My eyes fly open. I'm panting and covered in sweat. It's still dark. I glance at the clock beside my bed; it's three in the morning. My muscles are tense and I sit up to massage my neck. It was just a dream. It'd felt so real. It takes me a few minutes to completely get over the nightmare and be sure it hadn't actually happened. I'd dreamt of being in the games. It had only been Peeta and I left, and the Gamemakers had tossed in a group of monstrous mutations to chase us down until one was left; they were giant balls of brown fur with round mouths and grotesque green teeth lining the inside. They'd had arms and legs complete with sharp hooked claws, and emitted a strong smell of sewer, overtaking us and making me almost suffocate. After waking I now recognize these creatures to be from a past season of the games from a few years ago. The whole dream had been Peeta and I trying to run from the things, but we'd been no competition for them. In the end Peeta had suddenly turned around and walked right into them, giving them permission to end his life without hesitation. I'd watched him get shredded up to pieces by them, then I'd woken up. Now here I lie, feeling like I'm never going to want to eat again.

I shudder, then get up and press a button on the wall to summon a large bottle of water. I pour some onto my hand and rinse off my face, then down half the bottle. I lie down and go back to sleep.

"Wake up, Primrose! Today's going to be a big, big, big day!" Effie trills from the door. I wake up to see the sun rising over the Capitol, and I'm very relieved that the rest of the night had been spent in a dreamless slumber.

I shower off the leftover sticky sweat, leave my hair down so Cinna can put it in my two French braids, and dress in comfortable soft black pants and a loose quarter-length sleeve shirt.

"Did you have a restful sleep?" Effie asks when I take my seat at the table with half a plate of food; my appetite is still slightly affected from last night's dream.

I yawn and rub my eyes, nodding my head. "It was alright."

Peeta comes and takes his seat beside me, and I feel a pang of guilt. I avoid looking at him.

Everyone else engages in light conversation, and I drown it out with thoughts of how I can win without deliberately letting Peeta die. I don't want it to be directly my fault for anyone's death, but of course I want to get back home. I'm slightly angry at Peeta for screwing over my plan. I'd wanted to be uninvolved with anybody in the arena, but after his interview, none of the tributes will forget me, and no matter what I'm going to feel responsible for his death. I try to stab a hard piece of mango with my fork, but instead the fork slips and I've accidentally sent it flying across the table. It hits Haymitch right in the face. For a second I feel a pang of guilt and humiliation, but it quickly evaporates to be replaced with amusement when Peeta and Effie crack up, and I can't help but let out a giggle.

"I'm so sorry, Haymitch!" I tell him.

"Just finish your plate," he says gruffly, wiping his face with a napkin. However I can see under it that even he's smiling underneath.

A few hours later, I'm all dressed and ready, complete with my mom's gold bracelet. Haymitch is giving us last minute tips, and we're all saying our final goodbyes. Cinna is keeping his composure, but Portia's tearing up a bit. Effie is completely out of control.

"I don't want to say goodbye now!" she cries as she pulls me into a strangling hug. "You're just so brave and sweet. And-and so young!" Effie collapses back into sobs.

My prep team Octavia, Flavius and Venia, are also crowding around me, howling about how sweet and little I am, how they can't believe I'm so soon going to be fighting to the death with so many larger contestants.

"Couldn't hurt a butterfly, yet so… courageous," Octavia wails.

Everyone else's emotions are getting to me, and now once again I'm crying, wishing that my mom and Katniss could be here to say goodbye one more time before I'm thrown into the unknown. I wish I could milk Lady one last time, snuggle with Buttercup and tell him he must get along with Katniss now because I won't be there.

I'm lifted into a hovercraft and after regaining my composure, settled into the underground center before I'm to enter the arena.

"I'll get as many sponsors as I can, but you must cooperate too," says Haymitch. "Now that the tributes won't be around you to see, look dangerous to the audience, make out like you're going to be absolutely deadly."

I know in my head I can't do that, but I say nothing and simply nod, going along with it. I know Haymitch won't try if I tell him I'm not going to.

Cinna reminds me not to go for the Cornucopia. I tell him that's the last thing I'd want to do.

Soon enough, I'm trapped on my platform, then raised up to the arena. I see the Cornucopia straight ahead, and I know already I'm certainly not risking my life by trying to get materials. I know that if I don't run and hide as soon as possible, I'll be killed. I also spot a big lake, a wheat field, and a large forest. I decide the forest will be my best bet for finding food, shelter, and hiding places.

It's a silent minute as everyone stands at the ready on their platform. The bigger tributes and the Careers have their eyes glued to the Cornucopia. I see that the smaller tributes, like Rue, don't take their eyes off the forest. Then, making me jump a foot in the air, the gong rings, signalling the start of the 74th Hunger Games.

I'm not usually a very fast runner, but I realize that when my life's depending on it, I can sprint like a cheetah. Within a minute I'm scrambling through the forest, constantly looking around me to make sure I don't have any stalkers. I wonder where Rue's gone, for I'd just seen her running, and now she's completely out of sight.

I run for several minutes, not ever wanting to stop, but I'm rapidly getting tired and very thirsty. I run for another minute or so, look around for danger, then slow to a walk. I'm panting as I walk, and I hear a nearby stream to my right. I push through some vegetation and see the sparkling water of the cold rushing river reflect the light of the sun. I want so badly to drink it, but I know I must first sterilize it by boiling. That would mean making a fire.

Along with shelter and camouflage I've also learned about tying knots, identifying edible plants, and starting a decent fire in the training center. I decide to walk along the river and collect the things I need for a small fire so I can build one before it gets dark and gives me away. I walk very carefully and quietly, and keep an eye out for somewhere safe and hidden where I can build it and perhaps stay the night. After about an hour, I make it to the end of the river with my arms full of twigs and things, but nowhere to stay. I decide I'll boil the water here before the sun sets, then seek out shelter afterwards.

I need a container. I glance around, not seeing anything useful. I don't even have anything to carve stone to perhaps try to create a make-shift container. I sigh. How am I going to get any sponsors? For a second I consider that maybe I should have gone for the Cornucopia, but then realize if I had I probably wouldn't even be here right now. I sit down with my legs folded and wrap my arms around my knees. I lay my head down sideways. I'm hopeless. I'm not even two hours into the game and I've already gotten no resources. Haymitch is not going to give me any sponsors either, for he'd been wanting me to look dangerous; so much for that. I look helpless instead.

I'm about to just give up and wait to die, for fighting for my life is much harder than I'd been expecting. But then I think my mom and Katniss watching back at home. I think back to a couple of nights ago when I'd promised myself I'd try to make them proud, show them I'm underestimated. I decide playing this game isn't about me, nor Haymitch, nor the other tributes, nor the Capitol audience, nor Panem. This isn't about me fighting for my life. It's about fighting for my district to get what it's always needed. This game is all about me fighting for my mom and my sister.