DAY EIGHT

In the morning, I struggle to come to terms with that fact that Sadie had fallen the previous day. I feel like I did on the day of the reaping. I keep telling myself that she is gone but I simply can't accept it. What did she ever do to deserve it? I wish I had been there to help her, or I wish it had been me that they killed.

I am now in a massive moral dilemma. I don't know whether to just give up, or whether or not to go against everything I believe in and engage in combat in order to win this for Sadie.

Then suddenly it hits me. I am now in the final five, so is the boy from three. This is huge. Its hard to explain how massive this is. Every district apart from one, two and four will now be backing me and three. Winning this now isn't out of the equation. As I'm thinking that I hear a little tune being played. I vigilantly crawl out of my tree. I've just received another sponsor. I open it up and read the note.

'Every one was moved yesterday, you deserve this. Spike x'.

In the box is a tub of rice, sent from my district. This is the biggest meal I've eaten since being in the Capitol. It feels and tastes fantastic. As I openly thank my district I shed more tears.

Before I know it, I receive another sponsor. I open it up and another note from Spike.

'D8 x'

Inside is a blanket. I presume D8 means district 8 as that is the District where textiles are produced. I'm touched that another district would want to help me. I've now said Thank you so many times that it no longer feels sincere.

As I'm enjoying my rice under my blanket, I hear news that makes me feel faint and wheezy. It's the voice of a game maker.

'Tributes, we are holding a feast at the Cornucopia and you are all invited. You have 20 minutes or you will suffer the consequences'.

I have no choice. I have to go and fight other tributes now, for what may only be a grape in a bag. I am again filled with dread and crawl out of my tree. I leave all my belongings, however I wear my spears, and keep my slingshot and knife in my belt. I power walk towards the cornucopia. We must all be fairly close to each other if we only have 20 minutes. I get to the main opening with 10 minutes to spare. No one seems to be there yet, but none of the bags have been taken. We must all be doing the same thing. Just stood there, watching to see who goes first. I brave it. I run out and before I can blink, all the other tributes are running out too. The careers seem to have now split up as they all appear from different locations. I see my blue bag with the number '12' on it. I see the boy from three running up to the table too but I know he won't hurt me after our initially encounter at the beginning of the games. He looks just as terrified as I do. He grabs his bag and runs, then I get my hands on the bag for me. It's going well so far but as I turn around, Natalia from one throws an axe at me. I do not realise the threat from her as I am too busy watching Drusus charging at us at mac nine. The axe hits my in the ribs, but thankfully not with blade. I'm so full of adrenaline at this point that I only feel the impact and no pain, but I let out a scream at the sheer thought that an axe just hit me. I pick up the axe and run towards the forest. Natalie runs towards me but I swing at her with the axe. She ducks but her right arm remains in the air as I sever her fingers. I don't even think about my actions, I just run and hope that no one will be around my tree.

I initially stop in the growth at the edge of the open area and watch the callous fight between Drusus, Natalia and the girl from two. I watch Natalia laying on the floor screaming at the fact I have just cut her fingers off. I feel awful, especially when I see how Drusus shows no sympathy. He just stabs her multiple times. Whilst he's doing this, Tania takes the opportunity to run. However, Drusus mercilessly runs after her. He grabs her by the hair and I can hear her screaming 'no, no, no' and I want to intervene but I've worked too hard at the point to be killed. He drags her to the cornucopia where he slams her against he wall and shatters every bone in her body. I now know that I will be his next target, as my score of 9 is better than the score of 6 by the boy from 3. I expect to see him walk towards me but instead he sits down and checks out what is in his bag.

I take the opportunity to run for my life. I sprint into the forest heading towards by base but before I can get there the adrenaline is wearing off and the sheer pain in my rib cage is now rife. The pain is so terrible that I am hyperventilating. Every time I breath normally, it feel like my heart if being stabbed. I make it back to the tree. Just. I crawl inside and sit there still, not knowing what to do. I keep groaning and releasing noises to try and relieve the pain. My pull my t-shirt up a bit. My rib is definitely broken, and I am bleeding also. It is nothing serious but the broken rib could be a massive burden.

I explain this out loud in the hope that Spike will send me pain relief or something. Nothing comes.

I open up my bag from the feast to see what is in side it. There's about 10 cereal bars. It may be boring but they are perfect for what I need right now. Quick fix energy.

Several hours later, the sponsor song plays. I have to get out of the position I am in, where I feel no pain, and I forget how bad it is. I grab the package from outside the tree and open it up. There is no note with this package, but in it is a small bottle of a liquid of some kind. I drink it and it is the most bitter thing I have ever tasted. My mother would always tell me the worse something tastes, the better it is for you.

There's something else as well though. It's vest with in impenetrable to weapons. I would say it's armour but its not metal or old. I stab some iodine into my cut. It stings like hell, but it's better than getting septicaemia. I put on the vest underneath my t-shirt and I am surprised at how light and supportive it is, especially of my broken rib.

I suspect that the games will end tomorrow. I have somehow made it to the last three and I am sure that the game makers want to finish it now.

I fall asleep, in pain, but feeling positive in myself that I have eaten, had some water and have protection.