Someone slams into me knocking me into a tree.

Chaff. Haymitch's drunk friend from the parade. District 11. Rue's district. He greeted all three of us with sloppy signs of affection.

I was in danger of losing my head to Brutus, so it's appreciated. I wasn't thinking clearly.

Brutus throws Chaff backwards as easily as I might toss a huge sack of flour and his hand flies towards me. He lost it in his games, like I lost my leg, and he had a weapon fashioned to wear there, which Brutus has disarmed.

Chaff barrels towards Brutus though slamming him down.

I pick it up the hand, and carefully move around. I remember Katniss' lessons on quiet, after my horrible performance in the last arena. It's tricky to be quiet with this leg but I can time it's steps to the thumps of their fight, and get out of the way and keep hoping that Chaff will come out on top. I'm level with their backs when there's that sickening wet squelch I've heard before, the heavy final hit-death blow, and I have to look. I have to see because I've not made it far enough should have just legged it.

Chaff is falling to the ground.

In that instant all I can see is red.

I launch myself at Brutus, slamming into his side, knocking him down, weapon raised and mash it into his head. It's a solid hit. There's that same wet squelch. If only we were a butcher's shop and not a baker's I'd be more used to it, I suppose.

You've got to make sure. Haymitch's voice reminds me. If you actually go for a kill by hand. You have to make sure.

I keep my full weight down on him ignoring the scrabbles and twitches of his hands towards me and rip the blade out of his head tearing it away from us both and jam it in again and again until the movement stops and then once more.

You've got to make sure.

It hurts to breathe.

The lightning has to be hitting soon.

I have to find Katniss.

I wipe my hands on Chaff's legs given my own uniform is too splattered to properly clean them off then I pick up Brutus' weapon. At one time it was a spear, but somewhere in the course of the games it was broken so it's a half the length now, but more effective than Chaff's hand for sure, and the hand ax I had which Chaff had taken when he knocked me over. You must maintain your weapon.

I am covered in blood.

I need to find the trail of wire, and hopefully Enobaria doesn't track me down in the mean time because I don't think I can be that lucky twice, and those teeth of hers. My throat would be ripped out before I could blink.

That noise...the lightning is starting.

Screw pretense.

"Katniss!"

The sky explodes.