Abram Butcher, Day 5

Time: 12:05 AM (12:05)

Quadrant~ 4

I hold Lily's cold body close to mine, her blood seeping through my hoodie. Cutting deep at my bones. Her frame hangs limp in my arms as tears drip from my face. The tears fall onto her bloody form, mixing into the dark liquid oozing from the wound stealing her abdomen. I feel like I've been shot down, holding onto every ounce of shimmering hope that decides to course through my body.

Rocking slowly back and forth, my stomach wenches, sending a flickering amount of pain through my body. This is it, I told myself I'd die for her, make sure she'd win. But I couldn't. I left her alone like the stupid idiot I am. If I hadn't… then, maybe her cannon wouldn't have boomed, dancing across the threateningly cold darkness. I hadn't noticed the cold until now. What the fuck? It's too cold. How are tributes surviving in this weather?

Surviving. For. Nothing. Gone. Forever. More.

How could I let her die like that? Not after all she's done for me, not after how much we've been through. A tear splashes down my face and onto her stone-cold, bloody form. Sobs rack my body as I hold the girl to my chest. My heart beating fiercely against her body. Her heartbeat forever silent, forever gone. All because of me. Why did I have to leave her?

I was the one to die, the one to protect her. And yet, somehow she's the dead one. The one lying on the floor with her own tree branch buried deep in her stomach. The point sticking out that small of her back, blood dripping steadily from the puncture wound. It strains my dark green pants but I take no care of it.

Lily was the only thing I cared about, I was supposed to die for her. Protect her. I was her knight, how could I let her die? She was the only thing in this world that felt freaking right. I could get lost in light blue speckled eyes every single day. She was the only thing I couldn't let go of, the only thing I'd die for. But guess what? I failed at protecting her, I failed and now she's on the ground, her body cold.

I was supposed to be the one there for her, die for her. I guess Lily was right all along, I'm such an idiot. I left her alone, left her to die. I thought I could protect her but that didn't work. Silence booms in my ears, way too loud for my liking. She's the one supposed to be here, not me. I look up to the dark sky, tears slowly falling down my face. I quickly rub them away, my face already red and blotchy.

Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I see a figure move quickly in the shadows but I don't bother to get to my feet. I reach slowly behind me, picking up my tree branch. I hold it out threateningly, still cradling Lily's head in my lap. Her features relaxed and peaceful, I know she's in a good place now, I just wasn't able to save her. I should be the one dead now, not her.

I hear footsteps dash to the right of me, behind the way I was facing. Are there multiple people? Can't be, can there? I slowly set Lily's clammy body down lightly on the ash-covered ground and look around. Nothing happens for a second before I hear more footsteps in the opposite direction than before. They're cornering me, aren't they? This is it, this is my death.

I get to my feet shakily, brandishing the branch tightly with both hands. I quickly brush away the ashes from my lap as blood rages fiercely in my ears. Boom. Boom Boom. My hands start to shake but I hold tight to my weapon. My knuckles turn ghostly white but I ignore them. I hold on tight to the branch, clinging to its smooth surface, brandishing it in front of my body.

The sound of footsteps stop. I let out a deep breath, ready for any attack. Sure enough, the boy from Two comes flying towards me, wielding a sharp small dagger in his right hand. An axe slung carefully in his sheath. I whack my branch at his shoulder and he stumbles backward.

Allegro June, Day 6

Time: 12:29 AM (12:29)

Quadrant~ 4

The blow to my shoulder knocks me off balance but I quickly regain myself. I turn to the left and sidestep away from his tree branch. The uncommon weapon long yet sturdy, coming to a sharp point at the very end. It glints under the bright stage lights, reflecting like a mirror. He lets out a grunt as I turn the other way, heaving my body forward. He blocks my dagger attack with his tree branch and I grit my teeth together.

