DISTRICT 4 FEMALE - ANASTASIA JUERLIA

It's been days since I was thrown inside this hell on Earth, and yet, miraculously, I was still alive. It almost seemed impossible, too good to be true. I was just Anastasia Juerlia, the girl who had an autistic younger brother from District 4. I was no one special, I haven't done anything spectacular, and yet I was still alive.

Last night, when that dreaded anthem played, I looked up and saw in the sky the familiar faces of Azrael, Narian, Colorado and Roxi, and to my shame, I felt no remorse. None at all. Only weariness and relief that I had fewer tributes to compete against. However, now, as I trekked along the snowy mountain path with my allies, I felt sad. I never really interacted with them, but I knew them well enough. To see the games take away another four young lives made my heart ache. And to think Cal might be reaped and thrown in here next year...

I shuddered.

"Hey," I looked to my left and saw Bellona gazing at me, her eyes soft and comforting, "You ok?"

I nodded, lying. I could tell Bellona didn't buy it, though, however she didn't push it, something I was grateful for. Bellona was a good friend, and I felt a small pang in my heart that reminded me that if I wanted to win, I would need to kill her. We couldn't be friends forever.

"Guys!" I snapped my head up when I saw Wiley and James both stop at the same time. Bellona and I, who were lagging behind, rushed forward, both of us concerned. Beckett was standing in front of a large, jagged grey rock, and at first I didn't understand what was wrong. Until I saw it.

Right on the other side of the rock was a large, gaping hole, around 3 meters in diameter, which looked like it led down to the centre of the Earth. I crept forward to the jagged rock and peered over the stone, looking down at the hole. I squinted, trying to see if I could see the bottom, but all I could see was black.

"We should go back," Wiley suggested timidly, "We should leave it alone."

"Why?" James argued, still limping from is wound in his leg, "Something could be down there."

"Exactly! Like a monster!" Beckett snapped, taking a hold of Wiley's arm and leading him back the way we came. So far Bellona hadn't said a word. As the three boys continued arguing, she walked forward silently, her boots hardly making a mark in the snow, and came up beside me.

"What do you think? Leave it or investigate?" Bellona asked, her brown eyes wide and curious, tinted slightly with fear.

I pursed my lips. The obvious answer was to leave it, but I concentrated and tried to think like a Game Maker. Perhaps it was placed here for someone to find...maybe it held food, or medicine, or weapons. Maybe this was a test, to see which tributes would be brave enough to enter the hole.

"Or stupid enough," I mumbled under my breath.

"What?" Bellona asked, her eyebrows crunched up in confusion.

I jerked a little, brought back to reality. Quickly, I relayed my thoughts to my most trusted friend and watched her reaction. Like me, she pursed her lips and her eyes got a far-away look and glazed over. After a few seconds which felt like an eternity, Bellona looked at me.

"I think we should go, just the two of us. Just for a few minutes. The boys can help us up." She said softly, shrugging, "I mean, the worse that could happen is that we'll get killed—and we all know that's going to happen one way or another."

"So we'll just go with it?" I asked, looking back at the rest of my allies, who had now quietened down a little and were looking at us, most likely wondering what we were doing.

"We'll go with it," Bellona echoed, and I thought I saw the ghost of a smile on her tired, worn face. As Bellona walked over to Beckett to tell them our plan, I slowly walked around the boulder and stared at the hole. Grabbing a stray pebble, I stood up and dropped it inside the hole.

"One...two...three...four...five...six—" On the sixth second, I heard a faint but recognizable 'pang' from the hole. Surprisingly, it sounded like my pebble had bounced on something. Metal, or plastic, maybe. But that also meant that it was quite a long way down. Getting down on my knees, I cautiously scooted to the edge of the hole and proceeded to wave my right hand the opening, looking for something. TO be honest I didn't even know what I was looking for. A rope, maybe. There was nothing. I stood up.

Then the unimaginable happened.

The snow around my knees had been melting as I had leaned forward towards the hole, gradually turning into a dirty puddle of water. As I stood, my boots slipped on the water and I pitched backwards with a scream and fell weightlessly into the hole.

I've read many books where the author compares falling weightlessly to a feather. But it was nothing like that, in reality. I was weightless, sure, but I was not falling like a graceful feather. I was falling like a stone, spinning hopelessly, no control over myself.

Six seconds. It seemed so long. As the beam of light above got smaller and smaller, I closed my eyes and prepared myself for death, yet I had no control over my mouth. I was still screaming. Then, the world titled and there was a sharp crack of something against something hard. It took a millisecond for my brain to realize that it was me who had collided with the ground, and it took another millisecond for hot, blinding pain to erupt in my left shoulder.

"Ana!" I could hear someone frantically yelling my name, but the world turned blurry, and spun out of focus, and then there was...

Black.

~

A faint, sweet voice awoke me. As my eyes cracked open, everything was out of focus, and my eyesight blinked on and off like a broken TV set. It was then when I realized that my head was lying on something soft, and there was a hand gently stroking my face.

I forced my eyes open, and black spots danced in front of my eyes, but I kept my eyes opened. I struggled to sit up but white fire seemed to rush through my veins, and I let out a little cry of pain.

"Shhh..." a familiar, soothing voice sang, holding me down gently, "It's alright, Ana. You need to rest."

Bellona.

I titled my head backwards a little and saw her beautiful face, her eyes rimmed with red, her face streaked with tears. "I thought you were dead," she murmured, combing through my tangled hair with her hand.

I tried to say something, but was interrupted by Beckett's voice, "Bellona, we need to get Anastasia back up. I don't think this place is safe."

The problem is, nowhere is safe, Beckett.

"We can't move her yet," Bellona argued, her rhythmic strokes stopping, "Look at her! I think she must've broken a shoulder blade, or something." I let my gaze wander from Bellona's face to the beam of light that came from above, and saw a few tangled vines. Ah...they must've used the vines as a rope to climb down to save me.

This was met by a dry voice, "Then we leave her. We can't carry her up anyways."

"Um, James," Wiley's voice was heard next, "Did you hear that?" The District 12 boy wasn't in my line of vision, but I could hear the tremor in his voice. Something wasn't right.

"What?" James snapped irritably. But he got his answer when a low, menacing growl echoed through the dirt walls. I felt Bellona stiffen.

"Guys?" Beckett whispered, his eyes wide, "Should we go?"

