HEY Y'ALL! How you doin'? I'm back with another chapter. Now I can't promise a chapter in exactly eight days because my show is next week (eek I am so excited we're doing a musical called Oh What A Lovely War to mark 100 years since the start of World War 1, my first musical in seven years) so I will be impossibly busy!

So the answer to last week's riddle was that Romeo and Juliet were fish! The vibrations from the train tracks caused their bowl of water to fall off the shelf and shatter on the floor! Well done to those who got it! And as for me, I can't stand Blurred Lines. It may be catchy, I heard half of it before turning it off, but the messages and video are so negative, encouraging rape and sexual assault of women which is not the kind of message anyone should be saying. I am very strongly against rape and sexual assault of both women and men, because the latter does happen.

OOOOOOOH, now there are two pop culture references in this chapter. I will give you extra brownie points if you can recognise either of them. One of them is even, helpfully, in quotation marks. The other, to give you a hint, is in the first POV and is a very, VERY obscure song reference.

Anyway, let's head to the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

Day 4

FLINT DECKER – DISTRICT 7

The castle. Ah what bliss it is to be under covers and protected from the Games. Protected, what am I talking about? I'm still here; my leg still kills me as if it is going to kill me just if I move it. Maybe it will. The sponsor gift was such a beautiful gift; I cannot believe that any of those idiots from the Capitol have enough pity to give me something to keep me going. Maybe they aren't completely heartless after all.

All this waiting is honestly becoming a little boring now. I know I can't do anything but we haven't been involved in any major incidents since the start of the Games, it is t miracle that the Capitol remembered us enough to send us something but unless one of us dies or we get into some kind of fight with another tributes, if and when our faces appear in the sky, we will just be another face, another victim paying for the crimes of our forefathers.

Why should we have to pay? We are treated so badly and with so much disdain the rest of the year, why should the Capitol think that it is necessary to kill 23 teenagers off every year? Where is the sense? But then, the Games themselves don't make sense. Right, we've torn these kids away from their family and friends, let's treat them to the Capitol lifestyle for three days before we throw them into a place where they have no idea what will happen and we could make their lives a living hell just to remind the districts that we have complete control over them. Yep, that should so nice and helpful. It makes me sick, the kid from 9 was just 13, and Jezzie is only a year older than that. She and Ruva, they are too young to die, too precious and too fragile. Put them into a fight and they won't stand a chance. Ruva might, she has some skill, but Jezzie has no chance. And so I must protect them, I must make sure that if any of us go home, it won't be me. But the other tributes better watch out, I won't be going down without a fight.

As the sun creeps higher in the sky, the light streaming in through the windows and illuminate our faces, Ruva sits up with sharpness that I'm sure should have hurt her back in some way. "What was that?" The worry is laced in her hushed voice as I sit up slower, pulling my leg which is now throbbing dully towards me. Jezzie sits up and frowns, echoing my question out loud. "What noise Ruva?"

The young girl points shakily towards the door. "Didn't you hear it? Someone's coming."

We listen again and I can feel my heart drop as I hear what Ruva heard, the soft adding of someone creeping down the corridor. Whether they are coming towards us or has already pasted us and is walking away, cannot be determined from the sound alone.

Jezzie goes pale, the colour draining from her face. "That's coming towards us. I can tell, the steps are getting louder."

I daren't contradict her; she's a dancer after all. But those girls can't get involved. I push myself up the wall until I am standing and move to the door. "Girls, grab the bag and give me the knife.

I don't care if I sound bossy; I know what I have to do. Ruva and Jezzie comply quickly, sensing that their leader has a plan. "What do we do now?" Ruva's voice is barely above the wind rustling against the panes of glass in the windows.

I turn to them, expecting the reaction I know is going to come. "As soon as the door opens, I 'm going to draw the person tot eh corner while you two get the heck out of here."

As I thought, they both look at me as if I'm mad. "But you'll die." Jezzie speaks with horror and sorrow in her voice.

I attempt a smirk; always laugh in the face of death, right? "Do you really have that little faith in me?" The smirk fades but the girls' concern doesn't. "I don't care; you two have a few more years to live than I do. Anyway, unless everyone dies tomorrow, this injury is going to kill me anyway. You two have a chance, I don't."

Ruva opens her mouth. "How will we survive?"

