Wow, 18 reviews the last chapter, thanks so much, all! And over 100 reviews! Wow! So, we here go...the final chapter.

Oh, and please read my story The Hunger Games Premiere!

At this point in my despair and grief, the latest announcement doesn't really have a profound effect on me. It's just one more setback that I take in stride. Just one more thing to deal with.

So I say to Katniss, "What do we do now?"

"We wake up Gale," she answers.

My sister takes out our water bottle and pours a little bit onto Gale's face. He wakes with a start and yells, "Look out! Attack!"

"Shhh, Gale," says my sister. "The fight is over. We won."

Gale gets up slowly, looking relieved at this information. Then he notices that someone is missing. "Where's Tayla?"

I cast my eyes to the ground, not trusting myself to pick up my head and address Gale. So Katniss breaks the tragic news to him for me. "She…didn't make it. She threw herself in front of a spear that was meant for me."

Gale doesn't answer for a long moment. Then he comes over to me and lays a hand on my shoulder. "I know how you felt about her Prim…I'm sorry. The best thing we can do now is to try and honor her memory by winning these Games. Right?"

But his words have the opposite effect of his reassuring intention. Because he has just reminded me that all three of us cannot win these Games…

Gale picks up on the fact that he was just made a huge blunder and quickly recovers. "So. Where to?"

Katniss replies, "There's a feast on top of the mountain at dawn. We're heading to that."

"But why do we have to go to the feast?" asks Gale.

"Because the surrounding air outside of the plateau at the top of the mountain will become toxic at dawn," I say. "It's a mandatory feast."

Gale takes the news about the feast in stride, just as I did. It seems that when you push a person past their breaking point, nothing really fazes them any more. "Well then," he says briskly. "Let's get going."

And so we do. First, we stop at the water pool in order to drink as much water as we can now, and to fill up the one canteen that we have. As we drink, we also eat share the pack of crackers that I still have in my pack. After we finish the crackers, we begin to make our way up the mountain path.

I trudge along next to Katniss. "How far do you figure we have to go?"

"Well, we're about half-way up the mountain, so…quite a long way," says my sister.

Because it's late morning, we have almost a day to make the journey. So there's no need to hurry. As we walk up the mountain path, we stop frequently to take short breaks. But we are careful with the water supply. Because who knows when we will come across the next source of it?

And my thoughts can't help but be filled with nervousness at the coming feast. Which means the coming battle. But this battle will definitely not have a happy ending. Because only two can win…

The sun dips lower and lower on its pre-determined arc in the sky. Close to nightfall, I think I hear the sound of rushing water. "Anyone else hear that?" I ask.

Gale cocks his head. "Yes…it's coming from...that way." He points to our right.

We step off the path, and after a short walk, find a rapidly-moving stream. We guzzle the remaining water in the canteen, and then satisfy ourselves with water from the stream. As we drink, I pull out the last of my food supplies, some edible roots from so long ago, it seems. I can only imagine how long I've been in the arena…

As we partake of our meager meal, darkness comes and the anthem plays. In the sky are four faces: both from Districts 8 and 11. But I only have eyes for a certain someone. I stare sadly up at the sky and drink in every last detail of Tayla's face before it disappears from the world forever. The face that made the ultimate sacrifice for my sister…

I snap out of my spell. "We need to keep moving."

The other two nod assent. Gale hands his night-vision glasses to Katniss and says, "Here, take these. I'll just keep close behind you two on the way; I'll be fine."

"You're sure?" asks Katniss.

"I'm sure," says Gale.

So I don my pair of night glasses and with my sister and I in the front, we form a triangle as we continue to trudge up the seemingly never-ending mountain. I wonder how far up the Careers were when they heard this announcement, and how they are faring in their journey…

Close to dawn, we finally come to the top of the mountain. It's light enough now that Katniss and I can remove our night-vision glasses; so we do.

Katniss points. "There it is."

And it is there. The Cornucopia horn that marks the spot of the final feast. The final battle.

Right now, it's like the calm before the storm. We take out the water canteen and share every last drop amongst ourselves. While we are not too thirsty, I definately mind for something to eat...

I feel a brief flicker of hope. Maybe the Careers won't make it up the mountain in time. Maybe we will just be left alone up here, and we won't have to fight.

