Alexis Telle, 17, District Two Female

She looks up at the sky, yawning slightly as she watches the sun beam down on the plains. The rest of the alliance is seated on the ground next to her, idly talking or occupying themselves as they wait for some sort of signal to spur them into action. They haven't done much since the supplies were blown up, just sit around and wait. Always wait.

Adira had blown up after the supplies had been blown up, throwing her ax repeatedly into the soft metal of the cornucopia. But Alexis and Joel had found supplies hidden among the chaos of the remains, scavenging several weapons and food to supply them for the next few days. And with her backpack of water, they'd be able to survive for the next few days. Hopefully, that was all they'd need to end the Games. The Hunger Games had never lasted more than three days, and on Day Two, still thirteen tributes were left. It looked like they were all in for the long haul.

The night had been long. Alexis had spent half of it searching for a good place to sleep, finally finding one big enough for the four of them in a small gully close to the cornucopia. And then they had all fell asleep on the hard ground, sleepily curling up to one another before they realized what they were doing and jerking away. It had been a wretched night, combined with sleepless moments and throbbing pains in her back. She's still convinced that a rock got embedded into the back of her neck, even if her search for said rock only found sore skin. It aches worse than anything she's ever felt. If the sponsors have any kindness, they'd send her a sleeping bag. After all, they sent Adira a parachute. Who's to say they won't do the same for Alexis?

Adira feels the light fabric of the parachute that she had received, twirling the silver box around her head. It had only been a few hours since the parachute had drifted down from the bright, blue sky, - like a bird, said Grace. Like hope, said Joel. - bringing food and a crystal vial of what was supposed to be medicine for fevers or colds. Adira had promptly stored it in her backpack, promising the others that it would go to good use if any of them got sick. They all knew what she really meant - that it was for Adira, and Adira's use alone. If they wanted anything, they'd have to wait for a parachute or find some in the mess that was the cornucopia. Even as allies, Adira wasn't wasting what little she had on any of them.

Joel stands up and stretches, watching the endless plains with a bored gaze. "Have you guys even seen anything?"

"Nope," Alexis answers, and the other girls say the same. Joel nods with what she fancies to be a small smile hovering on the edge of his face and grabs his knife.

"I'm going to go patrol around here and see if there's any way we can get into the hotel. Anyone want to come with me?"

Alexis nods and stands up, and Adira and Grace stand up as well. Adira steps in front of the alliance, her hair flowing in the small breeze. "We'll look to the east while you guys do that."

The two nod and walk to the hotel, Alexis drawing her sword and holding it at her side as she walks alongside Joel. He's holding his knife at his side as well, a worried line crossing his face. She smiles and turns to him, taking care to not trip on the melted containers scattered around them. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Joel looks out into the distance, not focusing on the hotel. "It's my fifteenth birthday in two days. Hoping to make it there, y'know?"

Alexis nods, patting him on the back and continuing to walk. "So we'll have to celebrate. What kind of cake would you like from me?"

Joel cracks up, pointing up at the sky as he continues to walk. "That's the only place we'll manage to get carrot cake, Alexis. I don't think there's going to be a carrot cake manifesting in the arena right in front of us, let alone a carrot. I don't think you can grow anything other than weeds in this soil. It's almost rock, it's so bad!"

She snickers, trying the first door. "Guess it's locked, farmboy."

Joel jiggles it as well, moving the handle back and forth before giving up entirely. "Hopefully one of the others will be open. I don't think that Adira will be able to handle not killing another tribute today."

Alexis cracks up as they walk to the next door, Joel trying to open it before giving up. "Maybe the next one will work this time. You know, Adira's just going to break down the door eventually."

"But if there's a security system?" Joel asks, walking quickly around the corner of the building and towards the next door. "It could kill her - or one of us. I'd rather just walk in an open door. There's bound to be one around here sometime. Anyone in there will end up getting cabin fever soon enough."

Alexis nods, trying the next door halfheartedly. That's why it's such a surprise when it clicks open.

The two stare at each other, not daring to speak in case it closes again. Joel quickly enters the building with Alexis, and they shout for joy as the door closes. They've made it into the hotel.

"You think that we should go back and tell Adira?" asks Joel, looking nervously up the stairs. "I don't think she'd be pleased to find out that we're just wandering around the hotel aimlessly."

"Have a little spirit, Joel!" snaps Alexis. "Look, we've made it this far. We might as well look around the second floor. Don't you want to come back proudly with a kill or something?"

"I want to come back with my life."

The two are silent as they make their way up the stairs.

Alexis is the one to open the door, looking through the hallway and watching the curtains at the windows move around. "It's great in here! Why didn't we go in here in the first place?"

"I don't like it," Joel says nervously. "There's someone here. I know there is."

"Don't be an idiot." She moves towards the first door, opening it and looking inside. "Looks nice in here. If we find the others, we could sleep here for the night."

