Levi Viscose, District 8, 18

I didn't sleep last night.

I stayed with Ianto for a long time. I don't know why. But for some reason, I just couldn't let go of his hand.

When I found my mother, she was already gone. I'd only caught sight of her crumpled body for a few moments before running for help, terrified to linger on what I'd seen. My last real memory of her was at the funeral when my father brought me up to her casket. I remembered touching her hand and wanting to vomit at how cold and waxy it was. But Ianto… Ianto wasn't like that. When I held him, he was still speaking. When he pulled the knife out of his chest, the blood that poured everywhere was warm and sticky. And he had reached for my hand.

Ianto, the irritable, cynical boy who disliked me the moment we met, reached for my hand.

And I didn't want to let go.

I'd kept waiting for him to open his eyes and roll them at me. I kept waiting for the heat to flow back into his hand as he squeezed mine back. I kept waiting for him to say something, anything, because I needed him. If I wished for it hard enough, he would come back… right?

He didn't.

The realization had hit me slowly: Ianto was dead. I'd looked over to where the girl who'd attacked us laid in the grass, her dark eyes open and empty. It struck me that minus the gore, she was rather beautiful. It was difficult to believe that I'd done that to her, that I'd lit the cannon signaling her death. Her blood and Ianto's mixed and mingled on my hands, and the disgust had sent me vomiting into the grass. It was what I'd feared from the beginning; that I was capable of participating in this. As much as I'd loved my mother, I'd feared that I was as capable of these horrors as her. Granted, I didn't shove a needle down anyone's throat… though is a knife any different?...

The more I thought about it, though, maybe it was good that I was capable of this. Maybe that meant that I could actually win this and that I could actually go home. Maybe I could see Senna again and fulfill my promise to Ianto. What mattered to my friend mattered to me, and I needed to pull it together so that I didn't let him down. I couldn't let Ianto down.

So I had pulled it together. Slowly, I'd wiped the blood from my hands in the grass. I'd untangled Ianto's stiff fingers from mine, pushing down the lump in my throat as I did so. I went over to his jacket, forgotten on the ground and newly cropped, and pulled his arms through the sleeves. I'd used a spare drop of our water to wipe the speckles of blood from his face, and I'd retied the shoelaces he'd hastily woven during our bet earlier that day. I combined our two backpacks into one, trying to forget how I'd started with four backpacks and four other people, and was now alone.

Before leaving our campsite, I'd looked back once. How could I not? It was Ianto. Then I'd headed into the woods, back towards where I thought our cabin was, because I needed a direction and it seemed as good as any. Later in the day, Senna had sent me a map, and I had a rough enough idea of where I was.

Now, I was sitting up against a tree. The sun had fallen and the girl and Ianto's faces were in the sky and now the sun was back, shining down on me, making me sweat. Most of that time had been spent processing all this. Deep down, I'd known Ianto and I wouldn't both live. I thought I was prepared for that, but apparently not, because I was struggling. Truthfully, the only thing keeping me going right now- besides Senna- was the knowledge that this wasn't about me anymore. I wasn't winning for me: I was winning for my friend and his brother.

That had to be enough.

Sadie Wilson, District 2, 18

As the eleventh morning in the arena began, I wasted no time. I had a plan, and I was going to stick to it.

Fortunately for me, everyone else was slowly taking care of themselves. First, Muir was killed the day we split up. Then last night, Glowla's face was in the sky, followed by the boy from Eight. That meant only five of us were left now, and another one of my biggest threats was resolved. The boy from Eight was a nice bonus. I had to assume they'd killed each other. Maybe I'd been wrong about the girl from Eight- maybe they'd split up after all? Personally, I was hoping she was with him and Glowla had injured her somehow so I could give the rest of my attention to Caligula in the finale.

That, however, was for another day. Today, I pulled my things together and stuffed them in my bag. I put a knife in each boot, hooked a marjoity in my belt, and tucked a final one into my back pocket. It had saved me before. My machete went in the bag. Then, judging from the sky, I headed east. I'd spent enough time in the Cornucopia that I'd basically memorized the map, and I knew that if I headed dead east from the river, I'd hit the path eventually. From there, I could see if the cabins were still empty.

