Eyes of the Insane by Slayer

A soldier's heart,
Reflecting back at me.
I keep seeing mutilated faces,
Even in my dreams.

Arena Day Two

Flint Calloway, 14, District Twelve

I'm not sure what I expected the arena to be like, but this certainly isn't it.

I mean, it's so... normal. I'm no stranger to nature, well I've never actually been in the forests beyond District Twelve but I've lived beside the fence all my life and I am used to falling asleep to the sounds of owls and coyotes.

Carina and Harlan were quick to get us working to set up a sort of campsite as soon as we were far enough away from the starting area to calm our nerves. I am still surprised at how much they knew about what we'd need. Harlan was the one that chose our campsite, choosing a place that was slightly elevated and away from the tallest trees in case of rain or lightning. Carina was the one to show Kyra and I how to layer large leaves to make a roof that would keep us dry.

Kyra and I both agreed that we were lucky to have them as we were trying to follow Carina's very specific directions about securing the roof. I know very little about what to do to survive in nature, and by the sounds of it Kyra is the same way. I'll admit I feel a bit left out with Harlan and Carina discussing the pros and cons of building a fire, but at least I have Kyra to talk to in order to pass the time.

"Does this look right?" Kyra asks, eyeing one particular part of the roof that Carina asked us to redo this morning. She said it was because the wind damaged it, but I think that was just a nice way of her saying that we messed up making it the first time.

I shrug. "It doesn't look any different?"

"Is it supposed to?" She says, raising an eyebrow.

I hold back a chuckle. "I have no idea."

She rolls her eyes but I can see the beginnings of a smile on her lips. "You are so very helpful, Flint."

"I try," I say, giving her my biggest grin.

She laughs and flops down on the ground beside the shelter. "I have no idea if it's right but I's just going to say that it is."

"We could call Carina over here to tell us for sure," I say, crouching down next to her. The ground is a bit wet from the morning dew, but luckily it hasn't gotten muddy. I dread the day that it rains in here, I've always hated rain unless I can spend the day inside, which obviously isn't possible considering there is no 'inside' here.

She slaps me on the arm and I bite my tongue to keep from letting her know how much it hurt. "Don't you dare."

I roll my eyes sarcastically. "If you insist."

She laughs and I find myself laughing too. I've liked being in the arena more than I thought I would, but I'm unsure if that's because it's better than being locked alone in that little room or if it's because of Kyra. She does have a way of making even the most menial of tasks that much more enjoyable. If she lived back in District Twelve, I can be certain in saying that everyone living there would be a lot less miserable than they are.

I don't even notice she is on her feet again until a few seconds later I am looking up at her. I jump to stand in front of her, giving her a questioning stare but saying nothing. One thing I've learned about Kyra is that she isn't one to keep her mouth shut. I usually don't have to ask for an explanation before she'll give one.

"Let's go exploring," she says, grabbing my hand and looking at me eagerly.

The feeling of her hand touching mine makes words difficult. "A-Are you like, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"It'll be fun, come on," she laughs. I don't think I can say anything else without sounding like a killjoy, so I let her pull me into the trees behind our shelter. Almost immediately it's like we're in a different world, any sign of people having ever been in this area gone completely.

I stare up at one of the trees, amazed by how tall it is. I feel a pull on my hand and see Kyra smiling at me with excitement in her eyes. "Come on, let's go!"

Still not sure if talking is going to happen with her hand touching mine, I just nod and follow her lead. For a while all we see are trees, bushes, and huge stones, but the sound of water fills my ears a few minutes into the journey.

I continue to follow her, so entranced by everything around us that I guess I don't stop when she does. It takes both her hands grabbing me by the shoulders to stop me from walking right off the edge and into the river that sits many feet below us.

"Wow." It's the only thing I can say as I stare down at the river. I've never seen so much water in my life, not in one place. Amazing is the only thing I word I can use to describe it. It's impossible to imagine its beauty unless you were staring straight down at it like Kyra and I.

"Wow," Kyra echoes, her hands not having moved from my shoulders. It feels like we're both stuck in time, just frozen and staring down at what could very well be the most beautiful place in Panem. There are no words to say, so we just stand in silence. Bayard warned me that the arena would be filled with fear and sadness, but he forgot to tell me about the beauty, or maybe he never knew.

