Sorry for the wait. This chapter is a bit longer, but it's broken up into 5 POV's. Also, I'm adding a forum for this story to my profile. It won't be hard to find, as there's not much on my profile yet. I'm hoping to get some discussion going on what you're predicting will happen now that we're down to 8 tributes. Thanks again for those of you still following the story!

Chapter 62: Respite

Aemillius "Del" Lewellyn, 17, District 5

"Attention tributes, attention! Please put down your weapons and give your attention to this most important of messages."

Sam, Kale and I were all startled from our sleep when we heard the Capitol's anthem playing. But upon hearing these words, we've all jumped to our feet, listening attentively so we don't miss whatever this guy has to say.

"This is Domitius Afer, of the Capitol, and I have good news. In recognition of you, our last eight tributes, we are offering a respite. A laying down of arms….That means you, Andromeda and Riri! Put down your weapons, or you will miss out on this next part." His voice seems more than a little irritated now.

I exchange glances with Sam and Kale. I can't hold back the smirk spreading across my face or the chuckle that comes from within. I can only imagine where they are and what they were doing when they were interrupted.

Well at least two of us in here still have that fighting spirit. Except…I'm pretty sure I know who she'll come for when Riri is dead…

After a few seconds, he continues. "Now, as you'll all soon find out, this respite will be a break, a breather, from all this fighting and dying. It will include food, water, rest—peace in a sense."

Now I can't help but grin. All I've thought of this past day has been how we're all gonna drop dead without food and water. One look at Sam tells me that she's on the same page. She's hopping on her feet now, looking like she'll burst if she doesn't scream in delight soon. But I'm sure she's waiting to to see if there's any more important information before she lets loose.

We both turn to look at Kale, only to discover that he doesn't seem to share our enthusiasm. His body looks tense. His eyebrows are furrowed, lips pursed, and if I would guess, he's thinking something like What's the catch? But before he can voice any concerns, Domitius continues.

"This respite is yours to do with what you wish. Anything you want…besides fighting. During this time, we will be interviewing your family and loved ones, for the sake of posterity. Congratulate yourselves. After all, you've all placed higher in the games than sixteen of your peers."

Meaning, we're still alive, and they're dead. The bluntness of his words makes my blood run cold. We placed higher than the others in a game, a game where death is the penalty of losing. Literally a matter of life and death.

"You will be given six hours to do what you will and go where you want. If you attempt any sort of violence against your fellow tributes, there will be dire consequences. A fifteen-minute warning will be given before the fighting resumes. And believe me, the fighting WILL Resume. And if you need motivation, there's always the Minotaur…Anyway, only four tributes will move on to the Grand Spectacle, and, in the end, there shall be only one victor. In light of this, give thought to your continued alliances. And, may the odds be ever in your favor."

I think that's the end of his announcements. The three of us stand here, soaking in his words and thinking over their meaning.

Six hours to do what we want. Then more killing. Or else the Minotaur comes. I don't exactly know what that means, but from the sounds of those deep bellows over the last few days, I have some pretty good ideas, none of them good.

But no more alliances?

I look at Sam and Kale as I consider our tentative alliance. For the entirety of these games, they considered me lower than the lowest, the sole person responsible for the Capitol triumphing over the Rebels. But when they learned the truth, my torture, they decided we had more in common than they thought. But what now? What's to come of this new-found alliance? The odds are definitely not in favor of it continuing much longer.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of stone sliding against stone, like a huge rock being dragged across a cement surface. We all turn to see openings forming in the walls of the fairly large room we currently occupy.

On the wall furthest from us and the door, three openings have appeared, From those openings slide what appear to be three pallet beds. These consist of little more than wooden frames filled with straw and covered with a woolen blanket, but they might as well be the best beds in the world. They've got to be infinitely better than the stone floors we've been sleeping on.

On our left, a low table has appeared out of an opening in the wall. This table seems to consist solely of three basins filled with hot water and three small towels. For anyone concerned with their hygiene, the basin is nowhere big enough for a bath, and the towels are definitely not big enough to cover oneself. I don't believe these are provided to address the thick coat of grime that has covered us since the beginning of these games…What…13 days ago now? I guess they're more for comfort, or to provide some semblance of normalcy.