A sense of deja vu rose in me. I shoved it down.

This time, District Nine would get no warnings.

A while later, I hit the path, my boot striking the tough dirt showing the way. I turned to the right; assuming I wasn't totally wrong, the cabins were that way. I was pretty sure I was right, though. It was too hot out to be wrong. I let myself slow for a moment, pulling out my large water bottle and taking a sip. I was feeling better from my vacation day: I wanted to prolong that by staying hydrated.

Once I was finished, I screwed the cap back on, sliding the bottle back into the gap in my bag. Just as I lifted my foot to continue on my way, however, my entire body tensed.

I'd heard that noise a few times in the arena, but it was always far off. And it was always at night. Right now, it was neither of those things. So as soon as I registered the first wolf's howl, I began to run.

I sprinted down the path, pure adrenaline in my veins. My mind raced, trying to put together a plan. I could swerve and climb a tree, but there was no guarantee the wolves would leave me alone. They wouldn't leave until either there was a kill or I was unreachable; I'd seen enough Games during my training in Two to understand how mutts worked. A cabin was probably more secure. Besides, if it was blood they wanted, there was no reason to stray from my itinerary. I realized that my planning had slowed me down a little, and upon hearing a snarl behind me, I picked up the pace. If I couldn't get to the cabin, my planning was pointless.

I pushed on, grateful for my training in that moment. In Two, the trainers liked to emphasize endurance. If you couldn't keep going, then you couldn't win the Games. Cal and I had spent countless hours on the track. While it was never my favorite thing, I was thankful for it now. That, and my rest day. I didn't falter as I tore down the path.

I am strong, and I am not going to die here.

As it turned out, sprinting at top speed was a much faster mode of travel. Before long, I was blowing past the first cabin. Even with my heart thrumming in my ears, I knew it was silent. Besides, the door was open- no way anyone was there. I was tempted to fortify myself there, but my ambition pushed me onwards. The wolves were on my tail, but they were still a ways behind me. I could make it a few minutes down the trail to the next cabin. I continued on, ignoring the twinges of pain beginning to set in.

Meanwhile, behind me, I could hear the wolves starting to close in. I was fast, but I wasn't a wolf mutt. I could hear their breath now, along with the occasional growl. The adrenaline only climbed higher as the chase continued.

Why set the wolves after me? I wondered. Maybe I haven't been interesting enough in a while? There's only five of us, though, so maybe they just want to keep up the pace? Or maybe they want to up the suspense?

Before I could think it through more, though, the path opened up into a small clearing. In front of me, just as I'd hoped, was the second cabin. The door was shut, and I pulled a knife free from my belt, running up to the tiny porch. As excited as I was to check out what was inside, I had the wolves to worry about first. I twisted the handle frantically, trying to open the door.

It was locked.

I threw my shoulder into the door, leaning into it with all of my body weight. Still, it held firm. I looked back- the sound of the wolve's feet hitting the ground was getting louder now, and I needed another option. I backed up off the porch, looking around desperately. Maybe there was still something I could climb?

My gaze landed on the chimney next to the porch. It was made of smooth gray rocks that jutted out considerably. I threw another glance over my shoulder, and seeing a nose peek through the trees, I knew I was out of other options. I placed my knife between my teeth and grabbed the highest rock I could reach, stepping onto another as I hoisted myself up. The rocks were smooth and hot, nearly burning my fingers, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. Just as I made it three-quarters of the way up, the wolves were circling below me, snapping their jaws angrily at having been outrun.

As I removed the knife from my teeth, I nearly smiled, I was so relieved. I'd outrun the wolves. I wasn't completely convinced that was just good luck- after all, I'd seen more Games than I could count- but I didn't have time to think about that now. The locked door had confirmed my suspicions: someone was inside this cabin. And this roof didn't seem nearly as sturdy as the door. I tested it with my foot, immediately finding a weak patch.

Good thing I grabbed that machete from the Cornucopia, eh?

Journie Teffs, District 9, 17

Things weren't going well.

I'd resolved to hide out in my cabin for at least another day, and the morning went smoothly. As the day stretched into afternoon, though, everything changed. The arena wasn't exactly quiet- nature is never as quiet as people think- but it was quiet enough that when the wolves began howling, I didn't have to wonder where they were. Or how close they were.