August Overture, 17, District Ten

Even though I know that she would never use it for its intended use, the presence of the bow makes me uneasy. I can't help it. I'm used to seeing things like pitchforks and machetes, which I guess could be weapons as well but those never made me uncomfortable. I think the difference is that there is no other use for the bow. It is a weapon and that it all it is. I can't even pretend it's something else because, heck, why else would someone have a bow?

"What are we going to do today?" I ask. I don't like the silence, even though Eileen has already told me that it's best to stay quiet in case there are other tributes around that might hear. I just don't like it, my house is always so loud I don't think I will ever get used to silence.

She shushes me halfway through my thought and I lower my voice as I continue. "We have to be quiet, I saw something moving over there."

My eyes follow her hand but I don't see anything except trees, rocks, and more trees. I feel bad, Eileen is way better at all of this than I am. I haven't been able to help at all and it's definitely not that I don't want to help because I do. I hate feeling useless but that darn well how I feel.

I appreciate everything Eileen is able to do for me and I know I am very happy to have someone as lovely as her as my ally. She's kind, patient, and just plain nice to be around. I don't know if I could handle having someone who was as serious about this as some of the others seem to be. I know it's serious even if I don't act like it.

I just don't like to act like it. It's much easier to just go on my merry way than to spend time thinking about all this craziness. I never did think about death and I'm happy to keep it that way. I'm forever grateful that Eileen has respected that. Even if she does keep telling me to lower my voice.

"I don't see anything." Once again my voice is cut up by her insistence of my silence. I frown but decide to try and do what she says. I'm not exactly contributing much to this alliance so I guess the least I can do is do what she says. I'm not really used to taking direction from people since I'm the man of the house now. I don't mind following Eileen, though.

After a few minutes, or maybe seconds I'm not really sure, I hear a low buzzing sound that makes my heart race. I know the sound but I can't for the life of me think of what is making it. The racing in my heart is impossible to ignore, and I tap on Eileen's shoulder to get her attention quietly. She turns around and gives me a questioning stare.

"Do you hear that?" I say as quietly as I can.

She leans in close to my face. "What?"

I swallow thickly and raise my voice a little bit, but the buzzing is too loud for her to even know that I tried to repeat myself.

"What the hell is that?" All thoughts of being quiet seem to have left her mind as she calls out at me over the noise that seems to be getting closer and closer. Both of us are already on our feet but unsure where the sound is coming from and unsure where to go to get away from it.

Suddenly a word pops into my mind and I don't even try to stop myself before yelling it out. "Wasps!"

I'm not sure if Eileen knows what that means, but I don't have much time to ask. It's like all of a sudden the air turns black, except it's not air it's insects. I hear Eileen scream but I don't even see her through the cloud of bugs. The only thing I can remember was my mother telling me to stand still and they'd leave me alone.

I tense all of my muscles, but within seconds I can feel tears coming to my eyes as their stingers pierce into my body. I can't stand it any longer. I can't see anything around me except black, vibrating bugs but I take off running anyway. In what direction I really couldn't tell you.

I hear another scream and I turn myself to head in that direction. It doesn't take longer before I feel rocks under my feet and then water soon after. I don't even stop to consider how deep the water might be or how far I could be falling before I flop myself down into the water.

The buzzing stops immediately as my ears fall beneath the surface of the water. I close my eyes as my entire body becomes immersed in the river. The water isn't nearly as deep as I had hoped, but it's deep enough to cover me and that'll all I need. I feel no more stings and the ones that I did receive feel so much better in the cold river.

When I can't hold my breath any longer, I pull my head up and gasp in as much air as my lungs can hold. I wipe the water from my eyelids and look around, thankful when I finally spot Eileen also laying flat in the river. When she too comes up for air I can't help but laugh. Her face is completely covered by blonde hair and her face is as red as a tulip.

"Eileen!" I yell over. She looks up at me, startled, for a second before putting her finger to her lips. In that moment I am pretty sure she wasn't hurt bad, which is a huge relief. I get up and shake the excess water from my clothes before stepping over to where she is a few metres away. It's a lot more difficult to walk in soaking wet clothes, but I guess we'll have to get used to it for a little while. I find it hard to believe that there'd be any clotheslines in the forest after all.

Dallas Audrinne, 17, District Five

I don't think I could feel any worse even if it would have been me there to see her last breath.

