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Halley Carradine
District Ten Female, 17 Years Old

"Everyone?"

Damaris, Silas, and I all turn around, looking at Kacia at the front of the hole. She's half-in and half-out, peering out into the open. I don't think she sees anything, since if she did, she would have told us. She looks over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow to make sure we're looking. We all nod as a reply, waiting to see what she has to say.

"I think it's time we go somewhere else. It just doesn't feel safe here anymore."

I'm not against the idea, since I agree with her. We've been in this specific tunnel ever since the first night of the Games, so I don't think we should stay this long. Honestly, I think we've stayed here too long as it is, but I was never going to say something. If everyone else wanted to stay, so do I.

I want do whatever makes them happy.

"Is everyone okay with that?" She asks again, and Damaris and I look at each other, none of us showing any opposition to the idea. Silas, though, has something to say about it.

"Don't you think we should just stay here? Nothing has happened yet…"

"It can," Katcia replies a little too quickly, a sense of panic in her voice. "I'd just feel better if we weren't here anymore."

One by one, we all go outside the tunnel, stretching our backs and legs. It's kind of tight in there, none of us really being able to lay straight out or to stand up. And, as I think about it, we haven't really been outside in a while. We've been locked up in that tunnel, all being shoulder-to-shoulder.

Katcia's the only one still near the tunnel, and as the rest of us go towards the next hill, we finally turn around to see what Katcia's doing. When we turn around, though, I freeze, my eyes locked on the person in front of her Katcia. It's Evan, the boy from District Five. He's standing there, knife in hand.

"Back up."

Katcia's voice is serious, a tone I haven't heard her speak in before. She has her own knife to her side, her backpack slowly draping off her shoulder. He must have been hiding on top of the entrance, and I don't know if he knew we were in there. Damaris takes a step behind, as does Silas. I stand there in front of them, wanting them to feel safe.

I would protect them.

And so would Katcia.

"We don't want any trouble," Katcia says, her voice not wavering. "You can have it."

"Don't be stupid," Evan says, scoffing. "I don't want trouble, either, girl. But, we're in the Hunger Games, after all."

"It's four against one," Katcia says, clearly not affecting the boy. He has to see this, doesn't he? He knows that he won't be able to take us all on. But, deep down, I know that Silas and Damaris wouldn't do anything.

And I don't know if I would either. I don't know if I could.

"Your point?" He retorts, his words being hurtful. I don't want him to speak to Katcia like that. "We all die either way, whether I kill you or not."

"You wouldn't," she spits at him, her voice sounding angrier now. It's like this boy is actually getting under skin, and not even in the way that she's offended, but in the way that she's angry. That she wants him to leave and that she won't let him speak like that to us.

"Watch me," he whispers, taking a leap down from the top of the hill. He lands right in front of Katcia, who only backs up a small amount. Evan walks forward, his knife pointed outwards, right at Katcia. I begin to shake, not wanting her to get hurt… she can't get hurt. She's my ally.

Evan can't hurt her.

And what he does next makes me want to jump right in front of Katcia for her. He swings his knife, only missing Katcia by an inch or so. She steps to the side, not attacking him yet. Is she really going to do it? Does she even have a choice anymore? I knew that this would happen eventually, but… Not like this.

I'm not ready for it.

For an ally of mine to kill.

At Evan's next swing of his knife, Katcia recoils. She sends her foot into his groin, making him hunch over and wobble backwards. He shakily stands back up, a grin on his face, as if this is amusing. This isn't amusing to any of us, especially not Damaris or Silas. They stand behind me still, both of them being completely silent.

They're just watching.

It's all we can do.

Jabbing at her with the knife, Katcia dodges each one, and even though I don't think it will happen, I want him to stop. I want him to go back to where he came from or go into the tunnel. We don't want it anymore, anyway.

"Nice allies you have there," he says, pointing his knife at us now. "Seems like they care about you a whole lot."

"Leave them out of this," Katcia says, gritting her teeth.

