Enjoy!

Brandon Millet, D9M, 16

I'm still angry at Troy.

That encounter with Proxxi and Marie could've saved us more time when it comes later on in the arena. I decided to stay at the other side of the group as I watch them talk. Quinoa had managed to patch up the wound I received from Proxxi, it's not a good patch up but I know she did her best. I appreciate it but I can't help but feel we're too nice as a group to kill the other tributes.

"Stop bring antisocial and join us." Quinoa clasps my shoulder but I shrug it off.

"I'm not happy with him." I manage to say facing away from my district partner. "We could've been one or two tribute less by now."

"It's hard, I know, but we just can't kill them because we needed to." Quinoa starts and she is then joined by the rest of the group.

"There was a reason!" I proclaim looking at everyone. "Don't you want to go home? Getting rid of tributes earlier takes us closer."

"And then what?" Shepherd interjects. "We kill each other?"

My mouth opens for a response but then shut it immediately. He has a point, thinking it over now I don't think I have the guts to kill my friends. That's the thing I want to press though. If we can't kill the other tributes then what are we doing?

"Regardless…" Troy starts. "We need to keep moving."

"Let's worry about the careers, and if Marie and Proxxi decide to attack us then we retaliate…is that okay Brandon?"

I nod my head, accepting that my argument has been lost. There's nothing else I can say that would make it look good anyway. I listen to Troy as he suggests that we go back to the Cornucopia. I don't agree with that, it can be a trap and I don't want that responsibility on my hands should my allies fall.

However, everyone agrees to the plan, there goes my leadership. Even though I trust them all I can't help but feel useless now. Troy is clearly a better leader than I am but yet everyone believes in me to lead them.

"Is that okay Brandon?"

My thoughts snap out of my head as I look at Troy, his eyebrows furrows with his question, as if he might expect another argument.

"Y-yeah," I manage to speak out. "That sounds like a plan."

He smiles before picking up our bags. He offers to carry mines but I reject saying that we need to share the heavy load in case we encounter stronger tributes, namely the careers.

So we begin our walk back to where it all started. During our encounter yesterday, Troy had managed to spot the park before seeing Proxxi and Marie. So we're moving up that way. Quinoa helps me walk a little as I limp from my wound. The pain is excruciating. If we do end up encountering the careers, I will stay behind and fight them. I want my friends to run for their lives, to survive for me.

We turn left at the crossing and begin to head straight to the park. It's not far but my leg feels like it's going to fall off any minute now. I decide to look up as I seethe from the pain, everyone stops but I tell them I'm fine.

I notice birds flying overhead, occasionally landing on the rooftops of the houses. Looking at us, could these be mutts? Troy mentions that they're seagulls and is pretty common back in Four. They don't look too terrifying so maybe they aren't violent.

We make it to the park entrance. The green bars standing tall as it was on the other side from where we went out. We can spot the tent from here, the crates are still there. No sign of the careers though. Could it be a trap?

My mind wonders different possibilities. Traps, ambush, trip mines. All of these are possible, the lamp posts by the launch pads are still burning bright, although not as bright as the natural lighting. That's when Troy decide to move forward, looking down the path of the trees and telling us it's all clear.

"So what do we do once we get there?" Shepherd asks Troy.

"We steal as many of the supplies as we can get then maybe destroy or poison them?"

In theory that sounds like a great plan but I just don't know if any of this is going to work out. Although Troy is optimistic in his plan I have my doubts, the risks outweighs the benefits here. I can tell that this is a bad idea but I don't think my allies realise it.

The closer to the Cornucopia the more vivid the bloodbath in my head became. With Jenny gone the group has become a little quiet, a lot more quiet than usual. The tension seems to rise every time I voice my opinion. This makes me wonder if they actually really do believe me.

We pass by the lampposts and walking the still bloodstained grass from a couple of days ago. The crates are still there but it's quiet. Almost silent, only our breathing are present. That's when I see, that there isn't anything there. Everything has been cleaned out.

"This was pointless." I say with a sigh.

"They must've moved them." Troy says kneeling down beside the crates.

"So what do we do now?" Quinoa says beside me.

"Head into the forest." Troy suggests confidently. "We're running out of food and I reckon animals would be more prevalent there."

"The careers could be lurking inside there." I say adamantly.

"Let's worry about that when we get to it." Quinoa says. "Stop being so negative."

I just sigh and nod at the suggestion. We are capable of taking on the careers, I believe in our strengths. We begin to move into the forest, passing by the other sets of lampposts. I have the slight fear in my mind of what we might encounter.

Surely, it can't be that bad.