No one even bothered to answer. James reached the vines first, and I watched as his pudgy hands grasped the vines and slowly he managed to climb up. Another growl was heard this time, louder. I could feel my heart thumping in my chest and my breathing escalate. Whatever it was, it was close.

Bellona gently grabbed me under my arms and hoisted me up, and I stumbled on my feet. A sharp stab of pain travelled up my shoulder, and I gritted my teeth to stop myself from crying out.

"Come on!" Beckett's voice was laced with pure fear as something scratched the walls not far from where we were gathered. I looked up and saw that James had reached the top and Wiley wasn't far behind.

"You go first," Bellona demanding, gripping me, "I need to get Ana up."

"That's a horrible plan!" Beckett argued, "Anastasia has to go up last because she has to grip the vine and we have to pull her up."

"Then I go second last! It doesn't matter! Go, Beckett! Just go!" Bellona screamed, and Beckett, startled into submission, immediately grabbed the vine and climbed up despite his injured leg. When he had almost reached the top of the hole, Bellona let go of me and took a hold of the vine.

"Wait here," she murmured, "When I'm up just hold onto the rope and we'll pull you up, ok?"

"Ok," I rasped, my voice unlike myself. Bellona gave me a half-smile and then started climbing upwards, surely and steadying. Wincing, I moved my arm to grip the vine rope, and that's when it appeared.

The monster.

Its form was vaguely humanoid, but it looked nothing like a human. It had milky white eyes, and wrinkly, loose skin that looked like a hag's, and wore a rag around its privates. But the most terrifying features were its teeth. Large, sharp fangs snarled at me as it clawed its way towards me, jagged fingernails scraping on the metal floor. And all I could do was stare, mouth agape, my hand still loosely hanging onto the vine.

"Anastasia! Grab it!" Bellona's scream was faint and far away.

I didn't. I couldn't. I just stared.

Then the monster launched itself at me, claws outstretched, saliva flying in all directions. Out of pure distinct, I jumped to the left, dodging the flying monster. I watched as it collided head-first onto the rock walls and stumbled a little, obviously dizzy.

But before I could even move the monster had regained its wits and came charging at me again, making an animalistic growl at the back of its throat. Desperately, I jumped again, but the monster seemed to have learned its lesson. As it charged at me and saw me side-step, it changed direction and its claws dug into my jacket, and the next thing I knew I was flying through the air and had landed with a smack on the jagged rock walls.

Pain ripped through my shoulder and I screamed, but it was cut short when the monster pounced at me and sunk its teeth into the folds of my jacket, tearing it to shreds as it shook the jacket. All I could do was pant and watch. When my jacket was completely torn beyond repair, the monster turned to me, it's white eyes glaring, when something whizzed past my ear and buried itself into the monster's neck. A silver knife.

Out of the blue came Gloxinia, Alexander and Meri, all yielding weapons. Despite them being enemy tributes, I had never been so relieved to see them. I watched as Alexander got out a small, leather-bound book from his jacket pocket and turned the pages frantically while Gloxinia and Meri danced around the monster, making it extremely confused. No one had noticed me yet.

"Meri! The only way we can kill it is by decapitation or fire!" Alexander yelled. The monster howled and eyed its new prey with interest, and I knew they had to act fast or they'll end up like me.

"Don't worry, Alex!" Gloxinia swiped at the monster with a dagger when it got too close and crimson blood spurted out of the wound, "Meri! Cover for me!"

"Sure thing, Gloxi!" Meri yelled and threw a silver throwing star at the monster's head as Gloxinia rummaged through her pockets and took out something silver. She then pushed a button and red-hot flames shot out of it immediately. Meri dodged out of the inferno's way just in time and I gasped as I saw the monster's body catch fire instantly and it screamed as its body burned.

It happened all so fast. One second it was there, withering in the flames, and the next...gone. A pile of smoky ash was all that remained of the demon.

We all stood (or in my case, lay) panting for a good few seconds before Alexander straightened and his eyes found me. He walked over and I shrunk back against the walls instantly. Alexander laughed, "Scared, Ana?"

All I could do was breathe, and my eyes widened when I saw Alexander go for his knife.

"Stop it!" both of our heads snapped over to where the vine was and I sighed in relief when I saw Bellona appear, waving her arms like a lunatic. Before anyone could stop her, she had marched over to where Alex stood over me and had yanked him backwards by his jacket. Startled, Alexander stumbled and lost his balance, falling onto the floor. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Meri stiffen a laugh.

Alexander stood up slowly, a wild, mad glint in his eyes, "You'll pay for that, 'simple girl'." He sneered.

"Alex," it took a while to realize that the voice belonged to me, "Please just leave. We'll see each other soon enough, anyway."

I watched as Alexander let out a dry, sarcastic laugh, "And what makes you think I'll let you go?" he unsheathed his knife, "I'm a Career, four, and Careers don't walk away from a fight."

Bellona stepped forward, and her next words surprised me, "Who's died?" she asked softly, her eyes glistening with tears. Alexander, again, was shocked by Bellona's straightforward question and it took a few moments to regain himself.

"How do you know?" he demanded suspiciously.

Bellona sighed, "I was up top, and I heard the cannons. There were three. Do you know who it was?"

This time, it was Gloxinia who spoke up, "We all saw Toby and Achmetha get...eaten," I watched as her whole body shuddered at the memory, "The other one? I'm not sure."

Bellona's eyes fell. Even though Achmetha has betrayed us, she was still upset. Immediately I felt a wave of respect for my ally. Despite everything we've been though, Bellona still had enough humanity inside her to feel remorse of the death of the person who had broken her heart.

There was suddenly another loud cannon sound and we all jumped out of surprise. The cannon was followed by another low growl from one of the monster and both Bellona and I sucked in a deep breath. Even Alexander looked worried now. He turned to us and his eyes narrowed, "Consider yourself lucky," he spat, "I don't have time for you two. This isn't over, though." With that, he turned to Meri and Gloxinia and the trio disappeared down a dark tunnel. Without wasting a moment, Bellona started climbing up again, faster than before, obviously trying to avoid re-living the whole situation again. I felt a wave of nausea hit me as a low growl was again heard and grasped the vine so tightly my knuckles turned white. Soon, I felt the vine rope jerk and felt my feet being lifted up. My shoulder screamed in protest but I bit my tongue and ignored it.

I was going to survive.