"What if one of them was to die first? Would you fight then?"

In that moment, I see everything flash before my eyes too quickly. Evan takes a leap towards Damaris and Silas, but before he can come anywhere near us, he drops to the ground onto his stomach. Katcia's knife is lodged into his lower back, her eyes widened and her mouth agape.

It's like she just witnessed her worst nightmare.

"I didn't…," she says, her voice low, still staring down at Evan's body. "He was going to hurt you."

We all go quiet now, watching Evan's body twitch on the ground. He turns his head to the side, his eyes meeting mine until he drifts away. He lets go of the knife, and even though I resist the urge, I want to go over and kick him. I want to go over to him and kick him repeatedly until he really is dead.

He tried to kill us.

He tried to hurt Katcia, and Damaris, and Silas.

He tried to hurt my allies.

"No," I say, my voice shaking in my throat. "You killed him so that he wouldn't kill us. You saved us."

"I didn't want to," she says, but I don't want to hear it.

"You had to do it."

If she didn't, one of us would be dead. Whether it was Silas or Damaris, it doesn't matter. One of my allies – no, my friends – would have died right before my eyes. And I can't let that happen.

If I have anything to say about it, I won't let them die.

I would even let myself get killed over them. They should win, not me.

They deserve it more than I ever will.

Silas Braxton
District Seven Male, 16 Years Old

I feel like I should do something.

That I should help Katcia. That I should talk to her, or that I should console her somehow. But, whenever we try to speak to her, she gives us the cold shoulder, not wanting to speak. We're only trying to help, not make it worse. So, if she needs her space, I'll give it.

She did save our lives, so we owe her that.

Walking ahead of the group, I feel like I should take charge now. Katcia just killed someone, and in a way, it set the stage for the rest of us. For the rest of us to stand up to our fears, to not shy away from danger. But, for me, it's not simple. Back in District Seven, I was always the one to hide behind everything.

To hide behind my fears.

To not confront them.

Now that I'm in the Games, that has to change. I have to be the boy I thought I could never be, the one who was like my parents. I have to be the boy that was made for District Seven, with the strength and might that only my brothers possessed. It might not be easy, but I have to do it for my allies. I have to do it for Katcia, Damaris, and Halley.

It's the least I could do.

"Slow down, Silas!" Halley calls out, making me slow down a bit. Ever since we encountered Evan, I feel like I need to walk quickly. I never know when something like that can happen again, so I need to be on alert. I need to make sure that I see something before it catches me off guard.

If Katcia can do it, then so can I.

"Sorry," I say, seeing that Halley is at my side now. "I just want to get somewhere safe."

"We all do," she says, her voice lingering. She shrugs a little, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "The next tunnel we come across is the one we'll stay in for the night."

"That sounds good," I reply, watching her fall behind some more. I'm back walking alone, and really, I prefer it. I get to think some more, letting the noises around me soothe me. I mean, there isn't much to hear, but I like it.

It's quiet.

It distracts from what we've really got ourselves into.

In front of me now is a larger stretch of land, with no hills or slopes. It's all straight, extending for a yard or so. Not looking to see if they have caught up to me, I take a step onto it, still wanting to lead the group. To show that I am strong and not afraid.

But, when I try to take another step, I can't.

My foot's stuck.

Looking over my shoulder frantically, I see that they have all stopped, waiting for me to say something. I try to rip my foot off the ground, but it won't budge. Neither of my feet will even move an inch, and when I look more closely at the ground, I see something.

It's not real ground. It's mushy and sticky.

And then I see what's going on. I'm sinking into it – slowly, but I'm beginning to get deeper into the ground. My back is to my allies, and whenever I turn around, it strains my neck. I can hear them breathing, though, but I don't want them come near me. If they do, they might get stuck in whatever this is.

Once the ground is up to my ankles, I begin to panic. I shake a little, still trying to rip my feet out of the ground, but nothing is working. I take my backpack off and throw it behind me, as well as my knife. I don't know what's happening, but they should have my supplies.

