Troy Cahill POV

I hadn't heard Steel's cannon yet as I retreated from the populous center of the Arena. I expected it any second, and yet I never expected it at all. There couldn't be any way to get away from that dog, but if anyone could, she could. I wasn't guilty about leaving. I wanted to live, the same as anyone else. All of us were willing to kill, even if it was just by surviving everyone else.

We were all fighting for our lives, but outside, the world went on. People were living normal lives, something none of us would ever do. I wanted what they had, and I wanted more. Every one of their lives was an adventure. I wanted to see all those things. I was tired of killing.

All the other Tributes must have felt the same. Maybe some wanted to start families, and others wanted to start businesses. We weren't all devoted Careers. A lot of us got pressured into it by eager families or District pressures. Careers had the biggest deathwish of anyone, and yet we wanted to live the most. We entered the Games to prove we could. All but one of us were wrong.

Arielle Ermin POV

It was embarrassing, but Akari and I had to retreat. If we stayed by Marley and the others, we'd be their first target and they'd annihilate us. We'd thought our alliances would meet in the first great battle of the Games, but it would be a slaughter at this point.

They must have guessed our thoughts, because we didn't get far. As we were sneaking out the back door, we heard them approaching our building. We crept along the outer back wall toward the next building as they entered the front of the building and bumped around. We saw Marley through the window above us. She saw us, too, and she yelled for the others. Akari threw a knife at her and she ducked out of sight.

We heard them running down the stairs as we bolted. It wasn't far to the next building, but Ava and Olivine were quick as cats. Olivine reached Akari just as she was pulling out another knife, and they started to grapple. Ava went for me and it was my trident against her dagger. Lottie and Marley were close on their heels, and I knew if we didn't get away fast we'd be dead in minutes.

I backed away with every blow. I couldn't afford to be brave, and I had to stay away from Lottie and Marley. I didn't know if I could beat Ava alone, and I definitely couldn't beat three. Ava's dagger locked against my trident and she pushed it down the shaft and across my arm, laying it open in a deep slash. I pushed the entire trident at her lengthwise like a shield, knocking her back and gaining me more distance. Someone cried out, and Ava turned to look. She jumped back when I immediately struck, and then she was running away from me.

Marley Xander POV

Lottie and I waited for the right moment to jump in. If we distracted Ava and Olivine, we could kill them by trying to help. They were both holding their own anyway. Akari was desperately trying to fend off Olivine's sword with her own knives, and Arielle was fighting defensively, not aggressively. I was trying to circle back around Akari when it happened.

Olivine slashed Akari's leg and she fell awkwardly. When she hit the ground, she threw a knife up at Olivine's throat. Olivine jerked her head aside and saved herself from a deathblow, but the knife sliced up her cheek and grazed her eye. Olivine gasped and drew back, and Akari threw another knife into her chest. Olivine staggered and bent over. Akari jumped up to deliver a final blow, but she didn't make it.

Lottie screamed and ran at Akari. She grabbed her by the throat and threw her like a stone against the wall of the building behind us. She smacked against it with a crack like a gunshot and lay gasping for breath on the ground. Lottie turned back and scooped Olivine up in her arms. She ran for our building, and all I could do was follow. I looked over my shoulder and saw Ava following as Arielle knelt by Akari trying to pull her up as she gripped her blood-covered arm.

Lottie carried Olivine upstairs and laid her in one of the beds. Her blood soaked the sheets as we tore strips of sheets to bandage it.

"Olivine, stay awake!" Ava cried, and she shook her. Olivine's skin was pale and her breath seemed shallow. Her hand fluttered and she clutched at her wound. Her eyes started to close, and Lottie slapped her.

"We're losing her," I said. It didn't seem possible. Just an hour ago, we were laughing and joking around. Now Olivine was fading and nothing we could do could stuff the life back into her.

Olivine Martinez POV

I could feel my insides were torn. Blood was everywhere. It flooded my lungs when I tried to breathe. I was drowning in myself. It was getting harder to see, but I could sense Marley, Ava and Lottie whirling around me and trying to keep me alive. For the first few moments, I hoped they'd make it, but as time went by, I knew it was impossible.

It felt like I was suffocating. My throat was blocked by bubbling liquid. I was tired. I wanted it to be over. It was strange how I'd ended up in this alliance. I'd taken the Games so seriously. I fought so hard last time. These girls were sweet and loving. They should have been my first targets, not my friends. I wanted one of them to win. I wanted them all to win. I wanted to live longer not so I could win, but so I could be with them.

I turned my head and coughed out a mouthful of blood. I could barely move, but I raised my hand a foot off the bed. I tried to communicate my plea with my eyes, and Ava was the first to understand. She was crying as she took my hand, and she pulled the others in next to her. They squeezed in and their three hands covered mine.

"Stop it. You're not going to die," Marley said. It wasn't natural to see her crying, but I wouldn't have to see it long. I took in one clear breath as the blood started to flood my lungs again.

"I'm glad..." I said. I'm glad you were my allies, I meant to say. I didn't have enough breath, but I knew they understood.

14th place: Olivine Martinez- Complications from Akari's knife wound

Olivine changed as part of the Party alliance. It probably hurt her chances in the end, but she knew that. She found something better with her allies, and it was worth it to her. I wanted to write a longer death because a lot of deaths would be like that in the Arena. Olivine died surrounded by her allies and friends. For the first time, the Party alliance isn't partying. Thanks Primaryfocus for letting us use Olivine again.

As for Akari, she didn't die, but she probably wishes she had. She hit the wall with her ribs, which are now horribly bruised and a few are cracked. Her internal organs, particularly her solar plexus, are damaged and her leg is barely functional. Arielle has a severely lacerated arm to deal with, so they're in pretty poor shape right now.