Filly Marcoffe (18)- D10F

The rays of sunlight that filter through the roof of the shack is what wake me up in the morning. For a moment, I could be back in Ten at my house. My father will come and wake me up soon to feed the horses. Amber will be neighing and whinnying for food as usual, loud enough to hear from inside.

Except there are no sounds of hungry neighing, or my grandfather whistling a tune in the kitchen. Instead, there is the sounds of sea birds singing and the wind whistling into the shack.

I throw the blanket off of my body, stretching up and yawning. I never thought I would have an actual bed in the Hunger Games. I must the luckiest tribute in the arena to have my own mattress, even if it does smell like dirty laundry that's been left out in the sun for ten years.

The roof of the shack is hardly enough to shelter me from the elements, but it filters out the sun to give me a break from the heat. It's actually not that bad in the shade. I stand up, grabbing my backpack just in case, and peeking out from the doorway. There's nothing there, just like last night, except for the grape vines that have overtaken the rocks. I feared that they would be poisonous, but they seemed pretty normal, so I ate a few to soothe my stomach last night. And apparently, I've survived.

I gently tiptoe over to the vines and pop a few more grapes into my mouth. They're small and purple, wild grapes rather than cultured ones. We were taught how to recognize berries that are safe to eat, but not actual fruits. I thought I saw apple trees while making my trek up here, but I can't be sure.

Over the edge of the cliff, the desert would be beautiful if it didn't mean absolute death. The yellow and orange sand looks like a painting, created with brushstrokes over a canvas. I wonder if anyone can see me from the ground. Or if would be able to see anyone if they were there. I think so. I'm not so high enough up that they would be too far away to see. But I don't see anyone right now. Maybe no one has had the guts to travel too far into the desert. The river and ocean seems like a much better bet for survival. Speaking of which…

I know I'll need water if I want to stand a chance. But with so many tributes out and about, it would be unwise to venture away from my safe place. The river will still be there when I need it.

I eat a few more grapes and head back inside my shack for refuge. I have my knife. If anyone finds this place, I will be able to fend them off.

Spool Nylon (12)- D8M

I think I must have imagined the two cannon shots that went off in the middle of the night, with about an hour or so in between them. I didn't get much sleep last night, but maybe it was just a nightmare. Seb didn't acknowledge them when they happened, but maybe he was just a heavy sleeper. Or maybe last night was really just a fever dream like it seemed.

Seb woke me up just as the sun was rising, citing his inner schedule as the reason. "Us lumberjacks are used to getting up at first light," he had said.

"Well, there aren't any trees to chop," I said tiredly, rubbing my eyes. I'm sure my hair is all askew, purple fringe all mixed up with my natural black hair. My mother would be nagging at me by now to fix it. I purposely don't, instead blowing air out of my mouth until it moves out of my face.

"No, but we have work to do. We should get started before it gets really hot."

I grumble, but do as he says. I almost turn to wake up Sock before I remember that she's dead. I go quiet after that.

I don't want the Capitol to think that I'm weak. As a twelve year old, I need to take a page out of Sock's book and show my tough side. She would want me to win, I know it. It's the best way to honor her memory.

Seb sits under the shade of the bushes as he applies the medicine to his wound. It's already looking better, even after just one night. The skin is pink and raw-looking, but the cut has drawn together and isn't bleeding anymore. It will leave a nasty scar, but it won't get infected.

"What are we going to do today?" I ask, taking a swig of water. "Climb farther up?"

"We have to keep moving," he says, sweat already dripping from his face in the morning heat. "Staying in one spot makes it easier for others to find us."

"I should have gotten a crossbow," I say wistfully. "Then we could pick people off from up here."

"I don't need any weapons," Seb says darkly, leaving his hand out for the water. I hand it to him and he takes a drink, wiping his mouth afterward. "My hands are enough. Now let's go."

Regardless of his words, I keep my hand around the knife handle in my jacket pocket. Someone could jump out at us unexpectedly, and despite Seb's ten in training, his hands aren't as sharp as a sword's blade.

The air is hot and heavy, even wet. It sticks to my skin and weighs down on us. At least our clothes are made of lightweight, breathable material. If there's anyone I don't hate in the Capitol, it's the stylists.