They should have it just in case… Just in case this is it.

"Silas!" Halley screams, and as I look down, the ground is creeping up to my knees. I don't feel anything below that, it all going numb and feeling nonexistent. "Silas, please! Get up!"

I don't say anything back to her; I don't want to worry her. But, as the ground continues to pull me under, I don't know what to do. Whatever I have been doing is useless, and now that I think about it, I think I'm going under more quickly when I struggle.

So, what am I supposed to do?

Just sit here? I can't give up… I can't give up on them.

Not after a day like today.

The grounds up to my waist now, but I still can't spin around. I'm facing forward, keeping my arms and hands above the ground. And, at this moment, I know that I can't do anything .This was some trap, one that I got myself into. I wanted to lead the alliance, didn't I? I wanted to walk at the front.

If I wasn't the one to get stuck in it, one of them would have. It's better off that I'm the one in this mess right now.

Yet, at the same time, I hate myself for it. I let this happen to me; I didn't pay enough attention. I should have watched the ground, seeing if there were any shifts in the texture. When I saw that there were no hills for a while that should have been an indicator.

This is my entire fault.

And now I'm paying for it.

"Silas!" It's Halley again. Katcia says something to her, while I don't hear Damaris at all. What could they do, anyway?

Behind me, I can hear all of them screaming. All of them shouting my name, but none of them are coming near me. I don't want them to – I might get them killed as well. I would never be able to live with myself if I got them killed. From this, now they know… Now they know to not go near ground like this.

Won't that help them? Of course it will. So, why do I feel so… Feel so awful?

The ground is pulling me under even more, and once I finally give up, I know that this is the end. That I was never meant to do well in the Games, that I have to leave it up to my allies. Never in a million lifetimes could I ever win the Hunger Games, and even though I don't want to believe it, it's the truth.

I'm not good enough for them.

And I'm not good enough for my allies.

I never was.

Constance Baudin
District One Female, 18 Years Old

"Constance, get me some water. I'm parched."

Bowing my head, I nod, complying with Alamar's demands. Whatever he needs, I provide, no matter what. Whether it's water, a knife, or food, I will be more than glad to give him it. He is in charge, the one that we look up to in this alliance. The one that we wait to call the shots and to further this alliance in the Games. And, if that includes me getting whatever supplies he needs, so be it.

It is my job, after all.

Slipping my hand into one of the backpacks that are hanging on a branch, I pull out a bottle, unclip the lid, and pass it to Alamar. He smiles, winking at me as he wraps his lips around the tip of it. Standing back, I await more orders, keeping my composure to show him that I am at his disposable.

"Seriously," Audric scoffs, leaning on his spear in hand. "You couldn't get it yourself?"

"Don't," Ceres interjects, stopping pacing. She stands there next to Audric, her hand at her hip.

"No, I will," Audric says back, raising his voice. Did I do something wrong? If I did, I would apologize, but I don't think so. Men usually tell me when I do something wrong, reprimanding me immediately. Despite me not trying to intentionally make any mistakes, I sometimes slip up.

I would never do it on purpose.

I realize what's on the line.

"You will what?" Alamar asks, placing the bottle next to him, not getting up like the rest of us. He sits there, still leaning back against the tree. "Audric? What will you do?"

"I'll tell you what I won't do," Audric barks, his voice making me worry. "I won't sit back and watch you treat Constance like some pet."

A pet?

I am no pet. I am just what I need to be. Obedient. Docile. Passive. I'm exactly what everyone's always told me to be, so what am I doing wrong? Why have I upset Audric?

Alamar looks over to me, and although I'm trying to keep the composition on my face, I can't tell if it's slipping or not. I just don't want to have upset Audric. "You're not a pet, Con'. Tell him that."

Looking over at Audric, I open my mouth to speak, but he just rolls his eyes. Ceres has kept quiet, and as I think about it, that's what I should have done. That's what Audric probably wants – for me to be quiet. That's why I must have upset him.

