Chapter 5 - Showtime

D10M - Matt Tanner - 18

Not again…

Not more…

I hide from the world, curled up in my cave. I kept on telling myself that Fawn is safe, that they won't hurt her. But this is the hunger games; they'll do anything for a good show. The screams stopped what could be an hour ago or could be 10 hours ago but I can't make myself move; Fawn my baby girl - the girl I'm fighting for, could be dead. I'm as good as dead, against highly trained careers my life is basically over.

I feel a tear roll down my cheek and I squeeze myself tightly as my body shakes with loud sobs.

D5F - Celina Sparke - 13

I can see the boy from 9, he's sitting in front of a small stream and seems to be trying to catch some fish. He has a small bag next to him and what seems to be a water bottle. He looks like a good target, the only thing I left the bloodbath with was my life, which is a miracle to be honest. The plants I've been eating for the last two days have some nutritional value but I'm very dehydrated. Soon that'll be was very dehydrated.

I scramble down the side of the small mountain to where he's sat. He looks up in my direction as I dart behind a shrub, he looks confused but goes back to his fishing. I take that as my sign and start running forward to grab the bag. Then I feel something grab my arms…

D9M - Casper Dagan - 13

I have to use all my strength to keep the 5 from running away so I do what I do best, opened my mouth and started talking.

'My names Casper, what's yours?' As I expected she doesn't reply and caries of struggling. 'I always thought you were smart, I guess your brains taking a day off…' she looks at me confused so I carry on. 'If you want we could ally you know?' She stops struggling for a second at that. I let go of one of her arms and she immediately jumps down to where my water bottle is. I release her other arm and after downing my water she reaches out her hand and says 'My names Celina and I am smart, you just got in the way.' I half smile at that, finally I have an ally.

D11M - Aster Clematis - 15

I wake up and have a moment of relief before the the dehydration kicks in. My head is spinning, my lips are cracked and my mouth is begging for water but I don't have any way to drink. On day one I thought it was only a matter of time until I got a sponsor but now I understand that the Capitol couldn't care less about me. Still at least I'm hidden, no tributes gonna sneak up and kill me. I hear the shifting of rocks and try to distract myself. Maybe some other tributes will come past my little cave and take pity on me, or maybe the careers will come along and put an end to my misery. At this point both options sound preferable to my current situation. The rocks are shifting again and part of me wishes it would just fall on top of me.

Suddenly my wish comes true.

D1F - Sapphire Medura - 18

Boom

I notice Damian look over at me, a look of pity on his face. 'Look I know your pissed about having to go hunting with me but at least try to act like you wouldn't rather die than be here right now…' I hear myself say, Damian sighs and turns away.

It's so unfair that just because I'm the district 1 girl I'm typecast as stupid and incompetent. Like you can be pretty and a ruthless killer can't you?

I guess I'll just have to win this thing and prove everyone wrong.

D2M - Carlos Bridge - 16

As Lottie and I stumble through the undergrowth I think about home, about ma and pa, about my friends, about Carlotta.

About who gets to go home.

'Lottie?' I say,

'Uh huh,' she says distracted.

'Lottie, who gets to l eave? I mean we're in the hunger games, and… and…'

'There's only one winner.' She finishes, she looks away and sighs then says:

'And that winner is going to be you.'

She pulls me into a tight hug and as I struggle to get out of her grasp I feel what I would call a tear - if it wasn't my sister Carlotta.

She suddenly stands us straight, wipes her eye with the back of her hand and starts striding quickly away, further into the forest.

D7F - Teagan Birch - 16

As Jemima and I watch the fallen tributes only the cocky little shit from 11 shows up.

After the sky's gone dark I look over to Jem and say 'Do you think it was the careers that ended his stupid existence? Maybe we should thank them!' She looks at me, taken aback. 'How could you possibly say that Teagan? That CHILD is dead and you're celebrating!' Honestly can she not take a joke? 'Jeez Jemima, take a joke and please remember we're in the midst of the hunger games - EVERY death is something to celebrate!' I shout back.

'Even Oakley's death! Levi's… ' she chokes, as her eyes fill with tears. 'What about the boys from 3 and 5! The girls from 9 and 11! The CHILDREN from 8 and 12!' I roll my eyes, this is getting ridiculous, 'Teagan what about the little girl from 3?! The child you MURDERED! The child that you DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF! REMEMBER HER LAST WORDS?! I LOVE YOU RAFFI! RAFFI IS SOMEONE THAT SHE LOVED, SOMEONE THAT SHE CARED ABOUT! SOMEONE THAT LOVED AND CARED FOR HER! SO DOES THE POOR KID FROM 11 REALLY NOT MAT-'

I hear her words cut off as I look down. As I see what I've done.

Jemima is lying twitching at the bottom of the tree. The tree I pushed her from. 'Still feeling talkative?' I ask, Jem groans and I decide that's a satisfactory answer. 'Goodnight Jemima!' I say cheerfully, and climb higher into the tree, ready to get some sleep.

This is the end of the horrifically shitty chapters, feel blessed to still have brain cells if you've made it this far!