Tyler Kaufman(D3 Male)

After almost drowning and Mica saving my life.. I had to admit, I felt mighty sad for him. He was so young and I remembered all those jokes he had cracked in vain, all those times he had been so scared of his life and had us protect him...

I mean, it had triggered me so much but it had also made me feel worse now. I would protect him again and again if it meant he hadn't gave his life to save mine.

I'm not worth your life... I thought sadly, my feet digging into the crisp snow of the ground. Why did you do it...

I hadn't been able to save him. He was already under the surface and I hadn't felt the need to risk my own life when I was sure the water would suck me down. I'm a selfish, stupid, child, I thought, misery kicking in. I don't deserve living any longer.

But a strong selfish spark kept me going. I had to do it. If Mica had risked his life for mine, I must keep going until the end, so that it wasn't all in vain.

We walked a while, it feeling very chilly and lonely between us because Mica wasn't here to fill in all the tension. I tried to converse with Calamity but she really wasn't the type to converse with. Her sarcasm often made things worse even at the same time when it was funny.

"Hey, Calamity..," I started numbly, but she just plodded on, not giving a sign that she had heard. I saw that nature had taken its toll on her finally and bags had appeared under her eyes, her tight curly hair in disarray. I could only imagine what her stylist must think about her right now.

"What is it," she said this in a sharp, cold voice, so unlike her usual cutting warmth. Clearly she hadn't forgiven me. She probably thought I was just a burden now.

"..I'm sorry," I managed in a soft voice, taut with tension. I felt tears prick my eyes. "I don't want to be responsible for someone's life...I never wanted to..."

She simply stared for an instant, her head cocked the slightest bit to make her look curious but not getting in anyone's business or anything- trust Calamity to get that kind of thing right on the spot. She spoke slowly, "I can tell you mean it but..." She faltered slightly, matching my gaze intensely. "...why didn't you come out immediately? Why? How come I managed to get out, but you didn't?" She snorted. "Or you could have just slow feet, but really, I'm wondering."

I gulped. I had been afraid it wouldn't come down to this. I shuffled my feet slightly, clasping my fingers behind my back and contemplating the best way to word this. When I had almost drowned...I had heard something. It was so strange though, like it was a hallucination. Under the water, some kind of speaker must've opened up or something and said: Everything is for a purpose.

I shuddered and swallowed. I had to tell her, though, I couldn't lie. She would so easily see through every feeble fib I came up with.

Sure enough, Calamity's sharp brown eyes narrowed and she bit her lip in concentration, as if she could see through the guards around my brain. "You have something to tell me," she said suddenly, a thin smile crawling across her lips. "And it's something strange. If you tell me, you think I might think you went crazy. That close enough?"

It was a little too close for my comfort and I shifted. Had I been way too obvious?

"Face it, I know you too well," she said, now fully smirking. "Spill."

"You're gonna think I'm crazy once you hear me," I warned.

"Honestly. Do you think I care?" she demanded.

I sighed, shaking my head and fidgeting. "Yeah, you will once you hear this," I countered. Before she could bite back, I plowed on, "I heard this voice when I was drowning." I shuddered as I recounted the events. Drowning had been probably the most terrifying, scary event in my life ever.

"The voice...it told me Everything is for a purpose. I have no idea what it means, though. And I don't want to think that Mica's death was for, you know, a purpose..." I was blinking through wet, hot tears streaming down my face again. "Nobody's death will ever be for a purpose- they're all too terrible."

"Quit crying and listen to me." I was surprised to see that Calamity's hiss was back, the familiar grit of her teeth, the casual roll of the eyes.

I sniffed, her words soothing for whatever reason, and wiped the tears away, trying to make myself strong. This was so embarrassing, but I couldn't bear living through it... especially when somebody had died for me. Died!

"Done crying," I blinked my eyes and gazed at her evenly. "What is it?"

"Whatever that voice was, just ignore it. It's probably just some Capitol dude trying to freak you out. Calm down. Re-lax. I don't think you're crazy. At least, not now. Later, when I'm reflecting upon this conversation, then maybe. For now, get a grip on yourself and let's go." With that, she quickened her pace, until I had to jog to catch up. I felt like a complete and utter jerk- it was so humiliating at the same time.

Get a grip on yourself and let's go. Move on with your life. I followed those words of advice and clenched my jaw, fastening the iron chains around my heart until I felt literally nothing, just a frozen numbness that somehow burned me to the bone. My tears dried on my cheeks into what felt like blocks of ice, I swept away all my feelings until they were gone from the earth, crushed under my feet into the snow where I would never step again.

Alice Kimminger(D12 Female)

"Jax... Oh, Ja-ax...," I sang. I was in an amazingly good mood today now that I had survived another day, and so I could afford to be happy as I called my ally out from his deep slumber.

I couldn't help noticing that he looked awfully fragile asleep, like a porcelain vase about to break. That feeling was enhanced by a lot when my gaze landed on all those scars he had earned over the years. I felt an ache of sympathy, which brightened my voice at the same time.

"Jax?" I paused as I walked towards him. I had cleaned up the clearing somewhat, too, so that was a total plus on my mood.

He rolled around for a bit, mumbling incoherently before coming into consciousness. His first reaction was just plain embarrassment, his cheeks reddening fiercely. "You watched me sleep!" he cried. "What'd you hear?"

I smiled, a hearty laugh escaping me. "Not much."

"So what did you hear?" His alarm brought my spirit up by miles until I was practically doing somersaults in the clouds.

"Just some 'mmmmmmmmmmm'," I gave an example. "I didn't make out any words though. Good thing?"