I shrug. "Run, decide whether to stay in the castle or not and then go. Don't sop until you're sure that you are safe. If I do make it out alive, I'll find you. Got it?"

They nod, good, they will not mess this up. Before any of us can speak again, the door opens and a small walks in. it's the girl from 1, oh great. I knew she was trouble and she has this mad glint in her eye as she twirls the blade in her hand, the other clutching some kind of pedant around her neck. "So" She states, her voice like honey how can something so small and cute be so menacing. "Who will die tonight? Who is first?"

I step forward, feeling the confidence, or swift disappearing, rolling off me. "If you want to get to the girls, you will have to go through me first."

Her eyes light up and before I know it, she lunges forward, forcing me back. Her knife work is scary; she uses it as if it is part of her hand. I can block a few blows, parrying with her before I lunge forward and slash her left arm. Blood comes out but it isn't bad enough to cut off her arm. No, that requires greater force. I glance at Ruva and Jezzie as we go back to parrying, sending them my best glare. The opportunity is there to run, why haven't they taken it? I think Ruva finally understands and she sends me a look of apology before running, holding onto the backpack with one hand and dragging Jezzie along with the other.

I don't have time to dwell on my allies finally leaving as suddenly I feel a roaring pain course through my stomach. The kid has found a part that I wasn't defending. Oh it feels like there's a fire in my stomach. The heat in the rom makes it even worse and I have to drop to my knees, the blood loss is too much to handle. Is this how it ends, at the hands of a 14 year old?

Her smile shines down on me like a sniper taking aim, knife dripping with my blood. "Sweet dreams District 7. I'll get those allies of yours my precious and that bag of theirs too!" Her voice echoes in the room as the metal comes towards me and the pain turns in my throat. No voice, no hope. Down with the Capitol.

ZOE PAVLENKO – DISTRICT 4

We've been hunting all day and yet there has been no sign of either of the prey that Aedan is hoping to chance upon, the girl from 6, Steph, as long as she is still alive which she might not be as we've had a canon already today, or Florin. Personally if I was Aedan, I would stay as far away from that boy as I possibly could but that isn't the way that my district partner's mind works.

To say that I'm exhausted would be an understatement. We have been on a constant state of alert, waiting and watching as we prowl around the arena. The heat is now rather uncomfortable; I can feel the sweat dripping down the back of my neck and into my outfit, making me want to get out of it as soon as possible but given that these are the only clothes I have, I will have to do. I suppose I have gone longer without cleaning before.

Would it be bad to say that I'm glad that February has gone? It sounds really bad, doesn't it? But around the boys I'm more comfortable, I understand them and I can talk to them easily. All any girl wants to talk about is fashion and makeup or training, none of which are the things that I am particularly interested in. Sure it was kinda scary to see her fly out of the Cornucopia like that, like a leaf caught in the wind, carried away by the invisible force of nature. But Ri was just awkward to deal with, he still is. What is it with guys getting attached to girls? Will I ever be able to feel truly comfortable around either sex?

As we continue to walk, Ri looks up and points to something. "What's that up there?"

We all look up to see several small birds, circling above. It's hard to tell if they are circling us or the arena in general. "Birds." Aedan states bluntly. "Hard to tell if they are dangerous or not."

I snort; sometimes that boy really has a one track mind-set. "This is the Hunger Games Aedan, they're mutations, there will be a reason for them being here."

I can see that he's mentally cursing but he continues on anyway. "Never mind, let's just keep going. We can worry about them when they annoy us."

I move forward as he does, clutching the short sword which I have learnt how to use with great competence. If we meet another tribute, maybe I can show the bullies, the ones that lead me to being here. If it wasn't for their demeaning manner and their consistent attacks that told me what I really am. A worthless maggot with no spine and no guts. Isn't that what I am? Isn't that what they saw me as? Ri and I haven't had a kill yet and I know that the Capitol is rooting for Aedan to win out of any of us. I don't know for certain but they like him, they like his attitude and they like the fact that he is leader. Plus he has the sob story they all want to hear. Am I jealous? Not of having a sister that died in the last Games. Perhaps a little of the popularity. I have to do something, I have to try to prove that I might be worthy of a greater title than 'spineless worm'. Maybe I'll become a worm with a spine this time.

