Angel Mayfield, Day 3:

Time: 12:46 AM (12:46)

Quadrent~ Cornucopia

I slowly open my eyes, trying to erase the images of my district partner from my head. But their light blonde hair and shining baby blue eyes don't go away, instead stay pressing against reality. My reality. I let out a small whimper as obscuring fractions of their voice ring in my ears.

Do you wanna die, because staying with them is most certainly gonna lead to it.

A small tear clings to the corner of my left eye but I quickly wipe it away with a swift hand flick. They're gone, just another fucking dead body in this stupid arena. Just another goddamn death. But even if it's just another death, it still leaves a sharp sting in my chest. It's not their fault they got reaped and thrown in here, they didn't ask for this. District One is so just fucking transphobic.

Onyx had so much to prove to their parents. They had so much riding on this win but did his killer care? No, they didn't. I slowly curl my fingers into a fist, the sign for death in our now dead language. I knew coming into this, one of us was gonna die but I didn't want to think about it. They were the only piece of home I have.

If I was there, would they have survived? Could we have taken out whoever attacked them? Together. Would my presence change the fact Onyx's face blared bright in the dark sky? Would it be someone else's instead?

I slowly sit up to not wake Misty who is curled up in a ball beside me. Kai is supposed to be on watch on the other side of the bonfire but I doubt he's not at least half asleep. Honestly, I can deal with Kai, he's too dumb for his good. Misty's the one I have to worry about, she's got Kai wrapped around her little finger. She's not fooling me with her manipulative tricks though. But she's much stronger than me and has her little servant by her side, so I have to pretend. At any given time the girl from four can turn around and kill me. She could easily take me out, so I guess if I don't wanna end up in the same place as Onyx, I have to stay quiet and obedient. I will leave, eventually. When I feel it is best, when there are fewer tributes that could attack me. I can't risk running into someone who could kill me. Like what happened to my district partner.

But it can, all we have to do is stay together.

I can't help but let a small, salty tear drip down the right side of my face. I don't bother to wipe it away as I did to the last one. Letting a small sniffle fall from my lips. Misty stirs but doesn't open her eyes, probably just moving a bit in her sleep. Her thin blonde hair braided into two messy plaits that hung down just below her chest. I try not to smile at the fact someone so pretty could easily turn around and, in the blink of an eye, could become my murderer.

"What are you doing up?" Misty snuffles into the bag she was using as a pillow.

"Kai's slacking off being guard," I say. I'm not the greatest at thinking on the spot but I'm not necessarily telling a lie, so it's fine. Misty rolls over, a small sigh escaping from her soft lips. Even in the torchlight, I can see sleep hanging on to her greenish-blue eyes. She shifts to sit up and looks toward the giant fire behind us.

"Ugh, what are we gonna do with him?" she smiles but bitterness laces itself gently against her words.

"I don't know." I chuckle, not exactly sure how to respond. "Why don't I take watch? I'm not sleeping well anyway."

"Are you gonna run away as Onyx did? 'Cause if so, I hope you die as they did." Misty says, narrowing her eyes.

"Was that necessary? I'm trying to make it up to you for what they did." I chuckle, trying to ease the tension she had created so dang fast. Misty lets out a sharp sigh but slowly lays back down, her face to the open black sky.

A few tense moments of silence follow before Misty turns her head a bit to face me. She looks almost sympathetic for a second before turning her soft smile into a slight smirk, "I'm sorry, I'm rubbing salt in the wound, aren't I?"

"No, it's fine." I lie.

"That's not true but whatever. If you don't wanna talk, that's cool." She says, turning away from me and resuming her curled up sleeping position. I let out a small sigh and lean my back up against my make-shift pillow.

Lily Rosett, Day 3

Time: 6:11 AM (6:11)

Quadrant~ 4

"I told you the trap wouldn't work," I say, nudging Abram lightly with my elbow.

"I know." He sighs, rolling his eyes, "it was worth a shot though."

"I guess so," I laugh, tapping my finger at the hardened ice beneath us. Abram had managed to dig down about a yard down before he hit rock-solid light blue ice.

