---

The horn sounded as I ran on foot grabbing a couple of bags and a bow. I ran for the trees as a arrow flew beside me. I instictively dove to the ground, wet, mossy ground. A boy tugged at the bow in my hand, but I quickly rolled over and ran for the nearest tree, looking back at the tributes. They weren't interested in me, but the Horn. Stupid! I need food to live. Risking everything, I ran back to the horn to fight for some food. I was shoved back by a girl, slashing me with her knife across my arm. I reeled back in pain and shock, and ran off, leaving a trail of blood behind. I wasn't the only one who was bleeding, two other tributes atleast must also be bleeding. I didn't have to worry, because the careers wouldn't be able to track me as easily. I got a 7 in the training, which made me a potential target, because most of the careers got a 6 or lower. I didn't really think I was that great anyway, I was a skinny 12 year old. I threw my bags up a tree, snow showering me as I shivered, my arm stinging at contact. I slung the bow over my shoulder, and started to climb up a tree. My arm was almost numb, but I had to get atleast 30 feet up the tree. A cannon sounded as I heard a scream. Probably a tribute that was bleeding. I stayed silent, as I heard voices.
"Hey, where's that kid who scored a 7? I want to kill her early so she's not a threat later on."
"Shut up Zeke! She'll hear us. Let's leave her for now. She probably needs some donations to heal her arm, so let's let her get weaker, then we'll kill her." I threw myself up the branch as quickly as possible, and let out a sigh of relief. I was about 10 feet up, so I wasn't that noticeable. This year, the arena was supposed to resemble Winter, because they weaken tributes that are used to warmer weather.used to a warmer climate. Atleast we got a nice, furry jacket with proper clothes. I was an exception. I was so small, the smallest fur jacket was down to my knees, but a little longer on my arms. They had to double the shirts to stay on, and the boots had to be made to fit my feet. Fur lined, and very warm. The gamemakers didn't argue, they thought I wasn't going to win anyways, so they thought I'd might as well get a bit of extra. I opened one of the bags, to find it filled with food and a bunch of arrows. I closed the bag up and opened the other one. Even more food and some bandage and medical cream. I didn't know what the medical cream was actually used on, but I was going to take the risk to put it on my arm. I took off my jacket, and took off one of the shirts, and hung them over the branch next to me. I was now wearing a thin T-Shirt, pants, and boots. I was freezing. I put the medical cream on, and relaxed. The bleeding had almost stopped, but the sleeve on my jacket and long sleeved shirt were sticky with blood. I looked through the bags some more to find a pair of long gloves, two pairs. The gloves again were to big for me, so they almost reached my shoulders. My hands were almost blue anyways, so I put the gloves on. Both pairs on felt like my hand had just touched open flame on my frost-bitten hands. But they began to thaw, which felt good. I grabbed the knife out of my jacket pocket to cut off the blood-sticky sleeve. Now my jacket and shirt had a sleeve almost missing. It looked like a T-shirt on one side, but fine on the other. I put the long sleeve shirt back on, and put my coat back on. I felt much warmer. I splayed myself out on my stomach across the branch, and moved slowly to the edge, to take a glance at the Horn. Nobody was there, and there was still things in it. I had to get something from there. I didn't have anything to sleep with. I looked around the tree, when a huge portion of snow fell on my head, my hair becoming soaking wet. Where on earth is my fur hat? I looked up to see a girl, older than me with long black hair tied in a ponytail, splayed across the branch that was about 10 feet above me, putting her finger to her lips. Was she going to kill me? Save me? Help me in some way? She took her finger from her mouth and slung her 4 bags over her shoulders and slipped down onto my branch. 

