My dearest followers,

I must now tell you saddening news about this story:

There are only two chapters left!

HOWEVER! I did forget to post an earlier chapter (it shoud now be chapter six) previously, so tonight is like a 2 for 1 deal! I love all of you who are supporting and sticking with this story!

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Chapter 18: Day 11, Hide and Seek

We kept our camp small, only wearing our warmer gear over our wetsuits and making a small fire in the nook we hid in. The sun was down and the only face that night was Pann's. Grey and Coal seemed to have formed a friendship throughout these few days, and he comforted her through losing Pann. She had known him from her school, actually having spoken to him quite a bit from her classes. Willow kept close to me, I let her huddle when it became cooler. It didn't seem as cold as the rest of the island, but that may have been from the thermal activity happening under our feet.

"I'm sorry I didn't help you before." she shivered next to me. "All I did was stand there and watch. I could've thrown something or got in there and distracted the boy on you-"

"You stayed away because I told you to. You listened and you lived. That isnt something to be sorry about."

"Is your head okay?"

"I think so, it stopped bleeding about an hour ago when it got colder, so hopefully the cold will keep it closed." My smile kept her thinking everything was okay, but in truth it wasn't.

Grey told me I might have gotten a concussion from falling, but there weren't any clear signs he could tell at that moment.

I'd only had a concussion once before after swimming in deep water the first time. My father had taken us surfing in the deeper waters for fun one weekend, and my mother didn't let me go out until our last day. All I remembered from the incident was falling from my board off an average wave, rolling in the surf current, and then waking up to my dad over me, panicked and breathing heavy. I tasted salt and water in my mouth before they hoisted me into the car and to the hospital, with no idea of what my injuries could contain.

Those next coupled of hours were some of the worst I had felt in my life. I was exhausted and wanted to sleep, but they kept waking me up, telling me I couldn't for however long. It was still protocol for my head injury so they knew I wouldn't go into a coma, something like that. But because of my mother's past injury and memory loss, my father kept me in a few extra days incase I forgot anything, even after the doctor had said it was only a minor concussion. He was still fearful the same thing would happen to me.

"Why dont we just rest for a few minutes, so everyone can catch some sleep before we head into the forest again." Grey suggested to all of us. We had snugged down where we sat currently, putting our fire out and hiding in the shadows of the rocks. Just because I had killed before, doesn't mean I wasn't terrified every moment i was in these games. I was still human and still found the faults of my own, and in these situations one would find their weaknesses.

I only hoped at that moment the gamemakers hadn't shown me falling. I had to be stronger than people thought and had to outsmart even Snow into thinking I was. Finnick would be proud of me knowing that I stayed strong even when I was weak. I needed to make him proud, I needed to make him know I was a strong tribute.

When I died I wanted him to know nothing held him from refusing the Capitol's punishment. If i died he would be free...

My eyes opened, and I noticed I had fallen asleep from exhaustion as did the others around me. Coal lent on Grey's shoulder as he slept against one rock, and Willow was next to me on her side. What I couldn't figure out Was why we were all so warm? I remembered the volcano, but it wasn't due to erupt or it already had. The sun was beginning to rise and yet I felt a sort of heat around our camp. My eyes began to clear and I saw what it was. Ten feet from where we lay was a river of the molten rock. Heading towards us!

"Lava! Wake up!" I shouted jumping to my own surprise at the sound of my voice. Coal and Grey jumped as well and Willow merely looked up to see the glowing rock heading towards us. We were all situated in a small crevice on the rocky terrain, and it didn't help that further down hill the sides only got taller to climb. We had to climb out now and get to higher earth.

"Willow go!" I motioned her to climb first. helping her with her foot holds she made it up one side, Coal followed, but because the lava approached us further, Grey and I were forced to climb the opposite side for ease. We'd have them jump across when the time was right, and make it into the forest edge. Grey lifted me up and followed my lead as we made it to the flattened top. I turned to see the two girls to tell them to jump, but saw four people instead. Willow screamed.

Diamonde and Lockwood were still there. They had caught up to us, and because of an explosion, all of us were shaken down, the earth trembling beneath us all. From our viewpoint, the edge where the girls were was a few feet higher and about seven feet from ours, not allowing us to jump to their aid.