"Whatever. You were right." He says, shooting me a goofy smile.

I roll my eyes at him and gently throw the bundle of netting I was holding, towards him. He catches it and narrows his eyes, thinking deeply for a second, before turning around. His body faces away from me but I watch as he lays out the netting from one side of the ice to the other. "If a hole trap thingy didn't work, maybe this will?" he asks, his voice slightly above a whisper.

"What?" I ask, the netting could be seen under the bright stage lights, what is he thinking?

"Think about it at night. No tributes are gonna see this thin netting in the dark."

"I mean… actually?" I say. Is he on to something? "That could work," I say thoughtfully.

"See, I'm not a total idiot. Now can you please pass the paracord?"

"This is the first, not stupid idea you've had and sure," I reply, getting to my feet and making my way to the pile of supplies we had laid out yesterday. I swiftly take the paracord off the top of the stack. Its dull grey color perfect for blending in against the ice.

"Excuse you? My ideas aren't all stupid." He chuckles as I make my way over to where he'd set out the netting. I sigh as I slip the paracord through the top hole in the line of netting.

"Wait, we can't tie things to the ice, it's holographic." I sigh, dropping the netting and biting my top lip to stiffer a giggle.

Abram inhales deeply, setting down the netting, "goddamnit, you're right." He smacks his head with his hand and lets out a groan.

"We could tie it to the torch frames?"

"Those only come out once the lights switch off." He sighs.

"Yeah, like, why don't we set it up at night? Then take it down at day time, traveling through different parts of the arena."

"That could work." Abram sighs, obviously still upset at himself for not remembering the walls are holograms.

"Oh come on, you're trying and that's fine," I say and he quickly perks up, his bad mood not lasting very long.

"Thanks." He smiles, grabbing an end of the netting, "can you help me fold this up?"

"No." I laugh, picking up the other side, "of course I will, idiot."

"Whatever, excuse me for trying to be polite." He chuckles as I bring my side to him and he takes it, lacing his fingers over the extra fold. I bend down and grab the bottom, folding it up towards him.

After he sets down the netting on top of our trap supplies he turns to me, "so are we aiming for any groups in particular? The careers?"

"No, definitely not the careers. There's only three yes, but that's still more than two. Hopefully, with Onyx's death, they are falling apart but we can never be too sure. Also, the group of outer district girls and Zach, not them either. As long as one of their faces isn't in the sky, we know they're staying as a unit and will be quite the force. Sage, Cel, and Elizabeth aren't too much of a threat, but there are still more of them than there are of us so we can't underestimate them. The boys from Two and Seven are a threat since Allegro's a trained career, he just didn't go with the pack. Same with his district partner, who is alone and not too much of a threat but could still take us out in our sleep."

"Great." Abram nods, "so we could either aim for Liz, Allegro and Kinnik or the pair from Eleven and Elizabeth."

"I'd say whoever we can get?" I say hesitantly.

"Exactly, we can set up netting all over cause we have a giant roll of netting." Abram nods.

"Do you have any ties to any of the other tributes, tributes you wouldn't want to kill?"

"We have a pact with Ciara and Zach but it's a very loose one so it's not really tight. I have ties to Sunna and Cel, being the only three left from Launch team One and um, yeah, that's it. What about you?" I say, sighing at the thought of our Launch team's alliance.

"Ciara and Zach and then my district partner, Anne. We just promised not to kill each other until the finale. So we're mostly aiming for Kinnik and Allegro or Liz?"

"I guess so but whoever falls into our trap will get killed, you can't really aim for anyone. Whoever falls into the netting, falls in, and we kill them. Simple as that." I say.

Sage Greenberg, Day 3

Time: 7:53 AM (7:53)

Quadrent~ 3

Blood seeps out onto the ashes, sinking through my hoodie's thick material. Luckily Elizabeth and I had made it back to our camp, where Cel had been waiting very impatiently for us. The problem is, we don't have any medical supplies. So we just used my hoodie to wrap the wounds Onyx had given me before Elizebeth flew in. It's not making it better but it's stopping me from bleeding out everywhere.

