Author's Note:

Hi everyone! Well, here it is, the last chapter of the Games. Just to be clear, this isn't the last chapter of the story though, this is only the last chapter of the arena. I am just so excited to finally be at this point in the story were the Games are over. I wanted to be done writing that bleak arena setting as bad as the characters wanted to get out of it.

Thank you so much to the three people who reviewed the last chapter, Dancing-Souls, AllTheWrongChoices, and Guest reviewer, you guys are awesome!

The Guest reviewers asked: "I'm wondering is she going to go back in the quarter quell? And around what time will their romance start to blossom. Is she going to become like Finnick - providing services to the capital. I hope she can get away from that destiny maybe she can be fit as mentally unwell."

My answer: Well, I'm holding my tongue about the Quarter Quell thing. As to when their romance really starts to blossom more around midway through book two, as their relationship is kind one of those slow burning romances that goes from hate/ mutual dislike, to love, subtly. I really don't want to give too much away for book two. Let's just say Alanna will be spending a great deal of time in the Capitol after her Games, since her own district kind of turns their back on her. About the sanity part *wink* you'll just have to wait for the next chapter. But yes, her state of mind does get addressed in the last chapter.

Okay so heads up to you all, I really didn't like Alanna's last name being "Birch" it just didn't make sense to me so I changed it to "Cove" I will be going back through the old chapters and making this fix shortly.

Secondly here's the playlist I used while writing this chapter, hope you guys like it. And As always please review you can :)

Disclaimer: As always I don't claim to have any of the rights to the songs mentioned below, those rights all belong to the artists.

-Playlist:

-Up in Flames, by Ruelle

Here's the link to the song:

watch?v=Vqj4RpB6PtY

This song basically set the mood for the opening of the chapter and how everything is literally going up in flames around them and the Games are finally coming to an end.

-Until We Go Down, by Ruelle

Here's the link:

watch?v=iKJUxhdMOtw

This song got my adrenaline rushing as I wrote the end of this chapter and kind of gives you this suspenseful energetic rush as you ready wait, waiting for the end. This works really well as background music for the whole chapter.

- Saturn, by Sleeping at Last

Here's the link: watch?v=h3lWwMHFhnA

This song seriously made me cry as I listened to it while writing a very emotional, heartbreaking scene at the end of the chapter as you will all shortly see. I'll just say this works for the Ember/Alanna scene at the very end of this chapter.

-Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift

(This is a nightcore version of the song covered by: Landon Austin and Ellie)

Here's the link: watch?v=cd8e2ECUHL4

I had to include this song because it just brought the story to a full complete circle since the first chapter of the arena was a reference to this song. I'd advice just skipping to 2:05 as this sets the feel for the very very end of the chapter.

Up in Flames, by Ruelle

Keepin' on the outside

Glimmer in the moonlight

Falling shadows know where we are

Creepin' on the edge of the dark

We feel warmth in the cold corners

Eyes in the back of our heads

We roll out when the day's over

Chasin' the silhouettes

When it all goes up in flames x4

We'll be the last ones standing

City made in thin glass

smoldering in pitch black

Sand so thick you can't see the stars

Can't tell good and evil apart

When it all goes up in flames x4

We'll be the last ones standing

Chapter 21: Come Morning Light

Getting to my feet I grabbed the gun and threw the bag over my shoulder. I checked my belt to make sure the knife was still there.

Ember scrambled to her feet as fast as she could. "What's going on?"

I pointed towards the exit on the right where a flaming orangish-yellow glow grew closer and closer, "There's a fire in that exit, we need to find a way out of here before it burns this place down."

Ember gave me a questioning look, tugging on the straps of her pack, "But what if it's still raining up there?"

I had a feeling this was the game makers' way of coaxing us out of our hiding place. There were most likely getting bored of watching two girls sitting in a sewer staring at the wall. I doubted they'd flush us out of our hole just to have us die immediately as soon as we reached the surface, at least I hoped not.

"Well, then I guess we're just going to have to take our chances," I said zipping up my jacket. "You can stay here and possibly burn to death if you want; it's your choice. I'd rather take my chances with the rain."

