Day 10-Never Alone

D9-17-Mason

Four tributes died yesterday. The girl from District One, the boy from Three, the mute girl from Eight, and the boy from Ten. I didn't know any of them, and neither did Aurora. All we care about is the fact that we're down to the final eight. We don't have much to worry about regarding food, but we both have to be careful. The Gamemakers could blow this place up at any time, and it'll probably be without warning. Then we'll either die or leave, and we won't have food, and then I'll have to deal with my fear. I'm gonna die, and then I can't protect Aurora, and then shell die.

I stare down at my lunch for a while after that, still pondering the thoughts that have been haunting me for days.

"Mason? You okay?" Aurora asks from beside me, putting her hand on my shoulder. I take it off and place it on top of the table. She understands and pulls back her arm, allowing me to breathe and bite another roll.

"What do you think you would have done?" I look beside me to see her staring at her plate.

"What do you mean?"

She looks up at me and continues. "If we were never reaped. What do you think the rest of your life would have been?"

I sigh. "I would've grown up and gotten married, continuing my job in the fields. I would've died as a sad old man."

"Sad?" Aurora tilts her head, confused at my statement. I give her a light smile and continue.

"Sad, because I never would have met you."

"You really mean that?" She smiles.

"I do," I say softly.

"Thanks, Mason. Back in District Five, I never really had any friends. I'd do the cooking, go to school, and do more cooking. My brothers…they were never the best in the world to me, and no one ever helped me with my…behavior around other boys. I was always awkward, socially and romantically. You're the first boy to ever care about me." She looks like she's about to cry.

"Of course I care. You're an amazing girl. You're smart, funny, creative," I say, picking up my plate to show it to her.

"And you're an excellent cook!"

Aurora laughs and we finish eating, putting the plates aside and going back to get our weapons. I pick up my sword and start to go back to the main corridor, taking my turn to patrol and make sure that no one else shows up. Before I open the large door however, Aurora comes behind me and pulls me towards her, giving me a kiss.

"For luck," she says, smiling.

D10-13-Echo

Crimson's face was in the sky last night, along with the mute girl and Ryder. I cried a lot, mourning my dead District partner, one of maybe two people who were nice to me in the Capitol. I hate these Games! I hate them, I hate them!

That doesn't change the fact that I'm alone, though. I'm starving, and the sun has been beating down on me all day. I've had to take off my jacket, leaving me in a simply t-shirt. Sweat rolls down my brow, and I have to continuously stop and hide. No one ever comes my way, though, except for a bird that's constantly flying over the forest. It makes me feel uncomfortable, and I considered shooting it earlier on. But I decided not to, as I have never had any real practice with moving targets, and I want to conserve my last two bullets. I've been using them to kill nearby animals for food, and I'm saving the last one for the finale. But with eight of us left, that could be a whole week away! I haven't gotten anything from sponsors, and I have one bullet left for food. I'll be dead by tomorrow.

I always thought that the Hunger Games is nothing more than the Capitol killing children like how we kill our cows back in District Ten. Now that I'm here, I can see that it's something more. The Games are designed to test our limits, to see if we have what it takes physically, and mentally. The Games reveals to us who's really weak, and who's strong enough to make it through. Maybe…maybe the Capitol people think I'm strong. After all, the Careers let me in (then again, they also had Serphina, a choice that still confuses me). But I don't feel strong. I've seen the sick image of my family being murdered, and I almost killed Ashtra. I've always dreaded the possibility of watching a friend get hurt back home, and yet I almost killed one here. I never conquered my fears. I ran away from them. I ran away from everybody.

My thoughts are interrupted by a loud crack, and I look up quickly, wondering if there's a storm. The sky remains blue, however, and for a moment I'm confused about what the sound was-until I look down at my own stomach. I try to ignore it as I walk forwards, holding the gun up, ready to fight at a moment's notice. But again, no one comes, even as I come close to the end of the forest. I can see the Cornucopia through the trees, but I don't care to walk any faster. I was there when we cleaned it out. The supplies are all gone now.

Stopping as I reach the last line of trees, I stop for a moment, thinking I can hear rustling. I bring my weapon up to my face, aware that I'm shaking. I don't breathe for a moment, trying my best to pin down the location of whoever's following me. When the sound stops, I put my gun down and turn around.

And there, right there! I see a tribute running. I recognize her almost instantly, and the realization makes me flinch. I'm about to run when the knife appears, and she presses it down on my neck. She knocks down my gun and I look down to see it skid across the earth. I don't dare to turn around to see her face, but her blonde hair and pink hair ribbons drift over my shoulders.

"District Ten, right?" She whispers in my ear. Her tone sounds unstable, yet still dangerous. I'm slowing my eyes and panting, waiting for her to kill me. She sneers and presses the knife harder, and I give a quick nod.

She laughs and continues. "Perfect! So, are you ready to die?"

D2-17-Ashtra

I'm shivering now, trying to hold my weapon with my one good hand. I can't use bows and arrows or anything like that, so now I'm left with a single sword. It's funny how crazy these Games have been. The Careers were reduced to well, me, in a week. I don't remember ever seeing any Hunger Games with only one Career in the top eight. Ever since Crimson died, I've been losing confidence in my chances of winning.

