DISTRICT1 MALE - DANELIEUX LEON

"Of course she ran off," only day two of the arena and the group of four reduced to a trio. Patterns and parallels are quite funny. "I mean, at least she didn't die this morning like those other three people." Danelieux doesn't understand how the girl from Three managed to kill a fellow Career from Two. And then that bloke, Kale. No one knows how he died, only that Amani found the body sometime in the morning.

"I didn't scare her or kill her, if that's what you're implying, Amani," Corradhin spits out. The two would not stop bickering and Danelieux is getting rather annoyed. He wants to propose a plan, but with the pair constantly going at it, he can't even manage to say a few words.

Well, until a girl comes running towards the too loud group, "Guys, stop. Who is she?" The fierce looking girl continues running, sprinting to them. Or better yet, away from someone, or something. She passes them in blur, not even pausing to catch a glimpse of her on-lookers.

The ivory-skinned girl comes to stop, screeching, "Don't just look at me! It's coming this way. Hurry up," she takes up her stride again. Amani takes a dagger out, following the girl and sticks her foot out, tripping the girl. Amani seems to be whispering something to her, they later shake hands.

The girl with the ivory skin stands up, a pained grin on her face, "Hi, I'm Whyder. Now let's go if you want to live!" Something about the glint in her clear eyes makes Danel follow her. That, and Amani is waving her arms at both him and Corradhin, hurrying them up.

"What exactly is it?" Corradhin wheezes a bit as he runs.

"Stop talking, save your energy," Danelieux barks. He may have not known Mizzy for long, but she was in their group. And she ended up dying sometime last night, while Corra had night watch. It totally did not add up! He didn't want to blame his friend, but all the signs were pointing at Corradhin.

"Okay, Chief Lux Delion," he mocks him. Danelieux can't help it, he allows himself to giggle at Corradhin's retort. So unexpectedly expected. Typical Corra.

The two boys have to sprint to catch up to the girls, who are a good couple of yards ahead of them. "So, you've just been spying on us?" Amani asks Whyder. Woah, Danel thinks, stalking is so not good.

"I wouldn't call it spying exactly," Whyder replies, "more like I just happen to like you guys, so I decided to follow you." Yeah, that makes all of them feel better and secure. But, Danelieux can't be a hypocrite.

He would watch all the kids in the Game, marking down a special trait that would help him remember their names. He'd write down their skills, making sure he knew exactly who and what could harm him. He admits to watching Amani and Corradhin the most, their very appearance so familiar but distinct. He watched her throw and watched him slice. He thought he was being original, but apparently not; someone else had the same idea. He liked that, and he still does now.

"That doesn't matter now, though. We need to keep moving before that...that...that thing gets us," she whines.

But what exactly is it!? He wants to ask her, but she's getting annoyed and annoying all at once. He just follows her, not sure how's she not short of breathe. Midway through the beachy land, almost to the center of the jungle, two silver clouds drop from the sky. One drops by Corradhin's feet, the other lands in front of Danelieux.

"Sweet," Corradhin mutters and puts it in his respective pack. Danelieux undoes the wrapping and finds three items: a small packet of berries, that aren't identified; some plastic contraction with a floppy disc thing; and a white slit of cloth.

"What is this?" He asks to no one in particular. He moves it around like a club, but it seems almost flimsy in the air.

Amani snatches it from his hand and says, "It's a fly swatter!" A what? "We had these during really heavy fishing season. We'd swat the flies out of the air before they landed on the fish." Well, he thinks, the name should have been very self-explanatory.

"How cute. That's nice and all that you guys got something, but we need to keep moving!" Guess who barks that.

"I'm sorry," Corradhin says. Danelieux is immediately on edge; Corradhin's voice is laced with malice, "But who exactly do you think you are? And why do you think you can all of sudden get buddy-buddy with us."

Whyder actually stops this time, her bowstring drawn and an arrow notched. "I'm sorry, Mr. Corradhin. But I'm just a girl trying to survive, like the rest of you. And I don't think I'm 'buddy-buddy' with you. I'm just trying to help you live," she replies. She doesn't drop her arrow, she doesn't lower her bow.

Corradhin raises his machete, but Amani blocks it with her dagger. "Stop, Corradhin," she orders. She nods over at Whyder and asks, "What exactly do you propose? An alliance or truce of some sort?" This time, she moves out of Corradhin's way, allowing him to step forward.

Whyder is looking at Danelieux though. As if he's the one that made them so defensive. "I'm looking for some type of alliance, yes. I don't mind with who, but I saw you three the first."

His allies look at him, letting Danelieux make the final decision. He doesn't understand why, maybe it's the soft expression on both girls faces, but he nods. "Yeah, for now." He swallows his saliva hard, scared that if she does something out of hand, Corradhin will not hesitate to kill him.

~

"What are those?" His voice breaks the thick clearing. He doesn't know what he's looking at, all he knows is that they are very huge and very green. The flora is a lighter shade of mellow, almost bright in its lightness. The way the leaves are, they look like the inside of guava fruits when they're ripe - a beautiful peachy pink. But the way they're formed, it looks like a kids drawing of a sun just rising or setting. Yet the spokes of the so-imagined sun look like thick needles, yet a little more floppy.

Although titanic, they aren't very terrifying. For one, plants can't eat people. "Is that what we were running from? Pathetic!" Corradhin says. Danelieux has to agree. If Whyder ran away from these plants, she's a D-list tribute. The plants don't even seem to move.

Or they didn't until Amani steps forward, almost in a trance. She begins to actually stroke the plant, and honest to God, it begins to nuzzle her. "It's like a horse," Danelieux whispers. What type of plant does that?

"It's not that bad, guys. It just looks a little scary," Amani says. And then she gets swallowed up.

In seconds, both Corradhin and Danelieux are up, trying to save their friend. He expects Whyder to be right beside him, but she's still far behind. He runs back to her, dragging her to help. "This is what being in an alliance means! We help until the cannon booms. Understand?" She doesn't even nod. She pushes Corradhin closer to an open flap of the plant. He gets snapped up in moments.

"It worked. Let's go," she says as she tries to pull Danelieux, but he's too confused and powered on adrenaline to even try to refuse.

He tugs his hand back, "What do you mean? I don't even know you. Now come back and help me rescue them!" Who even is she?

"I thought you were the smarter Career. I brought you all over here to get rid of them. We can be a group of two now," she replies so simply, as if the situation were as clear as the liquid that is dripping from the plants.

What in the world? Danelieux doesn't like to cuss, but at that moment he doesn't care. "What the hell!? I don't even...you don't even..." in a fit of rage, he actually manages to throw her over his shoulder. He slams her down on the ground, wanting one of the plant-animal-things to envelop her, and possibly release Amani and Corradhin.

And surprisingly, the things take the bait. They wrap Whyder up, but they don't release his actual friends. Well, there's always round two. He lays himself on the ground, in sit-up position. When the mouth of one of the things opens up to clamp down on him, he slices the base off with his tomahawks. He expected the stem to be thicker, seeing as the plant has been enhanced, but in reality it seems even frailer. That and Danelieux had sharpened his blades this morning.

The head plops down and even manages to roll once or twice. A slice from inside cuts the teeth and Amani comes rolling out, daggers in her hands. The moment she resurfaces, she takes in the most disgusting-sounding breathe in, even choking it. Gross, he thinks as he tries the same method.