I'd immediately begun barricading the doors and windows. There was enough furniture in the cabin that I could easily blockade the only door, and I was able to get a decent amount of stuff blocking the windows as well. I'd been feeling pretty decent until I then heard the footsteps. They were fast and fairly light, and I was hoping they'd pass me by, but they didn't. They came up onto the porch and tried to open the door (which I'd locked) and then attempted to break it down, which was unsuccessful after I'd barricaded it. I tried to get a peek out the window, but I couldn't see past my barricade. Maybe, just maybe, the wolves would get them and leave me alone? Of course, that didn't happen.

Now, I was holding onto my scythe with both hands, peering anxiously at the roof. Somehow, they'd climbed up there, and loud banging noises had me convinced that the roof would cave in any second now.

I was sure whoever was up there was a Career. If I'd been keeping track right, half of the other tributes still standing were Careers. Besides, who else would outrun a wolf pack and break into my cabin via rooftop? God, I wanted to run so badly. I wanted to pull the furniture from the door and run. But there were two problems with that: first, the wolves, and second, that if the Career was on the roof, they'd easily be able to see me once I was outside.

No, I had to stand my ground. There was no avoiding confrontation this time.

Just as that thought had solidified, a chunk of roof fell to the ground. Sunlight spilled through the roughly circular, surprisingly large hole, and through it, I was finally able to identify the other tribute: the red-haired girl from Two. I cursed under my breath as I recognized her. She looked a little more banged up than our last meeting, especially her face, but it was definitely her. She'd already failed to kill me twice, and I doubted she was willing to let me get away again. And then, most importantly:

She killed Deltro.

It was a reason as good as any to defend myself. If I had to kill again, I might as well avenge both of my allies.

A flash of metal caught my eye. On instinct, I sidestepped. As soon as I was out of the way, a razor-sharp knife embedded itself in the wall behind me. I looked back at the hole in the ceiling- another knife was hovering in the space. I couldn't see her face, just her hand and the knife. She had the high ground right now, and I'd been in enough fights to understand how terrible my position was. If I wanted a chance, I needed to lure her down to the ground.

Thankfully, I had an idea.

"Coward," I called.

The knife hesitated. I backed up a few steps, and was able to make out her face again as she peered into the hole. Some deep instinct told me to throw my scythe, but I resisted.

"I thought you were a Career," I continued.

She pursed her lips, her eyes narrowed. "I am."

"Prove it," I said. "Come and fight me."

She scoffed. "I have nothing to prove to you."

I raised an eyebrow, hoping desperately that she wouldn't see right through me. Her arm was lowered, and while she was talking, I darted over to the wall and yanked out the knife she'd already thrown. I forced myself to stay relaxed as I held it. If I was too tight, she'd know I had no idea what I was doing. But by appearing threatening, that could give me some time.

I looked back up at her. Her dark eyes flashed as she glared at me. Without another word, she quickly threw again, and I had to duck this time to avoid it.

I quickly snatched it from the wall again. "I can do this all day."

"Throw one back, then," she goaded, smirking at me.

I hesitated. Now, it was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "Or can't you?"

"I don't need to," I replied. "You'll run out eventually."

"You can't dodge forever," she said. "You'll slip up before I run out. I'm fine with waiting." She glanced behind her. "Not like I can go anywhere."

God, I hated this. I was usually decent at reading opponents, but this girl was a mystery to me. It didn't help that I didn't even know her name. I thought Careers were supposed to have big egos- shouldn't that have lured her down? She seemed content to pick me off from above. I couldn't let her do that.

Maybe if I changed the subject…?

"You know, you killed my friend," I called up.

She rolled her eyes as she reached for another knife. "It's the Games. People die. Get over it."

"He didn't deserve to die," I responded.

"But he did anyway," she said. "He would've betrayed you in the end. I did you a favor."

"You Careers, you're messed up," I said, shaking my head.

"We're realistic," she said. "Would you hold still?"

