Gauze Weaver’s POV:

I run towards Echo and help her get to her feet; I then help her in dragging Osmo to his. Ravina’s body lies lifeless on the beach; Adaline stands a few meters away – staring at the body in complete and utter shock. Her expression drops even further when the collar around her neck begins to beep.

‘’ No.’’ She mutters quietly and then begins to sob. ‘’ Please, no...’’

I glance from her to Echo, unsure of what to do. Echo shrugs her shoulders. We both want to spare this poor girl from the horrific fate that awaits her, but neither want the blood on our hands. I glance at the crossbow in my hand and sigh. The blood is already on mine, I killed Ravina so therefore Adaline.

I load the bolt quietly; Adaline is too transfixed on Ravina’s body and her beeping collar to take heed of me. Echo understands what must be done and gasps, pointing towards the lighthouse. For a moment it takes me a second to realise what she is doing, and I follow her finger to look. Then I understand.

I hold my crossbow up; take aim and fire as Adaline spins to look towards the lighthouse. There is a quick zipping noise as the bolt tears through the air and it impales the back of her head, lodging itself in her skull. She doesn’t have time to even gasp; she falls and hits the sandy floor – dead before she hits the ground.

BOOM!

The collar however continues to beep, perhaps because it cannot switch off once it begins. We stand in silence, watching her body as the collar beeps. Nobody wants to think of what it will do to her. Thankfully she can’t feel it, but her body will be sent home to her family...The beeping speeds until it gets to the pace where it is almost a steady tone, then it silences.

The collar convulses inwards and Adaline’s head is severed from her body. It squelches and pops off, moving half a meter from her body. Bliss screams aloud, and Osmo commences his roaring; I grab Bliss and hold her tight to me, Echo grabs Osmo.

For a moment that seems to stretch on for eternity, we stand there, holding each other. Unsure of what else to do. I glance over at Echo, who stares at me fearfully. She is weapon-less, defenceless.

‘’ So I guess we’re a team now then?’’ I smile and any sense of worry or doubt that had been on her face vanishes instantly – as if a massive weight has been lifted off her shoulder. She nods.

‘’ Let’s go.’’

‘’ Where?’’ I reply.

She glances down at the two bodies.

‘’ Anywhere away from here.’’

Arianna Winslow’s POV:

‘’ How many tributes does that leave?’’ I question, it has been a few minutes since the two cannons fired – signally yet another pair has met their demise and we are another step closer to getting out of here.

‘’ I don’t know, I think that means there’s twelve of us left...half way there, there’s still a lot to go before the final stretch.’’ He explains and I sigh.

We are perched in a tree, sitting among the huge branches of thick leaves to take shelter from the blood rain, still pouring in bucket-loads from the sky. It really is disgusting how much innocent blood has been shed over the last hundred years...it’s even worse to be drenched in it.

I sit with my back against the trunk of the tree and Alistair’s arm wrapped around my shoulder. My head is against his chest; simply having his scent against my face is comforting. I am so glad I didn’t have to do this alone; and even more so glad that we were paired together. I can’t imagine how tough it would be if I had been separated from Alistair. I’d probably be dead.

I have one of my throwing knives in my hand; I weave it around my fingers, slowly getting faster. It zips around my hand at a quick pace, I am careful not to hurt myself however. Alistair watches in awe.

‘’ You’re really handy with those things.’’ He says and kisses me gently on the head.

‘’ I know.’’ I joke, and lock my free hand in his.

He laughs, but before he can reply, I bird lands on a branch near us. It is quite big, and looks as though it could have a fair amount of meat on it. I press my finger to my lips and take aim with the knife in my hand. Alistair understands and remains silent.