Ever since I saw her image in the sky last night I can't help think of the what ifs. What if I wouldn't have turned her away so soon? What if I would have went with her? What if, what if, what if? I can't help but thinking it's my fault. I know I shouldn't get eaten up about it, because there is nothing I can do about it now, but I know it was my fault and that is a difficult pill to swallow.

I wish I never would have run into her. She was never in my plans and I feel horrible that that meant that she ended up as another face in the sky. I didn't dislike Merryn one bit, but she was just another thing that Warren pushed on me and I wanted nothing to do with her.

I feel like a horrible person. Maybe I am one. Someone is dead because of me. That's not a feeling I think I will be able to shake very easily.

If I sit here for another second I don't think I'll ever be able to get out of this sinking hole of self-pity. I force myself up on my feet, all my muscles crying out in protest at the sudden movement after being still for so long. I rub the side of my neck to get the kinks out, but it doesn't help to make me feel any more ready for this.

I will not allow myself one more minute of this mindset. Not one more minute. Merryn is gone and no amount of bad feelings is going to change that. I'm not going to give up because I made one mistake that I could have never predicted would end in the way it did. I can feel bad all I want when I'm back home in District Five.

Every step feels a bit better as I continue walking. I don't exactly know where I'm going but I guess it doesn't really matter. With my knife locked in one hand and the other hanging onto the loose strap of my backpack, I walk past an impossible number of bushes and trees. I didn't think it was possible to have so many in one place, and for them to be so tall either.

District Five doesn't have a lot of wildlife. What few trees we have still standing are no bigger than a small branch on one of these monsters. I'm surprised at how peaceful they look looming over me, it almost makes me forget about the fear that one of them could fall down and crush me at any second.

The trees suddenly begin thinning out and I consider turning back, but figure there is no real harm in going a bit further. Merryn finding me in this place must have been some sort of fluke, it's gigantic. I think the odds of me running into anyone are low enough to risk it.

I go further, suddenly faced with a slight incline which I easily make it over. Before I even have the chance to catch my breath I notice the thing. Calling it a building would be a huge overstatement, but I don't really have a word for what it is now. I think at some point it must have been a building, but it looks like some real strong winds or maybe a hurricane made quick work of its stability.

It's not even a question that I'm going to get a closer look. I look around quickly to make sure there is no one else around, and of course there isn't. Then I quickly close the distance between me and the building and sneak in through one of the half-torn walls.

It's massive, whatever it used to be it must have been something important. The color of the bricks reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on it and dismiss it as something I probably saw in one of the factories in Five.

There isn't much furniture in it, well not much that is still standing anyways. I see what was probably once a desk, except it's been cut right in half by a fallen light fixture. There are a few scattered chairs, even one that looks like it might still be able to work.

Now that I'm inside, I am less eager to trust the ceiling to hold up for me and decide that it's probably best if I keep my tour of the place short. There is a wall on the far side, and upon further inspection I see that it separates another, much smaller, room that looks almost perfectly intact.

It's weird to see. Whereas the other areas of the building have scattered papers, books, and debris this room seems like it's been frozen in a time before the rest of the place was destroyed. There is still a mug sitting on top of the desk as if waiting for its owner to come back and have a cup of coffee.

I decide this is where I stop. This room doesn't give me a good feeling, and I'd rather not ignore my gut. It's been able to keep me safe so far and I trust my instincts more than my curiosity. I slip back through the wall as quickly as I had entered and retreat back into the forest, but the creepy feeling the room gave me follows me all the way.

Danican Tobin, 16, District Three

"Come on Jonah," Adriel sighs. "If there was another way I could see I wouldn't ask you to do this, but we both know what we're here for."

"I've already told you, no," Jonah says softly.

This conversation seems to be the only one we are able to have since we met up yesterday night. After the initial sighting, Jonah and I reconnected easily since I pointed towards a spot where we could meet as the countdown was still going down. Adriel wouldn't even look at me during that time so I couldn't let him in on the plan.

Luckily we were able to find him not too far from where we had begun, huddled and breathless in a bush that wasn't much camouflage at all. I was just happy to see him, but he wouldn't look at either of us for a long time and his face remained a dark shade of red at least until the sun went down. Both Jonah and I had a backpack with supplies and Jonah even went into the thick of the fighting to swipe some of the technical supplies we had tinkered with in training. Adriel didn't have anything, but he wouldn't give us a reason why.