I'm walking again, and the sun is now lower in the sky. Sunset is about an hour away, and there haven't been any deaths today. I'm not looking where I'm going, and I suddenly fall to the ground.

"Oh, perfect." I mutter to myself, standing back up. I wince as I lift my bad arm up, reaching beside me to pick up the sword. I look beside the weapon to see a bush covered in white roses. What in the world?

Continuing past the bushes, I stop as I reach the final line of trees. I can hear something behind me, and I turn abruptly to see a large bird dive towards me. I sprint forward and wave the sword, cutting down the branches. I'm out of the forest and at the edge when the talons dig themselves into my back.

Apollo Tiell-Head Gamemaker

Apollo sat on his own for a long time after the tenth day, staring at the files on the eight remaining tributes. The other Gamemakers were currently in the process of locating their parents for the interviews, a rather difficult task for that puny District 6 boy. None of them were…right. None of them were worthy of the title of Hunger Games victor. Maybe…maybe they could get through this year without having one.

No, no, no! What was he thinking! The Hunger Games without a victor! Davus would execute him without question. In a century of Games, there had been seventy-eight Head Gamemakers. Apollo was the seventy-ninth. Every one of those seventy-eight Gamemakers had perished in some "mysterious" way. Any fool knew that the president killed them all.

Apollo sighed and looked back at the files for the tenth time, trying his best to find a tribute to win. So far, he had no luck with that.

Ashtra Dechare of District Two was a great tribute at the beginning, but now she had become a weak Career, always relying on her companion Crimson Ashbrie of District One. Now that they killed Crimson (even Apollo had to admit that it was strange to bring the widely proclaimed "happy mutts" back), she was on her own, slowly dying.

Aurora Williams of District Five was a strong tribute, and was one of four to conquer her fear. He found her courage amusing, in a way. The only disadvantage was the fact that she was in love with the District Nine boy. And every since those faithful Games twenty-six years ago, it had become a rule that star-crossed lovers weren't to be tolerated. Neither of them could become victor

Scott Martin of District Six was one of the most interesting tributes, a characteristic that will be his demise. He lied about his age, making him ineligible to compete in the Games! They managed to omit his confession to his ally, but that didn't mean they could keep him alive. He was a smart one yes, but immature. He didn't want to win though, Apollo reminded himself, something that would make the job of killing him much easier.

Sky Brooks of District Nine was the only tribute to have ever made it to the final eight on less than two legs. Apollo knew that she was one of the most popular tributes in the Capitol, but like star-crossed lovers, rebels were something not to be tolerated. What she had done yesterday after her ally was crushed was the last straw. He already had a plan on how to get rid of her.

Mason Hallos, also of District Nine, was no better than the others. He would have been a candidate for victor, if he had not gone off with Aurora. The two were inseparable, and Aurora had already conquered her fear. They still hadn't introduced Mason to his fear, but they were planning on doing so very, very soon.

Echo Underwood of District Ten…well, she was definitely one to be reckoned with. She was a Career only for a short time, before Ashtra spared her and brought her along with her and Crimson. Facing her fear had been traumatizing, and Echo had almost killed Ashtra before running away. She currently carried the only gun present in the arena, giving her a distinct advantage. However, he walked out as another tribute caught her. A mistake that would probably mean her end.

He laughed as he looked at the files on Ophelia Oralee. This District Eleven girl was a born killer, viscous and savage like the mutts that walked within the arena. Apollo, personally, enjoyed insanity, which is why he had intercepted the girl's sponsor gifts to give her their "modified" formula instead. It had proved to be a great success, making the transition from a crazy child to the golden example of a Hunger Games killer. But, like the cannibal from District six that was killed so long ago, she would have to go.

Finally, there was Jamar Hollister, also of District Eleven. He was also a very strong tribute, especially due to the fact that he took out his own fear. Apollo had his reasons when he created the bird to be a female, as there were some behavioral differences that would make the bird more powerful. He had not expected the bird to lay the egg, of course. The boy has been cut off from the others for the past ten days, and it would probably be easier if Apollo just killed him to get him out of the way. But the bird's earlier actions had convinced him otherwise.

So, after all that, he was still left with eight unworthy tributes.

Possibly seven.

So, this isn't my favourite chapter, but I wanted to focus more on the emotional portion than the well, violent portion. Echo's part was mostly used for my own ranting purposes, as well as a revelation that I had when I first read the books... Two cliffhangers were presented here, with Ashtra and Echo. And yes, they are both very predictable. Before anyone asks, I don't plan on writing a feast, because some of the other characters are going to be facing their fears. I only have two chapters left, and then we'll get to the finale! :D

After that, I'll have one chapter to wrap up the victor's interview and victory tour. I plan on going straight into the sequel after that (I already have the district one reaping done), which makes it more and more urgent for tributes. And, I only have one bloodbath tribute right now, so unless people start giving me more bloodbaths, I'll start picking people like I did this time. I can tell you right now that I will most likely have more bloodbaths in the sequel. And again, those of you who have read Maximum Ride, please tell me whether I should do the story that I wrote the preface for. And I would also like to know if anyone would like me to continue my fic on Johanna.

Aand my birthday is in a week! I'm going to try to publish the Games finale then!

And check out wjjmwmsn5!