He throws himself at me, tackling me to the ground but I turn mid-air so I land on top of him. He lets out a startled hiccup, struggling to get free as I raise my dagger to his chest. Abram fights against my grip but I slide my weapon closer to his chest. It sits inches away from his soft flesh as he lets out a cry.

"Please, please don't kill me." He begs and I narrow my eyes. Like I'd believe that? People say the darndest things to keep themselves alive, why shouldn't I kill him? It's not like I feel any remorse anymore, I feel no more fucking emotion.

"Why not?" I ask.

"You're allyless and there's still a big group of four and two careers out there, we could team up until numbers are smaller. Then you can kill me, I don't care. I'm dead anyways." He shrugs and I think about his offer for a second. He could very well be lying but he's right, there's still a lot of threats in the game, and going to things like the feast isn't a good idea alone.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because I just lost my ally, I know what you feel about… Kinnik, right?" His words strike a deep nerve in my stomach and a pang of pain floods my body. Kinnik is fucking gone and there's nothing I can do about it. I could've saved him, protected him like I told myself I would. But did I? No, I failed at keeping him alive, my only fucking job out here.

"Kinnik…" I say, still on top of the boy with my dagger inches away from his chest.

"Yes," Abram nods, and that's when I see a shimmer in his eyes. A broken and beaten light. A hope slowly diminishing with the prospect of being the one left behind. Lily ended up dying last night, didn't she? Her smiling face lit up the dark sky along with the career from One.

"How do I know you won't stab me when I'm off my guard?"

"You don't have to let your guard down,"

"But what's in this for me? If I don't kill you right now, you'll help me at the feast and shit?"

"Yes." The boy nods, "after the feast I'll leave you in peace and we can go our separate ways. We just need to help each other past that point, avoid getting killed."

I narrow my eyes, still not believing he's not gonna try and stab me in the back but I slowly move my dagger away from his skin. I tense my shoulders, more than half expecting a tree branch to come flying through my stomach. But it doesn't. The boy seems pretty genuine and trustworthy, I just don't want to underestimate him.

"Alright, I have some supplies." Abram nods, looking toward his camp with a wiry expression. I roll off the boy and he shakily gets to his feet. He shoots me a genuinely thankful smile and I return it with a small nod.

"Like what?" I ask and the boy from Ten grabs a bag discarded in the ashes. He opens it slowly, a harsh ripping sound evading my eardrums. I don't ask about the sound and just watch as he kneels beside the bag, taking out a small metal water bottle, some paracord, and a light green tarp. I give him a nod as he gets to his feet.

"What about you?"

"I have a dagger, an axe and this bag," I say, slinging the jet black bag off my shoulder. I let out a small sigh, turning back to him. "You look famished, I have some jerky if you want it."

"Thank you." The boy nods, looking me gravely in the eyes.

"I'm sorry about your ally, what happened to her?" I ask, opening the bag and taking out the pouch of jerky Kinnik and I had been savoring. There's enough for at least a few more days, that'll get me and Abram through the feast or whatever happens.

"Thank you." He says thankfully taking a few pieces of the dried meat. "And- well she, um, the girl from One, um."

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it." I usher and he nods sadly.

"What about yours?" He asks between mouthfuls of jerky.

"Kinnik, well, my district partner made it her mission to kill him. He killed her ally during the bloodbath and ever since then has been, um fuck." I say, my chest getting tight at the thought of Kinnik but I just inhale a deep breath and continue. "Even though I killed her, he died a few hours later due to blood poisoning from a wound she gave him with her axe."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Abram says, giving me a small comforting smile. I return it and he shifts his gaze up to the sky. Silence settles between us, but not an awkward one, no, a peaceful drifting silence.