Wait…that would actually be worse…

But as it turns out, I don't even need to worry about that possibility. Because the Careers come into view on the opposition side of the plateau.

No sooner have they stepped onto the plateau when the air around the mountain becomes a light green color. The green air doesn't come near us; the top of the mountain is encased in some sort of invisible, impenetrable dome. But I doubt that this invisible dome won't actually stop a person from falling off the mountain...

But then I notice something odd about the Careers. I'm not complaining, but it's sure a surprise.

Gale notices it too. "How come there are only three of you?" he calls out to them.

Sparkla from 1 smiles. "My mentor had gotten a little out of shape since he had last won the Games," she says evilly. "So instead of being slowed down by him on the way up, we left him behind. The cannon should be firing any minute now."

The cannon picks the perfect time to fire. No more words between the two groups are exchanged. Because, really, what else is there to say?

Katniss whispers to Gale, "Gale, you take that cocky tribute and wipe that wide smile off his face." She means Castor, of course. "I'll try and keep that big hulk of a man off balance with my arrows." Meaning the District 2 mentor. "Prim…just try and evade that girl's attacks until either Gale or I can come and help you."

So that's the plan. Neither Gale nor I respond. We just want it to be over.

And without further ado, the show kicks off. The two from District 2 both pull out swords, and Sparkla unsheathes two knives. They start to advance slowly, warily, sizing us up.

Katniss was having none of that crap. She pulls out her bow and started to fire arrows at all three of them, but really mostly at the mentor. The Careers were all forced to split away form each other in order to dodge the deadly flurry, and that was the moment when Gale chose to attack.

His two knives at the ready, Gale stepped forward to engage Castor in combat. His hands were working furiously, the two knives moving in tandem to block the strong swipes of Castor's sword. They were going at it tooth and nails, that's for sure.

But I had to tear my attention away from them, because I had my own battle to fight. Or rather, to keep the opponent busy. Sparkla is coming on towards me and saying, "You ready to die, little girl?"

"The same goes for you," I retort.

She snarls and starts to slash at me with her knives. I do as my sister said. I play the cat-and-mouse game with her, and always stay just out of reach. I don't even use my one knife. My feet are constantly shuffling, always moving, never standing still. My only hope is to use my stamina and keep her expending so much energy that she becomes too tired to fight. Then, I'll make my move.

But all my well-thought out plans came to an end when in my fleet-footed dance, I stumble. I stumble! That tiny misstep is all Sparkla needs. She quickly covers the remaining distance between us with an animalistic charge, and slams into me. Hard. I fall to the ground, and she falls on top of me, holding one of her knives to my throat. My knife was knocked away when she tackled me.

This is it. I only hope that my sister and Gale win in their respective fights, because it sure looks like this one is over. Sparkla pants and says, "Any last words?"

I spit in her face.

Her lips curl in a nasty sneer. "Right, then. Goodbye, Primrose."

But suddenly, the pressure from my chest is released. Someone comes flying out of nowhere and tackles Sparkla. And with horror, I notice that we are quite close to the edge of the mountain here. And as I notice this, both Gale and Sparkla begin to topple over the edge of the mountain, because with the momentum of Gale's tackle, neither one of them can help it.

"Gale!" I scream. I rush to where they're both going over. "Gale, I'm coming!"

Both Gale and Sparkla start lashing out with their hands, their fight forgotten for the moment, trying to find any purchase on the rocky outcrop. Because if either one of them falls another foot…the noxious green cloud will be the end of them.

I reach Gale and grab his right hand with both of mine, and start pulling upwards which all my might. Which isn't much. I'm not doing anything. Gale yells out frantically, "Prim, pull harder! I'm going down!"

"I'm trying!" But I have to try harder. If Gale died like this, with me not being able to save him…I wouldn't ever be able to live with myself.

But as Sparkla is scrabbling for a handhold, she tries to grab onto Gale's foot. This is all Gale needs. Gale steps on Sparkla's head and uses her as a stepping-stone to try and climb up. With one final herculean effort by me, our combined efforts heave Gale up to where he lies, panting beside me.

And as I watch, Sparkla's face screws up in horror, as she plummets into the green abyss below. I can only wonder how she will die first. From the fall, or from the poison?

"What about Castor?" I ask Gale as we recover for a moment. The cannon for Sparkla fires after I say this.

