Alice Leigh

"Shoal please, just stop." I don't know how many times I have to say it, but he does not get the hint. I do not wish to flirt with this boy who I'm supposed to kill three days from now I don't even wish to flirt with strangers in real life.

"Alice, I just enjoy your company. You're beautiful, you have a great personality; you just have everything."

I roll my eyes. "You don't even know me."

"Please, Alice. We can help each other."

"With what?" In my anguish I miss target once again. "Listen Shoal. Can you just leave? I need to train, and you're not helping."

Shoal looks at me like I've just broken his heart.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I'm stressed, and I think I have the right to be."

"You do," he says. "I have something that might help."

"And what's that?" I ask as I miss again.

"Just meet me after dinner on the ground floor. I promise I'll leave you alone the rest of the day."

"What?"

"Please don't ask question. Just promise you'll come."

I contemplate this for a bit. What could he possibly have for me? Curiosity overrules my better judgment. "Okay," and I give him a heartfelt smile before he trudges off like a lost puppy.

Lucian Sparx

I'm on my second round through the stations. With my intelligence and ability to quickly pick up new information I've rocketed through the stations, at least the ones that require thinking, and have gone back to fortify the knowledge. I know every plant by their name, species, and uses. I know what berries are poisonous and which ones are edible. I know how to properly set up camp, and currently I am trying to form complex snares and traps that have even the guy at the station stumped.

"I don't know what you're doing kid, but it looks like you have it under control." He says before sitting back and opening his paper, ignoring my existence.

I am trying to figure out how I can design this trap to have electrical current. One step by an unlucky tribute and it'll be send electric current through their body. This requires the upmost concentration and…

"Lucian!"

Ugh never mind then.

"Yes Athea? What have you come to bother me with now?"

"Must I have to have something to say? Can't you just enjoy my company Lucian?"

"You know Athea, you could just call me Chip. Everybody does. I'd prefer that actually."

"I'll think about it, Lucian."

Athea has forgiven me for the microchip conversation, just as I had predicted. Now she bothers me endlessly with questions, and nags me to pick up on weaponry. Who needs weapons when everything can be done at a distance? I won't have to worry about hurting myself in the process.

"Anyways, what are you doing? I figured you'd at least work with a knife or something today, but yet here you are back where you were yesterday."

I clear my throat and point to my complex electrical trap. Being from District 3, she has an appreciation for technology and what not, but she doesn't seem that impressed.

"You should break from your comfort zone Lucian. What are you going to do if you get jumped?"

"That won't be happening Athea. If I can get this working nobody will be coming within ten feet of me."

She shakes her head at me in disbelief, and re-examines my contraption. "Lucian, this trap needs electricity. What if there's no source of electric power in the areana?"

I scoff at her. "Athea, where is your brain? An arena without electricity? Don't make me laugh."

"Listen Lucian, this isn't just about your safety! We're a team and we both need to be as well rounded as possible. You should know that a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link."

Why does this girl have zero faith in me? I am vastly intelligent and she writes me off like I'm her student or something. If anyone should be worried, it should be me.

"Well why don't you just cut that chain link off if you think it's so weak?"

That hits a nerve, and I see her freeze up. She has nothing to say to me now. I can see the hurt in her eyes, and she runs off without a word. How do I get myself into these things? I try to do my best and Athea gets angry anyways. I figure this stunt will not be easily fixed. I will deal with it later tonight before dinner. Right now though I just need to finish this.

Dorien Oakfree

I twirl the leather bracelet I've had forever around my wrist. It's the only think I've ever had from my parents. I want to believe it is a sign that they cared about me. I wonder where they are now, and if they've seen that I've been reaped. I bet they wished they wouldn't have abandoned me now.

I recall my good-bye with Pats. I held her frail hands in my own and she told me it would all be all right, and to not worry about her. How can I not though? She is so old and sick. A long time ago Pats took care of me when I needed it and the only thing I wanted to do was give her the same treatment. I have failed her, but it is not my fault I remind myself. The fault lies with the Capitol.

"Had enough knife-throwing for the day?"

I turn to see Escule. I don't understand these people. I have tried to stay away, make myself as unfriendly as possible, but yet they swarm about me wanting my friendship and company.

"I'm just taking a break," my voice has no emotion behind it. I hope he goes away.

"Me too," and he takes a seat next to me. Great. "So where's your bracelet from? I couldn't help but notice it."