Anella Finch, Day 6

Time: 11:22 AM (11:22)

Quadrant~ 3

"You're not running away, right? Not with Zach." I ask as she packs her bag up and turns back to face me. Ciara and Zach had come up with a plan this morning of splitting up for the day. Though it makes the least amount of sense for us, Sunna and I have decided we have to stay on Ciara's good side, at least for now. If we went to overpower her now, it'd be an even fight against her and Zach. I know Zach's trying to keep ties with me but always taking her side isn't doing many favors. I don't trust him one bit. However, I'm glad I'm the one stuck with Ciara. I'd much rather take her on then leave my best friend with her.

"Of course not," Sunna sighs, "Ciara just wouldn't trust the two of us going."

"I know." I say, "we could go though, we could run away. We don't need them to survive." I suggest, pointing back behind me to where Ciara and Zach sit whispering amongst themselves. She sighs as I hand her the three knives from her sponsor gift. Earlier today Sunna and I had gotten a sponsor a gift pack. She got three small knives and I got ten arrows, for my crossbow of course. I'm very grateful to whoever sent them and, even though I don't want to use them and I hope I won't have to, I need to be ready for anything.

"How about after I get back? I promise we'll run away, just please don't get yourself killed while I'm gone." Sunna smiles and I nod.

"Hopefully Ciara won't lose her mind with me."

"Oh please no," Sunna says.

"Let's hope, but don't let your guard down with Zach. The two of them have been whispering all morning."

"Yeah." Sunna nods, "I really don't want to go."

"I know, I don't want to split up either, we're better together. But best to go with their plan to avoid an angry bloodthirsty Ciara." I reassure.

"You're right." Sunna nods, "that doesn't change the fact I feel like Zach or Ciara are gonna try to at least kill one of us."

"We just have to keep our guards up. Always keep your knives on you." I warn.

"Yeah, I know."

"Promise we'll run away tonight after you and Zach get back?" I ask and she shoots me a small smile. I'm glad Sunna's back as her typically relatively happy self. She's been getting really upset about the deaths in the arena. I don't blame her though. I guess we were quite a tight group, surviving an entire rebel attack together and all.

I remember that day like it was yesterday, both Sunna and Zach getting injured and me being left behind with the careers. How that had even happened surprises me, why me? I'm strong I guess, I just stayed behind to help them fight off the attackers. I remember how my heart had stopped when the tracks ended, seemingly abandoning us. The blood seeping out onto the snow was terrifying as well. At that time there were so many possibilities that could've happened to them, and even though I'm not much of a worrier, I couldn't stop running scenarios in my head.

"Promise." She nods, pulling me back to reality.

"Why don't we set a word as our 'I need help but can't say that in front of Zach and Ciara'?"

"Sounds good to me, what word are you thinking?"

"I don't know." I sigh, "something normal but that we wouldn't use accidentally."

"Corn?" she suggests.

"That works." I laugh.

"It's what popped into my head first so I'm rolling with it."

"That's great." I chuckle as Zach throws a bag over his shoulder and starts to make his way over to where we stand. I give Sunna an uneasy smile and she returns it, nodding her head slightly. She swallows and turns to him, thrusting her hands deep into her sweatshirt pockets.

"Ready?" Zach asks, shrugging his shoulders as Ciara swiftly follows behind him, standing beside her district partner.

"I think so." Sunna nods.

"See you guys later." I smile, turning to the girl from Eight. "How's it going?" I ask her, trying not to get on her backside before they even leave.

"Whatever." Ciara sighs, rolling her eyes at me.

"Bye Ciara, bye Anne," Zach says as he turns away from us and Sunna waves before doing the same. She follows him out into the maze and Ciara nods at the pair.

"Now what?" Ciara snaps at me, turning away from them. It was her plan, was it not? What does she mean by 'what now', she's supposed to know, isn't she?

"Huh?" I ask and Ciara rolls her eyes again. I don't think it's in her DNA not to roll her eyes at everything I say.

"What do we do now?" she asks again.

"I don't know, we have to stay here so they can find us, maybe so target practice?" I suggest, trying to keep her from getting mad.

"That works." She nods, unsheathing her sword.

