Harrison Jones, 17, District 11

I stumble across the edge of the arena, clenching my stomach as it growls for the tenth time this hour. Unfortunately, after days of scavenging the same area, I was bound to run out of supplies eventually.

I don't regret leaving the Careers when I did. Based on the projections in the sky, I got out at a good time. I'm angry at myself for leaving with as little as I did. I was overconfident. I thought I knew what areas would be stocked with food and supplies, the areas my former alliance never ventured to. I either underestimated the rest of the tributes, or overestimated the generosity of the Capitol. I can probably assume it was a bit of both.

So after careful consideration, I have decided my best course of action is to venture out of the collection of houses on the outer edge and to start making my way back inward. I purposely waited until nightfall, knowing the darkness would do the best job of obscuring me from my tribute enemies. While the odds are higher that the werewolf or vampires are out, I still have the cross with me, and a single garlic bomb if it comes down to it. Plus, I know the real enemies aren't the mutts, or the tributes I'm not as familiar with. It's the ones I'm too familiar with

Based on the faces in the sky, the Careers have to be split up. Jade is dead, I saw her face in the sky last night along with the boy from Twelve. Today's face was the girl from Five. But otherwise, all the Careers are still standing.

So what could that mean? I left just as soon as the fighting started, but I can only assume Jade and Serenity definitely left. Marissa definitely stayed. Tatiana and Franz would've stayed together, and most likely stayed at base. So that leaves only Taliesin left, and he's too much of a wild card for me to predict where he'd even consider going.

I'll assume in the worst case, there might be four Careers around the area I plan on searching. While I don't love the idea of a confrontation, it doesn't scare me. I know what I'm capable of.

Gathering the few supplies I do have with me, I prepare to start backtracking closer towards the middle of the arena. I pass the houses I've been rotating in and out of for the last few days.

"I'll be back soon…" I remind myself as I turn my back to them and set off into the arena.

I stay on the perimeter of the dead forest, using it as a guide to ensure I'm somewhat on the right path. In theory, if I can keep the dead forest to my left, on the way back I just have to ensure it stays on my right and I'll be back where it's safe. At least, that's my plan.

If all goes to shit, I'm not afraid to fight. I know, or hope rather, that the adrenaline would distract me from the hunger and aches and pains that have been on the forefront of my mind, both frustrating and concerning me simultaneously. I grew up in one of the poorest Districts in the country, and I can't handle a minor inconvenience? Had I grown too accustomed to the Capitol's never ending supply of food? Or to the laxity of the Careers regarding their supplies?

Get yourself together, Harrison. I repress these thoughts as best as I can, and focus on putting one foot in front of the other.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. The leaves sound like bullets underneath my shoes. I feel like anyone or anything within a two mile radius can hear me coming. The thought doesn't stop me from moving though, it only makes me grip my weapon tighter in my hand.

As the seconds turn into minutes, the minutes feel like they turn into hours, and yet I feel like I've made no distance in getting any closer to my goal.

Frustrated, I come to a stop and try to reorient myself. In the dark, there's no real landmarks. I glance behind me and I see nothing, the same as I see when I glance forward.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. The familiar sound of leaves underneath my shoes is faint, but distinct. Distinct because it doesn't belong to me. It makes my heart shoot up into my throat. I hold my sword out.

Any movement, even ones I imagine, make me tense up more. Every new footstep, every bout of silence, it all contributes.

"Come out." I'm direct, hoping the stupid build up of tension will cease and we can get the fight over with. It's clearly not a Career, they would just attack. It could be one of those younger tributes, from Three, or my own district partner.

Hisssss. I jump around. Nothing. Just darkness.

It's not a tribute. I make one last search effort through the trees before I take off sprinting. The forest starts to come alive, and I know I must be getting close to the town surrounding my old base. Keeping the dead forest on my left, I think I can just start to see a field ahead. Straight through that should lead me to where I want to go.

A shadow jumps in front of me and growls and I immediately recognize what I'm looking at. Another one of those damn vampires.

"You want more?" I pull out the cross from my back pocket and hold it out towards the creature. It jumps back, too far for the cross to have an effect.

One jumps out from behind me and I turn to face it. Another joins it and suddenly, they have me surrounded in a circle.

