Sorry it took me so long to update. This chapter was hard to write and you'll see why. I had so many family moments over the weekend that got in the ay of my writing. Trips, graduation, parties. I am DEAD tired. Anyway, happy reading! and review!

They hadn't encountered anyone in the past two days and it seemed like they veered their direction to the dam by a lot. Annie refilled their berry supply five times in the past two days, picking at least 50 berries each time. If the forest ran out of berries, it was mostly likely the tributes from District Four who took them all from their respective branches. And Corbin refilled the water purifier everyday many times as well. Nothing interesting had happened. Only two more people had died. Annie and Corbin slept right though the announcement of the deaths each night. They only know someone had died because of the cannon. It was strange that the gamemakers haven't come up with anything to entertain the Capitol citizens yet. The tributes were walking casually in silence when Corbin broke the peace:

"These have been the most boring games I've seen"

"They've been the weirdest also"

"What do you mean"?

"No one's killing. Well, they are and it's mostly the careers, but I mean, nothing's happening. It's weird. And the gamemakers aren't doing anything about it. They aren't adding any obstacles. It's really weird"

"What if they're planning something for the end? A big finale"?

"There's always that possibility"

"They've been nice this year"

"Too nice" They walked a few more miles in silence. Stopping for a brief rest. Immediately regretting that decision.

"Well, well, hello there" It was the tribute from District 1, Toby, and the rest of the career tributes behind him. "You're complaining about the games being too boring. Well, were about to heat things up for you"

"How long have you been following us"? Annie got up stretching her knife forward, Corbin doing the same.

"Only for about the past hours"

"Corbin run"! She sprinted out of there not looking back. But, when she did, Corbin wasn't behind her. She turned back and found Corbin being held, with a knife to his throat.

"Toby, let him go. Please"

"Not happening"

"What do you want"?

"To win"

"Then kill me, not him, please"

"I want him dead. He's got a chance at winning. You might just die tomorrow. Lorey, the axe" A light-haired girl handed him the axe and Annie began to lose it.

"Toby please"!

"Annie, run" Corbin croaked.

"Corbin no"

"Annie, leave please"! Toby let go of the knife and grabbed the axe with both hands. He brought it up and swung it through Corbin's neck. His head falling from his body into a pool of blood. Annie heard the cannon and she felt like it was hers. She was frozen in time and her shrilling scream brought her to reality, making her run. Running so fast, she didn't dare look back. Just so that she wouldn't have to look at the headless and lifeless body that what once was her partner and ally.

When she stopped running, night had fallen and she found refuge inside the cave of a cliff. She sat against the rocky wall and listened to the voices in her head. She can hear the crack of his neck, the slash of the axe, metal clinging, her screaming, Toby's voice, and President Snow over a microphone. She covered her ears, begging the voices to stop. Yelling at them to stop. When the volume didn't change and Corbin's death reined her mind and her memories, she began to cry.

Finnick was alone again at night. This time he wasn't leaving, knowing Annie was the career's target. Mags reacted the same with every one of her tributes that died. She suffered more with Corbin's death. Finnick did too. Corbin always seemed happy and the games weren't fair. Neither were the tributes. He didn't deserve to die that way. Not so cruel like that.

Finnick was all for Annie now. His only wish was to get her out alive. He talked to several sponsors that day but no one wanted to chip in for some soup to send Annie. She was sleeping curled up in the wall of the cave. Shivering and weeping in her sleep. All of her stuff stayed where she and Corbin stopped to rest. She woke all of a sudden with a scared expression on her face. Finnick studied everything about her in the moment. The way her pupils were dilated in fear, the goose bumps on her skin, the non-stop shivering of her body, and her wet tears. Finnick couldn't stand to look at her like that. Suffering, hungry, and cold. He promised himself, that he would do anything to help her out in these moments where she was alone and helpless.