That's why we were trudging through the gloomy smoky air, trying to figure out which way the cornucopia is to see if we could collect any sort of medical supplies. By the way Cel and Elizabeth walk I can tell we are most certainly lost. Elizabeth shoots a glance behind her, making sure I was still following the two girls. She twirls her hoodie string between her long fingers, scanning the maze behind us.

Elizabeth turns back to Cel and shoots her a nod. Cel gives her a small smile in response but Elizabeth just looks ahead. Since she stabbed the career, Elizabeth's been extremely quiet. Normally she'd have to problem holding at least a small conversation as we ate our dinner of a small portion of dried fruit, not last night though. No, last night she didn't say a single word and kept darting her eyes this way and that as if she anticipated someone would pop out of nowhere-

Suddenly Cel grabs Elizabeth's arm and freezes in her tracks. "There's the same beeping." She whispers, casting a glance around the shiny ice that surrounds us. If my calculations and studying of the surroundings during the bloodbath, I'm gonna say the arena's divided into halves, or better yet, quadrants. "Sponsors?" she asks the girl beside her and Elizabeth gives her a sure-full nod.

"Let's hope it's medical supplies," Elizabeth says with not nearly as much enthusiasm as Cel.

"Yes please." I sigh, coming to a stop beside Elizabeth as Cel searches the bright stage-lit sky for packages.

"There," Cel exclaims, rushing forward and turning the corner to the nearest ice fork.

"What's in it?" Elizabeth asks, giving me a shy smile as we both start to head in the direction Cel ran.

"Um?" Cel says, confusion stealing her excitement.

"Is that a good 'um' or a bad one?" I joke as Elizabeth and I round the corner and fine Cel on the ground beside two packages. One is extremely long and skinny, that's the one she twisted apart from the two halves. Beside her sits a slim staff about 6 feet long. She holds the box out to Elizabeth, who takes it gently. She takes the small slip of paper from the box and turns to me.

"It's yours." She smiles, motioning to the long shaft of hardwood etched with detailed plum and apple trees. I bend down and lightly touch the stained hardwood, running my fingers along the breathtaking details. The tall and hardy apple tree stands strong, it's roots planted deeply in the soft ground. The plum tree flows lightly in the wind, letting the wind's deep breath lightly shake its branches but it's thin roots are holding beside the apple tree's.

"Mine?" I ask my voice shaking with disbelief. "It's like a foot taller than me."

"This came highly recommended by a Capitolite by the name of Remus Alastair. Sincerely, Matilda." Elizabeth reads with a small nod towards Cel. I can't help but stare at the dark wooden staff in disbelief. It's long wooden exterior coming to a point at the end, fashioned with a metal casing. How am I supposed to even carry this thing? It's more valuable than anything I've seen before.

"Look at the trees, wow." Cel gasps, "those are so cool."

"I know, look at the details." Elizabeth complainants as I place the weapon lightly in my lap. I can't help but out a gasp at how light and wieldable it is. I scamper on to my feet and hold the long pole above my head. I let out a small triumphant giggle, turning to face my allies. I beam at them, slowly twirling the weapon above my head.

"I think it's really cool." Cel smiles, nodding towards Elizbeth as she slowly picks up the second package. I don't take my eyes off the staff as she slowly twists the box and peers inside. She pulls out a small bag of light pink and sunset orange berries. Cel lets out a small gasp, recognizing the berries instantly. "Spindle berries." She says, gently fingering the plastic bag holding the probably poisonous berries.

"Guess who they're for?" Elizabeth asks, reading the small slip of paper that came with the berries.

"Cel?" I chuckle, nudging the girl with my staff.

"Me? What?"

"Do well with these. Sinceriously Maditia." Elizabeth reads while Cel stares at the berries in her palm.

"These are poisonous spindle berries, oh my, they'll certainly be fun."

Anella Finch, Day 3

Time: 11:27 AM (11:27)

Quadrant~ 3

"You're so slow." Sunna chuckles, turning our group to the right.

"You're not the one carrying a backpack." Ciara heaves from somewhere behind me.