"Shit." I drop my sword and fumble for the garlic bomb. As I do this, one of the vampires swipes at my arm, causing me to drop the cross.

The creatures use this to their advantage and advance towards me. Garlic in hand, I'm thrown back before I get the chance to release it.

Laying on my back, wind thrown out of me, half a dozen or so creatures crawl towards me (that I can see).

In a panic, I throw the garlic bomb directly at them. It explodes as soon as it makes contact, and I cover my face.

My ears ring but when I glance back, I only see one that survived the explosion. Collecting myself, I pick up my fallen sword and cross. The last remaining vampire, who I realize had part of its lower legs blown up in the explosion, tries to crawl away from me.

Without a moment of hesitation, I shove the symbol at the creature. It burns slowly, evaporating in front of my eyes.

With all the threats gone, and my body able to relax, the hunger and exhaustion come back to the forefront of my mind. I'm tempted to return to the safety of my secluded town. But cowering now won't get me results. And I don't want all the work I just did to be for nothing.

So I push on. Thankfully, I reach the town within the hour and the first house I search has just enough to satisfy me for the moment. It's small, with cracks in the wooded siding, giving me little protection from the elements, but I don't plan on being here long. I allow myself the rest of the night to rest up, and in the morning, I can continue my search.

Time to start playing offensively, Harrison. Although passiveness has kept me safe these last few days, the numbers have far too dwindled for me to be able to afford that now. The Capitol will be itching for bloodshed, and if I don't provide, they'll deem me not worthy enough to keep around. And I refuse to let that happen to myself.

Tatiana Emery, 15, District 2

I never thought I'd crave being alone, especially in a place as lethal as the Hunger Games. But I've been in here for a full week now, and I have no idea what's going on out there with Saskia's plan. I had hoped to hear from them by now, but they haven't sent a message or a sign. It's started to worry me.

Did the Capitol get a whiff of The Storm's plan? Are they cracking down hard against my friends at home? I didn't use to be a nail biter, but all these thoughts circling my head at once isn't good for my mental health.

And now I have to deal with Franz in my business. Getting my role, arsonist, it wasn't what I expected to do yesterday. All I wanted was to get far enough away from my allies and the cameras that if my group wanted to send me a message, they could. Whether it be a sponsor gift or what, I wanted to open myself up to it. But he ruined it, and ever since then, he's been stuck on me like glue. To top it all off, Marissa can tell something is up between the two of us and she's been on alert as well.

Great job, Tati. You've really done yourself a service. I could scream right now, if it wouldn't draw any additional attention to me.

I sit in the open front door, feeling the air chilling around me. Light footsteps creak the wood in the house.

"Hi." Franz says, standing behind me. I don't respond. But he doesn't leave.

"Are you here to relieve me from watch duty?" I can't control the sass that accompanies my question. Glancing up at him, I can see a shake of his head.

"No. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He shifts his body weight to the other side and leans against the door frame.

"I'm fine. Thanks-" I'm interrupted by the sound of crashing from behind. I spring up, knife in hand, and peer into the house.

"Marissa!" I yell for my ally, waiting for another sound to direct me where I need to go. But there's nothing.

"What was that?" Franz, poised to strike alongside me, doesn't move from where he stands.

"Let's go find out." I push into the house, worried why Marissa is silent. Could that crash be the result of a sign from The Storm, and Marissa saw it first? Is she taking in the information, like she did when she found out what Jade did?

If that's the case, what is she going to do if she finds out about me?

"Marissa!" This time, it's Franz who calls out for her.

"What was that?" Marissa comes down the stairs, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. I can't stop the sigh of relief from coming out of my mouth. I can see the confusion start to develop on Franz's face.

"We don't know. We thought you were hurt." I interject, knowing we definitely didn't think that, but it subsides Franz's confusion. For the moment.

"It sounded like it came from below." Marissa pushes past us and walks to the stairs that lead to the basement of the house.

She doesn't even hesitate descending them, giving me a hard time both keeping up with her and trying to get ahead of her. It could still be something from home, and I definitely want to keep that to myself.

But it becomes clear quickly that that's not the case. It looks like someone set a bomb off in here. Pieces of wood are spread around the room, the walls are barely standing up, and there's a hole in the ground.

