair goes down to her shoulders and her wide eyes are filled with fright as she stands before the crowd. Escrow seems disappointed. District 8 had two strong tributes last year and now they have this weakling? Life must be so hard for him.

"Well, the boy who will be joining Kim in the Hunger Games is...Johnson Br--"

"I volunteer!"

The few boys in my way make room as I lurch for the stage. Escrow is almost beside himself as I climb. A volunteer? That certainly negates the weakness of Kim in his eyes. When I arrive Escrow tells me to shake her hand but she shrinks away from me with wide frightened eyes. I get the sense that she's pretty timid. I expect Escrow to force the handshake but he doesn't. He just finishes his escort duties and then the Mayor takes over.

Aisha...I will avenge you. I promise.

District Nine: Jac Price
I'm going to do it. Volunteer for the Hunger Games. In District Nine, where we haven't had a Victor in over seventy years, that seems like a death sentence. And maybe it is. But I'm volunteering either way.

The cold water runs through my hair as I stand in the shower, thinking about what today holds. Reaping day is different for my family, the Price family, we were the apart of the curse that sits upon the District. My relative, Jake Price, was betrayed and murdered by our last Victor, Hazel Dyer. I feel the usual sensation of anger when I think of her. That murderous swine betrayed Jake, who trusted her completely, and then went to turn on the rest of Jake's allies. What stung the most, was that her betrayal paid off and she became one of the four Victors of the 325th Games. Some people say that the curse will never be broken until Hazel, who currently resides in the Capitol, dies. I'm with those people. The sooner that old hag dies, the better.

I turn the shower off and dry myself before stepping out. I get dressed and when I step out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, my eyes linger on the portrait of my late grandfather. I feel a pang of sadness. His death still lingers with me. Grandfather was one of my biggest influences. His death was the catalyst for me deciding to volunteer, to show how unfair the whole thing is. He was also the one who I spoke about Jake with. His death was hard on him, but he eventually recovered. I don't know if he ever forgave Hazel, in my mind at least, he didn't. Hazel doesn't deserve forgiveness.

I don't waste anymore time thinking about her though and instead head down the stairs. My father, Jace Price, who also happens to be the mayor of District Nine, something I don't particularly enjoy. In school I'm constantly referred to as "the Mayor's kid". Anyways, he's already left for the Reaping, having to be there early. Not that it's possible for us to be late, with the stage being set up right in front of our house and all.

I head there now. Stepping out the front door and into the bright sunny day. It's such a contrast to the mood of the people, who are all gathered in front of the large circle stage. I waste no time in entering the crowd and taking my place in the line. I can feel my heart beating furiously as the moment of my volunteering draws closer. I haven't told my father about this yet, but I think he might have already guessed. He's seen me practicing with Grandfather's sword often enough.

"Hello District Nine. Welcome to this year's annual Reaping. Where we shall select two tributes to die--I mean compete--in the Hunger Games. Glory to the Capitol."

"Glory to the Capitol." The crowd half-heartedly repeat. This is something that's recently been enforced by the Peacekeepers. Once the introductory stuff is out if the way, Jace presents Pomona Radsi to the crowd. She's a short and stout woman whose far too cheerful for this occasion. I wonder if she's considered the worse of the escorts, being stuck with District Nine.

"Why hello everyone! Aren't you glad to be here?" Silence, then, a loud raspberry. Pomona frowns before continuing. "Now don't be like that! Last year's tributes did decent enough! Yes, they died, but they put on a good show before passing!" She's just digging herself a deeper pit and she knows it. She drops all happy pretense and continues irritably. "Fine. Let's just reap our tributes shall we? First, the girls." She sticks her hand in the bowl and pulls out a slip. "Azalea Finch!"

The name belongs to a very pretty dark skinned girl. Her black hair is highlighted red in several areas and her bright emerald eyes take everything in as she climbs. In a huge understatement, I'd say she looked upset.

"Hello there!" Pomona says and the girl doesn't take any notice as she reluctantly takes her place on the center of the stage. "Well...let's just see her district partner!" She takes another name out but she doesn't have time to completely read it before I volunteer and join her on stage. My father only shakes his head sadly at me and Pomona looks confused that District Nine would have a volunteer for the second year in a row. "Well, I'll be! What's your name?"

"I'm Jac Price."

I had expected the reaction that followed. Murmurs spread through the crowd. A Price? Volunteering? Unthinkable! Then someone shouts above the voices.

"The curse is over! Jac will avenge Jake! We'll have another Victor!"

Huge cheers break out and I can't stop the smile that spreads along my face. Finally! District Nine finally has hope again! I catch Azalea watching me with wide eyes and I wonder if she feels slighted by the crowds reaction to me. I certainly hope not. That wasn't my intention.

Pomona doesn't move on with the Reaping; she seems too absorbed with the amount of cheering. She actually looks slightly dizzy and I'm concerned that she may actually faint. So my father takes back over and finishes things off. The crowd is chanting my name now and I shout that I will do my best to avenge Jake. They love that and cheer even louder. Despite my hatred for the Games I'm loving every moment. Relishing the good will and hope I have created. I'm on an emotional high, one that doesn't go down until I'm tucked in the Justice Building. Through the window the cheering can still be heard.

The door clicks open and my father steps in, grim faced. I don't know what he's bothered about but I find out pretty quickly. "For your sake you'd better win," He says darkly, sitting down on a chair across from me. "You've gotten them so worked up that you have no choice but to win."

"I had no choice to begin with!" I say derisively. "Thirty-two enter, one comes out alive. That's all the motivation I need!"

"Yes." He's silent for a long time. So long, that I don't expect him to say more. But he does. "You do realize, that if you do not win, that you will be a pariah? Forever hated for not accomplishing what they have set before you. Described as a conman who did not live up to expectations? You will be as hated as Hazel Dyer, if not more."

For the first time since I volunteered, the smile slips off my face. I hadn't thought of that. About any of that. "But I didn't promise them anything!" I protest quickly. My father shakes his head.

"But you volunteered. And you are a Price. Naturally they'll assume you will be the end of the curse...but that's not always how these things go, now is it?"

"I was just trying to show how harmful the Games are! How much they hurt District Nine and the rest of the country!"

"And yet, you have managed to make District Nine as excited for the Games as they've ever been. Funny how these things turn out; never going as planned." And then the door opens as Peacekeepers come in. Jace stands up and nods quietly to me before departing. The Peacekeepers lead me out after. I'm herded to the train station, where large groups of people are waiting. They all cheer when they see me but I no longer wave and smile. My father's words stick in my head as Azalea joins me in boarding the train.

The door slides shut, silencing the crowd. The sound proofing on this train is amazing. The train starts moving and I debate telling Azalea about what my father said when a new voice interrupts.

"You look so much like him..."

Hazel Dyer sits behind us, her fragile frame resting in a velvet armchair. Her hair is now silver, her bones weak and frail. She doesn't resemble the beautiful girl that murdered Jake anymore.

"I see the Capitol couldn't prevent you from turning old!" I sneer at her, my hatred that was lost in the post-reaping euphoria boiling back up.

"Who says I do not wish to be old? Everything ages, eventually." Her old blue eyes focus on mine. I stare back, my heart beating fast at the realization that this is the first time I have ever come face to face with Jake's killer. Azalea must sense something is brewing and nervously steps back into the corner.

"How could you do it?" I ask, my voice low and cold. "How could you kill him? He trusted you..."

"I regret killing him. I sincerely do. But it was necessary. I would never have won if not--"

"Then maybe you shouldn't have won!" The word come out in a scream. "Maybe you should have left him alone! Maybe you could have died a hero instead of murdering him!"

"That's what it always comes to, isn't it?" She speaks softly, as if not aware of my shouting. Her face seems to sink, seemingly ageing before my eyes. "Either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

"No. You became a villain because you murdered Jake!"

She looks up at me, her eyes glistening with what looks to be unshed tears. I tear my gaze away as she speaks. "I'm sorry for what I've done Jac. Hate me if you wish. But that won't solve anything."

"Sorry? You're sorry?! You can't be SORRY!" I lose it. I shout and scream at her. I don't even know if my anger is directed at her. It's just everything I've been feeling to this point bubbling out. Jake's death, everyone counting one me, the cruelty the Capitol inflicts upon us. Everything. Hazel doesn't react beyond watching me with sad eyes. When my rant finally finishes, she states at me in silence and then slowly shuffles out of the room. I watch, panting heavily and feeling foolish. What did that accomplish, exactly? What did I prove? That I can yell loudly? I glance at Azalea, whose watching me with wide eyes. I can't help but feel I've disappointed her. And for some reason that burns the most.

"I...I'm sorry...for that," I murmur quietly.

"Hatred has never been ceased by hatred," she replies quietly. "And I think Hazel learned that a long time ago." She turns and goes out the same door Hazel went. I'm left alone in the room. Alone with my thoughts. I don't know what to feel anymore. What to say. And no matter how hard I try, the only thought that I can form is that I need to win these Hunger Games.

​District Ten: Fawn Talons
The sky is a brilliant azure blue, only a few wispy clouds prevent the blue from fully enveloping the sky. The soft grass beneath me is a dark green and ever so slightly billows in the gentle breeze.

Oh! If only I could remain here all day! I could watch as the initial orange streaks to the sky, as the crickets come out to chirp the sun away. I could watch as the first stars took to the sky, watch as the silver light of the moon shines down upon the meadow. It would be so peaceful...

But I have to get going. I need to go to the, ugh, Reaping. Where we'll find out what two kids will be dying this year. Sure, we could pull a Victor, but is that really likely? It was hard enough to get a Victor six years ago. We're probably in the midst of another drought now.

I sigh as I sir up, ripping my gaze away from the beautiful sky. I love doing nothing but staring at it. It makes me feel peaceful. Like all of my worries are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I always suggest this to anyone who may be having anxiety. Just look at the sky and watch as your worries float away...

I wish I could float away from here, Panem. But that's neither practical nor possible so I give in to the fact that I have to get going. I run across the pasture that my family owns. I pass by our cow, Betsy, and pat her on the back avs I go. She moos in greeting. I reach the lone dirt road that leads to town and appreciate the tall deciduous trees that border the path. They're very pretty.

I don't encounter any other people on my way and that's for the better. I generally don't get along with others very well. I'm not a hermit by any means, I have a few friends, but those are people I can relate too. People who understand me. They're rare, for the most part I'm dealing with people who'd rather I adapt to them. I think it's pretty obvious I won't do that.

After I get closer to the Reaping area I do start encountering more people. Spread out and sporadic at first but the closer we get to the stage the denser the crowd gets. Soon enough we all have to stop in a large line. Just ahead we can make out the forms of people moving on stage.

"They really need to start organizing this better," A boy in front of me mutters and I silently agree. We shouldn't have to wait so long just to get into the crowd. Finally, the crowd slowly begins to disperse as one by one people file into the open clearing where the crowd will be sitting. I enter the sixteen year olds line as activity on stage begins.

"Hello District Ten!" Thaddeus Stubbins our escort comes out with his long billowing beard and dark cloak. He always made me think of a druid but that's just me and my love for fantastical things. "Welcome to yet another Reaping! I hope we have a decent showing this year!" I remember last year's pair. The girl was killed in the bloodbath and the boy was ripped apart by mutts during the middle of the Games. The cameras actually missed his death and we only saw his mutilated corpse being lifted into the hovercraft. People were upset because they thought they would last longer. I was upset because two kids died. "Let's put this off no longer! Time to find out this year's tributes!" Thaddeus sticks a long-sleeved hand into the males bowl and emerges with a slip. "Billy McGranger!"

Well, I don't recognize the name and when the boy comes onto the stage I don't recognize his appearance either. That's good. I won't have a friend dying on me.

"Good day Mister McGranger! How are you?" Thaddeus politely addresses the boy, who has quite the interesting look. His hair is short and predominantly brown but there's alternating patches of blonde and black there as well. He also has a unibrow.

"Well, I'm not doing so well. But I'm feeling better than that day I dropped hot tea on my lap. I was pretty teed off that day!" He suddenly whirls around and points at the crowd, a cheesy grin on his face. Was he expecting laughter or something? He doesn't seem to mind that none comes though, he just continues grinning. "Gee. Tough crowd. Guess that's why its called District Tough?" I bury my face in my hands. Can he come up with any lamer jokes? Luckily, we don't have to find out. Thaddeus shakes his hand and then has him step back as he takes a slip out from the girls bowl and then reads it.

"Fawn Talons!"

I recognize the name this time. My breath catches in my throat. I hadn't even thought of this possibility. I didn't even stop to consider if I'd get Reaped. It seemed so unlikely. But it just happened. I make an odd gagging sound as my breath finally forces itself out and then my feet are carrying me onto the stage. Thaddeus shakes my hand and then says my name to the crowd. Everything feels dreamlike. Like nothing is real. Maybe if I keep thinking that I will wake up safe and sound in the meadow...

"Hey there!"

Billy forces his way into my thoughts. Grinning like a goof he sidles up beside me. "Hey, you know how to catch a unique rabbit?" He asks. I'm not in any sort of mood for this but I play along. I might need him as an ally

"No. How?"

"You have to unique up on it!"

I actually smile at that one and when he sees that his grin gets even wider.

"We could be allies you know. Like, a super team! We could make the other tributes look like cows! And we would look like ranchers! Get it? Cuz we're from District Ten?"

"Yeah. I get it." He's a little...out there. But he certainly seems nice enough and I doubt I'd have to worry about him betraying me. He doesn't have to be my only ally either. I could get an entire group to align with me. And I'm going to need it. Because I'm not going to survive these Games alone.

​District Eleven: Bellamy Blake
I look down the scope of the gun. My reticle lines up perfectly with the deer's heart. It doesn't notice anything wrong. It doesn't know that it will live for only a few more moments. It's too preoccupied calmly nosing the grass at its hooves. My finger goes to pull the trigger when a sharp wind blows from behind me, towards the deer. It's suddenly on alert, looking my way in caution. It senses something is wrong and goes to run.

It's too late.

I've already pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoes throughout the valley as the bullet rips into the deer and drives it to the ground. I instantly sling my gun over my back and jump off of the large rock that was my perch. I rush across the mossy forest floor and when I reach its body I pull my hunting knife out from my belt to finish it off. But there's no need. My bullet hit it directly in the heart, ending it's life immediately, it's glazed vacant eyes stare into nothingness. I silently stow my knife away and get to work.

The deer is heavy but it's only a doe. I've carried heavier before. I sling the animal over my back and head back through the slightly misty forest, towards the small cabin. I wasn't very far away and while normally that would deter me from shooting, the noise of the gunshot could very well reach the main part of the District, I know that no one heard me today. Everyone is sleeping in, grateful that they don't have to work but fearful that it may be their child's name drawn later today.

The Capitol and their stupid rules. You'd think we would have disposed of them by now but everyone is too frightened. Too weak to break any rule or to fight back.

A nearby bush suddenly bristles, alerting me. But it's only a squirrel on its way back home. I watch it go, wondering if I should catch it too. A well-placed knife would finish it easily enough. But I decide not to. A deer is enough food for weeks, if properly rationed. And after today it will only be Octavia eating anyway. I have enough.

The cabin comes into sight. The large oak trees that loom behind it sway in the breeze. I'm brought to mind of the first time we saw it, Octavia and I. We had been on the run from Peacekeepers, with nowhere to go. This place had been a haven for us. And it still is.

As quietly as possible I open the old wooden door. My eyes go to the corner of the room, where Octavia lies asleep. When I carry the deer in and deposit it upon the woods crafting table she murmurs and rolls over but doesn't wake. Good. She deserves to have some peaceful sleep. I busy myself with cleaning and cutting the deer. I store the meat in a old refrigerator we have, place the skin out on the  porch railing, and put the bones in a pile on the side of the house. I always find some use for them. From crafting small knives to filling holes. Bones are remarkably useful.

This all takes awhile though, and while it was dawn by the time I left to hunt, when I finish its nearly noon and o hear Octavia waking up behind me. "Morning Octavia," I say calmly as I chop some of the venison.

She squints at me. "Where you hunting?"

"Yes. I found a doe."

She merely nods and then goes to the spare room we have. She comes out a few minutes later, dressed differently and a frown on her face. "Today is Reaping day, isn't it Bell?"

"It is." I don't look up from my work. I haven't yet told Octavia that I will be volunteering. I don't want her to do anything rash to try and stop me. "We'll need to get going soon." She frowns again. We usually don't go to the Reaping. For very good reasons. Back when we lived in District 11, we lived in a very overpopulated portion of the District. Where families where forbidden from having more then one kid. But my mother, Aurora, had Octavia anyways. Things changed the moment she was born. The usual house inspections that occurred became something to worry about and Octavia had to be hidden under a loose floorboard each time. After a few years of this k began applying to join the Peacekeepers, if I got in I could prevent the inspections, but one day someone figured out what happened. I don't know how but Peacekeepers just broke down the door and shot mother in the head. Octavia was thirteen, too young to be executed so they had Octavia pack things for prison. I wasn't about to let that happen. I knocked the guard out while we were packing and the two of us fled into the forest, where we found this cabin and have lived ever since. We haven't gone back to District Eleven. Until now.

Octavia eyes me suspiciously but she doesn't say anything. I'm glad for that. I don't think I could lie to her face. I do one last round of the cabin, making sure everything is in order, and then I head out with Octavia following. She seems to know something is up but I don't think she realizes quite what it is yet. I don't want her to. She'd try and stop me from risking my life for her. Because that's why I'm volunteering. I need to win and get the necessary money to buy her rightful freedom. We've been lucky so far, with no one stumbling upon our cabin, but if one day we are found...

We would both be imprisoned, if not just executed. And I can't allow that to happen. I won't allow it.

The large cement wall that forms the barrier that prevents access to the forest outside of District 11 comes into view. Two large watch towers dot the corner portion but I have no worries about being seen. When we fled the District we found out that this part isn't even guarded. The towers sit empty and the wall is desecrated and marred with large holes. We pass through one of these holes now, watching our footing as we walk over the misshapen pieces of concrete. Octavia briefly stumbles but I grab her shoulder and keep her steady until we reach the other side. She nods gratefully at me and then we plunge into the wheat fields.

