District 2: Nero Ryker (18) Pov-

I'd like to say I know what being in Jaehaera's position is like but I really can't say that I do. That wicked demon thing has obviously torn open some kind of painful memory in her and she's pretty much refused to talk to me for almost a day.

Another thing I must say is that the killing does get easier. At the start of these games I remember being so apprehensive about taking the other tributes' lives but now I realize it's not immoral at all. Every tribute's goal is to survive and for me to win this thing the others will have to kick the bucket anyway.

"Can we settle for lunch yet?" I say. "It's noon."

Jaehaera needs, squinting upward at the sun. She gestures toward a sunlit field of fuzzy green grass dotted with bright pink flowers. As we walk toward it, I swing my pack off of my back and take out my lunch. Not much today. Just a sandwich and some cheese. Food supplies really have been running low.

We spend a few minutes eating in silence and I finally build up the nerve to ask her.

"So are you gonna tell me what all that was yesterday?"

Part of me was expecting her to burst out with rage, but she just nods sadly.

"I don't know how much you heard, but…"

"I heard it all."

"Well, I met this girl in kindergarten named Blanche," Jaehaera starts. "She was just super sweet and we were friends just like that."

"And we were friends all the way through high school. Then me, her, and this guy named Blair were at the park to practice with our weapons. We're technically not allowed to use them outside of the academy but Blair's dad was rich so the peacekeepers kind of just looked away."

I nod, taking a bite of my sandwich.

"And then Blanche's phone started ringing. She put the phone to her ear and… and…"

Jaehaera swallows hard.

"She told me there'd been a mining accident and both her parents had died. Just like that. There wouldn't be anything even to bury."

"And then I saw it for the first time… that horrid… ugly… thing in the bushes. I guess there was just so much negativity in the scene that it found the perfect place to latch on and Blanche was drawn right in and… and…"

I can paint a pretty good picture in my head about what happened next.

"Blanche turned into the creature, and I couldn't let it hurt Blair, and I had a knife with me, and the people next to us were having a fire."

She shakes her head.

"I loved her, Blanche. She was a really, really good friend. And I killed her. Her blood will be on my hands forever."

There's a long moment of silence. The awkwardness is so thick I could cut it with a knife. I have no idea what to say. So I decide not to say anything.

"What happened to Blair?" I ask after what must be at least five minutes.

"Oh, he's still my friend," Jaehaera says. "But with Blanche gone from the trio we never were really the same."

I don't ask any more questions. Even the bloodthirsty psychopath I thought my district partner was is a human too. I don't want to put her through any more pain.

District 6: Lincoln Blitz (16) Pov-

A tear streams down my cheek as I lie back on the branch. Night is already falling. The stars here are more brilliant than I've ever seen them in 6. Like someone scattered salt on a shiny black surface. The milky way is a glorious band from horizon to horizon.

The one piece of good news is that the water level around my treetop prison is lowering—but very slowly. The level looks to be about half a foot lower than it was yesterday.

Earlier today I tried putting my feet in the water but pulled them back out a millionth of a second later. The water is too deep. Too dark. Too cold.

I cry myself to sleep, and maybe I dream about the stars, I don't know.

District 7: Cerise Yew (15) Pov-

The inside of the cave is pitch-black. I only found it about an hour ago. I guess the Capitol didn't like how still I was being and they sent two amber monkey mutts after me. I pushed aside a curtain of vines and found the little hidden cave. Inside it's dark and cool and rather comfortable, though the floor is a little hard.

I've been trying to fall asleep to the sound of dripping water for almost an hour. I've also been trying to shove Erik out of my mind as much as I can. Will I ever see him again or is that just a fairy tale?

I'm far enough away from the lake that I'm pretty sure the kraken mutt won't be able to reach me, to close me in its tentacles, crush me to death the way it crushed Erik…

Ugh. Those thoughts aren't helping.

District 10: Orford Shaw (18) Pov-

My hands are bruised, blistered, and covered in callouses. I run the rope through my hands until the very end falls soundlessly to the forest floor. I've reinforced every inch of the rope to ensure the other Orford won't be able to break it, intertwined so many vines it's hard to count them.

Tonight I'm going to bind him and tie him down and get him to tell me everything. I'll make him tell me everything.

When I first arrive at the camp I can't find him at first. Then I hear his soft snores drifting toward me from my left. The other Orford sleeps peacefully behind a tall, thin birch tree.

I leap on top of him and he wakes up screaming.

"Don't scream," I mutter, gritting my teeth. "Try to run and I'll kill you."

That shuts him up. I hit his head with a rock to disorient him for the second it takes me to grab the rope.

I start to tie him up and then the strangest thing happens. The rope passes right through his body. I make a loop around his arm, and when I tighten the knot the vines simply sink into his skin.

"Tell me!" I scream out into the night. "What are you? Who are you? WHY ARE YOU HERE?"

I look down and let out a scream. This time it's from terror rather than fury. Because he's gone. He disappeared into thin air. Straight out from under me.

I've had enough. I make a run for it.

A/N: Hope you all had fun reading this one! The interviews with the families of the final eight will be next chapter. They should be a break from the norm. Have a nice day :D

Alliances:

Careers: Jaehaera, Nero

Loners (For Now): Pixel, Adelaide, Lincoln, Cerise, Orford, Jaro

Question (in the spirit of that creepy fear monster thing): What would you say is your biggest fear? It can be something silly like spiders or something more serious, whatever you want ;D