Everything feels like its falling apart, even I feel like I'm falling. My torturous night in the tree proved to be a bad idea. I am sprawled on the ground trying my best no to scream from the exploding pain in my ribs. I lost count of how many branches I hit on my way out of the tree, but I'm sure it was enough to seriously damage my ribs.

I just want to lay here and wait for someone to finish me off. Who am I kidding now I can't even hold up my bow without pain. I'll be an easy kill now. I can almost hear Haymitch, Move. Move now. Its pre-dawn, and the dew covered forest is eerily quiet and calm. I stand up, sweat pouring from my face. I rummage in my back pack looking for what new things I took from Evangeline. I find a first aid kit with a measly small pack pain pills. No doubt they are some simple drug for headaches or minor things, what I need is morphling and I won't get that here. I take them hoping if anything they will take the edge off. I've gained a plastic tarp, flashlight, and dried fruit.

I've started walking not sure what I am in search of maybe another person, or an animal for food. I must have been walking for an hour before I notice the sky has never brightened. I glance up and see the black roiling sky. It is scary and unnatural, this has to be something the gamemakers created. I quicken my pack to find a substantial shelter which will be hard to find in the prairie I've been crossing for a while now. I perch on a rock to give me a chance to see over the grass. I spot a rocky hill in the west and hasten to reach it before whatever the sky is about to produce. I've been moving quicker for nearly 10 minutes before terror strikes. Lightning and hail is pouring from the sky a mile behind me and moving fast. The grass is almost flattened with the wind and I am completely exposed. I have to run as I try my chest explodes in blinding pain but I can't stop. I am more afraid of the watermelon sized hail and deadly lightning. I hear 2 distinct cannon blasts. I find the source of the deaths, the forest I had just spent the night in is set ablaze by lightning. Others must have been hiding there too. I am so close to the hill and I can see the monstrous rocks covering it. There are not many places to hide, the only one big enough for myself is almost in my reach. Out of nowhere a boy sprints into view heading for my spot. He has seen me and brandishes throwing knives. He holds the advantage being higher up on the hill than I am. I am not about to give up now as one of his knives flies past my head. I drop down behind a rock and draw my bow. It hurts like hell before I can even draw the full length. I have to make this quick, I have no stamina to hold the bow and I've started to tremble. I will be a terrible shot the longer I try to keep this up. I jump up and focus on him. He hasn't moved, he's poised to throw his knife again. He releases the knife but he is too slow, my arrow slices his neck open. I'm disappointed that I didn't hit his chest, now I will have to wait until the hover craft claims him. Time is not on my side, the lightning and hail are dangerously close. The heavens have opened up and a steady rain has commenced. I wait and wait for his cannon but now I probably won't hear it over the elements.

Over my head soars in the hover craft and carries his body away. I waste no time moving in for the rocky cave that extends into the hill. I clamber inside just as a bolt of lightning strikes. It electrifies the air around me, making my hair stand on end. I'm safe now, I tell myself. I take a moment to address the stinging pain across my stomach. I unzip my jacket and find blood blossoming from a long cut across my belly. Its not deep, but it is bleeding. I have no recollection of being cut by his knife, but I guess all that matters is that I'm still alive.I find the first aid kit and wrap layers of gauze around my stomach after wiping it with water and an ointment. I marvel that besides my hair and boots I am dry. I touch the knit material of the pants and wonder how they could be waterproof when they feel like thick tights.

I perch myself at the entrance of the cave and watch the lighting storm destroy the arena. It lasts for hours, and I strain my ears to hear another cannon. I wouldn't be that lucky I know that the gamemakers will make me sweat it out. That night the faces of the 3 dead are broadcast, it has set in now that 2 of us are left. There is no knowing what will happen, all I know is that I can wait for now but eventually I will be drive out for the showdown. I've deducted that there were 5 boys and 5 girls. I have also learned that as each person is displayed in the sky the word "Capitol" or "Criminal" accompanies it. These new games are for the children of the capitol and criminals. There are also 5 criminals, and 5 capitol children. I am left to battle a boy from the capitol.

A whole day passes, and the next morning as I predicted I am driven out of my cave. It is blistering hot outside and I have long since been out of water. My gauze is gone, I wear the last remnants now. I'm sure I have an infection in my wound and the broken ribs have settled into a constant searing pain. I'm battered, worse than I have ever been in the other games. I strip off my jacket and tie it around my waist. Even the thin shirt I am wearing is too much. The gamemakers are driving us toward water. What's left of the prairie is a scorched wasteland. I am so exposed and there is nothing I can do about it. The insane heat adds to the unbearable pain in my ribs. I stumble and fall to the ground. The intense jarring provokes a mangled scream that I am to slow to try and muffle. I've given myself away for sure, it will only be a matter of time before I am found. I've been here 4 days, or at least I think so. I have no will to move anymore, the ash and dirt on the ground have coated my clammy body. I stare at the grey, blacks, and browns mixed on my skin. I think of Peeta and how he would have painted on our skin to hide us. I wish I could have kissed his lips on more times and snuggled into his strong arms.