Elizabeth Oakseed, Day 6

Time: 3:59 PM (15:59)

Quadrant~ 1

I'm done. I'm done with feeling sorry for myself, I can't keep moping around the arena like a lost puppy. I have to focus on winning, getting out of here, escaping from this nightmare. I'm done with this caving-in, helpless feeling, it's haunted me for too fucking long. I'm done with it, I'm done with feeling like this.

If they can't win, I have to win for them. Even if there's nothing to make it home to, I have to win for them. That's what they would've wanted, me to get my ass in gear and win this shitshow for them. That's not exactly what I want to do, but I'm tired of this feeling. It's time for me to focus on winning, stop holding my past over me. I miss them so fucking much but they're gone now, forever, and there's nothing I can do about that.

Trudging on forward, bra knife in hand, I take a deep breath. The cold frosty air bites at my lungs, tearing at my insides. I let out the air slowly, feeling my steps fall rhythmically beneath me. One foot in front of the other. That's all I can do at this point. I have to win for them, and if that means I have to kill, I will.

Killing scares me but I can't show that. Not to the Capital at least, that's not good entertainment. In their eyes, I'm just a weak thirteen-year-old, who couldn't save her allies and just keeps surviving no matter what the fuck is throw at her. No matter what she just seems to keep going, because that's what she has to do to survive.

But I'm done playing their game, their script. I'm doing me now. The Capital can go fuck themselves for all I care about their standards. I'm gonna be me and there's nothing they can do. Playing these voices of the other tributes to mess with my head is just making me all the more determined.

All the dead tributes, each and every one of the fifteen who have died, didn't die in vain. They didn't die so I could go and waste my time moping around. I have to focus, I have to win. For Cel, Sage and Syd in the least. They're gone but I can't change that, wishing doesn't change the past.

Yes, I miss them a fucking lot and wish they were still here with me but they wouldn't want me to keep down in the dumps. I can't keep their memory alive if I drown in it, now can I? No, I can't. Even if drowning is what I feel like, I can't. I've had a day or so to melt and breakdown but it's time to get my ass in gear. It's time to get my head back in this game of nine.

Only eight other people stand between me and winning. Not winning for me, or anyone back in Seven, winning for Cel, Sage and Syd. Winning for their families, winning to make it to Eleven and tell Cel's little sisters how much she talked about them, how much she loved them. Make it so I can tell Sage's mother that they thank her for everything she's done for them. I have to win for Syd, comfort his father and tell him how much Syd loved him. In no way am I winning for myself, I'm winning for them.

If they can't win, I have to. Their memories are the only thing keeping me going. They're dead and there's nothing that's going to change that, the only thing I can do is to win for them. Just imagining their family's grief is terrible, I know I have to, they deserve it. Even if I don't myself.

I tug lightly on a strand of my shoulder-length light blonde hair. I tied it early today in a short, stubby ponytail at the nape of my neck but a few strands had already slipped from the band. They curl, framing my face, bumping up and down as I walk. I hike through the ashes, slipping past wall upon wall of sheer light blue ice.

Footsteps pound to the right of me but I narrow my eyes, I've heard the same footsteps over and over for the past hour. It's just the sound half being weird again. I'm actually thinking, due to the fact Kai and Misty have seen more of the arena, that they're right. I have a feeling it's true, this place is divided into quadrants. One smells like your home district and another plays twisted sounds of other tributes, but the others I'm not exactly sure of yet.

I guess I'll have to find out, exploring the depths of the arena. Just like Syd had wanted to do. He'd wanted to explore so bad, just venture out and see what the Capital could come up with. Evidently, that never happened with the events of the bloodbath, but he hoped and that makes me feel even more connected to him.

I let out another peacefully deep breath as I navigate on, making my way through the ice maze. The air fights back at my breath, fogging it like steam from a harsh tea kettle. Clouds of my breaths surround me and I get lost in the bitter air. For the first time since the death of my allies, I actually feel in a state of hopefulness. Trudging forward, I keep trekking on, piling through steam clouds.