On our right can only be described as a table fit for paradise. I walk over to inspect the veritable feast that lies before us. At least, it's a feast compared to these last few days of nothing, but still not compared to the Capitol's last feast. What draw my attention first are the pitchers of water. Pitchers, as in plural, as in, six pitchers of crystal-clear, refreshing water. Next, I notice a huge wheel of cheese, already cut into thick slices, because hey, the Capitol wouldn't want to tempt us to violence by providing knives, right?

Beside the cheese lay several bowls of assorted fruit, including grapes, both red and green, oranges, apples, bananas, and what I believe are cherries. I remember seeing them in the Capitol, but had no previous experience with them. Several loaves of bread sit next to the fruit, still steaming. The loaves are all slightly different colors, ranging from light tan to golden brown to dark brown. Finally, at the end of the table are various kinds of meat, including thick slices of ham, roast beef, and what seem to be the legs of a fowl. Turkey, perhaps?

As Sam and Kale step up beside me, I can tell we're all thinking the same thing. After several moments of openly salivating, we all throw ourselves at the food. I go for a pitcher of water and end up drenching the front of my tunic in an attempt to chug it all in one go. After that, I get one of the loaves of bread, the darkest one, and rip a chunk off of it. I look over to see that Sam is devouring cherry after cherry and Kale is ravaging a turkey leg.

I'm looking at them, momentarily distracted by their ecstasy at the newfound feast, when, suddenly, I'm hit by a disturbing sense of foreboding. This alliance won't last the day, if the next six hours….

I want to voice my concerns about the immediate future, but I'm sure they won't want to hear them at the moment, if ever.

Whatever….Let them enjoy it while they can.

.

Tesla Sinclair, 17, District 1

"No way, uh-uh, not gonna happen."

I'm sitting in the middle of this room, just down the hall from where it all happened yesterday. Where Reese confronted me, where I finally decided to end her, where…I'm seething in anger now. "Where those idiots ruined everything!"

How dare they? How dare they turn my own district partner against me? How dare they humiliate me like this? Does she really think she can prove that she's smarter than I am?

No one's smarter than you, Tesla.

Vesper's voice. I hear it now in my thoughts, talking to me. I don't know what it means, but I know he's definitely gone. I saw to that. I didn't want to, but I had no choice. They made it all happen, and they're gonna pay, one way or another. Thinking about Vesper reminds me of yesterday's events, and I don't want to dwell on them right now. I need to figure out what's going on here and now.

I was awakened by the Capitol anthem, then those announcements made to all of us. Shortly after that, the walls opened up and disgorged a bed and two tables. I didn't hesitate in making my way over to the basin of hot water and the towel. I was still covered in the pine-sulfur Greek fire mixture that Vesper had sprayed at me, and the Capitol had not previously provided me with a way to remove it. I wasted no time in removing my armor and clothing and scrubbing all of it off of my entire body. I then soaked my tunic and undergarments in the basin, wrung them out, and hung them over the table to finish drying. I'm not sure if soaking the leather armor will work, or if it will ruin it? Who knows? We'll deal with that problem when we get there.

But who does the Capitol think it's kidding? Can they really enforce a respite, a break from the fighting, like they did for the ridiculous feast? I am curious what will happen if someone does attempt to break their rule, but am I tempted enough to be the one to try? Is it worth it to risk never seeing my family again? My family….

I miss them so much I just can't take it anymore. I wonder what they'll say, if the Capitol really does interview them. How good would it be to hear them again? To see them? I'm so close; 16 tributes down, only 7 left to go, until I'm the last one standing. But they took away Vesper, so what now?

You took care of Reese easily enough, right?

It's true, I did. She didn't even put up a fight. But, then again, she had it coming. She was deluded enough to think that we could all still be friends, that all we had to do was talk through our feelings, and the sun would shine again. All I had to do was go along, pretend I had any sort of feelings.

My thoughts are interrupted by the empty knot of my stomach. Only now do I realize how ridiculous it is that I haven't yet eaten or drank. I only gave a passing glance at the food and bed when the tables appeared. I'd been tacky as hell for a whole day, frightened by the possibility of someone else coming along with the means to spark it off. Scrubbing it all off was definitely the priority.

