Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

I tell River what happened. "Bound to happen eventually," he grunts. I grab a sheath of arrows and swing it over my shoulder. I grab a bow and nock an arrow as I walk out to hunt. Four hours later, I come back with an empty quiver and nine rabbits. River insists on skinning and cooking them, so I catch six hours of much-needed sleep. He wakes me up when he's finished and we both eat as much as we can hold.

Maddie, Anna, and Caroline shine in the sky. I can't help but wonder if Oliver's still mourning Anna's death. There's only five tributes left now. I'm so close to home, and yet I'm so far away. After we eat, I take guard so River can sleep. Five hours later, I wake up to the sound of screams. I must have dosed off.

River grabs his swords and I pick up my pair of throwing axes before tracking down the screams. There, caught in River's trap, is the girl from ten. River smiles "This is going to end earlier than I thought. Only two more to-" He is cut off by the arrow sprouting out of his stomach. He falls to the ground. I look up to where arrow came from and see a figure crouched in the tree. I dodge the arrow Sarah shoots at me, and then throw my axe at her. It hits her in the chest, and she falls ten feet to the ground. Her cannon sounds.

I turn my attention to the girl in the trap. I remember her name is Katherine. She looks at me tearfully, and then she closes her eyes, as if accepting her death. I make my fifth kill of the games, and then I rush over to River's side. He's already pulled the arrow. "Do the rights," he says, undoing his fishhook charm and handing it to me. I hold it over his chest.

"River Trinana, may you find rest in the eternal You will live on in the hearts of those who love you. May your spirit dance on the white crests of the waves of the eternal sea with all those who have gone before you. Be at peace, be at peace, be at peace," I say dutifully. I do the same thing, holding the charm over his head this time, just like you're supposed to.

"You can win, Victoria, I know you can. Get home and take care of both of our families. Beat Oliver to the ground. Don't cry when I die. Focus on the task ahead." His eyes go out of focus. "Tell my brother Noah I love him," he says. His eyes glaze over completely, and his cannon booms.

I honor his wish. I don't cry. I don't scream. Instead, a single tear rolls down my cheek and lands on his forehead. I wipe it away with my sleeve. I stand up and retrieve my axe from Sarah's body. I'm ready to end this. It's a good thing I did the animal tracking station during station. Oliver is just an animal now.

I pick up a sheathed sword and the sleeping bags from the cornucopia. I clip the sword's scabbard to my belt as I walk back to the place where Oliver disappeared into the swamp.. Then I just follow the path of trampled bushes caused by his heavy, branch-breaking body.

I find a giant tree with a whole big enough to fit me in it, so I climb up and get comfortable. River shines in the sky tonight. I bite my lip as I force myself not to look away. I have the same dream again, the one where Marlin marries Azula, and I wake up at dawn screaming.

My breath rises in curls of steam. It's about thirty degrees outside. I know in an instant that the gamemakers are messing with us. Thank goodness I still have my jacket, unlike Oliver, but my hands are freezing.

A thunk outside my hollow makes me jump. I grab the parachute and unwrap it to find a pair of gloves. I put them on and grab the note that came with it. "So the princess can stay toasty warm. From Finnick Odair, your mentor dearest." I roll my eyes, but say thank you directly to where I know the camera is in the hollow. At least Finnick knows what he's doing.

I eat the rest of the rabbit that River cooked yesterday, and as many berries as I can hold. Even though I haven't been hungry, I can tell I've lost at least five pounds. As I go back to tracking him, I decide that I want his death to be quick and decisive, for Anna's sake. Plus, I don't want any more blood on my hands.

After tracking for almost half the day, I hear a crackling noise, followed by muffled cursing. I part the bushes slightly and see Oliver sitting around a fire, facing me. He'll see a knife or axe if I throw, and then I'll lose the advantage of the element of surprise. How am I supposed to sneak around him?

I glance up at the sky and find I can't see it. I realize that I'm in a grove of willow trees, and I get an idea. I climb the tree next to me until I'm about fifteen feet up. I inch myself along the branch. It takes me half an hour to get to the other side, the side he's facing away from.

After I climb down, I slide one foot into the icy water. I drag my feet along the bottom to stay silent. Just as I get near enough to stab him, I sneeze. How original, I think sarcastically. I can almost hear Finnick groan at my great timing. Oliver turns around and smiles sadistically. I draw my sword. He growls and draws a sword I didn't know he had.

Quick as lightning, he lashes out with it, and I barely manage to parry. We fight like this for about twenty minutes, making wounds but always missing vital parts. Finally he manages to disarm me. He drops his swords and pulls out a a knife with a long, narrow blade.

Then he manages to sink his knife hilt-deep into the front of my shoulder. I can feel the blade go through my shoulder bone and out the other side of my jacket as I scream in pain and agony. I yank out the blade and punch him in the face. He staggers backwards, clutching his broken nose.

He draws two daggers and launches them into the air, but my axe is already flying. All the blood drains from his face as the weapon embeds itself in his chest. "Anna…" he says before collapsing. I'm so overwhelmed with so many emotions at once. One knife leaves a cut from my lips to my ear, and the other makes a ridge in my nose as it cuts through my eyes slightly.

The last cannon of the games sounds. "Ladies and gentlemen, the victor of the 61st annual Hunger Games, District 4's very own Victoria Rose Marino!" Claudius Templesmith says. The applause plays live from the Capitol over the speakers they use to play the anthem.

I shake my head in disbelief. "Marlin…" I say desperately. I fall to the ground as the world goes black.