As we continue, I can hear a voice. It's faint at the moment but I know that voice immediately, although I wish that I couldn't. "Mom?" I whisper, looking around. Why is mom here? I have never cared for her and I've always wished that she was dead but she cannot be here. She cannot come and then abandon me again.

Ri and Aedan look at me strangely. "What Zoe?" Aedan asks confusion in his voice.

I look up. "I heard my mom's voice. I don't understand."

Ri snorts. "It's probably just in your head Zoe, only teenagers are allowed in these Games."

I shake myself; of course I'm being stupid. Blinking, I move forward towards them but then the sound starts again and this time, it's screaming. A long drawn out scream, joining my mom's whisperings to me and this time, it is Ri who goes pale. "JANUS!" He screams, perhaps a brother or a friend? I don't know but I can see the madness in his eyes, wildly searching for his friend.

Another scream pierces the air and I know that voice. I know that voice. "WILLIAM!" I don't care that we're in the Games, they will NOT harm William! Not the one friend who sticks by me.

A third voice joins the medley and Aedan turns pale, it looks like he's seen a ghost and I can only guess who that is. "BETHANY!" He screams.

It is as if we have gone wild. Where is William? Where are they hiding them? Why are they playing the screams? Why are they screaming our names? I can't take this. I can't take the fact that the Capitol might have taken my poor William. How dare they? It feels like the screams go on, I can't deal with this. I want to go home. I want to make sure he is safe; I want to make sure that my mother is alive so that I can ask her why she left. I want it all to just GO AWAY!

Seconds turn into minutes and the minutes feel like hours. And still the screams come at me, getting louder and then quieter. I can hear Ri and Aedan I think, I don't know where but is that their screams that join the mix? The clash of swords, the thumps and yells fill my head. I can't take it! I want to go home! Someone please stop this!

"Zoe." The voice is calm and belongs to one that should be in the arena. "Zoe, they've gone. The voices have gone."

The soothing voice of my district partner, laced with a shakiness that is far too evident, wakes me from whatever nightmare I must have been happening. I've curled myself up into a ball, leaving my sword on the ground. "Aedan?" My voice is as shaky as I feel right now.

The kind eyes look up at me and he offers me a hand, his voice is still pale. He pulls me up and straight into a hug. Well, that's…odd. Didn't think he was that kind of guy. "It's over, it's all over, they've gone."

I pull back. "What has gone? What was that?"

Aedan looks up at the sky momentarily. "Jabber jays. Those birds that were circling us." he breathes slightly and turns to look at Ri who has his head in his hands. "Let's go back to the Cornucopia. That's enough for today."

STEFFIE HILGET – DISTRICT 9

Four days. How has it been only four days since I lost Audrey and Delly? It feels like an eternity, an eternity that is never going to end. The arena has been picking at me piece by piece, I now no longer look like the girl from 9 who instantly captured the hearts of the Capitol. Oh who am I kidding, I don't even know if they remembered that I existed. They'll only be interested in me for a fraction of a second when I die, when my face appears in the sky and my body is carted back to District 9. As soon as I am gone, will I also be from their memories.

A sense of dread hits me again as I finger my hair again. I don't need a mirror to now that the dye that I have used every day for the last four years, is wearing off. I swear I must have really bleached my hair by now, changing it from the mousy brown that I am shameful to admit is my real colour, to the blonde permanently. But clearly a week in the capitol and the mask is starting to fade, the reality is starting to hit and I can feel that he is getting closer. I don't know whether he is staking this arena with the rest of his allies or whether he travels alone but not matter what, he is always still there and he needs to long as he is alive, I am in danger. As long as he is alive, my secret might be exposed. As long as I am alive, I could die for another reason other than being in the Games. Sure that will factor in majorly, given that I haven't seen Florin in four years, it feels like so much longer, but he is the reason I will die or he will.

As I nestle in one of the hillocks, leaning against the rubble of what must have been a tunnel collapse, I really hope that no tributes died as a result of that, I hear footsteps. They are heavy, the breathing that can be heard in the otherwise silence is laboured and heavy, as if someone is tired or as if they are anticipating something, the excitement quickening their breath. I automatically, subconsciously, close my hand around the knives that I have on my belt, primed and ready to go should anything or anyone come in my way.

