She felt like she had wings on her feet as she sped straight towards the target. All around her, meanwhile, Hell was unfolding. Helios had been right when he had distrusted Elister. And what's more, the imposing big guy who now tore apart with a club found who knows where the tributes too stupid not to run away, was helped by a girl and two boys of his age, no less bloodthirsty than him. But Lyssa could not stop to watch. She bent down in a rush to pick up her purple backpack, not stopping, not wanting to stop. Jendy was only a few feet away from her, almost invisible in the mass, as she swung an awl to defend herself against a fourteen-year-old boy. She wasn't going to last long. Running like lightning, Lyssa grabbed her hand and yanked her. Jendy smiled, recognizing her, and together they cut the rope as Cinna's niece's opponent was pierced by a spear.

"Run, run, run" was all Lyssa could think of. Her only concern was getting into the woods as quickly as possible. And holding on to Jendy, of course. Luckily, her ally was a better runner than she was.

The first branches slammed into their faces, flooding them with the scent of leaves and damp earth. The trees, after several meters, stopped being dense, decreasing the obstacles in the girls' path. The only obstacle were the stones, some hidden under the foliage, others in full view and very sharp. Neither of them knew exactly how far they ran, but it was only when they found themselves in front of a crevasse that they stopped with bated breath. Ahead of them stretched the mountains that they had previously glimpsed from the platforms but now, closer, were a source of curiosity. They were moth-eaten like sponges, with large holes and very close.

" I don't know about you," said Jendy, "but I'm not at all curious to see what's in there.

Lyssa was too out of breath to answer, but she completely agreed. Those strange caves had a sinister air.

Cinna's niece looked back, let go of her friend's hand and searched the area.

"We need to find shelter" she said "and water, and food...

"Brake, brake!" exclaimed the other one sitting on the ground "One moment. Meanwhile let's check the backpack.

Jendy agreed and sat down next to her. Effie's niece untied the strap of the saddlebag and began to take out its contents. Her face lit up with joy: there was a small box with bandages and a bottle of alcohol, a coiled rope that seemed very long, a padded jacket, a folding mat, a large (empty) water bottle and a package of dried meat.

"Well," he said, smiling, "we're all set for today.

Jendy sketched a smile, then her ears perked up: she leaned towards the crevasse.

"Do you feel it too?" she asked her friend. Lyssa imitated her and listened. In the depths, between the rocks, she could hear the roar of the water.

"A torrent! "exclaimed the little girl. She leaned over a little more, trying not to notice the dizzying height. She could almost see it: a very thin blue strip; their salvation.

"We found a utility at the rope" Jendy mumbled. "Then, for no reason at all, she burst out laughing. Lyssa looked at her, smiling uncertainly.

"It all seems too easy, doesn't it?" asked the other one "It feels like camping. I wonder how long it will take them to get bored?

She stopped laughing and became gloomy.

"Can you climb?" asked her friend to change the subject.

"I'm not a monkey but I can do it," she answered, "Why?

"Well, I guess you'll have to make the transformation, you know? Because I think we have to sleep in the trees.

\\\\\

If there was one thing Helios was sure of, it was that he didn't want to die. Not at that moment. Not like this. And he had to tell himself that many times to force himself to keep running, while the new group of favorites led by Elister was right behind him. In the crush that had followed after the starting trumpets, he had only managed to grab a saddlebag that was no bigger than a woman's purse and he hadn't had time to open it yet.

"And maybe you'll never get it" he thought with a shudder "No!" he said to himself then "Don't start that way".

What seemed like a dagger grazed him, making him run even harder. A blond flash disoriented him for a moment. A braid. A person. Clarisse. His foot sank into a ditch, causing him to fall abruptly. For a moment he felt doomed and prayed they would hurry, but the Favorites did not come looking for him. And then he understood, without really understanding: somehow, for some absurd reason, Clarisse had distracted his pursuers. She had saved him. He didn't want to believe it. He remained crouched in that pit for several minutes. Then a shadow stretched out over him. The little boy held his breath.

"Shit," he thought. But instead of a weapon, a hand reached out in his direction. It was Lyod. He was smiling. Helios smiled too.

"Well" said the latter ironically "I see you need an ally".

\\\\\

Clarisse snorted, amused. Those idiots in Elister's group hadn't dared venture into the thicket she'd wandered into. Well, she might find out they were right two minutes later, but that was fine for now. She looked up and spotted a tree, tall and wide, perfect for climbing. A week earlier Clarisse wouldn't have even been able to figure out where to put her hands in the trees, but she was stubborn and after four days she was doing just fine. Still she climbed slowly; she couldn't know what was hiding. When she reached the top, she let out a sigh of relief. If all went well, she would be able to sleep, perhaps. As she looked around, an image came to her mind: Katniss Everdeen, had put herself in the same position as her one of the nights of her first Games, to escape the tributes of 2 and 1. And then there had been the chasing needles.

Clarisse had been fascinated by the girl. But at the time, she was still too stupid to believe she was completely safe to fear a winner of 12. And instead, right from the end of those Hunger Games, her life had become a straight descent into total shit. Sighing again, she removed the mat she'd managed to steal from a tribute from her shoulders, laying it in the hollow of three branches that formed a bunk. She put her backpack down as a pillow and lay down. The next day she would try to figure out how to do that. The next day. Now he just wanted to rest. He looked up at the sky as the images of the fallen glowed in the night. Seven dead.

Clarisse closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep with her lullaby.

The wind blows over Panem,

The spring wakes up with dull candor

But from afar with a roar

The slow cry of a dead man rises, pa zum, pa pa zum, pa pa zac

March, dispatched the soldier of Capitol

Proud in his great hair

But deep in his heart he knows

The bombs will make him unknown, pa zum, pa zum, pa pa zac...