Finally another update. With all of the stuff I've been involved in, I have finally found the time to write. I am pleased to say that we are almost to the finish line and I am so excited to see what you guys think!

Arlo Emmy, 17, District 2 Male

I'm not sure how long I've been sitting here while on watch, but I know it has to have been a couple of hours at the least. Last night when we watched the anthem, there were only three deaths. The boy from 10 who honestly looked really poor, the girl from 5 who looked like she had come from a dumpster, and Finnius. Finn, as I liked to call him, died after he met back up with us. That girl from 5 stabbed him and he bled out. I really wish that we could have saved him, but that was just how it was meant to be. He was the only person I got along with relatively well because Taffeta is really bossy, doesn't like me, and she left and hasn't come back. Also, Clarkson just keeps to himself, and I absolutely despise Alina for what she did to my sister.

Right now I just need to calm down and make sure to show no emotion. If I show any emotion whatsoever Alina will think it's a weakness. We are all sitting around the fire as we take in the fact that Taffeta has left us.

Alina is the first to speak. She tells us, "She is such a traitor. Why would she leave us. She should know that we will hunt her for her betrayal." Clarkson nods and murmurs his agreement. I honestly think he doesn't really want to hunt her down. He's only acting tough to appear as if he is a threat. He is really kind of a sissy. His sword is sitting next to him and I want to grab it. It is a greenish color that is caused by the poison it is laced with. It was a sponsor gift from someone in the Capitol and I am honestly kind of jealous.

We discuss our strategy to find Taffeta and then split up to cover more ground. I head south to scope out the area and to search for Taffeta. After walking for what seems like hours, I decide to take a moment to sit down, drink a sip of water, and go through the supplies in my pack. I have my sword, water bottle, a package of dried fruit, and some rope. I put everything back into my pack and set off back towards the north. I assume the others have finished their search by now and we can continue it tomorrow if the others were unsuccessful.

All of the walking that I'm doing is making me feel more relaxed and I even smile as I notice the marvelous nature around me. Grinning like a fool, I realize that it isn't the best idea to let my inner child free in an arena full of people and other things that could kill me. I finally snap out of it and I am very confused. Why am I acting like a 7 year old on a playdate? I once again notice my surroundings and my eyes widen with fear. The clearing that I am in seems to be flooding with some sort of colored fog. It must be the cause of my childish behavior. Before I can run, the fog surrounds me and I feel almost weightless as I laugh and frolic within the flowers.

It feels like a dream, but as soon as I feel my foolish actions come to an end, I start to feel very faint. I know something is wrong and I am worried about what will happen. Inhaling a deep breath, my body seems to disobey me, and I collapse. The sky turns a beautiful shade of pastel colors, and I hear a cannon boom. With the life draining out of me, my last hope is to see my sister again. I know she'll be proud of me for my efforts.

Taffeta Marquise, 18, District 1 Female

Heathritt and I are worried. The Careers have got to be after me for my betrayal, and we are a threat to them as well. We have been rationing our supplies and we only have so much food left. I take a seat on a log across from my ally and ask him, "Do you think that they'll find us?"

He replies quietly, "I don't know. They probably will eventually if we aren't careful." I nod in agreement and offer him a kind smile. He looks up from the patch of dirt he's been staring at for a while and returns it with a tiny and meek smile. We engage in bits of conversation for a while, but suddenly we hear someone approaching.

A girl with blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail suddenly charges at us. I grab my mace and Heathritt grabs his dagger. She seems to have disappeared when Heathritt suddenly gasps and collapses to the ground. The girl pulls her sickle out of my ally's chest and am startled and angered by the cannon. I lunge at her and smash her with my mace multiple times. She crumples to the ground and her cannon fires. The boom of that cannon is my revenge on her for killing my ally.

Turning her over, I see that it is the girl from 9. I think her name is Amaranth. Right now I honestly don't care. This arena is making people go crazy and making them something they aren't. It has already affected me. I've killed so many people. It just feels so wrong. I decide to give myself some time to rest and grieve.

In the morning, I wake up with my weapon in hand. It is covered with the blood of others and it just makes me feel so guilty. I shakily inhale a deep breath and make up my mind. I pick up the dagger that is laying on the ground and close my eyes. I deserve this. I deserve to die. Plunging the dagger into my heart, I know that it is for the best. The cannon booms and my sight fades away as I am relieved of my burdens.

Wednesday Fonio, 14, District 7 Male

I am roused from my rest by the birds. They chirp in warning. There have already been 4 cannons today, and there are not many people left in the arena. I am worried that I am the one with the disadvantage. I do have hearing aids, and I am the youngest still alive in the arena. I pack up my things and prepare to move to a different spot in the arena. If I keep moving around the other won't be able to find me. But there still is a possibility that I will come right to them on accident.

Shaking those thoughts from my mind, I realize how much I miss Penelope. She was my ally and a great friend. She was so kind and was always so positive. I really miss her. It is all that boy's fault for killing her. I hope he has died, but there is a possibility that he is still alive.

I sigh and sit down under a tree to clear my head and take a break from walking. After I stand up, I am determined to find a good spot to spend the rest of the day in. I am walking through a grove of trees with spotty overhead cover. I know that I won't be found here, so I just need to find a good section of trees to set up camp in.

I don't notice the trap until it is too late. As soon as I realize I have stepped in a trap, the loop of rope around my ankle seizes my leg and causes me to hang upside down. A figure appears and I know I am a goner. There is a knife buried in my heart before I know it. At least I will see my ally again.

Arlo Emmy - 9th Place

Arlo was killed by the poisonous plants of the arena. Thanks to late night reader07 for submitting him.

Heathritt Galloway - 8th Place

Heathritt was killed by Amaranth who stabbed him in the chest with a sickle. Thanks to LC-it-gets-better-alt-account for submitting him.

Amaranth Jordahl - 7th Place

Amaranth was killed by Taffeta who hit her with her mace multiple times. Thanks to Very New To This for submitting her.

Taffeta Marquise - 6th Place

Taffeta killed herself with a dagger. Thanks to LC-it-gets-better-alt-account for submitting her.

Wednesday Fonio - 5th Place

Wednesday was killed by Haven who caught him in one of her traps and then killed him with a knife to the heart. Thanks to Gomex for submitting him.

Kill Count

The Arena - 2 Kills

Taffeta Marquise (Deceased) - 4 Kills

Clarkson Starlight - 1 Kill

Alina Padme - 1 Kill

Arlo Emmy (Deceased) - 2 Kills

Finnius Rismey (Deceased) - 2 Kills

Sparka Hernandez (Deceased) - 1 Kill

Heathritt Galloway (Deceased) - 1 Kill

Ginger Caraway - 2 Kills

Haven Karver - 1 Kill

Amaranth Jordahl (Deceased) - 2 Kills

William Young (Deceased) - 1 Kill

Allies

The Careers - Clarkson, Alina

Loners - Ginger, Haven

OMG! Next chapter is the finale! I'm so excited to see what you guys think and I am super psyched for the release of my next SYOT! I'll see you guys with the next chapter!