I can leave my backpack there for the moment; a girl can be resourceful when her arch enemy is distracted by his need for blood and lots of it, occupied with the destruction of whatever is in front of him. It is an excessive greed beyond doubt. Of course, it might not be him; there is always that glimmer of hope that tells me that it could be someone else, someone far less dangerous. Oh who am I kidding, nearly half of us are dead and so the people who are left are the fighters. I wonder who that canon belonged to. I feel sorry for him or her, they didn't deserve to die. None of us do. It is the Capitol's greed of wanting to punish us into submission until we are forced into a corner before we are stabbed to death.

Standing up, I move out of the shadows to give myself a better chance of seeing whoever it is out there. Breathe in, breathe out, that is how I can try to control myself. Without control I am useless, I am the animal that the Capitol expects.

And then he comes into view, a wide smirk on his face that only grows as he sees me standing there, my only way out, into the cave, is blocked. "Stephanie Hilget." He positively purrs, sending shivers down my spine that make me feel uber uncomfortable.

I snort, crossing my arms but keeping the knife visible so he knows I am armed. "Florin please, we both know that I've never gone by that name when you're around."

He raises his eyes towards where perhaps there is a camera watching us. "Oh the Capitol are going to love this, I will enjoy watching it so much when I watch this as President, the day the humble girl from 9 became what no one thought she was." He tilts his head, his war hammer that reflects the light that is scorching down on us. "Valeria Fromussa. Long-time no see."

It is my turn to smirk; it is so good to hear the name that I haven't heard from anyone's lips in four years. "Four years. Four years since you betrayed me and my family, let my father die and forced me away."

He snorts, watching me with curious intensity as if watching an animal writhing in pain; I can see the delight in his eyes. "Oh Valeria, we both know that it was your father's undoing of himself that caused his execution. I simply…sped up the process."

I tighten my grip on the knife. How dare he treat my father's death as casual? "That is my father you are talking about Florin." I spit between my teeth. "Didn't friendship ever mean anything to you? Didn't the idea of us ever mean anything to you?"

He takes a step forward, reaching out a hand towards my hair which is somewhere between dirty blonde and brown now. "Oh Valeria, how foolish you are to think that we were anything. You were simply a pawn in my game. A small leapfrog as I collected my tickets to the ride on the way to power. The Fromussa family never meant anything in District 1, it never did and it never will."

"Shut up. Shut UP!" I have to shout, I can't contain my anger. He…he…how…so many things are running through my mind I can't even begin to recess them. "How could I not mean anything to you Florin?" I whisper, I can't lose face now but it's becoming harder and harder.

He shakes his head and that smile that I no longer trust is back. "Oh Valeria, nothing but power and wealth means anything to me. Anyone who is a traitor to Panem, or indeed related to a traitor, means even less. Don't think you were special just because you fell in love with me. That was your mistake. Seeing me here will be your last."

And before I know it, before I can whip out my knife, he brings his war hammer up towards me. The metal connects with my jaw with a resounding crack. Before I can even take a small breath, I feel my head jerked backwards and I think I hear my canon before my body hits the ground.

TAVEL GREIGE – DISTRICT 8

Two canons today. The scorching temperatures which are making me wish for the comforting cool of District 8, the sometimes gentle winds that caress your cheeks as you work in the sweltering heats of school, making the day unbearable unless your friends are in your class.

Why is there no shade in this place? Are they trying to kill us? Oh sorry, bad question. Of course they are, that is the purpose of the Games. I'm really sick of this place. I thought it could be a little better with my allies, we could last a few days but of course we didn't. No one had any high hopes for us; don't our training scores reflect that? I mean, I only got a 4 that's nothing in comparison to what some of the other tributes got. In fact it's one of the lowest scores that any of them got.

But now I am about to show them, I am about to show all of those people out there that Tavel Greige can be a force to be reckoned with. That he isn't that poor little sob story boy who comes from the lowly district 8 and will just blend into the background. No. I refuse to be that boy. No more will I just blend in. no more. Not anymore. What was that old saying? 'What do we say to death? Not today.' Something like that. Well, that's what I'm going by now, not today.

If someone heard me saying that, they'd laugh at me given where I was now. In the Cornucopia. Yeah, that's right. I am inside the Cornucopia. What kind of stupid set of Careers just gladly abandons their camp with probably about half of what was at the initial bloodbath, still there? Are they just giving us an open invitation to come and take stuff?