"You're dead!" Diamonde hissed through her teeth, her lip shown dried blood from Grey's kick those few hours ago. Lockwood was limping, but still alive as he skirted around Coal, her arrow pointed at his face.

The opposite ledge was our feet higher than the level we stood. So even if we jumped across, there was a high chance of falling and burning. Grey and I could only watch as they were given no mercy in this fight.

Diamonde threw herself at Willow, who had nothing but her dagger and ropes to defend herself. Coal kept steady when Lockwood coaxed her with vulgar chants and taunts.

"You gonna hit me? Huh? Can you even hit me, pretty girl?" He spoke. Coal studied his leg and saw the weakness, she faked to his left, then going right. He couldn't keep up and pushed off his injured leg, sending another growl of painful anger out of his throat.

She knocked into Diamonde who Willow had kicked off. Coal landed on top of the curly haired girl, pushing her own against her neck. Willow was stuck with Lockwood. He was about to jump on her, cat calling her like he would a small dog."Come here little one, come on-come on-come on..."

"Whats wrong with your leg? Did you hurt it?" she stumbled her words, trying to be intimidating, only to fail over her hiccups.

"No. It was cut by that Bitch over there-" he pointed at me, but his hand soon whipped in the other direction as I saw an arrow pointing out of it. Coal jumped off Di, who she left almost unconscious, and shot another into his other arm that reached for Willow. Finishing him, Willow pushed him over the edge and into the river of glowing rock below. His scream would never leave my memory, I knew that, as he slowly was engulfed by the flames.

The cannon sounded, and Diamonde's rage grew. She threw Coal back from aiming, twisting the younger girls leg, and then ran towards Willow. In seconds, she landed on the child choking a gasp. All Willow had done was hold her dagger in front of her when Di charged. It was cleanly cut into her stomach, leaving both girls shocked at what happened.

I was proud Willow was able to defend herself like that, but after she had pushed Lockwood, I didn't know if she would have been able to. Coal was fighting well, and keeping Willow safe, I knew she wasn't just after saving herself.

Diamonde backed up from her, still holding the knife where it stuck in her abdomen. Red surrounded and grew in size around the wound. I'm sure Diamondes face held shock in it from being bested by a weaker district tribute, but I never saw it before coal shot an arrow in her. Meaning to be a headshot, it wavered and hit her throat. Willow was sprayed in her blood when it pierced, and Diamonde fell, her cannon following shortly.

"COAL! WILLOW! YOU HAVE TO JUMP!" I shouted to them over the roaring explosions the island shook with the two girls searched for a better way. They talked a second longer before holding hands, deciding to jump across together. Willow was scared no doubt as Coal ensured she kept a firm hold on her hand. Grey and I readied to catch them from falling back or slipping.

"One, two... three!" Coal counted before they ran towards the edge, jumping together they sailed across the lava below, and landed firmly in Grey's and my arms: Willow in mine and Coal in Grey's. She had hit her shin on the lip of the rock, but Grey helped steady her to run from the second wave headed towards us once again.

This night would be spent in the safety of the forest's edge, away from any earthquakes or bare land. The chance of being victor was down to us four, Zyre, Solar, and Ginger: Seven tributes left. By now they would interview our families on what they thought would happen and to earn more sponsors for us by telling stories or sharing memories. Against the others, we were pretty even. However If any of us were injured, we were in the fight of our lives.

My legs were burning and cramping from the running and quick climbing. My arms refused to feel anything but the wobbling pain and aching. I kept almost dropping my trident from my hands, a simple thing to hold, but not for how I was feeling. My head was pounding again, and everything seemed to moved twice around me. If I was feeling like this, being physically fit for endurance and energy spurting since ten years old, I couldn't imagine how Will and Coal must have felt.

Fortunately for all of us it rained that night, providing us with more fresh water and als a way to cleanse ourselves of the dirt and blood we shed during that fight. I laughed looking up at the sky, the wetness covering my face and falling into my hair as well. it was nice and cool. The only relaxing moment I'd had on the island so far.

Again, only two more after this. I'm dreading just thining about finally finishing this story... :(

Don't forget to go back and read the extra chapter I posted. It may start to clear things up slighty!

-Miche