"I-"

I'd let the conversation distract me. She whipped another knife at me, and it landed deep in my left thigh. I cried out, my leg buckling. I dropped the knives she'd already thrown at me, and they clattered when they hit the cabin floor. My eyes watered as the pain shot up my veins and coursed throughout my body. No fight had ever hurt me this bad. Only grabbing onto my scythe held me up. When some of the wateriness cleared from my eyes, I looked back up at the hole. The Career was still there, her expression solemn. The next knife was already in her hand.

"All of you and your morals," she said. "You get distracted from what matters, and you die. What's the use in thinking about it?"

"We're people," I said quietly. "I live by my honor. I'd die without it."

"Well, I live by surviving," she said. She flipped the next knife in her hand. I gritted my teeth, preparing to hop to the side. Maybe, if I could make it to the bedroom… but that was no guarantee. It was too far, especially with the knife in my leg. I was backed up against the wall, literally. I had to do something drastic.

Meanwhile, the girl kept talking. "Maybe-"

Mid-sentence, I took my scythe and chucked it wildly. It missed the hole by about a foot, hitting the roof and falling to the floor with a loud clang.

Her sentence cut off as my heart sank. I was defenseless now, and I knew there was nowhere I could run. She studied me for a moment, silent, as she tightened her hold on her knife. Eventually, she spoke again. "Do you still have your honor?"

I nodded, firmly. I'd avenged Reese. I'd fought hard. I'd killed, but with good reason. I'd tried my best to get home to my family, but I knew what was coming next. I didn't know how many knives she had left, but I was willing to bet that it was more than I could dodge.

And I was so, so tired.

"Good," she said, so softly I could barely hear her. Our gazes locked, and she brought the final knife back. I trusted that she would end this quickly.

I closed my eyes.

Sienna Asher, District 12, 14

Boom.

Cal and I exchanged a nervous glance. We didn't have to say it: we both knew that cannon meant only four tributes were left. Instead, when Cal opened his mouth, the subject was slightly different.

"We should get moving," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

We hadn't left our current little campsite since our encounter the other day. I didn't see any reason to now- as my father liked to say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." He was usually referring to antique timepieces, but the logic still applied.

"I've studied the Games," he replied. "They have patterns. I don't think they'll let it get down to two people, and even if they did, they'd push everyone together. We need to get to the Cornucopia."

"But the Cornucopia's dangerous," I said. Even just the word made me tense.

"I know," he said grimly. "But nine times out of ten, that's where this ends. We need to make sure we get to the end, and getting to the Cornucopia's our best bet."

"Oh," I said. Honestly, the idea of watching the Games outside of mandatory viewings was still a little strange to me. I understood the logic, but still…

"Yeah," he said. "Are you okay with that?"

"I trust you," I said. "I'm not sure exactly how to get there, but I trust you."

"We can retrace our steps to the lake," he replied. "From there, the path leads straight to the Cornucopia."

"Wait- what if the Careers are still there?" I asked.

"There's only one left. And honestly… I don't think she's there," he said.

"Why not?"

He shook his head. "When we saw Muir, he was alone. I bet they'd already split up by then. Besides… I know her."

"Oh, okay," I said.

He caught my hesitation. "We have to take a last stand anyway. We might as well do it on our own terms, right?"

"I know," I said. "I'm just not looking forward to this."

"Well, look forward to other things," he suggested. "Going home, seeing your family and friends again…"

"I'm too nervous to look forward to that," I said. It was too uncertain. I didn't want to get my hopes up.

"Well, you should look forward to it anyway," he said firmly. "Because I'm going to make sure it happens."

"I don't want you to die," I blurted out. "It seems cruel to look forward to living when you're planning your death."

He looked at the ground. "It's okay," he said quietly. "It's what I want."

"But-"

"My whole life has been a lie, Sienna," he interrupted. "It's been a big, disgusting lie. But if it ends the way I want it to, it'll have been worth it. I need this-" he gestured at the trees around us- "to mean something."

I sighed. The whole idea still made my stomach flip. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he replied. "Let's get going, okay?"

I nodded silently. It only took a few minutes for us to gather our things, and then we began heading south towards the lake. We walked side by side, Cal holding his sword and my knife in my hand.

A horrible sense of dread was building in my chest. These past two weeks had been a nightmare, and it felt too good to be true that it might finally end.

And even if I did win, even if I went home and kept on living, what was the cost?