"Don't drink too much water," Seb says sharply as I take another swig. "It's humid, so we won't get dehydrated too easy. "We need to ration it."

"Okay, sorry," I say, rolling my eyes. I wish again that Sock was here. I can imagine her eyes scanning the horizon, scolding me for drinking too much water, some giant weapon that's half the size of her body swung over her back. I try to take a page out of her book and stay extra vigilant. I owe it to her, and to Tag.

"Tag!"

I snap my head up. "Sorry," I mumble, picking up the pace. All I have to do is imagine going back home to Tag and the other Sock Knights, seeing the looks on their faces when I pull off the biggest heist in the history of District Eight.

Hadrian Cato (18)- D2M

The sun is blinding when it reflects off the sea. After hearing another cannon go off in the middle of the night, Tiffany and I have been waiting for some good news. Tiger and Willow must have found another tribute on the beach, just like Tiger suspected they would. I try to be happy that there is one less tribute to worry about, but the idea of Tiger getting that kill makes my hair bristle. He already took first kill from me even after I called it, planting his axe right in Drew's chest. Then this goddamn District Six girl escaped up the mountain, and he goes off to make another kill.

I raise a hand up to block out the sun as I glance up. The girl is still huddled in her hiding place on the rock, only her feet barely visible. I would be surprised if she was able to sleep, but she hasn't moved in a couple hours, so maybe she has. I gently touch the rock of the mountain. Some of the dust crumble away and into my hand. I wonder for the thousandth time tonight would would happen if I tried to climb the mountain with my shoulder like it is. I try to heft myself up and put some weight on my arm. It feels a little better than last night. I guess the Capitol medicine is finally starting to work.

Tiffany is snoozing lightly beside me, her face stern and arms crossed defensively even with her eyes closed. Her hair still falls in perfect ringlets in her ponytail. She's the one that convinced me to wait until morning to try and climb after our prey.

"It's too dark," she had said in that annoying, high-pitched voice. She's cute and smart and a hard worker, but she isn't what the Capitol wants from a victor. They need someone strong, bold, and bloodthirsty. I won't wait to take what I want. That girls' life belongs to Panem, and I will be the one to deliver it to them.

I grip the rock more tightly, heaving my weight up onto the rock. I huff out a breath of exertion as my feet find a safe place to rest, my eyes scanning for a new handhold. I need to do this as quietly as possible as not to awaken my prey. If she really is sleeping, then she will never wake up again.

My ascent is long and difficult. The girl climbed up when she was high on adrenaline and fear, and her body is much smaller and lighter than mine. I grunt as I stretch as far as I can for another handhold. I'm almost there. I can hear birds chirping by the beach beneath me, some of them flying close to the mountain. I fill myself with resolve as I pull myself up. I breath as quietly as I can, watching as the ledge gets closer and closer. The girl's feet don't move at all as I approach. I use one hand to carefully feel over the ledge, digging my fingernails into the dirt to pull myself up.

I peek over the rock, pleased to see that the girl is laying on her back, but then I see that her eyes are open. I quickly duck back down, but she doesn't move at all. Is it possible that she's already dead? What if she was the cannon I heard earlier, and not a victim of Tiger and Willow's?

I poke my head up again, this time pulling myself on the ledge. I realize she's not dead; her chest is moving in time with her breath. Maybe she's one of those people who can sleep with their eyes open.

I slowly reach for my sword, a grin already stretching over my face. Maybe I'll chop off her head and see how far I can throw it over the edge.

Then as my finger start to wrap around the handle, she suddenly sits up, immediately looking at me, her eyes wide and terrified.

"Leave me alone!" she screams, pushing me before I can react. The clear blue sky appears above me, followed by the distinct sensation of falling forever, something I've experienced only in dreams. Then my back hits the ground and the breath is knocked out of me, searing pain erupting from my shoulder.
"Hadrian!" I hear Tiffany's voice, and then the world goes black.

Jason Sparks (18)- D6M

It wasn't exactly difficult to lose Tiger after leaving the beach. We climbed as fast as we could back up the side of the cliff, without realizing we're heading right back to the Cornucopia before changing course to head to the western mountain. If we run into anyone else, I'm sure Nikki will be able to take them out without a problem. As for Tiger, it will be impossible for him to find us in the dark. At least, that's what I tell myself.

