Simon was knocked out for the next few days. Those days were filled with dreams of bad memories from his childhood, including a horrific death he witnessed when he was six. He was watching the Hunger Games when he saw someone's throat get slipped deeply. It was the girl from district twelve. At that moment, he realized just how sick the games really were. Simon wasn't able to sleep for a week

Simon woke up in the afternoon and saw he was at Bram's camp. It was in the early afternoon. "Good you're awake," Bram said. "I feared you would never wake up. You've been out for over two days."

"Why did you help me back there?" Simon asked.

"I don't know why, but I just felt like it," Bram said, with a shrug. "When I saw that you were stung, I took you back here. I had received some medicine from my sponsors to treat tracker Jacker stings. So what do you say? Allies at least for now?"

Simon pondered the thought for a moment. "Sure," he said. "What did I miss during the past few days?"

"There are now only twelve tributes left in the arena, including us," Bram explained. "The tracker jackers killed Taylor, but no one else. Yesterday, the boy from district eleven and the girl from nine died. Tomorrow there's going to be a feast at the arena. They said there will be something there that everyone needs."

"Should we go?" Simon asked.

"Yes," Bram said. He then saw a package fall from the sky. Simon caught it and opened it, revealing a small bottle of bug spray. Simon and Bram knew this was a sign from the capital that they approved of this alliance.

For dinner, they split a salmon that Bram had caught earlier. Simon discovered that Bram was an excellent fisherman. Simon used to go fishing with his dad and Alice when he was younger, but he rarely caught anything. When he did, it was never big enough to eat so they always threw it back.

It was soon dark out, and the boys decided they would go to bed earlier that night so they can arrive at the Cornocopia on time. The only problem was there was only one sleeping bag. "I think we can both fit in there," Bram stated.

"You don't have to share it," Simon offered. "I can sleep in one of the trees. That's what I was doing before."

"But the nights have gotten colder," Bram explained. "Wouldn't want you to get hypothermia."

Simon then reluctantly climbed into the sleeping bag. Bram laid beside him and closed his eyes. Simon stared at the sky that was covered in stars. He wondered if the cameras were still on them. Simon figured that Alice and Nora were making jokes about how he "had a boyfriend."

A chill went down Simon's spine, and he moved closer to Bram slightly. He found his warmth refreshing. Simon began to drift into a peaceful slumber.

The next morning, Simon and Bram ate berries for breakfast. Simon used what he learned during training to make sure they avoided the poisonous berries. "We should go," Bram said. "The feast should begin soon, and we don't want our stuff to be stolen."

"Ok," Simon said. He put on his book bag and they made their way to the cornucopia. They avoided stepping on twigs so they wouldn't alert the other tributes. Once they arrived at the cornucopia, they saw that half of the arena had been taken over by the careers. The other half had the feast.

"I'm going in," Bram whispered. "You stay here and use your knives if needed."

Simon was protested, but then he saw that his foot was still wrapped up from the tracker jacker sting. Bram ran into the field and went straight to the supply pile. A battle broke out amongst the tributes. Simon kept his eyes locked on Bram as he grabbed both of their bags and ran towards the woods. Simon gasped as a knife barely missed Bram.

Bram sat beside Simon. "I have our stuff," Bram whispered.

"Are you hurt?" Simon asked.

"No," Bram said. They stood up and started to walk away until they heard something behind them. They turned around and saw the tributes from district three. Abby had an arrow there her ankle and was leaning on Nick for support.

"We aren't looking for a confrontation," Nick said. "We're just trying to make it back to our base. My girlfriend has been injured by that maniac with a crossbow."

As if on cue, Leah arrived at the scene. She had upgraded from a bow and arrow to a crossbow. She pointed her weapon at them. "Freeze," she demanded.

"I mean, we're already pretty frozen," Nick said. Abby chuckled but cringed once the pain in her ankle returned.

"Give me your loot and I won't you kill you for now," Leah threatened.

"You couldn't kill us if you tried," Nick taunted. "You already tried to kill Abby, but you missed and hit her ankle."

"Because you were a fast-moving," Leah said. Simon then heard the careers and knew they were close to being found. He gestured towards the direction he heard them from. They quickly hid in the bushes.

They watched as a group of boots walked past the bushes. "Good eye Spier," Leah whispered.

"Thanks," Simon whispered.

"What if we form a temporary alliance?" Nick whispered. "Strength comes in numbers, and we'll need each other when it comes to facing careers. Of course, we'll slit up when there are only a few tributes left."

"I'm not teaming," Leah said, coldly. "I don't want emotional ties."

"But this could be a chance for you to get more sponsors," Bram said, making it clear he wanted her on his side. "You're not exactly loved by the capital at the moment. This could be the difference between you living or dying."

Leah considered what he said. She knew there was a truth to what he was saying. "Just know by recruiting me you're making your chances of surviving lower," Leah said.

"Ok," Nick said.

They arrived at the cave Abby and Nick had claimed as their own. Nick ended up having to carry Abby most of the way, and he started to tend to her ankle with the bandages they were gifted. He began to clean up the wound and wrap her foot in a bandage.

Leah, Simon, and Bram were sitting near the front of the cave. "Do you know that the careers have their supplies hidden around the recidivated landmines in the cornucopia?" Leah asked. "If someone was to blow that up, they'd be at a major disadvantage."

"How would we do that?" Simon asked.

"I'll shot one with a crossbow," Leah explained. "I just need someone to be my lookout."

"I'll do it," Simon offered. They then started to make their plan for destroying the supplies. As they spoke, Simon realized that they would probably be friends under different circumstances. He could actually see them going to the quarry, where all of the teens hang out, after school. He wished they met under different circumstances, but he knew that one, if not all of them, would be dead soon. He would just have to learn to accept that.