Hi, everyone! I know it's been a while since my last update. I got my degree and started working, so I was quite busy. Anyway, I'm not going to delete my stories or start them anew; I'm just going to resume them from where I left off, so stay tuned, please.

Last time I updated this story, I forgot to say that you can find a link to the Smiths' family tree on my profile, at the end of the section titled "my universe (AU)". When copying it, remember to remove the spaces, and, please, pay attention not to modify the tree. It is not complete, because we still don't know the names of all the family members. Besides, some characters are not present in the current story but in Divine Punishment, so I'll provide you with a list of the most important parts to read at the end of the present chapter, if you want to know who those characters are. You'll find the list after the asterisk *.

And now, enjoy arena night 3 :)


Third night in the arena

Estrella Sol (17)- District 10 female tribute

The Rejected

Another dreadful night has fallen over the arena. I'll never be able to get used to those screams echoing in the chilly air, which make it impossible to sleep peacefully… assuming I'll be able to sleep peacefully again after experiencing the Hunger Games. The third day in the arena was basically eventless: Rebecca, Christine, and I couldn't sleep the previous night due to the screams, so we did it in the morning by taking turns. The rest of the time, we explored the surroundings to gather supplies, but we didn't move that far away from our camp. Christine dug out some edible roots, and Rebecca managed to catch five six mice with a snare made of wire… well, I wasn't enthusiastic about eating rats; nevertheless, once I skinned, shoved them onto sticks, and roasted them over fire, they looked like normal skewers… better than nothing, right? We didn't venture into the swamp, though. According to Rebecca, swamps are dangerous places; you risk sinking into quicksand, not to mention the fact that we're in the arena of the Hunger Games, and I'm pretty sure Gamemakers can come up with pitfalls that are much worse than quicksand. Well, I'm not an authority on swamps- Ten's weather is too dry for them- so I'll trust Rebecca.

A simple life in a faraway land... that's what my experience in the arena may be compared to… so far, at least. If there were no Hunger Games, I could even enjoy it. However, the truth is that I have a lot of free time here, and that's bad. Free time equals time to think, after all. I've been thinking cyclically about my grandma, Celina… and about Tim. Oh, Tim! I can't let him go… not yet. I know I should, but I'm not ready. I know that novelty in the Games means death, but this dead calm is driving me crazy!

Suddenly, they start playing Panem's anthem, thus interrupting my thoughts… luckily. The show first Capitol's seal and then the face of the only tribute who died yesterday. Actually, their cannon fired after they had played the anthem, that's why they're showing their face right now, I suppose. Anyway, it's the boy of District 4.

"Another Career, this is good news," comments Rebecca with a slight smirk.

I frown in response. "You can't be serious… I mean, he was just a victim like the rest of us, we should show respect," I reply.

She turns to me. "But Careers choose to be part of this, they aren't victims."

"He didn't, because he was reaped," I point out.

"He allied with the Careers, he was one of them, no matter how he ended up in the Games," she rebuts with a shrug.

"You're insensitive, Rebecca. These are the Hunger Games, but we cannot… we cannot be indifferent to someone's death. He was a human being, and honestly I pitied him… I mean, his sister…"

"Do you really believe that story? It was just for show!" she interrupts me, shaking her head in disbelief.

Her comment shocks me. "Why invent such a story?"

"For show!" she insists. "The Capitol loves drama, and two siblings who were unfairly separated is a fucking good story!"

"So, also your love story with Owen was fake, then? And your contrasts with Adam? Just for show?" I say, defiant.

"It's not the same," she replies and then looks away.

"No, it is!"

I turn to Christine, looking for her support, but she says: "I'm sorry, Estrella, but I agree with Rebecca. The Games are a TV show, but it doesn't mean that everything is staged. Four's story might be true, but it seems so unlikely as well."

At this stage, I fall silent. I didn't expect my allies to be that harsh and insensitive. The Games are the Games, but one should not forget what pity and compassion are!

"Anyway, no point talking about Four. I think we should discuss strategy," she adds.

"What exactly?" asks Rebecca, who doesn't sound interested, though.

Maybe I shouldn't have questioned her love for Owen. After all, she has never questioned my love for Tim… she probably finds it silly but not staged, while I basically accused her of being a liar. I feel guilty, maybe I should apologize.

Both my allies are looking at me now, waiting for me to speak… but they immediately shift their gazes to something behind me. It happens in an instant, I don't even have the time to turn around: someone wraps their arm around my neck, and they hold a knife to my throat. Both Rebecca and Christine jump up, their faces are masks of astonishment and fear in the firelight… a play of light and shadow that makes their expressions almost exaggerated.