He points to a body that has a knife sticking of its shoulder blade. "There he is."

And then I hear my sister's voice screaming frantically, "Hello! I could use some help over here! I just ran out of arrows!"

Both Gale and I whip around. Katniss is holding out her bow like some sort of a shield and getting into a crouching position. In front of her, the District 2 trainer is laughing and saying, "Come on now. Just give this charade up. You're hopeless without your precious bow and arrows."

And he's right. Because without her bow and arrows, my sister is basically defenseless.

"Maybe, so, Vikus," replies my sister. "But it's three on one. I like our odds."

Or maybe it's really two and a half on one, but who's counting?

Gale grabs my knife off of the ground from where I dropped it, and rushes forward. I follow closely, but without a weapon, what really I do?

Gale begins to tie up Vikus in combat. As he does, I see my sister sneaking around behind Vikus to where some arrows are lying on the ground. I need to make sure that Vikus doesn't notice until it's too late for him.

So I join the fight. I do the same as I did in my battle against Sparkla. I just stay out of range of Vikus' sword, and don't get too close. I just keep him occupied. Gale is the one who is taking all the risks, trying to get in close to Vikus in order to stab him.

And this is his undoing. As I watch, I see Vikus abruptly flip his blade around and use the hilt to smash Gale in the head. He falls to his knees, in terrible pain, the knife dropping from his hand.

Vikus raises his sword to make the killing blow. Then he notices something amiss. "Hey. Where's-"

His words are cut off as the arrow drives into his brain. He slumps to the ground, as the cannon fires.

Katniss rushes over to Gale. "Gale, are you all right?"

Gale brushes her away and stands up. "I'm fine," he says. Then the full weight of the situation here hits us.

Because the three of us are the last three left standing. And we all can't win.

And then one of us is not standing anymore. One of us topples to the ground with a knife in their neck.

I scream in horror. A feeling of white-hot rage seizes me, and I pick up the knife that Gale dropped, and dash over to where Castor is still lying on the ground. Only, the knife that was in his shoulder blade is not there anymore. It's embedded in my sister.

I bring the knife up over him. "YOU FUCKING BASTARD! I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL FOREVER!" And I stab downwards.

As my knife drives into his chest, the last thing he ever whispers is, "Cato, my brother. I have avenged you. I will be seeing you soon…"

His eyes glaze over and the cannon fires. And so I sprint back over to where Gale is cradling Katniss in his arms.

My sister smiles weakly when she sees me. "Prim," she says softly. "Prim, I'm so proud of you for making it this far…"

My tears join the fast-growing pool of her blood. "No, no, no…" Because this can't be happening. She was supposed to be the one person who couldn't die. She was supposed to be the one person who was safe…

"Prim, it's all up to you now. You have to be strong. You have to lead the rebels against the Capitol. They're all counting on you, Prim. Don't let them down…" How can she think so rationally when she knows that she only has maybe a minute left of life in this world?

"Catnip…" The unbelieving words escape Gale as his body is racked with sobs.

"Prim...Gale…I…love you both…" my sister gasps out weakly. She doesn't have much more time.

Gale and I look at each other for a moment. And in that instant, we know what to do.

We begin to sing. And while neither of us have a good singing voice, it doesn't really matter at that moment. All that matters is that someone is singing the words that we both know so well. The words that Katniss needs to hear right now:

Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you

The corners of my sister's mouth curl upwards in a last, brief smile. And as her eyes close for the final time, her cannon fires.

Gale and I just sit there, crying and holding each other. I don't hear the announcement of the two victors. I don't hear the victory trumpets. I don't hear the roar of the watching audience.

I'm locked in my own world now. I have killed in anger, in vengeance. And my sister has died. My savior, my protector, has passed on from this world.

I only know one thing.

An essential part of my being has died in these Hunger Games. And that part is never going to return.

End Of Book One

PLEASE DON'T QUIT ON ME JUST BECAUSE I KILLED KATNISS! THERE'S A SEQUEL!

The sequel is titled In Her Honor, please go check it out and review! And please review this chapter!

Now you may be thinking, what the hell? She's the main character! But I'll say this: if there's no real danger, the story just becomes, "fe-fo-fum, they're fighting again, how long will it take for them to win..."

And is Katniss really gone? I'll say this: things are not always as they seem...