A/N: Whew, another one done. Initially I wanted this chapter to wrap up everyone's locations and doings, but thematically it makes more sense to split into two chapters. So, sorry about that. But this chapter should catch you up on a lot of what everyone's doing, and there's even some bloodshed. Enjoy & R/R please!

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX – DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

Reed Florian, 25, D11. 1 a.m.

I am rushing toward the lightning, watching the fire grow and grow and consume and consume and it is so beautiful. But before I get there, it stops. No more lightning, no more fire.

I stare stupidly at the place where once there was so much beauty, now dark. Then something hits me on the top of the head, like a very heavy rain drop. Then another, and another, until there falls around me a choking rain. It is impossible to see, difficult to breathe. I stumble, falling forward onto a tree trunk, scraping my hands and bruising my knees. I drop to the ground and crawl forward until suddenly I am outside the rain.

It is clear and I can see again. I look down to find that I am covered in blood. I look over, and there's a line where the blood rain stops. Like the lightning, the rain is confined only to a certain part of the arena. Odd.

Still, I'm out of the rain, and there seems to be no real danger, and I can only hope that the lightning might return. I climb a tree and dream of fire.

Remy Tennant, 19, D5, 4 a.m.

I have been travelling through these woods for hours now, and I have seen no one. I have heard strange things coming from other sections of the arena, but nothing has bothered me. I'm beginning to wonder if this is all just too easy.

Also, I am exhausted. I haven't slept yet, though it's been hours since the last cannon sounded, which must have been around midnight. I don't know who died, but I can't seem to muster any real feelings about their demise, whoever they are. Just one more tribute out of the arena.

I have no allies, which seemed like a good move at the time, but now, on no sleep, keyed up for fear at any moment of an attack, I feel foolish. I want to sleep, but am scared. Without someone to guard my back, I can't quiet my mind long enough to rest. I tried, but it since it seems impossible, I elected to simply roam the arena, hoping to map my surroundings, at least. Uncle Ted must have approved of my plan since he sent me water.

Suddenly I hear the snap of a twig and I duck behind a tree. Finally, for the first time since I left the bloodbath more than 12 hours ago, I'm going to see another living person. The question of whether or not we'll both remain living after this meeting is yet to be determined.

I spin around from behind the tree, baring the large branch I've found to use as a weapon. The tribute on the other side of the tree stands stock still, shocked. She didn't know I was there. She falls back onto the forest floor, looking wearied.

"Okay," she says. "I give up. You can kill me."

I raise my branch, but then lower it. Am I really going to club this girl to death? Is this who I am?

"No," I say. "I don't want to kill you. How about we become allies? I'm Remy, District 5."

She looks at me warily, not sure of my intentions. Fair enough. I hold out a hand to help her up, and then pass her the water Uncle Ted sent as a sign to cement our alliance.

"Carissa," she says, drinking deeply from the water. "District 10."

The question seems to stand between us: What next?

"Okay," I say, "Let's get off the floor and somewhere safe, maybe get some sleep." She agrees, and we climb the nearest tree and make a nest in the branches. I am reminded suddenly and vividly of last year's games and the alliance between Katniss and Rue. But both of us are older, smarter, more capable. This could be a great thing, really.

We draw for who will take the first shift on guard, and who gets to sleep. I lose and watch Carissa fall immediately into a deep sleep. I watch and wait until it's my turn to finally, finally, sleep a bit.

Beatrix Hopper, 87, D3, 6:45 a.m.

I am still hobbling along, half reveling in the fact that I'm still alive, half wondering how long that can still be true. My ally is dead. I have no water and have barely slept in the last day. Sometimes I wonder if I should just end it myself and save everyone the trouble. But I won't, of course. By the time you're my age, you can't just give up.

So here I am. I sit down for a minute or two to rest my weary bones. I close my eyes briefly, but can't allow myself to fall asleep. That's the fastest way to die, to sleep in the open. My eyes pop back open when I hear some rustling above me. I look up and in the tree directly opposite me I see a pair of eyes glinting with reflected moonlight.

I look directly into those eyes and smile. Slowly, a face emerges from the foliage, followed by the top half of a body. Whichever tribute this is, she knows I'm not a threat. How could I be? Some tributes pretend to be helpless as a strategy. Some tributes really are helpless.

"Hi, bunny," I say softly, pretending for a minutes this is one of my granddaughters or my late lamented ally.

"Hi," she replies, and I place her as Carissa from District 10.

"So," I say, just wanting to keep her talking, to stop the silence for a little time. "How are your Games going?"

"Not bad," she says. "Found an ally. She's sleeping."

"That's good. Take good care of her. Take good care of yourself."

We chat a while longer, both of us glad for the company, but knowing that we need to keep moving, keep quiet, alert no one to our presence. Reluctantly, I steady myself with the branch I use as a walking stick.

As I start to move, though, I suddenly realize that I can't. I look down to see that the ground now covers my ankles, and I am sinking further still.