---

"Hello." she said. I replied,"Hi. Are you the girl that scored a 9 on the training?" she nodded.
"Wow. Your not going to kill me...are you?" She shook her head. "Do you want to be allies?" she asked. I nodded vigorously. "Good." she said. Opening her bags, she pulled out a packet to put my arrows in. "You sling it over your shoulder, and take one out when you need it." I nodded as I tried it out. I had about 15 arrows. Enough for now. Plus, I had some in my bags anyway. "You going to go to the Horn?" she asked. I nodded. "If you are, I'll watch for you. Just take your arrows, and this." She placed a long dagger in my hand. "Woah." I said. "It could take down almost anything. Just don't throw it. Ever." She warned. "If you throw it, and the tribute is about to die, it'll take the dagger out and throw it, right on target...at you." I nodded. "It'll fit in your coat pocket, on the inside though. Don't want people to see it." She put the dagger in my pocket and did the little horn shaped things into the loops. "It's okay, I'll watch and warn you. I'll whistle if it's bad." She taught me her whistle code, and then I slipped down the trees and crept towards the Horn. I crept inside, and looked in it for someone. A whistle sounded, the one for danger. I looked at her for guidance. She waved her arms violently, making downward motions. I ran into the horn and dropped down low. A career came in and called out, "Aw, I know someone is in here, come out before I hunt."
I grabbed an arrow out of the batch and put it in the bow. Suddenly, I was dragged back out by my hair.
"I found her Roger! The lucky number 7!" I thrashed around wildly, throwing arrows into any tribute where my eyes met theirs. "Aw, look at her, the little puny one. She ain't so great and valiant now, are you?"
I let out a loud scream. "Let me go! What did I ever do to you?!" The two remaining careers in the Horn laughed. "Nothing. That's the point. Now, whatcha got on ya? Some more food? Aw look, your arm stopped bleeding. It's got some nice bandage on it."He tore the bandage off and tore at my jacket. "Won't need this anymore!" He ripped the batch of arrows out of my hand and broke them with a few stomps of his foot. "Or this!" He snatched the arrow out of my hands and busted it."This is nothing! I have bags and bags of food and everything we need to win with my ally!" All attention was on me. "Where is she?" He demanded. "I'd die before I'd tell you. Least she will win, not one of you, you cold hearted fat pigs! Who bathe in their luxury! "I screamed. The girl dropped me, and looked at me. "Look kid, tell us, or we'll cut off your arm."I pulled out the dagger, and plunged it in the girl's heart.  She let out a gurgling sound, then collapsed. The cannon fired immediately. "Why you---!" He grabbed me by the hair, and held up a knife to my neck. I looked at him, not scared at all. I killed his potential ally, and he had nobody to work with. I did what I needed to do, and if he killed me, so be it. "No!" a scream rang out, echoing in the Horn. An arrow shot through the center of Roger, the point of the arrow almost peircing me. I fell the the ground with Roger, as he collapsed, still breathing."You..." He shot out his fist at my face, slamming it into the side of my head, hitting my eye and forehead, sending me flying into the wall, bleeding. A loud cannon, and then blackness.

---

Thank the stars I'm not dead, but how? The last thing I remember is falling onto the cold, solid ground of the Horn. But where am I now? I reached my hand out only to feel snow. I opened my eyes, to see my ally crouched beside me, on the lookout for any danger. I prodded her with my finger. "Thank you." I whispered. She nodded, then poked my coat for the dagger, and I couldn't find it. "Oh no!" I exclaimed, "I last used it for the girl, and then..." She shrugged, "No matter. Roger doesn't have it, neither do we. The gamemakers have it now. Maybe they put another one somewhere. By the way, what's your name? I never even got a chance to ask you." I sat up, and pulled the collar of my coat up. "Christine. What's yours?"
She looked around quickly before answering, "Youd don't need to know." She shrugged, before giving me another bow with arrows. "I have no use for them, I don't know how to use it."She giggled, and my cheeks felt hot, even though it was below thirty here. "It's easy, you do this--"
She showed me how, but it was useless, I couldn't do it."Then I guess I'll be hunting alone. Why don't you find a cave for us?""Sure, why not?" "Okay then, you better go, before someone hears us." "By the way, do you know how many tributes are left?" I said, "Seven." She looked at me curiously. "Really?" "Yeah, I've been keeping track when they've shown the dead ones up in the sky every night and when they announce it." "Oh. Good. Maybe one of us will make it out alive." I sighed, "Yeah." I stayed quiet. Only one of us would make it out. "Okay. You go find a den or cave, or something. Take four bags with you. And the weapons. I'll take a couple of bags." I stood up."Okay. I'll go then." "Call me if you need me." "I will."I walked off into the snowy forest, and pulled a hat out of the bag and put it on. Now my hair would be dry, and not wet like it was yesterday. I walked through the forest, scuffing my feet along angrily. Why couldn't I do anything right? All of a sudden, I heard a scream. I called out. "Is that you?" Couldn't be. She didn't respond. My mind was playing tricks on me. Another scream. That was real. No whistle. It couldn't be her. I ran through the snow, branches tugging at my hair and scratching my face. I saw a bloodied body on the ground, with a wound to the head. It wasn't my ally. I grabbed the arrows from her and bow. I also grabbed basically everything the girl had. I'm going to learn how to use a bow if I like it or not. I stormed off, and went back to where I was, to look for a cave. I need to meet up with my ally again, or I'll be sleeping alone tonight. Hungry, I whistled out, waiting to hear a reply. No reply. I sighed, and grew panicked. "Where are you? Please, come here." A rustle of the bushes, I grabbed the knife that I had out of my jacket. "It's the lucky girl."the girl said, laughing. "Have you gone mad? What about being allies?" She laughed. "Not anymore. This was my plan all along. I'm going to win this thing. "She grabbed an arrow and put it in her bow. She shot an arrow right at my arm, but I rolled away, the arrow hitting the ground, but I was left spitting out snow.  "Hah!" she laughed. I dropped my bags and broke into a sprint, running through the trees. Images flashed in my head, of my mother screaming at me to the run. Everyone screaming at me to run. I ran faster, tears streaming down my face. I was alone now, and I couldn't stop running. I left everything behind. Even food. How stupid of myself.