We run, so it doesn't take long at all before we reach the other side and find an old run down road. We follow this all the way to the main part of the District, where the urban buildings and processing plants are. The buildings are even more broken down then I remember. Not a single building doesn't have graffiti or a broken window. This place has gone to hell. I'm glad we got out when we did.

A pair of Peacekeepers come walking down the opposite way, heading for us. Octavia lets out a sharp intake of breath but I take her shoulder and steer us through. The Peacekeepers don't even take note of us. "We're safe here. You don't need to be afraid."

"I wasn't afraid!" I don't reply. Octavia is stubborn like that. Refusing to admit weakness. Whenever I bring it up she says I'm the same way. But admitting it and having it aren't the same thing. We pass several more Peacekeepers before we arrive at the square. Octavia doesn't react like she first did but she watches them all with suspicion filled eyes.

"We're going to have to go in separate lines," I say stopping on the edge of the square.

"I know that."

"Will you be okay by yourself?"

"I'm not defenceless!" She glares at me for a moment and then her look softens. "I'll be fine. Just don't do anything stupid, okay?" I wave her on and watch as she joins the fifteen year olds line. I couldn't promise that. Because I know I'm about to do something she will think is very stupid. But I have to.

Once she's safely in line I join my own. The other eighteen year olds all talk in hushed voices as the onstage actions take place. I don't pay any attention to it. It's just useless propaganda that exemplifies what's wrong with this country. I'm more concerned with watching the turrets the Peacekeepers have set up. Now if I had one of those I wouldn't worry about anyone discovering our cabin...

"Its time to reap our female tribute!" I pay attention for the first time as the woman with the ridiculous accent, Lillia, I think her name was, reaches a gloved hand into the giant bowl. Who will my district partner be? I'm hoping for someone strong. Someone who could be a valuable ally. "And the tribute is...Octavia Blake!"

"No!"

The word escapes from my mouth and several nearby boys turn to look at me. Octavia wasn't supposed to be Reaped! This wasn't suppose to happen!

Octavia is heading for the stage with a tremulous look on her face. I think her name has rung bells. Peacekeepers are already whispering to another and Lillia hurriedly moves onto the boys. I my shock, I almost miss my chance. Just as the called boy is heading for the stage my hand shoots into the air. "I volunteer!" I call as I push my way to the stage. When Octavia sees me she shakes her head rapidly and mouths "No". Lillia swoops down on me with a wide grin.

"Your name, handsome?"

"Bellamy Blake."

"Hold the horses! Are you two siblings?!"

"Are you daft, bitch?" Octavia growls at her. She wheels around in shock and then goes back to the centre of the stage. Octavia turns to me. "How could you Bellamy? I told you not to do anything stupid!"

"I wasn't just going to sit back and watch you get sent to your death!"

"But now one of us has to die! Don't you understand?!" I understand all right. Before Octavia was Reaped I was going to volunteer to help her get a normal life back. Now I volunteered for a different reason. I volunteered so Octavia's life won't end prematurely. Now I'm going to do everything in my power to keep her alive.

​District Twelve: Misty Honeysuckle
"Yeah, you could get Reaped. But there's point fretting about it. Nothing we can do to change whatever is going to happen. We just have to hope for the best."

Words that may not comfort most people comfort me as I think of the upcoming Reaping. Could I get Reaped? Most definitely. Will I get Reaped? Uncertain.

My father, Hilt, smiles at me and then goes to flip the "Open" sign to "Closed". Not that it mattered. No one would be coming to check whether the grocers was open with the Reaping only a half hour away. Just then, my brother Hawke walks back into the room. He's not actually my brother, just like how Hilt's not really my father. But they've raised me since I was three and to me that means they are actual family. "You're pretty good with that sword," Hawke says as he stops beside me. "Maybe if you were Reaped you'd win."

"Maybe." We both smile even though I know that the odds of me winning would be next to none. Yeah, I've trained with an old battered down sword a couple times a week but what is that compared to kids who train their whole life?

"Come on you two. We don't want to be late." Hilt has us follow him out the door and we head down the street. We live in the Merchants section of District 12. I usually spend most of my time secretly pickpocketing people here but sometimes I go to the Seam, where, supposedly, Hawke's mother, who deserted him when he was only three, now lives with a husband. She hasn't even tried to contact father or Hawke since she left. They don't like talking about her and I only know a few details. I wonder if I ever picked her pockets.

The Merchants section isn't far from the main square and we arrived there in a few moments. We were later then most but we still manage to squeeze through the group. When we stop before the blood taking line father claps me on the shoulders. "Good luck," he says and I nod.

"I hope to be back for dinner," I say and then join the line. As I get my blood taken I worry about what will happen if my name is drawn. I know it's a distinct possibility. I've taken Tessarae and my name is in there many times. If I'm taken will Hawke and Hilt be okay? We just barely get by right now and that's with my secret pickpocketing. What will happen if I'm gone? I squeeze my eyes tight and then get into the clearing. No point worrying. There's nothing I can do to change whatever is going to happen. Just keep calm...

"District 12. Welcome to the Reaping for the 399th Annual Hunger Games. We will select two tributes to compete in the Hunger Games. Enjoy." The mayor seems to drone on as he reads his cue cards. I try to pay attention but I find it hard to listen to something so boring and monotonous. He finally ends the monotony by passing it off to Pippy Kotu, our escort. Great. Now instead of me bored I can be annoyed.

"As usual, gentleman first!" Pippy literally skips to the bowl and plucks a name from it. She wastes no time in reading it."Timmothy Hansan!" Silence and then...

"I volunteer!"

A boy steps forward. He doesn't look to be starving, like majority of District 12's tributes, but he's still pretty slim. He has short black hair and is rather pale. He's taller then me but that's not saying much. Most people are taller then I am. When he reaches the stage and says his name, Ganta Alomo, a few people groan in disappointment. I'm confused as to why until a nearby boy mutters. "He's the doctors son."

Of course! Alomo! The last name of one of the few doctors in the District! I examine Ganta with more curiosity now. He has both hands in his pockets and is staring at his feet. No doubt worried that death could be coming all too quickly. Pippy babbles on happily about something before heading for the girls bowl. I don't even have time to worry that it could be me before she's reading the slip.

"Misty Honeysuckle!"

I've always known it could happen. That the possibility was very real. But to actually have it happen...is very different. I can barely register what is happening. My feet move almost by their own accord. I'm on stage and Pippy is saying something to me. Ganta hasn't looked up. I feel tears building in my eyes but I desperately force them back. I will not cry. I won't show them any weakness.

Hawke...and Father...

Losing them will be the worst. Knowing the pain they'll feel if I die. The very thoughtful is ripping me apart. Making me want to cry, but no, I won't cry. I won't cry. Not until I win and come back here. Not until then. I won't cry.

District Thirteen: Luxio Sertralium
The sky is cloudy. The sun is hidden out of sight, behind the thick gray lumps of fluff. Guess that even the sun knows that it's Reaping day. If I could, I'd hide too. That would be preferable to standing here in a line that slowly moves towards the ominous stage set up just ahead.

"Please don't be me!" A kid just behind me whispers to himself. All around us others are saying similar things. All of them whispering in hushed voices. I'm betting the Capitol just loves watching these scenes. It makes them feel all powerful probably. It merely makes me sick.

"Next!"

The line shuffles forward. The front kid gets his blood taken. Then they call again and the stiff line continues, taking seemingly forever. I sigh and just stare ahead as the wind begins to pick up, rustling the dead branches of the few nearby trees. It's a wholly unsettling sound. Dry wood rubbing against itself. Eerie. I'm just glad I have my dark blue hoodie to protect my face from the wind.

"Next!"

The line keeps moving. I eventually reach the top and a Peacekeeper grabs my arm with more force then necessary before zapping my finger. "Get in line!" He pushes me forward and I grudgingly trudge into the sixteen year olds line. The lines are separated with small wooden fences. The twelve year olds line on one side and the eighteen year olds on the other. I'm crammed in with all the other sixteen year olds and I have to crane my head up to see the stage assembled before us.

The base is a startling ebony color, the flooring a metallic silver. Several people wait on top, eager for everyone to pile in so they can just get this thing over with. I'm with them. Let's just get this over with.

It takes a dozen more minutes before they begin though, and even then there's still some stragglers piling in the back. "District Thirteen, I welcome you to yet another Reaping!" Our Mayor addresses us with open arms. Literally. He spreads his arms open like he's trying to hug us. "Let us hope we have a Victor this year!" And with that, the Reaping begins. I can't say I'm observant of what happens. But I tried to--Okay, I got distracted playing rock-paper-scissors with a couple of other boys, but when it gets to the actual Reaping part I'm all ears. "And the female tribute is...Alexandrite Bohamia!"

That causes a stir within the crowd. Just a few years ago we had a Bohamia compete in the Games. She ended up finishing fourth, being eaten by the male from District 11 who would then perish in a sudden flash flood. Come to think of it, I think that other Bohamia was a volunteer who volunteered for her sister....Alexandrite. Oh. Everything clicks into place. This Alexandrite had her name chosen but then her sister volunteered for her. But now here we are, in the same exact predicament.

"Congratulations!" Our Mayor claps Alexandrite on the back as she climbs up. Her most noticeable feature is her hair which, frankly, looks like unicorn vomit. A whole multitude of bright colors. I think my eyes are hurting as I stare at it. "You will fare much better then your sister, I guarantee it!" Alexandrite bursts into tears at his words and he looks confused. Not the brightest bulb in the box. "Um. Well. Those must be tears of joy!" He claps her heartily on the back again and then goes for the boys. I feel a shiver run down my spine just as he pulls the slip out. "And the male tribute is...Luxio Sertralium!"

He mispronounced my name. That's my first thought. My next one is "Crap. This is not going to be a fun day". I sigh, committing myself to this fate, and push my way through the other kids. They all stare holes in my back as I go. When I reach the stage I have my back clapped and I'm greeted cheerfully. "What a stupendous lad!" My eyes flicker over to Alexandrite and I see that she has dried her tears and is watching me with a curious gaze. Then I'm grabbed around the shoulders and pushed to the front of the stage, Alexandrite joins me a moment later as we're presented to the crowd.

"District Thirteen! Give it up for your tributes of the 399th Annual Hunger Games! Alexandrite Bohamia and Luxio Sertralium!"

District Fourteen: Amaya Lovelace
I wake up in a cold sweat, screaming like a maniac with my arms batting at imaginary enemies. The nightmares happened last night. Again.

It takes only a few moments before I calm down. I'm still breathing heavily as I pull my knees to my chest and hug them. The room is still dark, only the faint shining of light emerges from a crack in the wall. I'm not in the wilderness. I'm not being hunted by Peacekeepers.

I saw Sean. I watched as he slowly starved to death before my very eyes. I felt as helpless as I did the dozen of other times I witnessed. I saw Aelia die, us being too late to help her. I saw Claire fall to the ground and beg for me to continue without her. I saw them all die again. It was so vivid and clear...it felt so real.

The clock on my wall suddenly chimes, startling me. A little bird pops out and makes cuckoo noises. I squeeze my eyes shut tight. That's probably why the nightmares have been getting worse. Reaping day is coming and with it, all of my terror filled memories.

I have such a clear recollection of last years. When I came to see my friend Aelia off at the Justice Building. We, her friends and fellow conspirators in a group of rebels, all promised we'd come and break out of the arena, that we would free her. I remember all of our faces, bright with hope of success and a brighter future. We were such fools to imagine what we sought was possible. But we didn't know that and so we pressed on with our objective.

It was a struggle to even find out the location of the arena, something that should have tipped us off about the enormity of the task, but we managed to coax it out of a high-ranking Capitol official during the training period and then we were off. It was a long journey, fraught with dangers and food shortages. By the time we finally arrived at the arena, only seven of the ten of us remained.

We had no idea if Aelia was still alive. We had no way of contacting the outside world. But nonetheless, Harrison, a District 3 runaway and a technological genius, managed to hack into the arena systems. But before he could do anything, chaos erupted: A dart struck him in the back and he fell forward, slumping against his monitor. Peacekeepers had found us.

Some of us fought. The others ran. I managed to escape into the forest with Sean, my boyfriend, and another girl named Claire. My eyes still well with tears when I think about this. We escaped, but it didn't come without a price. We lost all of our remaining supplies and where now lost in the middle of nowhere. We were just out of energy and on the brink of collapse when we found an abandoned house with an old, but still working, television. That's when we learned that Aelia had died in the arena. She was torn apart by mutts, though they had no footage of the act. All we saw was a distant shot of her body being taken into the hovercraft. I refused to believe it was her. Thought that it had to be some sort of trick. But maybe I was just desperate for hope. Maybe I still am.

The news dropped our morale and it was made even worse by Sean dying of starvation the following morning. I cried my eyes out. I still do, when I think of him, just lying there cold and stiff. But I knew we had to move on, that the Peacekeepers would soon find us. But Claire wasn't in any condition to go anywhere. She told me to go and save my self. I refused and stayed with her to her last breath. I buried them both, leaving behind the last vestige of my friends. And I pressed on.

I eventually found a house inhabited by a pair Capitol citizens. I killed them brutally, without remorse. They deserved to meet the same fate that my friends did. I don't regret it in the slightest. I ransacked the home, taking every desirable object in it, and then, once I was well-fed and rested, set off again. I smuggled myself onto a boat, one that would take me far away from the Capitol, all the way to District 14.

And here I am.

Despite my physical distance from the Capitol I still see their presence everywhere. Peacekeepers, propaganda, and the Games. No matter how hard I try I won't be able to escape from them. I still imagine our groups dream...but now more then ever, it feels so impossible. What's worse though, is that if we hadn't even tried to accomplish it, they would all still be alive.

I throw another look at the clock on my wall and then let out a long sigh. I roll out of bed and head for the door. I slept in my clothes and there's no need for me to change. Stepping out into the unimaginably sunny day I blink in surprise. I always forget that I'm no longer in the snowy District 0 but the tropical District 14. A light cool breeze blows past, keeping the temperature to a reasonable level. Sean would have loved this place so much...

Memories of him and my other friends swirl in my head as I make my way to the giant walkway that hangs over the ocean. The boards creak and groan under the massive weight from the crowd. I would worry about it collapsing but it hasn't yet so I doubt it will. I take my place and then watch the onstage theatrics.

I don't know if our escort has a name, if she does I've never heard it, but I just call her Fox because that's what she looks like. She's one of those freaks from the Capitol who made herself look stupid because she can. Right now she's holding the microphone and talking about the greatest of the Games. I'm disappointed to see that some people in the crowd are actually buying it. I would have hoped they were smarter then that but here they are, fawning over her words. "Now let's see who our tributes are!" She finally gets to the point and dramatically removes a name from the boys bowl. "Luxray Meganium!"

At first I think that the boy is being held on the shoulders of the others but than I see that he's just tall. Really tall. He gains the full attention of everyone in the crowd as he climbs on the stage. He has to be at around six and a half feet tall. He's not exactly a mound of muscle, he's pretty lanky, but his sheer size alone gives him the applause of the crowd.

"What an intriguing specimen!" Fox says as he stops beside her. His golden eyes take in the crowd and I feel like he's already scheming some clever plot. "You will certainly be one to watch for!"

That he will. I know enough about the Hunger Games to know that his size and mysterious appearance will make him a heavy betting favourite. Fox gives him a few more compliments and then goes to select his District partner. "Amaya Lovelace!"

I feel like something hard hits me in the gut. I suck in my breath and then never let it go. How is this possible? Why is my name even in the bowl? I just arrived in the District! And I never registered with the District. I live in an abandoned shack!

I try not to scream in anger. Is there some law saying my life must be made as horrible as possible? That I'm not allowed to ever see even a shred of happiness? I look around frantically and see that everyone else is doing the same. Briefly I consider making a run for it. No one knows what I look like, I could escape on a boat and head for yet another District, but then I see Peacekeepers blocking the exits. I left it too late. They will run DNA work on everyone attempting to leave. I have no choice but to go to the stage.

Fox squeals happily when I finally ascend. The crowd doesn't react like they did for Luxray. I'm not anything special. Fox has me shake hands with Luxray and the boy stares over my head. I get a real sense of his size now that I'm up close. He's a literal giant. I wish I was his size, then I could stand half a chance of surviving. But I'm not. And my odds of winning are a snowballs chance in District 14.

The Capitol: Iggy Coupe
Heh heh. Today will be the day. The day I've been waiting for my entire life! I will finally be noticed by my family! I will finally do something of merit that will bring me to their attention! Heh. I can barely sit still as I stand before the stage. My arms swing back and forth and one of them slaps the boy next to me across the face. He angrily shoves me forward into the next boy and in turn he turns and shoves me another way, where another kid repeats the process. This goes on, with me pinballing through the crowd until I come to a halt on the edge of the line.

I don't care. I'm too excited for what's about to come, where I finally get noticed. I've spent so long attempting to find a way to for it to happen. I tried making machines for my father's business but that didn't get my anything but a job that I had no desire to earn but kept anyways. Then there's my inventions, my wonderfully creative inventions that are capable of doing just about anything I desire them to. I thought for sure that they would bring me some recognition. No one else in my family had such genius! No one else in the Capitol even had such brilliance!

They ignored them and I used them for some ingenious pranks but it appeared no one cared much for them. They didn't even care enough to yell at me for them. Can't they see my genius? My vastly superior intellect? Why am I constantly ignored? Heh heh! That will end today! I am to do something that will bring the attention of everyone in the Capitol!

I learned of this superior, complex, utterly amazing plan because of what happened to my friend, a very good friend. His name was Cooper and he actually saw me. Not like my parents or siblings who constantly ignore me. And not ever b on purpose! They just barely know of my existence! What was I saying again? Yeah! Cooper! My friend. We both work at the same place and he saw me and actually took the time to befriend me. That didn't last long. Soon he died. He was Reaped for the Hunger Games and was the first dead. I got my idea from his death. His horrible, pointless death. Everyone, including myself was so sad. I could see the looks in their eyes, see the longing. And that's when I realized that I should volunteer. Even if I died like Cooper at least I'd be seen. My family would cry over my death and everything would be as it should!