And no monster, enemy tribute, or anything the game makers could conjure up would stop me.

~~~~

DISTRICT 7 FEMALE - GLOXINIA CARVER

I saw Meri and Alexander from a distance. I went looking for her for nothing! A hint of jealousy crawled it's way up at their close proximity.

"And here I thought I have nothing to worry about?" I said covering my jealousy into a joke.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong." Meri snarled out defensively, stepping around him to glare at me

"I was kidding, Meri..." I put up my hands in surrender, but my eyes narrowed. Obviously the girl couldn't take a joke and I wasn't in the mood to play nice.

"If you want to keep getting in Alex's way, go ahead. But I'm warning you, Gloxinia. If you do, he's going to kill you. That's what he is, Gloxinia. A killer." She snarled. I flexed my jaw, my hands curling into fists.

"We're all killers, moron!" I laughed bitterly. I wasn't stupid but Meri was getting on my nerves now. "And he'll kill you just as quickly. Probably quicker."

"Go away."

"Excuse me?" The audacity of this girl just surprised me.

"I said, leave."

"Careful, Meri. I'm this close to ripping your head off." The idea of ripping her head and painting the snow crimson seemed too tempting to resist. The fact that my resistance was falling apart it sounded fantastic.

"You're in over your head, Gloxinia. You need to calm down; I'm not choosing her over you..." Alexander stopped from completing his sentence and I knew exactly how to finish it,not yet.

"You just did," I said, through clenched teeth. The conversation had turned into something else and I was being blamed because of some girl who couldn't control her emotions.

"Don't make it you or her," The sharpness of the warning was undeniable. "Right now is the worst time for you to do that." I tensed, eyes widening.

"Do not put the blame on me. I'm not the one over reacting." I glared at Alexander, voice cracking slightly.

"You came storming in here like some sort of badger when I was just talking to your boyfriend." Meri snapped. Before I could retort she continued her annoying banter. "I don't want to hear anything else from you. Either you leave or I'm leaving. I'm sick of being bullied by everyone around me, and you're not going to be added to that list of jerks."

I saw Alexander mumble something to Meri, my heart clenched at that. He's just a part of the game. You're better than this, I comforted myself. I looked at the little witch who ruined my best shot at winning the games, something inside me snapped and I wasn't going to put a leash on it.

"Oh bother! Do you want me to cry you a river? Poor Meri finally grew a backbone," I mocked, "Don't run your mouth on me, as much as I like you, I wouldn't hesitate to rip your throat out." If Alexander jumped into save her,I wouldn't back down from fighting him.

Meri glowered at that, her shoulder straining against his grip. "You don't get it, do you? He's not on anyone's side. Not mine, not yours. Just his. He's harnessed whatever good is left in him, and does as he pleases, regardless of what happens to those around him." She yells, losing her control. I couldn't understand why she was acting like I didn't understand that? I wasn't a fool like her to fall in love with someone in the games. I was smarter, I used people. I was using Alexander...wasn't I?

"I'm leaving." Meri pulls away, stomping off somewhere. Good riddance, I thought.

"Why would you do that? She's telling you the truth. We weren't doing anything." Alexander snarled at me. Everyone's obviously lost their mind! I wanted to yell that her losing it wasn't my fault but Alexander looked liked he could kill me. Would he kill me now? I knew I had to back away from the fight. I wasn't going to die for some girl who's obviously lost her sanity or die at the hands of a boy who doesn't think I'm worthy of taking side.

I walked away.

He didn't follow me. Obviously, I thought bitterly, he's found a new play thing. How long would he have continued playing my game anyway? One thing was for sure, if he didn't kill her I would definitely be carving Meri out.

No one likes to be the third wheel and Gloxinia Carver isn't going to be one.

My feet trudged through the knee high snow with difficulty. If my blood hadn't frozen already in my veins I'm pretty sure my internal organs would combust from the cold air that seemed intent on passing through my jacket and rip through me. Whether it was the cold or the twinge in my heart that I'd been chosen over by someone else, I wasn't sure but it made breathing harder. Someone I knew I couldn't trust but hoped I could. A bitter laugh passed my lips. This made things easier for me; emotions aside I was undeniably a killer. Time to embrace and focus on it.

I was alone thanks to my stupidity of attempting to be a saint. I was at the prime time of my vulnerability; away from the protection of my allies. Why? Because Meri had disappeared and I was cuddling into Alexander's warmth which probably frightened me more. Not to mention her over reaction after I found her. The girl was a danger to herself and now to me especially after Azraels' death.

I found myself in a clearing surrounded by tall trees much like the one I had camped with my allies before. A growl left my lips. That stupid girl. I was even more stupid than her.

A rustle amongst the trees made me aware that someone was watching me, tensing, I pulled out my dagger. The rustling was faster now, they were circling me.

"Unless you want to be choking on your own intestine I suggest you come out." I said trying to cover my nervousness. Faster rustling of leaves that made me turn around, quickening my heart rate.

Toby stumbled out of the trees, I was ready to push in my dagger into him when I realized he was distraught. A loud screech raised goosebumps on my skin, heightened my fear. He wasn't running towards me he was running from something. Shit.

"Wendigos," he whispered.

I sprinted in a random direction, I could hear Toby's footsteps behind me and something else but it wasn't footsteps it was more swiftness of air. Whoever or whatever it was; were bloody fast. A blood curdling scream echoed from behind and the bang of a cannon confirmed the death of a tribute.

A white parachute floated ahead of me, I pushed myself harder. That had to be for me and even it if wasn't I was going to take it. Finders keepers and losers landed up dead. A abandoned mine like cave came into my view. The parachute landed right onto of the entrance of the mouth of the cave.

Whether it was the adrenaline or the fear of being killed a couple of feet away form the cave but I managed to jump, grabbing onto the parachute. A rifle sort of thing with a long but thicker tube attached parallel to it and a small bottle shaped cylinder attracted perpendicular to the rifles length in front of the trigger. It was rather odd looking for a rifle but I wasn't going to complain.

A strong grip pulled on to my ankle yanking me down to the ground eliciting a groan from me. I tried kicking my foot free and turned around to see it was Toby.

"Let go!" I said trying to kick his face with my other leg but he caught hold on to that with his other hand. The warmth of the cave brushed my face, calling me closer and inviting me in. Pulling my body weight against me I tried to pull us in the cave. If he wasn't letting go then I'd drag us both to safety from whatever it was chasing us then I'll kill him.

The cold air stilled around us. Everything seems suddenly quite. Too quite.

From my peripheral vision I saw a figure watching us and another swiftness of air around us. There were two. I swallowed back the nerve wrecking fear that threatened to coarse through me. I had to make it through.

Toby was pulled off me, his nails dug through me as he tried to hold on to me. He let out a scream and I could hear the crunch of his bones. Then it was my turn. Long, sickly like hands grabbed onto me lifting me onto the air upside down. It was tall, it's legs bent like the hind legs of animal but they were too skinny to be an animal. The skin almost a dark blue ashen colour, an odor that would be consider revolting if the current circumstances weren't leading to my probable death.

I pierced my dagger into its leg tearing it to the max length I could reach. I was pretty sure the dagger came out from the other side, like I could feel like cold air on the other side of its sickly flesh. It let a loud wail of a sort but didn't drop me. If anything it seemed more furious and even more dangerous. It pulled me up to its face, it was like a deformed skeleton, blackish blue skin stretched over abnormal face structure. Big black hollows in place of its which you'd think it didn't have eyes if it weren't for the slight glint in the darkness. It's eyes reflected the fate of its soul; there was nothing. It was a monster. It had long yellow fangs that were dripping of saliva as it hissed at me. It's long, sharp fingernails dug into my soft flesh, almost cutting into my skin.

As it opened its mouth to bite a chunk off me, I put the rifle in his mouth, bracing it somehow over my shoulder, I pulled the trigger. Expecting the sound of the bullet, I was surprised as its cheeks hollowed out and I felt heat.

It was a freaking flame thrower!

It was over within seconds. Its head exploded. I was covered in its sticky internal goop. I landed with a thud, my eyes fell onto the other beast. It was busy savoring Toby, my stomach lurched as i heard the munching and ripping sounds. It was more than seven feet tall, it's tall lanky body hunched over Toby.

Holding on to my only weapons I charged at its back but it must've felt my movement because as soon as I jumped on it, it turned and grabbed me. It screeched loudly in my face, it's horrible breath of blood and death coating my face. It knocked the rifle off my hand. Quickly, grabbing onto its leathery skull I used the dagger in my other hand and sliced his head off. It's body dropped to the ground with me on top. I couldn't move, I held onto the dead beast as if I was afraid it would come back to life.

Seconds after recollecting myself, I moved off of it. Toby had called them wendigos. I had heard about them, but I never knew they were real. They were stuff of horror stories. I was in a real life horror, why was I susprised?

I torched the both of them till I was satisfied they wouldn't move. They were the perfect predator. How I managed to kill them was nothing short of luck. There was nothing I could do about Toby, I didn't know him but the fact that he died so brutally was sad. Did he feel the fangs pierce into his skin as it took s chunk of his flesh and pulled it out? Did the crunch of his bones echo in his ears like it did in mine? Did he see his heart rip from his chest before the beast bit into it? Did he smell his death before it consumed him?

I closed my eyes, the chunks of red and pink churned my stomach. I could see his spleen and his intestines as they tumbled out of him. I stepped over it as I went to sit a little inside the mouth of the cave. I needed to rest; maybe close my eyes for a bit.

My mind was running wild imagining Toby's death, the smell of death and the Wendigo. My hand fell onto my side coming in contact with something sticky making me jump. It was something gooey and silvery, smelt horrible-Wendigo, reminding me of its breath.

It all fit like pieces on the puzzle. It wasn't a coincidence Toby and I found the mine, this was their nest. They rounded us up. I quickly got up and sprinted putting as much as distance as I could between the mine and I. No wonder the mine was so warm and inviting. It was a temptation. It was their feast; only I wasn't going to be a meal.

I was a predator not prey. Everyone better hide, because I'm on the hunt to play and I assure you this beautiful face will not give you a heavenly death. I was going to round up my feast but first I was going to start a fire but this won't leave anyone unscathed. 