I look down at my hand as we run along, huffing from exertion. The Seven girl's blood is still dripping off of it, though it's very watery from the ocean water. I try to calm the rolling of my stomach, chalking it up to lack of sleep and food. The girl had it coming, siding with the Careers. I don't pity her, I really don't. But knowing I have her literal blood on my hands is harder to deal with than I imagined.

There's a cluster of boulders at the base of the mountain that we head towards without having to speak. I like that we're on the same wavelength about everything… or maybe not. She didn't wake me up when she saw the Careers coming, and attacked them without consulting me. Doesn't she trust me?

Nikki throws her long brown braid behind her shoulder and plops onto the ground. "Get over here," she hisses, motioning towards me. I get to my knees and join her behind a boulder, sighing and wiping sweat from my forehead.

"We should be safe here," she says quietly, setting down her trident. "I don't think he saw which direction we went in."

"Me neither," I say, squeezing water out of my sleeve. "But should we stop? The morning is the coolest part of the day."

"The morning is over," she says dismissively. "Noon will be here soon, and so will the heat. It's better to rest now and then travel at night. We need to get back down to the beach so we can catch fish."

"Well, I had to ditch the sleeping bag," I say unhappily. "And my blanket is all wet."

"Sorry," she says, apparently unconcerned. "Want some water?"

I take the bottle from her without a word, gulping down a large swallow. "I wouldn't mind some of the food, either," I say, wiping my mouth.

"I lost it," Nikki says, still staring behind the rock for our assailant.

"What?"

"I had to leave my bag behind. It was still on the rock."

I growl under my breath. "You lost everything that you had?"

She turns to look at me, her eyes sharp but confused. "That wave knocked me off the rock. If you want to blame someone, blame the Gamemakers."

"Well, you didn't have to start that fight anyway."

"They were going to find us," she snaps. "And we would have killed them both if the ocean hadn't have interfered."

"There's no way of knowing that," I say angrily. "And now we've lost all of that stuff. The food, the sleeping bag, the flashlight, and the net to catch fish! How are we going to catch anything tonight if we don't have any supplies?"

"I'm from District Four, jackass," Nikki snarls. "Do you think I can't catch anything with my trident?"

I huff, turning away and leaning back against the rock. Nikki was right, it is starting to heat up. The sun is beating down on us mercilessly, and I have to resist the urge to take another drink of water, my stomach grumbling. We sit there in silence for several minutes, the heat almost unbearable. Perhaps it's because I'm upset with nothing to distract me, but my arm is throbbing with pain again. It's been slowly leaking blood ever since the bloodbath, and I'm afraid it might become infected if I don't do something about it.

Just now, I hear a light tinkling sound overhead. I glance up, blocking out the bright sunlight with my hand. A small parachute is descending from the sky, making right for us.

"A gift," Nikki says, sounding actually surprised.

"You scored a ten," I say bitterly. "Did you think we weren't going to get sponsors?"

"I thought everyone would be angry with me for leaving the Career alliance," she says, standing up. "I'll get it; stay where you are."

I huff, but don't try and stand. She must have noticed that I was in pain. She's just trying to make up for losing all of our food.

The parachute sails a few feet away from our little hideout, but Nikki is there to intercept it. She brings it back quickly, glancing around suspiciously for onlookers. Most of the arena is open and barren, not a good thing for non-Careers.

"It's for you," she says flatly, handing me the silver container. I see that the message is indeed addressed to me. It only says to, apply three times a day. It looks like my mentors did finally get their heads out of their asses after Attie died. Maybe they realized they may have an actual chance of bringing home a victor this year. I unscrew the lid and scoop some of the sticky substance up with my finger.

"I'll do it," I hear Nikki say. She scoots closer to me and takes the package from me again. I close my eyes as her fingers gently apply the medicine to my arm. It hurts, but I don't let it show for the cameras. Someone must have been impressed that I speared that girl on the beach. Showing my strong side is going to help me win this.

Eryn Winters (15)- D12F

My first night in the arena wasn't exactly restful. I lay underneath my tarp in the freezing cold for hours, unable to sleep and listening only to the strange noises of the desert. I thought for all its emptiness and stillness that it would be completely silent, but instead I listen to what sounded like periodic screaming for a long time. I tried to convince myself it was just an animal, but then I heard the two cannon shots in the middle of the night, making me curl farther into myself. If the Careers are here in the desert with me, my only chance is to be as quiet and small as possible.