I never meant to disobey him.

"I am sorry," I say, being whole-heartedly sincere. I never meant to cause any of this.

"Sorry?" Audric chuckles. "Why are you sorry? If anyone should be sorry, it should be Alamar. Do you not see what he's doing to you?"

And I don't know if that question was directed at me. I keep quiet, looking back at Alamar to speak back. One thing I learned was that I never speak without permission, that I always keep quiet. That I let the men take over and control the conversation, only being there for support or for backup.

"I'm keeping her alive," Alamar says, making Audric turn to look at him now. "What are you doing? Want to remind you of Carina? Kace?"

"Were they not your responsibilities, then? Is Constance the only one you care about?" Audric asks, his voice being too loud for me. Even men are not supposed to act like this; reckless, assertive. They should keep their composure as well.

"They were useless and you know it," Alamar retorts, and as I think back on my allies, I feel no remorse. Carina deserved to die; she ruined this alliance from the inside out. She was everything a woman should not be. And Kace was too immature. He had it coming for him.

But, I could never say any of this.

It's not my place to speak out like that. Only Alamar and Audric can.

For now, it's all quiet. Audric's standing there, still giving Alamar an aggravated look. Ceres remains quiet, her hand still at her hip, right at her weapon. I stand by Alamar, awaiting more commands. Perhaps all Audric needs are some rest and fresh food; the arena might be getting to him.

But, I was taught not to ask, only to do. I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut no matter what.

And so I will.

"Okay," Audric says, stomping over towards the tree. He begins to rummage through the backpacks, taking some of them and stuffing them in the larger ones. He puts it over his back, slipping a sword into his belt and carrying the spear. "I'm out of here. I'm done with your bullshit."

And then I see Ceres packing up as well.

Is she following him? Why would she?

Alamar has authority here. He's in charge, not Audric. Alamar is the one she should be following, the one she should put her life in the hands of. He's in control and knows what he's doing.

"Aw, you're leaving me too, Ceres?" Alamar calls over, neither of them looking up. They begin to walk away, not looking back at all. "That's a shame. Just know that Audric might get you killed as well. He's not what he seems."

Audric stops in his steps. Ceres stops as well, but only Audric turns around. He spins around, a scowl on his face, and points his finger right at me. When he looks at me, I bow my head, staring down at the ground. You are never supposed to make eye-contact when someone points your finger, since it usually means that you have done something wrong.

I just keep doing something wrong.

I don't mean to. I really don't.

"You're making a mistake, Constance."

But, I don't believe it. This is what I'm supposed to do. I'm supposed to be at Alamar's disposable it's all I'm worth. It's what the Capitol wants, too. They want tributes like me. And, perhaps, they want victors like me.

I know what to do and what not to do.

And, in this case, I'm supposed to stay with Alamar.

I am supposed to stay by his side no matter what. I am for his disposable.

I was never worth more than that.

District Five, Evan Aleces – Placed 10th

District Seven, Silas Braxton – Placed 9th

Author's Note:

Evan Aleces: Evan was really fun to write. He had a light-heartedness to him, was funny, and I could be more open. He wasn't that hard of a character to write, so I really enjoyed him. But, he made it far enough. He witnessed the death of his allies, indirectly killed Chet, and began to lose it a little. At least he died with a few last words, though. We'll see some more mentioning of him later, though, eh?

Silas Braxton: You know, I think he had a lot of similarities with other tributes, like Katcia and Damaris. He was the only boy in that alliance, but it was the right alliance for him. He got attached to them all, so I enjoyed bringing that out. But, unfortunately, something had to happen to that alliance. This chapter was a big one for that one in particular, with one of them getting their first kill and one of them dying. He didn't die in vain, though. I'll be mentioning him more later on as well.

That's the Top Eight!

What tributes stood out to you?

And one question: Who is one tribute that you want to die in upcoming chapters?

Then the personal one.

If you were in the arena, what type of weather would you prefer?