---

I stumbled through the snow, falling over myself repeatedly, but kept running. The branches tore at my face, and snow cramped everything. Finally, I just couldn't run. I leaned against a tree, and fell to the ground limply. I couldn't go on. I could imagine the gamemakers staring at me right now. If I was being filmed, all of Panem would be watching me. All of a sudden, it was too warm. I tore off my jacket and sat down on it. The ice on my eyelashes and face melted off. I took off my hat and looked up at the sky. Like a sunset, blood red. I heard footsteps. I took the risk, and looked at the person. It was Roger. Bloodied, and bleeding, he fell to the ground weakly. I crawled near him, not thinking about him killing me right now.
"Your stupid ally took my axe and took a blow at my back. The arena is being set on fire."
He whispered. I replied, "She's gone mad!" He rolled over, revealing a pool of blood. All of a sudden the tree I was sitting next to went up into flames. "Damnit!"Roger spat.He shoved the bags back to me. I put the bags on my back and ran away from Roger. I looked back at Roger, and watched as another tree went up in flames. I continued to run, but flinched when I heard screams from Roger, then a cannon.Then everything went silent.  It started to rain. I sat down again. Relaxed, while I was still alive.
I threw myself up a tree once more, and watched as Roger's face illuminated the sky with other tributes. 3 of us left. My once ally, someone else, and me. The sky went black again as I leaned my head against the branch I was on.
"The final tributes! Congratulations. We have filled the Horn with weapons and food. Two must die before the games are over. Good luck, and may the odds forever be in your favor." Great. My former is going to be all over the Horn. I have to get there. Before her, then run off unnoticed. I have to. If I want a shot at survival.

---

I trudged through the slush, shivering in just a cut up longsleeved t-shirt and undershirt. My jeans were ripped, and my boots were still too big, and heavy. I watched as the birds flew by soundly, tweeting away at each other in song. When I neared the Horn, I immediately slowed. I didn't want to give myself away as fast as I could run. I ducked behind a bush, and saw as Eunice was already all over the horn, grabbing the food and other bags. The other tribute, a girl with short blonde hair and was covered in mud, was grabbing away at things. "Well, ally. It's just us here. I say let's take everything." Ally? I grabbed the two knifes I had left, and stroked the blade ever so gently. I cannot miss. I cannot miss. I stood up without making a noise, and threw the first knife square at the other tribute in the leg. She fell to the ground, as her head hit the ground first, her wrist made a snapping noise. I cringed. I ducked behind the bush as my ally raged, "Where are you? Show your face, coward!" I stood up and took a throw with my eyes closed. But it hit the other girl, again. This time in the arm. As Eunice ran towards me, I ducked and hid inside the bush. She couldn't find me, and left without her ally. The other tribute, who I decided to nickname, Mudd, laid on the ground, bleedily heaily, her breath becoming more and more shallow. Just then, her legs and arms flailed violently in the air, as she fought for her last breath. Then, a thud. Her eyes closed and she went limp. The cannon went off as her heart stopped. Why do I have to do this? Anyone but me. Always me who gets the bad luck.

---

Who would have thought. I'm in the final two. Not going to make it out of the arena troubled me enough, but now knowing I would be killed without a spec of mercy horrified me. Just think. Even the gamemakers would pity me, even though they are the vile-minded people that let this fly. I was currently laying on the ground, looking at the stars. Or atleast, they look like the stars. The snow had melted, but I was still sweating and freezing to death. I had plenty of food and water to live, but I was too cold. I was curled up, in my sleeping bag, and I had managed to get a couple of blankets, but that's it. It was still cold, but warmer in the day. "Are you there?" A voice called out. "Christine?" My heart jumped. It sounded like my mother. "Mother?" I called out. "Follow me." the voice called out. I couldn't help it. I was weak and getting more and more crazy by the hour. "Mother! Where are you? Please, I can't take the games anymore!" I looked at the bird on the branch, and looked at it curiously. I've never seen a bird like it. All of a sudden, it screamed. Like a human. I covered my ears as the voice was so familiar. In fact, I knew that voice. It was mine. Ahead of me, I saw my non-ally, sleeping on the ground. The dagger in her hand. I grabbed the bow off the ground that I had dropped. Silently I said, One good shot. That's all I need. I dreaded doing this. I felt sick. But she would kill me if I didn't do it. I readied the bow, stretching it, ready to let go.