Now my thoughts turn to the food and water crowding the table. It all looks so appealing, I really can't decide where to start. I grab a pitcher of water and a banana, reasoning with myself that after three days of no food and water, it's best to ease back into eating and drinking slowly. After all, I have at least five hours to eat what I need and pack up the rest. There's no telling when we'll find food again, or how much longer these games will continue.

I sit down on the pallet bed with the banana and water pitcher. As I go to take my first drink of water out of the pitcher, I hear Vesper's voice again, "What did you do to me?...What did you do to my head?"

The pitcher is at my lips when I pause, realizing the context of those words…Vesper, on his knees before me…a pool of blood and drugs mixing around him…glass digging into his skin from the vial he had just shattered on the stone floor. The memory is so vivid, it's like it's playing out all over again right in front of me.

I look at the pitcher in my left hand, at the water it contains, and I swear I see the smallest hint of color in it, pale rose. On instinct, I toss the pitcher out of my hand. It crashes against the wall, shattering and spilling water everywhere. I get up and go to look, but now it just looks like regular water. If it was drugged, as I just assumed, like what I did to Vesper's water, it would be impossible to tell.

He never had any idea.

I look now to the banana that's still in my left hand, and my eyes drag over all the food still on the table. But…they wouldn't do that, would they? Not during their so-called respite?

You had your doubts from the moment you laid eyes on it, Tesla. That's why it took you so long to get around to eating.

"No," I argue aloud. "They've stooped low, but they wouldn't do that. Why would they tell everyone to eat, drink, rest, whatever they want to do, if the food and water weren't safe?"

Maybe it's just your food and water they drugged…

"But, but why?" I question, feeling my confident grip on reality slipping. "I don't believe that…" My voice tapers off.

"…tell me you don't know what this is…Tell me!...Make me believe it!"

It's these words of Vesper's that make me snap with rage. My vision narrows, tinged with red along the edges.

They know you can't go on without food and water. They'll do to you just as you did to Vesper.

"What…No! Fuck that! Fuck them and their dirty plans! I'll never end up like him. Never!" As my screams echo throughout the small room, I notice that I've squeezed the banana in my hand to mush. Before I know it, I've walked over to the table and I'm picking up the enormous bowl of grapes. With a huge smile spreading across my face, I spill the grapes on the floor and whip the bowl at the wall, just like the water pitcher. The bowl has barely shattered as I begin stomping on the grapes, reveling in the squish sound and squelch feeling each one makes as I stomp them with my bare feet.

I'm laughing hysterically now as I turn to the rest of the fruit and proceed to chuck them against the wall as hard as I can. I move on to the various loaves of bread, which I take in my hands and crumble into as many pieces as possible. I come to the platter filled with assorted meats. My gaze stops at the turkey legs, and my eyes widen as I suddenly get a fantastic idea.

I snatch two of the legs from the platter and fall back onto the stone floor. It hurts, a lot, but at this point I don't even care. I stick the two legs up in the air and have them take a bow as if on stage in front of all of Panem…

…Hell, that's exactly where they're at…

"Well, how do you do," the right turkey leg addresses the left with as smug and snooty a masculine voice as I can muster. "Fancy meeting you down here. My name's Octavian August. I've got an epic name, but a freakin' awful sense of humor."

The left leg speaks up in a whiny feminine voice. "Why, hello Octavian. My name is Julia August, and I suppose that makes us brother and sister. Not that that stops us from 'doing it.' Wink, wink. I like your sense of humor because it involves tearing innocent children away from their families and forcing them to kill one another. And I'm the boss of everyone, so that automatically makes me the smartest and best judge of comedy."

"Oh, you're quite wrong on that account, sister dear," Drumstick Octavian replies. "Everyone knows I'm the smartest there is in Panem. That's why I get to be Head Gamemaker and have all the fun, while you're busy all day sitting on your fat arse in boring meetings."

"I do not sit in meetings all day and…do you really think my butt is big, Octavian?" I flourish the body-conscious Drumstick Julia as if she's trying to get a glimpse of her hind-quarters.