I exhale silently through my nose, ensuring I will be as still as possible when it’s time to strike. I keep my eyes fixed on the bird. The key to this will be speed yet accuracy – hopefully the training we did on day one in the centre will help with this. I draw my arm back as quickly yet as quietly as I can, the bird’s head begins to turn towards me. Before it can escape, I fling the knife at it; it whizzes through the air and impales the bird’s torso. It makes a choking chirpy sound and then falls from the brand.

‘’ Nice shot!’’ Compliments Alistair.

‘’ Thanks.’’ I grin and climb down the trunk of the tree with him following close behind.

As I jump to the ground, my foot lands in a puddle about ankle height and the bloody water enters my shoe. I curse and shake my foot, although I am not entirely sure what that will even do.

‘’ Great.’’ I mutter dryly, Alistair says nothing.

I retrieve the bird and remove the knife. Alistair wraps it up in a small piece of cloth and places it in his bag. We’ll have to leave it there until we can wash it and skin it – then it will be ready to eat.

‘’ We should find water, we need to wash this thing.’’ I suggest and Alistair nods.

We head north, leaving the forest behind and heading for higher ground.

‘’ Who do you think will make it to the final day?’’ I ask.

‘’ I’m not sure, everyone remaining seems well capable. Echo, Gauze, Caspian...’’ He replies.

‘’ Caspian is slowed down though by Lilly and the twins, they’re not as good as he is.’’

‘’ Yeah, that’s right. He’s too noble; he wants to be the hero. He’d sacrifice himself for Lilly if he had to, and that’d leave her open to everyone else.’’ I add.

Alistair nods.

As we move through the arena, we encounter no more life. No animals. No tributes. We move at a steady pace, with our weapons ready in hand just in case we need them. Although we both secretly hope we don’t.

‘’ Where will we go if we win this?’’ I ask. ‘’ Do you think they’ll let us live in the Victor Village?’’

‘’ What do you mean? They have to.’’ He replies.

‘’ But we’re criminals. We’re here because we’re being punished.’’ I say, even though we’ve talked about this a million times, I still feel extremely unsure about it.

‘’ I’d like to think that the citizens of Panem and the Capitol like us, and that’s why we were sponsored.’’ He begins. ‘’ If the Capitol is behind us, then they won’t harm us. They can’t.’’

‘’ I see.’’ I reply with a smile, he’s right.

‘’ We’ve become something more than just criminals or tributes. We’ve become beacons of hope.’’ He continues.

‘’ The one thing stronger than fear.’’ I say and he nods. ‘’ We can win this.’’

‘’ We can.’’ He replies confidently and we pick up the pace.

Ellie Rhodes’ POV:

‘’ We should find shelter, it’s getting dark and I’m sick of this blood!’’ Suggests Caspian and we all agree – it’s the smartest option, none of us want to be out in the dark.

We move from the small clump of trees we are in and head towards a cluster of buildings that coat the west cost of the island. It is a small town, with what looks like an old pharmacy, a small DIY store and what looks like a rundown town hall

‘’ This looks like a good place to rest.’’ Says Caspian.

‘’ Let’s try the pharmacy.’’ Adds Lilly.

We approach silently, there could be tributes hiding inside so we have to be cautious. Caspian leads the way with Lilly by his side; myself and Ethan follow a few steps behind them. As he pushes open the door, it creaks annoyingly loud and the noise echoes through the arena.

‘’ Damn it.’’ He mutters under his breath and steps forwards into the small building.

The place is a wreck, looking as though it has just been bombed. The top of the counter is split in two and is on the floor. What looks like a cash register is smashed to pieces beside it, barely identifiable. The shelves that probably were once neat are toppled over in a domino effect with their very little contents thrown about on the floor.

Towards the back of the shop there is a small room, with shelves of prescription drugs lining the walls. There is a safe in the corner, and there is evidence of an attempted forced entry, but otherwise the safe is in good shape. The room is quite small, but it will easily house us all for the night.

‘’ This’ll do. It’s too beat up for anyone to come in to.’’ Caspian whispers and he shuts the door. ‘’ We’ll be OK.’’