"What's that?" Franz points to the hole and I notice something I didn't first pass. Something's in the hole. From here, I can't make out what it is exactly, so I push past Marissa to be the first one to look at it.

As I get closer I realize it's a small chest protruding out. There's a small note affixed to the top.

'Franz Kubo, you have been given the role of transporter. Inside is a monocle that will allow you to see secret doors.'

"What is it?" Marissa and Franz stand over each of my shoulders, both slowly reading the contents of the note.

"Wow." Franz opens the chest and pulls out a small monocle and holds it up to his eye.

"Secret doors?" I glance around the collapsed basement, wondering what else could be hidden down here.

"I don't see anything." After doing a full circle around the room, he puts the monocle away.

"Well. Save it. It may be useful." Marissa goes back upstairs, leaving Franz and I alone down here. As I go to follow her, I hear Franz behind.

"Were you looking for something else?" I ignore him and keep walking up the stairs.

"No." Shit. If he noticed, what did Marissa think?

"Tatiana…" I ignore him as I reach the first level, and I ignore him as I retreat into my room in the house. Fortunately, he doesn't follow, leaving me alone with my own thoughts.

I need to get my shit together soon, or this alliance will be the end of me.

Kate Wakai, 18, District 4

My body stays stuck against the corridor wall with Grey at my side, twitching his head nervously back and fourth, as we creep towards Sevilla Floranna's office.

The evening light is long drowned out here, so we're almost in complete darkness. Grey is wearing a smart grey tie and vest coat with shining, grey pants. I'm glad he's finally found a style that matches his name.

He's all dressed up for the party downstairs which, I dragged him away from, to go on this little escapade.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he stutters.

He squeezes his fingers against the silver mop on his head which he calls his hair.

"I had an offer to study computer science at the Coriolanus Institute – one of the most prestigious Universities in Panem," he continues, shaking his head.

With a dismissive shrug, I just turn back to Sevilla's office.

"Why wouldn't you still have it?" I mutter.

"I don't know… getting caught helping a rebel break into a chairman of the Committees office might do it," he groans.

I shoot my gaze back to him then shove my hand against his shoulder, seizing him by the jacket, staring him dead in the eyes.

"Hey! You can turn back... I'm not stopping you!" I whisper, sharply.

"But if there's anything I've learned over the last few years it's that there are things greater than ourselves… greater than our personal interests. The future of Panem is at stake here… so yes, if you walk through that door, you are committing to something that may require sacrifice… might require you to say goodbye to your past life. It's your choice. "

His eyes fall to the ground with a contemplating nod. Finally, he looks back to me, smugly. Typical Grey. He lifts his chin up and stands tall again.

"Okay thanks for that… mom," he smirks.

"So, what are we waiting for?" he sighs, pushing past me.

He tip-toes up to the door handle and begins examining it.

"We need one of those swipey swipey card things," he says, waving his palm back frantically at me.

I begin hunting around in my pockets until I find the right shaped object, tucked in my left jacket pocket. He snatches it off me and steadily runs it through the doorknob, squinting his eye while keeping his other fixed on it.

"Almost there…" he mutters.

BEEP

The door clicks open, and he practically falls through into the office like the bumbling moron he is. My hand jumps to my mouth to contain the snigger that I can't help but let out.

When inside, I dart straight to her desk and press the black dome button to activate her hologram monitor.

"Now… what are you hiding miss "Sevilla"," I mumble, switching between different tabs with my fingers.

Grey slips to my side, I can practically feel the vibrating of his nerves as he slides the chip into her computer.

"Take a deep breath," I tell him.

"We need to access her restricted files…"

"I… I might have an idea!" He exclaims.

"Shushhhh!"

He plonks himself down on her seat and begins motioning away through the hologram screen.

Whilst he's doing this, I shuffle back towards the door to peer once again down the dark corridor. Nothing so far. No one.

"See I told ya, nothing to be alarm…"

I turn my head back to him to find his face frozen in shock.

"What the f…"

Without a second's hesitation, I run back to see what he's staring at.

Under a file called Tempest… Storm.

"Holy shit! It's all their operations…"

He looks to me with his jaw still on the floor. Yes, I can't contain my fear.

"What… what is Operation Midnight?" He questions, tapping the file with his finger.