"Perish the thought, Julia dear. It is the most perfect rear end in all of Panem, nay, in all the world. Now, come here and give me a big ole smoochy-smooch."

I slam them together, twisting them back and forth and providing gratuitous mwah-mwah-mwah kissy sounds.

I know what I've just done would be the death sentence for anyone else in Panem, but I feel like I've already been given that, so, what more could they do to me?

.

Riri Kramer, 15, District 6

I yell in frustration as I try, once again, to find an opening in the force field. But the bowl that I just threw at it bounces right back at me, nearly whacking me in the face as I duck to avoid it. Apparently, the Capitol didn't believe that we would be honorable enough to honor their cease-fire on word alone, so they saw fit to put a force-field between us. For good reason. I still haven't been able to accept that I'll have to wait to get my revenge for what happened to Arc, and I'm guessing it's only been about two hours.

I glance across the room at Andromeda to confirm that she's still in her sitting position, seemingly meditating. She's still surrounded by evidence of food: a banana peel, an apple core, a small crust of bread, and her water pitcher. The only difference now is there's the hint of a smirk on her face.

"And what, may I ask, is so funny?" I question. "I can't be the only one who wants to continue our epic battle to the death!"

She opens her eyes and fixes them on me. "You're not," she replies calmly. "You are, however, the only one of us who refuses to accept the fact that the Capitol controls just about everything here."

"And what..is that supposed to mean?" I seethe.

She takes a few moments to think over her response. "Just this: If the Capitol wishes us to fight, it will happen. Of that I have no doubt. But if you think you can find a way past the force-field that they have put between us, you are seriously wasting your time."

Maybe she's right, but…..how can I possibly wait….?

My unspoken question is answered by none other than Andromeda. "If I can make a suggestion, focus on what your body needs. Like food and rest, maybe a good wiping down with that towel and warm water…."

I remember back to when those things first arrived out of the walls on tables. The Capitol had already put the force-field in place, so they had to give us each small tables. Andromeda wasted no time in making use of the towel and hot water. After that, she drank some of her water sparingly and started with some of her fruit. But all I could do was watch at the time, so focused on my hatred for her that I wasn't even thinking about my own needs.

Now I'm very much aware of the condition of my body. My grimy skin feels like I've slept in a dumpster for a week. My mouth feels so dry I'm surprised I was able to talk just now. My stomach is so empty, it feels like it's shriveled into a grape. And I feel just exhausted, every single muscle in my body.

I start with the pitcher of water. I figure I should take the eating and drinking slow, or I'll puke up anything my body isn't ready for. I reluctantly take only a few sips of water, wishing I could gulp it all down at once.

Then I make my way to the basin of water. I'm also worried of what Andromeda is thinking about me, but hey, the water's not getting any warmer, and I shouldn't care anyway. I dip the towel in it and start to wipe my face and neck. The water's barely lukewarm, but it still feels amazing. I can only imagine what it would have felt like when it was hot. I move on to wiping down my arms and legs.

After that, I pause. Now what?

I consider the areas of my body under the leather armor and tunic, suddenly very self-conscious. Now I do glance over my shoulder at Andromeda, who happens to be watching me now. "What?" she asks.

"Nothing…" I grumble, gritting my teeth. I loosen my armor and set it on the bed where it won't get wet. I figure I'm safe without it for the moment, especially with all the protective measures the Capitol has enforced upon us. With the armor off, my tunic is surprisingly loose, so I decide to finish cleaning myself without removing it. And I use the term "cleaning" lightly since I'm really just rinsing myself with water. But after days of not having the opportunity for any sort of bathing, oh, what a difference does it make!

I decide to dunk my hair right into the basin since the water is still relatively clean. I run my hands through it to get rid of any serious grossness, then I remove it and wrap it up in the towel. Now I take the basin over to the bed. After sitting and removing my sandals, I place my feet into the water. I reproach myself again for the time wasted; this also would have felt great with hot water. After my hair is relatively dried, I take my feet out and dry them as well as I can with the damp towel.

