HELLO MY FRIENDS! We're at the 12th chapter already! Exams are coming up and I may not have as much time as I would like to update, but I'll update whenever I can. :D The title 'Fog Bound' is actually one of the soundtracks for the Pirates of the Caribbean. Just thought you should know :P Hope you enjoy (:

My eyes are blinded by the bright oranges coming off the screen. I squint, but it's hard to miss the wall of fire charging towards Katniss.

"HAYMITCH, DO SOMETHING!" barks Effie while making wild hand gestures. "THEY'RE GOING TO DIE, HAYMITCH? DO YOU REALLY WANT THAT TO HAPPEN?"

"STOP YELLING, BECAUSE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING EFFIE!" snaps Haymitch. He glares at her menacingly. "I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, OKAY?" He's running his hands through his messy hair and letting out frustrated growls and pacing up and down the room. He's muttering ugly profanity under his breath while Effie crosses her arms and looks agitated, but her eyes show deep concern.

Katniss is running as fast as she can; away from the ascending wall of fire that is chasing her on. Branches are cutting her cheeks and arms as she charges through the thick fog of smoke. I'm praying so hard that she'll make out it out of this alive and not too severely injured.

It seems that the fire is targeted to draw the Careers and Katniss together. It's not a surprise. It has been some uneventful days in the arena and Capitol citizens would have gotten bored and that is something that the Games are supposed to avoid. The huge screen that shows where all the tributes are is crowded with mentors and stylists pointing at the red dots that represent each tribute. They're all talking about what the Gamemaker's intentions are and making assumptions about what will happen. Some are even guessing who's going to die and who's going to get hurt.

Katniss jumps over a burning log but doesn't jump high enough. The tail end of her jacket catches onto it and she spends precious seconds taking it off and stuffing it in her bag. After a few more seconds of Katniss running, the Gamemakers step the game up a notch by shooting fireballs at Katniss. The fireballs are only the size of an apple, but the impact and damage it will make when it comes into contact with another object or person will be immensely massive.

It's not hard to imagine a Gamemaker sitting in a control room with numerous screens all around him, using a joystick and button to aim and fire them. It's revolting, the way they can make all this just another game. All he needs is Katniss to stop for more than a second for him to get a clear aim at her, and just like that, he could kill anything and anybody.

Every time there is a hiss of a fireball, Katniss reacts to it by pressing herself flat against the ground. Each fireball is only inches away from hitting her. This goes on for a minute or so without any incidents, but then a fireball speeds towards Katniss and sears off a bit of the end of her braid. She examines it for a moment and I tense up when another fireball is soaring towards her. She hears the hiss and reacts, but not fast enough. The fireball brushes her calf and leaves a huge burn. She rolls over in the soil to lessen the pain, but it's still going to leave a nasty mark there. Her hands are covered in welts and her eyes are reflecting the pain and fear she feels.

I hear Arviragus' piercing voice amongst the small crowd in front of the crowd. "Katniss; the girl on fire. Oh, the irony!"

A couple of the others join him in laughter with him and I can't help but feel a bit upset. It's not that I'm scared of Arviragus or hurt by his comment, but it's the fact that the costume that I designed for her might've inspired this idea for the Gamemakers. My stomach ties up in knots and in my head, I'm desperately trying to send a message to Katniss: I'm sorry.

The fire is suddenly extinguished; the Gamemakers have decided not to kill Katniss. But there is still the suffocating fog that is hanging in the air and the threat of lurking tributes. Katniss is worn out and I can't help but feel worried about her calf.

"I think you should send her medicine for her calf," I say to Haymitch.

"Yes, I think it's a huge disadvantage for her. It'll only slow her down and cause excruciating pain," agrees Portia.

Haymitch grunts. "Fine, but if I am going to, I'm waiting until tomorrow to see how bad it is."

I nod and turn back to the screen. She seems extremely lethargic and is limping along the forest floor. Daylight is emerging but the fog doesn't allow Katniss to see very far. A tribute could easily take her down here. She's tired, injured and they could use the fog as an advantage. But judging by the other tributes' locations on the other screen, she's quite far away from them.

"She's awfully close to a pond," comments Effie as she points at Haymitch's tablet.

"She'll get there. Don't bother me about sending her anything for now," snaps Haymitch as he walks away to the food table.

Effie sighs and goes away to talk to Lucia Salerio, the escort from District 11.

Portia chuckles. "Those two. One minute they're laughing together, and the next thing you see is Effie screaming at Haymitch about something he has and hasn't done."

I smile. Portia frowns, then points to the screen and says, "Peeta."

