Why do they do it? I is not like the Hunger Games have been boring, right? Or did there happen so little while we were in the dark garage and during the night that they needed to shake up the audience a bit? Still, even if that is what happend, why fire? just... 'WHY!?' I yell. Tsara shugs.

'I have no idea, but I am afraid we'll run out of power soon.' I lay one hand on her shoulder. She is shaking. 'Hold in there, Tsara,' I whisper. I hold on to her waist. The fire is still in the distance, but I can see it eating its' way through the kitchens, to our kart. It seems to not travel very fast, but I would bet quite a bit of money that the gamemakers will speed up the process so that it will be on our tail in no time.

'This will be a short Hunger Games if they go on like this,' I hear Tsara whisper. Before I can answer, I hear a cannon. 'Yes, you're right.' I turn around again. Yup, the fire is closer to us, as expected. All of my limbs are aching, but I manage to open the backpack that is still on Tsara's back. 'Alright. I can make the cart slightly wet without water, but that does mean we do not have any water to drink and it doesn't mean that we ourselves are protected.' I believe Tsara shrugs. 'Whatever helps,' I hear her wimper. Slowly, I start to wet the cart a little.

The fire grows quicker and quicker. The smoke reaches us before the fire does. After a few seconds, it gets into my eyes and chokes me up. I hear Tsara cough. I look at the bottle. There is a very small bit of water left. I tear ribbons from my slime, blood and dirt covered T-shirt and sprinkle some water onto it. I push one into Tsara's hand. 'He...re...ugh...put it... grl... in front of... ya mouf...' I cough to much to be completely understandable, but I think she gets it.

I put my own wet rag in front of my mouth. It helps a little with breathing, but it doesn't help my slowly deteriorating eyesight. I shiver, even though it is getting hotter and hotter. For a few seconds, it is silent. I hear Tsara gasp and swallow. In the seconds after that, our kart starts to go slower.

Kolina garner started at the screen in the control centre. A few minutes before, one child had perished in the fire. Right now, both the girls from district 8 and 3 and two thirteen-year-olds from district 5 and 7 where at risk of being devoured by the fire. He tapped his cheek. 'Hm. After one of the couples perishes, let the other one go.' One of his colleagues nodded slowly.

'I believe that is going to be the girls from 3 and 8, sir,' he answered. Kolina bit his nail, a dirty habit that he couldn't shake off. 'Maybe. But there cart is losing speed - don't you see?'

'I don't know if Lopez is going to be happy if they die. They have been advertising the most products, after the girl from ten that died during the minotaur attack,' the colleague mentioned. Kolina shrugged. 'He can advertise with some other tributes. He does know it will be over after the games anyway, right? Besides, his business has been boosted extremely well the last few days. What does he need to complain about?'

Lopez clenched his jaw. 'If he kills the girls...' he mumbeled. A servant behind him swallowed. Lopez turned his head around. 'Did you say something, Elisa?' Elisa shook her head.

'No, sir,' she said quietly. Lopez grinned and turned around. Eliza swallowed and padded out of the room. She was from district five. The thirteen year old girl that was currently running from the fire was the sister of her boyfriend, who she left in the district. She really, really hoped his sister would survive.

Falancia took a sip of her coffee. She looked at Maron, who was sitting in front of her. 'The girls could use a hand right now.' Maron shrugged.

'Look, Falencia, I know you really love those girls, but I am going to save money for my champion. I already gave you money for the food.' Falencia tapped her foot on the ground.

'Hm. Of course, I would not want to keep you away from your precious angel, but I believe Hallie and Tsara have more potential. They are quicker than the boy. They have build a kart in a few days, while he only has a few cheap weapons.'

'Falencia, I swear, he'll get better. Give him some time. Also, this sounds an awful lot like a way to make me help your sweet missy.'

'Believe me, there is not going to be a lot of time. They are explicitly going through the contestants at an extremely high speed. You can listen to me or not, but Tsara is the better investment.' Maron shrugged.

'We'll see, Falencia. We'll see.'

In my head, I rattle of a quick love-you to Lara, dad, Pilot, Tsara, Falencia and everyone I can remember who ever helped me with anything. 'Thank you all, in the name of the goddess, thank you all,' I mutter, while I feel a flame almost touching my skin. I drip the last bit of water over my hands. I hear some far-away screaming from my right. It sounds horrifying, which I don't find weird if you are literally burning to death. I once heard that that is the most painful way to die.

'Hallie?'

'Yeah?' Our voices sound weird. The rags and the smoke do not do our voices any good.

'Thank you for your help. I... I don't know if I would have gotten through to this part of the Hunger Games without you.' I feel like crying, but I can't. The lump that forms in my throat cuts my access to air off even more than it already had been.

'Thanks, Tsara. Thanks for everything.' I bury my head into her neck. The cart is still losing speed. The screaming still gets louder. I know that that will soon be me, which does not lift my spirits at all. Yet, weirdly enough, I don't feel afraid. Maybe I am over that. Maybe I just want the games to be over, once and for all.

The screaming stops. I hear to cannons. The cart is slowly coming to a halt. I curl up against Tsara's back, waiting for the flames to devour us. One flame touches my wrist. It hurts. It hurts a lot. I scream. I look around the room, one last time. Weird. The pain and the smoke must be hurting my Eyesight. It seems like the flames are disappearing. The flames are spreading, but they are not touching my T-shirt yet. I hear Tsara scream. She must be hurt by the flames, too.

Out of nowhere, she pulls the rag away from her mouth and presses it against my wrist. The flames die down, but the pain stays. 'Wha..?'

'The fire is going out, Hallie. I think they staged a race. Those people we just heard, and us. We won.'

We won. The words take some time to land. We're alive. We're still in the games. I start to laugh, but it comes out as crying. Wait, that's because I am crying. I curl up in Hallies' arms. She is still dabbing my arm. 'What now?' I whimper. The burn hurts. 'We don't have water.' Tsara looks around. 'I... maybe the waterworks are still running?' It comes out as a question. Because of course the water works are destroyed by that fire, and of course the game maker only postponed our death.