"Aaaaah!" I cry, frightened.

I try to free myself but in vain. My attacker is holding me tight. I can only stay where I am, shaking like a leaf.

"Shut up and don't move!" shouts my attacker, tightening their grip.

It's the voice of a girl. I can feel the cold edge of her blade on my neck now, and this makes me tremble even more.

"P-please…" I stammer under my breath, almost teary.

"Shut up!"

"What do you want?" Rebecca chimes in.

She has drawn her knife in the meantime.

"First, lower your knife, otherwise I'll slit her throat. I don't think she can survive with a slit throat. Wanna bet?" replies the girl.

Rebecca obeys.

"Very well. Now, put all your supplies- weapons included- in one backpack and throw it at her feet," she continues.

"You can't do this!" says Christine, enraged.

The girl chuckles in response. "Wanna see your friend die? Well, I can understand you. Who would want a cry baby as an ally?"

"You…!"

"Girls, please…" I beg them.

"Girls, please…" she mocks me.

"Okay, we'll do what you want, but this isn't over," Rebecca warns her. "We'll find you sooner or later, you cannot hide forever."

"You need to find me first," she rebuts.

She doesn't sound scared at all, she sounds rather amused.

Rebecca and Christine gather all our supplies, put them in one backpack, and throw it at my feet. I wonder how the girl can think that she'll get away with it. How can she grab the backpack and flee undisturbed? But I immediately find it out: the moment she releases her grip, I feel a sharp, localized pain at the bottom of my back. Then, my attacker pushes me, and I fall to the ground.

…...

Ambra Clares (16)- District 3 female tribute

The Tactician

A soft rustle wakes me from my doze. I startle, but I immediately calm down, since I realize it was just the wind through the bushes. Now, I have a headache. I massage my aching temples. The truth is that I haven't been able to sleep well since the beginning of the Games. Who could sleep well knowing that they might be killed at any moment?

I look at Christopher. He managed to fall asleep, instead. A tender smile has even formed on his lips. He must be having a nice dream. I wonder what he's dreaming… of home? Family? Friends? He told me his story: he's an orphan, he has run away from his community home along with his friend Mary, and they've joined a gang in order to survive on the streets. I didn't ask him to do it, he did it spontaneously, and I'm glad of that. He admitted that at first he didn't tell his story, because he was afraid that Henry and I would cut him out of our alliance, but after what he said during his interview, he couldn't go on like this. Chris is a good guy, in the end. He has gone through so much- my life seems rather easy in comparison- and yet he's such a positive person. Having a friend to talk to in the arena is really a blessing.

I shake my head and look up at the night sky… a fake sky full of fake stars… pleasant to the sight, though. I would have liked to meet Christopher under different circumstances. The truth is that I'm well aware that our alliance cannot last forever, and I'm scared. He has to die in order for me to come back home… and Henry as well. Could I kill them if necessary? Chris said that he had never killed anyone, but he's in the arena of the Hunger Games now… what if he found himself in a situation where he has no choice but to kill? I observed him during training; he's swift and agile, he can throw knives, and he does it naturally, so he wouldn't need much effort to kill me. I wouldn't need much effort either, if I decided to kill him in his sleep… one less threat for me, and he would probably feel no pain… he's too young to survive here, and I'm sure he knows it deeper down… no twelve-year-old has ever won the Hunger Games… death in his sleep, an act of mercy… if the Careers found him, they wouldn't have mercy just because he's a child… saving him from a painful death would be an act of mercy, instead… a win-win situation…

"Uh… Ambra… you okay?"

I startle. I've got closer to Chris without realizing it, and I've woken him up.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologizes.

It's not you who should apologize…

"Never mind, Chris… I was just… erm… well… tucking you in… it's quite cold out here, right?"

And I tuck him in, indeed.

"Thank you," he says with an innocent smile that suggests he believes my words.

I feel ill at ease now. Clearly, Chris trusts me completely- or, rather, blindly- even though I could betray him at any moment. I don't know whether I should feel sorry from him, because his trust may be his ruin, or envy him, because his attitude seems to make the Games more bearable to him.

"You're welcome," I reply, smiling as well despite my uneasiness.

"My mum used to tuck me in too."

"She was a good mother."

"Yes, she was."

There's a moment of silence, but then he goes on: "You cannot sleep?"

"Someone should keep guard," I point out.

"But your strategy has worked, and… those screams scare everyone… nobody would risk moving at night with mutts wandering all around" he retorts.

"Right."

