Chapter 13

It's been approximately six days since our fight against the Careers and my fight against Wyatt. Not much has happened since then, and I haven't stopped replaying the events of that day since. It is hard to process the fact that Farley, Cleo, and Ezra are actually gone, that I had lost them all at once.

The Gamemakers have seriously cut back on food, probably to speed up the process a bit, and kill at least someone from starvation. I did have that handy little loaf of bread in my backpack, and tried to ration it for as long as possible. It didn't last very long, though, and I haven't seen any food anywhere. The loss of energy from hunger has started to kick in, so I haven't dared to venture outside of my hollow.

Unfortunately, both the lack of food and lack of movement isn't ideal for keeping warm in a snowy climate, and I can feel my body temperature dropping lower and lower. I try to move around for a bit each day and see if I can scope out some game, but even that doesn't stop my body from violently shivering.

I'm trying my best to hang on, but it is becoming extremely difficult. I am deathly afraid that this cold will give me hypothermia, and if that doesn't kill me, then starvation will. I clutch my stomach and wince as a sharp cramp of hunger engulfs my body in pain. I'm trying to think of ways I can possibly get to food, but it is hard to think straight.

Just as my stomach roars in hunger, I hear Claudius Templesmith's voice in the distance. "To all the remaining tributes. We are pleased to announce that there will be a Feast in the Cornucopia at noon. Each of you need something desperately, and we plan to be generous hosts, and supply you with that you need. Each of your supplies will be marked with the number of your district. This will be the only announcement."

The first word that comes to mind after Claudius' announcement is "trap." The Feast is something typically done when there are only a handful of tributes left and supplies are running low. Basically the Gamemakers use supplies as bait to reel tributes in so that they hopefully end up fighting each other. Someone almost always tries to steal someone else's supplies, which usually ends up in at least one tribute getting killed.

I know that the Feast is really just a giant trap, but if they put food in my pack then I cannot waste the opportunity. It could be one of my only chances to not starve to death. On the other hand, I am too weak to handle any sort of combat, and the probability of getting ambushed is very high.

As I am contemplating on whether I should go or not, my stomach lets out another loud grumble, and that is all I need to make my decision. I absolutely need fuel if I am going to make it out of here alive, and if I die it will not be from hunger or frostbite. I am going to that Feast…

It is a little past noon, and I am currently hiding behind a big bush looking out at the Cornucopia. I've decided to wait a while and see if any other tributes decide to come, and wait until they get their packs to grab mine. Of course, if someone tries to steal my pack I'll have to go after them, so I have my crossbow loaded and ready to go. I look on the table to see three packs labled with the numbers 1, 8, and 9. It seems as though the District 2 girl and District 4 boy have already paid a visit, as their packs are already gone.

It doesn't take long for someone to poke their head into the open field and make their way over to the table. If I had to guess by process of elimination, this is the girl from District 8. She's pretty much kept herself hidden for the duration of the Games, so I'm surprised to see that she is the first one here. It doesn't seem like the starvation has been treating her very well either, as she isn't running very fast and seems out of breath.

I watch as the District 8 girl goes over and takes her pack off of the table. She looks inside and proceeds to stuff a piece of bread in her mouth. Couldn't wait until she was out of sight, huh?

Just as she is about to leave, she looks back over at the table. If she takes my pack, I will have no problem ramming an arrow into her skull. As I see her eyeing the multiple packs on the table, she scans her surroundings, and hesitantly picks up the pack with the number 1 on it. District 1. That's Wyatt's pack. She better hope he is nowhere in the vicinity, or she is dead meat.

She is about to run away with both packs when Wyatt sprints out of the Cornucopia and tackles her to the ground. Smart of him to hide in the Cornucopia, especially today. Why he didn't just take everyone's packs is beyond me, as I'm sure none of us would be able to get them off of him without getting killed.

The District 8 girl somehow manages to wriggle free from his grasp and is on her feet again scrambling towards the woods. Wyatt isn't about to let her get away though, and charges after her. She doesn't make it very far before he tackles her to the ground again, takes out his sword, and starts viciously stabbing her in the chest. He doesn't stop until he hears the cannon go off in the distance, signifying her death.

After he knows she's dead, he gets up, takes both packs, and swings her dead body over his shoulder. He then walks away into the woods, carrying her dead body over his shoulder like game. I can only imagine what he plans to do next.