~~~~

DISTRICT 10 FEMALE - BELLONA VIELLANA

Invalid

~~~~

DISTRICT 12 FEMALE - MELODY SHADES

Out of all the harsh nights we've had back in twelve, you'd think I should be able to handle this weather like nobody's business.

I can feel the frost settling against my upper lip, the way my cheeks burn from the tears that have been permanently stamped there. The fact that I've been through so much already should be a relief to my family, that this arena won't be as hard for me as it will for the others. Although my parents don't know the majority of the things that I've gone through, every Seam residence will come face to face with freezing temperatures at some point. It's not something particularly rare.

However, this arena is different. I stumble into the snow, burying my fingers in the flakes, clenching my teeth against the wind racing through my dry mouth. The first few times were easy, hauling myself back to my feet, but the more I go down, the same voice just grows louder and louder. I can't do this. I cannot be the person that my family expects me to be.

And what's harder; being so close to warmth, and yet, forcing yourself away, like poison. And in a way, I guess poison is the right word, because a fire means nothing but absolute death. Every tribute should know that, from a lifetime of watching past games. And yet, there is always that one who doesn't want to comply with the obvious. A few wisps of smoke in the air, a final cry, and the cannon's boom. That clears it right up. Towards the beginning, I know that the sound of a cannon would've terrified me. Now, it almost seems to lift a weight off of my shoulders. Like my feet are being chained to the ground, and every time someone else goes down, it becomes a little easier to lift my feet. Not too many chains left.

But sometimes, even when you've found a way to resist the urge for so long, there's nothing left you can do but give in to the warmth. And so, as I've finally staggered to the edge of the tree line, I catch sight of the square of darkness against the bottom lip of the mountain. I make a break for it. Even before I can think about what I'm doing, I hurl myself in that general area, thinking about nothing more than ducking out of this snow storm. The flakes blow in every direction, getting in my eyes, up my coat. The winds whip my hair back against my head, slapping my skin like daggers.

There's another thing I seemed to have lost, as I go skidding to a halt outside of the black darkness. Any sense of judgement, any logical reasoning as to what may lay beyond has been pushed to the very back of my mind.

Even so, I raise a tentative hand into the dark, squinting to make out any figures that may lay ahead. Nothing. I take a step inside, pressing my back to the wall at my side.

"Oh..." I breathe as the warm air rushes towards me, hugging my body in the way a quilt does, like the heavy ones my mother used to make. And when she'd cook a pot of broth over the flames for dinner; fire crackling as we watched it licking at the bottom of the pot. For a moment I allow myself to become lost in it, lost in the warmth of the blackness, lost in my family back home and how badly my heart has ached for them, when I absently step forward.

Instead of the icy Earth floor under my foot, the ground slopes off and my body pitches forward, into the empty darkness below. A strangled cry escapes me, as I collide with the rocky surface beneath my hands, and the wind races from my lungs on contact. I wheeze for a moment, spluttering as I struggle to sit up, when I stop.

Footsteps. Booming footsteps, rebounding off of the tunnel walls. I instinctively throw my head up peering into the shadows for any source of the movement. However, the air is dead black; nothing viewable through the gloom.

The next sound is louder, harsher. A scream, so piercing, I lurch back in fear and surprise, clamping my hands over my ears to block out the sound. My heart throws itself against my ribs, filling my ears with the remnants of the scream and the furious slamming in my chest. For once I think I can see something, if I squint just hard enough into the blackness. One tiny ember of flame, dancing back and forth as it is carried by the small breeze from outside. I look up, expecting to see the faint light of day gleaming in, but can identify nothing but emptiness.

For a moment, I recall the trainer's instruction back at the training center in the Capital. Though I had never appreciated anyone associated with these games—or the capital for that matter–her suggestions actually turned out to be quite useful. She had said something about—

One more growl rides the air, sending goosebumps crawling up my arms. A growl. So inhuman. So low and unlike any animal I've ever heard of before.

"Your instincts are your friend, tributes. Human nature is our greatest defense against the forces of nature. Learn to act on them."

With the trainer's voice in my head, I scramble backwards on all fours, expecting to feel the rocky wall against my back. Instead, I find myself eye to eye, with a face.

I don't cry out, lucky enough for me. However, I smack my hand over my mouth and bite down on my palm, screaming into my hand. The ember of flame I had seen earlier hadn't turned out to be a hallucination after all. Through the eerie lighting, I can't make out who it is clutching the torch very well, but a glow is cast upon the creature holding the tribute, clamping them in its wide rows of teeth.

There aren't many opportunities to see animals back in district twelve, but I've spotted them enough to know that what I'm looking at now, is some sort of variation. In its full form, the figure is tall and lean, but with several blood stains running through its dark coat and a tear in its fur, exposing several chipped ribs. Two protruding horns frame its face, as well as two dead white eyes and claws the length of my foot.

I shiver as icy hot pain rushes through my skull at another scream. My hand is still clamped over my mouth and I silently pray that the creature won't notice me sitting here, his next victim. Perhaps the shadows are enough to keep me alive long enough for a quick getaway. Though I've no idea which way leads to the outside anymore...

"Help me!" shrieked the tribute, growing steadily limper in the jaws of the horned creature. Blood is dribbling from its chin, staining the girl's coat. She has to know that the effort is futile, that I couldn't help her even if I tried, that this is the hunger games, and that death is just another kick of a pawn on a game board.