Yes, my strategy has worked so far. We've moved during the day and rested during the night. We have constantly changed place in order to avoid meeting other tributes. Luckily, we both managed to take a backpack with a blanket during the bloodbath, so we didn't need to light a fire every night. We haven't done it tonight either, because we've stopped near a strange forest that glows in the dark, thus providing some light. If another tribute dropped by, we would certainly see them. Anyway, the forest looks creepy, that's why we didn't enter it. Henry probably knows to which species those trees belong, but they may be man-made… the work of the Gamemakers… like the rest of the arena, after all. As for those screams, I think they're produced by mutts. But which mutts? Since you can hear them only at night, they must be produced by nocturnal creatures. As a matter of fact, mutts are normally inspired from animals… nocturnal animals, in this case. Wolves? Owls? But the truth is that they sound almost human. Humanoid mutts!? I freeze at the thought. I don't want to move at night and risk meeting them… and I'm pretty sure the other tributes would agree with me!

"You'd better sleep, Ambra, we need to keep moving during the day, right?" says Chris.

I take a deep breath. "Yep."

He smiles in response, then he closes his eyes again. I bite my lip. I'm so ashamed of myself! How could I consider killing my ally in his sleep? I know I should think rationally… actually, I shouldn't grow fond of anybody in the arena, because the other tributes are a threat, and they all have to die… but does this mean that I have to be merciless? Of course not! But the Games can change you, right? Before the Reaping, I have never considered killing another human being, but now…

…...

Rebecca Field (16)- District 9 female tribute

The Rebel

"No!" I scream.

I immediately realize what the girl of District 6 is going to do ... and yet it's too late. She's incredibly quick: she stabs Estrella, pushes her, and then flees with our supplies. Estrella keels over on the ground, but Christine and I catch her. I have a quick look at her wound, from which blood is now gushing copiously. The girl must have stabbed her kidneys. I press my hand against the wound, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. Estrella's blood is warm under my fingers. She's crying and moaning in pain. I feel rage seething in my stomach. My blood is boiling! The girl from Six cannot get away with that!

"Christine, help her," I say.

"Uh… what?" she replies in a whisper.

I look at her: she's teary too and alarmingly pale, her round face is a mask of sorrow, hopelessness, and puzzlement. She looks like she's just woken up from a nightmare where time doesn't exist. But I need her to react!

"Help Estrella with her wound, try to stop the bleeding, okay? I'll be back as soon as possible," I go on.

"O-okay," she says.

She doesn't ask me where I'm going- maybe she's still too confused- but I don't mind. Actually, there's no time to waste, but I feel the need to talk to Estrella first. Christine starts putting pressure on the wound, so I free my hand. Then, I put my hands on Estrella's shoulders, even though one of them is still smeared with her own blood.

"Listen to me, Estrella. Stay strong… I-I need you to do that… I-I am going to avenge you… I'll take back all our supplies, so don't worry!" I tell her with a quivering voice.

In response, she repeatedly nods while sobbing. "Be careful."

"I will."

I start running in the direction where the girl of District 6 fled. Apparently, she has headed towards the centre of the swamp. A dangerous choice… unless she did it on purpose. She has certainly studied the situation before attacking us. I freeze at the thought. How long has she been observing my allies and me without us realizing it? During her interview, she said that she had received peacekeeper training, so I'd better not underestimate her. Actually, she could be hiding in the dark, not far away from where I am, ready to pop out of nowhere to kill me. I stop. I look around and listen. Maybe I can hear her footsteps in the distance and follow her, but all I can hear now are those hateful screams that echo in the arena every night. I squint. Luckily, my sight is good even at night. Sometimes, I cannot sleep, so I'm used to wandering in the fields near my house until I'm too tired to stay awake. Apparently, this habit has made it easier for me to get used to darkness. Anyway, there's no sign of the girl. She has fled without lighting a torch. Moreover, the sky is not that clear tonight; I can barely see the shimmer of water that helps me to identify the areas where I cannot transit.

I resume my walk. Suddenly, I lose balance and… SPLASH… end up in a pool. I must have stepped on mud and slipped. Luckily, it's not quicksand.

"Fuck!" I curse.

I try to get out of the pool but trip several times. There are also some reed thickets, and the rushes hit my face like lashes as I'm struggling to return to the ground. Eventually, I make it. Now, I'm on my knees, panting.

"Aaaah!" I shout, frustrated, as soon as I catch my breath.

I start punching the ground. It's not fair! I've promised to avenge Estrella and take back our supplies, but I've failed miserably! The girl of District 6 has fled who knows where, and I let her do it! I let her do it! She's got away with what she did!