I hide my wrist away upon hearing his words. Escule is harmless, I can tell. I know he genuinely means well, but I just can't. "I don't know," I lie.

"I actually wanted to ask you something," he rubs the back of his neck anxiously. I must be making him uncomfortable. I look at him waiting for his question.

"That tea you made last night, well I drank some because I wasn't feeling well. I wanted to know what it was. It made me sick."

I immediately feel myself getting defensive. "It wasn't poison if that's what you're asking. I didn't make it for you to drink!"

"No no! I was just curious what it was, that's all. I didn't think you tried to poison me."

"Uh… it was just green tea. Normal green tea, nothing else."

"Oh, okay," Escule looks even more uncomfortable, and I excuse myself to go back to training. I know he didn't care about what was in the tea, he just wanted to make conversation, but if he wants to crack my shell, he'll have to work harder than that.

Shoal Creek

I know what I want to get, but the problem is that it doesn't belong to me. Vesta, our district escort, brought tons of books with her. Apparently she really likes to read. Either that or she just really likes to wave her objects in front of our faces to make herself feel superior. I don't really know. Vesta should be at the escort meeting, and I don't have much time. The stupid woman leaves her bedroom door unlocked and I sneak it.

She has more than just books. There are thousands of clothing articles, and jewelry everywhere. It has to be straight from District 1. I am lost in fascination by the setting, but I must get back to what I came for. The bookshelf is at least twenty shelves high, and there's no way Vesta would notice if one little book disappeared. I hunt shelf by shelf. I have no idea what I'm looking for, but I know it when I see it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Oh no. I swerve around and meet the hazel eyes of Mika.

"Uh… I'm looking for a book."

"You're stealing from our escort? Since when do you read anyways?"

I can feel the sweat form on my palms. "I always read."

"You lie. What are you looking for?" She stops and considers. "Oh no, don't you dare tell me…" she crosses her arms, "you're stealing a book for the District 7 girl aren't you?"

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

"You're pathetic!" She yells before stomping off.

"What did I do?" But she's already gone and I grab a book off the shelf and get out of there before I get in real trouble.

Alice Leigh

I'm stupid. I shouldn't have come here, and I should've known it was all a hoax.

I am left with my thoughts and I automatically reach up to my neck and unlatch the chain of my necklace. I hold it up to the light and it spins slowly, the light glitters off of it and I open the locket.

The picture is from before my birth. My mom was pregnant, so I guess I can consider myself to be in it. Mark is only three years old and my father's face is bright and young. I can see where Mark gets his looks. I miss my brother and father terribly. I miss my brother's shenanigans and hunting in the woods. I miss Robert, my dearest friend. I recall our last good-bye so clearly.

"Alice, I want you to know that I believe in you. I'm going to miss you while you're gone. Who am I supposed to share my love of reading with?" He laughs and tries to make the situation light, but I can't help but silently cry.

He wipes the tears away. "Please don't cry Alice. You're too pretty to cry."

"Robert, I'll never get to see you again. There are so many stories I want to read, so many adventures I still have left."

"And you still have time, Alice. You have an advantage. You're brother has taken you out in the woods for years. You're going in with more knowledge than half of those people. You can make it. It's just like a story. This is an obstacle to overcome, a conflict you will face, but it will end happily ever after. I just know it."

"Robert, you told me earlier that life isn't a storybook. This adventure may not have a happy ending,"

"It has to Alice. You must fight. Your brother needs you. Your father needs you. I need you."

"Alice?" I turn to see Shoal. He is out of breath and is sprinting towards me. "I'm so so sorry. Please forgive me for being late. I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

Half of me is still lost in my daydream and I try to snap out of it. "It's okay."

Shoal is hiding something behind his back.

"What do you have with you?"

He holds it out and hands it to me. It is a book. I open it up and smell the pages. It's new, and hasn't been read yet. How wasted this story is. I can't help but hold it to my chest. I suddenly feel as though a part of me has been revived.

"Oh my goodness. How were you able to bring books? I wasn't allowed."

Shoal takes a seat next to me. "I knew you'd make better use of it than I would. I want you to have it."

"Oh my," I reach out and hug him and he accepts it whole-heartedly. "Thank you Shoal."

"You're welcome."

He stares at me for a while, and the situation begins to feel awkward.

"I need to get to dinner soon. I'm quite hungry." I stand up to leave.