Midas Cusson, D1M, 17

After moving all the items yesterday, Alana and I decided to move into the forest looking for more tributes. I know that Glisten is traumatised by the bloodbath, I notice as she's always lost in thought now rather than mouthing off like last time.

Now, it's not like me to persuade people but doing that to my district partner is easier than telling Isla that she's not a good leader. Which is true.

The Five boy died yesterday as well. Just one cannon and I'm pretty sure that kid didn't wander into the forest during the bloodbath. Something will happen today and I can feel it. I need to act fast so that I can win this thing. I don't have a good feeling about the career pack.

"So what do you think the Gamemakers are planning now that there's only been one death yesterday?"

My voice seems to echo around the forest scene first before seeing both Alana and Glisten look at me with confused faces. I see Alana shrug, eyes shut. She didn't care but Glisten on the other hand looks worried.

"Maybe traps are going to start appearing now?" She offers a suggestion.

"You're probably right." I say.

"With any luck Tiberius' kill could've been that Five boy." Alana says arms crossed. "I don't think that boy has it in him to kill anyone but he's better than Isla."

She's wrong. Isla will probably be seething by now and if I am Tiberius I would run, to see that Four girl explode into a pile of angry mess would be terrifying.

"I think Tiberius will end up alright." Glisten manages to say.

I offer her a fake smile before we start traversing the path again. We haven't seen a single tribute yet meaning they already know our position and are just hiding or they're not in the forested area at all.

So long as we're not going to encounter any trouble for a while I'll spring my plan into action now. I stop ahead of the two and turn around. A sort of devilish grin appearing on my face, earning a raise of the eyebrow by Alana.

"What are you planning?" She says with a glare.

"I was just wondering. If the group consensus is that we like Tiberius and not Isla…" I start waiting for the initial speech to set before starting again. "How do you guys feel about kicking Isla from the alliance?"

Glisten furrows her eyebrows, she could be weighing in the potential consequences already. But Alana is looking at me with the same smile I was giving a mere moments ago. I know she's going to be easier to manipulate.

"Then you'll take leadership?" Alana asks me.

"Me? Lead?" I give a laugh. "Who else would be better suited than you to lead?"

My words seems to dance around her head before she smiles at my idea.

Hook, line and stinker.

"I like your idea Midas." She says, with Glisten basically agreeing with our conversation.

"But what will happen when Isla finds out?" Glisten asks us both. "I don't think she'll be happy about this."

"You let me worry about her." Alana says the evil grin on her face not faltering. "I've been waiting so long to cut that pretty girl's face."

There's two of my main competitors out. Especially with the three of us careers versus just her? I don't think she stands a chance. Hopefully Alana gets injured in the process should we encounter Isla and that's when I'll kill her off. With that my only main competitor would be the Eight and Eleven boy and the band of outer districts Troy is allied with.

This is almost too perfect.

"So it's decided." The newly appointed leader says, hands on hips. "Our main priority is to hunt other tributes and should we encounter that bitch, we kill her there and then."

Glisten and I nod, although mine was a lot more confident than hers. I offer my district partner another smile just to try and reassure her. To tell the truth I don't care about her at all but she can end up jeopardising this for me.

So we continue our walk, talking strategies on how to fight our previous leader. Although with Glisten's bow and arrow skills and my brute force and Alana's speed; we have this in the bag. Let's just wait for the results.

This game is about to get interesting.

Marie Scire, D5F, 17

Proxxi is sleeping. The fight yesterday with Troy and Brandon was intense, I really thought my life would end there and then. I owe Troy a huge favour now but would our next encounter be different? I look around the small shop we stumbled into yesterday.

I put on the blazer and take a knife or two, opening the door and looking back at my ally I then leave. Deciding to scout the surrounding area will really help, because our next plan of action is to enter the large building.

The air is warming up, the need for this blazer is becoming a burden but for some reason I don't want to get rid of it. I feel like I will need this. Squinting at the sudden burst of sunshine I move towards the large lawn area of the building. Seeing figures or statues standing close to the gates.

Speaking of, the gates are locked shut but the sides of the lawn don't even have fences to begin with making it easier to climb into the lawn. Deciding to head back for now, seeing that it's going to be easier to get to the building than I thought initially.

Once I reach the shop, I see that Proxxi is still sleeping, completely safe from harm. But then I hear this ticking that I didn't hear earlier. I give the place another look around for whatever that is but finding nothing. The ticking seems to be getting faster by the second and that's when I decide to pack everything into our bags.

I nudge Proxxi awake, making her sit up in a panic.

"What is it?" She says looking around. "Are we being attacked?"

"No." I manage to say, still hearing the ticking noise. "Can you hear that?"

"The ticking?"

"Yes. We need to get out of here."

