Day 14

After you are done reading, look at the bottom for important info!

Atlas Geo POV:

A fly landed on the end of my nose, waking me from my sleep. I swatted it away and allowed myself to take in the world. Part of me hoped I would be at home but I was met with the same river I had woken up next to for the past eleven days.

Lavina mumbled something as she snuggled into my shirtless chest. We had both been sponsored vest tops but it was still too hot to wear mine. I started hugging Lavina in her sleep a few nights ago, after she woke up screaming and crying for her brother. I panicked and hug her. I played my part in the romance too, we both did. From hugging to kissing, we had been acting like a couple. Part of me was even wishing that we could both win. It was unrealistic and I was starting to get frustrated with myself.

I pushed the blonde woman off and stood up, walking over to the edge of the water. I grabbed a tin bowl that some soup had come in and knelt down, my toes touching the water. I filled up the bowl and poured it over my head, attempting to cool myself down. I repeated this process until Lavina came and sat next to me, a big smile on her face.

"Morning!" she said with glee.

"Good morning," I said, a little less excited. She crossed her legs and watched a kingfisher swooping down into the river and catching multiple fish. He blonde hair was matted and her face was sweaty but for some reason, I thought she looked beautiful. I caught myself looking, smiling as I did so. I mentally slapped myself and threw the bowl across the camp. Lavina flinched then looked at me.

"Are you okay-"

"I don't love you," I said bluntly, not having the balls to look her in the eyes. She let out a small squeak as she tried to find the words to say. "I am sorry, but it isn't right, only one of us could win...we will only affect our own performance," I could have made her hate me, make her run away so she could never mess with my feelings again but as much as I hated to admit it, I cared for her and needed her as an ally.

"I see...thank you for telling me before...you know," she said, her voice distant as she looked back to the kingfisher, her blue eyes full of tears.

"I am sorry I lead you to believe we could be something more than allies," I sighed, standing up and walking away to make breakfast, it was the least I could do. However, as I walked away, I felt more frustrated with myself. I had allowed myself to care for someone and now, I was going to lose them again.

Ashton Khell POV:

"Why are we here, Ash," Finch asked as we watched the pair from District Nine. The girl was slumped against a tree, asleep while the boy was keeping watch. It was a good job that the bush we were hidden behind was large enough to block his view.

"We need more allies, they are the only other tributes we have come across, they can help us," I said, gripping my spear tightly in my hands. Finch looked over to me and frowned, she didn't agree with my hatred towards the Careers. She just wanted to go home to her family, I understood that but none of us were going to be going home unless they were dead.

Bug Doe POV:

"We don't want to cause you any harm!" The boy from Twelve shouted as he walked out of a bush, his hands in the air. I pointed my dagger towards him and kicked Finley awake. The young, blonde girl scowled at me until she saw the tall male, holding a spear. She whimpered, holding her own dagger and backing away.

"Look, we just want an alliance, the one we offered at the start," the male growled, his eyes that of a killer. His female ally, the girl from Eleven emerged from the same bush, avoiding eye contact. "We need to kill the careers," he said, leaning on his spear.

"We politely turn down that offer, going after tha careers is suicide," I spat at them, glancing over to Finley. I gestured for her to run, she looked at me for a moment until she understood. Ashton must have noticed it too as he called to Finch.

"Restrain the kid," he snapped. Finch's mouth swung open as she turned to her ally.

"Ash, she is just a kid-"

"Now!" he demanded. Finch nodded and walked over to my ally. Finley turned to run but Finch pulled her back and held her in a headlock.

Finley Magik POV

I refused to struggle. I had seen things like this before. It ended in someone dying and I didn't want it to be me or Bug.

"So, final answer, are you on our side or their side?" Ashton questioned Bug, pointing to the sky.

"I am here to survive, not go on suicide missions!" Bug shouted. I could see Ashton becoming more and more frustrated with him.

"Kill the girl-"

"Ash-"

"Only I refused, you didn't ask her!" Bug shouted holding his hand out towards Finch, begging her to stop. I could feel Finch shaking, she didn't want to hurt me. Ashton cracked his neck, clearly stressed and angered by Bug.