Well, there's always round three. And this time, Amani is done cleaning herself up and joins. She continues coughing though, as if the thing that was surrounding her like a membrane is affecting her more than it seems. "Stupid little git," she mutters as she tries jabbing at smaller areas of the plants. Danelieux tries throwing his tomahawks, but they do no damage. He has to get closer and personal.

"Distract them," he yells at Amani. She does a thumbs up and twirls in the air, landing away from the plant that just tried to snap at her. She mouths a "hurry up" and turns her back.

While the monsters are preoccupied with Amani, he goes behind them, noticing that they're potted in an almost semi-circle. "Too easy," he mutters. It's true. These things had to be defending something. Why else were they so easy to trigger.

Danelieux crouches down and hears a sickening crack! It sounds like a broken bone, but he thinks of the worst. He thinks of Amani, Corradhin and even Whyder; one of them with a broken skull. But when he tries to move, he sees that it's a bit difficult. He lifts his leg up gingerly, noticing that it's soaked. He stepped into something.

A broken shell? There is no absolute way that those things hatch from eggs! It can't be real. Only birds and other mammals hatch from eggs, but plants?! No way.

That's when he sees her, or him. He assumes her anyway. This other thing must be the mother, or the egg-hatcher. Bigger than her "babies" her stem looks thicker, her leaves greener and her teeth pointer. But the most shocking thing? She has wings!

This is so not natural! The moment he thinks it, his plan backfires, and he's swept away.

"Danel," he hears Amani yelling from the other side of the beast. "What is that!?" There's more awe in her voice than fear, another thing that is so not natural.

He can't even respond because the thing is hooked on to his shirt, actually flying away with him. His screams don't even let anything comprehensible come out! He wants to reply to her, tell her to get Corradhin out. But instead the familiar boom of the cannon snaps him into his reality: that he is in fact air-borne, and his flying contraption is a plant with wings.

Please don't be Corradhin. The plant, although heavy, moves quickly. What took Danelieux and his friends an hour takes the flying trap mere seconds to reach. The water, the ocean, the sea. Please don't drop me. Danelieux really needs to stop wishing for things. The thing drops him like a penny from a building. And his last thought is: At least I'll die on impact instead of being eaten alive.

He blacks out.

~~

DISTRICT2 MALE - VENENIUS LINGUORE

"Vennie, wake up."

Silence.

"Vennie, wake up."

Still nothing.

"Vennie!"

I'm not sure how long I'm going to be able to stay with these three girls until I snap and cut their throats. It could be more efficient, of course, to turn them against each other like I'd originally planned, but I'd been saving that for the Career pack, and, well, obviously that isn't going to be happening. I'm not even sure how many of them are left or if they stuck together; with all the potential cracks I saw between them, they may actually be better off on their own. The one thing that I'm sure of is that none of my allies are going to outlive me.

"It's Venenius," I hiss. "And remember, Thirteen: I may be small, but I was still taught fifty different ways I could kill you with something as tiny as that light bulb you have on you."

"Oh." Her voice drops in enthusiasm so much that she sounds as though I just kicked a puppy. "Right."

I sigh. "Sorry. I'm just not a morning person, I guess."

I could puke - in fact, I still might. Trying to make the peace with Lilly - Lina? something along those lines - is more taxing on my patience than I could have imagined. I can handle it, of course; if I could tolerate Romulus Hellenas and his constant ramblings in training without punching him in the nose, I can tolerate a few more days with this band of jolly misfits before I add three kills to my count and wind up with four times the supplies that I would have had otherwise. Worst comes to I can always jump the gun a little, though I'd far rather lower the pool some more beforehand.

"I was thinking we should get to know each other a bit: talk about home, maybe. It gets awfully boring here - I didn't expect that."

Aeren pushes away a few branches and appears in my line of sight, though I knew it was her before seeing her; her voice is a bit lower than Eleven's or Thirteen's, making her somewhat less irritating. My alliance was with her, originally, but the other two stumbled along and she insisted we couldn't just kill them. Power in numbers, I suppose, because I was outvoted. She looks tired and her hair is a mess, but I'm sure I don't look to be in top shape either at the moment.

"Have fun with that. I'll get water."

"Do you need someone to come with?" asks Eleven. I can almost see the pain in her eyes at the idea of having a chat with the other two, but I'd really rather not have to hear discuss how rough life is in Eleven and how lucky I have it. She'll learn eventually that every case has its pros and cons, and that sometimes going hungry isn't the worst thing that can happen to you. Dying, after all, is considerably worse - not that I'd know.

"I'm good. Wouldn't want you to miss out on some well-needed girl time."

She sighs and I watch them fade into the thick foliage all around me until everything in my line of sight is dark and green. I flick on my flashlight, a couple of bottles of water strapped over my back and a knife wrapped in my hand. There's a strange looking plant in the distance, which can't possibly be a good sign, but all the paths that seemed to have been open earlier are now closed off by a web of what looks to be vines. It hits me that I've been trapped and that the Gamemakers have outsmarted me, but when the plant raises its head and looks me in the eye, I know that this isn't going to get better in any way, shape, or form.

"What a shame you didn't come to any of my children first - for you, that is."

Hearing a voice as low as the plant's, I would be taken back even if I had expected it to speak to me. Looking like some kind of venus fly trap and avocado hybrid, but with eyes that seem all too human on either side of a gaping hole I can only describe as a mouth, the creature is nightmarish in itself. Likely her children would have been much less worrisome, but this is a beast I don't think I can defeat.

"There's no need to pull out that knife of yours, shrimp: I'm perfectly open to a trade. So long as I get a snack, I'm happy. And with the amount of water you're carrying, I'm sure there's something you can offer up."

I look at the plant from head to root, noticing the saliva dropping from its mouth. "Believe me, ma'am, I'd gladly give them up, but I need them for now. I might have a counter-offer, though."

"A counter-offer?"

"Yes. Find another snack for today, and within three days, I will get you three people to feast on."

The plant tilts its head ever-so-slightly, blinking as a sick sort of smile crawls onto its face. "Now that is my kind of deal," it whispers. "Go on, boy; you have three days to get me one hell of a feast."

The vines recede and suddenly everything seems much lighter. I doubt the plant can move, and I don't intend on coming back to it, but if I do - well, I can hardly consider that a big loss, is it? Getting the girls there will be no problem; so long as I butter them up a little bit and take it slow, I should be fine. One doesn't boil frogs all of a sudden, after all. You start to heat the water slowly, surely, and before they know it, it's too late for them to escape.

Either way, I only have to tolerate three more days until I'm free of them.

~~

DISTRICT4 MALE - CORRADHIN COLE

The jungle was filled with arguments, snarky remarks, and above all, the terrible feeling known as stress. It affected everyone, and the insurmountable heat certainly wasn't helping. But no one would deny that Corradhin had caught the worse end of the stick. By this point, his hands were entangled in the mess atop his head, and he'd resolved to pacing, teeth grit in worry and annoyance.

Amelia just kept going on and on about how "Corr" should just give up his worries over Amani, how she was the most disposable of the lot. At first, he'd argued back with fervor, but now he kept his mouth shut. She's pushing me. She's pushing me and I don't like it. A shaky breath escaped him, trembling with anger. Amani is ten times the fighter you are, Amelia, I know that as a fact.

There came a point where her voice faded into the cacophony of squawking birds, and he let his eyes fall to the ground where one of his supposed allies lay, unconscious. Guilt flushed through him at the sight of Danelieux knocked out on the ground, a steady trickle of blood travelling through his hair, into his ear. Corradhin chewed his lip. That's my fault.