"Please..." the girl moans, finding my eyes with hers. I don't know who it is that I'm seeing, don't know why I'm just sitting here, watching this torturous end. I think of Meri, how I could've saved her before she sank, how I'm heartless, how the gamemakers must be planning my fate this very instant; one that must involve this wretched animal...

I've no idea how long it takes for the girl to die, but when her eyes are no longer in focus, and she does not lift her head, the creature clutches her more firmly in his jaws and tosses her over his shoulder, nothing more than a rag doll.

At once I know that this beast is not just an average cave dweller, growing up in these snowy mountains. The animal is too perfectly designed, too freakish to be some average creation of nature. This is a capital mutation.

The torch in the tribute's hand is what breaks me out of my stupor, as it falls from her grasp onto the floor below. The flames are still lit, licking almost feverishly against the wooden base. The girl's eyes have rolled up into her head, and I look away almost immediately, counting my outward breaths in an attempt to compose myself.

Would you like some? It seems to be asking, swishing its head from side to side as it searches for me. The mutt's long nose hunts for my scent through the breeze and I purse my lips, unmoving.

My worst fears are confirmed, when the beast's ghost eyes land on me and he lets out another malicious hiss. I cannot stop myself this time. I stumble backwards, like a cat fleeing from a mouse, and scream into the night as the brute advances.

I have enough sense to free my dagger, stuffed into my belt, and hold it out to the creature, hoping to intimidate it with the small blade. However, it must know that something so little would have no chance of destroying something so large, because it keeps coming. I rise up on my knees a bit, slashing at it with shaking hands. Nothing. Its pearly eyes stay trained on me.

The light from the torch catches my attention again, though I keep my focus on the approaching mutt. The fire does not die out; it feeds on the fuel, crackling. My eyes flicker to it.

For a moment, I contemplate whether to dive for torch, to use it to my aid as a better excuse than this pitiful knife. Though, that drastic of a movement might trigger something, and the mutt might already be on me before I can even lay out my hands. It's no secret that any one of these capital creations could kill us all in a heartbeat, one simple click of a button and we're all done for. But it's the strongest, the most daring, the bold. Those are the ones who the capital will allow to live.

And when I really consider it, what other option do I have? The flame is my best option.

In one lucid motion, before I can calm the twitching to my fingers, the hair rising on my neck, I dive forward, ducking into a roll to evade the mutt's outstretched arm. I grit my teeth as I go into a crouch, convinced the mutt's claw will soon make its entrance into my flesh, but I hit the ground effortlessly, nothing but a light singe at the bottom of my hair.

I scoop the torch up in my hand and turn on my heel, reaching out with the flame in an attempt to catch the mutt off guard. My body screams at me to run, to find shelter, to cower away, but I don't allow it, and keep stabbing the beast with the fire.

My first jab connects, turning the fur on the front torso—aside from the empty part, of course—jet black. The horns go dipping backwards as the mutt howls, but it rights itself quickly and lets out the lowest of snarls. It begins closing in.

Only to confirm my original thoughts, I'm no match for my enemy's brute strength, and it lashes out with its lengthy claws to catch me across the shoulder. If I wouldn't have jumped back far enough, the daggers would've made a clean cut, undoubtedly fatal. I furrow my eyebrows for a moment, wiping my hand on the cut, but swipe down with the torch to ward off the beast as I further inspect my wound.

It's not bad really, though I'll need to bandage it quickly if I'm to stay up for long. Already the animal is making its way back in, oblivious to the dangers of the fire. I go in for a quick jab, catching it in the thigh. A small cry. It doesn't back down.

Now's the moment, the one opportunity I have to finish the mutt, while it lay defenseless, nursing its new wound. Gathering every ounce of courage, I slide forward on my knees and bury my torch into the back of the beast, straining my arm as I lean in farther. The mutt howls and moans, as it collapses to the rocks in a heap of freakish limbs, fading into the blackness as though it never existed...

Except, it doesn't happen like that. The moment I try to slide, my boot catches on something and I pitch forward, smacking my cheek into the pointed rocks. Something comes out of the mutts mouth, something slow and lifting, almost like a chuckle. However, it only increases the roaring of blood in my ears, as I slide backwards on my hands and knees.

Our parts have switched now. The capital can kill me, right here, right now, with nothing to stop them, no reason to allow me to live in a game that I have no shot at winning. My head slumps in defeat, as the beast's dead eyes fall over me, and it's mouth— home to dozens and dozens of bloody teeth—spreads wide into a grin.

I have won. It is telling me.

And then, just as I had feared would happen, the mutt is on top of me, hovering its claws only inches from the skin of my cheeks. In one last ditch effort, I thrust my torch at the beast with all of the strength I can muster. I wail, sparing a glance into the mutation's grinning face, heart in an uproar, when I close my eyes and wait for the blood to spill.

A howl of agony is my only response, and my eyes fly wide open as the creature doubles over and collapses backwards, wailing and howling as the torch buries itself, not where I expect it to be, but rather, inside the mouth of the creature. My hand lay empty now, clenched in a shaking fist, as the beast flings back its head and screams into the moonless night. Like coal dust after a fine dusting, the mutation pulls into itself in small particles, until only one grain of black settles upon the floor.

I come to know black very well in the next few moments as I sink to my back, holding in coughs. Whether I will take many more breaths tonight cannot be answered. My eyes flutter shut.

There's. Only. Black.