---

Maybe I could go back and grab a knife instead. There wouldn't be enough time. She would be awake and hunting me in no time. My hands were a weird blue, and my whole body was shaking. She stirred, and her eyes opened. Her mouth curled, and her ex
pression darkened. That was all that was needed before I began running for my life. I ran straight towards my makeshift camp. I grabbed a bit of food and threw it to the left. Maybe she would think that I ate on the way, and she would follow there. But, it could give me just enough time to grab what I needed from the horn. I jumped over the bushes, and finally arrived at the horn. But, to my dismay, there were a number of brush fires blocking my way. I took a step forward. I flaming branch fell infront of my as my boots caught on fire. Panicked, I used my bare hands to rip them off and throw them away from me. A searing pain rippled through my hand. I gritted my teeth but didn't scream. I couldn't give away my whereabouts. I readied myself, then started to sprint to the horn, dodging the numerous fires. I grabbed a shirt, stretchy and perfect size. I tore off the two shirts I had on, and threw on the top. I looked for a jacket, and found one. A three quarter sleeved jacket that went down up to the top of my knee, but the horn-shaped snaps only went down to the bottom of my stomach. I thought, So I have a light brown jacket and a light green shirt. Maybe some pants too? And some socks and shoes? I dug through the items, and finally found a pair of lace up boots. I took off my socks and put the boots beside me, and dug through the things to find a pair of socks. I found some food in bags, which came in a backpack. I stored my wet socks in the  bag, and looked for other items that I might need. I found a bunch of bandages. I stopped digging and listened. My insticts said something is not right. I could imagine someone watching this telling me to watch out. I looked around. I heard footsteps. I dug through the things as fast as I could, and one of my hands reeled back in pain. A deep cut in the palm of my hand. Carefully, I put my other hand back into the pile and pulled out a sharp knife. My hand was bleeding heavily, and I cringed. I clenched my hands into fists, dropping the knife on the ground, the knife letting out a ringing sound. I whipped around, and saw my once ally, now enemy, staring at me with a hatred that was so full of passion it burned.
She held in her hands, nothing. But I saw her deadly blade sticking out of a pocket in her jacket. I picked up the knife once again and hurled it against the stone wall, the blade breaking from the handel, letting out clangs as pieces hit the ground. "Hah, you fool." she said darkly. "You and I both know that I'll win." I smiled bitterly, knowing that that was only partly true. At that instant, I crouched down, said harshly, "After all, the ugly fools always win." The retort had hit it's mark. She grew enraged, letting the comment get to her, and throwing her brain off. At that moment, I got ready for her to run at me. But, a loud screeching noise stopped me. I looked around, then, hit the ground hard. Then nothing.

---

I woke up, dazed. Scared. I opened my eyes, and noticed I was in a bed, my legs strapped to it. Several needles stuck in my arms and several paper bands were on my wrist. A metal box on a stand with a little graph beeping stood beside the bed. I lifted my right hand and noticed bandage wrapped all over it, but blood was still seeping through. I was in a brightly lit room, with plain white walls. I wondered how I slept in here. I sat up in the bed, and pulled the sheets over my body. I took another look around. No windows. I started to panic. I wriggled my legs, trying to get them out of the restraints. I sat up and leaned over foward to try and unclip the restraints, but to no avail. I let out a sigh and laid my head back on my pillow, about to go back to sleep when a capitol worker walked into the room. "I see you've awaken." she said. I nodded. She pressed a button on a device, and then she started to watch the clear blue fluid drain down the tube connected to my arm. She smiled before turning the light on over the bed, blinding almost. I was about to say something, but blacked out once again.
When I woke once again, I was laying on the same bed, but in a different room. This time, with windows. The restraints were off too. I sat up, and looked around.  There was no tube connected to my wrist, and all that was left were bandages where I was tested and prodded with sharp needles. The door opened, and my mother entered the room. She was silent, not saying anything. She looked...different. But I couldn't figure out what. She smiled, but it was too easy to figure out that smile was pained. The clicking of high heels and the tile became in range as the door opened once again. The same woman that was my trainer, that trained me and my partner. But, she liked him best so I doubt she likely cared about me now anyway. A frown spread across her face. She said angrily, "Chris, how could you let an Avox into your room!"