Adriel goes right up to Jonah's face, leaning over where he sits on the ground. "What else do you want us to do. People are already dead and we could be next, but you won't even make an attempt to save us. Your allies, and yourself. That's simple stupidity if you ask me."

"It's not right," Jonah says, closing his eyes. "I won't do it."

He gets up and pushes Adriel by the shoulders to get him away from him. As he's walking away, Adriel calls out after him. "Don't be an idiot, Jonah! I know what I'm talking about and you know it too!"

Jonah doesn't say anything and disappears behind the trees a few seconds later. I consider if we should go after him because it really doesn't seem like a good idea for him to be walking around the arena all alone. Then again, he also doesn't look like he wants the company. I guess I'll just have to wait and hope he comes back soon.

"Can you believe him?" Adriel says, waving his hand over to the spot where Jonah disappeared. "All of us know that my plan will work, why won't he listen?"

I'm scared to say anything but the longer he looks at me the more I know he is expecting an answer. "His heart's too good to hurt anyone I think."

Adriel sighs loudly. "He's going to get us all killed."

"I don't know about that," I begin but he cuts me off midsentence.

"He's being selfish. We need him, we need the supplies he has but he's guarding them even from his own allies. If he's not going to do what it takes to put us all ahead then someone else is going to do it. The choice is damn clear if he would just open his eyes."

I nod, not really sure what to say. I mean, I can understand both of their arguments really. Adriel's plan is well thought out and seems like it could really work. Not to mention that other tributes have already died, like this whole thing isn't a joke and the three of us really could be next.

Then again, Jonah is right that the plan is cruel. Every piece of my heart screams out that it's just plain wrong. If everything works out in Adriel's plan, a lot of people are going to get hurt. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm glad it's not my decision to make, I'm not the one with the supplies we need.

"You need to talk to him," Adriel says. My head snaps up to face him, the surprise probably evident in my expression. "You two were together before I came along, you've got a stronger pull on him. If he sees that you're on board maybe it will sway him."

"What am I supposed to say?" I ask. "I'm not sure I can do much to convince him, he seems pretty set on his morals."

"Try," he says flatly. He leans down in front of me a second later, his face a lot softer. "I'm sorry, I don't know what else to do. I want us all to be safe, that's all I want."

I nod and stand up to find Jonah. I'm not really sure what I'm going to say, but I think Adriel is right. Alaire did say that this was not the place to be emotional, and the only argument for Jonah's side is morality which I think ties into being emotional. Even if I don't like it, maybe it's just something we're going to have to do to ensure our safety.

"Jonah?" I whisper, fairly sure that he won't be close enough to hear me but certain that it's also not a good idea to yell his name.

"Dan?" I am surprised when I hear his reply, but I see him sitting only a few feet away from me. His knees are pulled up to his chest and he looks more frail than I could have thought possible. I step carefully over to where he is and sit down next to him.

"I know Adriel sent you and I don't want to hear it," he says quietly.

"Jonah I think this is right," I say, ignoring his comment. "I mean it doesn't feel right but I think it is right."

"If it doesn't feel right it isn't right," he replies. "I won't do it, Dan. I've seen what these bombs can do to people. I shouldn't have even showed you I knew how to work them."

"This isn't like the war," I whisper. Even though I was never exposed to the thick of the fighting and bombing, I am still all too familiar with the sounds of explosions.

"Isn't it?" He shrugs. "It's us against them and both sides want blood. Seems a lot like a war to me."

No Deaths.

Song: Eyes of the Insane by Slayer

A/N: This update is way later than I thought it would be, and I apologize for that but I just got a bit busy. I am now in my exam period so I have no idea when updates will be coming really. Hopefully I can still keep good time in getting through these but who really knows at this point.

No deaths, these chapters are always the most painful to write but I thought it was necessary to provide a check in before some of my plots begin to unfold. Hope y'all don't mind.

Reviews are always appreciated and I'll leave some questions down below to help get you started.

Who do you predict will die next chapter?

What do you think will come of the ruins (of course something will, if you hadn't already guessed)?

That is pretty much it. This chapter was kind of boring but I can promise you that won't continue. In fact, we have a triple death chapter coming up next which is always fun ;).

PS: Anyone that hasn't already, The War Game closes on Wednesday April 9th! It's a collaboration story between JabberJayHeart and I, and it would be much appreciated if you would check it out!