Luckily, no one came and tried to kill me in the night. I'm not sure if I drifted in and out of sleep or not, but I get up the next morning feeling just as exhausted as the night before. I pack my tarp and take a drink of water as I ready myself for the day. I don't feel safe here, but I don't know where else to go. Maybe I should try and stay closer to the mouth of the river, so that I won't run out of water. But it seems risky, considering other tributes are likely to have the same idea, so I hold off. I have enough for now, so I'll decide what to do when I run out, which is probably tomorrow.

I can already feel the effects of the unclean water on my stomach, but I ignore it as I pack up for the day. I need to keep moving to avoid the Careers, even if I'm not sure where I'm going. I decide to go east, away from the Cornucopia and towards the mouth of the stream. Even if I don't get any water today, at least I will be close.

I take my time moving along the desert, especially as the sun really starts to beat down on me. I have all day to reach my next destination, and I don't want to tire out too quickly. I stop to rest and drink some water at about noon, wiping the sweat from my face. I probably look a mess, hair strewn all over the place and clothes drenched in sweat. I can tell my water is failing me already; I feel dehydrated and weak despite having drank nearly half a bottle. I know the reason; the sun is too hot for one bottle of water to keep me hydrated. If anything, I'll need many, many refills. But the idea of returning to the stream terrifies me after what I heard last night, so I decide to tough it out. I can make it through one dehydrated day.

As I stand up and prepare to start moving again when I hear the sound. It's that screaming sound, like a person in pain mixed with a terrified animal. As I listen, I hear another voice join in, and then another.

I blindly start running in the opposite direction of the noises, terror pumping through every blood vessel. Whatever that is, I don't want any part of it. Sand flies up behind my feet, and I stumble several times as I make my way over dune after golden dune. The sounds start to get closer and increase in volume, but the stream is finally within view. I run as fast as my legs will take me, sprinting across the water and standing on the opposite bank, panting. On the other side, I think I catch a glimpse of something moving behind one of the dunes. It's big and darkly colored, but I can't make out what it is. It growls at me briefly before disappearing.

I let out a deep breath and reach into the water to splash some on my face. So much for that plan. But at least I know the desert isn't safe. I'll need a new place to stay for the night. But first, I need to get some rest, and maybe try to fix my image a little. I can't be covered in dirt for the Capitol to see.

Tesla Sherman (16)- D3F

After making myself a nice breakfast of oranges and clean water, I actually feel refreshed. I could be on a luxurious Capitol vacation. Or perhaps I'm a runaway that's escaped Panem, and is living on the expensive foods that I stole. Now that's a life.

I like my little cluster of boulders, but I know it's only a matter of time until the Careers start looking this way again. Two of them almost found me before, but luckily they didn't seem very interested in hunting as looking cool for the cameras. I can't count on luck a second time.

Despite knowing this, I stay in my safe place for most of the day. I have plenty of food and water, and even a sleeping bag for when the nights' cool air comes. The only thing wrong with this picture are the sun's painful, merciless rays. That and the other ten tributes in the arena that want to kill me.

But once the afternoon has passed and the hot sun is only a few hours away from setting, I finally decide it's time to leave. As I pack up my supplies, I think about my options. The mountain seems like a safe place from Careers, but there isn't a way up it from where I am. If anyone has climbed it, they must either be an expert climber or there is a trail somewhere that I don't care to find. My other options are to go past the mountain and see what's beyond it, or into the desert. To avoid getting any closer to the Cornucopia, I choose the desert. If anything, just to see how far the river goes.

I begin my trek along the water, stopping to get some more and dropping some iodine in it. I'm probably the most hydrated of the tributes here, aside from the Careers.

I've gone not a half-mile when the river comes to an end. Apparently the water bubbles out of the mountain itself, a cold spring likely created by the Gamemakers. I stop to plan a new course of action when I notice some movement in the water.

My eyes widen when I realize it's another girl, bathing in the river. She's still wearing her clothes, but her jacket is laid to dry on a rock beside the shore. Next to it is a small backpack, filled with hidden goodies. I smirk to myself. It's clear the girl hasn't seen me. She dunks her head underwater again, and I start to dart forward, but then stop myself, getting low to the ground instead. I glance down at the knife in my hand. Maybe I can prove to the Capitol that I'm not just a thief, but also a worthy victor.