The shock was too great even to bother to correct her by saying, "It's Christine!" But before I could do anything, my mother was thrown out of the room. A quick scuffle of feet was heard from behind the door, then a scream that sounded more like an animal cry than anything. A man dressed in all white with the capitol crest on his shirt whispered something in my trainer's ear, before he said to the two of us. "Christine, for your safety, you will have extra protection.." I curled my lips in disgust. The man continued. "Carmen's district is in an uproar, they want you dead. The capitol will do nothing to stop the uproar. They want to continue the tour as planned. And, Celia..." My trainer's eyes widened, and her face looked fearful. "Y--Yes?" The man said slowly, "The capitol demands you be put to death on live television." He paused, and looked at me. "And she will be the one to do it." I stood up, staring at the man with dismay. "Why?" I asked, though he probably wouldn't tell me. "I'm sorry, but that's not for you to know. Come along" Celia waved goodbye to me, smiling sadly. I walked down the hallway, beside the man. He handed me a plain white gown. "Here. Go into this room. Your stylists are ready." I opened the door, and my stylist rushed up to hug me. I squeezed him tight, tears leaking out of my closed eyelids. One by one, the other helpers hugged me too. I sat down on the couch, and I watched as my stylist showed me a stunning dress and others alike. Then, I stood up and went into the room where I would have my makeup done and sat down in the chair. As plucked at my eyebrows and shaved my arms and legs, even though I barely had any hair there at all, they worked silently, as if they didn't believe that I had got out of the games. Funny, I didn't quite believe it either.
When they finished, my hair was all brushed and done up in a beautiful thick braid, laying over the front of my shoulder, and went down to the top of my abdomen. My  stylist handed the dress over to me, and directed me into a small room. I closed the door behind me and changed into the dress. I walked out, holding the top of the dress. Then, they laced all of the tiny zig-zags at the back. When they were done, they touched up the makeup that was slightly distorted and then I looked at the mirror. The dress was beautiful, it wasn't full length, but it went a bit past my knees, and it glittered beautifully. The dress was poofy, like Celia's hair was somedays. It was a beautiful orange, and since it was strapless, it was nearly impossible to do anything, for I feared that the dress would fall down because there was nothing to fit into the top. They insisted it was fine and made the dress to fit me, but I still had secret doubts. I was handed the shoes, also orange. They had heels, which made me nervous. I still haven't mastered the skill to walk in these types of shoes yet. I walked around the room, as my stylist and his helpers stared in awe. I smiled, and attempted a twirl, and was successful. For once I didn't trip while walking in heels. "Now we have to get you ready to put Celia to death. Let's get you to the weapon room." I frowned. "That's what I dressed up for?" My stylist said, "Of course, why would we make you look causual?" I sighed. "Okay Aaron. I'm trusting you." He blew me a kiss before watching me walk out the door and into the weapon room. "Ah, Chrissamum, ready now eh?" 'Chrissamum' was my nickname, but only ever used by Tom, the guy in charge of the weaponry. "Yeah, I guess." He opened the weaponry storage with a quick swipe across the keypad with his thumb. The weaponry was full of everything, from bows to knives. I cringed looking at them. "The capitol says one, clean move. Not some onslaught." I said, "I'm not that kind of person anyway. I don't even want to do this." Tom laughed, "It's actually a big honor. Anyway, I'll be over here. Take as much time as you want. Just let me know once you've chosen. Feel free to handle them too." I said, "Sure Tom, I'll do that." With that, the man walked away into a seperate room. I looked over everything. But something caught my eye. A bow. A wooden bow with arrows, bird feathers at the end of each arrow. I may not know how to use one. I thought, But I'm going to learn now. "Tom?" I called. He walked over. "Picked one?" He asked. "Yeah, but I need to practice with it for a little while." Tom laughed, "Why sure, I don't mind. Which one?" I pointed to the very top row, about ten feet above where we were standing. "Ah, the bow eh? I'll go and get it for ya'." He grabbed the ladder leaning against the storage and moved it until he was completely in line with the bow. He climbed up,  pulled down the bow with one hand, and tossed it down to me. I caught it, and ran my hand along the smoothed wood.  Then, Tom tossed down the arrows unexpectedly and I jumped, startled. "Sorry girlie, didn't mean to scare ya' there." He collected the arrows and set them back on the ground in a pile. "Remember, you got one shot, if you miss, Celia will run away like a scared chicken."  I asked, "What if I do miss? Will the capitol shoot me?" Tom grinned, his wine stained teeth almost impossible to not see, "Possibly. That's why ya' don't miss!" I sighed, "Well, I better master my skills then." Tom laughed, "Now that's what I wanted to hear!" He walked off, and closed the door behind him, leaving me to practice with I weapon I had no experience with whatsoever.