I look over at Andromeda, who's got a smirk on her face. "What the fuck do you want?" I ask. I stand up and approach as close as I can. "Can't a girl take care of herself? Didn't you already do all this yourself? Or are you a fucking cat who can clean herself on demand?"

"No," she answers simply. "I just know there's a time and a place. For everything. Being an operative taught me that much, and more. I would think you would understand...for the same reason."

Panic sets in now. "But, how did you know? I never told anyone…"my voice fades.

"Takes one to know one. Isn't that what they say?" She pauses, considering me further. "It's the way you hold yourself, the way you observe and analyze people and places. Although, lately you've been a bit distracted. And I take full credit for that." She smiles.

That almost sets me off again. I feel the anger rising within me once more.

No, Riri. That's exactly what she wants.

I push back on my anger and present a more neutral expression. When I don't blow up, her smile widens. "That's it," she applauds. "That's the Riri I'm gonna fight to the death. Before, I was getting you all hot and bothered for a quick victory. But things changed, and this will be so much better. A fight between two secret agents at the top of their game, to determine which one of us is better."

Now I can't tell if she's actually being honest, or still trying to mess with me. Probably both, I decide. But I know her game now, and I'll do what I want. Instead of responding, I walk over to the other table and take a couple gulps of water. After that, I pick up a banana, peel it, and slowly start to eat it.

"I mean what I say, Riri," Andromeda continues. "I want you to be in prime form when we battle. Fuel up, eat, take a nap, whatever you need to do. I promise if you don't wake up to whatever their fifteen minute warning is, I'll give you plenty of time to be ready. Unlike some, I don't kill people in their sleep."

Somehow, I believe her, but I catch her reference to Arc. I ignore the barb, and reply evenly, my mouth full of banana, "Sorry I can't promise you the same sportsmanlike conduct."

I don't bother waiting for a reply as I turn away from her and approach the food again, deciding what I'll eat next and what I'll save for the days ahead.

Maybe I will take a nap

.

Tullia "Tully" O'Doyle, 17, District 8

I immediately went for the basin of hot water, of course. With almost no chance at bathing and little privacy since the start of the games, it's been impossible to feel even close to being clean. When I asked Chance if he could give me the room for a little while, he seemed on the verge of tears.

"You're asking me to l..l..leave," he stuttered, lip trembling.

"No," I responded quickly, perhaps a bit too forceful. "I just want to clean myself. I thought maybe we could take turns getting cleaned up, give each other some privacy. You would only be right outside the door. They promised us safety for six hours, so there's really nothing to worry about. You could even take some food and water out with you. Would that be ok? I promise I'll be quick." I gave him the most comforting smile I could muster.

He managed to nod, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. He walked over to the table of food and grabbed a water pitcher and some food. By then, I was already removing my armor and sandals. When he shut the door, I began lifting my tunic, then hesitated.

What about the Capitol? Won't they be watching? Like before?

I remembered my promise to Chance about making it quick, and decided that was more important than a little discomfort. I also reasoned that the Capitol would show some discretion in this case, and that helped. I lifted the tunic up over my head and laid it out on the table. I removed my undergarments and placed them in the basin to soak. I took the towel and got it wet, making sure to leave half of it dry so I could dry myself afterwards. I wet myself from head to foot, scrubbing at the dirtier areas, especially my feet. I dipped my hair in the water, and squeezed the excess water out. Then I dried myself off with the towel and put my tunic back on. At that point, I called to Chance while I wrung out my undergarments and hung them to dry. All of it took five minutes at most.

When he came in, I gathered some food for myself and made to leave since I knew he needed to clean himself. Except he wouldn't let me; He didn't want to be alone again. I could tell we were both uncomfortable about it, so I suggested blindfolding myself with my damp towel. He agreed that would be ok, so that's what I did. It seemed only a minute later that he said it was ok to look, but I wasn't going to question his hygiene habits because I was so hungry at that point from being in a room with food.

Needless to say, we both stuffed our big fat faces and gulped down more than half of all the water we had.

And now, we're kinda in the middle of an argument. Maybe. I was wanting to talk about our alliance, because I can't call it anything else. The Capitol has made it very clear that, very soon, four more of us will die, and after that, three more, until only one is left. That means the odds are very much not in our favor. But Chance isn't having it.