She agrees without so much of an argument taking her bag and blazer. I open the door stepping a couple of steps before my ears hear the explosion. I am about to shout at Proxii to duck and cover but we both get propelled as smoke and debris surround us.

A Gamemaker trap.

I try shouting for Proxxi, I didn't hear a cannon but then again the explosion was so loud I can barely hear. I try my best to shout again, walking around the debris and glass. Finally I see, through the smoke, Proxxi's red hair. She's coughing as the smoke makes it worse. I quickly grab her arm pulling her out of the smoke and debris.

We didn't say anything as we cross over to the lawn, helping Proxxi climb the wall to the lawn area. Then myself struggling up it. We decide to rest by a tree lining the outside of the grass lawn. From our position we can see the smoke.

"So they must be getting bored." I manage to say trying to catch my breath.

"Yeah, someone is definitely going to die today." Proxxi tells me before noticing the statues. "What are those?"

She stands up to walk over to the statues, admiring the stone work. She then gasps at the site of what they really are. Thinking something bad has happened I walk over to her quickly. Drawing a knife just to be sure.

"It's…Asus." She says to me.

True enough it is. The boy stands holding some sort of contraption. His face filled with curiosity from his contraption, standing on the pedestal that we started on for the bloodbath.

I then decide to look at the other statues. True enough it's the other tributes from the bloodbath and then him; Wyatt. I move closer to the statue. With his small dagger and a confident looking smile.

Seeing him once again reminds me of Five. Shaking my head from the thought of home, can't let that distract me. We need to move on. I don't want to see if these things come alive or not. So we traverse on the green grass leading up to the building. As we get closer, the said structure becomes grander and grander.

We manage to reach a set of steps and on the top of the steps is a giant door. Wooden made of oak that seems to shine despite the afternoon sun. We traverse up it and Proxii wonders if it's open. I try to push it open and with little force it opens quietly.

Walking in and closing the door behind us the place looks wonderful. It's like a castle mixed with modern architecture. Nothing like I have ever seen before. To the left I can see an office of some kind, brightly lit and papers strewn about. The right side is a wall with the title: "The Victors of Panem 76th –".

I look for Warren's name and true enough there he is in gold lettering. Winning the Eighty-Seventh Hunger Games. Proxxi mentions Caleb's and Quanta's as well. We marvel at the names of the victors for a few more minutes, I can barely remember what their games was like but I imagine it's like what I am experiencing now.

"Should we go through this door?" Proxxi says pointing to the green door. "It is the only way in."

I can only nod at her suggestion as my ally opens the door with ease. I walk in after her, making sure the door closes silently, you can never assume that you are alone here. The immediate thing I spot is the great hall although it's obscured by the trophy case showcasing the past victor's portraits.

The hall is lined up with chairs of the same white colour, facing a wooden stage. I still can't believe that this place looks so modern on the inside. My ears, however, perk at the sound of a noise. I stand in front of Proxxi to shield her. I swear the noise is coming from the right.

It was a door opening and closing. It was Lief; he seems to be confident until he turns and looks me dead in the eye. His eyes widen with fear, his small axe quivering in his hands. Before I can say that I am not going to hurt him he runs away, towards another set of double doors up the stairs.

"Let's go the other way." I say. "I don't think he'll be a problem for now."

We continue to explore the ground floor, looking into rooms filled with computers and chairs. Proxxi proclaims that it feels like a school and that's when it clicks. Maybe it is a school! Our arena wear seems to say so anyway.

"Let's keep going that way." Proxxi says as we round the corner, passing by another set of doors leading into the great hall.

We reach a big clearing, white lockers surrounding the edges of the area is what you can see immediately. There's seats that look like giant boxes too and two big screens showing the Capitol insignia on them.

This must be some sort of relaxation area for students, during breaks or something. I look around some more and from the corner of my eye I see someone. I stop Proxxi from walking as I pull her down to avoid the knife flying towards us.

Taylor Twaron, district Eight.

"Let's run upstairs." I whisper to Proxxi as the boy takes out a dagger.

"Yeah." She nods before starting her sprint.

I manage to catch up to her, going back to the hallway past the great hall. Entering another set of double doors up the stairs. I don't know where Proxxi is leading me but I look back to see Taylor just rounding around the corner.

As we get to the first floor of the building, Proxxi pulls me into the first room she sees. She opens it quickly and we go in. We close the door and close the lights. Hopefully he doesn't spot us from here.

I hear footsteps and panting as I muffle my breathing. The footsteps gradually got lower and lower, however, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

We escaped from him.

But now I can't help but feel we're going to be here in this school forever.