What we find staring back at us on the screen, has both of us silent in shock. There are no words from the dictionary that can describe what I'm seeing right now. None off the top of my head, anyway.

The download button strikes 100% with a ping. Almost instantaneously, I snap the chip out and slam it into Grey's hand.

"Get this to Cornelius now! We've no time to lose!" I whisper, sharply!

"What about you?"

"I've got a party to crash," I whisper to him, with a slight smirk.

"Now go!"

He gracefully leapfrogs over the desk, about to exit the door.

"Oh Grey!"

He shifts back to me, wide eyed.

I reach under my belt and retrieve a small, cylinder object before tossing it to him. He barely catches it in his hands but manages to steady it, examining it curiously.

"What's this?"

"A mini emp bomb. Might come in handy if you're in trouble!"

He gives me a nod before disappearing into the shadowy corridor. His silvery hair is the last thing to fade.

I take a seat again in front of the hologram monitor, while my hands move to snatch up my stuff lying on the desk. My eyes peer in again one last time at a picture of the girl on the monitor.

"There you are… Saskia Storm," I mutter under my breath.

My heart is almost knocked out by a sudden voice from above me!

"Ya know, normally I prefer people to make appointments when they come to my office."

It's Sevilla… I mean Saskia. She's leaning against the door from with her left eyebrow raised.

A deep, internal breath runs through my lungs. My fists clench silently under the desk however my back straightens as I stand up from her chair.

"Appointments… not really my style," I proclaim.

"Of course," she smirks, stepping into the room.

"Actually, I was just looking for my key card. I think I left it in here," I say, rummaging around on her desk.

As my eyes continue to dart between the objects on her desk whilst my right hand secretly slips into my pocket and retrieves the key card.

"Ah! Here it is!" I beam, dangling it in front of her.

Hastily, I slip past her outside the door. Her eyes follow me around the entire time and in return, mine glare back at her.

After what feels like an eternity of staring, I'm back in the corridor. My feet gradually pick up the pace until I'm almost running towards the elevator. She will have seen exactly what I was looking at on the monitor by now! I can't help myself turn back momentarily. She is leaning against the door again, watching me race away into the elevator!

My fingers frantically jam the button to District Four's floor repeatedly! I have to tell the only people I can trust what I've just seen, before it's too late! If Saskia is here then there's no telling how many more there are!

The elevator hits the fourth floor and I charge through the doors as soon as they open, straight towards District Fours apartment!

I barge my shoulder through the door, breathing rapidly! Rio jumps up from the chair immediately!

"What are you up to now Kate?" He sighs, as I scurry about the apartment.

"What's going on!?" He continues.

I glance up at the large, hunky man, rubbing my hair tightly.

"Oh nothing… nothing. Except I've just found out Sevilla is the head of an evil organization and we have about Six hours to stop them from taking over."

He squeezes the roof of his nose with his index figure and thumb, shaking his head.

"Oh come on Kate…"

"Don't "oh come on Kate" me… Rio or Rico or whatever your name is… just trust me on this!"

My eyes begin darting around the room for our escort.

"Where's Glamour?" I ponder.

As I'm glancing around, his footsteps move towards the door, then there's the sound of the lock bolting hard!

I shoot back around to him, to find the tall mentor loosing up his tie.

"No one can stop The Storm… you can only try to weather it," he says in a monotone voice.

He pulls back the sleeve on his shirt to reveal two lighting bolts on his wrist.

My heart sinks.

"Aw man… you as well," I groan, rolling my eyes.

He shoots me a smirk and raises his eyebrows.

"And I was just starting to like you…" I complain, clenching my fists again and clicking my neck.

"I just want you to know Kate. I'm not gonna enjoy this," he shrugs.

"That's funny… because I think I am," I respond.

My left foot slides forward on the carpet and my hands come up to protect my face. My eyes squint in.

Suddenly, he pulls out a gun from the back of his belt and shoves it directly into my forehead! However, my legs are swift! I manage to slip to his right, grabbing onto his gun hand and palming my other hand into his firearm!

The gun flies out of his hand and gets jammed behind the sofa! His face darts to and from it in shock and with a growl of anger the large man lifts me up by the collar, crunching against my neck! However, I land a swift headbutt which causes him to slam me back down to the floor in anger!

