I run in the direction of Thresh. At least two people were coming towards Peeta, and I guessed that the only alliance left would be the two District 2 Careers, who now knew they could both win.

There must not have been much time between my meeting with Peeta and Thresh passing him. When I couldn’t hear the voices anymore, I call his name softly.

I almost scream as a hand appears from behind a tree and covers my mouth. I look up, and see Thresh.

He looks nervous and cautious, so I don’t say anything. I couldn’t have, anyway.

A cannon goes off. His hands lower.

“That was Peeta, I think,” I whisper.

He shrugs, and begins to walk, waving his hand to show me to follow. I suppose we’re allies now.

It takes me a several minutes to realise we’re going in a circle, back to where Peeta was.

He isn’t here anymore.

“Why are we back here?” I ask.

“Why would we stay where someone dies?” They are the first words he has said to me since we got to the arena. “It’s illogical. That’s why we’re here.”

“There’s a cave alone here,” he adds and points. We go into the cave and sit down. I show him the contents of my backpack, and he shows me the contents of his. He has many purification tablets, and lots of wheat.

I tell him quietly about Peeta’s idea. He raises his eyebrow.

“7 year age gap,” he mutters.

“That makes you 19. People only compete in the Games if they’re 18. Stop exaggerating.”

He sighs.

“It should have been my last year. I thought-” he stops. I knew what he was going to say. He thought he was safe. “If they’d had the reaping a week later, I wouldn’t have even been in the running. My birthday was three days ago. I even got sent a cake. A present from my District. The nicest thing I ate since I got here. It’s all gone, by the way,” he adds.

“It would be controversial as well, then,” I say. “The Capitol likes controversial. I mean, they kidnap twenty-four teenagers every year and make them kill each other. Who cares if I kiss someone twice me ages?”

He laughs. “Maybe. Focus on surviving for now. If we get desperate we’ll try it. We aren’t short on supplies, and we’re pretty hidden.”

Suddenly I blurt out something I’ve wanted to say for a long time.

“I want to win.”

“So does everyone else,” he assures me.

“I’m not like them. I want to win but I don’t want to kill anyone.”

“Believe me, none of them do either.”

I think of the Careers, of how District 3 trains them from the time they’re born to fight and kill, and I know he’s wrong. Some people are born to kill.

“Happy birthday, by the way.”