Quick key (please read) : *** means new character, and ~~~ means time skip with same character.

Yes, I have been publishing non stop. I just really like writing this story, so YEAH! Hope you are enjoying this fun little chatroom!

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He hadn't wanted to kill Jacob.

Alexsandr had never been that kind of person, but he had to. He had always despised the careers, for how much they enjoyed their little games that they played like they were all toys. He didn't like hearing their playful shouts that acted like everything was okay. He told himself that he wouldn't be a career in the games, but from what happened, he was afraid that people would start to think that about him.

He wanted to tell himself that if he won, everything would be better. He would be rich, live as a victor, a champion, but he didn't know if he deserved it.

He sat in the cave, looking out onto the sea that he was so very close to. He knew that Chancey and Joel were near him, but he also knew that the cave would provide shelter. Alexsandr took the knife that was in his hands, and threw it against the cave wall. That knife wasn't who he was.

The knife made a sharp sound, almost ear piercing, and came back to his feet with a "clank". Then, Alexsandr took the pendant from under his white outfit and clutched it in his hand. The logo of District Eight was on it, a sewing needle embedded on the silver. The last thing of home he had, given to him by Cassandra. He had loved her, and he would always, even if she didn't. He took the pendant and held it to his heart, crying above it.

He tried to ignore the next canon and the scream the followed it, a deep scream, but he heard it over and over again. So far, two kills in one day, and one was by his own fault. 

***

"Okay, Skya, Diandra, can I trust you?" Jess asked, uncertain. Skya and Diandra both nodded. Skya nor Diandra were either excited, but they thought it would be better to stay where there are loads of weapons and the uncertainty of coming across a tribute then out in the woods where there are loads of tributes and one weapon. So, they stayed put.

"Cole, left side. I'll go right," She continued. They both agreed, and before either of them left they said goodbye. Then, Cole grabbed a spear (his best weapon), and Jess grabbed a axe, and they left the girls in the cornucopia.

Right as the older careers left, Diandra went to the back of the cornucopia and hid her head in her legs. Skya saw her and walked over to her. 

"Diandra," She started.

"Don't tell them I'm scared," Diandra interrupted. "careers aren't supposed to be scared."

"Sure, they can be scared," Skya said. "I'm scared."

"But you're not the youngest, Skya."

Skya thought for a second. "Tell ya what, I'll take watch. You can stay in here. I'll make sure you stay safe." Then, Diandra took her arms and wrapped them around Skya, lightly sobbing. 

"Thank you," She said. "You're gonna win, Skya. I know you will."

It was hard for Skya to hear that little girl say that. She didn't think she could, the small girl like herself. "The games are crazy. Just know that."

~~~

Cole gripped his spear tighter. His first hunt. He felt sort of excited, for this is what he had been training for his whole life, along with to become a peacekeeper someday. He also knew that winning would mean support from his mother, who always beat him to make it strong. Which worked, based on when he killed Skylar. 

Cole didn't know where he was going, except for that he knew there had to be tributes somewhere around that area. He wasn't afraid, he hadn't been afraid in the cornucopia so why would he now? If he were to become a peacekeeper like his Dad he must have killer instincts. 

When his eyes finally spot someone in a pure white suit, he points his spear to his target. They sure do make a lot of ruckus, he thought. He recognized the boy as Kelvin, the boy from district five. And as soon as he met eye with him, Cole smirked. Kelvin's face flushed in worry.

"Zane!" He called. "Zane!" He started to run, and Cole followed him, excitement going through his veins. Finally, if the boy from four comes to help him, he'll have found two tributes in less than an hour. But he didn't see the third that was behind the trees.

"Kelvin?!" He heard a voice call. Kelvin kept running and shouting his name, Cole aiming right at the boy's heart.

A boy with medium length, brown jagged hair came from behind the trees. He saw Kelvin running, Cole right behind him, and went into full sprint. Kelvin could hear his heart beating out of his chest, scared he would almost stop running. Then, his left foot fell over his right, and he fell onto his back.

Cole smiled, and aimed it right at the fourteen year old boy's chest. Kelvin didn't have time to stop Cole. Zane screamed as Cole threw his spear, penetrating through the white uniform of a young boy.

A canon boomed.

Cole breathed slowly. In, and then out.

Zane ran over to the boy from five. Kelvin breathed, frightened, and Zane hugged his friend. But he wasn't smiling when he saw the body of the young boy from District Six, lying on the ground a few meters in front of him. He was motionless, a spear sticking out of his skin. His black hair was parted not-so-neatly, his face expressionless. Zane nor Cole had knew what happened, but Kelvin did. Venus, the thirteen year old boy from District Six, had given his life to save another.

Inside, Cole was satisfied, yet annoyed at the same time. He ran over to the spear, hoping that he would reach it before the boys did. But he was stopped by a sharp pain in the knee, falling down on the ground and letting out a sharp scream. Amethyst grabbed the spear out of Venus' body before the hovercraft came to collect him and pulled Zane and Kelvin up by their uniforms.

"Amethyst? What are you-" Zane started, recognizing the girl from his district almost immediately.

"Be quiet and come with me," She ordered. "Now!"

Somewhere in the woods, another girl heard the career from District 2 scream. Cole, she thought. And Jess ran to where he was.

***

Ren dived deeper into the water.  No, they weren't from District 4, but from District 9, the district of grain. But yeah, they did want to be from District 4, considering how much they are fond of the water. They also love climbing trees, but they knew that's where they would be easily spotted.

Their plan was simple; catch fish, build a fire, cook the fish, and attack any tribute that came in their way.

Ren took his knife that he stole and desperately went around, looking for a fish to stab. Whenever he came up from the water, he spewed out water from the sea. And every time he did, he felt tributes' eyes watching him breathe.

He went further into the water. He knew that there were very few tributes that made it to the sea yet, which gave him a clear advantage. He didn't know how long he had been swimming, looking for fish, but it felt like hours to him. 

Soon, he started shivering, but he knew he had to keep going. And then, out of nowhere, he felt a shock of electricity run through his body.

Flung back, Ren's eyes shut almost immediately, petrified. He had hit the forcefield. He felt his heart slow down, his brain forgetting all his current thoughts. He was lucky. He had barely touched it, only with one single finger, enough to keep him alive a little longer. But he felt himself slowly dying, and there was nothing he could do about it.