~~~~

DISTRICT 13 FEMALE - MERI YANAMARI

Meri storms back into camp, drenched in blood and glaring. Her hair is also soaked in Beckett's blood. He coughed it up and tried to spit it out, resulting in a mess all over her hair and face. Next time, she's going to remember to tie her hair back. Next time? There's going to be a next time? Some part of her wants to feel bad like she used to. Some small voice inside whimpers that she shouldn't have killed Beckett for what he did. Nope. I like this new me. I'm never going to listen to that voice again.

That voice is responsible for her previous timidity. It's responsible for the years of beatings she endured without a peep. It's responsible for the mentality she's held until now. A mentality that always gives others the benefit of the doubt even when they don't deserve it. Seeing as she's tired of always being walked over and hurt, she's decided that voice should be ignored.

Alex looks up as she enters the camp, and his brows knit together as he eyes her harried appearance. "What the... Meri, what happened to you?"

Meri smiles at him, revealing blood on her teeth too. It's the one injury she's sustained. Beckett punched her in the mouth during their tussle. She knows that in other circumstances, she would've been the one bleeding to death, not him. But there is only the now. Only the rage that has lent her the strength to kill the other boy. "I'm not injured."

"That's exactly why I'm asking. Meri, what did you do? " His confusion is readily apparent to her.

She breaks out laughing at him.

This only irritates him. "Alright, don't explain, just be covered in blood for the rest of the day."

Meri stops laughing and rolls her eyes. Giddiness rolls through her. She's finally managed to shatter the bars around her soul. I'm free. Finally, I'm free. Now I can be me. No restrictions. No beatings for being too spunky or spirited. No slap across the face for speaking my mind. Prancing over to Alex, she lays a hand on his arm. "Most of this is Beckett's blood."

"Right, and it got on you because...?" He asks, still unable to accept that Meri...

"Because I killed him!"

Alexander just stares at her oddly, like he's seeing flying pigs around her head.

She feels pure elation at finally being herself. At finally letting go of the anger and rage she's been holding pent up in her soul. "Seriously... I killed him."

Alex crosses his arms across his chest. With an exaggerated sigh that sends plumes of white into the air, he says, "Yeah? How? "

She steps closer. "I'm quicker. And smarter."

Raising his eyebrow, Alex takes in her disheveled appearance and pulls her to sit down. "Go on," So she does. She tells him exactly what she did and why.

"If this is what Azrael's death did to you, I should've killed him when I had the chance," Alex finally says with a smirk.

Meri's eyes widen, and she does something she never imagined she would do.

She slaps Alexander Le Monte across the face.

He reels back in shock, clutching his stinging cheek. "What the –"

"Let me ask you something, Le Monte." Her steely, ice-coated voice stops him mid-sentence.

He watches her warily with narrowed eyes, his hand still to his reddening cheek.

"Do you think," She pauses; lets him ponder what she's going to say. "Do you think that if you had killed him, I would've let it go? Just smiled, waltzed around, and thanked you profusely for getting rid of the one person in this arena I was trying to save? Do you think it would've been a wise move to kill him when he was the only reason I had not to fight for myself?"

Understanding seems dawn. He knows now that she's snapped. "I wouldn't have let you find out it was me," he retorts.

Meri smiles at him, the chilly bitterness a brutal reminder to him that she isn't messing around anymore. Seeing Azrael's own ally betray him has shaken her to the core. She no longer trusts even the gentlest of her allies. She no longer finds Wiley to be benign. And definitely not Alex. Even Meri could see that from the start. Ignoring his last jibe, she continues, "But I'll ignore what you said."

He frowns at her and slowly takes his hand off his cheek. "Why?"

"Because I know you aren't thinking about it the way I am. You just saw him as a rival. A constant thorn in your side." She shrugs and cocks her head to the side. "I know that, and you aren't wrong."

"Oh?" Alex smirks. Meri knows he's wondering where this side of her has cropped up from. She doubts he believed she had a spark of determination in her whole being. Can't blame him. I didn't believe it myself.

"He was all of those things to you." Standing up, she gives him her hand, helping him to his feet even though he doesn't need it. "By the way, Alex, if you want to shout my secret to the whole world, I won't lift a finger to stop you."

"Of course you won't."

"No." She stops and puts a hand on his chest, watching him with an intensity that shocks him. "You don't understand. I won't stop you because I do not care who knows anymore. My past doesn't define me, and it never will again."