Before my eyes I see Peeta and myself in 12, happy and in love. I watch us dance in the meadow stealing kisses and laughs. The scene changes and I see us in the bakery. Peeta's strong arms over mine showing me how to knead the dough. He kisses me and my doughy hands sneakily run through his hair. He smiles and tosses a hand full of flour at me. We are consumed with laughter and covered in baking products.

I open my eyes and find I'm not where I want to be, I am still collapsed in the dust. How long have I been like this. I stagger to my feet and set my sights on the forest of pines that is smoldering in the heat. My heart aches now with the pain of knowing what I just made up in my head is not real.

I stumble into the edge of the forest and seek shade under a pine tree that's managed to hold on to some of its plumage. The shade gives me temporary shelter and a chance to clear my hazy mind. I am hallucinating visions of Peeta and myself. I need to find water and get out of here. One more night in this wretched place will be the end of me. I dig out my pack of dried fruit and slowly eat, plotting my next move. I left my back pack in the cave, intent on this being the end. I have a knife tied to my boot, my empty canteen slung over my shoulder with my quiver and my bow in my hand. I rest for an hour, and build up the strength to move on to the stream I saw my first day.

Two hours I have spent skirting the edge of the forest and the prairie. I want to keep all of it in my view, so I can see my opponent coming or if I'm lucky sneak up on him. I figure my time hallucinating gave him the upper hand. Its way past midday by the time I finally hear the trickling water. I push through the brush and sprint to the water. I splash it on my face and body. I repeat this several times as it soothes the angry red patches of sunburn on my face and arms. I relish in the cool water, but something shakes me from my reverie. Just behind me I hear a loud snap. I spring back and reach for my bow, but find it snapped in half. I am on my feet and facing my opponent, my knife held dangerously in front of me.

"What's a poor broken bird to do without her bow?" He mocks me, "Lover boy can't save you now."

I observe him closely; he is hunched forward, holding his stomach as if it pains him. He looks pale and clammy, maybe a fever? I can't see any visible wounds on his body.

He notices me looking at him, "Poison. The water is full of it. What do ya say we give them a show, as neither of us are going to be standing for much longer."

So he is dying of poison, and all I can think of now is if I licked my lips after I splashed my face. If I am dying, might as well give them the show of a lifetime. I lunge for him and take a great swing with the knife. He dives away but I manage to slice his thigh. I rip off my canteen and quiver as they are useless and holding me back now. He is up and charging me with his own knife, a fearsome serrated long blade. I swerve out of his way but stumble over a fallen branch. My rib is screaming in pain and I can barely breathe without blinding pain.

He lunges for me on the ground, his knife slicing wildly and connects with my upper arm, A deep wound spurts blood, the pain is nothing compared to my ribs which collided with his knee. Knives are abandoned as I see him wheezing and clutching his chest. I knock him to the ground and we resorts to fists. I hand the upperhand and assault his face and stomach hoping to subdue him. He is large and muscular and one strong swing with his fist collides with my damaged ribs. I am screaming in pain as I roll away from him. My hands cradle my side, as I scream as if it will help the pain. Hot tears run from my eyes, something is not right now. I can feel the jumbled mess of my ribs. I have to have punctured an organ and maybe a lung. I can barely fill my lungs. He drags himself over to me, smiling in what he thinks is his victory. He leans over my curled body, laughing. He thinks the poison has finally caught up to me.

"I am going to enjoy watching you die." He sneers, his own body succumbing to the poison has turned him ghostly white.

"What's your name I at least want to know if you are going to enjoy my death" I pant in a barely audible voice.

"Grayson." He chokes and collapses under his weight.

"Well… Grayson" I sputter, "I think it is I who will get to watch you die."

I make it to my knees and pick my knife up, Grayson's eyes are wild and in a last ditch effort he lunges for me. His knife slices from the top of my shoulder down my chest. I scream in searing pain and watch him fall away, dead before he touches the ground. My knife sticks out of his chest, but I know it wasn't the fatal blow, the poison claimed him first. The cannon sounds, and I lose my will to stand now. I lay bleeding and broken, knowing if I survive this moment I will see my boy with the bread again.