Maybe I should do something about that cut? He shook his head rapidly. No, I'll be seen as weak.

Still, he couldn't fight the urge to fix his mistake; he hated this feeling settling in his gut, this guilt. This vulnerability. He'd felt it at its worst before, and had no intention of feeling it again. He was compelled to fall to his knees and bring Danel's head onto his lap, to wipe away the blood and fix what he'd broken. So that's what he did. Amelia snickered, but it faded into the sounds of wildlife. Corradhin focused solely on tending to the wound and the regret draining from his system.

At least it passes time, he thought. Amani will be back soon. He ground his teeth. She better, oh man, she better.

He let his thoughts thin into an inkling of what he should've been concerned about: victory. But, his brain never made things easy, and he kept drifting off to Amani's location. Each thought twisted the tourniquet around his heart. Captured. Lost. Trapped in vulnerability. His medical treatment grew lethargic, his touch ginger against Danelieux's temple.

A scream cut through his ignorance and chopped his thoughts into pieces. Immediately he threw Danel's head to the side, wincing when his head made contact with an inconvenient rock. But he knew exactly who'd made the sound, already marching into the depths of the jungle.

Amelia's calls were futile and he tuned her out, focused solely on navigating vegetation. Right, left, nothing but veils of lush green and bright colors. It's misleading, he thought harshly, how cheery it all is. They're taking advantage of us - of our judgment. Of Amani's judgment....

As if on cue, another scream sounded, this time clear. Corradhin's stomach lurched. His breaths were already ragged, but not from exhaustion. She's in trouble and it's my fault, it's my damn fault-

Something crunched under his foot, like the breaking of celery. He would've ignored it had a certain voice not called out for him to stop, to refrain for just a moment. And when he saw why, he was beyond grateful for Amelia's efforts at keeping him alive - for whatever forsaken reason.

She huffed as she slowly made her away around vegetation until she caught up, reaching out to skim his chest with her fingers. "You totally need to pay attention," she said, something malicious beneath her flirtatious tone.

Corradhin wrinkled his nose in disgust at her touch, taking a step back. His chest tightened in revulsion. No one's allowed to touch me. Makes me want to throw up. He peered over her head, not succumbing to her little game. On either side of him were giant Venus Fly Traps. "Looks like someone went overboard with the miracle grow," he muttered.

That's when he heard it. A steady beep, growing louder each passing second.

It disappeared beyond a plants trap. "Well," Corradhin started, "No package for us. Sad story." He whirled on his heels, ready to head after Amani once more, but Amelia slipped her talons around the collar of his shirt and tugged.

He wrenched away and glared down at her smug visage. "What, the big bad wolf is scared of a flower? C'mon, Corr, I'm sure Beckett would be very disappointed in you..." She placed a finger on her chin, feigning speculation over the subject.

"Fuck you." And so, Corradhin resolved to stare between the mighty jaws of the fly trap, taking in it's pink interior, the threadlike hairs poking through, the jagged shark's teeth where the fingers of the trap were to entwine. One last shake of the head, and he grabbed hold of either flap, lugging himself up with utmost care to stay away from the hairs. If I get out of this, Amelia owes me. There lay the sponsorship package teetering on the teeth, winking at him with its red light.

He splayed his arm for the package, grinding his teeth into his lip as a way to distract him from the fact that he was basically standing inside a mutt. C'mon, for Beck, little further for Beck.

Corradhin wasn't given a warning before the trap closed on his body, confining him within the two walls. His stomach plummeted, a squeal fighting its way through as he felt the hairs brushing his cheeks.Oh god, holy moly. Another hair tickled his nose, and he shriveled. Get. Me. Out.

Too worried about the bristles, he hadn't noticed the steady trickle of yellow. That is, until it'd already digested the soles of his shoes and began to gnaw at his toes. Shit! He jumped, placing his feet on the walls, but it did nothing and he slid back into the acid. His heart pounded at the growing sting; it wasn't unbearable just yet, but it was getting there.

He desperately searched the walls for any trigger to release him. Nothing. Then, his eyes fell on the teeth. Briefly he glanced at his hands; the gloves would do nothing to protect him. His feet flared in heat, and without another thought he slipped his hands between a tooth gap. Quiet panic swirled in his gut. The smell of acid was sour, and he winced as he forced his muscles to comply to the demands of his instincts.

The pain started as a prick in his palms, then grew until it met the severity of a blade splitting his skin apart. Chords stuck out in his arms as he tugged the jaws apart. His body shook with the effort, a groan pulling itself out of him. "Y'know, now would be a good time to get off that pretty little ass of yours, Amelia!" Speaking was a strain.

"You think my ass is pretty?" Amelia mused. Blood pounded in Corradhin's ears, he wanted out, he needed out - he couldn't breathe. The walls, the walls are closing.

The acid was up to his ankles by now, and his shoes were near gone. It was like he stood in a puddle of hot wax. Blood ran down his arms, and he knew he'd be stained permanently with scars. Beck hates scars. Defeat crawled into his mind, told him he wouldn't be freed.

A hack. A snap. Loss of balance, falling fast, crashing. Fire, fire everywhere, all over his body. The teeth broke free of his hands and he crawled free, rubbing his body against the moist grass, desperate to wipe away the acid coating his body. Pond. Corradhin submerged, relishing the coolness, the relief. His mind jumped to and fro, confused on what event to linger on. Vulnerability. He was beyond vulnerable. Even Reed would be able to pick him off.

Once Corradhin met land again, he let out a groan, first in pain, second from appearance. His skin was blotchy, raw, and blisters appeared here and there. It was as if he'd been nearly boiled - No, no, stop brain, stop thinking. He rubbed his eyes before any prickles had time to materialize on his cheeks. Forget last years games, forget your Beck for now.

He locked gazes with Amelia, who stared on in curiosity, obviously intrigued by the actions of this boy.

Corradhin brushed past her, picking up the open package. Two vials, one for himself, and he took off once more in remembrance of Amani.

But before he could go far, something hidden behind an expanse of trees made him pause. From where he stood, he saw the glow of crimson, a throbbing ball. Thick leaves wrapped the base of the bulbous plant, and from there he saw the flick of green tails, vines on patrol. But he returned to the fact that it pulsed like a heart. Vines were veins, leaves were flesh. And, if he was being completely honest, he'd admit he wanted to turn tail and never return. But he couldn't. Because within that pulsing heart was a shadow, the shadow of a girl curled up.
Amani.

She was caught in vulnerability.

Corradhin took off, a silent rage coursing through him at the thought that this, this thing managed to consume her, to lock her up within itself. The vines sensed his encroachment on their land, and shot to attention like a group of snakes ready to strike. The immediate thing he noticed about them was that, at the very tips, there were objects fastened and, upon closer inspection, he saw that none of them were desirable.

Not for him, anyway. He doubted anyone else in the arena had an undying fear of fur. On one, hooks glistened. Feathers waved proud on others. Unlit matches hissed at him. And at the sight of all this, he couldn't stop himself from pressing his palms to his temples and forcing himself to breathe. I can't, I can't.

But then he saw Amani's petite frame twitch, and he forced his arms to his sides. But I have to. One, two, get her now.

He flung himself straight for the guard-vines. They sprung into action, sending the fur out first. Clumps of it brushed his cheeks and he suppressed a scream, even as it rested by his ear, on the back of his neck. He shivered, jerked. Get it off get it off!

There, halfway there. He ducked beneath a match, swiftly dodged a feather. Nearly made it. Playing limbo with hooks wasn't something he'd done before, but the arena was all about change. The bulbous plant came up to his waist, and when he pressed his hands to it he imagined digging into jello.

Corradhin failed to noticed the hook sneaking up on him. The veins lacing the bulb mesmerized him as his nails sunk into the mushy substance.

The darkness came before the pain.

But when it did come, it was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. A bloodcurdling scream broke free, his agony evident in the varying pitches. It heightened, it fell, it was torture. His eyes, they bled, he felt the moisture fall down his cheeks by the handful. He wanted to wipe it away, but his hands were stuck. He couldn't even see them, for he was blinded.

He was trapped in utter vulnerability.

I can't see. Oh my god, I can't see. I-I'm blind. I'm fucking blind! He began to hyperventilate, and used the gel as a stress ball. Then he was ripping chunks from their places. He wasn't sad, he was enraged. He pretended it was Cadelon he was tearing apart, Wisteria he was dismembering. But when a gasp emerged from below, he knew it was neither. Despite his new condition - the only thing he processed was the pain - he reached in and slipped his arms beneath Amani's weak body, pulling her from the pod.

"Corradhin," she gasped, voice hoarse, "your eyes!"

"Beck always says I have nice eyes."

The world somehow became blacker than it already was, and Corradhin crashed to the ground in a heap, the vial in his pocket heavy.

~~

DISTRICT 5 MALE - DUSTIN OCTAVIUS

As I tended to my sores from the Bloodbath, I couldn't keep my gaze from Neri. She was sitting in the furthest corner of our little cave we had found, eyes glazed over, a million miles away. Aperio was currently outside, making a baton out of a stick, or something of the sort. I had been against the idea at first, seeing that he was only twelve, half-blind and mute, but he had gone off anyway, head held high. Little prick. Nonetheless, this gave me some time with Neri, and I wanted to make some conversation. She seemed so shy, so lonely and scared all the time. I wondered what made her that way.

Gathering up my courage, I made my way over to where Neri was sitting, huddled in her sponsorship jacket. At the sound of me moving, she perked up, alert, fear immediately showing in those beautiful blue eyes. I flashed her a nervous grin, before mumbling, "H-hey."

No answer. Neri just gazed back at me, still and unmoving as a rock. It looked like she was trying to blend in her surroundings, and I admit, if it wasn't for her purple hair, she would. Trying to seem undaunted, I moved closer, and our arms brushed ever so slightly. She jerked away, not saying a word, but obviously terrified of me.

Sighing, I leaned against the wall, copying her, before saying, "You shouldn't be so scared of me, you know." Facing her, I tried to get her to speak, to look at me, anything. "I'm just trying to help."

Neri turned to me, slowly, looked curious yet cautious at the same time, "Why are you so good to me?" she whispered, absentmindedly twirling a strand of her purple hair around her finger.

I looked at her, surprised. She wasn't kidding-she really wondered why I was being nice to her. Stammering, I tried to come up with a good answer, "Um, w-well, because we're allies. That's what a-a-llies do."

"No," Neri shook her head slightly, voice barely above a whisper, "That's what friends do."

I turned away, feeling heat rise up in my cheeks. Dangnabit, why am I blushing?! This is just a friendly chat. "Uh, um, well then," my stammer was getting the best of me, "I'm your, uh, friend, I g-g-guess."

Neri smiled shyly, before shuffling away, "I've never really had friends," she paused, as if continuing whether to go on. I stayed silent, and after a few seconds, she spoke, "I only had Allison, and she isn't here." She looked curiously up at me, eyes wide, "You're a grey, Dustin, aren't you? I've always thought greys were nothing special, but you're...you're nice."

"Oh," I blinked, trying to process this new information, "Uh, um, thanks, I guess? Wait," I whipped my head towards her, brow crinkling in confusion, "What'd you mean, I'm a 'grey'?"

Neri looked surprised that I didn't know, "You're a grey," she repeated, "Not good, not evil. Just...in between."

That really gave me a lot of information.

"So," I said slowly, trying to maintain our conversation, "What are you, then? What color are you?"

Neri looked away, "I don't know what I am," she whispered, seeming embarrassed.

I was about to say something else when a loud rumbling echoed throughout the cave, shaking the walls. Small bits of rock fell from the ceiling, some landing on my shoulders. Neri froze, terror returning to her eyes once more, as I stood up, yanking her up. A small green tendril broke out of the walls. Then another, and another.

Oh, god, what is this?

The ground beneath our feet shook, as more green vines broke out of the rock as if it was butter. Neri shrieked as two huge jagged pieces of leaves appear out of the ground, spilling yellowish liquid of it's mouth. Realization dawned on me and I struggled not to panic. A Venus Fly Trap. Or more accurately, a Venus Human Trap. Suddenly noticing Neri beside me, I gave her a rough push towards the entrance.

"Go!" I thundered, my eyes landing on our supplies and the sponsorship packages we received before. We needed those supplies, "I'll follow!"

Frantically, I hopped over a vine, leaned down, and snatched up my spear. Noticing another tendril creeping up towards me, I stabbed it furiously, and it recoiled. I had managed to get all our supplies when a shriek was heard. Whipping my head around, I saw a tendril wrap itself around Neri's waist, before yanking her inside the Venus Fly Trap.

"No!" I yelled, forgetting the rest of the supplies. Gripping my spear, I fought my way through the weaving vines to the Fly Trap's mouth, stabbing my spear repeatedly at vines who dared to get too close. "Neri!"

I can't lose her. I can't lose her.

I thought I heard her scream, and this drove me further. I fought vigorously against the Fly Trap's tendrils until I finally got to the mouth. Without any hesitation, I lifted my spear and drove it with all my strength into the muttation's side.

Yellow liquid poured out, sizzling the rocky ground and my shoes. My eyes widened, acid. Oh my, Neri! Inhaling sharply, I dropped my spear and reached inside the plant, feeling my exposed fingers prick with pain at the touch of the liquid. My hand connected with Neri's body and grunting, I lifted her out, and we both tumbled onto the ground.

She wasn't moving.

The plant hissed angrily, and grunting, I lifted her in both my arms and staggered out of the cage before it had a chance to react or heal, or follow. My spear forgotten, I exited the cave and into the cool, chilly night.

Please, Neri, please be okay.

~~

DISTRICT 7 MALE - REED QUILLEAROY

The only thing that seemed to process through Reed's foggy wakefulness was the feeling of something like soft shoe leather rubbing against his arm. It trailed up his skin like the cold touch of a despicable woman, a woman he'd once called his mother, whom only had thoughts for work, work, work. She was a real bother, really, constantly hollering at him whenever she managed to catch him sneaking out the back door, or gathering up a belt in her hands at the sight of him eyeing a peculiar rock that may have sat by his foot. But now, he thought, stretching, she isn't here to pester me any longer. I'm sure she's just dying to lecture me on the complexities of being a functioning member of Panem society.

Briefly, he recalled his sister. She was the only bearable person in his life, the only one that saw just how much an adventure meant to him, knew that nothing would stop him from searching for some miraculous chance to leave home. If only he'd never had to go back. And with this, questioning flowed through his brain. Who said I have to go home? Maybe I can just hide out in this arena until it's all over, make people think I've lost. He smiled, excited. The "slain" prince, instead an inhabitant of the jungle. They can't get their hovercrafts down here, either, so there'll never be proof!

He shoved himself to a sit, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. A yawn escaped him, reminding him of a cat's meow, and he giggled. Surely his mood had brightened from his new plans. Then he went through the routine of stretching, and again the coldness returned. This time, it stayed for a while.

It moved against him.

Reed scrambled away from whatever was touching him, gathering the bow up in his hands and pulling back an empty drawstring in hopes of scaring away whatever it was in the dim light filtering through the cave. His back met the same substance and he lurched forward, spinning in a full circle in hopes of a way out. His heart dropped. I'm trapped. Falling over his small form were jail bars in the form of coral. He was imprisoned. Like an animal. Animalization.

A portion of the coral extended out past the little ledge of rock Reed had found to rest his eyes - disappearing to who-knew-where underwater. It had been a miracle he'd managed to keep his head afloat yesterday, but now it seemed the water level rose. Even he knew he was a goner, for he couldn't swim. You'd think running around Seven I'd have found a fish to teach me, but nope. A knight ought to know how to swim. Then again, wouldn't his armor weigh him down?

Reed cast an uncertain glance at his bow before slinging it over his shoulder, slipping his three arrows under the security of his belt - which was necessary because even those tight pants were far too big.

He couldn't stay there much longer. His plan would never work out, the water would just keep rising until he drowned. At attempt to find a new place was necessary before they decided to flush him out. So, he swung his legs over the ledge, grabbed hold of the thriving sea-creature, and lowered himself into the water, making sure to take a deep breath beforehand. Right, left. A single path of coral took off in the latter, and two walls of it took off in the former.

The walls seemed more imprisoning than the cage was, and he had no intention of wondering where the maze would lead him. The path was something he could follow, he could cling to it until it took him wherever they planned. Much more open, much less confined. Much less animalization.

So, he resolved to head left. The coral felt weird under his scratched palms, moving like a being all on its own. He fell into a mesmerized state by the colors as he pulled himself along. Bright reds and pinks, exotic blues and greens. They waved at him, and he hit the surface for air, giggling before heading back down. This is so cool! The Gamemakers are being pretty nice to us - well, me, at least. But everyone loves me so it's understandable. But...wow! It's like a new adventure everyday. A grin snuck onto his face. I'm a caveman, swimming through in search of food. No, a fight.

Abruptly, the path of coral came to an end and he surfaced. He had been led to a significantly brighter lit area, although shadows were still flung along the walls like discarded rags of clothing. Memories of said clothing entered his mind. Torn shirts, ripped pants, all sprinkled with his blood here and there. He would be curled up on the ground, hiding under these clothes to get away from them. The monsters. Animalization. He quickly shoved it all away. Let's go on an adventure instead.

There was a ledge before him, which he struggled to pull himself on. His skin was pruned, and he imagined he was an elderly man in search of treasure stolen from him.

Until he saw the predicament before him. There was a large room, round, jagged rocks making up the walls. Beyond the ledge he stood on was a pool of dark water, blacker than any he'd ever seen. And within that water he saw flickers of bright green, dark blue, lightning-strikes of dirty yellow. His mind immediately drifted to Amani and how he'd compared her to an electric eel. Well, now there were dozens of Amani's all floating about - thankfully with no relation to her appearance. That'd be beyond creepy.

A few yards across, there was another ledge. And upon that ledge stood a beauty unlike any he'd seen before. Reed's eyes practically bulged from his head as he saw the princess he'd been hunting from the start. His role switched into one of a knight in shining armor and he puffed up his chest, coughing to bring Aeren Margaux's attention to him.

She snapped her head up, eyes wide. When she realized it was just the little boy from her district, she calmed, pushing a tangle of red hair behind her ear. "We can't swim through that. We'll be electrocuted," she said. Her voice held a shred of panic, and Reed felt the cogs in his brain turning. I need to get over to that side and take her to safety. Princesses aren't meant to be alone. No one is.

"I can find a way, don't worry fair maiden. Do you have a spare plank handy?" Reed made sure to deepen his voice.

Aeren furrowed her brows. "No...?"

Reed rubbed his chin, tugging on his lips in deep thought. Hmm...what can work as a bridge? Obviously, not wood. I can't tear rocks from the wall, although that'd be cool.

Something flickered behind Aeren and he squinted. A mass of dark hair, short, the face of a man. Even from where he stood, the sweat was visible on his forehead. And in his hand: a sword. He was approaching her slowly, careful not to alert her.

Reed narrowed his eyes. It's a monster. He's one of the monsters. He ripped the bow from his shoulder and had an arrow drawn in seconds. Aeren's eyes widened, and she began to back away, whispering soft pleads. Kale hadn't seen him yet, so naturally he looked quite confused at the princess's actions. He shook it off, raising his sword.

Reed rolled his eyes. Puh-lease. The arrow whizzed on by, missing Aeren by a hair. The thunk of impact was meaty, having struck him in the chest. Kale looked at the arrow in confusion at first, then dread, and he collapsed to the ground, huffing. I bet I punctured his lung. I'll say that's where I meant to hit.

When Aeren turned back to Reed, her gaze was full of amazement. "When did you learn to do that?"

After bowing and raising a cocky brow, he said, "Lots of reading. Lots of practice with similar things."

"Right." She wrung her hands. "Well, since there's no getting past this, I guess we have to split ways, yeah?"

Reed shook his head. No, I can't let the princess get away. What if something bad happens? Like...an ogre pops up out of nowhere? Kind of like Jack? He chuckled at the memory of slaying the poor kid, seeing him only as another monster, or perhaps a deer. Here, Quillearoy played as the Hunter, and anyone else roaming around was either in need of saving, or a despicable creature that needed to be disposed of immediately. Right now, everyone except Aeren and Amani held the position of the latter. Even that Coral-dan guy needed to die. He was a beast, and probably aimed to munch on Amani's bones. That Amelia hottie was bad news too.

Footsteps. They met his ears a moment too late. The back of his shirt tightened as someone wrapped their fists in the fabric, forcing him around. A flash of violet hair, crazed eyes. Neri. She ripped the bow from his grip, and he was left there with nothing, shocked by the fact he hadn't noticed someone creeping up on him. Against his will, his heart thrummed, something painful rooted itself in his stomach. Fear.He knew it well, but hadn't had the honor of feeling it in the months since he'd left home. An old friend come to see him again.

Reed clutched at his stomach as Neri reared her arm back. No, no, go away, go back home. I left you there for a reason. Images flashed before him - a lit cigarette coming for his skin. The crack of a whip filled his ears. Smells prepared an onslaught of disinfectant and alcohol.

And then he was back in the present, Neri slammed her fist into Reed's fragile face, and he went flying backwards into the pool of electric eels.

Immediately he began to thrash wildly about. He couldn't stay afloat, he just couldn't. The eels surrounded his panicked form. Reed wished to breathe, he needed it, the air, but his kicks to the surface were futile. One of the eels eyed him, and he could've sworn he saw the thing smile, its crooked teeth like small daggers.

It snapped at him. Jaws clamped on his wrist, and when he punched the water in vain they sunk in deeper. Then another latched onto his forearm, and he was swinging wildly at them with his free arm.

But when it came in contact with the skin of the eel, an explosion of heat swept through him, and then he was no longer holding his breath but convulsing in the water, sinking fast. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe. All he could do was let it happen. His legs kicked and moved of their own accord, his arms shifted all around. Flashes of light spread over his eyes like a light show.

Reed had been reduced to prey. He had met full animalization. All he wanted was to get out, to be free, to survive.

Something about this moment told him that life was not all fun and games. But he so dearly wished for that to be so, for life to just be one, silly game. If it were, he could simply call a draw, or perhaps forfeit his victory along with his dignity. At least then he'd retain his life. But now, he realized, he couldn't hand a win over. This was life. It was cruel. And he had no way to take it all back. Surely if he got out he'd go back to his old ways, but right now, the electricity shooting through him was unbearable and sent his brain in wild directions. I forfeit.

Someone be my knight and save me. It's your turn to play.

~~

DISTRICT 9 MALE - STEVE YOUNG

"Steve, I think I love you."
She was trembling. Eyes flashed wide open in terror and pain. Her chubby cheeks sunk in to form hollow bones and deathly ill skin that reeked of old wood and burnt fabric.
"I love you too, Shelia," Steve replied. His words were shaking and scared, almost timid. "What's wrong?"
Her beautiful plump lips opened to let out a shriek. Glass broke. Babies cried. Wolves howled. Rats squeaked. Everything froze and tried to figure out where that terrible sound came from. Only he knew the truth. It was her.
"Nothing's wrong," she'd said. Teeth flashed at him before her mouth met his in a soft kiss. The two embraced fondly. "I just never want to leave your side again."
The shriek wouldn't end. It crawled up him, devouring him. Nothing he said could ever fix it. The words were uttered and she knew of his lies. Try as he might, Steve wasn't certain he could ever fall in love. Not with the world being as it was. Not even with the most perfect girl in the world could he find the happiness he so longed for.
"I just never want to leave your side again."
Her hands left trails of blood on his arm. Cold touches of what once had been everything. Every last part of him broke as his heart began to pound hard.
"I just never want to leave your side again."
She wouldn't leave his mind--wouldn't escape his thoughts. Steve spent all day at work. In vain he'd let his body grow sore and hurt all over just so he could pretend that it was all for her. Pretend that he loved her like she loved him. Each day he'd do what was expected and play the part he was given well...and each day he had convinced himself that Shelia would never, ever have to know of his doubts.
"I just never want to leave your side again."
Steve's eyes opened. Not slow, not fast. Not dramatic or plain. The ascent from sleep to wake was clear and common, leaving no doubts. Just words that faded and left him wanting to wipe away all that had happened in one fell swoop. He had responsibilities, things that had to be taken care of. Dreams of beautiful girls could wait. Even if the girl in the dream, the only holder of his cold heart, was tortured.
"I'm going to be good. Like a nice, old lady, I've got responsibilities that I must do," he whispered. His fists caved in as he wiped away the crust. Steve took in a big breath full of salty air. The fire had died down, but it couldn't have been too long since he'd begun to doze as it was still lightly burning. Coral glittered against the darkness, leading him towards a pile of dried algae and a large piece of driftwood just perfect for making a torch.
"My responsibilities are as follows: One, light this fire. Two, figure out where the hell the Cornucopia is. Three, somehow survive. Four, don't let that fucking crazy-ass chick find me down here," he told himself. Words danced out of his mouth to touch the walls and bounce about in long echoes. They played poker with the gleaming rocks that slid from the shadows to grow close to him.
Grow wasn't the right word, though. Or, not in that place. The coral, brightly colored and dazzling to the eye as it was, grew up out of the water. As his back was turned to it the rocks became thin sheets of natural walls. The maze he was already in was getting harder and he didn't even realize it.
Steve went right on talking as he fixed himself up a torch. The embers leaped and tried to bite his skin, but the army jacket kept him safe. "Another responsibility: Do not let the fire bite me. Bad, bad fire."
With a soft chuckle, he turned, only to find himself blinking at a new sheet of wall. The rough material ran underneath his fingers as Steve bite his tongue. This wasn't here before. "Ah, what a silly game," he said. "What did one fish tell the other in regards to the new seating positions on the bus?"
Though he paused, the coral did not offer up any response."Don't sit by me. I'm a shellfish!"
It was corny. Even Steve couldn't find himself to laugh at it. Still, any useless joke was better than none. He walked. Onwards, his feet led him, taking him away from the water he'd originally came up from. His jacket, shirt, and spandex pants were only slightly damp, crinkling and cold from the drafty caves. He summed up that the cause of all noise was from him and not any rats, bats, or other creatures of the night. Certainly it wasn't the coral or globs of seaweed that moved out of the corner of his eye.
"One more responsibility: Don't panic," he said. That one was going to be hard. His heart was shaking and each pound left him weaker and weaker. "God. So many damn responsibilities. I don't want to be responsible. I want to be working. God, take me home."
The very creatures he worked so hard to convince himself were fake scattered just beyond the torch's reach. Cockroaches the size of ears of corn raced past, leaving their insect-y paths behind. He shivered.
"How do dragons say I love you? 'Hey, Honey. Burnt down three villages and saved you some remains!'"
Steve's laugh bounces off the walls. More large creatures moved, surrounding him on all sides. The coral continued to rise and forge new paths. It blocked off his exit entirely, leaving him trapped. The cockroaches were the first to move forward. Their antennas had grown with them and they reached out to feel the ground, the rocks, the tips of his shoes.
Steve held his breath.
Three of them were at his feet, looking up at him with one giant black eyeball each. Their usual two bodied way had been distorted into one hard shelled back and the eye. Small mouths opened to reveal metallic teeth as their antennae moved in crickety motions. Before he could think to move, to run, to even let out a whimper, they attacked.
Razors dug into his boots and pants. He jumped back, hitting the wall hard as Steve's makeshift torch was waved towards them. The cockroaches were not afraid. They advanced to attack. Chance waved it one last time before realizing that he had to choose where to run--and quick.
The coral was growing and cut off all but one maze entrance, leading to some path all it's own. More creatures oozed from it before hardening. Not there! He cursed loudly and ran for the last maze entrance. It had to be a maze, as his torch illuminated different paths and dead ends. The walls rose up for miles above him, bats resting overhead.
"Fucking hell," he whispered. Behind him the coral continued on, ignoring him. The creatures, however did not. Cockroaches scurries behind him, letting out tiny cries as he ran. Every few seconds he glanced behind him, only to hate the sight. All sorts of sludge-crafted creatures. Some were made entirely of algae. Still, the biggest and the most threatening were the ones straight on his heels. The ones that sliced at his tight pants with their antennae and left burning pain racing up his spine.
His torch was the only light available to him. It wasn't helping too much, either, when he ran himself into a dead end and was left out of breath and time.
As Steve ran back the way he had came and made a left turn instead of a right--Why can't right just be right?--he found himself slamming into a warm wall of human flesh. Screaming, he hit the boy with his torch. Jack Darkwood, who looked deranged and had a terrible case of pink eye, let out a scream and stabbed Steve with a sharpened piece of coral. Blood blossomed and unfolded outwards as Steve hit him hard, his fist connecting with Jack's jaw with a powerful crack.
The cocky boy from Three's knees buckled. Steve left him, continuing to run. In the biggest stroke of luck the oversized creatures stopped their assault on Steve to eat away at his crumpled form. Oh god. Oh god. Steve's mind raced faster than his legs as he got far away from the bloodied sight. Jack's screams filled the air for only a minute before they were replaced by a cannon. Just like that. Dead. Gone. Over. Fucking hell. If they find me...
He couldn't continue the thought. Wouldn't.
I have to get home. To apologize. To fix everything. I have to.
The further he ran, backtracking only twice more, the safer Steve felt. His body had eased itself into warmth, his mind into clarity, and his way remained lit from the slow-dying torch. Swishing past, the water flows. Water you doing down here, Water? The end was near, he could hear it. Water, in all itself, had a distinct running sound. It boiled and fizzed, the humidity rising the further he went. God, is lava down there? All too soon he reached it.
The cave opened from from what was only a few feet wide to a gaping hole near half a mile in area. No lava...but plenty of boiling water fit for the perfect cup of skim soup. His feet stopped only a mere foot away from the edge, breath uneven and hands shaking. A foot away from scalding death.

~~

DISTRICT 11 MALE - APERIO CORNWELL

Aperio glanced at the sky; it was progressively turning darker by the moment, no stars or moon letting their light show. It was just a blank canvas the shade of dark navy blue, just like his soul. Aperio felt down in the dumps, what more could he do without knowing where the other tributes lurk? Where the cornucopia stood? Whether he could trust his current allies? Well, no one knew until the future revealed its secrets.

Trudging through the forest, Aperio thought he felt a hiss at his neck. Spinning around, it revealed to be nothing, and so he carried forth. When yet another heat of air blew past his neck, Aperio couldn't help but feel terrified. And that was when noisy rustling sounded behind their backs.

Feeling drops of liquid fall onto his head, Aperio took a deep breath. But before he could let it out, another, this time louder, hiss rumbled from above. Glancing at Neri, she was terrified, and holding her hand was a trembling Dustin. Blinking rapidly, Aperio felt leaves brush path his tensed shoulders, liquid falling in slightly bigger drops. But when more leaves brushed past, an object dropped onto the ground and rolled towards Aperio, what it was? None could really tell for they were engulfed in darkness.

Squinting, Aperio could make out two empty holes and a sharp, elongated hump right down and between the two holes. Then below to pointed tip was an open almond-shaped gap. Preoccupied with the uncertain object, Aperio didn't hear Dustin's warnings or Neri's cries. Were they too far ways to hear? Were they seeing something Aperio didn't? Was Aperio not meant to pay attention?

Shoving his hand out to touch the round object, Aperio felt a small tingle at his fingertips as he placed two on the pointed end. Then it was all too familiar, the touch, the silhouette of the object...it once used to belong to a body.

As if the moment couldn't get at worse, the hissing creature from above began to chuckle. Deep reverberating noises the gurgled and boiled within, the creature haughtily rising and curving its body over, as it covered the sky.

Aperio nearly cried aloud as his hand came in contact with sticky substance underneath the head. It leaked through his fingers and ran down his arm as he raised it toward the sky. The chuckling creature from above gave a growl, and Aperio felt his arm go numb. The face; he recognized it as the boy from 2. Funny, wasn't he a Career? Whipping his head upwards, Aperio took in the creature, it was leafy and had jaws with interlocking 'teeth'. It definitely didn't look friendly; never was from the beginning. All Aperio could do was think two words and only two, oh shit.

The creature lunged toward the two victims ahead and biting is lower lip, Aperio picked up the decapitated head and threw it upward. Missed. Separating, Dustin and Neri ran off on different paths, leaving Aperio alone.

Feeling tears well up, he ran back toward the small lake he emerged from. Where am I? His left eye twitching constantly. "My dear boy, are you lost?" A mocking voice laughed.

Turning around, Aperio met eyes with Eros Demakis. Gulping, Aperio felt his knees go slack.

"Baby boy, I won't hurt you. Or wait, maybe I will." And even in the darkness, his cheshire smile was visible.

Grumbling, Aperio franticly searched for a weapon. Was one not near? Couldn't he grab a nearby branch?

"So...how about I reach out and wrap my hand ar-" Bur Eros was cut of by a curling scream, a crunch, a slurp, a death.

All at once, everything went by in a blur, there was rustling and shrills that filled the air. A cannon boom sounded, Eros's face shown against the night's sky. Did Dustin and Neri see that? But all too sudden, the Venus flytrap decided it was dessert. A small unnoticeable smile flickered around the corner of the lips of the creature before dropping, and Aperio wasted no time; he needed to get away.

The plant; bigger than the previous one, caught up, a snake-like vine coiling around the ankle of the 12-year-boy. Tripping, Aperio feel flat on his face and let out a cry. Another made it's way to his right ankle, pulling tight. Being dragged all so sudden, Aperio struggled to get out of it's grasp, to escape for freedom.

That's when Aperio heard it. A girl cry. Neri? When the plant released it's iron grip, Aperio shuffled away as quickly as his short stump legs could carry. And that's when a crunch, a slurp, a death made way through the night sky.