Zach Paisley, Day 6

Time: 4:47 PM (16:47)

Quadrant~ 3

"I think we're lost Sunna." I say and the girl whips around to face me. Her light blue eyes conflicted yet fiery pools of ambition. I'd let her take the lead about an hour ago and since then we've been going in what appears to be circles.

"No, we're not lost."

"We've been wandering for the past few hours, face it we're lost,"

"We are not lost, I know my way back to Ciara and Anne." She says.

"Well then, how far are we from them then?" I ask.

"Not far." She sighs, obviously lying.

"Alright then."

We trudge on for a few minutes before Sunna turns the corner and smacks straight against a stone wall. That's weird we've only seen ice walls, what the heck is this stone one here for?

"Owww." Sunna says, rubbing her forehead. "A wall?"

"Not just any wall, a stone wall."

"What makes it so important?" she asks, taking a small step away from the wall. "I still ran into it."

"All the other walls are ice, and it looks like there's a door up there," I say, motioning to the right where, down a ways, sits a light oak-stained door.

"Oh." She says, letting me take the lead as we make our way towards the wooden door. I reach towards the handle, my fingers brushing lightly over the marbled ivory. I grasp it strongly in my right hand and twist the door open, ready for anything to jump out at me. Instead, I let out a gasp seeing the scene in front of me.

There are two long lines of chests, each about three feet tall and two wide. They stand with a good distance between the one next to them. Over half are red in color but a good amount are a light, shimmering grey. Sunna lets out a sigh, shutting the door behind her. I motion for her to follow me and start walking to the nearest metal chest. It's embroidered with the same flames that laced the sponsor gift boxes. These ones fiery in color and intertwine with the ones around them, creating an overlapping intricate design. Red on top of red, hm that's a little weird, but that's only on this box? The others are colors such as light blue, lime green and pale pink.

"Wow." Sunna gasps opening the light grey colored box beside the red one I kneel next to. I slowly reach forward and open the red box, the one lined with red flames. Bursting through the smoky air I hear a voice, a young boy's voice.

"Liz? Liz can you hear me?" the box asks, obviously not the boy himself, just a sorta recording.

"What the hell?" I ask, shutting the lid tightly as Sunna does the same to hers.

"Who was that?" Sunna ponders, her eyes wide.

"I don't know… a little boy?"

"Yeah." Sunna says, "that's really weird, mine was a girl. Wait what's that?" she asks, getting distracted from the chests.

"Looks like another freaking door." I quip sarcastically.

"Whatever, let's go check it out." She says, almost forgetting about the box she opened.

"Sounds good." I nod, slowly getting to my feet. I make my way to the door, reaching the opposite wall before my ally. Ciara had told me to kill her tonight, away from Anne but I know I can't do that. She's too nice, but I don't know what to do. I glance back at Sunna and lightly sigh. I pry the door adjacent, it swings open as a taste of metallic iron fills my mouth. I let out a raspy scream as something flies at my face. My heart pounds and I grip whatever it is, keeping it inches from my face.

It's scaly-like outside pricking deep into my palms, cutting the flesh. Much like a thin wire. The creature itself a dark midnight blue and as long as my body. It snaps it's wide mouth at me, revealing a set of razor-sharp shimmering grey teeth. They glint in the light as the scaly thing snaps at my face. More blood pours into my mouth and I let out a choking gurgle. The closest thing I can compare the monster to is a snake, it's scaly outer skin reasonably the same but the teeth much worse than any poison a snake could bare. It opens its mouth again, bright yellow deep-set eyes staring straight into mine. Another thing latches onto my left leg, bitting deep into the skin. I cry out as I shake my leg violently, trying to get whatever it is off me.