Alex stands there, her hand against his chest right over his heart, and watches her watch him. Still, she sees just a flicker of unease in his eyes. That is her point. To take a weapon out of his arsenal. And, her words aren't any less true because of her purpose. Her past doesn't mean anything if she doesn't feel anything when he tells someone else.

"I understand."

Meri starts to speak, but a horrible, sulfuric smell hits her nose, and she stops, coughing. Alex is also wincing at the assault of the sulfur on his olfactory nerves. A quiet, persistent dinging noise indicates the arrival of a sponsorship parachute. It drops to the ground at their feet.

Meri scoops it up, regarding it with curiosity. "I think it's yours, Alex."

Alex takes it from her, pressing his fingers into the indentations on the sides. The tiny orb that is attached to the parachute winks with a green light, whirs, and clicks open. A tiny notebook is nestled inside of the silk-lined ball. A frown furrows Alex's smooth brow. "What's the point of this?" He opens it up. "It's from Wisteria. Something about not messing up with this. And it says she worked with Rycotta on some Windigo thing."

When he looks to her for input, Meri shrugs. "What would I know? Maybe if Az was here, he'd know." She can't resist the jab since he decided to comment about killing Azrael earlier. Then her eye catches the picture on the page, and her nose scrunches. "Did they put that thing through a meat grinder?"

He glowers at her. "I couldn't tell, was that passive-aggressiveness from sweet little Meri?"

She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "I've finally realized something, Alex."

He stays silent, choosing to raise an eyebrow instead.

With a huff, she continues, "I've realized that I can't just sit by and let other people dictate my life. People aren't inherently good, and all the bad things they do to me aren't my fault. I just never wanted to believe it. I wanted to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But my eyes have been opened. You're no different." What she doesn't tell him is that she knows he considers their alliance useful to him. And for now, it is.

Some small part of her wants to cry. He may hate Azrael, but he reminds her so much of the other boy at times that it hurts. It stabs into her heart, twisting Az's loss deeper and deeper into her darkening soul. She forces back the tears, refusing to allow them anymore. She's not weak like she was. Not now. Not ever again.

She can't allow him to see that every scrap of innocence and belief in humanity's innate goodness that she's held to all these years is gone now. If she does, she'll be a threat. Too much of one.

That mistake means that he'll get rid of her the moment he decides she's more of a hindrance or danger than she is an advantage. And with Alex, one is always skating around on thin ice. You've got your bearings one second, and the next, poof, it's gone.

He grunts and turns back to the little black notebook.

Something moves on the snow laden landscape. A hulking, grey shape appears on the horizon, and it's loping straight for them. Meri tugs on Alex's arm.

"What?" He turns to her with a glare, his focus everywhere but on the immediate threat.

"Look," she murmurs, pointing to the rapidly growing shape.

The sulfuric stench is growing even stronger.

"What is that thing?" Alex gives it a horrified look. "Is that what smells so horrible?"

Meri shrugs. As if she knows. "Hurry up and read that thing."

"Okay, okay!" Alex shoots her another glare.

The creature is almost upon them, and the stench of rotting flesh, blood, and sulfur mingle in a stomach-churning assault on her nose.

"This looks like that thing coming at us." Alex looks up at the approaching beast, then back down.

Meri watches the horror coming with fascination and terror. It lopes along close to the ground with an uneven gait. Ice covers its whole body, which is a pale, shriveled grey color. She tries to take it all in quickly, but it's hard to do so. The thing is massive. Nearly thirty feet tall, it towers over them as it approaches. A few feet from their position, it stops abruptly, raising its gnarled, hairless snout into the air. It sniffs, and then snorts out, spraying globules of snot everywhere.

She winces as a drop hits her face, drenching her in the smell of rotting eggs. "Alex," she murmurs. "Now would be a good time to put that away."

The beast's head whips toward her, and it lets out a deafening roar. Meri cowers back as it rises up onto its humanoid legs. Somewhere in her mind, it registers that she ought to be frightened of it. But she can't seem to muster that fear. Instead, she stares at the ugly creature in mute appreciation. Its scraggly hair hangs in greasy clumps from a vaguely humanoid head. But the eyes. The eyes are milky white and glassy. They dart around in the beast's wizened skull as it searches the terrain. If I make it out alive, I'll be sure to congratulate Rycotta. This thing is grotesque, but it's the perfect hunter for this terrain.

Alex looks up, and his eyes widen. Apparently, he didn't expect it to approach so quickly. And he clearly does not share her wide-eyed admiration. Revulsion and fear sweep across his stoic features before he wipes all emotion away.

The creature seems to be built for this terrain, with long legs and arm-like appendages in the front to help it cross the icy land. Razor sharp claws protrude from the hand-like ends of the thing's feet and front "paws". They glint in the light, a silvery white color, almost like ice dipped in silver paint. Two long, yellowed canines sprout from the aperture where the mouth should've been. It almost looks as though the creature is stuck in a permanent grin, or like someone has carved away their lips, leaving only a horrible, twisted grimace.

Alex tugs on her arm like she did his only moments before. "Now would be a good time to come up with a plan."

"You read the book," she hisses.

The beast's humanoid ears twitch, listening to them. It stays still, watching them with those disturbingly hazed over eyes, which are far too big for its face.

The metallic flavor of blood seems to fill her mouth as the scent of it sticks cloyingly to her nose, hovering in the back of her throat to choke her. It's coming from the creature. It's coming from that thing... Meri gives a strangled, half-mangled cough.

The beast's giant head swings down toward her abruptly. Alex drags her back as the thing's teeth snap at the empty air where she was before. "Umm... Alex, tell me that book was useful!" Meri squeaks, dodging the creature's claws. Finally the mind-sweeping terror that should've come earlier swoops down, snatching her heart with its talons and diving down into her belly. Are we supposed to survive this? She doubts it. The whole point of having mutts in the arena is to weed out the weaker tributes. Well, I refuse to be one of them. I promised him. I promised I'd make it.

"I only got a little of it."

"And?" she shouts, racing away from the creature.

It's directly on their heels, its hot breath almost rushing down the backs of their coats. The pounding of its feet combines with the click of its claws on the snow and ice. Their hearts keep rhythm with it as they sprint for cover. Anywhere but here in the open.

"Fire."

"What about it?" The conversation distracts her, causing her to lose her concentration. She slips and tumbles to the ground. Alex yanks her up by the arm and forces her on as they struggle to gain more space between them and their pursuer. It does no good. We're gonna die. We're gonna die. The chant repeats in her mind, echoing and clanking about like a rusty, dying engine.