Isla Moore, D4F, 18

I scream at the top of my lungs. My voice echoes amongst the trees, scattering the birds atop the branches. My frustration and anger riling up inside me as I take my trident and my sword. Nothing can stop me now, if the Capitol wants a death today it will be by my hands.

There was a large explosion earlier but no cannon. Meaning the Capitol is getting bored and quite frankly so am I. Tiberius has failed me and for that he will pay. I'll kill off the Eleven tributes too making it easier for me to win.

I move forward, avoiding the clearings but walking fast in hopes that I can still catch up to them. I am ready, my hands ache for action. There really isn't anything else to talk about other than my anger at Tiberius for failing to kill, yet again.

I move on, cutting down anything that gets in my way, branches and bushes mainly. I start to move slower at the sound of voices. I duck to the nearest shrubbery, peering in to see the Eleven boy standing with his arms crossed.

Tiberius, however, is kneeling beside the girl patching up her injured heel. Why is he helping her!? I can tell that my blood is boiling as I take out my sword and leave my hiding spot. Without any second to spare I charge towards that traitorous bastard.

But then from the corner of my eye I see the other boy charge towards me for another tackle. I stop and he's caught by surprise and manages to cut himself on my sword. As he holds onto his wound I face him, a smug grin on my face as I'm about to plunge the sword deep into him.

As soon as I begin my jab a spear blocks my sword. Giving an irritated grunt, I point my sword away from him and to the holder of the spear.

"Your fight isn't with him." He says to me with the same stone cold expression that pisses me off.

"Well, we have to agree here that it will make it easier for me to win." I say.

"Willow." He begins and I immediately look behind him to see the girl stand up. "Run. You too Cane."

"Willow, you go. I'll stay and help." I turn around at Cane's voice, seeing him take out a knife.

Cane Finch, D11M, 18

Tiberius moves beside me, nodding at my help to which I nod back. I can hear Isla cackle at the knife I'm holding towards her. She jabs her sword at me, teasing me with her weapon. Like she's just playing with us.

She starts to lunge it seriously but is then blocked by Tiberius' spear with relative ease. Whilst they push their weapons together I try to stab at Isla only for her to jump back from their fight. She gives me a glare before twirling her sword.

She's thinking of something, and I don't like it. She lunges forward again being blocked by Tiberius once more. She then delivers a hard kick to his stomach making him stagger back, she does the same to me and I lose balance falling to the ground.

She then straddles me, holding the knife I dropped. She's pointing it at me with the same evil grin she had when I saw her initially. The small blade edges closer to me and I can feel the sharpness as I try to fight and wriggle out of her grip.

I close my eyes but to my surprise the weight around me got lighter and I look to the side to see Isla off me and on the ground. I quickly move away from her, taking the sword that she had dropped beside me.

Isla is lying on the ground panting looking at the both of us with disdain. She takes the trident from behind her back. If she wasn't angry before, she is angry now. She charges towards Tiberius pointing the trident at him.

I go for an attack with the sword but she ducks from underneath the slash. Luckily Tiberius blocked with his spear but he's being pushed back. I try for another attack but she pushes me with the butt of her weapon. I stumble back for a moment before coming back.

I stop momentarily as I see her kick my temporary ally to the ground and she turns to look at me with the same animosity. She uses the butt of the trident once more to knock me to the ground, hitting me square on the neck.

The pain, worsens as I stumble to the ground. My breath rushes out of my lungs as I lie on the ground for a bit. Is this it? I can't handle her, she's too much. I remember my siblings for a moment, I need to do this. For them. But my head is spinning from the impact.

I try to stand up again, using the sword to support myself. I stop as I see her stand over Tiberius. My fears coming to life. She has the trident aimed for his heart already. I close my eyes, knowing that Tiberius cannot escape this fate. It has been decided.

I close my eyes, knowing that Tiberius cannot escape this fate. It has been decided.

BOOM

The cannon can only confirm what I know has happened. I weakly stand up, I'm not going to fight her. I'm not going to go after Willow, she is better off without me. I hope she's alright. I quickly run, to the best of my ability whilst Isla was preoccupied berating the dead body of Tiberius.

I rest behind a large tree at first. Hearing the sharp words of the killer.

"I will find you!" She screeches. "This is not over."

I try my best to ignore it as I run back deeper into the woods. Trying my best not to make the slightest sounds in fear.

For the first time in the Arena, I am scared of what will happen to me.

Didn't do a placings last chapter:

Day 2: 18th - Wyatt Jules, District Five Male, 15 - Stabbed on the heart with a throwing knife by Taylor Twaron

Day 3: 17th - Tiberius Wolfe, District Two Male 18 - Stabbed on the chest with a trident by Isla Moore