I tighten my grip on Portia when I see how much Peeta has changed. I was so busy worrying about Katniss that I didn't focus on what was happening to Peeta. I'm feeling a bit ashamed, because really, I think Peeta needs more support and attention than Katniss does, because he's the one who just went out of his way and willingly risking his life to save the person he loves. He's trudging behind the others and he looks beaten on the inside. A deep frown is pasted on his face and he looks at his feet as he walks. It's agonizing to see how the Games can make a person like Peeta, who used to be so bright and happy, change to a miserable person. It's heartbreaking. I know Portia feels this too as she lets out a choked sob.

Then I see a cluster of red dots on the other screen heading towards the one red dot, which represents Katniss. They are heading towards Katniss. I stiffen and now I'm hoping that they don't cross paths. But if they do and Katniss doesn't hide or head up a tree soon, they will find her. And it won't be good. I also see another red dot heading towards her from the opposite direction, but I hope whoever that tribute is would harm Katniss. I hope.

Katniss soaks her leg in the shallow water and her face immediately relaxes. The best thing to do right after you get a burn is run it under cold water. Her hands are only covered in small welts and minor burns, so the water should be okay for her hands, but her calf needs much more attention. She slowly takes her water bottle out of her bag and fills it with pool water. She then adds the iodine and waits half an hour then rehydrates herself. She must be extremely thirsty from all the running and the smoke. For now, I'm just happy that she's safe. But every second more she spends in the water, a second closer the Careers will get to her.

When the Careers are about 100 metres away from her, I see that Katniss is staring off into space and has entered a stupor.

"Get up, Katniss, get up, they're coming," whispers Portia.

Katniss snaps up when she hears their footsteps and quickly scrambles up a tree. She winces every time her hands makes contact with the tree bark and I make a mental note to remind Haymitch again to get her medicine for her burns.

When she's about 5 metres up in the tree, she looks down and sees that they are a only a few feet away from her tree. She looks at them and gives a mischievous smile.

"Oh no, Katniss, don't do anything stupid now," I mutter under my breath.

"How's everything with you?" asks Katniss cheerfully, looking down at them.

They're all taken aback and Peeta's eyes widen in surprise. He seems to be shaking his head and pulls his hair in frustration. If I were in his shoes, I would be doing the same. Imagine seeing the person you are trying to keep alive willingly knock on death's doorstep. He then takes a deep breath and starts polishing his knife with his shirt.

The crowd of mentors and stylists are now oohing and aahing over the fact that Katniss made a choice to put herself in danger of dying on this very day.

"Well enough," says Cato with an evil grin. "Yourself?"

"It's been a bit warm for my taste," says Katniss. Everybody else in the room is laughing at her attempt at a joke. "The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?"

I groan at her. I have no idea what she's doing, so I just sit there, hoping she actually knows what she's doing.

"Oh dear, don't do anything stupid, Katniss," murmurs Portia.

"Think I will," says Cato with a menacing tone.

"Here, take this, Cato," says Glimmer as she hands the bow and sheath of arrows to Cato.

Katniss' eyes widen at the sight of the bow and arrows and a look of determination crosses her face. Her eyes show rage but she keeps her calm.

"No," says Cato as he pushes her away. "I'll do better with my sword."

"Katniss is already signing her death wish," groans Portia.

I sigh and say, "I think she knows what she's doing. She better."

Katniss waits until Cato starts climbing until she ascends higher up into the tree. When she's about another 10 metres up in the air, the branch that is supporting Cato's weight breaks. There is a great thump as he falls onto the ground, back first. He gets up in a matter of seconds and is swearing angrily. Although he was at least 3 metres above the ground and the fall must've blown some wind out of him, he looks unfazed.

Glimmer helps Cato up, then tries scaling up the tree. She's about 5 metres above the ground when the branches start to crack and snap. She quickly jumps down before anything else happens to her. She quickly snatches the bow of the ground and shoots before even taking aim. She's clearly inexperienced because the arrow lodges in the tree next to Katniss.

Katniss grins and goes to retrieve it. She waves it triumphantly as Glimmer fumes with clenched fists. It looks like whatever plan Katniss has is going on pretty well.

"That bitch! Wait until I get my hands on her!" growls Cato.

"I'm going to make sure she dies a slow, painful death, and she better not have any of those stupid tricks of hers up her sleeve," says Glimmer with a flick of her hair. Katniss is just observing them with an amused smile on her face.

On the other screen, I see a red dot stopping a few metres away from Katniss and the Careers. Whoever it is must've already witnessed whatever is happening.

Cato and Glimmer are trying to think ways to get to Katniss, when Peeta runs his hands through his hair and growls.

"Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning," says Peeta harshly.

"He's giving time for Katniss to escape or something," says Portia with a defeated sigh. "That boy is so selfless, he makes everybody look mean."

I can't help but agree with her. Peeta is the most caring and selfless person I've ever met. You can't deny that.

Katniss is getting herself settled for the night. Her burns are looking worse and am about to make my way to Haymitch when I see a little figure rustling in the trees opposite Katniss.

I squint and lean forward a bit more to maybe get a hint to see whom it is. It must be a small person, because that person is perched on a branch equivalent to the height of Katniss' branch. She also must be pretty skillful at climbing trees to be able to climb up there too.

"I think it's little Rue," Portia says softly.

And Portia's right. Little Rue looks even skinner than before but her eyes still have that little twinkle. Rue notices Katniss and seems to look around her surroundings. Then something catches her eye. Her eyes are focused on something above Katniss. The camera follows her view and sees that a good 10 metres in the branches above Katniss, is a nest. Not just any other nest; a tracker- jacker nest.

Tracker- jackers are another muttation that the Capitol had created. Tracker- jackers stings create lumps that swell up to the size of a plum. Their venom could kill you, but if you do live, the hallucinations they bring have driven people mad.

"Katniss, look up!" says Portia nervously.

"Rue will warn her about it," I say confidently.

Just as twilight is making its appearance, Katniss notices Rue staring at her and gets up. Without rustling a leaf or making any sounds, Rue's little hands point upwards, gesturing to the tracker- jacker nests. Katniss stares at it for a moment, trying to figure out what it is, then finally gets it. But just as she looks at Rue for confirmation, Rue lies down on her branch and settles in to sleep. All she has are a pair of socks, and she uses that to keep her hands warm at night.

I decide to tell Haymitch to get her medicine so I get up and just as I do, Portia grabs my hand.

"You're telling Haymitch to get medicine for Katniss, right?" asks Portia. She knows me so well.

"Yeah; he'll probably forget later and Katniss is really going to need it for her calf," I say.

Portia nods and says, "Okay, I'll get food while you go talk to him."

Ever since the Games started, Portia and I have only been eating 2 small meals a day, due to the fact that we're practically glued to the screen, worried that we'll miss anything.

I walk over to Haymitch and see that he's talking in hushed voices with Effie.

"I don't know, Effie…"

"Haymitch, Katniss needs the medicine and you know that. We'll still have a lot of money left even after we buy the medicine. Besides, the District 12 people have been pitching in a lot…"

Haymitch turns and sees me. He sighs and says: "You're coming to tell me to send medicine to Katniss, aren't you?"

I chuckle and say, "Yes. She going to need it because it'd be a huge disadvantage for her later on anyway. And what was that you were talking about, the thing about District 12 pitching in?"

"Oh, one of the ladies in District 12 that Katniss is close to, a woman called Greasy Sae, has created a little fund that everybody in Twelve has been pitching in to sponsor both Katniss and Peeta," answers Haymitch. "It's not much, but it could easily be the difference between her life and death."

"Well, I'm going to sort out some things so I can send the parachute to Katniss just after the anthem or something," says Effie as she walks off.

"I better go along with her," says Haymitch as he walks away.

I walk back to the couch and see that Portia has got 2 plates of the chicken with orange sauce.

By the time I take my seat, the anthem has started and Katniss is high up on the tree, underneath the branch that holds the tracker- jacker nest. There are no faces in the sky tonight, which means that none of the tributes have died. The blaring anthem covers the sound of Katniss sawing the branch. She's doing it at a reasonable pace and has gotten into the rhythm of it. But before she could finish sawing it, the anthem is over and Katniss has no choice but to finish it tomorrow.

"Done."

I turn to see Haymitch with a smile on his face and Effie clapping her hands in delight.

"We just sent the parachute out to her. It should be delivered soon," squeals Effie.

Just then, the parachute floats across the air onto her sleeping bag. When Katniss comes back down, she smiles and holds the pot in her hand. She opens it and dips her fingers in the medicine.

Her face instantly relaxes and she smiles. "Oh, Haymitch, thank you," whispers Katniss.

Haymitch smirks but smiles broadly anyway. "You're welcome, sweetheart."

Effie laughs and punches Haymitch on the shoulder lightly.

We're in good moods when we settle in to sleep. I have a feeling that until Katniss or Peeta comes home, we'll be sleeping in this sitting room.

Hope you liked it! Just so you know, reviews are like food and water for authors. It's really heart- warming to read all your positive comments! Also, exams are coming up, but I promise, the more reviews I get, the faster I'll update! (: But whether you love it or hate it, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEWWWWW :D