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-Hannah

The crystal moon is high in the artificial sky, but as I stare at the waning beauty, I find myself with other thoughts than its tediousness. At first, my mind replays the words I've heard in school since second grade: "The moon does not make its own light. It is a reflection from the Sun." Yet, in this situation that isn't true. The astonishing rock is a figment of the Gamemaker's imagination, implanted into this terrible scenario to convince us that's nothing is wrong.

But, in fact, everything is wrong.

I wasn't raised to die in here. I'm supposed to be a brilliant girl with a bright future, which I had. I had a life, and it was more perfect than I would ever want to imagine. I had my mother and my sister; I had Cassian. I want to believe I'll see him again, witness his snowy blonde hair shield his liquid gray-green eyes, with his slight smile that I only see when we're alone.

Though, I'm not delusional.

How I've made it this far already, I'm not sure. I've survived with my life into the last four, barely. We've been in this hell-hole for almost two weeks, and I haven't eaten for the past few days. Five days ago, when Katniss destroyed the Career's food, she ruined my meals as well, but I'm not mad. I'd much rather her win than Cato.

I still wish I was the one to make it out of here.

My stomach erupts once again, sending a flash of pain through my abdomen. I hold my breath, hoping no one has heard the involuntary noise. After a moment of nothing but the soft babble of the creek, I breathe normally again. I want a way to escape this, but unless I want to stumble around and find Cato, I have no choices.

Unless…

No, that's not even an option. I can't even imagine the looks on mother, Junia's, and Cassian's faces if they saw it end like that. After two weeks without a single kill, I couldn't end it in that fashion. Then again, is it any better than having them witness me killed with Cato's bare hands?

I'm not tired, so I sit in the large tree for the rest of the night and into the morning, just thinking. What was it that I told Caesar; something about applying myself to any situation? I'm too fatigued to remember. I just wish I could think of a logical solution to this.

At first I'm worried they've found me, which is terrible since I know she'll have no remorse over my death. But, it turns out to be my golden chance. I stealthily climb out of the tree, praying that I won't make a noise when I hit the ground. I do, but it's muted, and difficult to hear.

I sneak my way over to the cave the two are staying in, much nicer than a tree. The opening is concealed, and I take a moment to untangle the entrance without making irreparable damage. I almost cry whenever I realize there's no food in the camp.

I go to hide away once again, but a sudden noise stops me. Through the tangle, I see a mat laid out with a small block of cheese and some berries. All function stops in my body, since I know what they are. It was in a dusty old book I read a couple of years ago, titled 'A Guide of All Edible Vegetation'. Only a sentence in the entire book discussed it.

'Nightlock is one of the most dangerous berries in the world. If eaten, death is inevitable.'

My first thought is that I should leave it and run away. Watch as the duo from District Twelve begins a meal with an appetizer of berries they've never heard about. Then leave some berries for Cato to find, since he's probably as hungry as I am. I'm not technically killing any of them, so my conscience will survive.

It's the only hope I have for a minute, until my idea is shot down. I've forgotten my emaciation. I won't have enough strength to find Cato and be sure he eats the Nightlock, and what if Katniss or Peeta knows what it is? What if they're doing the exact thing I was just planning a moment ago?

A pain rips through my abdomen, more intense than ever before, until I'm crouched onto my knees. I have no hope, I'd sooner die right in this spot than make it to hiding, so there's only one choice.

The single choice I've been avoiding since the name Aurelia Oriolt was drawn from that damned bowl. Since I had to meet all of the people, save three, that have been killed in the last two weeks. My body acts on its own consent, standing me up and out next to the berries. I reach for the cheese, feeling I deserve a slight amount of indulgence for what I'm about to do. My back is toward the world, and I suddenly don't care if Katniss shoots an arrow through my heart, or Cato comes to snap my neck.

The cheese is delicious on my starved tongue, but I don't want to eat it all. With myself out of the Games, I only hope that anyone but Cato wins, so I'll leave the Twelve's something. A thought occurs to me—what if the Capitol knows what I'm planning. They can't know, because they'd sooner send a mutt after me than let me do this.

I sit the cheese down and theatrically glance over each shoulder before grabbing a handful of berries and run off, wasting the little stamina I have. I sit on the vegetation of the forest, and stare at the simulated sky. I pick a single berry from my palm, and place it to my lips. I can feel my heart beating, and watch the sky above me.

I imagine the world outside, to my family back at District Five. Are they yelling at me to stop, or nodding with a slight cry, since they know it's the best option. I feel the moistness build up at the corner of my eyes.

No one will remember me: the fox-faced girl who 'accidently' ate a poisonous berry. My mother will go on with her life, and Junia will create a new one in a few years, living the life I never got the chance to live. Cassian probably didn't know I love him, so he'll only mourn me as a friend, and then marry someone, soon letting my memory slip into nonexistence.

They'll have kids, who may have the chance to live the life I want, or have it taken away from them. Because, though it may seem that way, the odds are never in our favor. I open my lips slightly, to place a kiss on the berry at my lips, wanting it to be my mother or sister.

The tears are streaming consistently now, as I let the fruit pass the barrier into my mouth. I hesitate for a minute, contemplating spitting it out. I shake my head, and bring my hands up to wipe away the tears, letting my teeth tear into the delicate skin. It's sweet.

I lay back in the grass, as I feel myself rising. I feel great, rested and satiated, as if I'm ready to run a marathon. My eyes are still closed, as I hear the faint sound of a cannon sounding, and a girls voice shrieking something inaudible.

I smile. One of these days, I'll see mother, and Junia and Cassian, but for now, I am pleased with myself. I applied my intelligence to the situation and figured it out. Even though I'll spend the rest of eternity thinking of the other options I had, for now I'm content. I didn't kill anyone; I used only my cleverness to survive.

Wits beyond measure are a girl's favorite treasure, I think sadistically.