"I carried it yesterday, it's not even really heavy." Sunna scoffs in a light, jokingly tone, and Zach just sighs, rolling his eyes my way. I turn to him and shake my head. This banter between Ciara and Sunna had been going on for the entire day. Nothing harsh, just little nips at each other but I think it's just the arena messing with their heads. The arena's messing with everyone's head. Somehow after we attacked the careers we made it into a different section of the arena. One that doesn't show faces and pictures of the tribute's family members or friends. Instead, this one smelled faintly like cow manure and I'm just a tad confused how that happened.

Suddenly Sunna stops in her tracks and lets out a small gasp. She looks back at the rest of us and raises one of her dirty-blonde eyebrows at us. "What is it?" I whisper, shifting my weight from my right foot to my left. Sunna doesn't say anything and just motions forward. I take a small step toward my friend who just stares straight at me.

"Anne," Zach says, his eyes big as he slowly reaches for my wrist.

"What?" I ask, eyes still pointed at Sunna.

"Anne, stop moving," Ciara commands, her voice low and quiet but I still can sense the wavering. I freeze, listening, and obeying her words. My gaze shifts and quickly lands on the ice wall directly in front of our group.

That's when I hear it, footsteps pounding on the other side. A small gasp escapes my lips but I throw my hand over my mouth to avoid making any other sounds. The footsteps fall in unison, but each surprisingly has its own rhythm, it's own beat I guess. There are three, creating a melody of footsteps- one beat with slow long steps, the person dragging their feet along that ashes. The second with long strides, covering much ground quickly but stopping for the other two to catch up then continuing. The third set is the base of the footstep music, low and steady as the trio continue forward.

"It's the careers, isn't it?" Ciara whispers, nudging Zach gently.

"I'd say so, with Onyx dying last night," I say quietly.

"What are we gonna do?" Sunna asks.

"Attack, we're gonna attack," Ciara says, narrowing her eyes with determination. She hoists the backpack she's carrying higher on her shoulder, grabbing the pepper spray and her sword from her belt.

"Woah, slow down turbo. At least let us get out weapons and shit." Zach laughs.

"Sage? Come on, just a little farther." Someone whispers as I recognize the voice instantly. It's not the careers, it's the girl from Seven.

"It's not the careers." Sunna gasps, her blue eyes wide.

"We still gotta attack, their backs are turned," Ciara says, holding her sword out in front of her body. Her tan hands shake a bit but she grips tight to the sword's leather handle.

"Come on please," Sunna says as Ciara takes a step forward, sword brandished in her right hand.

"Sunna, come on, we've got to attack."

"We don't have to though, they're not threats," Sunna says, her light greyish-blue eyes pleading deep with hidden sorrow.

"Oh come on Sunna, why don't we get them out now?"

"Please don't, they're not even threats," Sunna begs and Ciara takes another step forward, coming to where Zach stood. His feet planted firmly in the ground. Sunna lets out a small whimper but I grab her arm.

"Ciara, please, they're not threats." I pipe up, taking Sunna's side.

"I think we should kill them," Zach says, narrowing his eyes at me.

"They're gone anyway." I sigh, glad Zach didn't pull out his knife. The same knife Ciara used to take Vienna's life.

"What the hell? You idiot, you distracted me so they had time to get away." Ciara screams, taking a step towards Sunna and myself. She holds the sword with a murderous look in her eye but I push Sunna behind my back. "Why are you protecting her?" the girl snaps but Zach grabs her arm.

"Ciara, it's fine. Just drop it." Zach sighs.

"I can't drop it, Sunna let them get away."

"How about we look for them in the morning?" I suggest, trying to keep Ciara from exploding.

"Fine, but I'm camping here for the night." Ciara snaps, setting down the backpack she was carrying.

I whip around to face Sunna, "why'd you do that?" I whisper into the smoky air.

"It's Cel…"

"Celosia? The girl from Eleven? What about her?" I ask.

"She is from my launch team, Lily too. We have a small pact and I know I couldn't watch her die." Sunna replies sheepishly, her hand flying to the nape of her neck.

"Don't be ashamed of sub-alliances, Abram and I have one too." I comfort, taking the machete I had been carrying all day, from my belt.