My other friends from work agree. It's such a good plan. Such a very good plan. "Hellooooo citizens of the Capitol! Are....you....EXCITED!" Our President Stryker comes waltzing out onto the stage. His sleek black hair has been styled professionally and he grins as he addresses the large crowd that has assembled before his mansion this night.

"YES!" The crowd responds enthusiastically. He grins.

"Are you all ready to find out what two brave young man and woman will be representing the glorious Capitol in the 399th Annual Hunger Games?"

"YES!"

I feel my body twitching on anticipation. Any moment now will be the time I become visible to my family. I can't wait! Stryker continues to ask the crowd questions though and I can't constrain my hands from shooting into the air.

"Watch it!" A boy who hits clobbered in the ear by my elbow growls a curse at me and backs off just as Stryker asks another question.

"Who should go first? The boys or girls?"

"YES!"

"I'll take that as the boys. Now, let's see who--"

"Me! It's me! Pick me!"

I wave my hands frantically in the air and jump around giddily as Stryker's eyes swivel to me. The other boys all shout in protest as I prance around them in uncontrollable glee. I see a few Peacekeepers on the edge glaring at me and then I decide to just get on the stage already. I climb up with a wide grin and as I reach the top two members of the Stryke Force step towards me but President Stryker brushes them off. "And who is this brave little volunteer?"

"Iggy! Iggy Coupe!" I laugh wildly and eagerly my eyes scan the crowd for ny family. Surely now they see me. Now they care about what will happen to me? Finally I see them.

But they don't see me. They don't even notice me.

I begin to chuckle, I feel my head twisting violently as I fall to my knees. My laugh a strange mix of a desperate plea and a demented chuckle. They don't see me? Even know? I squeeze my eyes shut tight and give up. I just give up. Who gives a frick about them! I don't! I don't care anymore! I don't need them! I never needed them! Why did I ever waste my time with them? I'm better off without them! Screw dying and having them miss me! I'm going to win these Games! And if I win, if I win, I can share my victor's home with my suffering friends. No. I'm no longer going to beg for my family's attention, it isn't worth it. It never was.

"What a remarkable man you are, Iggy."

"Huh?" I look up and see President Stryker watching me with a small smile. Me? Remarkable? He...he sees me? He sees me! Heh heh! I'm not ignored here! And the crowd, I finally notice the crowd! They're all watching me, minus my family, they all see me! I begin giggling as I rise to my feet. Stryker offers a hand and I take it, giving a handshake. Heh heh. I'm noticed. I'm noticed!

Stryker says my name to the crowd and they actually cheer. They cheer me!. I can't believe it! I breath heavily as I take in the large cheering crowd that sits under the intense lights from the towers. Screw my family! I have all the attention I need from this crowd! Heh heh! I'm in such an euphoric rush that I don't even mind when Stryker goes to select the girl, someone by the name of Flame Vapore.

Then I see her.

She looks like an angel, with long white hair that goes down to her back and pale grey eyes. She's tall and slender and carries such a regal presence around hair that I can't help but fall quiet and stare.

"What an intriguing girl!" President Stryker offers a handshake but she only stares at it and he eventually drops his hand. He isn't smiling anymore. "You will certainly fare well..." He turns to the crowd. "Citizens of the Capitol! I give to you, your tributes of the 399th Annual Hunger Games, Iggy Coupe and Flame Vapore!"

And they all cheer again! They all cheer for me! I take it gleefully, trying to snatch the cheers out of the air. These Games are mine! All mine! I can win and give myself a new, better family!

Heh heh.

Rosalie Sonnet (District 6)
The sheer glamour of the District 6 apartment is astounding. I walk around the room taking in everything, from the shimmering gold curtains to the shiny porcelain toilet, everything just looks so expensive. It makes me both envious and angry but I try not to dwell on those feelings as I clothe myself in the training garb. I found it lying in a neat pile outside my door this morning. It's not exactly my taste, but it fits me perfectly, like it was designed solely for me, which it probably was.

When I finish getting changed I depart my room and head down the long hallway that leads to the dining room. My mentors, Buck and Marceline are both present. Buck is lounged back in his chair, buttering his toast while Marceline plays with some rolls. I notice that my District partner isn't here.

Buck motions for me to sit down and I do, helping myself to a plate of eggs. "Where's Julius?" I ask.

"Hmm?" Buck looks up, his mouth full of toast. "You mean Julio? He's in the bathroom. Apparently the spicy burritos he ate last night didn't sit too well with him."

I grimace and try to focus on eating but my curiosity eventually gets the better of me. "Will he be done in time to attend training?"

Buck shrugs. "Maybe. I wouldn't count on it though. It sounded pretty bad." Silence then overtakes our table for the rest of the meal. I'm not concerned about Julio, other then as a possible enemy that is. He's pretty strong and athletic but he's not all that bright. I don't think he will be anywhere near my largest threat.

By the time we finish eating and a pair of Avoxs clear the table it's become evident that Julio isn't going to show so Buck and Marceline lead me to the elevator alone. "Try to learn something new," Buck says as I push the button and wait for the doors to open. "And don't let anyone intimidate you." That's not something he has to worry about. I don't get intimidated by anything.

"Try to make plenty of friends!" Marceline giggles as the doors open and I step in. I ignore her and nod curtly at Buck as the doors slide shut. The ride is longer than I thought it would be, or it feels that way at least. Thoughts of my sister Celia float around as I descend. If I hadn't volunteered for her what would she be doing right now? Would she have chosen to align with Julio? Would she be thinking of having allies? Something I have already written off. Allies can only lead to trouble.

The doors suddenly open and I step out into a large gymnasium. My eyes zoom around, trying to take everything in. The racks of weapons and their corresponding stations are all in the back, directly across from me. The survival stations are spread to the left side and the Gauntlets, Ropes Course and other stamina stations are on the right. Stepping forward and turning, I can see that the cafeteria is just to the left of the elevators. As I examine my new surroundings I notice that I'm one of the first tributes to arrive. Only the Careers and the pair from District 9 are here. I sense them watching me, probably wondering where my district partner is, and I lean back on the wall as I wait for the other districts.

I don't have to wait long. An elevator opens and deposits the tributes from District 11 and one by one the other Districts arrive. By the time the training period should be beginning, every single tribute has come. Except for Julio. He must still be stuck up in the bathroom.

"Line up by height!" Trainers start lining us all about and as I use this opportunity to examine the other tributes. Hammer (2), who looks just shy of seven feet, is at the left end of the line. He's followed by Luxray from 13. At the far end of the line stands Misty from District 12, the shortest tribute. I'm placed somewhere in the lower middle of the line and as I take in everyone else I start feeling more confident of my ability to win. Yeah, there's a lot of tributes bigger then I am but they don't look any brighter. And the tributes who do look smarter then me, or at least on par with, don't seem to be any stronger. The exception to this is the boy from District 3. He's tall and about as muscular as any Career but seeing as he's from 3, where all the geniuses are, he's certainly not a dummy. If I was willing to bet who my biggest challenge would be, I'd say him.

"Everyone listen closely!" A man steps forward from the group of trainers. He's shorter and stockier then the rest, not necessarily fat but definitely built like a barrel. His hair is cut short, buzzed in the same style as the Peacekeepers back in District 6. "I am Llywelyn, the Head Trainer here," He taps his jacket vest, where the letters "H.T." are embroidered with gold lace. "And it would do you well to listen to my words. Failure to do so could very well result in your death." He definitely has everyone's attention now. "Weapons and the ability to wield weapons, are important. But not the most important skill on display here. Being able to supply yourself with food and drinkable water, not to mention shelter, is what will determine your fate. You may find yourself in a situation where you need a knot tied but you do not know how to do so, having passed up to opportunity to train with both a spear and a mace, neither of which may even be available to you. I tell you this so you divide your time wisely. Now...get training!" He blows a whistle and chaos ensues. The Careers go straight for the weapons, apparently completely disregarding Lylwelyn's words. They've had years to train with weapons. What use could a few more hours wielding them accomplish?

The other tributes dart to and fro. Some asking for alliances, others seeking an empty station. The boy from District 0 goes straight for the Careers, obviously eager to join up with them. I hang back and then remembering what Lylwelyn said, I go to tie some knots.

Kaye Ocelote (District 4)
"I hate those two," Hammer (2) growls as he watches Anais (1) and Carmine (2) swinging around a pair of maces. I have to agree with him. Not only did they both opt not to join us, they didn't even have the grace to come tell us that, instead just going off on their own and ignoring us completely. That, along with the fact that the Capitol tributes, who aren't that impressive looking anyway, didn't align with us means that there are only five of us Careers. Jake from District 1, Hammer, my weird district partner Mizu, and myself. Oh, and Fenrir from District 0 joined. Apparently he's the brother of last year's tribute Odin Amarth. I can certainly see the resemblance. Now the five of us are just loafing about the sword station, not sure on what our direction is.

"I will be leader," Mizu (4) suddenly states. We all turn to her in surprise. Hammer (2) is the first to respond.

"No. I'm leader!" He draws himself up to his full height and towers well over Mizu. I exchange a look with Jake. He certainly has that intimidation factor going for him. Mizu, however, doesn't back down and instead goes toe to toe with the giant.

"Why can't we both be leader? It's not like we can't cooperate!" Again I exchange a glance with Jake. Two leaders? Of a small five person alliance? That seems a bit sketchy and I expect Hammer to protest but he doesn't.

"Fine. That seems fair."

They both turn and head off in opposite directions. Hammer towards the axes and Mizu for the tridents. I'm about to head for the Archery Station when a hand touches my shoulder and I turn to see Fenrir (0) behind me. "Come with me," he says loudly. "If our leaders aren't going to recruit anyone, we will!" He marches off but not before grabbing Jake (1) by the back of the collar and bringing him with. As we cross the gym most of the tributes we pass hurriedly scurry away, intimidated by the mere presence of us. I'm wondering who Fenrir has in mind when he stops in front if the Camouflage Station, where the two dark haired males from Districts 13 & 14 are practicing their skills. "You two!" Fenrir's voice booms as he addresses the two boys. "The Careers would like to offer you a position in their ranks. You must be incredibly honored!" They look at each other for a few seconds and then the tall one, Luxray I think, nods at the other who speaks

"Well, we are, um, honored. And we would like to join with you guys but we must decline on this occasion. But maybe we could have a truce?" He looks up hopefully at Fenrir, whose eyes are dark and unreadable.

"Fine...we'll have a truce." He turns and leaves without saying another word. Jake and I hang around for a few more moments and then hurry after him. A truce? I don't know how long that will hold up. Maybe not even for the bloodbath, if Fenrir's expression is anything to go off. Their declination of joining us doesn't deter him though, as he goes right for his next targets, the two District 3 tributes. The two of them are crouched beside one another, attempting to get a fire started. One, a muscular dark haired male whose practically a man, looks up as we approach.

"What do you want?" He demands as the girl shrinks behind him.

"The Careers would like to offer you a position in their ranks. You must be incredibly honored!" The boy seems taken back. And then a hard smile crosses his face.

"You want us? Ha! Like we would join up with you cowardly murderers!" I feel myself bristling as I begin to think up a retort but Fenrir speaks before I can.

"You defy our offer and insult us? Mark my words, you will be struck down my the Almighty Odin!"

The man gives a dark laugh. "The Almighty Odin? Give me a break. That guy isn't even real!" I'm genuinely worried that Fenrir is about to throttle him. His eyes bug out, the veins in his arms bulge as his hands clench into fists and spittle flies from his teeth. When he speaks, he shouts so loud that I cover my ears.

"YOU DARE MOCK THE ALMIGHTY ODIN! YOU WILL DIE FOR YOUR IGNORANCE!" His shouting has just about everyone in the gymnasium turn to look. Several staff members come hurrying over as the District 3 male stands up and places his District partner behind him.

"Go on then," He speaks calmly, staring Fenrir right in the eye. "Just try it!"

"You think I'm a joke?" Fenrir isn't shouting anymore but somehow his voice is more threatening, more menacing. "You think I'm just a scrub? Well, I'll show you. I will destroy you and everything around you. I will take away everything you care for." His eyes land on the girl hidden behind the boys large frame. His threat is clear and the boy sees it. He jumps forward, brandishing a fist but the training staff is quick. I hadn't even noticed that they had surrounded us. They grab both Fenrir and the boy and drag them apart as they glare daggers at one another. Jake and I are pulled back too, though we weren't even apart of the argument. I'm worried that they're going to remove us from the gym they don't. They take us to the far side of the gym and give us a firm warning to avoid physical contact with the other tributes and then leave us.

"That recruitment didn't go well," Jake (1) mutters. No one responds. Fenrir is still glaring and I'm left with the conclusion that he's not someone I would want to cross.

Azalea Finch (District 9)
I watch as Jac (9) runs across the Gauntlets. He's really determined to win these Games and has already started petitioning for others to help him form the Anti-Careers, an alliance his relative Jake Price helped found in the 325th Hunger Games. He actually pitched me the idea last night. He made it sounds so tempting that I just had to join, despite my initial thoughts he's actually a very nice guy. It's just that things get very uncomfortable anytime him and Hazel are in the same room, something that happens often due to her being our mentor. Not that they have spoken to each other since the train ride. Hazel's been nice to me though. Even jokingly telling me not to stab Jac in the heart when I told her I would be aligning with him.

"Nice job..." Kim (8), our sole other ally as of right now, says to Jac as he comes back around. He did a good job, actually having finished the Gauntlets, something that no other tribute has yet accomplished. But then, none of the Careers and about three-quarters of the others haven't yet attempted it.

"Thanks."

Kim ducks her head shyly at the compliment. She's not a very social person. When we initially asked her to join she stared at us for a full minute before muttering a small "Ok". Still, I like her. She seems very trustworthy. "Anyone else want to go?" Jac asks us. Kim shakes her head and he turns his green eyes to me. "Azalea?"

"Sure. I'll try."

I climb up to the top and carefully examine the uneven footing. I will need to be very selective of where I place my feet, especially because of the swinging pendulums. I look to the Trainer in charge and he gives me the nod go. I take a deep breath and then jump. I manage to avoid the first few footfalls and then duck under a swinging medicine ball.

So far so good.

I hop from place to place avoiding catastrophe until I misplace my foot and slip. I have the unfortunate luck of falling right in the path of a swiping pad and I take a blow to the chest. I stagger backwards and tumble, just barely managing to grab onto a spoke before falling. I pull myself back up and smile. I'm not done yet.

I continue along, avoiding all obstacles until I reach a point where I have to jump across a spinning log. Three foam spokes extend from the log and form a moving barrier. I'm going to have to time my movements just right.

I don't.

I stumble just as I step onto the log and I'm not fast enough to avoid the spoke that smacks right into me, driving me off the Gauntlets and to the mats below.

I shrug the fall off and turn to my allies. I expected to hear some calls of encouragement but I didn't and I wonder why. I don't wonder for long, as I see Jac and Kim in a conversation with two other girls. Well, Jac is in conversation. Kim is just watching shyly. They must be trying to recruit them.

I walk over and Jac turns to smile at me. "And here's Azalea! She's my district partner and is also in the alliance." I greet the two girls as I examine them more closely. One's the small strawberry blonde from District 12. She, like Kim, doesn't talk much but I don't think it's due to shyness. I see a layer of intelligence in her eyes and sense the careful tone in her voice. She's a sly one, not yet ready to reveal much about herself. The other girl, the one from District 13 with the psychedelic hair, is more talkative, telling us that her name is Alexandrite and she wants to avenge her sisters death, which took place in a Games a few years back. "You'll fit just fine with us," I tell her with a warm smile.

"Thanks!"

"Excuse me. What's going on here?"

We all spin to see the girl from District 10 approaching. Her dark curly hair bouncing on her shoulders as she walks. I go to answer but Jac is faster.

"We're the Anti-Careers. Do you want to join?"

I find that a little too straightforward but the girls eyes light right up. "Ooh! Yes! But let me get Billy, he's bound to want to join!" She hurries off we watch as she collects her district partner from where he was unsuccessfully attempting to draw a bow. The two of them come back and swiftly introduce themselves.

"I'm Fawn!"

"And I'm Billy! Watch out though, cuz I'm kinda Billy-Silly!"

We all say our own names and then Jac asks everyone else a question. "What about your District partners? Think they would join?"

Surprisingly, Kim is the first to answer. "No...I don't think so...he's always so angry looking..."

"And mine has already joined up with the giant from fourteen. Apparently they're separated brothers or something," Alexandrite says with a flip of her hair.

"What about you Misty?" Jac turns to ask the strawberry blonde.

She shrugs. "I don't even know what Ganta is doing. He could already be in an alliance." And with that settled we all decide to head over to the weapons, now that the Careers have moved on. I'm feeling pretty good. Our alliance has grown and we're a formidable team.

Aspen Bolts (District 3)
"You really shouldn't have riled them up..." Iris (3) says softly as we endure yet another glare from that oaf Fenrir. It's been several hours since our encounter yet every time I turn to look at him, he's still glaring.

"It's fine. You can't glare someone to death," I tell her reassuringly.

"No. But he can target you in the Games!"

"Good. Let him. He'll only die quicker." If that encounter did anything it instilled a deep determination to not die at his hand. Especially since he threatened Iris. The mere thought of that slimy weasel harming her gets my blood boiling. I would have already put him in his place if it wasn't for the training staff...

"Aspen? Aspen are you okay? You're squeezing that paint tube dry!" Surprised, I look down and see that my hand has clenched around the tube of paint I've been holding. Already my hand is drenched in blue paint. The camouflage instructor unhelpfully tells me that I could now blend in with the ocean.

