Callum Andrews, 21, District 10

CRUNCH!

The leaves crackle, the stick shifting through the bulk, no tripwire. Callum pulls the stick back, inching a little forward to the area he has now deemed safe and then pushes the stick forward again.

It has been hours but he has already tripped two traps. One that dropped into a pit below and another that made a large spike fall from the tree above. Both would have easily killed him.

h has noticed a pattern. On that is only more daunting. Claudie was smart because the hail would trip all her traps, making them useless within an hour. So she has figured out the edges of the section and placed a majority of her traps near the ends of the section, leaving the centre relatively bare.

Callum hits a trip line and suddenly a large log swings out from behind a tree, spikes on the end. Callum freezes, the log smashing into the tree next to him.

"That was close," Claudie mumbles from some tree up above.

"We can work together," Callum says.

"There is only...Seven...Seven people. This time is time for alliances to break." Claudie seems to drift off to some memory.

"I'm loyal," Callum says.

"I was too...But then he broke me..."

Maximus Lexington, 40, District 1 / Duncan Dockley, 37, District 5

The spearhead pushes through the body of the fish. Duncan yanks the fish up out of the water and rests it on the hard rocky surface of the island.

"Where did you learn how to fish?" Maximus asks.

"Some of us have kids who aren't so behaved." Duncan chuckles. "Quick reflexes from raising kids who were a bit too adventurous."

"They take after their father then." Maximus smiles.

"You kidding? My ass would be sitting in my chair all day if I could. I am about as adventurous as a slug."

"Probably as slow moving as one too," Maximus says.

"It's a lifestyle," Duncan says. "Not all of us can be hulking eye candy."

"Please." Maximus brushes it off.

"You don't think? Why are you so popular then? Because I've been friends with you for years and I can tell you it isn't for your personality."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Why you think I've been sleeping so much? I can help but pass out when you talk," Duncan says.

"Sorry," Maximus says, "I forgot that you are the next Ceaser Flickerman."

"Pff, I'm better than Ceaser. In a whole new league of my own full of awesomeness."

"I'm sure." Maximus chuckles. "We should get moving. The wave will probably hit again soon."

Duncan looks up at the sun. "Yea, I'd say so."

Alyss Runne, 52, District 2 / Hayley Rowan, 27, District 9

"Aah!" Alyss hollers.

Hayley staggers forward. Her left shoulder dripping with blood. Her uniform stained with the red liquid from when Alyss stabbed her. Hayley hadn't even known Alyss was around, she was investigating the hut when Alyss leaped out and attacked. Now, there was no turning back. The two women were locked in a fight and there was no calling for peace.

Alyss pushes off the tree she leans against and swings her knife. Hayley leaps back, hearing the metal slice through the moist air.

Hayley lunges forward, grabbing Alyss by the waist and lifting the tribute up into the air before slamming her down into the ground. A loud THUD following the impact.

GSH! Alyss sends the knife right into Hayley's thigh. Ripping it out with a thick trickle of blood.

With her good foot, Hayley kicks. Her boot meeting Alyss's face and knocking her head back in a sickening fashion. Red spewing from Alyss's mouth as she coughs up globs of spit.

Hayley has a chance to finish Alyss but doesn't take it. She is ready, breathing heavy, but stands still. The thought of killing another person, of feeling the shame from her family again for coming back a murderer. She won't have it. She'll defend herself but killing is the last thing she wants to do.

Alyss stumbles to her feet. The world spinning. The metallic taste of her own blood in her mouth. It's hard to keep her balance but she manages. Then, she faces Hayley. Seeing her ready to continue the fight. Alyss grips her knife and swings. Hayley dodges the attack and pushes Alyss away.

Alyss stumbles back, slamming into a tree.

CRK!

"Aah!" The gasp escapes Alyss's mouth. She looks down to see the branch sticking through her chest. The pain that shoots through her body. The coldness almost instant...No...This isn't the coldness of her body being fatally injured. She can see the icy breath Hayley lets out.

"We're both dead..." Alyss gasps before she loses her energy. Her eyes slowly come to a shut and her head leans forward. Thinking of Sebastian and her children.

Boom!

Hayley stumbles back. Alyss's limp body laying against the side of the tall tree. The blood still trickling down her body...Wait...It isn't. Hayley gets a closer look to see the blood has begun to freeze. Alyss's uniform having a thin layer of frost on it.

Hayley steps back, feeling the cold on her skin. The trees around her starting to shrivel up as icicles and frost engulfs everything in sight. The ground crunching underneath her feet as ice forms.

The section, it's been activated! Hayley looks around frantically to see the thick lush jungle only mere feet away. That must be the next section. Hayley goes to move but her feet are stuck. The ice causing her boots to stick to the ground.

Hayley frantically undoes the laces to the shoes and slips her feet out. She breaks into a run but only gets a meter before pain shoots up her feet. The ice gripping at her skin. The layer ripping off as Hayley pulls her foot up. She steps down again, the ice gripping to her exposed flesh and muscles. Chunks of the meat ripping from her feet as Hayley continues to move.

"Aaah!" She screams as she keeps moving but the heel bone catches to the ice. Hayley tugs but her balance is lost and she collapses to the ground.

She pushes herself up, screaming. Her suit ripping. The skin on her arms and hands peeling off as she pulls her limps free from the ice. The cold making her muscles seize. Her breath burn. But she continues to push herself. Blood spewing from her body. Chunks of flesh and muscle ripping at every movement. Decorating the icy ground in red, black, and pink.

Hayley collapses. Her body giving out from the cold. Everything burning. The feeling lost in her feet and arms. Still, she tries to push herself forward. Her eyes fixated on the green jungle within her grasp.

Boom!

Sorry for the lack of updates. I am in the process of moving so it is been nuts. I leave for my new place today! So I might not have internet for awhile so I will probably not update for another week or so.

But we are now down to the final 5!