Wow! I'm breaking a record for longest chapter every new update! Well, I hope you don't find it too long.

And I also hope you review. I try to aim for at least three different people reviewing every chapter so I know that people are aware of updates. I have had about that amount for a while now, but last chapter it seemed like no one knew until later on! Is there anything I'm doing wrong!?

Anyway, don't forget to leave a review - you know I live for reviews. Thanks!

*In the Blink of an Eye

Lash Frist, District Seven

There is a patch at the back of my mouth which won't dampen. My tongue feels gummy and I feel light headed. I'm dying, slowly. And I know it. I bet the girl knows it as well. I don't even know her name. But I can see in her eyes, pity. Well I don't want pity. I killed two people. I don't need pity.

Do I leave this alliance or not? I have supplies of my own. But I'd have to kill the girl. No matter what angle I look at this, I feel like I couldn't kill her. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've never felt like this before. No. It's not love. More like... fondness. A small, nagging, unfamiliar emotion which tickles me like an insect bite.

Go or not go? As I wrack my brains for reasons to stay, I spot a small dash of colour. A... flower. A purple flower. Like the ones my mum used to grow in the garden. At the thought of my mum, the weird feeling I felt at the opening ceremony returns. But this is stronger. I am finding it hard to pull air into my lungs. I start to gasp for oxygen and my vision pales.

Blood and screaming and wailing and tears. I squeeze my hands to my ears and moan. The sounds are splitting my head open. The paleness fades to red, the colour of my mum's blood. No. Not again!

But before I can truly loose control, the girl spins around. I think she is talking to me but all I can hear is a low humming. She places her cold hand upon my forehead. The change in temperature cools me. It's almost as if the spirit of my mum is channelling through this girl and into me. She is telling me to be calm. Don't flip out. Like you do all the time.

One by one, rational thoughts float back and the world comes into focus. I am crushing the flower in my hand. I sit up and gently release my fingers and the flower springs back into shape. The petals are a little frayed. Do I leave or do I not?

I pick a petal off. It floats to the ground. Leave. Another petal joins it. Stay. On and on, until one last spindly petal remains. I pluck it. Leave.

The girl is looking at me in wonder. I bet she thinks I'm mad. What kind of person goes berserk, then instantly once they are better, shreds a flower to pieces bit by bit? I'll have to wait until she's busy. Then I can leave. Although I feel an attachment to her, I am making the eventual outcome easier for both of us. Eventually, I would have had to have killed her anyway.

With the toe of my foot, I nudge the pile of purple petals to the side and stand stretching. I still need water. But I refuse to drink. I might die from poisoning or worse. No, I'll be better off waiting until I can find some unquestionably safe water. But I have to go. I prepare the pack I own under the false pretence of checking it for bugs.

When the time comes, and I know it will, I'll be off before you can say 'Lash is a nutcase'.

Bronte Pratt, District Six

I've been here just over fifteen minutes and I've seen more than I wanted to. The crime scene; blood and jelly, and the head. The body lying on it's side, faint movement showing that some life still remains. When the bird mutt came and killed the attacker, I could barely move. I could have done something. Anything. But fear paralysed my muscles and I couldn't have moved if I had wanted to.

The boulder I am crouched behind must have offered more protection than I thought. I was simply taking an early morning sip of water when the two male tributes appeared. I don't think they saw me, but if they had, they were too involved in battle to do anything about it. But then the bird came and one boy was killed. There was a girl; it was the Three girl I think; she distracted the attacker, and that's why he was killed. Then she ran off. The other boy was on that path until the Two girl came along.

It seemed like she was having a debate in her head at one point. Then when the parachute came, she went bonkers, throwing the gift on the ground and trampling on it. I almost went out to try to stop her. But I knew that would have ended badly for me. Then she started screaming 'no!' before running towards the barely alive body.

Now, she sits, cradling the head, tears streaming down her face. I guess the Games has this effect on people. The sane ones go mad, and maybe even the insane become sane. I hope I don't end up as psychologically challenged as her. I could die.

Actually, I was shocked that I've reached this far. My creepy premonition of my death in the Bloodbath was not fulfilled, as I took every means to get as far away from it as possible.

Wait! - There is change in the Two girl's movements. She is crawling through the grim sludge towards the trampled kit. Yes! I almost cry. She rescues most of the items and makes her way towards the boy. Almost caringly, she moves the body to a cleaner patch of rock. A bloody trail follows his path. She cleans the wounds and dresses the eye. In just a few minutes, the boy is almost cleaner than her.

What is wrong with her? I thought Careers were supposed to be heartless creatures who didn't care if their allies died.

But I need to move. I've spent too long here. My legs are dead and bloodless and I try to stretch them out silently. Feeling soon returns with a painful case of pins and needles. I turn gradually and try to plan out a route. Eventually, I decide that I should just make a dash for it. I'll have a head start and my running isn't awful.

Just as I'm about to make a break for it, a cannon fire breaks the peace. I turn back hurriedly and peek around the rock. I can just make out the girl frantically checking the body. She turns it over. I almost groan with disgust. The whole back of the boy's shirt is pure red, and the ground is slippery with it. The Two girl obviously forgot to turn him over to check for any other cuts. This one looks fatal. And yes, I can see no tell-tale sign of breath.

At the same time I realise, the girl does too and emits a cry of despair. I take this slim opportunity to leave.