"And get killed because of it," mutters Joel.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

A cannon suddenly booms outside, and the two jump in the air. It rings throughout the arena, bringing a chilling feeling into the hotel. Someone's dead. Eleven to go.

Alexis is the first to react, grabbing her sword instinctively and looking down the hallway to the wide window at the end of it. "Should we look and see if we can spot the body?"

Joel shrugs, walking down with Alexis towards the window. He flings open the curtain and - wham!

A teenage boy jumps out from the curtain and attacks Joel, stabbing him with a tiny needle in the neck and punching him in the face. Alexis roars and charges towards the boy, flinging her sword and catching him in the leg. He screams, jumping away from her and running down the hall. She makes a feeble attempt at chasing after him before he disappears into the stairwell, then turns back to Joel. He's gasping on the floor, reaching for his knife and holding his neck. "I-I can't breathe!"

She hauls him up and feels the spot where he was stabbed, looking at the blood pooling out from the stab wound. It's a thin trickle, slowly dripping down his neck, onto her fingers, and down Joel's shirt. "Are you okay? Are you going to be okay? Joel! Joel!"

Joel gasps for breath, looking up at the ceiling. "I can't see. I think - I think it's - it's poisoned."

"No!" she screams, feeling around her body for something, anything she can use to help him. She finds a canteen of water in her backpack and pours it on the wound, clenching two of her fingers next to it. "You're going to be alright, farmboy. Stay with me. Stay with me."

Joel laughs hoarsely before letting out a dry sob, his chest heaving for air. "I'm not going to make it. I love you, Mom. I miss you, Dad. I'm sorry I didn't make it to - to fifteen."

She keeps pressing the wound even after Joel goes limp, periodically pouring water on it and feeling for his pulse. It's only when his cannon booms she gives up, slashing the wall in anger and pummeling it with her bloodied fists.

She walks down the stairs with tears in her eyes, trying to wipe them away as she makes her way back down the stairwell. Joel's gone. He's gone, just like Roman. He never had a chance. Poor Roman. She misses him. She misses him so damn much and the Capitol took him away from her, just like her parents and everything she touches!

She punches the wall again, roaring in fury as she smashes one of the chandeliers. It takes the feeling of blood dripping down her cheek from the shattered crystal to snap her out of her fury, and she calms down.

But as she walks out of the door, she sees a parachute floating down towards her.

She opens it quickly and cries when she sees the beautiful carrot cake, frosted up and ready to be sliced for Joel. But it was addressed to Two, not Ten.

She opens the note next to the cake quickly, scanning the few lines.

Stay strong. You can get over this. Let it strengthen you, even if you feel like death will only push you down. I know what you can do, Alexis.

Clay.

She lets out a sob before shaking her head firmly, getting back up to her feet and looking at the cornucopia. She'll take this back to the others and tell them about his death, and they can regroup together. They can overcome this. They can. After all, there are only eleven tributes left.

She soon spots Adira running toward her, the ax that she perpetually carries splattered with blood. Her outfit is looking worse for wear as well, with several slashes and what seems to be a stab wound dotting it. Adira gasps as she gets back to Alexis, pointing back at the plains. "Grace betrayed me. She's gone now."

Alexis widens her eyes, surprised that the wisecracking Grace had betrayed them. But she accepts Adira's explanation and points towards the hotel. "Some kid killed Joel. I guess it's only us left."

Adira narrows her eyes, looking up at the hotel. "Which floor was it?"

Alexis stutters, looking back up at the hotel. "Why does i-it mat-matter? It's just a death?"

"Which floor was it, Alexis?"

"Second floor," she replies, looking up at the hotel. The third and fourth floors are still flashing green, while the second, fifth and first still sport their red colours.

Adira grins, pointing at the lights. "When you were on the second floor, the lights there turned green. Do you know what that means?"

Alexis opens her mouth in realization, an understanding washing over her. "It means that-"

"It means that it flashes green for which floors have tributes in them," finishes a triumphant Adira, her eyes flashing. "And we're going to kill those tributes."

Another chapter! And two big deaths as well, leaving the pride at only two! What did you think of the deaths and this new development with the lights? Did anyone catch on?

13th: Grace Oceanus, District Four Female, killed by Adira Hemlock.

12th: Joel Fletcher, District Ten Male, killed by District Five Male.

Joel - you were one of my favourite characters from the beginning. You were my own, and your worried yet hopeful nature was fun to write. I enjoyed your dynamic with the pride, and your relationship with Alexis helped her to reconcile a bit more over her brother's death. Rest peacefully.

And now we're in the top eleven! Hope that this chapter was sufficiently exciting for you, and may the rest of the chapters be even more fun ;)) We're onto another loner this time, so that means it's Emmett's turn to grace the story! Who thinks he'll die? Let me know!

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Hope that you guys are enjoying the story! We're getting closer to the final eight, and if I work hard at it, we could potentially get a victor by September! I like that idea ;))) Until next time, TheAmazingJAJ