"Let's go climb a tree," I mutter, ignoring the rib and climbing to my feet. Iris follows as we make our way across the gym. I'm not going to tell her but my reason for doing so is to get as far as possible from the Careers.

When we reach the station we quickly learn that Iris has quite the knack for scaling trees quickly. I, well, I don't have the same ability. I'm too bulky and despite what Iris tries to teach me, I never know the proper places for my hands. "It's all about location," Iris laughs as she tries to teach me yet again. "See? My foot is in this little hollow. Now let's see you try..." It takes twenty more minutes before we realize I just can't get up a tree. I don't mind. Iris laughed and enjoyed herself. She looked more beautiful then ever. My heart aches as I think that soon I will have to part from her. To die So she can live. It's not fair.

"Slow down Henry!"

The little boy from District 7, with his curly mop of blonde hair, comes running up and quickly tries to scale the tree. He doesn't get all that far before sliding back down but Iris laughs and playfully taunts me about how he got higher then I did. I rightfully point out that he weighs much less then me. "Come on Henry. I want to train with the weap--" The brown haired boy from 8 cuts himself off as he sees us. I saw the pair of them earlier. The little boy, Henry, excitedly darting from station to station with the older boy following like an overzealous babysitter.

"Hello!" Iris says cheerfully but he only scowls and moves around to the other side of the tree, where he doesn't have to see us. "What's his problem?" Iris asks me as we move on to another station.

"He's a jerk," I answer simply but she frowns.

"No. No, I don't think a jerk would ally and befriend that little boy. No. I don't think that's it."

"Then he's upset he's about to die. We're not exactly on vacation here Iris."

"I didn't think we were!" We don't say anymore but I keep thinking about that small boy. He's so young and yet he still has to die. Who would even have the cruelty within them to kill him? And who would do such a thing? A small voice in my head answers.

Fenrir.

Him and his Career buddies would have no problem doing so. They'd probably enjoy it. No. They would enjoy it. They make me sick. Remind me so much of my father...Was that the reason I'm so hostile to them? Is it because they remind me of my father? I guess it doesn't matter. I made enemies out of them and now I'm going to have to live with it....

Arbor Alpine (District 7)
I grit my teeth as the axe I've just thrown sinks into the very edge of the target. The attendant tells me that I've done the best of everyone whose attempted so far but I'm not appeased. That's not my best.

I take another axe from the rack. This one with a smooth black handle and aerodynamic holes inserted into the blade to make it lighter and easier to throw. I face the target again. It's a round circle with different zones, blue on the very edge, followed by green, yellow, orange and finally, in the very center, a red bullseye. I wind up and throw again. I do better this time, the axe slamming into the yellow zone of the target. "Very good," The attendant tells me but I have to wonder if he's disappointed someone from District 7, where axes are everywhere, hasn't done better.

I grab a third axe. This time I will hit that bullseye. I take careful aim, remembering the pattern of my last two throws. I wind up and get ready to throw.

''Ding! Ding! Ding!''

A bell chimes and I lose my grip on the axe. It sails well above the target and cracks into the wall. I spin around, scowling and wondering what that stupid noise was.

"Lunch!"

One boy takes off sprinting for the cafeteria and then everyone else comes flooding past. The Careers push and jostle their way through the crowd, intent on claiming the biggest table for themselves. I wait until just about everyone is seated before coming over. I grab a tray and quickly fill it with the best looking food before sitting at a small table in the back corner.

As I eat I examine the other tributes and am marginally surprised by the amount of alliances. Besides for myself there's only two other loners. The sneaky looking girl from 6 and that ultra nerd from the Capitol. I'm not surprised no one chose to align with him. Right now he's shoving his butter knife completely through an apple and snickering loudly. The nearby District 5 pair quickly scoot away, throwing him worried looks.

I don't understand why so many people are aligning. Yes, allies are helpful. But they won't remain that way. Sooner or later they will realize that only one can win and will plant a knife right in the center of your back. All you're doing by allying is putting yourself at risk and giving far too much about your skills. By the time betrayal happens, they'll know everything about you.

Looking at the assembled alliances before me, I think I can already tell which ones will betray their allies. Take Misty (12) in the Anti-Careers for example; Her shifty eyes and continued silence suggests a reluctance to get to know her allies. Something that means she'll have no qualms about killing them later in the Games. I'm not going to condone that action, it's killed or be killed after all, but I'd never put myself in that position to begin with. Why risk having someone you thought you knew betray you?

No. I'm not going to put myself at risk. And as it appears, only one other person thinks the same. That's the girl from District 6. I would say the Capital boy, but I sense that he would already be in an alliance if anyone was willing to take him. My eyes drift over him and to the 6 girl. I'm surprised when she looks up and meets my gaze. Something about her eyes just seems so...dangerous.

We hold the stare for a few more seconds and then she rises and goes to deposit her tray. I'm left with the feeling that of all the trained Careers and giant tributes that my biggest threat may in fact be a conniving girl from District 6.

Jake Locketback (District 1)
My sword fiercely slashes through dummies right and left, dismembered limbs go flying as I wield a whirlwind of steel. I spin around, slashing one's neck and then throw my sword towards another. The point drives straight into the dummies chest and it falls over just as the attendant blows her whistle, signalling the end of the challenge.

"Impressive!" Hammer (2) says as I step back and wipe the sweat of  of my face with a towel.

"Yeah. I don't think anyone else could do that!" Mizu (4) agrees.

"Thanks!" I'm overjoyed at the praise. Coming into training I hadn't thought that I would perform too well. Training wasn't exactly a high priority back home. But I've done better than I thought and hearing my leaders complement me is the icing on the cake.

"We have a good grip this year," Mizu continues. "Even if Anais and Carmine are too stubborn to join us." I notice the scowl on Hammer's face at the mention on our two deserters. He reminds me of how much Fenrir (0) dislikes Aspen (3) and I wonder if all Careers hold grudges. If so, I should find someone to hate and fit in. No, that was a joke.

"Today's training period is now complete!" Lylewyn gives a blast of his whistle. "Also stations will now close!" Slowly everyone turns from what they were doing and heads for the elevators. I follow behind Hammer and Mizu and am about to join them in an elevator when I'm grabbed by the collar and yanked backwards. I don't need to hear his voice before knowing who it is.

"Come with me!" Fenrir (0) growls and I see that Kaye (4) is just behind him. "We have some unfinished business." He has us hang back, watching as everyone else enters an elevator and then, just as Aspen (3) steps into one, he leads us forward.

The guy looks at us in surprise as we enter but before he can do anything Kaye (4) presses the button for the roof. I just catch a glimpse of Iris standing outside, looking around for Aspen, as the doors slide shut. "What do you want?" Aspen demands. He's trying to keep his voice level but I sense discomfort under his words.

Fenrir smiles. "I just wanted a little talk. Your little friend is all alone right now. I wanted to warn you that something may go amiss in your absence..."

I see the fury ignite in Aspen's eyes and then he's throwing a punch. Before it connects Kaye rams his shoulder into his gut and drives him into the wall. Fenrir laughs gleefully and then punches Aspen square in the face. "You should not have insulted Odin! You shall pay for that!" I watch in alarm as him and Kaye go to town on him. He tries to cover his head with his hands but their blows are swift and brutal. Large flashes form on his face and blood begins to leak out as he slides to the ground, moaning. "Why are you not helping?" Fenrir demands, staring at me. "Help deal out Odin's retribution!" I stare at him blankly, unsure of what to do. This isn't allowed! We're not supposed to harm the other tributes until the Games! But...I can't  back out and appear weak in front my fellow Careers.

I nod curtly and then send a kick into Aspen's ribs. He groans in pain and I feel terrible. But I continue to beat him down with Kaye as Fenrir hurls insults. We plant kicks and punches on him until there's a beeping noise and the elevator doors open. We're on the roof.

"This is a lesson for you!" Fenrir snarls as he grabs Aspen by the scuff of the neck and hauls him up. "Do not insult the Almighty Odin. Or you will pay. You thought I was a joke. You were wrong!" I feel my stomach churn as I see the bruised and bloodied face of Aspen. One of his eyes is swollen shut and the other watches Fenrir, filled with hatred. Fenrir drags him out of the elevator and drops him unceremoniously on the ground of the roof. I can hear the wind blowing heavily, masking his moans of pain. Fenrir gives him one last kick and then steps back into the elevator with a pleased smile. "I do not expect them to find you until morning. Good night."

And then the doors slide shut.

Iris Pixel (District 3)
My hands are clasped over my head as tears run down my face. Last night Aspen was...Aspen was--was attacked. An Avox found him lying unconscious on the roof of the training facility. He was severely bruised and bleeding baldly. They quickly took him to the infirmary and I haven't seen him since. And now--and now I'm supposed to just go and train like nothing happened?

I look up at my mentor Quinton, he's just finished a conversation with a Capitol attendant and is approaching me. "Well?" I ask, ashamed of how bad my voice sounds. "Are they going to punish Fenrir?" I knew what happened the moment I learned of what transpired. It had to have been Fenrir who did it. Who else would attack Aspen?

"No," Quinton shakes his head. "They say they don't have any proof-"

"Bullcrap! They must have cameras all over the place! They had to have seen it!"

"I don't doubt that they have. But I must be frank with you. They probably don't care. In fact, they might be happy. It certainly adds an interesting story. Aspen will have to explain what happened in his interview of course and that draws interest..."

I'm furious. Beyond furious. All they care about is their dumb Games! But of course. Why would I expect any different from the people who brought us here to die? Why would they care if someone was attacked? Aspen is reportedly going to be recovered enough to compete by the start of the Games, so why bother punishing someone for something that doesn't matter? It just makes me hate the Capitol even more...

"What if they attack me next?" I ask, my voice cracking as I try to hold back my anger. "Will they just overlook that too?"

"No. Every tribute has been issued a strict warning to not touch another tribute. Any further physical contact will result in immediate expulsion from the Games. If it happens once it only adds a layer of intrigue but if it happens twice, then it's just defiance..."

And we all know how they handle defiance. Quinton rises and tells me to get to the gym. I don't want to, I want to be by Aspen's side, but I don't really have a choice. And besides, he would want me to continue training. I enter the elevator alone and try not to sob on my way down. I will not let them see me cry. I will show my strength. The doors slide open and I see that training has already started. I march right past everyone and towards the Gauntlets, where I successfully complete it without a single hitch. When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

Anais Morrisa (District 1)
"That big ogre is glaring at you again Carmine."

"I know. But who cares? He's not a threat to us. No one here is." I giggle. That is true. That's why we were confident enough to not join with the Careers in the first place. I stare at the Hammer (2) as he glares in our direction and innocently wave. He makes a rather rude gesture and I burst out giggling again.

"What's so funny, Anais?" Carmine (2) asks as she tests the weight of a mace she just picked up.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just waved at the ogre," I giggle again. I've been in just the happiest mood since the Reaping. I'm reunited with Carmine! And we get to compete in the Hunger Games! Our dream come true! What's not to love? Carmine just nods and goes to test out her weapon on some dummies. I watch and give complements as she absolutely demolishes them. Carmine is the best fighter there is, save myself of course. It's not fair to compare her to me though. I'm the absolute best.

Once she finishes I take my turn with a warhammer. The weapon is expertly designed and is the epitome of amazing craftsmanship. I have no problem going through the dummies and when I finish I high-five with Carmine as Fawn (10) steps up with a heavy club. "Don't hurt yourself!" Carmine calls and then bursts out laughing. "Who am I kidding? I'd love to see you hurt yourself!" The girl glares at her and then takes a swipe at a replica skull on the pedestal. She doesn't seem able to control the velocity of the weapon and her swing goes well over her target.

"Oh don't worry!" I smile sweetly. "You'll surely get it next time!" The girl doesn't appear to know whether I'm joking or not. She gives me a blank look and mutters something under her breath before trying again. The second attempt is even worse than the first, something I didn't think possible. She completely loses control of the club and it sails from her grasp, smashing into a rack of spears not far away. She lets out a terrified yelp and Carmine laughs as I giggle lightly. "Try again!" I encourage, still in a pleasant tone and the girl nods glumly and goes to retrieve her club.

"This is like watching a puppy try to cross a busy street!" Carmine whispers and I giggle once more as the girl returns, throwing us suspicious looks. She mutters once more and then swings fiercely. But far too low. Her club smashes into the pedestal holding the target and Carmine let's out a gleeful cackle. "Strike three!"

"Oh don't stop, you nearly had it!" The girl stops from where she was walking and fixs me with a glare.

"I think you're being sarcastic!"

"What? No! Why would I ever do such a thing?" I sound so sincere, a useful by-product from manipulating others my whole life, that the girl actually stops to consider my words. But then Carmine shouts at her.

"Get out of our sight you troll-faced wench! Our I'll use your head as a target!" That does it. Fawn quickly scurries away, back towards her previous Anti-Careers. When she's gone I smile.

"I just love messing with people!"

Carmine bobs her head in agreement. "So do I! But it will be even better when the Games begin and we get to actually harm some people!" I giggle, my excitement at a whole new high. I just can't wait! Carmine and I will have ever so much fun!

Julio Fall (District 6)
There's a real disadvantage to showing up late to training, not least of all the fact that everyone else has already had a full day of training. But another reason is that everyone has already formed their alliances.

As soon as I came down I wandered about and quickly bumped into another alliance. They recalled not seeing me yesterday and I said they were correct. They asked why and I promptly told them I was stuck in the bathroom with explosive diarrhea from eating too many spicy burritos. They gave me a weird look and quickly hurried off. I don't know what was with them.

Now I'm just walking around the left side of the gym, examining the other tributes. Jac (9) and Azalea (9) are practicing making a shelter and seem to be succeeding, Arbor (7) has created a roaring fire and is getting many compliments from the attendant. I join in, giving some rambunctious applause and the girl throws me a dirty look. "Good for you!" I say happily but I don't think she hears me. I turn to watch someone else when I bump into another boy.

He drops a large pile of sticks to the floor and quickly drops down to pick them up. I help him gather them and when he stands I hand them back to him. He's the boy from the Capitol, Iggy. His wild green hair juts out in all directions and he is constantly twitching, his eyes rolling about in his head repeatedly. "Hullo!" I say cheerfully stretching a hand out. But then I realize his are full and unable to shake it so I drop it feeling foolish.

"Are-are you talking me?" He asks, peering at me through the tops of his thick glasses.

"Yes!  I am!"

He lets out a wild laugh and drops his sticks to the ground. I go to pick them up as he continues speaking. "You saw me! You were the first person here to speak to me!" His laugh gets more high-pitched and hysterical as I rise with the pile of sticks in my arms. "Do you like traps?" He asks suddenly, giving me an intense look.

"I don't like falling in them."

"Good! Good! Follow me!" He cackles gleefully and speeds off. I follow him at a pleasant trot. He seems like a pretty cool guy! He's awesome looking too, like some sort of mad scientist! And mad scientists are good allies! Right? "Look at this!" Iggy (C) stops beside the snare setting station and points to the raised platform that contains a small slice of replica forest, the area where the snares are tested. "Go in! Go in!" I smile cheerfully and jog onto the platform. I turn and give him a look but he waves for me to go further. I take another step and then the ground beneath my feet gives away and I go toppling into a small hole.

What happened? I'm almost certain that I stepped onto plain grass! My head spins around and I see what happened. Beneath me lies a flat of the artificial grass. It looks to have been cut away with a knife. I frown, trying to pierce this together when Iggy bounces over and peers down at me. "You likey?" He asks with a grin.

"Very good! How did you do this?" I hold up the cutaway grass and his grin widens.

"I just cut it away from the grass at the Climbing station and then placed it over the hole that starts here!"

"Were you suppose to do that?"

He pauses to scratch his neck. "Yes. No. Maybe. I don't know!" He doesn't seem troubled by this for long and then grins again. "Doesn't matter! Try to climb out!"

"Okay." Seems easy enough. It's more of a large ditch then a hole. Only six feet deep. I merely jump and grab the ledge, pulling myself up with ease. I grin at Iggy and then take another step forward. This time I feel something tighten around my ankle and before o can do anything I'm yanked into the air and am dangling from the tree. "Wow! Good job!" I'm impressed with the amount of work Iggy went through to sit this all up. "You look funny upside down!" I tell him.

"Really? Letmesee!" He attempts to balance on his head and then rolls over. He begins to laugh hysterically and I join in. Man, this has been fun!"

"Hey! You weren't suppose to trap another tribute!" Upside down, I see the Attendant come running over. From my view he looks to be on the ceiling and I laugh as he stops beside Iggy. "I leave for ten minutes and you cause mayham! I told you not to do this!"

"He volunteered!" Iggy points towards me and when the attendant looks I wave.

"I did!"

"Uh. Okay then..." He gives us a look like he thinks we're both morons and then gets to work on getting me down. Iggy laughs the entire time and once I'm down I tell him that I'll show what I'm good at. The two of us speed off and I think I may have just found an ally.

Buck Rockwell (Mentor)
I sigh and lean back on the bench, a glass of cold soda clenched tightly in my hand. Several other mentors loaf about, all of us in the official designation for where our mentory business will be taken care of once the Games begin. Called the Mentor's Lobby, it's a large wide open room with several benches and chairs for sitting, a small indoor waterfall has been set up for purely cosmetic reasons. A cafeteria area is just off of the room and that's where most of us will eat while the Games are on. Hanging over the entire room, large and ever present, is a giant board that shows stats from all the tributes, including their odds.

I examine this board now. The two tributes I'm mentoring, Julio and Rosalie, seem to be faring well enough as of right now. Julio has the slight edge with 15-1 odds while Rosalie is holding down 22-1. It's a far cry from the current highest odds, a 3-1 held by Hammer (2), but at least it's not Henry (7) with his 70-1.

Not that they mean much right now. All there is for the betters to go off is the tributes basic information and as such, the odds are in a constant state of flux right now. Once the training scores roll in though, things will even out.

I wonder how my tributes are doing in training right now. I check the clock hanging on the wall and see that it's half an hour past one o'clock. They should be having lunch.