His attention moves back to his gun behind the sofa but I'm faster! My foot strikes into the sofa from the ground which wedges the gun completely stuck!

His eyes turn back down to me and narrow in frustration!

"What's the matter big guy? Surely you can kill me without it!" I taunt.

He leaps back onto me and lifts me up again! My fists and feet slam more and more strikes on him but this time with an almighty swing, he smashes my body into the TV!

Now I'm crunched against the broken TV on the floor, tangled in all the wires but I don't have much time to think… I don't need it.

He is soon upon me again. Placing his hands on both my collars and attempting wring them together!

His face is a deep red with fury and violence. He's spitting and puffing and grinding his teeth together, determined to squeeze the life out of me! My brain is slowly being starved of oxygen… I… I'm going dizzy and limp…

My leg manages to wriggle out a touch, allowing me to plant my heel against his groin! He winces in pain, and this gives my hands enough time to find their way to the TV cable and begin wrapping it around his neck!

He's now coughing and choking until I give the cable a swift tug, separating it in half! Then, I shove both ends into the side of his neck! He begins jolting and shaking violently as the electric current burns through his body!

I don't stop until my hands have become so hot that I can no longer hold on! But by now he's already motionless, scalding and steaming, like I've just boiled him in a kettle.

Panting heavily and coughing, I roll his heavy body off of mine, still gasping for air.

After making my way back to my feet and still clutching my throat, I glance down one last time at him. I want to think of something quippy to say but nothing comes to mind this time. Shame.

Time to pick up the pace again! I dart over to the sofa and yank it out to retrieve his gun. It goes into the back of my belt and tucked behind my jacket.

I then hesitantly find myself unlocking the door, peering outwards into the corridor…

I can't.. I can't trust anyone. Not a single soul. Except the other Heads. Estaban, Amber and Chiron are downstairs at the party! I have to get to them now!

Another deep breath rinses through my body! You can do this Kate! If there's one way that you can hope to atone for killing in the hunger games, then saving Panem has got to do it… surely and if there's one thing I've always had on my side… it's luck.

If Saskia succeeds then any work towards democracy and abolishing the hunger games will be gone for good!

Storming, heavy footsteps rattle around from the corridor above me, echoing downwards. They are coming!

My feet carry me as a fox bounding across a field swiftly, back towards the elevator…

A slight breather from the last chapter! Just catching up with a few of the tributes. Plus subplot! Moose wrote the arena parts of this chapter and Nautics wrote the subplot stuff.

Roles

Serenity: Vigilante

Taliesin: Disguiser

Harrison: Vampire Hunter

Conrad: Guardian Angel

Nadia: Potion Master

Charon: Werewolf

Marissa: Ambusher

El: Pirate

Tatiana: Arsonist

Franz: Transporter

Eulogies

Day 1

24th: Ricky James (D9M) Killed by Serenity Jasper - decapitated.

23rd: Tristan Card (D8M) Killed by Jade Hastings – Slashed through the chest.

22nd: Jonathan Priel (D10M) Killed by Taliesin Ulysses – Knife thrown through neck.

21st: Elijah Axenfros (D7M) Killed by Taliesin Ulysses – Blunt force trauma.

20th: Emily Lynch (D6F) Killed by Heather Monroe – Knife thrown into torso.

19th: Kalen Demner (D5M) Killed by Marissa Grey - Sliced with a sword.

18th: Aeliana Decima (D8F) Killed by vampire mutts – bitten in the neck.

Day 2

17th: Henry Haines (D1M) Killed by Taliesin Ulysses – Throat crushed and neck snapped.

Day 3

16th: Adelina Claire (D10F) Killed by Gargoyle mutts.

Day 4

0 deaths.

Day 5

0 deaths.

Day 6

15th: Jade Hastings (D1F) Killed by Charon Aytigin – Throat ripped out.

14th: Charon Aytigin (D12M) Killed by Serenity Jasper – Shot in the chest.

Day 7

13th: Heather Monroe (D5F) Killed by Taliesin Ulysses – Throat slit.

Jade: 1

Taliesin: 4

Marissa: 1

Heather: 1

Serenity: 2

Charon: 1

Mutts/arena: 2