We set up in the small room, taking out our dirty sleeping bags and rolling them out on the floor. The place seems quite cosy. It’ll do for the night.

‘’ You OK?’’ Asks Ethan after about thirty minutes as we sit inside the shop whispering quietly, Caspian and Lilly are in the small room.

‘’ I’m dying to go toilet.’’ I admit.

‘’ Then go. I’ll go with you if you want.’’ He replies but I shake my head.

‘’ I’ll be fine.’’

I get to my feet and approach the entrance of the small pharmacy, as long as I don’t wee inside where we’ll be able to smell the urine all night it will be fine. I will just go outside the shop, the rain will wash it away. Ethan comes with me to the door of the small building anyway and stands in it as I step outside.

‘’ A little privacy please.’’ I say, he turns and heads back inside, closing the door gently.

I hate being alone, but I have no choice. I hate going toilet with them beside me even worse. The noise of the rain is the only audible noise. I walk across the stony ground and find a small spot in the shadows of the pharmacy building. I crouch down and stop tensing my bladder so the urine comes out.

Just as I am about to finish, a hand clamps around my mouth, a tough masculine one, and pulls me to my feet. I try to scream but the hand muffles my voice. I thrash about but whoever has their arm around me is holding me in a vice-like grip. I cannot move.

‘’ Guess who?’’ Laughs a male voice that takes me a moment to place. Stitch.

Oh God. How did this happen? How did I not hear them?

‘’ Take her away from the pharmacy. The collar will do the rest.’’ Instructs Min and Stitch obliges.

I thrash again and kick at him, he manages to keep his grip on me. I open my mouth, as I do I feel one of his fingers slip into my mouth. I take the opportunity before it slips away and bite down hard on his finger. He roars in pain and I break free.

‘’ ETHAN!’’ I scream. ‘’ ETHAN!’’

‘’ You little bitch!’’ Yells Stitch, kicking me in the back of the leg and knocking me to the ground.

‘’ Ellie?’’ Questions Ethan’s voice a few meters away, sounding uncertain. Then he realises I am gone and his uncertainty turns to panic. ‘’ ELLIE?’’

Before I can cry out for him, a hand clamps around my mouth again, this time Stitch has pulled his sleeve down his hand to prevent me biting and he holds my body in the vice-like grip again. I continue to squirm beneath his arm as I am dragged further and further from the pharmacy where Ethan continues to shout. Caspian and Lilly have joined him.

Quite suddenly – as immediate as it had been when it started – the blood rain pouring from the sky stops. In a split second, the rain falling in sheets ceases and the last of the drops smack the ground with a clap and then there is a second of silence.

‘’ Ellie!?’’ Roars Ethan again, his voice growing fainter – they are moving in the wrong direction.

I thrash violently, trying to make as much noise as possible, silently willing for something loud to bang against my foot. Nothing comes. They drag me for a few more seconds, and then I hear it. The collar around my throat begins to beep. Stitch releases his grip on me and I fall to the floor. I quickly get back to my feet and sprint back towards Ethan as Min and Stitch head the opposite direction. This is it.

Lilly Cullen’s POV:

My head snaps to Caspian – the collar around his neck has begun to beep.

‘’ They’ve killed her.’’ I gasp. ‘’ Someone killed Ellie.’’

‘’ But there was no cannon fire.’’ Points out Ethan, sounding confused.

We pause for a moment, almost waiting for the cannon fire to sound. It does not come, instead we hear Ellie’s voice.

‘’ Ethan!’’

‘’ Ellie!’’ He roars, sprinting towards her voice.

I glance at Caspian. He returns the gaze – there is a great sadness in his eyes.

‘’ I’m sorry. I have failed you.’’ He says, fighting back a sob.

‘’ No. Caspian...’’ I say, trailing off as the realisation of our situation sinks in to me. ‘’ Please, no...’’