---

The day of Celia's execution had come, and I sat down on the bed in my sleepwear. I took a long shower, then went downstairs to change into my dress once more. I changed into my dress, then I was left standing up for an hour while they did my makeup. I slid on the shoes, and Aaron handed me the bow. He gave me one arrow, and I gripped it in my hands. My braid was in place once again, tied with a band matching the dress and shoes. I walked out of the room, and down the hallway, guided by the same man who had let me know that I was to kill Celia. I stood behind the door now, about to walk onto the balcony where the President of the Capitol was waiting. The man nodded, and I walked out onto the balcony, holding the bow and arrow in my hand. The president smiled, shaking my hand before adressing Panem and the people watching. "People of Panem! This person over here," he pointed towards Celia, "is a liar and traitor. She does not deserve to live. She will be put to death by a victor from the games." He beckoned me with a crook of his finger. I stepped forward. "She will be put to death by the bow of Christine Clarke!" The crowd erupted with cheering. I was taken aback, but in a good way. I didn't know I had this many supporters from other districts apart from my own. I stretched the bow, and readied myself. Celia stood there, beautiful and brave even at her own execution. I didn't want her life to end like this, but I had no choice. I let go of the arrow, and it shot away instantly. The arrow pierced Celia's heart. She fell limply to the ground, dead. The crowd erupted with cheering.  Only now I knew that they knew something I didn't.
I slept peacefully in a large bed, my sleep always seeming to be disturbed by nightmares. Tonight, they didn't bother me. I woke up and sat up in my bed. I was no longer in the hospital, but now I slept in a temporary home before I went on my victory tour. I still couldn't remember anything in the last moments of the games. I changed into yet another dress from Aaron. This time it was a light pink, and it was another short, poofy dress. Atleast this time it had straps, so I wouldn't fear my dress would fall down. I brushed through my hair, and applied the makeup myself today, as one of Aaron's helpers taught me how. I tied my hair in a ponytail, and pulled on my hair to tighten it. I looked at myself in the mirror, and smiled. Now I looked like myself. A ponytail, a simple dress and a pair of shoes that I could walk in at ease. Even though they were flats, I was pleased that I no longer had to wear heels when I didn't want to. A fury of knocking snapped me out of admiring myself. I hurried to the door, and opened it to find the same man who had led me onto the balcony yesterday. "Christine, Carmen is here, and she wants you dead."

---

I looked at him funny. If I thought I looked crazy, I wonder what I looked like through his eyes. "Who's Carmen?" I asked quickly. He answered, now his turn to look puzzled, "The girl who was your ally for a short time in the games." My eyes widened even more. "I thought she was dead!" He replied quickly, "No, she was about to slaughter you when you went down. The gamemakers attempted to blow her up before she could do it. Just so happens you were on the landmine, not her. That's why you were in hospital for so long. She's fine. I'll explain on the way." I nodded, my face now almost a perfect white. "Grab your strength, kid. Now let's go." I nodded, and followed him out of the room.
My ally looked different. She wasn't as angry as she was in the games when she wanted to kill me, she was even more angry. She wore a bright yellow dress, similar to mine, but she wore bright red heels that made her stand four inches taller than me. She looked so much older, even though she was only two years older than I was. She had a small braid, her black hair shining in the light. She even had red streaks in her hair, which only I knew what they represented. The moment she saw me, she was restrained by a capitol worker. She struggled, trying to punch me right in the side of the head. I stopped about six feet away from her. "Why is she here?" Wendy snapped. "That ugly scab shouldn't even be here!" I grit my teeth, now having the urge to kill her. "The Capitol requests this message to be recieved by the both of you." one of the men said. "Now, the capitol wants you two to fight to the death, again. Just the two of you." I was shocked. "No." I said immediately. "Aw,"  Carmen teased, "too scared, you little mouse?" I stepped forward, saying darkly, "I'd burn to death rather than be killed by you." Carmen broke free of the grip the Capitol worker had on her and grabbed me by the neck with both hands, cutting off any air that I wanted to breath in. Her nails dug into my neck, as I let out a gasp for air. Suddenly, with all my strength, I reached for the bow and arrow on the wall, and grabbed them in my hand. I dropped the arrow, and slammed the wooden bow into Carmen's ribs. She let out a squeal, and let go of my neck. I threw the bow back, the  bow sliding across the tile. I continued to gasp for air as she stood there, holding her side. "You fool!" She screamed. Both capitol workers grabbed Carmen, and dragged her away, leaving me standing in the hallway, realizing that my nightmare had only just begun.
I stood in a tube once more, preparing to be lifted up into the arena. I hugged Aaron once more, almost certain it would be the last time. He stepped back, and stared as I was lifted up into the arena. I looked around for Carmen. She wasn't there. After the countdown had finished, I sprinted as fast as I could to reach the horn. This time, it was nowhere in sight. I heard footsteps, and whirled around. It was Carmen.