"I've said already," he replies, "We don't have enough information. I know whatever is behind that locked door is something really important, and it will change the game. We can't make any decisions until we find out what it is."

"But, here's the thing Chance: Whatever it is, I really doubt the Gamemakers will change their rules, especially the one where only one of us can come out of this alive. And, actually, that's really the only rule, besides this temporary truce."

"But what if it keeps us safe, Tully?"

I have to stop myself from blowing up at him. He's just a kid, not even a teenager yet; safety and the present are all that he can think about. But he needs to consider the future. I take a deep breath. "Chance, let's say it does keep us safe. Let's say somehow, we make it out of this maze, and we're two of the final four tributes. What then, Chance? What then?"

"Then, we can help each other. We'll be the last two tributes…." His voice breaks off, and he stares ahead at the wall, blankly. I think he's got it, but just in case…

"Yeah, Chance. We'll help each other out. We'll be the last two. Then…nobody knows. I really doubt I would be able to kill you at that point." I sit myself in front of him, so I know I have his full attention. "Do you really have it in you to kill me?"

He looks deep into my eyes, and I see his body shudder. "No…n.. , Tully. I could never do that. I would never kill a…friend…on purpose..." His eyes lower away to the ground.

I know what occupies his thoughts now. He's thinking back to his friends, Jeanette and Milo. He told me about them last night when we first met. He told me how Jeanette wanted to end Milo's life, because they knew he wasn't gonna make it. He explained their struggle and the accident with the knife, like he had to prove to himself, to me, that he wasn't a killer. And now, all I can think about is how he considers me a friend…

And that's why we can't stay together any longer

"You understand now, Milo? "I say at last. "We can't stay together. We may be stronger as a team, but that will only get us so far."

He sits there for so long, deep in thought. I wish I knew what he was thinking. Finally, he looks up at me. "I understand, Tully. We will have to separate. But I really think we should wait until after we look behind the locked door. Is that ok?"

I can tell he's thinking a whole lot more than he's saying, but I don't push it. If we only have a little more time together, I don't want to end it poorly.

"We still have a few hours left, right? You want to know what I would like to do? I ask him.

"What's that," he replies, distantly.

"Take a nap." His expression noticeably lightens. He also looks puzzled, so I continue. "I think rest is what we need most of now. And they said they would give us a fifteen-minute warning before the fighting starts again. I figure that should give us enough time to get to the door and whatever's hiding behind it. What do you think?"

"I would like that," he replies cautiously, a weird look on his face. I can only describe it as optimistically nervous.

"If we lay close, I think we'll be able to fit on one of those beds, together. Would that be ok?"

"Uh, yeah…ok." He replies shyly.

I go over to the nearest bed and lay down on my side, facing towards him. I pat the bed in front of me.

He hesitates, then slowly approaches. He sits on the edge, and then lies down next to me, careful to keep space between us. Also, he's not making eye contact with me.

"It's ok to be closer, if you want. And…you can touch me if that would help you feel better." I'm whispering now. I don't know why, because we're the only ones here, but it seems to put him at ease.

He speaks unexpectedly. "Last night, I didn't want to sleep alone, even in the same room. So I came and laid down with you in your corner. When I went to put my arm around you, to be closer, I…I accidentally put my hand on your..um.." he hesitates.

"You accidentally put your hand on my breast," I finish for him. "You were still like that when I woke up. I was surprised, and I figured you did it in your sleep..."

"I'm sorry." He interrupts. "It's just, it was an accident. But when it happened, it just…it made me feel safe somehow. Like…I was back home for a moment. And nothing like that ever happened back home, or anything. I can't explain it…but it made me think of my mom…and…how she died when I was little."

"It's ok, Chance," I whisper. "You don't have to explain anymore. I understand." I understand, but I don't have to like it. I know what I should do, but knowing that doesn't make it much easier. If it's to comfort a boy who might be spending his last day alive, it's worth it, right? And he called me his friend. Friends can comfort each other, just like I did for Magnus, to distract him from his pain.

