Chapter 11:

Gabriella's POV:

I wake up in the morning and see that Lauren is asleep. I frown, as I realize that she never woke me up for my shift of watching.

I wake her up and we eat the last bit of the rabbits and berries. "We're going to have to get some more food today," I say.

We pack up and climb down the tree, alert for any tributes that might be nearby. No one shows up, so we head to the stream to get more water. "Alright," Lauren begins, "I'll hunt down some more rabbits and you can gather berries. But we'll stay within earshot, so if either of us is in trouble, the other will know. Just keep your weapon out and ready." I nod and walk in the opposite direction of Lauren.

After walking for a bit, I find a small clearing filled with berries. I start picking them and I hear a rustling coming from the woods behind me. "Oh good, you're here Lauren. You can help me pick all of these berries." I turn around with a smile on my face, expecting to see Lauren. I see a blonde girl standing there, but it's not Lauren.

Lauren' POV:

I am about to kill a rabbit when I hear a piercing scream. Oh no, I think. I start running towards the scream. "Gabriella!" I scream as I am almost at the clearing.

I burst through the trees and see Gabriella lying on the ground, clutching a large gash on her stomach that is bleeding profusely. Standing over her, is Sparkle, still holding the bloody sword, watching Gabriella bleed to death.

I throw my ax at her in a way that completely cuts off her head. Her cannon goes off and I run to Gabriella. I hold her in my arms as the tears flow freely. "No you can't die! Don't leave me by myself."

"Lauren," she says weakly. "Thank you. Thank you for everything these last few days." She shudders and then the cannon goes off. She's gone, gone for good now.

I stand up shakily and wipe my tears away. I have to be strong for Gabriella now. I grab her pack and her knives, knowing she would want me to have it. I grab the food from Sparkle's bag and the couple knives she had. I leave the sword, knowing I will have no use for it.

Once I have everything in my pack and the knives tucked in my belt, I get ready to leave the clearing. I walk to the edge of the forest and turn around to look at Gabriella one last time. "Goodbye," I whisper and walk into the forest.

I don't even care about the other tributes. Let them find me. I will take down every single one. I find a tree to sleep in, and I put the packs on a good branch. I start a fire beneath the tree to cook the rabbit I had killed before I heard Gabriella scream. I don't care if a tribute sees the fire, I'll kill them if they get near.

After the rabbit is cooked, I climb back up the tree to eat it. I sort through the packs, and put whatever is useful in my large one. I throw the other pack into the fire. No point in keeping it.

I lay in my sleeping bag, eating berries for the rest of the evening. Then the anthem is playing. First Sparkle is shown because she was from District 1. Then Gabriella is shown. One tear escapes from my eye. The Capitol seal is shown and the sky goes dark.

I start to fall asleep. Before I do, I promise myself that tomorrow I will go find Kendall. I don't want to have to go through a day of the games by myself.

Cress' POV:

It was only the morning of the sixth day, and already there were only ten left. Iris and I want to leave the Career pack, since we make up half of the remaining tributes.

"Brycen, I'm just suggesting that we split up now versus later," Iris is trying to get Brycen to see reason, but it's not going so well.

"No! You will stay in this pack until I say so!" I look at Iris and tell her with my eyes what I can't say out loud. There is no chance of reasoning with him. But we are still going to leave.

"Whatever, Brycen. Cress and I are leaving." Iris turned to start walking away and didn't see Brycen raise up his spear and thrust it into her stomach. I turned to run away while I can. I hear the cannon go off signaling Iris' death. I guess I am on my own now.

I ran onto the mountain, hoping Brycen wouldn't decide to pursue me at this moment.

Lauren's POV:

I was woken up by the sound of a cannon going off. Good, that means one less tribute. Maybe I'll be lucky and it was one of the Careers that was killed.

I eat some rabbit and berries. I jump down from the tree and land crouched down. I stand up slowly with an ax in hand and a determined look on my face. The Capitol will surely be showing me right now, wanting to know what I will do now since Gabriella was killed yesterday. I hope they think I am ready to kill anyone right now. I want them to want me to win.

I head into the forest to find Kendall. I walk all day with no signs of him. I guess you can't really find someone if they don't want to be found.

It was late evening, and I still haven't found him. I guess I'll just go in a tree for the night and continue my search for him tomorrow. I see a good willow tree about 50 yards away, and I decide that it will be my tree for the night. I get to about a tree away and I see Kendall and Angela sitting about 50 feet from the willow tree. Good, I think, now I don't have to find him in the morning.

I decide to show myself in the morning because I don't feel like showing myself right now. I crawl up in my tree quietly to not expose myself.

The anthem is playing again. Only Iris from 4 is shown. Good, one more Career down. I settle down into my sleeping back for the night. And tomorrow I'll finally be able to be allies with Kendall.