Chapter 3 - Hope's pov

Only day two in the arena and I was already getting pissed off with Cheryl, I hadn't wanted to ally with her in the first place but we both overheard Abi, Carla and Maura talking, agreeing to be allies and Cheryl and I had looked at each other, silently agreeing to kill them off, they'd all be together and three people in the same place would be easier to kill then hunting down three people in different places.

Maura and Carla were dead by the end of the first hour but what I hadn't anticipated was that when it came to the bloodbath, Abi had run off somewhere so Cheryl and I were stuck with each other until we found her and slaughtered her like a pig.

My mind was still in the flashback when suddenly a twig snapped; I looked up to see Cheryl standing over me, her strangely golden eyes staring down with such innocence I didn't think it was her as they are usually cold and dangerous, she was holding some berries so I guessed she'd just been hunting, she wasn't as experienced enough with a bow and arrow to catch any animals, so that would be my job later.

Cheryl was funny; in her interview she had acted the sweet and innocent one, only I knew how emotionless she was and I only knew it because of our alliance, her past had destroyed any humanity she'd had, she lost it all in a split second, the split second it took her father to murder her older brother. That's all I knew, Cheryl was quite secluded and I was glad, if I knew any more I wouldn't have the guts to kill her.

Weapon wise, we were well stocked; we had about seven knives, my bow and arrow, Cheryl's dagger and Maura's mace that I'd grabbed after killing her.

Food and drink wise, well if we didn't find some soon we'd be dead by morning, I hadn't drank anything for over 24 hours, and I knew if I didn't drink soon my body would shut down and I'd be dead.

The cornucopia had a waterfall leading off into a river, but we were at least four hours away, I knew I didn't have the strength for a trek that long.

I stood up and looked around, the trees climbed so high into the sky that I couldn't see the tops, and the leaves were so green that I didn't think they were real. The sun only reached the ground in spots, leaving some parts of the forest pitch black. This was a potential problem; not being able to see could mean missing hidden dangers such as mutts or other tributes and that could mean death, if thirst didn't beat them to it.

I decided to hunt around a bit, try and find some food or water so I grabbed the bow and arrow, three knives and the empty water bottle from Cheryl's pathetic pack, containing only knives and the empty water bottle.

I'm not the most athletic person, I have no stamina and with dehydration controlling my body I knew that if I was attacked I'd have no chance of surviving.

As if on que I heard a cackle behind me, out of instinct I turned around and laid eyes on Lara, I knew I was in trouble, it was because of my alliance with Cheryl that her sister Carla was dead.

Lara was small, about 4ft 9 I'd guessed she had the same long golden hair that was always in perfect position, no matter what situation she was in. She looked like she'd been in the wars, the whole of her face was black and blue and her left eye was swollen to the size of a golf ball, it looked particularly odd compared to her right eye, where the emerald colouring shone in the sunlight, it was the only part of her face that was not bruised.

She had a knife poised in my direction but as she ran towards me I noticed she had a limp, I looked down at her leg where blood had seeped through her trouser leg. This girl was less of a threat now, I didn't have the strength to fight, and I felt like I could collapse any second, but I could dodge her with simple sidesteps, it could buy me time for Cheryl to come and help me, I wasn't far from camp and I definitely had a loud enough voice for her to hear me if I called for her.

Finally she reached me and I stepped to the left, ready to bellow for Cheryl, but she wasn't needed. Lara was running full pelt with her knife held up but she didn't predict my stepping aside, and suddenly I heard a loud splash, followed by numerous tiny screams.

I turned round and jogged in the direction of the screeching, when I located Lara I felt stupid, she had landed in a river and I hadn't even known it was there.

Lara was thrashing about, her arms flying about everywhere, it took me a second to realise, she couldn't swim. An urge of guilt flooded through my body, I should help her out, save her, but I couldn't I just stood there, rooted to the spot. I was unable to move because I knew she had to die, for me to be able to return home, she had to be dead.

So instead of running to her rescue, I sat down, I sat on the cold, hard earth and watched her drown. After what seemed hours she went under for the final time, bubbles rose to the surface as she exhaled her last breath of air and finally a cannon shot rang in the air.

Suddenly the crane from the hovercraft descended and grabbed the lifeless body, and the guilt returned, only for a second, I forced it out and dragged myself to the water, tasting a bit I realised it was fresh water, not salt water. I was submerged with relief that the days of thirst were over.

I thought back to home, my life wasn't perfect, in fact it was far from it, my parents divorced and my dad remarried, I never had been that keen on my step mum, but still I caused my mum so much misery that she couldn't wait to get rid of me, sent me packing and I moved in with my Dad.

For a while things were happier, I was happier, but then the arguments started and I felt lonely, I only had comfort in my older brother Kyle. If I was annoyed, angry or I just needed a cry, he was always there for me. He was the only motivation I had for winning these games and it was for him I knew I had to win.

Just thinking of him at home sent a tear trickling down my cheek, but I didn't want him to see my crying, suffering. I wanted him to know I could handle myself in the arena. I needed him to know I wasn't a lost cause; he needed to know I was trying my hardest to return home to him.

But the first thing I needed to do to make me strong enough to win was drink, so I lapped up the water like a dog before filling up the water bottle.

After that I just sat and thought of home, I was there for hours and finally the sky blackened. I adjusted my position so I could see the sky, I knew only one cannon had fired today and that was for Lara, I just wanted to see her face up there, as if it was proof for me, that she was really gone.

Lara's face faded away from the sky and the anthem of Panem played, I knew it was return to camp, Cheryl would be wondering where I was, but I knew she wouldn't be worried. But first I reached over to take one last drink of water. Suddenly a tidal wave of tiredness overwhelmed me and I couldn't move, my eyes clamped shut. I was still leaning over the river, but there was no way I'd make it back to my camp now, so I moved away from the edge, made myself comfy and drifted into the dreamworld.