"Very." Relief spread across his face.

"So are you going to tell me or what?" I knew he wouldn't but it was still funny to see that agitation come over him again.

"No way. Not ever," he stated flatly, crossing his arms. I could see he was trying to muster up some humor but it wasn't happening.

"Okay, okay, we're definitely done from that topic," I grinned and he tilted his head, a smile twitching on his lips.

"Good." He took the opportunity to change the subject. "What's for breakfast?"

I glanced at the bag. "Whatever's in there," I shrugged. "Rations." I dug in there and fished out a couple granola bars. "Here you go." I tossed one at him and he caught it deftly, ripping open the package and devouring it in a matter of bites.

"Do you have another one?" he asked between mouthfuls.

I looked at the bag; there were four more granola bars. "Sure," I agreed, "but not another one!" I gave him another one and tore open the plastic surrounding the granola bar, scarfing it down faster than I thought was possible.

Jax's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Didn't know you could eat that fast," he remarked.

I almost choked on a chunk of granola bar. "Don't judge the outer appearance," I managed.

We were finished with breakfast in a couple minutes, pleasantly full, and then decided to go out on a walk, just to see how today was like. I hummed a small tune under my breath, one that my mother had sang to me when I was a little girl, only maybe five or six.

"What song is that?" Jax asked, and I glanced at him in surprise as I was completely immersed in the tune. "I've never heard it before," he explained.

"Oh- it's one my mom sang to me when I was little," I said with a shrug, the skip in my step disturbed as I thought. "I think it's called Crater Moon."

"Ah, well, okay," Jax nodded with a sheepish flick of his chin. "Then again, I've never really been sang many songs in my life." I knew why, of course. It was because of the home he had been raised in, the poor conditions. I winced, then immediately regretted it and tried to make it look like a nod, but Jax saw through it, eyes darkening ever so slightly.

We continued on. Everything seemed peaceful, the sky clear and pale blue-colored, the sun a small, round glowing orb. It was a little too peaceful, though, making me suspicious at every turn. I figured something was up, and when we returned to the clearing, I got my answer.

Somebody was there, plucking through our supplies, and his head shot up as we trotted swiftly toward him. I stiffened instinctively, shock jolting down my spine.

I recognized him.

It was about half a decade ago. I was swinging on the swingset right outside our house, the wind whistling through my blonde hair. My brown eyes were alight with freedom and the sense of risk-taking. At the time, I loved the adrenaline that ran through my veins, the danger it involved with it.

"Be careful, Alice!" I heard someone call but I barely heard them.

I went higher and faster, exploding from the world until all I saw was the sky and the satisfying, whirling dizziness. I shouted out loud, "Mother! Mother, can you see me? Are you proud of me?"

I also fell off the swing.

I plummeted downward, for a moment screaming with pure joy, before I was being snatched up in midair and dropped onto the lush mattress of grass. I was confused for a second, then began bawling my eyes out, my heart ready to leap from my chest.

"Mommy!" I screamed. "MOTHER!"

And that's when I saw him- my savior. His pale blue eyes were flaming in a way I did not understand, his skin roughly tanned. He was otherwise unremarkable, with medium height and figure, lithe and slight. Muscles must have been lined under his skin but they weren't prominent with his slenderness, did not bulge like most people's did in Twelve.

"Who are you!" I shrieked. "Where's my mommy!"

Without even a word, he left. I never saw him again...until now.

"It's...you," I whispered.

"You've grown since I last seen you," he purred silkily. Of course I had grown, I thought. This wasn't just courtesy..

His eyes were hard but filled with undisguised recognition. He looked the same as he had been years ago, except perhaps with more muscle and less leanness. His eyes were harshly blue as I knew from memories, more grime on him than ever.

"Nice to meet you, Alice," he said in his velvet voice, smooth, irreplaceable.

"You...you're the one who saved my life, aren't you? All those years back?" I breathed.

"Yes." His eyes glinted cruelly. He wasn't the same person who had saved me all those years back, why, he had changed...

He smiled thinly. "And I'm also Murray's mentor. You know him?" He let out a sharp, brutally cold laugh. "He died. Don't you remember seeing his picture being projected into the sky? Foolish child."

I gaped at him. "You've changed," I uttered thickly.

He responded, "You're right; I have changed. Everyone changes, Alice, mark my words. Everyone. Even you have changed from what you were before."

"But you became...cruel, evil." I stared, clenching my jaw against threatening tears. Just when I thought there was one person who might help us, this happened. Why must the world be so unfair!

"I was cruel and evil before," he stated. "And I do not expect you to understand, innocent thing that you are." He flicked his fingers. "And anyway, what I am here to do today is get rid of one of you. Any of you. Who would like to volunteer themselves?"

"This is stupid," Jax growled. "You think we're going to go down without a fight?"

"I'm warning you, the fight will be gruesome," he said cautiously.

"I don't care. At least I'll know I tried," Jax exchanged a glance with me and there was everything and nothing in it. I was at a total loss for words at the pleading look in his eyes. Run. Run.

He lunged, eyes sparking with hatred and fire like a wolf, wanting to eliminate one of us from the game, like that was going to happen. Determination fueled in my veins, I watched the fight as Jax parried his attack, as he went in again.

I was so engrossed in the battle I forgot that there was just one thing Jax had asked of me.

Run.

Run.

11/12/17

A/N: Happy Veteran's Day guys! If you have any relatives who served in the military be sure to wish them good luck for things to come~

Qotd: How many chapters do you think this story will have?