I feel cold; indeed, I start shaking like a leaf. Actually, I've got soaked right up to my breast, so it's not surprising. I cannot stay here, that's for sure. I must go back to the camp to warm myself by the fire, otherwise I might die. So I do it, I retrace my steps with my tail between my legs, with my arms crossed due to the cold, while heading towards the warm glow ahead of me.

As soon as I arrive, Christine looks up at me. She has sat down beside Estrella. I shake my head. She doesn't say anything in response, she just looks down at the fire. In its light, I can see that my hands and garments are smeared with mud, but I don't care. I get closer to Estrella and squat. She's lying on one side, with her face turned to the fire. I immediately notice that she's sweaty. Christine has tied her wool jacket around Estrella's waist in order to stop the bleeding. It seems to be working.

"Estrella, you okay?" I ask her in a whisper.

What a silly question!

In response, she looks up at me. "I-I'm trying to sleep."

"Good night, then."

I feel a knot in my throat. Good night!? How can she spend a good night like that? Is there anything else I can say? Come on! You can't be so silly, Rebecca!

"We'd better sleep as well," says Christine at some point. "We can't do anything."

No, there must be something we can do! I clench my fists, frustrated. Suddenly, a thought dawns on me: sponsors… if they sent a first aid kit or something of the sort, we could treat Estrella's wound properly! We can still save her! I stand up. I know exactly what to do, even though I wish there was another way.

"Hey, there!" I shout, looking up at the night sky. "I know you're watching us! Estrella…" – I point at her- "… Estrella needs help, your help! Please, send something! A first aid kit, painkillers… anything would do! I'm begging you, please!"

Christine takes a deep breath. "Things don't work like that. Do you really think…?"

But she doesn't finish her utterance, because a tinkling sound fills the air. A sponsor gift! Indeed, I can catch a glimpse of a silver parachute gliding above our heads and slightly shimmering in low light. I run towards it and manage to catch it before it touches the ground. It's lighter than I expected. There's an oblong box with a number 10 on it attached to the parachute. I eagerly free and open it while holding my breath like a child who's waiting for a present, and… what!? Just a bottle of water!? What do I need it for? I begged for sponsors' help, I humiliated myself… what for? Just for a bottle of water!?

"This is all you have!?" I shout, beside myself.

…...

Yolanda Underwood (15)- District 12 female tribute

The Outsider

I wonder for how long I've been wandering among these bushy hills. The truth is that since I lost my senses once, I lost the sense of time as well. I lost my senses during the second night, and I regained consciousness almost at dawn, so I was presumably unconscious just for few hours. This must be the third night in the arena, then. Three days!? Only three days!? Three days in this bushy hell seem like an eternity. I wonder if I missed some important event of sort while I was unconscious… a tribute's cannon or an announcement from the Gamemakers… ah! I've got more serious issues to think about! Someone is chasing me… and not some random tribute but a Career! I don't know who, though. The boy from One? His district partner? The girl from Two? Well, definitely not the boy of District 2, given that he was injured. I feel anxious, 'cause I don't know my chaser's identity… not that it makes any difference; the Careers are all superior to me, after all. At least, it's just one of them, so maybe with a stroke of luck… I mean, if I managed to defend against Vivian Tide from Four…

I stop. I try to dispel the bad memory of Vivian's blood gushing out of her pierced abdomen and smearing the spear that hit it… the same spear I'm holding right now… the same hand that drove the spear…

"Yolanda, you idiot!" I hiss to myself. "Either you or her, remember? You had to do it! You had to do it…"

I've kept on repeating this mantra to myself since the bloodbath, but the truth is that it isn't working at all; it fails at consoling me, because nothing can console me. I shake my head. I should focus on the Games, not on the past… I mean, a Career is chasing me! I should keep a cool head!

I look down at the valley. A detail has caught my eye: tonight, the sky is quite overcast, and the moon is hidden by dark clouds almost completely, but I can occasionally catch a glimpse of moonlit water from where I stand. It must be a lake, but it can't be the lake near the cornucopia, right? No, it must be another lake. So, that's how the arena is constructed: two hilly areas and a valley with two lakes in the middle. Now that I think about it… heading to the lake could be a good idea. I haven't got much water left. Given that Terry hasn't sent me any supplies yet, I'd better get what I need myself.

I descend to the valley. I don't know how much it takes me to reach the lake- probably a couple of hours. I take a break every now and then. I don't know what time it is, and I can't rely on a cloudy sky, of course. However, it is still night, that's for sure. After all, those dreadful screams cease after dawn. When I reach the lake, I fill my flask with fresh water and use my tablets to purify it. This place is strange. There's a forest nearby, on the left bank… is it me or are the trees really glowing? I can't tell it for sure from where I am. Maybe it's just a visual effect. In any case, I feel like I shouldn't enter that forest. When I finish purifying my water, I look back at the hills. It could be the best place to hide. But what if my chaser had followed me and was ready to attack right now? What if I came back there and they attacked from above? I freeze at the thought. It's a risky choice, but at least I will be in a place I already know.