I take a sip of my soda when I spot Joshua, a small weedy looking man from District 8, approaching me. I don't know much about him, other than that he's one of the District 8 mentors and is one of the few people who enjoy being in Marceline's presence. And thus,I have no desire to communicate with him.

I frown and watch warily as he sits down next to me, his stringy black hair covering his eyes and his extremely pale skin suggesting an aversion to the sun. "Uh. Hey there," I say, trying not to sound too rude. "What do you want?"

"Coming soon..."

"Uh. What?" I stare in confusion at the man and his whispered words. He doesn't even look up at me, instead staring at his shoes. "What did you just say?" I see a small smile play on his lips as he slowly lifts his head up.

"Coming soon...coming soon..."

I'm kinda freaked out and look around for someone else, maybe Joshu bumped his head or something, but the lobby has cleared out and we're alone. With no help in sight I decide to play along. "Whose coming, Joshua?"

"Coming soon...they'll save us...coming soon..." He gives a low snicker and rocks back and forth. I quickly make up my mind that he's like Marceline, too drugged out to pay attention to reality. But unlike Marceline he seems to even further detached.

"Look, Joshua, let's, uh, see if we can find you some help. Maybe they can help out with these people who are coming--"

"No!" He suddenly sits up straight. I'm so shocked that I bolt backwards and slip off of the bench. My glass falls from my hand and shatters on floor, spilling soda everywhere. He stands and stares down at me with wide electric blue eyes. "Don't tell anyone! They must'nt know!"

"I-uh-okay! I won't tell anyone!" He's really lost it now. I pull myself backwards on the ground and into a sitting position. My words seem to calm him down and he smiles at me.

"Thank you. They must'nt know," he turns and begins to walk away. I nervously get back on my feet. "Coming soon...coming to save us..." I don't move until he goes down a hallway adjacent to the lobby and disappears from sight. I pick up the largest shard of the glass and roll it over in my hands as the strange words Joshua spoke repeat in my head. Coming soon...coming to save us...

What the hell was that all about?

Alexandrite Bohamia (District 13)
We all sit around one of the many tables set up in the cafeteria, talking and discussing strategies. Majority of the other tributes have already finished their meals and returned to training, only the alliance of the District 13 & 14 males and the Capitol girl is still eating other then us.

"The private training sessions start tomorrow," Azalea (9) says as I devour the last of my fettuccine noodles. "What scores do you all hope to get?"

Jac (9) is the first to answer, quickly downing his drink and answering confidently. "I want a high score. Being from District Nine I may not have that much sponsors but if I get a nine or ten I'll be in good position."

"My sister got a nine," I tell them. "And I want to get the same!" Billy (10) and Fawn (10) then both say they're not expecting much, maybe a seven or eight, when Azalea decides to ask Kim (8).

"What about you Kim? What score do you want?"

She raises her head shyly and speaks in a low voice. "A pink giraffe."

An awkward silence. I'm wondering if I heard her correctly and everyone else must be thinking the same thing. Finally, Jac voices our thoughts, his tone nice but his words incredulous. "You want your training score to be a pink giraffe?"

"I--training score...? I thought you asked what--what any one thing I wanted..." Her cheeks turn a bright pink and she buries her head in her tray, obviously embarrassed. I share an awkward glance with Fawn. She wants a pink giraffe? No one speaks. I don't know what to say. But then Billy laughs.

"Man! That sounds awesome! Like, say you get jumped in a dark alley, a guy comes up to you and says 'I have a gun! So give me your monies!' But then you say 'Nah-ah! I have a pink giraffe!' And then it bursts onto the scene and kicks the man and you shout 'Now you give me your monies!" There's yet another awkward silence. Kim is sinking into her seat, embarrassed even further by Billy's, uh, story, I guess you could call it.

"That's nice Billy," Fawn says quietly breaking the long silence that had fallen over the table.

"Yeah it is! But what would be even better is if you had a purple lion and then you could--"

"I'm going to train some more. Anyone want to come with?" Jac (9) jumps to his feet before Billy can finish his story. Azalea quickly goes with him and I follow, grateful for an excuse to avoid sitting through another one of his joke fests. As we walk for the Sword Fighting Station I notice that Misty (12) has also came with us. She's so quiet I forgot that she was even in our alliance.

"You never said the score you wanted," I say hoping to start a conversation. "So what is it?" Azalea throws a look back at us.

"Yeah Misty. What score do you want?"

"I'm getting a twelve," She states it so matter-of-factly that I have to giggle. She doesn't seem to like that and gives me a dirty look. "What? You don't think I'm capable of it?"

"Honestly? No. There's only been a handful of tributes receiving a twelve in the past half century. What makes you so special?"

"Don't start anything!" Azalea says to us and I nod at her, ignoring the fierce scowl from Misty. Maybe I shouldn't have said she wasn't special. That might not be taken the right way. I would apologize but you don't do that in the Hunger Games. When you're trying to murder other kids it really doesn't matter if you offend someone. You just have to duck your head and keep moving.

Clark Stevens (District 5)
I watch Missy (5) as she pulls back on the bow. She has perfect form, perfect concentration. She let's go of the string and with a Whoosh! The arrow flies through the air and strikes the exact bullseye of the target. "Perfect job!" I congratulate and her blue eyes brighten up considerably.

"Thank you! I've used a bow a few times before. It's one of the things that I think can give me an advantage!" She smiles and hands the bow to me. "You try now! I'm sure you will be just as great!" I smile at her and nod. I've seen enough people use a bow to get on grasp on how to handle it. I try to imitate Missy's form as I notch an arrow and pull back on the string. I take aim at the target, scarcely breathing as I try to make my shot as perfect as possible. When I have everything aligned, I release.

It's not as good as Missy's shot was. My arrow strikes the very edge of the bullseye, just narrowly missing the red center. I'm disappointed. I could have done better. I know I could have done better. Missy cheers and congratulates me anyways and while I really don't think I deserve it, I accept her praise regardless. Her enthusiasm and bright smile are too much for me not to accept. "We're probably the best arrow shooting alliance, like, ever!" She says while practically jumping up and down.

"Yeah. The best." I'm still replaying the shot in my mind, trying to see what it was that I could improve. If I had only aimed the boy slightly to the left...than I would have had a bullseye for sure. I want to try again and get it right but Missy wants to move onto something else and once again I find it impossible to deny her. So instead of fixing my aim I follow her across the way towards the knife throwing station. Two tributes are already there, the brown haired siblings from District 11.

"They're good!" Missy whispers as we stop to watch. She's right. The boy seems to hit his target every time. One knife striking the dummies throat, another it's heart and a third embeds in its forehead. His sister's good too. She's practicing against moving dummies on a track and despite this her throws all seem to hit.

"They could be a big threat..." I murmur more to myself than Missy. I don't think she hears me anyways, as she's clapping for boy, Bellamy I think his sister called him, as his final knife slices across one dummies neck and then goes on to stick in another's shoulder.

"Good job!" Missy applauds and the two of them turn to give her disdainful looks.

"Never encourage your enemy!" Bellamy (11) growls, his voice deep and husky. He sounds much more like a man then a boy. "That's just stupidity!" I find myself angry at him insulting Missy, despite my agreement with the encouraging part.

"Leave her alone!" I say stepping forward. "At least she has some manners!"

Bellamy rolls his eyes while his sister gives a little huff. "Sure. Whatever. Nice to see you protecting your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!" I feel my face redden as I take another step forward, really upset now. "And I don't like your attitude!"

"And maybe I don't like yours!" He steps forward now and I instinctively shrink back. He's half a foot taller than I am and is muscled all over. I gulp, frightened that I provoked the wrong person. But he only gives a sharp nod. "But you got a lot of spark. That's good to see. C'mon Octavia!" He nods his head at his sister and takes off. She looks at us.

"I wouldn't cross him if I were you," She says and then follows after him. Feeling foolish, I turn to Missy sheepishly.

"That was embarrassing," I mutter.

"No, that was nice of you. They were acting rude." I stare into her blue eyes and figure she's being honest. She really did think what I did, which was nothing actually, was nice. That makes me feel better. A little.

"Well, let's throw some knives," I say turning back to the station. "And this time I'm going to be perfect!"

Ganta Alomo (District 12)
Bailey (0) and Amaya (14) chatter softly behind me as I watch the alliance in front of us attempt the Ropes Course. Amaya's giant District partner is the first to attempt but his height works against him here. Basically as soon as he grabs onto the ropes his grip falters and he drops to the ground with an annoyed grunt. One of his allies, Flame from the Capitol, goes next. I'm surprised that she can actually move across, she looks like she's made of glass. I would think that a strong gust of wind would blow her right away.

"Apparently they made a truce with the Careers," Amaya whispers into me ear.

"Who?" I ask, momentarily confused. I'm not a very social person and I'm often surprised by how much Amaya likes to talk to me.

"Luxray's alliance. The people in front of us!"

"Oh. Right." I see down at the far end of the course, that Flame (C) is nearing the finish. Good on her. I didn't think she had it in her. When she finishes, Luxio (13), the tan boy with the deep black hair, goes to attempt when Amaya speaks.

"How did you guys do it?"

"Huh?" He throws a look back at us and I resist the urge to shrink away from his gaze.

"How did you guys manage a truce with the Careers?" She repeats. She sounds pretty annoyed and then I remember that she dislikes the Careers. Actually, we all do but I'd take a truce with them if offered.

"Oh. Nothing much. They asked for us to align and we declined. We settled on a truce instead." He shrugs, like it's not very important thing.

"It was a good deal," Luxray adds.

"Sure was. Not sure how dependable they are though." As Luxio readies himself to go I bite my lip. I would like to ask for a truce between our two alliances, but I'm nervous that he would just laugh in my face. I mean, what could he gain by trucing with us? We're no threat to them. So I just sit there, watching as he attempts the course. Luxray follows his progress from the ground and then we're alone. I feel like I missed an opportunity but I'm certain he would have declined anyways so I don't know where that feeling comes from.

"Maybe we should have asked for a truce," Bailey (0) suddenly says and I'm surprised that we're on such similar wave lengths.

"No. We wouldn't want that," Amaya says matter-of-factly.

"Why not?"

"Didn't you see their eyes? It looked like they were planning something. Besides, I don't trust them. I wouldn't be surprised if they're the ones to break the truce with the Careers." I can't say I disagree. Something about their golden eyes was...eerie. Maybe it was a good thing I held back from making the offer.

With that settled we all take turns trying the Ropes Course. None of us complete it but Amaya gets the furthest, dropping roughly three quarters through. By the time we're finished, the whistle ending the days training blows and every tribute begins heading for the elevator. The three of us hang back, waiting for one to open up. "Only a few more days..." Bailey murmurs. I know what she's talking about. The Games start in only a few more days. Not enough time to really mentally prepare. I still haven't wrapped my head around the fact that I'm going to die soon.

"I will avenge my friends!" Amaya proudly holds her head high.

"And I will win. To help free Helios from prison!" Bailey says. I've heard about Helios before but I really have no idea who he is. I might as well ask now.

"Who is Helios?"

Bailey seems a bit taken back by my question. "He's my, uh, f-former, uh, not my boyfriend but um, crush's....friend I guess you could say..." She looks down at her shoes and I realize she's uncomfortable and opt not to ask another question for her sake. Amaya, however, goes right ahead.

"What was he imprisoned for?"

"Um...." Bailey is reluctant to answer. "They called it....uh....a crime against humanity..." That's a whopper. I share an awkward glance with Amaya. With a crime that bad I don't know if I want this Helios guy getting out of prison. I don't tell Bailey that though and stay silent as we finally find empty elevator. When it gets going we all just sit around until we drop Bailey off at the District 0 floor. It's only me and Amaya left now and it's a long ride to District 12's stop. When the doors do open Amaya nods at me.

"Good luck. With the training session tomorrow." I smile and then step into the apartment.

"Yeah. Good luck to you too."

Training Scores & Odds
This time around Training Scores will effect the amount of money a tribute has available to them, either negatively or positively. Below is the key that shows you what score earns what.

12= +$100

10/11= +$75

8/9= +$50

7= +25

5/6= -$25

4/3= -$50

2/1= -$75

Azalea Finch (District 9)
I'm filled with terror as I lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling that seems to stretch miles above me. In a few hours I will be in the Games, fighting for my life.

I don't think I'm prepared. I want more time, more time to ready myself for the ugly and horrendous future that awaits me. For the past few days I've heard nothing but hopeful thoughts from the other tributes, heard all their dreams of survival. But the truth is we're all going to die. Or at least thirty-one of us. The lone survivor will be scarred for life, if they're not a Career or psycho.

The door to my room suddenly opens but I don't react. I know it will someone coming to tell me that it's time to go but I don't want to. I just want to stay here.

I don't get that luxury. Pomona comes in clucking loudly and literally rolls me right out of bed. I hit the soft carpet and bounce back to my feet, scowling darkly at the pudgy woman. "Time to get up!" She says in a sing-song voice. "Time to get ready!" I sigh and resign myself to following her out of the room and down the twisting hallway to the dining room. Jac (9) is already there, stretching his arms. He raises an eyebrow when he sees me.

"Doesn't look like you got much sleep," he says.

"I didn't. I'm surprised you did." I sit myself down at the table and quickly begin to eat some of the food that's around. Despite my fluttering stomach I manage to get some down. I know I'll need the energy.

"Actually, I didn't sleep a wink!" Jac smiles at me as he changes to leg stretches. "I was far too nervous."

"That's expected. About every tribute feels the same." Hazel comes slowly walking into the room, her body leaning on an old jewell encrusted cane that I hadn't seen before. Jac scowls and turns his head. They still don't get along and I'm disappointed. I would hope they'd put their differences aside for their own sake.

"Any final advice?" I ask her. If Jac doesn't want to ask for any information I will. She didn't win her Games by accident and actually survived two bloodbaths.

"Don't take an unnecessary risks. If something seems too good to be true, it is. Only get what you absolutely need. Don't take risks." I nod, letting the words sink in. But I look at Jac and see that he's not paying any attention. Or he is and just isn't showing it. All I hope is that he doesn't do anything rash just to show up Hazel. He's not that arrogant.

Is he?

Flame Vapore (The Capitol)
The elevator goes down and down. Iggy (C) is giggling the entire way, not showing any of the nerves that I feel. He just seems...eager for the Games. I have no idea why.

"I'm going to win!" He tells me. "Winwinwin!"

"Okay."

The elevator touches down. Two Peacekeepers greet us at the bottom and lead us out into a dank hallway. Iggy is off the wall, bouncing around so much that one of the Peacekeepers is forced to grab him and pull him along. That does nothing to curb his enthusiasm and he grins as he's dragged along. Eventually the hallway leads to a large circular room where we see all of the other tributes. I see that the boy from District 3, the one who was beat, is here. He's covered in bruises and seems to hold his ribs as he walks but otherwise he's fine. A hovercraft sits in the middle and we're suppose to enter it. As I walk towards it I hear someone call out.

"Hey glass doll! How'd you get an eight?"

I turn to see the boy from 4 grinning cruelly at me as he approaches another entrance to the hovercraft. Despite our "truce" with the Careers, I feel a sense of fury rising in me and I can't hold in the retort. "How about you come over here and see?!"

"Oh, I will. But wait for the Games first, okay sweetheart?" My hands twitch and I pull my shirt up to my stomach, showing off the large ugly scar that rests there.

"See this?" I growl. "This is a scar that I made by digging a knife into my own stomach to show my ignoramus of a father how strong I am! Do you want me to do the same to you!?". He just throws his head back howling in laughter.

"Whoo! Pull that shirt up a little higher!" If looks could kill, my glare would have slaughtered him as the boy climbs onto the hovercraft'". I wait a few minutes and then I relented too, with Iggy following. Peacekeepers have every tribute settled and restrained in a seat when they inject the trackers into our arms. After this they all exit the room and I simmer in my seat as Luxio, whose right beside me, leans over and whispers.

"Don't worry. They're all just morons. We know how strong you are." I mutter something but then smile slightly at him.

"Thanks...I guess."

Octavia Blake (District 11)
I fidget in my seat uncomfortably as the hovercraft finally lands and our restraints come loose. Peacekeepers usher us out of the hovercraft in an orderly fashion.

We're back in a similar looking circular room and this time there's a set of doors with a different District number above them. I'm led to the District 11 door where I'm shortly joined by Bellamy. His face is set in determination and I know that he's already planning for the bloodbath. How best to get a weapon, where to run off to. We don't even know what the arena looks like yet I'm sure he's thought of all the possibilities. A Peacekeeper instructs us to follow him down the hall and we do without question. It's when we reach a split hallway and the Peacekeeper tells us that we have to each go down a separate one that Bellamy turns to me.

"As soon as the platform rises, look for me," He says, speaking very rapidly. "Then go wait on the edge. Don't go for anything. Not supplies, not weapons. I'll get it all. Just wait for me, understand?"

I roll my eyes. Does he think I'm incapable of defending myself? "I will be fine Bell--"

"Do you understand?"

"Yes." He nods his head and then turns to go down his own hall. Why does he get to choose what I do? Maybe I should get the items! I hate being sheltered! I glare at his back and then go down by hallway. It twists and turns until it stops at a doorway and I open, stepping into the Launch Room.

My stylist is there and silently hands me a package of clothing. Opening it up I find a gray wetsuit, a belt with holsters for holding weapons or other items, and a pair of shoes that those divers on TV wear. I raise an eyebrow at my stylist and she smiles slightly. "Expect water," she tells me. "Lots of it."

I nod, gritting my teeth. Water? I can swim, but I'm not exactly an expert. I feel much more at home on land, like all normal people. I thank my stylist for the information and then quickly get dressed. By the time I finish a voice from an intercom is telling us to enter the tube. I do so and as the glass door slides shut behind me I feel my heart going crazy. Despite my strong demeanour I'm nervous, scared even. In just a few moments either myself or Bellamy could be dead. Plain and simply dead.