Two hands grab my shoulder, pulling me forward, away from the open door. The door slams shut and but I take very little notice of the change. Sunna lets out a sharp and stunned scream as I let go of the monster with one hand, and grab her with the other. Instead of letting her help me, I throw her to the ground beside me. I have to survive, if she doesn't, well that's not my problem. I wasn't planning to kill her like Ciara said but I value my life over hers, I have to survive.

She screams again as she hits the ground and the creature launches itself at her. Just before its teeth could pierce her skin, she collects a good sum of courage and grabs the body of the snake-like thing. She grunts as she turns it back to me and sends it flying my way. I don't have the same reflexes and its teeth sink themselves into the flesh of my face.

"Zach!" Sunna screams, rolling to her feet as pain drenches my blood in a dark red liquid. I see small bright orange dots as I hear Sunna pulling out her knives. Summoning every ounce of bravery in her body the girl sends one of her blades cripping through the beast's body. My head spins and the last thing I hear is Sunna's hoarse scream before everything turns to midnight black.

9th place- Zach Paisley killed by snake mutts

Zach ahhhh. I absolutely loved writing you. You were such a pleasure to ashes and I had so much fun developing your character arc. In the end, I knew you'd fall eventually I was just never sure how. Guess curiosity does kill the cat, or in this case the Zach. I loved your relationships with Anne, Ciara and Sunna but I had a lot of fun writing your death. (Because it was the first arena death, it was still really hard to write). I'm waaay too attached to these characters so RIP but I'm really sad you had to die here. I'm sorry you couldn't make it to the final eight. Rip… Zach


Alliances-

What's Left of The Bread Queens: Anne and Ciara

The Newest Iconic Duo: Kai and Misty

Broken Boys: Allegro and Abram

Sub-alliances-

Hospital Gang: Abram and Ciara

Just a Pact to Not *Stabby Stabby* Each Other Until the Finale: Anne and Abram

Promises: Sunna and Anne

Loners-

The Smol Lizard Breath Herself: Elizabeth

Did That Just Happen: Sunna


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: 2 (D3M, D12F)

Tyree: 1 (D6M, self)

Elizabeth: 1 (D1"M"-NB)

Anne: 1 (D11F)

Zach: 1 (D11"M"-NB)

Allegro: 1 (D2F)

Liz: 1 (D7M)

Lily: 1 (D1F)

A/N: Annnnd we're back with another chapter! Staboom *yes staboom not shaboom like normal because I can*. I absolutely had so much writing this chapter ahhhhh. I've had the Abram/Allegro scene planned for so freaking long but I'm really excited that I finally got to bring it to life! There will certainly be more of them to come lmaooo. Ideas on who dies next? What happens with the family interviews next chapter? Who will die during the feast? Thoughts on Zach's death. We have our first arena death so that's really fun. Also shout out to Sunna Saccrian for being the only tribute in the final 8 for being the only one without a kill. *I didn't plan for most of them to get only one for now, that's just how it worked out so we'll have to see how that works*.

So yeah, more on the tribute chest hall later but we had our first look into what there is besides the quadrants so yay. Thoughts on what Sunna will do in there?

A few shoutouts even though I don't know if any of them (besides Raf) are reading.

King Raf (Averyrandomauthor)

Queen Tia (Contemporarydancer2)

Knight Trish (MetheFanatic19)

These three, along with countless others are so fucking amazing and I love them so much. I have no clue about what words even to say besides all of y'all are so awesome, stunning and wonderful. You guys make my day everyday.

Also, um on a totally different note, my mental health recently has been absolutely terrible so I might be slowing down from the pace I was going with Tia's ~borrowed~ speed. I'll let her have her speed back but I still plan to finish Ashes before the end of January. Also Mission Zero- I've said this on discord but it's the next story in the ashes verse making it's debut January 30th (PST, my time.) And yeah I think that's all I got- as always have a good day/night/afternoon.

Bye for now,

Marie