"Chance," I continue, "If you want, you can put your hand on my breast again, if it makes you feel better. If it makes you feel…safe."

At the astonished look on his face, I quickly add, "Over my tunic, of course." I can't help but smile a little.

I see the hesitation on his face, but I know he'll do it—he needs this safe haven that I provide on this bed, even if only for a little while.

And he does. He reaches out and places his hand over my clothed left breast. It's a bit different than before—I can feel it, and I know he can feel it. I feel the pressure, and I feel him squeeze gently, but that's it. I'm relieved in knowing that I could trust him. I reach out with my left hand and slowly stroke his hair. He closes his eyes, and on a whim, I lean over and kiss him on the forehead. His eyes stay closed, but he smiles, and I can see all the tension leave his body. He's at peace. Slowly, his breathing steadies and slows until I'm fairly certain he's asleep.

I continue running my hand through his hair until my eyelids start drooping. I take my hand away and set it on the bed. As I feel myself drifting down into the blackness of a deep sleep, I have one last thought:

He called me his friend.

.

Chance Hensley, 12, District 2

Tully is sleeping, but I'm not.

One thing I got very good at while living on the streets was pretending to sleep. It comes in handy, especially now.

Before, I thought it was best to stay together as long as we could, because I really like Tully. She's my friend. That's why I have to go. Adia made me promise to take care of her, the best I could. And now leaving is the best thing I can do for her. Because, if I'm honest with myself, I have no idea what's behind the door. The key could unlock anything. For better or worse, I want to be there alone to find out the truth of its secrets.

At least, that's what I had decided before Tully suggested taking a nap together. But now, it's taking all of my effort just to stay awake. My body is telling me to go to sleep. Sleep is one thing that hasn't been guaranteed in the arena. Even when I managed to sleep, it was never deeply. It was always tentative sleep, because we never knew when a threat would show up. Now is the one and only time sleep is guaranteed. It's also the only time I'm guaranteed to be able to leave alone, quietly. For all her arguments, I know Tully is just as torn up over the thought of leaving me as I am over leaving her.

The hardest part, though, is this: I honestly can't remember the last time someone did something nice for me like she's just done. Not only has she gone out of her way to make me feel safe and comfortable, but she's used her body to do it. And not in a sexual way either. On the streets, you could always find someone who would give their body, for a price. But there were always selfish motives behind it. At least, that's what I heard. It's not like I would have been a customer of such individuals at my age.

But Tully, she genuinely cares so much for me that she let me hold her breast, something that was probably super uncomfortable for her. And if I leave now, I'll never get the chance to thank her for it.

Everything's always left up to Chance…

I almost chuckle at the double meaning, but I don't want to wake Tully. Instead, I make up my mind. I gently squeeze Tully's breast one more time and, before I can change my mind, I carefully roll backwards off the bed.

I stand up, fasten my sandals, and take a few more gulps of water out of a pitcher since water's not something I can conveniently bring with me. What I notice now is that the bread was placed on a small hand towel covering the platter. I take the towel and wrap up the roast beef that's left. I place that, along with a loaf of bread and the bunch of bananas, in my small backpack. I've given it little thought lately because all it contains is my map. I look over at the other table. Next to Tully's undergarments is the one knife we have. I know I'll definitely need it wherever I end up, but Tully will also need it. And I promised Adia….

Before I consider it further, I find myself walking over to the door. I open it, step through, and close it softly behind me. I wait a few seconds to be sure Tully isn't awake. I figure if she follows me out, I can tell her I was taking a leak.

But that wouldn't explain the backpack with food…

It doesn't matter. Even after a minute of waiting to be certain, I hear no sounds from the other side of the door. I unroll my map, just to be sure of my direction. As I reorient myself and trace the quickest path from our current location to the locked door, I confirm what I had already guessed at: Tully wasn't exactly correct earlier. Fifteen minutes would not have given us enough time to get ready and reach the door. Even at a dead sprint. But now I figure, at a nice leisurely pace, I might have just enough time to reach it. That is, if I have as much time as I hope I have.

What I'm wondering now as I walk is this: If the Capitol is interviewing my family and loved ones from my district, will they find anyone to interview?