‘’ I’m so sorry. I didn’t plan on leaving you until we were the last left, I have no time to say goodbye.’’ He sobs, a few tears trickling down his face.

‘’ Oh God no...’’ I cry, wrapping my arms around him as the beeping of his collar quickens.

‘’ Stop it.’’ He orders gently, placing his index finger against my lips and I kiss it. ‘’ You have to promise me you won’t give up. Promise me you’ll win this.’’

I nod. Tears streaming down my face.

‘’ I love you. So, so much. I don’t want to tell you the hopes I had for our future together, because it will only make things worse. You have to swear to me you’ll try find love. Get out of here and lead a happy life. Settle down. Please.’’

I nod again.

‘’ Promise me.’’ He orders.

‘’ I...I...I promise!’’ I vow, spluttering out the words through teary eyes and short, jagged breaths.

‘’ I love you so much.’’ He laughs and I force myself to smile at him as I roar in sorrow and pain.

‘’ Please Caspian-’’

‘’ No Lilly. Don’t do this. I have to go. It’s my time.’’ He smiles.

‘’ No! It’s not your time! You’re sixteen!’’ I roar; this isn’t fair. The Capitol is cruel. This can’t be happening!

The beeping of his collar gets faster and faster, almost a single tone.

‘’ Just one thing.’’ He says. ‘’ What did you wish for on the beach? The day of the Reaping. Your birthday.’’

I sob, but force myself to get this out of me before it’s too late. ‘’ I wished that I would grow old with you and die in your arms when the time came.’’

‘’ And you got the opposite.’’ Laughs Caspian. ‘’ You’ll grow old without me and I’ll die in your arms.’’

Although he is trying to cheer me up, trying to make light of a horrific situation, I cannot help but cry harder and grip him tighter. This isn’t fair.

‘’ I love you.’’ I sob once more.

He smiles, but does not get another word in; the collar takes care of him first. It doesn’t seem to hurt him, because it makes no obvious sign of how it kills him, nor does he show any signs of pain. He simply falls forwards and I grip him tightly, then gently lay him on the floor.

BOOM!

I glance over at Ethan, Ellie is limp in his arms. He is sobbing.

BOOM!

Echo Spark’s POV:

‘’ Two more go down.’’ I sigh. ‘’ At least we’re closer to getting out of here.’’

I sit with my back against the trunk of a tree; Gauze is a few paces away from me. Both Osmo and Bliss are sleeping.

‘’ Who do you think it was?’’ Questions Gauze.

I shrug my shoulders. ‘’ Dunno. Hopefully someone good so we’ve a better chance at surviving.’’

He nods.

‘’ Gauze?’’

‘’ Yeah?’’ He replies.

‘’ Thank you.’’ I say and he laughs.

‘’ You can stop thanking me already! The first two hundred times were enough.’’ He chuckles.

‘’ You saved our lives.’’

‘’ Well I’d like to think you would’ve done the same if the tables were turned.’’ He smiles.

I like to think I would too.

But would I have? Would I have risked my life for his as he did for mine? Maybe, maybe not.

It just goes to show that he deserves to win this more than me. But at the same time, I can’t let him win this because the basic human instinct within me that wills me to keep going no matter what is stronger than my sense of humanity.

‘’ Still, it means a lot.’’

Before he can get another modest word in, the Capitol seal appears in the sky and the anthem begins to blare. Osmo stirs in his sleep but doesn’t wake. Bliss stretches and sits up to watch the sky.

The first face that appears is Ravina, District Two. Followed by Adaline from District Ten. We stare anxiously, waiting for the moment of truth. The other two tributes to die today. It really could be anyone, everyone left seems to be strong and well capable of winning.

District Four Caspian Reef. My jaw drops. Followed by his partner, Ellie Rhodes District Five.

‘’ That was unexpected.’’ Mutters Gauze.

I stare at him, unable to say a word.