Suddenly, I hear I thunder in the distance. Yeah, I can feel it… I can already feel that dampness in the air. It's going to rain soon… I silently remark as I'm heading back to the bushy hills.

…...

Mircalla Blutdurst (48)- Announcer for the Hunger Games

"So, another peaceful night…" I remark, a bit disappointed by the absence of bloodshed.

These should be the Hunger Games! Tributes should fight to the death! What am I supposed to comment on?

"Peaceful? Not really!" replies Cinnamon. "I mean, Alexa Steel from Six attacked the rebel girls, and Estrella got injured. Do you think she will survive?"

"Umm… I don't think so… but it was kind of unavoidable," I answer.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"In my opinion, Estrella Sol is not a rebel girl for real. I mean… look at her allies! Both Rebecca and Christine have strong personalities, what the girl from Ten lacks. After her district partner died… well, she hasn't done that much to deserve her place in the alliance. Her friends have suffered for love like her, but they haven't given up! This looser attitude of hers won't help her in the Games," I explain.

"I see your point, Mircalla. Guess the rebel girls are no longer your favourites…"

"Let's say that they still have a potential. I wouldn't give up on them for the moment, if I were you… not on all of them, at least."

"Okay. I'd like to know your opinion on the girl from Twelve. What do you think of her?"

"Well, Cinnamon, you know that she has surprised us all, and I'm glad she's still alive, but I don't know if she could win a fight against her chaser. Excelsa Serafin is quite something, don't you think?"

"She's certainly better trained," he says with a nod.

"Umm… it's not only a matter of training; their attitudes are different as well. Excelsa is a born leader, she has a strong motivation and ambition. After killing the girl from Twelve, she'd still have work to do… still her allies to rely on. And Yolanda? Well, she's a loner, instead… both inside and outside the arena. Don't get me wrong, it's not necessarily a bad thing, but she hasn't received any supplies yet, even though she needs them. Clearly, she hasn't made herself popular. After all, she left her brother to die alone instead of fighting by his side. You know, nobody likes cowards. Furthermore, she seems to be unable to cope with her only kill. She's exactly the kind of person who needs psychological aid, but she has no one to talk to. If I could bet on someone, I'd bet on Excelsa and not on Yolanda," I rebut.

Cinnamon considers my words for a moment before replying: "You're a harsh judge, Mircalla, but you do have a point."

"Thank you."

At this stage, he smiles. "Luckily, I haven't asked you to comment on the boys. I know you prefer the girls this year, so you would probably be even harsher. Poor boys! No one would support them any longer after hearing your nasty comments!" he says with fake desperation.

I smirk in response. "It's not my fault if the girls are superior."

That said, we both chuckle.


So, this chapter is finally over! I know this is my first update in one year- which is kind of a shame- but 2022 has been eventful and tough for me. I hope 2023 gonna be a better year for writing. As for my next updates, I'm going to work a bit on Divine Punishment before going on with the present story. Here's the list of the chapters that I'm going to upload:

- 76th HG: sponsor chapter 1

- 76th HG: training day 1

- 99th HG: day 4

- 99th HG: night 4

But let's focus on the present chapter just a little bit longer! Its title makes reference to a prelude, but a prelude of what? Can you make a guess?

As for tributes' positions, the rebel girls and Alexa are still in the southern part of the arena. Ambra and Christopher have moved towards its centre instead, more precisely at the edge of the enchanted forest, where you can find Henry and the siblings of District 7… and maybe Scarlett. Last but not least, Yolanda is in the western part of the arena, and Excelsa is probably looking for her.

Submitters can assign points to: Ambra (D3F), Rebecca (D9F), Estrella (D10F), Yolanda (D12F)

If you want, you can leave a review and answer the following questions:

Ambra: would she be able to kill if necessary?

Rebecca: what do you think of her attitude?

Estrella: will she survive?

Yolanda: should she really go back to the hills?

SUPPLIES SENT

Estrella: a bottle of water (category: food/water)

Thank you very much for reading and reviewing… as for your patience as well! I wish you a Happy New Year! See you in 2023!


*Nanako Yu, Izumi and Ren Laine: Divine Punishment chapter 9 (D4 Reaping)

Ismene Flair: Divine Punishment chapter 1 (New Responsibilities), 17 (A Blast from the Past), and 20 (What Stirs underneath the Surface)