The plate beneath my feet begins to move upwards. I try to pacen my breath as the plate pushes me above ground. Bright light shines into my eyes and the air turns thick and humid. I try blinking my eyes for them to adjust faster. The sun reflects off of my plate and makes me feel like I'm being boiled.

"Water!"

I hear someone positioned near me let out a gleeful shout and my eyes finally adjust. I see the golden cornucopia, glittering in the intense sunlight. But it's far away, separated from my plate by twenty yards of cool blue water.

It's all around me, I realize. Our platforms float in the middle of a circular moat of water. The cornucopia is on a sandy island. Items are strewn across it and the large smooth rocks that encircle the island. Behind me, lies what I can only describe as a jungle. Lush green trees, exotic flowers, a mossy scent blows to me as a breeze rustles past.

I only just remember to search for Bellamy when the countdown begins.

The Arena
The arena is a series of connected islands. The cornucopia is set on the center island; on a even smaller island in the middle. This island is surrounded by a thick jungle and beyond that a beach that borders every side.

The main island is connected to four more islands by four cement bridges that each stretch across two miles of ocean. Each island is in a different direction from the main island. The main island is the only island to be connected to more than one island. Each has the same rings of beach and jungle but a different feature in the center.

The north island has an abandoned military camp with tents and crates. The west island has a large cave that extends deep down into the island's depths. The east island has a waterfall fed pool of sparkling clear water. The south island has an ancient abandoned city that now lies in ruins.

Many mutts inhabit the arena, from the jungle to the ocean. Tributes will have to be wary not to rile them up.

Mizu Fall (District 4)
Water.

The arena seems to be predominantly based in water. I should be happy and well, I am. This gives me an advantage over others. My arm stings in pain, a tell tale sign of me blacking out l. I don't like when I change. I don't like killing. In fact, I despise it. But right now I really want to transform.

No one will understand that. Why would I be scared of blacking out and becoming a killing machine most of the time, but want it to happen now, right at the bloodbath? The an answer is that I need to kill to come out of these Games alive. No one has ever won without killing someone. It's just not done. I am a little concerned about how many people I will kill when I transform. Not to mention that I can't control myself once I black out. My allies will be at risk just like everyone else.

So that's why when everyone around me is staring at the cornucopia or trying to judge how deep the water is, I'm just standing still, trying to force the change.

Just transform Mizu. I tell myself desperately. Just transform and get this over with.

Henry Polyester (District 7)
I can't go to the cornucopia. It will be impossible. I'd be dead by the time I reached the island. But..

I look back at the twenty yards of water behind me. I still need to swim across that to get to shore and the safety of that forest-jungle-thingy. Or I'm still as good as dead. I don't know what to do!

35...34....33....32....

The countdown continues. My legs are shaking as I look around at the other tributes on their plates. Most of them have their gazes fixed on the cornucopia and all its amazing loot. Colin (8), whose only a few plates away from me, is among them. He has a glare on his face as he stares at the golden horn. I always knew he would go in. He's too strong not to.

But what about me?

What am I supposed to do? We didn't plan anything out before and now I'm scared. If I go for the jungle, will Colin be okay? Or will someone kill him? Does my decision even matter on that? My body is shaking even harder now. I can't hold myself straight. In just a few more seconds, I will make a life changing decision.

Kaye Ocelote (District 4)
I literally cannot contain my excitement. A wide grin rests on my face as I jump up and down on my platform. This arena is perfect! I will be the first to reach the cornucopia, there is no question about that. No one else here can swim as fast as I can. I flash a confident smile at the tribute whose placed closet to me, Arbor (7).

"See ya at the cornucopia!" I laugh. "And keep an eye open for flying arrows!" She doesn't pay me any attention and I scoff as I turn back to the cornucopia and ready myself to dive.

5...4...3...2...1...

Gong!

I dive into the water, my powerful legs kicking through the water as I propel myself forward. It's easy-peasy. I slide through the water like butter and by the time I pull myself onto one of the large smooth stones that surround the island I take a short glance around.

I'm the first to arrive, of course, but a few others are approaching land, including Hammer (2) who, if he was only a few inches taller, would be practically wading through the water. Confident that I have plenty of time, I jog to the mouth of the cornucopia and search for my ideal weapon.

Two individual racks containing three spears apiece are nearby, so is a rack of knives and daggers of all shapes and sizes, blades curved and straight. I ignore all of these though and grab a gold coloured bow off a rack that contains only one other. I pull both quivers over my shoulder, each with twelve arrows, and then jog back to the edge of the island. I'm kinda surprised that only two others have reached shore, at least on this side of the cornucopia, Hammer (2) and Jake (1), both of whom run straight for the mouth and begin arming themselves.

I slide an arrow into my bow and aim towards the water, where three tributes are swimming. "Like shooting fish in a barrel!" I grin to myself as I take aim. My first target is Kim (8). She's floundering in the water like a fish out of water and presents such an easy target that my arrow has no trouble finding a new home in her throat.

She gags and attempts to pull it out, sinking into the water that now runs red with her blood as she does so. By the time she disappears from sight I've already reloaded and locked onto my next target, Bailey (0).

She was the closest to Kim and witnessed what happened. She attempts to dive underwater as my next arrow comes for her. Her stunt works but only slightly. My arrow sinks into her shoulder and she screams in pain, thrashing around as I go to reload, certain that my next shot will end her. But before I do I sense something approaching and I spin to see a soaking wet Aspen (3) charging straight towards me, a wicked curved sword in hand.

Terror fills my chest as he swings the blade with an unbridled fury. I don't even have time to shout before the weapon cleaves through my neck.

I fall to the ground, choking and gagging on my own hot and sticky blood. Blackness creeps in on the edge of my vision and the last thing I see is Aspen slinging a webbed backpack over his shoulder and leaping into the water.

Fenrir Amarth (District 0)
I'm just pulling myself onto the island when Aspen (3) is diving into the water, leaving Kaye's (4) feebly retching body behind.

Curses!

I swear loudly but reconcile myself with the knowledge that I can hunt him down later, when I have the luxury of time. I turn my attention to the cornucopia mouth. Hammer is quite busy attempting to arm himself with every weapon available and Jake (1) is incompetently chasing a dripping wet Rosalie (6) around the bend of the cornucopia. Neither of them have made any kills.

I charge up to the mouth and rip a sword out of a holster of them. I do not bother examining it. Any blade will suit me just fine. I turn and spot a shiny silver backpack lying near the shore of the water. Eager to move it, it would be exceedingly simple for someone to swim up, grab it and then pop back into the water, I I run for it. My hand grabs it just as a girl shoots out of the water, her tiny hands grasping onto the pack.

I grab on with my second hand and heave backwards, surprising myself as the girl comes with it. I vaguely place her as Misty from District 12 before my sword stabs down into her chest.

She let's out one distressed scream before going silent, her blood seeping out onto the sand beneath her. "Good riddance!" I growl and kick her body into the water before turning back to the cornucopia. Time to show why the Careers should be feared.

Jac Price (District 9)
I splash through the water towards the shore, my eyes already fixed on an elegant sword that rests against the side of the cornucopia. I'm not a very good swimmer but I think I've made good time in reaching the land.

"Jac! Jac wait for--" Azalea's (9) shout cuts off and my head spins around in horror. But she's not in danger. She's swimming just behind me and got a mouthful of water as she attempted to speak.

"Stay close behind me!" I tell her and then pull myself onto the rocks. I expected to see chaos and that's exactly what It is. In my quick glance over the area I see Arbor (7) and Missy (5) wrestling on the sand, Missy is attempting to grab a dagger but Arbor keeps pulling her back by her hair. Jake (1) is in a standing brawl with Clark (5) as Flame (C) rummages through a nearby crate and Luxray (14) stands guard. Fenrir (0) is doing something inside of the cornucopia. Good! No one is even in the position to pay me any attention. "Remember. Stay close." I give this reminder to Azalea and then go sprinting across the hot sand to the sword.

I see glimpses of Fawn (10) and Billy (10) pulling themselves onto land as I run and then I'm at the sword. I'm picking it up when a dark shadow appears in front of me and then something heavy lands on my shoulders. I hear Azalea shouting as I fall to the ground. Sand kicks up and some gets in my eye as I wildly kick at my assailant. I feel my foot connect and I have a brief respite allowing me to scramble to my feet.

Luxio (13) is doing the same, a glaive is clenched tightly in his right hand and I just see the frown on his face before he takes a swipe at me. I feel a sharp stab on pain and see a flash of red as the blade rips past my shoulder. Then I throw a savage headbutt forward and we both fall.

My head hurts like hell and everything is blurry. My hand brushes against the hilt of a weapon and my fingers loop around it and then I'm being pulled to my feet. Azalea's concerned face appears in front of mine. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

As we turn and run I spot Luxio (13) crawling between a rack of axes and the side of the cornucopia. The ground beneath my feet is fluctuating but it's slowly coming back into focus and by the time we reach the water everything has stabilized. Azalea (9) jumps right in and I'm about to follow when I hear a familiar scream.

"Billy!"

Fawn! My head snaps around and I see her screaming as Billy (10) lies on the ground, the boy from District 6, Julio, sits atop of him and landing repeated punches. "Billy! I'm coming!" Despite Azalea's scream of protest I go sprinting towards them. Julio (6) sees me coming, sword in hand, and turns jumps off of Billy. He raises his fists just as I swing my sword.

My sword slams into his stomach with a wet thunk and he falls over, coughing up a red spittle. I don't think he's long for this world. "C'mon!" I shout, pulling Billy to his feet. "Let's go!"

"What about Alexandrite?" Fawn asks. I scan the clearing, which has divulged into utter chaos in the few moments my two fights took, but don't see her anywhere amongst it.

"We can't risk staying around any longer. Let's go!" We turn I lead them in a run towards Azalea and prospective safety.

Anais Morrisa (District 1)
I gasp and spit out water as I finally, finally!, pull myself onto land. I go a few paces forward when a boy comes hurtling past me and dives into the water with a duffel bag strapped on his back. As he swims away I notice that he's the District 12 boy. He's swimming towards the shore on the other side where the blonde girl from District 14 sits, her hands carefully holding up the girl from District 0, who looks to have an arrow of some sort in her shoulder.

I have half a mind to go chase them, if I caught up they'd be three simple kills. But reaching them requires me swimming across forty yards of water. I have no desire to get back into swimming so quickly.

I give up on that thought and rush up to a long crate at the back of the cornucopia horns. I rip the lid open and smile at the deadly warhammer I find inside. I lift the weapon out, marvelling at it. Business is about to pick up!

"Anais!" I recognize that voice! My head shoots up and I see Carmine (2) rushing towards me, a hefty mace in hand. "Look behind you!"

I just spin out of the way when a short thrusting saber stabs the air I was inhabiting. The girl with the hair that most resembles mine, Alexandrite, growls in annoyance and then steadies herself. Then she sees Carmine and myself.

Her eyes widen in terror and then I'm taking a swipe with my hammer. Her saber tries to block the blow but the thin weapon wasn't designed to deflect my heavy hammer and its steel blade bends as its ripped from her grasp. She let's out a squeak and darts away to run but Carmine has my back.

Her mace connects with Alexandrite and I hear the lovely cracking of her ribs as she falls to her knees. I lung forward and smash my hammer into the back of her skull. It cracks open like an egg and she falls face forward into the sand, dead this time. "Nice one!" Carmine (2) smiles.

"Thank you!" I giggle and sniff the air. It's filled with the scents of the jungle, the salt from the water, and the freshly spilt blood. It's lovely! I glance back down at the dead girl. My first kill of what will be many.

Bellamy Blake (District 11)
I heave myself out of the water and run for the cornucopia. I go get a few paces before my feet hit something and I go sprawling to the floor. My hands scramble over the sand and push myself back up, expecting an attack. But it's nothing. I had tripped over a corpse.

It's the District 6 boy. A long gash is across his stomach and dry blood dribbles from his mouth. "May you rest in peace," I mutter quietly.

"Julio!"

I spin around. The boy from the Capitol, the ultra nerd, has just climbed out of the water and is staring at the boy that lies before me. He turns to look at me and a burning fury contorts his face. "Murderer! You killed him! You killed my friend!"

"No! It wasn't me l! I didn't--"

He lets out a furious roar and charges me, lowering a shoulder into my midsection as he drives me to the ground. He's stronger than I expected and manages a few blows to my chest before I recover from my shock and heave him off of me. His eyes are wild with fury, I think he's completely snapped. Reasoning will get me nowhere. I have to fight.

He howls again and charges again. This time my fist connects with his jaw. He drops like a bag of stones, his glasses flying off and skittering across the stones. I pull him to his feet and land a series of punches to his gut. "I. Did. Not. Kill. Julio!" I growl with each punch. He's gone stiff, all the fight seemingly gone. I could kill him easily.

But...

I don't know why. But I don't want to. My conscience has taken pity on this poor boy. I look at him now, as he sits limply in my hands. His eyes wide and dazed, his expression blank. I don't want to kill him. "Alright conscience. You win this time." I turn to the water and throw the boy forward. He hits the surface and disappears with a splash as I turn back to the cornucopia.

I had feared that in the time it took to fight him that the Careers would have taken over the cornucopia but that hasn't happened yet. They're busy chasing another alliance on the other side of the island, giving me the perfect opportunity.

I rush for the mouth and quickly begin to arm myself. I tuck a machete into my belt and then snatch two daggers. A short silvery one with a rubber handle and a long curved one with an opal encrusted hilt. Finally, I throw a webbed backpack over my shoulder and take a spear. This is about all I could carry across that water.

I turn and run towards the area where I saw Octavia (11) on her platform. She should be hidden amongst the jungle undergrowth waiting for--

My thoughts stop midsentence. I see her. Not in the jungle but on the edge of the island. She's pulling herself up and sees me and nods. But what she doesn't see is the boy from District 8 charging towards her, a sword in hand. "Octavia! BEHIND YOU!"

I'm already sprinting towards her when she turns. Her mouth opens to scream as the boy brings his sword down...

And then I smash into his side. He staggers backwards and I swing my spear wildly, blinded by fury. The butt of the spear smashes into the side of his face and he hits the rocks hard. I'm already aiming a thrust for him but he's rolling into the water, where he disappears beneath its surface. Convinced he won't try his luck again I turn to Octavia. "Get going. Now."

"But--"

"Now!"

I'm in no mood for her stubbornness and drag her away from the area where the boy disappeared and push her into the water. "Swim!" I order as I jump in beside her. She doesn't protest. We swim for the jungle, where we will find a safe place to hide. Then I'll give Octavia a talking out for being so stupid and irresponsible. The thought of what could have happened is still in my mind...and I know it will stay there for the rest of the Games.

Jake Locketback (District 1)
I stand on the shore on the shore of the island, watching as the alliance of three reaches the jungle and disappears into its depths. Fenrir (0) has attempted to swim after them and has reached the platforms we started on, the halfway point of the water.

"They got away," Hammer (2) says. I nod, they were the last tributes left on island.

"I know that."

The giant boy shakes his head in disappointment and then turns to the cornucopia but stops upon seeing Mizu (4) pulling herself onto land. "Where have you been?" He demands as he changes dirrection to her. "We could have used your help back there! We lost Kaye and you just disappeared on us!"

I begin to join them when I see something odd. Mizu is shaking, her hands clenched into claws at her side. A ferocious expression is frozen on her face and her normal blue eyes have changed to a frightening red. Something is wrong. Very wrong.

Hammer doesn't notice. He continues to berate her as he draws closer and then, when he's only a foot away, she strikes.

My warning is too late. She slams into his side and he crumples to the ground, too shocked to react. Mizu begins ripping at his face with her nails and he screams in pain. I'm too terrified to do anything when she brings her jaw up and bites into his neck. "Hammer!"

He goes still as Mizu chomps into him. My stomach turns over in disgust. What happened to her? I don't know what to do. I'm debating trying to run when her head shoots up and she fixes me with a glare of death, her piercing red eyes staring into mine. "No! Mizu don't! It's me, Jake! I'm your all--"

She hops onto her legs and let's out a horrendous howl as Hammer's blood drips from her jaws. She's not human. She's some sort of monster!

I turn to tun. Bad idea. I hear her pounding after me and then she leaps onto my shoulders, dragging me to the sand. My spear is in an awkward position beneath me, unable to be reached. I desperately try to kick her off as her nails dig into my thigh. But it's no use. I shut my eyes tight. Waiting for the inevitable.

A wet thunk. A howl of pain. The ripping sensation in my leg stopping. My eyes shoot open. Fenrir stands before me, his sword soaked with Mizu's blood. She lies dead at his feet, a glazed over look in her eyes and a large hole in her back. "By Odin! What just happened?" He demands as he helps me to my feet. I wince as I look at my right thigh. A long bloody gash sits there, with a series of smaller cuts surrounding it.

"I...I don't know. Mizu just...snapped. Went crazy." I quickly recount what transpired. He had only caught a few glimpses as he swam back. He thought someone had hidden and jumped us. If only it was that...

Fenrir starts rummaging through some crates, searching for Anti-infection for my leg. I let my eyes wander the island, filled with blood and bodies. I count the bodies, the ones on land and the ones floating in water. I get seven. Seven dead. But I also discover something worse. Much worse.

"Fenrir?"

"Here. Smear this upon your wound." He tosses me a tube of white paste. I catch it, but I don't put it on.

"Fenrir-"

"Just do it. It smells, but it will lower the risk of infect--"

"Fenrir!"

He stops. My urgency finally reaching him. "Fenrir, Kaye's dead. Hammer's dead. Mizu is dead. We're the only two left." He understands right away, his gaze searching around the deserted sun soaked island. These Games started with five Careers. Now there's two.

Fenrir doesn't speak, the absolute reality sinking in. We're alone, the two of us. Twenty-five tributes remain but only two of them are Careers. I can barely process it myself. The thought that three of us would die in the bloodbath. It seemed impossible. But it has just happened. "How many Anti-Careers," Fenrir says quietly. I don't understand what he means so he repeats it. "How many Anti-Careers are dead?" I crane my head as I look. The colourful haired girl from District 13 is lying on the sand, her head cracked open. The only other non-Career body on land is the boy from District 6 but two bodies float in the water. I think one of them is the girl from District 8. I don't recognise the other.