I grip my knife handle tightly and start slinking to the shore. The girl pops her head above the water again, still not noticing me. She pushes her wet blonde hair from her face, eyes closed, and I take my shot.

The knife flies out of my hand and into her right shoulder, barely missing her neck. I curse myself as she screams in pain and immediately takes the knife from the wound, panicked eyes meeting mine.

Without thinking, I instantly wade into the water. She's weakened, and I can still take her out if I really try.

She scrambles out of the water on the opposite shore and begins to run along it, making me sigh. I slowly wade back to my side of the water, watching as she disappears behind the boulders that line that mountain. At least I have her supplies, but now I don't have a weapon. Regardless, I can only hope that her injury will cause enough blood loss to take her out. For the time being, I have a new place to stay.

Tomas Fields (15)- D11M

I wait in the dark until I just can't any longer. The cave passageways underneath the mountains are confusing and extremely dark, except for every now and then when one of them opens to the outside world. But most of them open up to nothing but the cliff over the sea. Unless I'm going to jump off- which I did contemplate a couple of times- I have to go back the way I came.

The push comes when I'm sitting in one of the open caves, watching the sun go down. I know the faces of those that were killed today will be showing up in a few minutes, which will include Drew's. I try to hold back tears for the thousandth time today as I think about it. It's my fault that he died. I was just trying to give him some warmth and some light to see, since living in eternal blackness sounds terrifying. But now he'll never see anything again.

Sure enough, Panem's national anthem plays as the sky lights up with artificial glamour. Drew's face appears first, his unseeing eyes staring right at me on the earth. Following him is the girl from Seven, the one that joined the Careers. I don't even have it in me to be glad that she's dead. She wasn't the one that killed Drew.

I sit there for several more minutes after the lights and music fall away, leaving me in horrible silence. The moonlight on the water keeps me company, but that's it. I can't stay in here forever. I have to go back to where it all happened. Or I'll die in here, and living is the least I can do to honor Drew's memory.

I pick myself up and retrace my footsteps, hoping I'll be able to make it out of here eventually. I wouldn't put it past the Gamemakers to keep me in here forever until I go insane. But I do make it back to the beginning of the caves, looking out for the Careers every step of the way. It's unlikely they're still hanging around here, but I can't be too careful.

When I finally emerge into the moonlight, I sigh and feel the gentle breeze against my skin. But I don't allow myself too long of a rest; it's too open out here to stay in any one place, and I need to get my supplies back. I start on a light jog, trying to figure out where the boulder cluster is through the darkness. After about forty-five minutes or so, I'm suddenly upon it, even quicker than I imagined.

I try to keep a neutral face as I look for old hideout, one hand sliding against a rock at all times to keep me grounded. It isn't long before I find the remnants of the fire I made, the ground stained dark with Drew's blood. I swallow thickly and gather up my matches and grab my backpack. The Careers seem to have taken my sword, perhaps afraid another unarmed tribute would find it. But I still have my firemaking kit, the pot, the food, and the net.

I'm going to survive no matter what it takes.

I suddenly hear voices coming from somewhere close, and immediately drop to the ground. One sounds female and the other male, and they're coming from my right. I gently creep forward until I can hear them more clearly.

"...get to the beach and catch some food."

"You're telling me," the boy says, sounding upset. "You better not lose it this time."

"What a way to talk to the woman who decides whether you starve or not," she replies, but I can tell she's joking.

"Wait," the guys says lowly, and I cover my mouth to keep from breathing too loudly. I see two figures shift in the barely-there light of the moon, coming towards me.

"Who's there?" the girl asks quietly.

There's a short silence, then the guys says, "We won't hurt you."

I don't buy that in a second. I stay where I am and don't move, relieved when they finally start to walk away.

"Don't say that, Jason," the girl scolds, her voice getting softer the farther away they get. "We can't make promises we can't keep."

Hey guys! I know I keep saying this, but sorry for the wait. Life got in the way of my writing for a few days, but I hope this chapter is worth the wait. As always, please leave a review! I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts about the chapter :)

I hope you all have a great week!