I run as fast as I can, the darkness pressing in on my eyes. The trees reach out with their twisted fingers, pulling at my clothes. Nothing can stop them. Thorns tear my skin but still I keep running because it does no good to stop. Finally the forest ends and my feet drum on the flat, even ground. On and on and on.

I can feel what is coming. The air is cooler and there is a wind. But I go forward. My feet snap against something and I sprawl on the ground, still sliding. As I fall I discover that it is a trip wire. And I have tripped it.

Screaming, screaming, screaming, the ground disappears and I fall into the deep black nothingness that does nothing to end my fear. I cannot move or see, I can barely even breathe except to keep up this siren that is bursting from my throat.

My eyes snap open. A small whimper escapes me as I take in the trees above me, the sky. Not home. Where am I?

Somebody is sitting next to me. I turn my head and see Rue, the female tribute from District 11. Everything comes flooding back, but I can't bear to think about it. She looks down when I move, and her face registers relief tinged with fear. It's an odd combination.

I'm tempted to get away because, after all, these are the Hunger Games and everyone you see is a threat. But my arm feels heavy and hot and I can't seem to move in the slightest.

Rue sees my anxiety. "It's OK, I'm not planning on killing you." What? She can't mean that, because of course she wants to go home. But in her eyes she finishes her sentence, "yet."

"Thanks for that." She picks up a forked stick – a slingshot. In my mind's eye, Marvel slumps to the ground again. "Was that you? Attacking the Careers?"

"Yeah," she says. "Well, not just me. There was also Peeta-" she breaks off and her head snaps around. She doesn't get up, but holds the slingshot at the ready, pointing into the trees.

"Hold your fire! It's just me." Peeta limps into the little clearing with a few apples in his hands. "Oh, good, you're awake," he notes with too much relief in his voice. "Hungry?"

I nod and try to sit up but it makes my head spin. "Steady, there," he cautions. His rough, warm hands are on my shoulders and he's crouched next to me. Is this what it's like to have an older brother? Always looking out for you, ready to catch you if you fall. I push away the thought. Katniss and my mother are all the family that I need. But still – if I had to have a brother, I would choose Peeta.

The thought flashes through my mind in an instant, but I try to catch it. I want to hold on to happiness… of course that doesn't happen.

Peeta helps me sit against a tree trunk before he hands me an apple. He gives one to Rue as well and then takes one for himself. We sit there in silence, crunching away, until I finally gather the courage to ask, "What happened last night?"

Peeta hesitates before he speaks. "Rue was up in a tree. She took out that boy from District 1 with a rock in the temple. Then I, um, attacked the boy from 4. Cato charged me. Rue would have taken care of him, but the boy from Five climbed her tree and gave her some… trouble."

I glance at Rue, who is sorting our supplies. It's really quite a bit, seeing as they've taken the Careers' packs. She doesn't look any worse for wear – wait, yes. She half-dragged herself to the packs, still not standing. One of her legs is held awkwardly out from her body, and I can see the longish branch that is being used as a splint. Did she fall out of the tree?

"So, I was trying to fight Cato off and I thought I'd killed him so I turned to you and Feli –" he breaks off because I'm almost biting my lip off and I can feel that I've gone very pale.

"She fell onto your knife," I whisper, "because I pushed her." Oh, no. Oh no, no, no. I can see it all now, the blood and the look of hatred in Feli's eyes. I killed her. I killed a living, breathing person. I have done what I dreaded doing. These Games have made me a monster.

"Yes," Peeta sighs, "but you'd be dead if you hadn't." He's quiet for a moment. "Then I realized that Cato was still alive. He lit a candle and pulled out a whip. He didn't even seem to care that I was running towards him. You got…tangled up… and I took care of Cato, and then Rue and I had to clear out so they could collect the bodies."

"So… who's left?" I ask apprehensively. Do I want to know the answer?

"Just Vulpe and us," Peeta says. Wow. This must be one of the fastest Games ever.

That night, however, when the faces of the dead flash across the sky, we are shocked and unable to find Appo's face among them. Peeta says, now that he thinks about it, he's not positive that he heard Appo's cannon, what with Cato running at him. So he's out there somewhere, bleeding and most likely starving as well.

I wish he'd hurry up and die. It's like a second wound, knowing that I'm unable to help him.

A/N: Huh? Huh? Pretty good, eh? Just kidding. But seriously, I'd like to know your thoughts and if you have any feedback - tips, favorite lines, or just random comments - please review! Yes, I will continue to be obnoxious about this!