"Only one person can win this and it should be someone who is willing to free the people, bring the rise of another Panem...not cowards like you...as for the kid, she is useless, a wimpy kid can't save us!" Ashton snapped. "Finch, do it!" he said turning on his heel to Finch. The girl started to sob, begging him not to make her do it. "Do it!" he bellowed, jabbing the spear in her direction.

Finch sobbed as she pulled a knife from her pocket and moved it towards my neck. I got ready to knock her out when Bug screamed and ran towards me.

"Leave her alone!" Ashton growled, diving on Bug and wrestling him to the ground. Bug headbutted him but the taller male just stabbed him with his spear, forcing it as deep as he could. I started to scream along with Finch, her hold on me becoming loose.

Bug spat at Ashton's face and dragged his dagger across his chest, splitting the skin. Ashton screamed and started to stab bug over and over again, his face plastered with panic until a cannon signaled his death. The second it sounded, Ashton dropped his spear and moved backward, tears streaming from his eyes and his body shaking.

"I didn't mean to kill him...I only wanted to...he wasn't meant to die," Ashton whispered as he looked my allies mangled body.

"Ash, what have you done-" I interrupted a weeping Finch by kicking her in the knee. She crumbled to the floor in pain and I ran as fast as I could until I knew I was far away from both of them. They never came after me.

Finch Maylor POV:

I looked at Bug's body in silence while Ashton sniffed and sobbed over killing him. They say the Games change you and they changed Ashton. He had turned from a boy with a hope for a Panem without The Games, without families living in fear that their children would be snatched away and killed before their eyes to something no better than a career. I too wished for something like this and fooled myself into thinking it was possible. Now, I knew that someone a young and untrained as me and Ashton could never hopped to change anything.

I wanted to stay with Ashton in his darkest moments, help him through them but it was time I faced the truth. We were not both getting out of her and we wasn't going to save anybody. I had to think of myself.

I opened the large backpack that held mine and Ashton's supplies and took his out. He asked me what I was doing but I just threw them at him and stood up and started to walk away.

"It's useless, only one of us is going to win and we won't change anything," I sighed, stopping slightly in front of the crying boy.

"We can, it only takes one person, one little spark-"

"And that isn't us, face it, one, if not both of us is dead...face it, no one would follow either of us into battle. Good luck Ash," I turned and started walking away, Ashton called out after me but I paid him no mind. That's when I knew he wasn't a bad person. He could have killed me right there and then and increased his chances yet he just watched me walk away, allowing me a chance.

RIGHHHHTTTT I hope this made up for the horrifying mess that was last chapter. I also have a surprise for you, Final Eight Sponsor Time.

Each submitter can send their tribute/favorite tribute a sponsor gift. It can be healing cream or something simple as food. I would advise against weapons as everyone but Acacia has some sort of weapon. Spend your gift on something else if they already have one.

If one tribute gets more than one sponsor, they shall get them all. Please keep in mind, that the sponsor is a bit of fun, it doesn't mean because Finley gets sponsored a banana that she will suddenly win. If I already have them down as a non-victor, they will die either way. Don't let that stop you, though. The next chapter will be the lucky tributes getting their sponsor gifts. ONLY ONE SPONSOR PER SUBMITTER!

Thanks to AidanSankowsky for Bug.

Bug Doe-Stabbed by Ashton Khell

Bug's form was short, I gave him his last name, Doe. However, that didn't make him any less of an amazing character. At first, I was worried I would have trouble writing him but I ended up loving to write him. I had him down as a bloodbath but liked him so much that he made it to 9th place. He only died here because he was too nice to win. Killing wouldn't have come easy for him and he didn't have the skill to have an underdog victory like Hix the year before. R.I.P Bug, you protected your ally to the end and didn't go down without a fight.

Final 8

Lavina Zephyrus, 18 D1

Atlas Geo, 18 D2

Ezra Talcot, 17 D4

Kendrick Everborn, 18 D6

Acacia Quinn, 12 D6

Finley Magik, 13 D9

Finch Maylor, 16 D11

Ashton Khell, 16 D12