"Two," I say. "The girls from District Eight and Thirteen." Fenrir is shaking his head before I finish.

"No. I killed the District 12 girl. It must be three." So that's it then. Three Careers dead, Three Anti's and one other. As Fenrir goes back to the cornucopia I can't help but feel that I should no longer be aligned with him. He's too big of a threat, too much of an antagonist to the other tributes. Already he has Aspen (3) hunting him. Who knows who else he could rile up?

But what could I do about that? Just get up and leave? Or would that just bring him after me? Should I just finish him off now? I watch as he arms himself with all of the deadliest looking weapons. I don't think I could take him in a fair fight, especially with my injured leg. So...maybe, maybe I should make sure that fight isn't fair.

Azalea Finch (District 9)
The jungle whips past in a blur as we run. I can't focus on any one thing for long but I think I catch a glimpse of another tribute running parallel to us, though I can't be sure.

Beads of sweat run down the back of my neck. The heat and humidity of this arena is already taking effect. I don't think I can keep this pace up much longer and am about to ask for a break when the thick undergrowth of the jungle fades away and we stumble out onto a beach.

Billy (10) collapses and falls to the sand. Fawn quickly goes to check on him, kneeling beside him. I stop on the beach, bending over as I pant. It wasn't even that long of a run but combined with the humidity, the snagging undergrowth of the jungle and that swim, it was too much. "You all right?" Jac (9) is at my side, looking down with concern.

"I'm fine...just a little tired. But we need to keep moving. I saw tributes not that far back."

He nods. "I saw them too. But don't worry; they went the opposite way." He drifts over to check the jungle and I look at the shore, where the rising crescendo of the waves makes a beautiful sound. I'd never seen an ocean before. It's so blue...I just want to stare at it forever. But I quickly snap myself out of that line of thinking. I have a job to do. And if I lose concentration for only one minute, I could be dead.

I go to turn but something catches my eye. A bridge. A giant, flat cement bridge. It stretches across the ocean, all the way to what looks like another island. I can't believe I hadn't noticed that earlier. "C'mon Billy. We have to keep moving." Jac is checking on Billy (10) now, whose still lying on the ground, the bruises he received from Julio a dark purplish color.

"Jac...I....I need to tell you something," he corals out hoarsely. Jac is immediately on his knees at his side. I look to Fawn, worried. What's wrong? "I....I want to....to tell you..."

"Tell me what Billy? What is it?"

"I want to....Thank you!"

Shocked silence. Fawn does a facepalm as Billy jumps to his feet, smiling like a loon. Jac seems too surprised to react but it's not over. Billy begins to sing. "Thank you for being a friend, Travelled down the road and back again! Your heart is true, you're a pal and a confidante!"

"Billy, please. Now is not the time--"

"I'm not ashamed to say, I hope it always will stay this way. My hat is off won't you stand up and take a bow!" Billy ignores her, continuing with his ridiculous song as he now's employs a new dancing style. I want to bury my face in my hands. Why in the world did he think this would be a good idea? "Thank for for being a friend! Thank for for being a friend! Thank for for being a friend! I want to thank you....Thank for for being a friend!"

"Billy!" Fawn steps forward and smacks him. Right across the face. He stops mid-song and stares at her in shock. Then a smile creeps across his face.

"Right. Sorry. Kinda got carried away there, didn't I?"

"I'd say!" Jac rises to his feet, obviously infuriated that Billy made him think something was wrong. "Now let's get moving! Anyone could have found us while you were singing and dancing!" Billy doesn't even show any shame, smiling and nodding. But he does promise to never do that ever again, at least not without warning us first. Jac has us all follow him across the bridge. It's long, looking to be at least two miles. I stay next to Jac as we cross, Fawn (10) and Billy (10) a little ways behind. We walk in silence but then Jac breaks it. "They're dead. I know it."

"Huh?"

"Kim, Misty, Alexandrite. They're dead. I know for sure Kim is, I saw her body. But the other two are probably dead as well." I see the pain in his eyes, the realization that people who trusted and followed him are now dead. I'm ashamed to say that I had forgotten all about those three in our haste to get away. It's terrible, but I can't stop thinking about who killed them and how. I wish I could avenge them and I'm sure Jac feels the same. No, not the same. He was our leader, he must feel even worse.

"It's not your fault," I say quietly.

"I didn't say it was."

No. But I could sense it. I want to say these things to him but I don't. I just walk with him as we cross this bridge to another, hopefully less blood-soaked, island.

Clarke Stevens (District 5)
We stop running just as we reach the shelter of the jungle. The whole time we ran across the bridge I had worried that we'd be seen, that some sort of projectile would strike us down. But that didn't happen. Missy (5) presses her back to a tall thin tree just on the edge and slides to the ground. I drop beside her, my sweaty hands clenched around the bow I retrieved from the bloodbath. "We made it," I say quietly, my voice just barely audible over the chirping of the insects that inhabit the jungle.

Missy murmurs but doesn't decisively respond. She's twirling a lock of her blonde hair around her fingers. A large chunk of it had been torn out during her brawl with Arbor (7). A brawl that I had ended up knocking Arbor over the head with my bow. She managed to get away but the brawl wasn't pointless though, as it provided us with both the small dagger Missy has in her belt and the backpack she carries. My only regret is that we didn't manage to get a quiver or arrows.

While the two of us are silent save for our harried breathing, the jungle is alive with noises. Chirping insects, fluttering birds, small animals that rustle through the thick green foliage. Then there's the ocean and the sound of the waves washing onto the beach. Somehow, I find this place quite peaceful, though I know enough to keep an ear out for any unnatural noises.

I don't know how long we spend just sitting here, but eventually the sound of a cannon startles the wildlife that surrounds us and the jungle falls silent as a series of cannons boom. One, two, three, four, five, six. Seven in total. When the cannons stop there's a moment of absolute silence and then the jungle behind us comes back to life. "The bloodbath must be over," Missy muses.

"And the Careers have left for them to collect the bodies," I say. Despite the immense heat I shudder. Bodies. Kids dead. Who were they? And why do I care? It wasn't me or Missy. I should be thankful. But It's impossible to feel happy, when you know there's seven dead kids. Seven grieving families. Somehow, I know feel worse then I did before. I pull my legs up to my chest and sit there, staring at the ocean in a moody silence. Missy is still touching her head and frowning when she feels the missing hair.

"That must look so ugly," She murmurs to myself but I answer anyways, without thinking.

"You still look beautiful to me." As soon as the words are out I feel my face redden. That was so awkward and stupid! I squeeze my eyes shut tight, expecting a humiliating response

"What did you say?" Missy says absentmindly and I breath a silent sigh of relief. She didn't hear me after all.

"I, uh, said we should probably check that backpack soon." I save face and get a meaningful sentence in. Missy nods and grabs the pack but hands it to me.

"You should go through it." I nod and waste no time in unzipping the pack. Inside I find some food, a packet of crackers, some dried beef strips and a large hunk of cheese. I also find a flashlight and a square of plain plastic. I don't know what point there is to that last one but I assume I'll think of something it could be used for. When I show Missy our items she nods at each item but frowns when I go through them all. "We don't have any water," She says when we finish.

"What about that?" I ask pointing to the ocean.

"Clark we can't drink salt-"

"Salt water. I know. But you said we didn't have any 'water' not 'drinkable water'." I smile, thinking I'm clever but she just frowns and then her eyes widen in shock. I'm taken back. "Okay, so it wasn't that funny but--"

"Duck!" She swings the pack over her shoulder and pushes me into a large fern-like bush. There's not enough room in the bush for us both and she practices sits on my chest, leaving me completely bewildered about what this is all about.

"What's going on--"

"Shh!" She hisses at me and when I go silent, I hear it, the pounding of footsteps. All I can see from this angle is Missy's face as she peers out through a crack in the stems but I can tell from the noises that the runners have just stepped off of the bridge and onto the beach. Missy's eyes focus on something I can't see but she speaks softly. "They've stopped." Oh God no! My chest tightens in fear at what this could mean. If they decide to take up camp right here...

"Where are we going?" A voice, young and scared, suddenly asks. My mind goes in a million directions, trying to place the speakers District. But it comes back a blank. I have half a mind to ask Missy but am afraid that I'd make too much noise so I don't. Instead I just wait in terrible blind silence.

"We? There is no we! This alliance is finished!" An older, harsher voice speaks now; he doesn't sound too happy.

"But Colin you said--"

"I know what I said! But I can't align with you any longer! Now leave me alone!" A cry of fear and anguish, the sound of running and then bushes not too far from us rustling as someone runs through. I can hear what sounds like a young boy crying and then lighter footsteps and finally, silence. I hold my breath for what feels like hours before Missy breaths a sigh of relief.

"They're gone!"

"Oh good." My body feels numb. Either from the nerve wracking suspense or the fact that I'm being laid on, I don't know. But my heart is beating at what feels like a million miles a minute and my palms are sweating like crazy. I don't want to go through that ever again. But right now I can't exactly move. "Umm." I wonder if Missy is going to get off. I would ask her to move but one half of me seems to want her to stay. The situation solves itself though, when Missy suddenly looks down and smacks her forehead straight into mine.

We both shout in pain and go rolling opposite ways. I feel myself roll out onto the hot sand of the beach and look up feeling groggy. Footprints are clearly visible on the sand, from both us and the passerbys. "I'm sorry Clark! I forgot you were there!" Missy comes rushing out of the jungle and helps me up.

"Tis okay," I rub the sore part of my head as I steady my feet. "But we should probably do something about those." I point to the footprints.

"Right. Let's get on it." We spend the next few minutes brushing the prints away, well, only ours. We leave the other set, convinced that if someone were to come by they'd follow those instead of searching the beach any further. When we finish we retreat into the edge of the jungle and circle around the island, hoping to find a less popular place to spend the rest of the day.

Ganta Alomo (District 12)
"Place her against that rock!"

Amaya (14) leans Bailey (0) back, taking extra care as she does so. The arrow that is embedded in her shoulder looks painful. The grimace and moans that Bailey makes tells me that my assumption is correct. I throw open the duffel bag I received. I was lucky to get my hands on this, a bag full of all sorts of medical supplies. Needles, rubber gloves, linen pads, Anti-Infection, Burn Cream, Desalination tablets, practically everything I could want save for painkillers, which admittedly is what Bailey is going to wish we had right now. "Let me see!" I demand gently pulling Bailey forward so I can see the arrow. It's gone in deep but hasn't gone completely through the other end. I frown.

"What's wrong?" Amaya (14) asks popping up at my shoulder.

"The arrow isn't completely through her shoulder."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"No. I need to break the tip off before pulling it out." I see the terror in Bailey's eyes as I say this and am quick to reassure her. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. I saw this kind of thing back in District 12. Hunting accident."

"So what are you going to do?" Amaya doesn't sound too confident of my abilities.

"I'm going to push the arrow through. Get her something hard to bite on to," To Bailey's everlasting credit, she doesn't protest as Amaya rushes off, returning a moment later with a thick stick that she places between her teeth. "Okay. Get ready." I place my hands around the end of the arrow, where the blood has long since dried. "One...two...three!" I shove the arrow forward. Bailey's screams are muffled by the stick but still sound terrible. I know why. It doesn't feel good to have an arrow shoved through your muscles and skin, but it's necessary.

I stop pushing the moment enough of the tip emerges. Bailey is shaking wildly and I instruct Amaya to hold her still as I quickly snap off the tip of the arrow. "Okay, now I have to pull it out. It won't hurt as much..." Bailey still screams all the same and while I don't blame her, I wish we had those painkillers. But we don't. And I just have to pray that no one is close enough to hear. I throw the arrow shaft to the ground. "Okay. Good. Now I just need to stitch it up."

"What?!"

"That wound needs to be closed Bailey. Just...it won't hurt." Too much. I turn to Amaya. "Get those linen pads wet and bring them here!" Once that's done, I have her quickly wipe the blood welling from Bailey's shoulder away and I go to work with the stitching. Bailey shakes and moans, making my work difficult, but Amaya helps keep her still enough for it to work. It's just like sewing. But with skin.

By the time my work is finished I'm exhausted. I pull my blood covered rubber gloves off and drop them beside me as I rest against the trunk of a moss covered tree. Amaya is currently administering the Anti-Infection on Bailey's wound. I'm glad for her help. I don't think I could have done this on my own. I close my eyes, breathing in the mossy jungle scents mixed with dry blood. It's so weird, so unnatural....

I sense movement and open my eyes to see Amaya (14) sitting next to me. "How's Bailey?" I ask.

"Sleeping," She nods her head towards the soft bed of ferns we had lied her down in. I watch the rise and fall of her chest, noting it's pace. She seems to be fine.

"Good. But her shoulder will be a problem for her. Possibly for the rest of the Games."

Amaya lets out a large breath. "Yeah, I guess. But you did good. I'm proud of you Sean."

"Sean?"

"I-what? N-no. I meant Ganta. Of course. Ganta. My mind was just wandering...it's only the afternoon and I'm so tired..." Her eyes are clouded and back up her words. She looks as exhausted as I feel. I want to rest, to sleep, but we're not in a safe enough position to do that. We didn't run very far from the cornucopia. Only into the surrounding jungle. Initially we just crouched in the recesses of the trees and bushes, hiding as everyone ran past. It was terrifying. "You can sleep," Amaya suddenly says, startling me. "I'll keep watch over you and Bailey."

"Thanks for the offer. But...I don't want to...to risk it," I find that my nervousness is coming back now that the adrenaline from the operation has faded. "I wouldn't feel right sleeping. Not until I know every other tribute is sleeping."

Amaya shrugs. "Okay. Let's just wait and see what happens in the oncoming hours."

Luxray Meganium (District 14)
We trudge through the jungle slowly, realizing quite awhile ago that running wouldn't do anything but make us lose stamina faster. Besides, who would be following us? We have a truce with the Careers and the only other alliance that is large enough to attack us head on is the Anti-Careers. And I doubt they'd be following us.

"We need to find some shelter before the sun set," Luxio (13) says as he cuts down the grasping vines ahead of us with his glaive. "We do not want to be trapped in this jungle by nightfall." I can agree with that. While we don't know exactly what will happen, it's a safe bet that the other tributes won't be the only thing we have to worry about. Mutts and who knows what else could be on the prowl.

"What kind of shelter are we looking for?" Flame (C) asks quietly, her fingers running up and down the silver flute she received from the bloodbath. I had my doubts about whether the item would even be there but apparently Flame showed her skill with it off in her private session and the Gamemakers chose to supply it. It was lucky for us that we got our hands on it. In fact, now that I look at Luxio (13) leading our line, slicing through the thick undergrowth with his glaive, I realize that all three of us have our preferred weapons. Luxio with his glaive, Flame and her flute, and me with the massive morning star that I drag behind me. That sucker was a pain in the ass to swim with but boy am I glad to have it now. "Is anyone going to answer my question?" Flame sounds annoyed and I go to answer but Luxio is quicker.

"The kind of shelter we are looking for...is that!"

With a fierce swing he cuts away the last of the vines and with a triumphant smile, points directly into the mouth of a looming cave. Tumbled and mossy rocks litter the entrance, a thin veil of lichen hangs over the mouth. A cool breeze seems to blow from within. "That's the perfect place!" I smile as I step forward. Flame makes a little grunting noise.

"If we had any light that is! We wouldn't see past our noses in there once the sun set!"

"Light?" Luxio pushes through the lichen, disappearing into the thick darkness of the cave. "You mean light like this?" A soft flickering yellow light suddenly appears in Luxio's hands, illuminating his grinning face. "I found this awesome lantern! Come check it out!" I waste no time stepping tthrough the lichen veil and into the dank cave. In Luxio's hands rests an old timely looking lantern. The light it casts upon the walls reveals the moss and fungi that grow everywhere.

"Awesome!" A grin crosses my face as Flame pushes into the cave.

"How far does it go?" She asks ignoring us and staring at the edge of the lanterns light.

"Dunno. Let's find out!" Luxio excitedly steps forward and goes further. I follow with a quick rising thrill for adventure. The ceiling seems to expand the further we go and wicked looking stalagmites extend from its cavernous ceiling. Or are they stalactites? I can't ever seem to remember which is which. While Luxio and myself murmur in excitement as we go, Flame just follows quietly, taking everything in with her clever eyes. Our trio keeps moving, the heat of the jungle dissipating as we go deeper, the air getting progressively cooler. Eventually, we come upon a large clearing. The walls are covered in a strange moss that glows a bright blue color.

"Amazing..." Luxio stops and spins, taking everything in.

"Hey, turn the lantern off. I don't think we need it with this moss!" Luxio does as I say, clicking the lantern off and leaving us in the soft blue light. I marvel at chamber, surprised that the fluorescent moss could provide enough light for us to see. It's truly stunning.

"We going to spend the night here?" Flame asks.

"Might as well." Luxio shrugs as he places the lantern down and goes to explore. While Flame begins to sort through our lone pack I follow Luxio's suit and explore the cool cavern. I can't help but notice a familiar scent. Salt maybe?

I run my hands across the wall, feeling the spongy exterior of the moss. It's squishy but I have an odd feeling that it would be hard to rip. I follow the wall to the back of the cavern, where I find that the cave ends. But I also find something else.

A set of stone stairs leading down to a deeper level. The light of the moss doesn't reach into its depths but I hear water. Odd.. "Hey guys, check this out!" Flame and Luxio appear at my shoulder and stare into the dark crevice with me. Then Luxio flickers his lantern on and bounces down the stairs. Flame tries to stop him but she's too slow and he disappears into the darkness, only the edge of his light visible. We hear splashing and then a moment later Luxio reappears, his legs wet.

"What's down there?" I ask quickly before Flame can scold him for his recklessness.

"A corridor. But it's flooded with water. Up to my knees."

"How far does it go?" I ask.