"But she, she's mad at me." Sunna croaks.

"Hey, I'm sorry about Ciara, and besides, I'm on your side," I say, giving her a warm smile. She says nothing but her eyes look a little less sorrowful, which makes me happy.

Allegro June, Day 3

Time: 2:39 PM (14:39)

Quadrent~ 2

"You alright?" I ask, shattering the silence that held to the smoky air around us.

"Yeah." Kinnik sighs as we walk slowly through endless ice corridors. He fidgets with his hoodie strings with his bottle-green eyes staring directly down at the ashes beneath his feet.

"Alright." I nod, turning forwards again. We have been walking for quite a while, really all morning, trying to find anywhere to get water. Just a couple of minutes ago, Kinnik and I had crossed a giant open clearing and into what I guess is a different half of the arena. This one isn't half as cold, which is such a relief. My body runs very cold being in a very raw and bitter arena wasn't very fun at all-

"What is that?" Kinnik asks suddenly.

"Huh?" I ask, snapping back to reality.

"Look at the walls."

"What walls?"

"The walls that surround us, dummy." Kinnik chuckles pointing towards the ice wall in front of us. There is a small moving image of a blonde-haired girl with a light purple flower tucked behind her ear. She sat on a hillside, overlooking rolling fields of wheat. She has a small sad smile painted on her lips, a small tear dripping down the side of her pale freckled face. The girl looks familiar but I can't exactly place her anywhere.

"Who is she?" I ask.

"I have no idea but I'm guessing she's from Nine with the wheat."

"Yeah, that makes sense." I chuckle.

"Ooh, look it's changing," Kinnik says and I pivot back to face the wall.

The next face is a younger girl, who can't be more than seven years old. She has the same fiery bright red hair as Celosia, the girl from Eleven. Her dark forest green eyes light with innocence as she smiles toward the camera. Her tiny nose dotted with an entire layer of freckles, just like Celosia herself. The small girl looks away from the camera and appears to say something to someone off-camera. Not necessarily off-camera, but somewhere behind her. People walk this way and that behind her, in what appears to be a rundown town square.

"Are these the tributes' family members?" Kinnik asks, his eyes wide.

"I'm guessing so."

"How does it decide who?" Kinnik asks, his jaw hanging down to the floor as he stares at the young, sweet-looking girl.

Slowly the image starts to fade and in her place appears an older girl. Probably about seventeen or eighteen, standing alone in a dimly lit room. She carries a stack of boxes in both hands, from one end of the enormous room to the other. She lets out a small grunt and wipes her forehead to clear the sweat that clings to her dark skin. Her light brown eyes shine bright, even in the terrible lighting, as she takes out a small needle from her back pocket and looks at it longingly. The girl shakes her head and puts the needle back before crossing the room, back to the giant stack of cardboard boxes.

"Who do you think that is?" I ask.

"Remember in the rebel attack when Zach gave up his token, a needle, for Sydney to pick the lock? I'm guessing it's his friend or maybe even sister 'cause the girl looked at the needle like it actually had meaning." Kinnik sighs, not taking his gaze away from the entrancing shimmering wall.

"That's a really good idea, how do you even place shit together like that?"

"I don't know, it's just how my brain works I guess."

"That's awesome," I say.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool but it's why I got voted in." He replies and my smile drops. I didn't mean to bring up something that hurts him. Kinnik doesn't enjoy sensitive topics, let alone deal with them. Yes, he deals with them but ever since Lin's death, he's been different. Kinnik's been getting paranoid extremely easily, and he's never been this mean. It's undoubtedly just his way of dealing with the trauma of having to strangle the girl but still. I'm trying my best to comfort him, but I've never done this before. I've never shown much emotional attachment to anyone, let alone fallen for someone.

"I'm sorry." I whisper, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Don't be, it's fine." He shrugs as the picture on the wall starts to fade from Zach's friend to an older woman. Her tan skin and dark hair matching the girl before her, but her features are worn with laugh lines. A sign she's lived well. Kinnik let out a small gasp at the sight of her.