Caligula Van Zandt, District 2, 18

The night sky confirmed my suspicions: Sadie was still standing. Instead of her, the boy from Nine's face was the one in the sky, his face reflecting on the lake in front of us. But after his face melted away, the night didn't return to its usual quiet.

"Attention tributes," boomed the announcer's voice. "To celebrate your achievements, our gracious Madam Head Gamemaker has elected to hold a feast in your honor. It will be held at noon at the Cornucopia tomorrow, and attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend will result in significant consequences. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Sienna and I looked at one another. Sienna had gone pale, her expression the same as when I'd chased off Glowla and Muir. Meanwhile, my heart was racing.

Tomorrow, I could end this. Everyone would be in one place, and it was my best chance of paving the way for Sienna. But even more than that… I would see Sadie again.

I'd need to talk to her. I wanted to, but also, those knives were just too dangerous. I was much better with short-range fights, and to have a solid shot I'd need to distract and disarm her. I mentally ran through the multiple sparring sessions we'd had, trying to remember her tricks.

There is one move she likes… if I pull that first, she might not see it coming…

This was going to be difficult. It really hinged on whether or not Muir was telling the truth when he said Sadie was still willing to listen. Truthfully, even if she was willing, I was still scared shitless of seeing her again. She was by far the most dangerous person left. And despite everything, I still considered her my friend. I wasn't looking forward to betraying her like this.

Sienna broke the silence. "Do you think we'll see the others?"

I nodded.

"I don't want to hurt Levi," she mumbled. "Or you."

I sighed heavily. "Leave it to me," I said. "It's time this ordeal ended."

Marius Nero, District 9 Mentor, 28

Journie crumpled to the floor, dead. His cannon fired a second later.

"I'm sorry, Marius," Godric said, looking over at me.

I shook my head, barely keeping my frustration in. I didn't like to lose. "It's fine."

Senna watched me carefully. "Do you want me to take you back upstairs?"

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

"Marius-" said Senna.

"It's fine!" I shouted.

Senna pressed her lips together, saying nothing. Godric stood.

"Listen, I know it's hard-" he began.

"I'm not in the mood," I shot back. I'd really thought the kid could do it. I really, really thought he could be my next Acadia Marlow, but no. No winning streak for Marius Nero, not this time.

Godric finally kept his mouth shut.

"I'll see you all next year," I said. When I left, I didn't look back.

*Eulogies:

5th: Journie Teffs, D9M (throwing knifed by Sadie): Man, Journie, I'm sad to see you go. I put you through hell and you didn't deserve that. You, like every tribute, were just trying to do what you thought was best and live by your principles. The thing I really loved about Journie and his development is that (at least for me) it's difficult to say if he became definitively better or worse. He changed, but he was always just kind of Journie. I loved writing his friendship with Reese from the very beginning and I hope that they're together again, wherever they are. Thank you to G00N for submitting Journie.

Kills:

Glowla- 3 (Ianto, Ethan, Jess)

Caligula- 1 (Salome)

Sadie- 4 (Virgil, Ainsley, Deltro, Journie)

Damion- 1 (Halley)

Muir- 4 (Damion, Isla, Parker, Dale)

Travis- 1 (Samuel)

Chaney- 1 (Reese)

Levi- 1 (Glowla)

Journie- 1 (Travis)

Alula- 1.5 (Cataleya, but also Alula)

Sienna- 1 (Muir)

Mutts- 1 (Chaney)

Alliances:

Redemption Seekers: Caligula, Sienna

Loners: Sadie, Levi

So, yes, the next chapter is the finale, which is absolutely bonkers. It will be released on Wednesday, March 31st, and all summaries/epilogues will be released the following Sunday, April 4th. And then, well, that's the end. It's still surreal for me. What a ride it's been.

One last date for you guys: the sequel will open for subs on April 1st! It's called Gilded Cage and while the first prologue won't come out immediately, the sub form and tracker will be up at that time. Exciting stuff!

Finally, I wanted to thank you guys again. I'm so grateful for your support and trust in giving me your wonderful characters. I'm so glad I decided to return. You guys are amazing and I couldn't be more appreciative.

Blog will be updated ~momentarily~ as always, and I'll see you on March 31st! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and final predictions :)

-r-b*