"Wait, when can I see you again?" I see a new side of Shoal. His words are tender, and I cannot deny him.

"You can come see me tonight. Once everyone has gone to bed, but be careful. My room is the second door on the right."

Shoal breaks out into a smile, and I quickly scurry off before my absence is noted.

Athea DiMae

Furious cannot even describe my mood right now. Stupid Lucian and his big head; just because he's a genius doesn't mean he has the right to walk around like a know-it-all. I'm older than he is, and although my IQ is probably lower, I know that I'm pretty damn smart as well. Lucian can go and get himself killed because he's so stubborn, see if I care.

"Athea?" Speak of the devil and he will appear.

"What do you want Lucian?"

He is unaffected by my harsh tone, and continues talking. "I just wanted to say that we're both stressed, and that some words may have been exchanged that were not intended, or meant."

"I meant everything I said today, Lucian."

"Fine then Athea, I might've said a few words that I did not intend or mean."

"And…?"

"I have observed that my actions were out of control and I wanted to," he pauses and takes a breath, "I just wanted to…"

"Spit it out Lucian."

"I wanted to say I'm sorry!"

"Wow Lucian expressing emotion? I didn't know you had it in you." I laugh as he tries to hold his calm expression together.

"So, then is everything between us settled? Will you accept my apology?"

"No."

"Athea!"

"Lucian! See I can say your name in an exasperated tone too."

"Oh I get it," he says, "you're mad because you want to feel as though you are an equal to me. Well Athea…"

"Lucian, I am your equal! How dare you suggest that I'm not."

"No, you didn't let me finish my sentence. I was going to tell you that you were."

I don't answer him, and by the redness in his face I can tell he is struggling to keep his aloofness.

"What do you want from me?" He asks desperately.

"I want my opinions respected. I don't want to feel like you're running the show and I'm following your lead. We're supposed to be a team, and that means both inputs are used. I asked you to consider something very important to me the other night and you laughed it off, and today I suggested that you spend your time more productively and you wrote me off."

"I don't know if you know this, but I'm not very good at communicating with others, so you'll have to excuse me. I do respect you, but my opinions have differed from yours."

"Have an open-mind. I don't agree with everything you say."

"How could you not?" He asks, and I can't help but hit my forehead. "Okay Athea I comprehend you. I will take your opinions into consideration. I'll look into the microchip, and I'll start weapons training tomorrow before we have to perform for the Gamemakers, but only on the condition that we may reconstitute the alliance."

I contemplate this. Did Lucian somehow admit that he needs me? I guess that's the closest he'll ever get to admitting it, and I'll take what I can get. "Deal, but you have to listen to what I have to say from now on. This isn't just about you anymore."

"Fine, I will," he holds out his hand, but I envelope him in a hug instead.

"Uh Athea, this is quite awkward." I laugh and release him. I ruffle his red hair; he's so peculiar, but he reminds me of Micah.

"You remind me of my younger brother," I say.

"Fantastic," he says sarcastically, and I can't help but chuckle.

Escule Hirosho

I feel sick again, and find myself back into the common room at 2 A.M. just like last night. Dorien sits in her same spot, sipping her mug again.

"What's wrong with you?" She asks.

"I'm feeling sick again."

"There's tea over there. I promise it's not poison."

Dorien's guard is always down at night. I don't know what it is, probably just the sleepiness.

"Why do you only talk to me at night?" I ask as I pour myself a cup.

"I don't know, it's just so different at night. It's like a different world where you don't have to keep your guard up because everybody's too busy getting ready to settle down. It feels like nobody can hurt me at night."

"I won't hurt you," I say, and I mean it.

"You don't know that. There might come a time when you have to."

"Same to you."

"Yes, I might have to kill you Escule, but that's life in the arena."

I sit with her in comfortable silence. At least when I drink the tea I don't feel like vomiting everywhere.

"Looks like I'm going to bed before you again," she says as she finishes her cup and places the mug gingerly in the sink. "Good night Escule."

"Good night Dorien. Good luck tomorrow."

She stops and smiles at me. "You too, Escule."

I attribute my continuing nausea to nervousness again. Tomorrow we will have to perform in front of the Gamemakers and they'll give us a score on our performance. The Capitol will see it and use it to decide whether or not we're worth sponsoring. I'm scared of getting a low score for it could mean the difference of life and death.