The face of the district 7 female flashed across the sky. Like déjà vu, Aperio blinked twice and glance at the plant. It was happily suckling on bones, it's teeth sinking and ripping clothing to shreds. Bearing no more, Aperio ran and hoped to find his alliance.

~~~

His thighs burned. His arms bruised. His heart desperate. Ding. Aperio, weary, tilted his head. Ding. Again, there it was. Ding. A bell?Ding. He jumped back, a small golden chime hanging from a tree, swaying gently through the breeze, calm. Ding. Shrugging it off, Aperio trudged onward, until, of course, he tripped over. What tripped him over appeared to be a golden box, turmoil building, Aperio took a chance and picked it up. Ding. One, the packaging opened. Ding. Two, the box unlatched. Ding. Three, a deck of cards and an array of uneaten berries.

Picking a berry between his fore finger and thumb, he rolled it about. Hunger suddenly quenched and squeezed within, his throat dry. Shrugging. Aperio placed the berry in his mouth, the skin splitting and the bitter juice coating his tongue. A rough texture began to form and crust around his mouth's walls, the contents of the small berry showing big effects. Ding. Death's toll bell.

Aperio, feeling tears fall onto the ground before him, but not sliding down his cheeks, and it made him feel small and weak. Were the Game Makers trying to coax him to his death? Mislead him and let his hunger take over, to make wrong choices? Aperio wasn't rational; he knew that, but he couldn't take the pain anymore. His tongue was swollen, it filling up his mouth. His throat dryer than what it started with, and he knew he was intoxicated.

Staring into the box once more, Aperio felt remorse toward the rest of the berries. The deck of cards? After eating the poison berry, he decided to ditch the box and carry on. I must find my allies; I must carry on.

As break of the new day slowly rise, Aperio felt suspicious. Where were the other tributes? Any more jump-scares from those Venus Flytraps? Where was everyone? And that was when one of his questions was answered, not by a death cannon's boom, but Dustin's voice calling out to him.

Spinning on his heel, he met eyes with Dustin. Finally! Aperio sighed, running toward his open arms. Neri was smiling, her eyes constantly darting about. "Let's go, I saw a cave nearby we can use for shelter."

And so the trio walked on, casting glances every moment; watching out for any more unwelcome surprises.

~~

DISTRICT 12 MALE - KALE EMRYS

Kale had fallen asleep after his oath. He had dreamt of a night full of a thousand stars. Of how a great cloud had swept over that sky and had darkened the canvas of beauty.

Kale watched as one by one those stars where blotted out, never to shine again. He watched as those stars began to form the faces of other tributes. He saw the faces of the dead as he dreamt. The face of Lavender, of Mizzy and of Ned. However, when he saw the face of Arthur he felt tears in his throat. Arthur was dead.

He opened his eyes and wished he hadn't. In front of him and all around him was a cage. A cage made out of coral, brightly coloured, magnificent coral. He could see through it and knew that even though he couldn't get though. Arrows and spears could. He could stand up in it but he couldn't really move around.

"Shit." Kale felt like crying. Before he had come into these Games, he never swore. Yet, here he was, swearing like a trooper. He hated it.

He got to his feet and nearly tripped over a box. He crouched down over it and picked up the message on the top.

"Since this task is calm, well for me, you'll be getting a case of seaweed. You'd be surprised just how much the arena hates one another. It's one of the few ways to slow those suckers down." Kale read aloud and bit his lip. He wondered for a moment who thought this would be calm. But the message gave him a clue. Slow them down.

He looked down and saw the coral had crept forward and was now of his foot. He let out a yelp and tore his foot away. "Fuck" Kale frowned, he just swore again. That had to stop.

He opened the case with the knife he had found and saw the slimy, green strands looking back at him. He picked one up and let it slip back down. Slow them down.

He picked it back up and laid on a piece of the coral. Kale watched for a moment, but the seaweed didn't seem to do a thing.

"Yeah, thanks, mate." He muttered sarcastically to whoever was watching right now. Slow those suckers down, yeah right. He twirled his knife in the air and then fell to the floor as an arrow nearly sliced his throat. He ducked behind the box and watched as the form of the boy from District 9 move closer.

"Hello Kale," The boy said with a laugh in his throat. "Surprised you haven't found the way out yet." Kale frowned, keeping the boy in his sights. He shrugged and the boy laughed. It grated on Kale's ears.

"C'mon, think it through!" the boy said. Kale still couldn't remember his name. Kale shrugged and sat down, his body tense and ready. He picked up the seaweed and tore a piece off. His stomach growled and Kale unconsciously feed the piece of seaweed into his mouth. He had chewed and swallowed the stuff before he had realized what had happened. Kale bit his lip hoping those things weren't poisonous.

"Whatcha got there?" The boy asked. Kale started, he had forgotten about him. Bad mistake.

"Food." Kale nonchalantly said. "What some?" He grinned at the boy. What was his name? That was irritating Kale.

"Sure, toss it here."

"Why would I do that Steve?" Kale remembered with triumph as he tore off some more seaweed and stuffed into his mouth. It strangely tasted nice, but Kale was really hoping now it wouldn't do any damage. He picked more up and stuffed it into his mouth.

Steve let out a puff and breath and muttered something under his breath. Kale didn't hear what the boy said, but he knew it wasn't nice. He tutted under his breath and the boy looked at him.

Kale got to his feet as he finished eating. He needed to get out. He could see the coral slowly moving forward. He raised a foot and kicked out. A few flakes fell off and Kale knew he could get out that way. However, it would be exhausting work and Kale needed his strength. Therefore, he picked up his knife and tore through the coral. He was surprised how easy it was.

He looked at Steve who was watching him with wary eyes. Kale felt the coral tear at his clothes as he crawled through but what could he do. He hoped his "friend" who had given him both those fins and the seaweed would send him some clothes. His where falling apart already. Stingy Capital.

He rolled to the side as Steve barrelled into him. He reached around and tried to slash at the boy's body with his knife, but the boy was quick. He dodged and weaved and Kale grew dizzy as they rolled over and over on the stone floor.

Steve suddenly let out a piercing scream and the stone floor disappeared beneath them. Kale didn't breath in time and he got a mouthful of dirty water. He tried to rise to the surface and get a gulp of air, but the other boy held him down. Kale damned the fact he was rather weak as he thrashed around and tried to get loose. He felt something silky brush past his leg and Steve's body suddenly went rigid. Kale's eyes opened as he saw what those silky things where. Eels! He watched in fear as Steve's body convulsed and as multiple eels weaved their way over his body. Electric eels...

He looked down to find an eel had wrapped his body around Kale's leg. Kale's eyes opened wide before the water started to sting and he closed them for a moment. Steve had gone still and Kale faintly heard a Boom overhead. The boy had been killed.

He kicked for the surface and breached it, gasping for breath. He hurled himself forward, ripping off those eels who had wrapped around him.

His hands shook as he reached up and combed them through his dripping hair. Slow those suckers down. Kale smiled grimly as he realized what his "friend" had done.

Something in the seaweed had made his body immune to the shocks of those deadly eels. His mouth formed a wide grin as he turned. It disappeared.

In the time that Kale had been underwater, the coral had somehow covered the exit. He was in a box now. No exit. Nowhere to go. Kale sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands.

He got to his feet and walked over to his cage. He reached in and dragged the surprisingly light box out of it. He reached in and fingered the remaining strands of seaweed.

The home of the eels had been a hold in the ground, not unlike the one he had first come through. Kale looked down at the seaweed then at the coral. He started to eat.

In a few moments, the seaweed was gone. Kale stood up and paused at the edge of the hole. Last time, he hadn't received the choice of falling in. now he got to chose and doubts plagued his mind. Would it work a second time?

Kale sighed and grasped the handle of his knife. He made sure his other knife was still in his belt and he dived forward. He would have to leave his backpack behind him.

Murky blackness. Kale fought down the panic. He felt the eels lightly brush past him and was aware of the tingling sensation they left. He shuddered and swum forwards looking for an exit.

The water wasn't as dark as the ocean but it was colder and Kale shivered as his outfit did not provide him with any protection from that cold. He threw his arms forward and hit a something soft. He grasped it and felt the face of the boy from District 9. Kale pushed it away and bile rose in his throat.

He had caused him to die and he hated that. He wasn't a murder, he couldn't kill. But in these Games, there wasn't a choice. There never was a choice.

He swam forward and saw a patch of water lighter than to others. The tingles as the eels brushed past him grew more intense and Kale knew that the effects of the seaweed were wearing off. He redoubled his efforts and shot forwards toward that light.

He reached the hold and hauled himself up. He was about to pull his legs out when he felt another brush against his legs. But this was no silky brush, no it was a red hot brand against his skin. His mouth opened in a soundless scream as his arms gave way and he fell back into the home of eels with a splash. His body shuddered as the effects of the seaweed faded away and the pain redoubled. He thrashed around, but that only drew more eels towards him. They curled around his convulsing body and twisted around his arms

Kale's mind was screaming at his body to obey it and get out. But his body was a war zone of agony. He could feel his strength going as his body continued to writhe the shocks the eels' bodies gave him. He reached upward and grabbed hold of the edge of the hole. An eel was wrapped around it and his arm quivered as it fought the urge to just let go. He drew up another hand and ripped the eel off. He slowly drew himself out of the water, his body still convulsing. Finally, he lay on the ground made out of rock and took in one deep breath of clean air.

But an eel was still wrapped around Kale's body and the boy didn't have the strength to tear it off. His back arched as the pain caused through him. He heard though dimmed hearing the sound of whimpers and realized he was making those noises. He but his lip savingly trying to still those noises.

One weak, trembling white hand reached slowly downwards and ripped the final eel off. His body relaxed as the pain instantly subsided and Kale let out a sigh as he let go of his consciousness. Peaceful blackness surrounded him and he let go and fell unconsciousness