---

I began to run again, going even faster, trying to reach the horn. Carmen was older, but she was just as fast as I was. She didn't tire as easily as I did, abd she was right on my heels. I realized that I had no choice but to fight her until I could run away without being followed. At once, I turned and faced her. She ran right past me, than whipped around. She ran right at me, and shoved me right into the ground. She stood over me, pulling something out of her jacket. A knife. I knew all too well that she had got to the horn before me. She sat down beside me, stroking the knife, smiling at me. She grabbed a my ponytail and tugged on it. I screamed, and kicked my legs, trying to get away from her. She used her knife and sliced right across the ponytail, more than half hair falling to the ground in a clump. She laughed bitterly to no end. I clenched my hand into a fist and shot out at her leg. But she was expecting it. Her knife sliced a deep cut in my arm. I let out another shrill scream. I laid my head back down in the grass. She stood up again, and as her foot slammed the side of my head, I blacked out.
I woke up in a cave, terrified. My head throbbed, and I sat up. Outside, it was raining hard, but I hardly took notice. I looked around for Carmen, but saw her nowhere. I felt my head, and winced. Now, my hair was short, ragged and ugly. My precious hair that I never trimmed, all that work for nothing. I stood up, and looked down at the dried blood on the cave floor. I looked at my arm, still bleeding. I walked out of the cave, and walked as far away from the cave as possible. I couldn't run, but head was pounding to much to even think straight. When I finally reached a place I figured I'd be safe for a while, I sat down. I looked around. The horn was just past a few trees. I stared at the horn for a few minutes, then decided to go there. I walked through the trees, and jogged to the horn. There was plently of things left, bags, jackets, food...I had to get it all, or atleast most of it. I grabbed three bags, all I could carry considering I was weak from losing blood, and carried them near a tall tree. I dropped them, and looked around. The leaves rustled, and I stiffened. I grabbed one bag, and threw it up into the tree. Luckily, it snagged on a branch. I caught my breath, as if I was out of shape. I blacked out for a second. My stomach lurched, as I was fearful I'd pass out. When I caught my breath, I threw another bag, this time the bag snagging low. I put the other bag on my back, and began to climb the tree. I tried many times, but to no avail. Finally, I threw the last bag up in the tree, the bag snagging at the very top. I smiled, then began to climb up. I was about three feet up, but no branches were near. By the time I reached ten feet, I couldn't go on. The one second blackouts were becoming five seconds, even though I still had a grip on the tree. A branch was about six inches above me. Carmen exploded through the bushes, holding a bow in her hands. She looked up at me immediately, and held up the bow, and put an arrow in it. Adrenaline was pulsing through my body. At the last second, I gripped onto the branch, and swung my legs up, missing the arrow, as the arrow broke on impact to the tree. She swore a few words that if I was caught saying, I'd probably be put to death by Peacekeepers. I still had another four feet to climb before I could put the first bag I grabbed in a safe place. Another blackout hit, lasting for about a minute. After thirty seconds, I could have sworn I was dead, but I heard my breath, so I knew I was still alive. My vision returned, but Carmen was nowhere to be seen. I changed my posistion on the branch to where I was sitting, and leaning against another sturdy branch. I put the bag in my lap, and opened the zipper. I found a packet of matches, and a lighter. I pulled out even more items, a simple knife, crackers that had no taste, and a large bottle of water. I opened the lid, and drank it greedily. I opened one of the packet of crackers and ate all of them. Even though I was still hungry, I could wait. I dug though the bag some more, and found bandages, and a sleeping bag with some blankets. The last thing I found was two large sandwiches ontop of eachother in plastic wrapping. My mouth watered. I knew I needed food, but I didn't know if I had anything left. I opened the plastic wrapping and picked up one of the sandwiches. I put the sandwich in my lap, and wrapped the remaining sandwich and put it back in the bag. I ate the sandwich slowly, afraid I could trigger myself to vomit. I finished the sandwich quite a few minutes later. Now, I was full and my energy had been restored, but only to a certain level. I went through my bag again to find the bandages. I unraveled the roll, and wrapped the bandage around the area on my arm where I had been hurt. I looked through the bag some more only to find something I had not seen. Some tape. I held the partly wound bandage in my teeth whilte I ripped a large strip of tape off. I dropped the tape back in the bag and let go of the bandage. I finished wrapping it around and put the long strip of tape over the last bit of it and around once to seal it. I hung the bag on a branch near me, and grabbed the sleeping bag out of it before zipping it up. I unrolled the sleeping bag and put it inbetween the  fork of two branches, one of them I was sitting on. Careful not to fall, I crawled into the sleeping bag, and rolled over on my side. I knew somewhere in this arena, there was Carmen was plotting my death.

---

I woke up in my sleeping bag, and sat up, letting out a yawn. I took off my jacket, and carefully lifted my arm to put my jacket on another branch. Today I would have to retrieve my other two bags. My legs and arms were stiff, most likely because yesterday was warmer than yesterday. I shivered in my t-shirt. I had to my other bags to find a better jacket. I looked at my bandage. The blood hadn't soaked through, but, I was still a bit shaky from all the blood I must've lost. As soon as I ate and had more water, I would be able to regain even more of my strength so my body could make up for the blood I lost. I crawled out of my sleeping back and slipped off the hiking boots I wore, to reveal white socks. I clung to the tree trunk, and began to heave myself up to higher branches. My powerful core was becoming handy, but I had weak upper arm strength, not to mention one of my arms was nearly cut off yesterday. I was about ten feet away now, quickening my pace. I had almost reached the branches, but my hand slipped, and fell weakly to my side. My stomach lurched, my legs wrapping around as much of the trunk as possible. I lifted my arm once more, then gripped the branch right above my head. Though, I had no clue that the branch was weak. I had both hands on the branch now, getting ready to swing my legs up. A loud snap, then everything began falling.