I don't know and I don't care why they did it, the important thing is that I've been given this opportunity and I am certainly going to take it. What can I see? What do I need? That large backpack looks good for starters. Opening it up I can see an array of food and medicine, I don't know if I will ever need medicine but an extra blanket wouldn't hurt anyone. Rummaging around in the other stuff, I find a full bottle of water, thank goodness I am parched and there is no water source here other than the mud that now sits around my ankles when I trudge through this hellish arena, before shoving that also into my backpack.

Right, weapon. I came away with nothing, I wasn't stupid enough to run to the bloodbath that ensued, Delly and James were the ones who insisted they should go and I know that when those two boys have their hearts set on something, they won't stop. Had I suppose now. I look around at what choices I have, and the answer is plenty. What was I good at? Bow and arrow, certainly not, it's no good if you need to be agile, it's clunky and heavy. Swords, yeah definitely not. I'm not exactly the most successful when it comes to wielding one of those heavy things. Mace, no. I never learnt how to use it so I can't take the risk.

Aha, that is what I need. There's some coils of wire that I can use for snares, just what I want and a few throwing stars. Now I don't have the best aim so I won't be able to kill but I can at least injure someone and they are small enough to fit into the backpack. I shove a couple of knives in as well for good measure, I reckon this is the only chance I will get to get what I need to survive as long as I can in this place. It's a shame they didn't think of giving us shoes, maybe adding to the arena outfit is one step too far in the kindness of the Capitol.

For once, some kind of freak weather hasn't plagued us today. I wonder if someone else has taken the toll for that. Maybe some mutts have been unleashed on some unsuspecting tributes. Oh well, another loss is another step closer to home. Why am I sounding so negative? So full of hatred? What has this place done to me? Aw man, are they turning me into some psycho? They're yet to make me kill; they can't hold that to me yet.

The air is calm and so it doesn't take much to hear the sound of footsteps approaching. Three sets. I thought there were four in that alliance. Either way, I can't afford to get caught by them, I have to go and now. Moving as fast as I can but as quietly as I can, I peek around the corner of the Cornucopia. Okay, no sign of them now. The light is fading, the sun or whatever it is that is gives us light here, is going down.

Okay Tavel, don't panic, just breathe. One. Two. Three. with the backpack on my shoulders, I run as fast as I can, pumping my legs up and down as I sprint away from the Cornucopia, making sure that I put as much distance between me and the place that could have just been my saviour but could also kill me just as fast. Over one hillock, over a second, over a third. I have to keep going, despite the fact that I've never been the best at running. After about seven hillocks, I think I'm safe and so I collapse just as the sun finishes setting, a deep dark blue to black now highlights the sky as the anthem starts to play. I should be safe at least from those kids for the moment. I just have to keep one eye open at all times.

The anthem plays, the seal like its own moon in the sky. The first face to appear is that of the boy from 7. Huh, I thought he was kind of cool, that he might make it further. Oh well, another face, another name. The second is the girl from 9, Steffie if I remember from Delly's ramblings about how awesome she was. She was strange, far too quiet and far too non-descript for her own good. Now that's three full sets of districts that are gone, 7, 9 and 10. I just hope that 8 won't be the next one to go. We're fighters in 8; I'm going to make sure that I prove that to all of those out there who think that we aren't. Mark my words.

District 7 - Flint Decker - throat slit by Sushine Odale - placed 15th

District 9 - Stephanie 'Steffie' Hilget - spine break by Florin Sols - placed 14th

So, what did you think? Were you surprised by any events that happened? What did you think of the Steffie history? I know the mutts are a lot like the ones in Catching Fire but next chapter you will see that they are a little different...mwahahahaha! I am so evil...Feel free to answer the questions below in that little review box:

What did you think of the chapter?

Which POV stood out to you?

Who do you think might go next?

Any more thoughts on what the arena is based on? No one has got it yet!

Here is your token riddle for the week:

I'm as light as a feather, yet the strongest man can't hold me for much more than a minute. What am I?

Here is your token random question for the week:

Which music artists are you a big fan of that isn't necessarily well known? Preferably they have a song on iTunes or Spotify.

Happy writing!

PenMagic xx