"Dunno. Pretty far. My light didn't illuminate the whole way and i didn't want to stay down there too long."

"Salt water," Flame remarks and we both turn to stare at her in confusion. She sees our faces and explains. "The water is salt water. Don't you smell it?" So that's what that smell was! Of course! "The ocean probably flows into the corridor somewhere. But somehow it doesn't flood it completely."

Interesting. I wonder if that tunnel goes throughout the entire island. It's certainly plausible. Actually, it's possible that that corridor leads throughout all the islands. It's an unfounded guess, but I would be willing to bet some money on it. I want to explore this some more but Flame (C) rightfully points out that we shouldn't be stretching ourselves too far at this point in the Games. There will be plenty of time for exploration later. That is, if we aren't murdered in our sleep.

Rosalie Sonnet (District 6)
The sun reaches its zenith in the sky. Soon enough it will begin its descent and darkness will begin to creep upon the arena. I stop on the very fringe of the jungle, staring up at the sun. I've been circling the island in a clockwise fashion for hours now, observing each bridge that leads to a separate island. I haven't seen a single tribute crossing any of the bridges which means one of two things.

Either most tributes have already gotten to another island, or that they're still here on this one, with me.

I'm not worried about that. With my constant movement I've made myself almost impossible to track and I'm careful enough not to just blunder into somebody. An encounter with another tribute, is the last thing I would want right now. At the bloodbath I attempted to get my hands on a chakram, there was one there, I saw it, but before I could grab it that boy from District 1 chased after me with a spear and I was forced to flee with what i had already acquired, a backpack.

They're waterproof, the backpacks, and good thing to. Otherwise I would be dining on soggy bread tonight. The shadows of the trees behind me inch forward, telling me that it's time to move. I stop at each bridge, taking a short break to collect my breath and conserve energy. It also provides me with an opportunity to observe the lone pathways to and from each island.

I slink back into the shade of the jungle and head back off. I keep as close as possible to the beach but not close enough that I could be easily spotted. I'm about ten yards off, shrouded in the ferns and vines of the jungle floor. I move swiftly but not recklessly. I take immense care with each doorstep, knowing that one snapped branch could alert my enemies to my presence.

Nothing out of the normal occurs before I reach the next bridge, the west one, judging by the sun. I creep as close to the edge as possible, crouching beneath a plants leafy fronds as I peer out. The pure sandy beach is desolate and the bridge is empty, just like all the others. Thinking nothing will happen, I pull my canteen off of my belt and begin to loosen it's stopper when a bird shoots into the air, shrieking a warning. I immediately shove the canteen back in place and press myself as far down as possible when plants about fifteen feet down the beachline begin to rustle and someone emerges.

Arbor (7).

She creeps slowly, her hands holding a deadly looking axe. She's a novice when it comes to open ground movement though. If you're going to reveal yourself like that there's nothing to be gained by doing it slowly.

I keep my breath in as I watch her eyes scan the jungles edge. They pass over the plant where I am concealed but she doesn't notice me, doesn't even look twice. I wish I had gotten my chakram! I could have her dead before she even noticed! But as I am, I'm unarmed. I must simply wait this out.

She doesn't loiter. She takes off sprinting for the bridge and within minutes completely disappears from my sight. I exhale and make a mental note that Arbor is on the west island.

Then I take off for the next bridge.

Octavia Blake (District 11)
The splashing of the water fall pouring down into the sparkling pool is calming. Even Bellamy (11), who has been on edge since the bloodbath, is soothed by it. He sits down on the Rocky edge of the pool, loosening his grip of death that he had on his spear. I sit down on the opposite side of the pool, staring into the water. It's so clear, that you can see the bottom. "What's our plan?" I ask quietly. Bellamy doesn't look at me. He's still peeved that I disobeyed his orders and went to the bloodbath.

"We wait." He finally answers.

"For what?" The sun that hangs over our heads has turned orange, night time fast approaching.

"For more people to die." Its such a simple answer. Such a cold answer. I slightly regret agreeing with it. I don't have any suitable response and we fall silent. My eyes wander up the overhang, where the waterfall comes from, and watch a small red bird hop amongst the vines that cover the rocks.

"At least we have fresh water," I say and when Bellamy doesn't respond I continue. "And we have some supplies from your bag. No food though..."

"We can find plenty of food in the forest," Bellamy says quickly. "Animals and berries and such. We won't be hurting for food." I don't bother telling him that hunting here in the arena won't be as easy as it was back home. The animals here are strange, foreign and unknown to us. Not to mention that back home no one was hunting us down. He'd just brush these off as minor worries. Once his mind is made up its almost impossible to change.

"This waterfall...," I begin and Bellamy raises his eyebrows questionably. "Won't it bring other tributes here? It's a free source of water after all..."

"Octavia, stop worrying. I know what I'm doing."

"But--"

He sighs loudly and looks to the sky. "Octavia, I want people to find us. They're easier to kill when they come to play on our terms." That's what I'm afraid of. Bellamy is so eager to fight that I'm worried he hasn't thought this through. We aren't the only ones to make an alliance. The other tributes are all together too. If someone were to come, odds are they'd have us outnumbered. I think he sees the worry on my face as he mutters something to himself and then gets to his feet. "If you're so concerned we can camp out amongst those rocks. No one would see us but we could keep an eye on the pond. Sound good?"

I don't completely like that but it's better than just sleeping on the edge of the pond. I nod and we make the move. I try to wiggle myself into a comfortable spot between two rocks as the sun sinks behind the ocean and night falls upon the arena.

Buck Rockwell (Mentor)
"Full house!" Bradley grins, lying his cards down flat on the table. I lean over, see that his cards match his words, and then groan loudly, dropping my own cards onto the table.

"You win again!"

I lean back in my chair as Bradley cheerfully pulls everything on the center of the table towards him. It's night and most of the other mentors have either turned in for the night or are over at the bar drinking the night away. After the initial excitement of the bloodbath died down I spent most of the night playing in the Games Room with Bradley, one of the District 10 mentors, and a couple other guys. But we're just about wrapped up here and everyone except for me and Bradley have left.

"So...how are you liking the mentor business?" Bradley asks me as he counts his spoils. I shrug.

"It's fine, I guess. Kinda disappointed Julio already died. Thought he would fare better."

"Yeah, that happens sometimes. Ya think you have a good fighter on your hands and then Whoosh! He dies in the bloodbath. You get use to it after awhile." I frown, my eyes drifting to one off the many televisions set up in the Games room. All of them show the Games at all times, making it impossible for a mentor to miss the latest action. Right now the screen is focused on the Career traitor sisters as they hunt through the night while the commentators talk about whether they made a smart choice in not aligning, given the Careers current state. Earlier today I remember watching Rosalie run around the island in a circle. I had, and still have, absolutely no clue what she was doing. I hope it was some plan of hers and not just her getting lost.

"Ahh. My favourite card!" Bradley is holding up an ace, spinning it around with his fingers as he marvels at it.

"That's because you always win with it," I stay with a short chuckle. He laughs and slips the card back into the deck.

"That's part of the reason." He deposits the deck back on the tables center and rises. "I'm going to the bar. You comin'?"

"No, I think I'll go to my room for some rest. Besides, I'm not even old enough to drink."

He laughs loudly. "True enough. Not that anyone here checks anyways. Well, see ya tomorrow!" I watch as he passes by the billiards tables and out into the Mentor Lobby, heading for the bar at the very back of the cafeteria. I lounge in my chair for several minutes and then walk out to the lobby. It's empty and my footsteps echo throughout the room as I head for the elevators that will take me to the apartments. Before I get there though, I spot a pair of Peacekeepers strolling down an adjacent hall. Normally I wouldn't think anything of it but I have never seen a Peacekeeper in the Mentors Lobby before. Never.

So why are they here now?

I stay still, unsure of what to do, when they come down the hall passing right by me. Their proximity jolts me to action. "What brings you here?" I ask, trying to sound casual. "Never seen Peacekeepers here before."

"We've been posted here for the mentors protection, sir!" One of them says as he salutes smartly.

I frown. Protection? "Why would we need protection?" I wonder aloud.

"It's orders straight from President Stryker." The one says less enthusiastically and without the salute. Stryker...what's his angle now? Is he trying to keep tabs on me? No, that wouldn't make any sense. But the presence of the Peacekeepers are puzzling. What protection would we need? What dangers are there? Wet floors? I frown as I watch the two Peacekeepers push past me continue on their way. Something doesn't seem right here. But It's not like I can just ask what's up. I keep my gaze on them as they spilt up and begin patrolling the lobby. Maybe I'm just overreacting. Maybe they always come at night. I've never been here this late before, so who knows? Maybe this normal.

Yes, that's it. They're just the night security. I press the button for the elevator, pleased to have figured this out. But as I step into the elevator I can't shake the strange feeling that I'm missing something. But what? I sigh and lean back against the wall as the elevator starts going up. That's when I see it. Scrawled on the back of the elevator doors in small handwriting. Words. But not just words. Familiar words.

I stare at them, not quite believing. I saw these words before. On the note given to President Stryker on the planned day for my Victor Interview. But I don't know why they're here now, why they're scrawled here, on the elevator door. Four simple words.

Those Who Don't Exist.

Fawn Talons (District 10)
The jungle has cooled considerably since the sun's disappearance and the arrival of the silver moon that hangs in the sky, illuminating the living jungle in a pale light. That's not to say that it's no longer hot, it is. But it's not as unbelievably humid as it was before.

My allies trudge forward, looking tired and in the case of Azalea (9) and Jac (9), utterly exhausted. For myself I'm not as tired. I'm used to completing activities under the hot sun and this isn't all that different. Surprisingly though, Billy (10) doesn't look tired at all, bounding forward with a twinkle in his eye and a bright smile. When asked why he has such energy he told me that he's a physical fitness nut. Go figure.

"I...see...tents?" Jac stops his walking. The jungle ahead of us has begun to thin and just through the dark night I think I catch a glimpse of a pile of crates.

"It's a camp," Azalea says as she cautiously peers forward.

"Well?" Billy is practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "What are we waiting for? Let's go check it out!" Jac examines him closely for a moment and then gives a curt nod.

"Might as well. Just keep your eyes peeled though!" I giggle as Billy mimics something peeling his eyelids back. Jac just rolls his eyes and steps forward. The three of us closely follow behind him. He's the only one with a weapon and if we were to be attacked we would have to rely on him fighting. I'm hoping we won't be attacked.

We step into a large clearing that's lit by the moonlight. Several large dark green tents are pitched through the clearing and numerous crates and boxes surround them. Billy let's out an excited squeal as he spins around, taking it all in. Jac steps forward cautiously but he's not struck down by lightning or anything. "Okay. We can explore. But be careful!"

Billy goes sprinting for one of the tents and disappears inside. I follow Azalea over to a pile of crates while Jac immediately heads right for the largest tent set up in the middle of the camp. "Whoa. Check this out," Azalea lifts a crates lid and I peek in. Rope, jars of paint, strips of what looks to be dried beef wrapped in plastic, a flashlight. "Pretty cool," Azalea grins as she takes the flashlight out and clicks it on, shining the beam across the camp.

"Cool!" I agree and the two of us examine as much of the crates we can. We find tons of items, including some more rope, paint and flashlights. But we also find a pair of nets, empty canteens, spools of wire, eating utensils, cans of beans, and what I judge to be the best item, a long army knife. Surprisingly enough, a few of the crates are completely empty. I guess the Gamemakers didn't want to fill each one. Not that I mind. What we found was already a gold mine. We didn't even need the cornucopia!

Azalea and I take the time to put the most useful items in a crate and carry it over to the center of camp, where we then proceed to sort through it. Azalea sets aside a pile for each of us. We all get a few items, like a flashlight and canteen, but some of the rarer items we have to divvy up. Such as giving Jac and Azalea each a full net while Billy and myself only get a pair of ropes. In exchange, I get to keep my knife and Billy gets the lone can of spray paint. All in all I think we sorted it fairly.

"Hiya girls!" Billy stumbles out of a tent, a large black box clutched against his chest. We show him all of the items we found but he doesn't seem that interested, instead eagerly waiting for his chance to speak. "I found some grenades! Look!" He flips the box open, revealing four small metallic balls with pins. Two are dark green and have the word "Flash" transcribed on them while the other two are black and have the word "Smoke".

"Are those...real?" I ask barely able to believe my own eyes. Did we really just stumble upon a box of grenades? That seems too good to be true, not to mention the fact that these sort of weapons are never supplied.

"Yes! But they're not explosive. Here, I'll show you!" Before we can stop him, Billy picks one of the black grenades up and pulls the pin. Azalea shouts and dives to the ground. I drop and cover my ears as Billy chucks the grenade at the edge of the clearing. It doesn't explode, instead, thick smoke begins to billow out of the small ball, completely obscuring my view of the jungle as it does so.

"Wow...that's....that's cool," I say, removing my hands from my ears.

"I thought it was going to explode," Azalea says rising to her feet and dusting herself off.

"I thought the same thing the first time," Billy grins cheerfully. I catch his wording and raise a questioning eyebrow.

"The first time? How many of these have you used Billy?"

"Only one. Well, two if you count that one. Both were smoke," he pauses, as if thinking. "I wonder what the flash ones do." He reaches a hand out for the box but Azalea catches his wrist and pulls him back.

"Oh no you don't! We need to conserve these! They could be what keeps us alive!" She shuts the box and deposits it by the rest of our supplies just as Jac comes running.

"What happened? I heard Azalea shout and.." It takes awhile to bring him up to speed on us finding supplies and Billy and his grenades. He doesn't seem too pleased but is happy that no one was hurt. "I have my own thing to show you guys. C'mon!" He leads us into the largest tent. Inside there's a few cots and sleeping bags but Jac ignores these and goes straight to the bank, where he stops in front of a small gray box. I spot the words "Flare Gun" written in gold lettering on the front.

"No way..." Azalea looks as shocked as I feel. Jac smiles at our reactions.

"Pretty awesome, huh? Now let's see this thing..." He opens the box and then gasps. I'm bewildered by his reaction until he twirls around and I see into the box.

It's empty.

"I guess the Gamemakers were pulling our legs," Azalea murmurs.

"Or someone else took it," Billy suggests casually. We all stare at him. It was such an innocent suggestion but the thought that there was someone else that they looted the camp, brings back the harsh reality that there's twenty other tributes out there hunting us.

"No," Azalea is the first to recover. "No. If someone else was here before us they would have looted the crates."

"Some were empty," I point out. "They could have taken as much as they could carry and--oh gosh! They could come back! We have to go!" I turn to run but Jac grabs my arm and holds me steady.

"No. They won't be coming back. If they were, they wouldn't have left with the items they took. But just in case, two of us will stay awake at all times." Of course. I scold myself for panicking. How stupid was that? I stand still, feeling stupid when the Anthem suddenly blares out. The others push past me in their haste to get out of the tent and I follow more slowly. When I get outside the face of Hammer (2) is already in the sky. He's followed by both Mizu (4) and Kaye (4).

"Three Careers!" Jac breaths, his face flushed with excitement. "I can't believe it!" The rest of us murmur happily. I feel no sadness for the dead Careers. Of all us tributes they were the runs who volunteered for this. Them dying was just brutal justice. The face that follows them is one we know. The District 6 boy, the one who attacked Billy and was killed by Jac. I don't particularly miss him either. The next three faces, however, make me feel like crying. Kim (8), Misty (12), and Alexandrite (13). All three of them friends, all three dead.

The seal is back in place and then flickers away. The insects that fell silent while the Anthem was going start back up again. Jac mumbles something intelligible and then turns to Billy. "You and me, we will take the first watch. Let the girls get some sleep. We'll swap out in a few hours."

It's when I'm safely tucked under my covers, in the largest tent lying on one of cots, that my tears finally come out and I silently cry for all the things I miss. My friends included. And then, I fall asleep...

Jake Locketback (District 1)
I sit crouched down, my legs up by my chest, watching Fenrir (0) as he sleeps. He snores so loudly, that if I didn't know better I would mistake him for some mutt. Hours have passed since the Anthem played, hours since Fenrir had fallen asleep. I should have struck by now. I should have already killed him.

But I haven't.

It's not that I'm unable, he's a complete and utter jerk who loves to hurt others, I would have no problem ending him. But I'm scared. Scared that he will wake up and kill me instead.

So that's why I've just been sitting here, listening to the insects that chirp from within the jungle across the water. Too frightened to mobilize into action. Think of your family. A voice in my head speaks. ''Do this for them. Kill him. Come home and save your family''.

Fine! I will do it!

I rise to my feet, keeping a close eye on Fenrir as I slowly pick up my spear and begin to cross the island. My heart sounds like a parade drum marching down main street and I'm amazed that it hasn't woken Fenrir up. I reach him, standing only a foot away, my spear tip pointed down, at his heart. He suddenly shifts his shoulders and murmurs. "Odin...I will avenge you....brother..."

I squeeze my eyes shut. Despite his arrogance, I now find myself hesitant to continue with this plot. He's only trying to avenge his brother. Wouldn't I try to the same? And besides, he's strong, probably the strongest tribute in these Games. I need him. Deciding that I won't continue with this any longer, I open my eyes.

And see Fenrir's blue eyes staring right back at me. "Gorlog's beard!"

Panic shoots through my body. My heart feels like it's jumped up into throat. And then I react without thinking.

My spear sinks into Fenrir's chest. He howls in fury and pain, trying to shake free. His attempts quickly begin to slow, his eyes spinning around desperately inside his head. Then, slowly, his body goes stiff. I pull my spear out, watching the red splotch spread along his chest. "Dammit." I stumble back from his body, towards the waters edge, where I plunge my hands and spear in, cleaning the blood off. Boom!

The first individual cannon shot of the Games goes off. The eighth death. I'm betting that most of the other tributes missed this as, in all probability, they're sleeping right now. The ones that are awake probably fear that an alliance is hunting through the night. The hovercraft appears in the sky, coming to retrieve Fenrir's body. My thoughts are devoid of all but one thought.

The Careers are finished.