And I'm finally back, with Day Ten of the Games!

It's official, I hate college classes and work. But hey, at least I graduate in like two months!

I have been writing other things in the time I've been absent. I've been (trying) to upload these to a website (it was originally a project for a communications class. Anyway) though I've been having some troubles lately. If you guys'd like, I can put a link in my bio when I get the difficulties figured out.

And onward!


Cordin Bolt, Age 16, District 3

District Three Male, Sixth Quarter Quell


Another sun rises over the Arena on the tenth day of the Games, and I'm one of only twelve remaining to see it. I'm also the only person left from Three to see it.

I'm not sure I ever expected myself to last this long, and I certainly didn't expect myself to outlast Infiniti. She seemed so bright to me, so careful, and now she's gone. After the two losses yesterday, I can only imagine that I might be next. Death seems to be growing ever-closer as the Games progress.

Twelve left, and where do I stand? I was predicted to fall in sixth before the Games started, but that was before Marcus died. Of course, statistics change erratically over the course of the Games, and I could very well have fallen in the past week. I haven't exactly been the most interesting tribute, hiding in the woods and scraping for food.

Sitting in this mangrove, I nearly fall to my death when a slight beeping breaks the stillness of the jungle. Shaking myself into reality, I catch sight of a silver parachute gliding toward me. Carefully reaching out, I snatch it and drop I into my lap. I look around for a bit, though I'm sure the Gamemakers wouldn't send something when other tributes can hear it.

Quickly opening the small package, I gasp slightly as a shaft of light reflects off a pair of goggles. No way! I throw them around my head, remembering how much I had missed the night vision I had lost a few days ago. Under them is a small can, labeled Veg. Ass. This food may last me little more than a day, but it's good to know that someone's looking out for me.

I find the little card at the bottom, and I wonder what kind of advice Matrix has left for me. I'm surprised, however, to find a message from somebody entirely different.

I owed you a favor. Mars Viking.

A gift, straight from the Head Gamemaker? And why on Earth did he "owe" me?

I suppose I can't complain too much.


Mason Lepodolite, Age 18, District 2

District Two Male, Sixth Quarter Quell


I'm bored. Mera killed the Three girl, and I was there, but we still didn't manage to catch Ten. She's out with Cass now, my Partner having complained that she hasn't gotten any kills in over a week, and I think I understand. I expected the Games to be more… Interesting.

Tensions are especially high between the two girls, and I really hope they kill each other so I can have that over with. I'm sorely tempted to head out on my own at this point. At least I'll have something to do.

Final Twelve, and already we're ten days in. In a good year, we'd have reached the final six by now, the Games over day Eleven or Twelve. With only the three of us and the other nine scattered God-knows-where, I wish we could burn these trees to the ground and flush the rats out.

Malaya. The traitor from One who killed Marcus. I want her dead.

The guy from Three, whose face I can't even recall.

Cass and Mera.

Jasper from Four. The rogue who went off dancing with the Eight.

The mother from Five. It would be nice to have her on my list, completing the Five set.

The Six, Seven and Eight guys. No threat, should be dead.

The boy from Nine. Also killed Marc. I want him dead.

The Ten girl. Mera hates the fact that she's missed her twice. Wants her dead.

No decent adversaries. Why couldn't the Quell have selected stronger tributes?


Malaya Garnet, Age 17, District 1

District One Female, Sixth Quarter Quell


Aran wanted to come with me, but I couldn't let him. I needed time to think, but I also needed him to guard the supplies. I still don't trust the Five girl.

The javelin hovers parallel to the ground in my right hand, my arm holding steady as I glide through the trees. My eyes jump around, never focusing on a single spot for too long. I don't think an ambush is very likely here, but I must be careful all the same. At the very least, I'll need to wound them severely before they can find Aran.

I pause, marveling again at the line of thought. Over the past few days, I've felt incredibly close to the boy from Six, my thoughts wandering into situations in which I might have to save him, sometimes dying in the process. It goes against everything I've learned from the training center back home: stay alive, trust nobody, kill everyone.

I still understand the mantra and the reason behind it. That's why I'm here, after all, to prove my worth in the Arena and come out as Victor. But as my time here grows shorter, my fondness for my companion strengthens. How has he suddenly become one of my top priorities? Why do I close my eyes and see him holding his little sister, taking her hand and leading her into the Victor's Village?

And why do I desire so hard to be with them?

Could I possibly love him?

The birds are quiet, and my skin tingles in anticipation. Did I hear something? Did a shadow move the wrong way?

No. Instinct told me to stop, that something was amiss. Following my own lead, I drop to the ground, my arms holding my javelin over my head, my face to the dirt. Something crashes into the undergrowth, bouncing along the rocky ground. I jump to my feet, my senses on high alert.

Nothing moves. I judge the projectile to have come from my left, and I advance carefully, head low as I jump behind the mangroves. I feel ridiculous, but this might keep me alive.

Something hits the jungle floor behind me, and without thinking, I whirl around, raising the javelin to throw. A dark form hurries to retrieve whatever it was they threw at me, and I don't hesitate.

Fifteen meters, tops. Easy. Right side back, left foot pointed at the target. Right foot forward, right arm close behind. Release with a flick of the wrist for maximum velocity. Charge forward in the follow through; you never know if they might dodge.

But they don't dodge. They don't even see it coming.

The cannon sounds before the form hits the ground, and I reach the corpse a moment later. Light glints off an axe, mere centimeters from his fingertips, and I collect it before ripping my javelin from his back. He appears unsupplied, which I'm sure is untrue based on how long he's survived. I quickly locate the tree he jumped from, climbing to find his pack.