"Grandma?" he asks, turning to me for a second before looking back at the woman, "Grandma?" his voice louder this time, more emotional.

"Kinnik, it's just a picture."

"Grandma?" he repeats, dropping the backpack he was carrying and rushing towards the wall. "You're here."

"Kinnik, it's not her."

"Grandma, it's me, Kinnik." He says, his hand flying to the strip of fabric he has tied on his left wrist. The woman doesn't answer, of course she doesn't answer. It's a small video of her back in District Seven.

"Hey, it's not real." I comfort.

"Grandma, it's alright, I'm here now."

"Kinnik."

"What?" he asks but not in the tone he'd been using for the past few days. This time his words fill with emotion and compassion and as the boy looks straight at me I get a feeling of butterflies in my stomach.

"She's not real."

"But she's right there." He cries.

"No, she's not," I say softly.

"What do you mean? She's right there."

"Kinnik, it's just a picture to mess with your mind."

"Please. No. Grandma." He croaks as the image starts to fade, "don't go."

"Hey, it's gonna be alright," I say, trying to comfort him.

"Grandma..." he says sliding down the wall and covering his face with his hands.

"Kinnik." I sigh, making my way over to where the boy sat. Tears fall from his face for the first time since we've been in the arena. I gingerly touch his back as I sit beside him. For a second he tenses at my touch and I feel the urge to pull my hand away and walk back to where our backpacks are laying. But I don't. Kinnik means too much to me for me to walk away now.

He looks up from his hands at me, his face tear-stained and his bottle-green eyes red and blotchy. Kinnik lets out a small croak before suddenly wrapping his arms around me. I can't help but let out a gasp at his abrupt movement. But sense the emotion flowing through his veins so I hold him tight to my chest. He lets out another round of sobs, not bothering to hide from me anymore. I close my eyes as his body shakes, the arena had been messing with his head and it finally broke him.


No deaths occurred this chapter


Alliances-

The Bread Queens (and Zach), That Are Starting to Divide a Tad: Sunna, Ciara, Anne and Zach

Still Mighty: Celosia, Sage and Elizabeth

Just Your Local Band of Idiots: Lily and Abram

Extremely Interesting Cause Numbers Have Shifted: Angel, Kai and Misty

No Matter What They Do They're Always an Emotional Train-wreak: Allegro and Kinnik

Sub-alliances-

Hospital Gang: Abram, Lily, Ciara and Zach

Just a Pact: Anne and Abram

Stick With Me Please: Celosia and Sage

Mentor issues: Kinnik and Elizabeth

What's Left of Launch Team One: Lily, Sunna and Cel

Loners-

Can I Be Iconic Alone?: Liz


Kill Count (underlined ones are gone)-

Sasha: 1 (D5F, self)

Ciara: 1 (D6F)

Kinnik: 1 (D3F)

Misty: 1 (D9M)

Kai: 1 (D5M)

Abram: 1 (D12M)

Angel: 1 (D3M)

Tyree: 1 (D6M, self)

Elizabeth: 1 (D1"M"-NB)


A/N: Annnnd we're back at it with another chapter! Shaboom. Yes, I know this one was boring, no deaths but oooh how it sets up for the next one. Gosh, I'm really freaking excited for the next chapter buttttt I had a lot of fun writing these PoVs. But I just wanna say that due to some things people have said privately to me, I just want to clarify that this is my story and these are my characters. I don't care if you don't like the way I'm writing them (actually I do and I'd love to hear feedback and shit but it's cool if you can't/don't have time). I get everyone is entitled to their own opinions and whatever just please, it's my story to have fun with.

Annnnd on that note let's switch to something more positive. We're at the freaking final 15! Any guesses as to who dies next? I still need to change the picture on the blog but I updated it with the last chapter's things a few days ago. Tomorrow I've got some things to do but tomorrow night I'll try to upload the shit from this chapter :))

Also, subs to my next story in the ashes verse are going to be open soon and I'm really freaking excited cause I have so many ideas for this next story. Of course, it won't start until I completely finish ashes but it's gonna be cool xd. Yep, that's all I got. Have a great day/night/afternoon!

Bye for now,

Marie