I really don't want to leave Cato, but I can't bear having Glimmer around me any longer. That's why I'm so deeply relieved when we find Katniss at the river. I can't wait to kill Glimmer, but Katniss and Lover Boy need to die first.

As soon as I've spotted her in the water, I run for her as fast as I can. It's ridiculous, because I'm actually hunting her so I can kill Glimmer. But then again, it doesn't matter. They're all going to die, sooner or later.

Hell, why is she already out of the water? I see her braid disappear between the trees and I push myself further, the adrenaline slowly taking control of my body.

I feel branches against my skin while I rush through the forest; branches in my face and under my feet. Branches and stones and leaves, threatening to make me trip, but I won't lose my prey. Not now.

For a few seconds, I completely forget about the others. I don't hear a thing except my own breathing and the heavy beat of my heart. This is how the Hunger Games are supposed to feel.

Then I spot Katniss climbing onto a nearby tree, and I stop immediately.

"You have to be kidding me", I hear Glimmer curse next to me.

Cato doesn't even come to a stop. He runs past me and starts to follow Katniss, his hands gripping for branches thick enough to carry his weight. One false move and he lands on the ground, while Katniss has already reached the top of the tree.

I want to order Lover Boy to get her down, but Glimmer is faster. "I'll shoot her."

Cato is on his feet again, watching Glimmer how she pulls out an arrow and aims at Katniss. Of course, she misses her. After the second arrow has landed somewhere in the underbrush, she gives up.

I'm beginning to feel frustrated.

We have to get her down.

We have to kill her.

To my surprise, it's Lover Boy who comes up with a plan: We'll just wait until she needs to come down because she's hungry or anything, and then we'll kill her. Either that, or she'll die from starvation in a lonely tree top.

The only disadvantage is that we have to kill our time until she comes down. All we can do is sit by and wait, and that's pretty boring. So boring that Cato has to enjoy himself with Glimmer once again.

I offer to gather some wood for the fire.

When I come back, the sun is already setting and it's starting to get cold. Marvel has found a pocketful of berries and mushrooms, but I don't think that'll be enough for dinner. Anyway, as long as I got my knives, I'll always find something to eat. I just have to concentrate on the forest floor instead of Cato and Glimmer on the other side of the fire…

I sigh. She's giggling again.

I can't say how long it takes until the fire starts fading. Marvel offers to keep watch, but we know he's going to sleep like the rest of us. We're the Careers; the bad ones in this game. We can do whatever we want. When we feel tired, we sleep. Who of the other tributes would attack us? You must be insane to do that.

Before I cuddle up in the leaves, I see Glimmer resting her head on Cato's chest. His fingers are playing with her hair. It's beautiful, like gold, like a fake promise of honesty and happiness.

Stop it, Cato! I want to yell. She isn't good enough for you. She isn't worth it –

But in a way, she is. She's probably prettier than I'll ever be, with her big eyes and those long lashes and porcelain skin, her perfect face framed by soft strands of golden hair… and that smile of hers, brilliant and sweet.

It can still hurt to hear her laugh, more than being stabbed by a thousand knives. More than dying.

If it weren't for my pride, I'd just offer her to kill me, right here in front of Cato's eyes. Maybe he wouldn't even watch because he knew from the beginning that I wouldn't make it. But I want to believe he would be sad if I died, that he would cry for me and realize he actually liked me a lot more than Glimmer.

Dreams. Stupid, ridiculous dreams. Wishes, never to be fulfilled.

If I died, Cato wouldn't even care.

I wake from the sound of humming. I'm still
half asleep, but it sounds like bees. Only they sound angry.

I open my eyes and there they are: Tracker-jackers. Everywhere.

Screaming, I jump to my feet and run, run, run…

Glimmer is dead.

We heard the cannon and I caught myself hoping it would be her, whereas Cato and Marvel were hoping for Lover Boy or the girl. But when we come back to the tree, she's gone, already carried away by the hovercraft.

I feel dizzy from all the tracker-jacker venom in my blood. We turned around when the cannon was fired, but I could hardly make it back without tripping. Sometimes I just caught hold of Cato's shoulder and he managed to keep me on my feet, half dragging me over the uneven forest floor.

The only thing I can understand is that Glimmer is dead.

I hear a distant noise, a human noise that isn't coming from Cato or Marvel. There must be someone else, but I can't make out who it is. Everything sounds like I'm underwater. My mind is spinning around and around and around, my eyes searching for a human figure between the trees, but it's futile.

I grab for Cato's arm in front of me to steady myself. He starts running, pulling me along for a few steps before he lets go and I have to fight hard to stay afoot.

Who is he running for?

I try to call his name, but it comes out as a blurred whisper.

I wipe my eyes and follow him with my gaze. Cato is yelling something to the other person, yelling and kicking and swinging his sword. I hear his victim gasp in agony. Somebody is falling to the ground, but I can't tell if it's Cato or the other one.

I close my eyes for a moment. My whole body hurts like hell, and I can't form even one clear thought.

When I open my eyes again, there's Cato, running for me and Marvel.

"I got him", he stammers. "Lover Boy."

Lover Boy. So it was him. But if he's dead, where is… "Cannon", I get out.

I didn't hear the cannon.

Cato looks over his shoulder at the spot where they just fought. I push past him and stumble forward, but I don't get very far before I fall onto my knees. My fingers feel for something among the branches and leaves; my eyes are searching desperately for a dead body. Maybe it's just because of my blurred vision, but I don't find anything.

"He escaped", I hear Marvel state from above. "Well done, Cato!"

I look up and see Cato shoving him backward. "Shut up!"

"Stop it", I mutter. I want to say that it'll be all right, that we'll find him, that he can't have gone too far, but I don't get out another word.

Cato sinks down against a nearby trunk. One moment later, I feel his hand on my shoulder.

"Come here, Clove", he babbles and pats the spot next to him.

Without thinking, I drag myself over to him. I lean my back against the trunk and close my eyes, focusing on my breathing. Deep breaths, in and out.

Cato's arm is around my waist, pulling me closer. I rest my head on his shoulder.

"We'll get them", I hear Cato whisper before unconsciousness is overwhelming me. "We'll hunt them all down."