"The Wendigo... That thing... It's afraid of fire," he pants. "It burns and melts easy."

"That's it?" Meri shrieks. "Fire? How do we get that?" Couldn't Wisteria have given him something more useful? Or did he just not get that far? Guess it doesn't matter now.

"You tell me. You're the one acting like a flipping genius!" he snarls. "Sixteen year old kids shouldn't have to deal... with... this kind of stuff," he adds in a mumble.

He seems so much older. This sort of game does that though. Meri wants to give a half-whimper, half-laughing sound at that thought. She's being chased by a freakazoid with a human head, but she's still thinking about the psychological effects of the Game. Insane. Freak. That's what you are. And to think it only took one more loved one's death to push you over the brink. Her mind leers at her from the dark recesses of her conscious, toying with her ability to think clearly.

Then both of them get distracted. "Hey, that wasn't there before." Meri points to a large opening in the ground. It has a flimsy wooden barrier over the aperture. Rocks are strewn about it, and so are bones. Blood coats the snow, and body parts are thrown about in a melee of death and destruction.

"What the—" Alex stops, out of breath, and stares at the hole.

"We shouldn't. Look at it. There's a mess, and lots of people clearly died... It'd be... stupid." Meri waves at it as she leans over, struggling to breathe. We're going to die. The chanting starts again in her mind as the earth beneath them quakes with each step the giant beast takes. I'm going to die. The thought strikes her abruptly, more personal than the previous ones. Perhaps if she leaves Alex to deal with it? That idea makes her sick. She truly has changed. If someone told her that she would consider leaving an ally in just a few hours, she would've laughed at them and smiled. Her? Abandon an ally? Yet here she is, thinking about it. Mulling the thought over in her mind.

Alex glances behind them and hooks a thumb over his shoulder. "We have one minute tops before that thing kills us. Take a chance or die."

"Well... Put like that," Meri says, turning to the logs that cover the opening. They're lashed together with rope, but against the Wendigo, it'll do nothing. She heaves it aside with Alex's help. A ladder stretches down into the dark tunnel. She swings herself through the hole and begins to descend without a second thought.

Darkness meets them, swallowing them whole like a snake does a mouse. It smells nearly as bad down here as it does up above. They can hear the Wendigo whining and scrabbling around up above, almost as though the wood barrier actually confounds it. Their fears galvanize them, giving strength and speed to their arms and legs as they hurl themselves down the ladder rungs as quickly as they can.

Then comes the scream. A horrifying, gut wrenching scream that rips at their hearts and pleads with them to come and help. It sounds like a young child. Wiley maybe? The voice starts then, right above them. "Please, Meri... Please, help me." It is Wiley. "It's going to get me."

They've only just reached the bottom of the tunnel. Their feet shuffle nervously on the flagstones as they listen to the desperate cries of the young boy. It's the only thing Meri can hear or think about.

Wiley. I can't let it get him... Despite the changes in her thinking, the motherly nature she's always had wins out when it comes to little kids. Especially vulnerable ones like Wiley. He's one she can't abandon, even if she can't trust him or rely on him.

Meri starts forward, but halts as Alex wraps his arms tightly around her. The embrace isn't a comforting or intimate one. He's stopping her from climbing back up the ladder to open the hatch. His breath tickles her ear as he quietly whispers, "Don't."

She leans her head back against his chest, trying to see up to the sky, which is blotted out by the logs and a dark shadow. "But..."

"It isn't him. If it was, he'd already be dead. That thing was right behind us. It reeks of blood and death," he pauses, thinking. "I don't know what's going on, but..."

"Please.... Alex..." It's Gloxinia now. "Alex, it's gone. It's afraid of silver, so I was able to get it to leave. But Wiley... He's hurt, Meri."

Alex stiffens against her, his muscles taut as he tightens his grip around her. She pushes back against him, and he releases her, seeming to realize that she isn't going to open the hatch again. She turns to face him.

In the dim light from the cracks in the hatch, they watch each other. Meri's lips part just a tad as she cocks her head to the side, considering it. "You're right. Something's wrong."

Something else infringes on her consciousness, whispering in a dry, sand-papery whisper. Come and play, little one... Come and join the others. A dry breeze wafts down the passage, bringing with it a strong, distinctive smell of sulfur, fear, and hunger. The blood smell is so strong it overwhelms them both, choking them.

She stumbles back.

Her left foot lands on a slippery patch, and she loses her balance, flying down into a bunch of hard, long objects. Her hands slam into the flagstones behind her just in time to keep her head from hitting too. Something crunches beneath her weight.

Meri picks a rounded object up to see what it is. Standing up, she walks closer to where Alex is standing in the weak light from above.

And when the sun's feeble rays hit the bleached white of a human skull, a scream tears from her throat. She drops it, her stomach lurching into her throat. We're not alone. Bile burns at the back of her throat as her pulse skyrockets. We are not alone. And we're next.

Her wide eyes meet Alex's.

Then it comes crashing through the barrier.

Meri screams again and races toward the other wall, dragging Alex to the ground with her just in time to avoid the blade-like claws. A doleful howl comes from the beast above, drowning out everything.

And then the tiny bit of light still left catches another pair of eyes.

A pair of milky white eyes.

And they're only feet away, glowing orbs in the darkness, which hang high above them. Light glints off yellow teeth, and claws scrape on the tunnel's floor.

Another one? Meri's heart leaps into her throat. Swallowing hard, she glances over at Alex.

He stares at the second thing as it emerges into the weak sunlight from above. It's even bigger than the first. No wonder the passage had to be so high with such a long ladder. Even hunched over on all fours, the thing is at least fifteen feet tall.

We're so dead.

The first Wendigo converges from the hole they stumbled through. Strings of saliva drip from its jowls to land on the stone passage's floor as it hovers in the hole, its long limbs letting it hang monkey-like from the wide aperture. The drool splashes sharply against the flagstones and splatters the two, frightened tributes as they crouch in the darkening tunnel.

This was a horrible place to hide. Meri stifles a gasp. Air won't seem to fill her weary lungs even though she's dragging in huge lungfuls of it. It eludes her, toying with her and suffocating her slowly.

Ready to play? The same whispery voice hisses in her mind, then laughs. One. Two. Three... Ready or not... Here I come.

With another glance at Alex, Meri says what they're both thinking. "Run!"