And I'm shaking like a leaf in the wind.


Logan Woodson, Age 16, District 7

District Seven Male, Sixth Quarter Quell


I see her coming, her hair shining like the sun as she passes between shadows. Quietly as I can, I wedge my supplies into a fork in the solid branches, then pull my hatchet from my belt. It will do little good against her monster of a javelin or her superior training, I know, but it's all I got.

She freezes, looking around for a moment. Did she hear me? Does she know where I am? Probably. She didn't volunteer for being stupid.

Impulsively, I cast the axe at her, and she drops to the ground. I cringe as my weapon bounces harmlessly to her right, and she jumps up. She doesn't look at me, walks directly under my tree even, and I realize I've made a grave mistake. I've lost my only weapon, and I wasn't truly in danger in the first place.

Heart thumping, I drop quietly to the jungle floor. I can see my fallen weapon in the shrubs, just a few meters away. I close the distance quickly, slowing down…

Pain, and then nothing.


Cheyenne Bruno, Age 13, District 10

District Ten Female, Sixth Quarter Quell


I'm alone again. I've lost my ally. I don't know where to go from here.

I don't know how the Four girl found us. I don't know why Infiniti Reagan, a girl from Three, gave her life for me, a rando she had already saved once. She should have left me to die, as I deserved.

Instead, she saved me, and I ran. I ran as I had after the bloodbath, where we lost Keola. I ran as I had when Denny and I encountered the jaguar, when he died. Three allies I've abandoned and lost.

There's no way I should've survived this long. I'm from District Ten. I'm thirteen years old. Heck, before the Games started, I was supposed to be the eleventh person to die in this Arena, according to the "experts."

That ended up being Jetta Carter, four days ago.

At the very least, I gained a bit during my time with Fin. She showed me the best place to get clean, fresh water, she showed me how to show the supposed bomb I carry on my back, and she gave me a deep hatred of the Careers.

If I get the chance, I will make sure Esmeralda goes up in flames.


Aran Quade, Age 17, District 6

District Six Male, Sixth Quarter Quell


Malaya didn't want to talk when she got back, despite how worried I had been after the cannon sounded. She dropped her javelin on the ground before stumbling into the tent, and Devon quickly went to check it out. We had suspected what happened when she came back empty-handed, and the blood on the blade proved us right.

Dev wouldn't look me in the eye after that, which I figured to be nerves. The Game had gotten all the more real for me too, in that moment.

She came out for the Death Recap, however, cuddling up to me as the anthem cut open the night sky. As the face of the guy from Seven appeared, she began to sob.

"I killed him." I only nodded, comforting her in silence.

I barely looked up when I caught sight of Devon heading toward the treeline, but I didn't stop her. The Alliance was, again, down to two.


Deaths!

12th Place: Logan Woodson, Age 16, District Seven Male

Speared by Malaya Garnet, District One Female

Time in Arena: 9 Days, 4 Hours, 8 Minutes

Logan fell into the background really fast for me. I've always admired District Seven, the strong competitors outside the Career Districts. Kenzi and Logan, however, weren't the strong ones I had expected, at least when it came to means of survival. Unfortunately, this just isn't Seven's year. Thanks to the submitter, District Seven was certainly unique.


Placings!

26th: Sparky Montgomery, Age 12, District Thirteen Male

25th: Kenzi Williams, Age 16, District Seven Female

24th: Tulle Salane, Age 15, District Eight Female

23rd: Thorn Ashbury, Age 13, District Eleven Male

22nd: Keola Foeba, Age 13, District Twelve Female

21st: Harvest Miller, Age 14, District Nine Female

20th: Rebelle Rine, Age 13, District Thirteen Female

19th: Soot Maloy, Age 13, District Twelve Male

18th: Denny Rico, Age 14, District Ten Male

17th: Marcus Caelum, Age 17, District One Male

16th: Jetta Carter, Age 17, District Six Female

15th: Darius Line, Age 17, District Five Male

14th: Infiniti Reagan, Age 17, District Three Female

13th: Willow Orchids, Age 13, District Eleven Female

12th: Logan Woodson, Age 16, District Seven Male


Kills!

Malaya Garnet: 1 (Logan Woodson, D7M)

Marcus Caelum: 1 (Kenzi Williams, D7F)

Cassia Lyra Maurise: 2 (Thorn Ashbury, D11M; Sparky Montgomery, D13M)

Mason Lepodolite: 4 (Darius Line, D5M; Jetta Carter, D6F; Tulle Salane, D8F; Keola Foeba, D12F)

Esmeralda "Mera" Annalise Dawn: 3 (Infiniti Reagan, D3F; Soot Maloy, D12M; Rebelle Sunflower Rine, D13F)

Darius Line: 1 (Harvest Miller, D9F)

Thanatos Rize: 1 (Willow Orchids, D11F)

Other: 2 (Marcus Caelum, D1M (Sepsis); Denny Rico, D10M (Jaguar))


Alliances!

Malaran: Malaya (1) and Aran (6)

Careers: Mason (2), Cassia (2) and Esmeralda (4)

Brains and Brawn: Blue (4) and Henry (8)


Loners!

Cordin (3)

Devon (5)

Thanatos (9)

Cheyenne (10)


Questions!

Thoughts on the chapter?

When will the Careers break?

Sad about Logan?

Devon left Malaran. Thoughts?

Should I put up a link to my original stories website?


Keep being awesome!