Seeing as my pack is the only one left on the table, I figure it's as good a time as any to swoop in and grab it, and start to run over to the table. I don't like being out in the open like this, so I'm feeling really exposed. Even so, it doesn't take me long to reach the table and grab my pack.

As I am about to make my getaway, a mace flies out from the side of the Cornucopia. I don't have much time to react, but I manage to dodge the attack narrowly before the weapon has a chance to make contact with my head. As I look to see who threw it, the girl from District 2 and the boy from District 4 reveal themselves. They start charging at me, and I reach for an arrow and shoot at them. I manage to hit the District 2 girl in the arm, and she clutches her arm in pain. The District 4 boy is not phased, however, and runs at me with his trident.

As I fend off his trident with my crossbow, the girl from District 2 manages to pull the arrow out of her arm, and proceeds to join her companion in fighting me. Before she can join, however, I manage to land a swift kick into the District 4 boy's ribs, and send him flying backward. I don't have time to recover as the District 2 girl then comes after me with her knife, which I proceed to dodge. She manages to drive her blade into the side of my ribs, and I scream in pain. I don't let her get away with it, though, and I quickly shover her away in retaliation.

It then becomes a pattern of pushing one away to deal with the other. I'm running out of steam fast, and need to find a way to shake them off and get away. I push the District 2 girl away to fight the District 4 boy, but she bolts right back and they both end up tackling me to ground. I desperately fend them off with my crossbow as they keep trying to dig their weapons into my skin.

With a fatal blow, the District 4 boy manages to break my crossbow in half with his trident. My soul way of protecting myself has just been destroyed. I feel a wave of anger pulse through me as I then violently shove them both off of me, and go straight for the District 4 boy.

I snatch his trident away and throw it to the ground. He now looks at me with a look of fear in his eyes as I shove him into the wall of the Cornucopia. I then pick him up and start bashing him against the side of the Cornucopia as hard as I can. After a couple of times, my arms scream at me to stop, but I don't listen and will myself to keep going.

After a while I cannot help but give into my aching muscles, and let the District 4 boy fall to the ground. I hear a cannon go off in the distance, letting me know that I actually ended up killing him. I look back at the District 2 girl, who is stood frozen in place looking at me with horror in her eyes. I go to make a move on her too, which causes her to flinch and run in the other direction. I then pick up my supplies and backpack off the ground, and make my way back into the forest.

Once I make it back to my campsite, my blind rage begins to die down and exhaustion sets in. My body aches terribly, and my stomach hurts so bad I feel like fainting. Even so, I open up my pack and look inside. My hunch was right, as it is full of food and water. I recognize some of my favourite foods that I had in the Capitol, as I am greeted with turkey, carrots, lima beans, and mashed potatoes, all coated with a thick layer of gravy.

My stomach lets out an intense growl and my mouth begins to water uncontrollably. I have no choice but to start digging in. Although I just want to inhale the whole thing, I take it slow as to not make myself sick, as well as save some of it for later. I then take a swig of the water and close the tin of food after I'm done.

As I store the rest of the food for later, I notice something at the bottom of the pack. I take out the food containers to see what it is. What I pull out is none other than a photo of my father, looking off into the distance. His crossbow is slung across his right shoulder, and his quiver on his left. I can't help but let out a choked sob as tears start to form in my eyes. I remember when this picture was taken. I should because I was the one who took it. This was back when he was teaching me how to hunt; he was showing me how to aim when I happened to capture this moment on our family camera. He then proceeded to tell me that cameras aren't the best thing to bring with you when you're going hunting.

I smile and laugh through my tears at the memory. I wonder what my father thinks of me right now, seeing as I just brutally murdered someone by bashing them against a wall. I wouldn't say he's particularly proud of me.

I put everything away and set up camp for the night. I take the picture of my father and put it in my pants pocket. As I do, a searing pain in my side reminds me of the wound I had gotten from the District 2 girl's knife. I take out the medicine Mulvain sent me and apply some onto my injuries.

Recalling today's events, I come to the conclusion that there are only three of us left, that being me, the girl from District 2, and Wyatt. Seeing as the girl from District 2 is now terrified of me, she shouldn't be too much of a problem. Wyatt is what I'm concerned about. I was sort of hoping he would have died by now so that I wouldn't have to deal with him, but of course he made it to the end. We will most likely end up being the final two.

Too tired to do anything else, I then pull my blanket over me and drift into a dreamless sleep, my last conscious thought being of home…