---

My first instict? To grab something, before I hit the ground, which was about 30 feet up from a first glance. But I couldn't grip anything, and as my head and legs slammed branches and broke through them, I was bracing for death. I closed my eyes, and held my breath. I slammed the ground with an impact so great, the wind was knocked out of my lungs. I had not fallen on the back side of myself, but the front side. I went unconcious almost instantly. If Carmen wanted to kill me, this was her chance.
I woke up in alot of pain. I was on my back, and once again I was in a cave. It hurt to inhale, but it was a bit better to exhale. Everything seemed to hurt. I couldn't sit up, for my ribcage seemed to be shattered. My arms seemed to fine, but they ached. I carefully lifted one arm and felt my face. It felt clean, but the left side of my face throbbed at the slightest touch. Using both arms, I pushed down on the ground to finally get myself to sit up. I didn't want to see what I looked right now. I could probably get a good guess on what I looked like, too. But, where was Carmen? I've woken up here twice, and she hasn't been here. Have the gamemakers been transporting me? Or has Carmen had a change of heart? Maybe she pities me. I doubt it. I looked at my arm. The bandages were still there, but the blood was starting to soak through. It had most likely started bleeding again when I fell from the tree. An odd light began flickering from outside the cave. When I finally stood up, I walked alongside the cave wall to keep my balance. I looked outside the cave, only to see everything on fire.

---

I knew I couldn't run. I'd die trying. But I could barely walk without falling over. I was debating whether to stay in the cave, or risk going out and get away from the flames. I had made the decision to try and get away from the flames. I was slow, but maybe too slow. I was at a slow pace, my breath becoming more and more jagged from the smoke. Finally, when I had to stop, I clung to a tree that hadn't been aflame yet. Then I heard something. Rushing water. I looked around, to find where the water was. For all I knew, it could just be a false hallucination before I was to die. Like when miners die in the mines, when they finally stop when they think they see the opening just before they perish. But I didn't believe this was a hallucination. I continued walking, towards the direction of the water. I suddenly looked up. I was now at the tree where I had stored my things. The tree was stripped of it's bark, and was a deep black. I knew this tree was likely one of the first ones to burn. I looked up, and saw my jacket, the flames must've touched it, but they did not destroy it. The third bag, at the very top of the tree was not touched. But the second and first bag I had had been destroyed, now just pieces of fabric split in pieces. Even the contents were now just ashes. But I had to keep walking, for if there was water, I needed it. My throat seemed raw from the smoke, and it was already hard to breathe. The water seemed to be getting louder, so I figured I was closer. But, the farther I went, the more I didn't believe it. Finally, when I was almost certain it was just a hallucination, right before my eyes was a large lake of water. About 100 feet away, there was a waterfall. Since this time the arena was different, and the gamemakers didn't tell us about the arena. They hardly ever did. But, I was finally at water. I cupped some of it in my hands, tipping them back at my lips to drink the water. The water was cold and fresh, it seemed to stir something deep inside me. The bushes rustled. I whipped around, only to see Carmen, covered in blood, holding a bow and arrow, aimed at my heart.
Adreneline was on high, I seemed to feel no pain. It would catch up to me when the adreneline was gone. I ran to the left, and she fired, but the arrow had missed, she was too slow. I looked around for any weapons, but to no avail. I started running. My ribs still hurt, so I wasn't running that fast. The bloodied Carmen was catching up, but she was also weak, stumbling and panting like a dog with no water on a hot day.  I had reached the horn, running inside. I found a bow and arrow, and grabbed them both. I looked around for a packet of arrows, but I didn't have enough time. Carmen was already there, with a new arrow ready and set on me. I drew the bow, and moved to the side, dodging her second arrow. I let go of the arrow, and it had hit exactly where I wanted to hit her: her heart. She let out a gurgling sound, and a silent scream, before falling to her knees, and slamming her head into the ground, dead.

---

My victory was widespread, I had disposed of my enemy, came out alive...there were many things I could continue on. The victory tour was fine, though there were a couple of bumps in the road. I still pulled through, and lived. Now, I live in a large house overlooking all of District 13, where I came from. I live with my spouse and my only child. Memories of the games still haunt and scare me, and I still find myself waking up in tears. But no matter what, I know I will always pull through it. After the games, I feared nothing. Since the games I have also have had many reconstructive surgeries, including a surgery on my arm to repair the vien that had been destroyed in the 'knife incident' with Carmen. They made me beautiful once again, and when I arrived back home I had many fine suitors. But I had only loved one since the beginning. Now, I am married to him and he lives a happy life, as do I. I will never forget the games, or everything I had to do to live and survive. I still give away my wealth to my district, as I often pity them. I enjoyed telling you the story of my life, but now it is time for me to leave.
May the odds forever be in your favour.

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