"Quicksand!" I cry, struggling to move. "Help me!" I look up to Carissa, the quicksand now up to my knees. I struggle to free myself and fall forward instead, the ground quickly covering my hands. Carissa simply looks at me, her eyes oddly flat. I continue to struggle, crying out to Carissa for help. She doesn't move and her ally never wakes. I wonder if she actually has an ally, and if that ally is still alive.

Then the quicksand covers my head and I have no more chances to think about anything.

Michael Winchalski, 52, D8. 7:30 a.m.

As the day dawns around me, I consider my situation. There were 7 deaths in the bloodbath, and another two since the recap at sunset. Either of those two could have been Tally and Joe. And Joe could have died unannounced, as only Tally's death will "count" for the death toll. I don't even know if the people I'm searching for are even still alive, but I can't stop.

My own family is long gone, Tally and Joe are all that are left, and if they die, I don't know what I will do. What does a man have if everything he lives for is dead? In the Reserves, they all mocked me for thinking so much. "Brainer," they called me. I never fit in there. I spent my time at training wishing to return to Alesia and Yvonne, my wife and daughter. Maybe I made it too obvious that my heart wasn't in my service to Panem, because when I returned, my wife and daughter were both dead. A freak accident in the factories, they said. I don't know why my 2-year-old daughter would even be in the factory, and no one would tell me.

Just one of those things that happen, they said. Those things seem to happen a lot in the Districts of Panem. I have no doubt that my reaping was not an accident, and I can only hope that my disloyalty to the Capitol will not rub off on Tally and Joe.

So here I am, with a whole arsenal stolen from the Cornucopias and the Careers, and no one to fight against, no one to protect. Just one lonely ex-Peacekeeper. How do you find someone in this arena? Someone hiding, scared, and saddled with a baby he cannot leave and doesn't know how to protect?

Not knowing what else to do, I take stock of and repack all my supplies, shoulder the sword I took from the girl from 2, and set off again, searching for Joe and Tally, if they're even still alive.

Rosemary McHenry, 8, D4. 8 a.m.

I wish everyone would just get over the fact that Cashmere's gone and we could do something for once. It's been nonstop arguing since we found her empty sleeping bag, and it's very boring. Julian and I want to go hunt tributes like a proper Career pack. Devin wants to go find Cashmere and see if we can convince her to rejoin us. Abby doesn't seem to care but is agreeing with Devin on everything. Boring. Devin keeps insisting that he's the leader and we have to do what he wants. He's stupid. He's not the leader. Gloss was but Gloss is dead. Then Cashmere was but Cashmere left. Devin can't make me do anything.

In fact, no one can make me do anything. Julian and I are the only ones who've killed anyone. We should be the leaders. Yep.

"HEY GUYS!" I yell, wishing my voice were louder. "HEY! I'M GOING TO HUNT TRIBUTES AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"

That shuts everyone up. They all turn to stare at me. I shrug, leaning my sword against the ground. "What?" I demand. "I am!"

Devin shrugs. "Okay, fine. I give up. Julian, you and Rosemary go hunting. If you find Cashmere, try to get her back. Abby and I will stay behind and guard the Cornucopia."

Guard it from what? I start to say. There's nothing here to guard. The man from 8 and Cashmere took almost everything. But a look from Julian tells me to keep my mouth shut.

"C'mon, Rosie," he says. He knows I hate the name Rosie. "Let's go."

Oh well, nothing really matters. We're finally, finally, finally going hunting. Watch out, little tributes. Ready or not, here I come!

Back in the Capitol…

Wow, what an exciting start to the Games! I'm so glad I got up early to watch the recap before school! At this rate, I bet we won't even have to go into school tomorrow, they always cancel it when the Games get really good. Oh man, I knew this year's Quell was going to be really really good. I can't wait to talk to Alisa about it at school. I'm having her over this afternoon so we can watch those recaps together. It sucks when things happen at night or during school. Why can't the tributes save their kills until I can watch them?

Still, that's why they make the recaps during the boring parts. And I know they're saving something up for today. They still haven't told us who killed the man from 6. Normally we know all the kills, so I wonder what they're doing.

But it's been exciting. I'm so glad we watched the Bloodbath at school. Who would've thought that Gloss, of all people, would die so soon? And the little boy being blown up? I was almost sad about that, but it was so, so cool. That was the boys' favorite part. And now, in the recap, Carissa just watching the old lady die? That was creepy. It makes me want to get together some money to send to Remy to help her out, but I already spent all my money to send to Gloss. Stupid. At least Alisa did the same thing. My parents were right, there really is nothing quite like a Quell.

Slowly the screen in front of me fades to black and a map of the arena comes up with all the tributes' locations marked on it. The announcer's voice rolls out:

"After a long night, tensions in the Career pack continue to rise and they prepare to go on the hunt. Alliances have been forged and broken, and some tributes are still hiding their true intentions. Up next: A killer will be revealed!"

Ooooooh, why do I have to go to school?