I started walking down the hall counting the seconds: six, five, four, three, two, one-

"Wait, wait."

Bingo.

Throwing her bag over her shoulder she jogged up beside me. I smiled a little then coughed as the smoke drifted into my lungs. Okay time to go.

We ran down the sewer tunnel, the fire at our heels chasing us. It was the hunter and we were its prey. The hunters of this twisted game had now become the hunted. I felt a strange sense of deja-vous as we ran, stopping only when we came to a fork in the road. Ember looked to me in question.

Which side do we take?

I remembered taking a path that veered to the left, remembered the murky water seeping through my boots as I trudged on, I remembered cold sickly hands grasping at the flesh on my arms trying to drag me down to their murky underworld of eternal death.

I wiped the sweat from my brow. "Take the right side," I said. I could feel the temperature rising. It was like slowly being baked alive. Smoke curled around my face, its fingers twisting in my hair. Water filled my boot through a hole in the bottom. So much for Capitol quality.

As we reach the end of the tunnel I stopped Ember and walked in front of her to climb up the ladder. In case acid rain did come pouring down on us, I would rather it come down on my head than hers. I shoved the manhole aside, pushed myself up through the opening, bracing myself to be melted alive. After a few moments when I didn't feel my face melting off from my bones, I reached down a hand to help pull Ember up.

When I got to my feet it finally registered that I couldn't see anything. We were totally engulfed in darkness, I couldn't even see three feet ahead of me. The street lights must have melted in the rain. I stepped forward into the street without really thinking about it and immediately regretted my actions as I stepped right into a rain puddle. The acid burned a hole through my boot. Great, now both my shoes have holes. I cursed myself out for being so stupid as I dug through my bag searching for the night vision goggles.

"Here," I said handing a pair to Ember while I adjusted my own, "you're gonna need these. Looks like the light are all out for good this time." I took a cautious step forwards. " Be careful where you step," I smirked, putting on my game face. "I wouldn't go splashing through any rain puddles if I were you."

I looked up through the lenses of my night goggles, the sky shown bright red against a dark, bloodied moon. The clouds still had an ominous blackish grey color to them. A clash of thunder followed by lighting lit up the sky making it look like the sky was bleeding out.

"Why is the sky so red?" Ember asked, "Is it because of the lenses?"

I shook my head. "No, no I don't think so."

Ember shivered though not from the cold. "This is just way too creepy."

We walked along the stone cold road in silence, every muscle in my body would not relax. I had an on edge feeling like the quiet before the storm, waiting. Waiting for something to explode or happen. I felt the rubble beneath my feet start to vibrate, I looked up blinded by an oncoming big flash of yellow light as an enormous cargo truck rocketed down the road heading straight towards us.

Adrenaline filled my body, taking control, forcing my legs to run; the auto-piloted truck was at my heels. There were no side streets to turn down when we needed them the most; no back alleys to skid into, just us, the open road, and a possessed demon car that had every intention of bulldozing over us like bugs under its giant shoe. We ran as fast as we possibly could, I refused to look back at our impending doom, looking back would do no good. Staring at it in horror would not make the car disappear; it wouldn't make a hole just randomly appear to swallow it up.

Just as I felt the last of my breath leave my lungs, feeling like they were about to quit and give up on me, we found an intersection and veered left as it went right. I kneeled over next to the stop sign coughing, afraid I'd cough up my broken lungs. Ember dug through her pack and handed me her water bottle. I took it gratefully taking only enough to barely wet my parched throat. The respite didn't last long though. As I handed the bottle back for Ember to finish off, I heard the sound of an engine starting up. I let out a groan. No more running. I'm through, just no!

The headlights flared to life on the red sports car parked a few stores down from us. And so we ran and ran. Up the street into one of the shops. I yanked open the door with Ember following close behind. Thankfully the door had been unlocked. There was a crash coming from our left as the red sports car rammed through the shop window shattering the glass completely. We dove behind the store front counter, ducking our heads as shards of glass flew overhead. Several pieces caught the side of my face slicing deep thin cuts into my cheek, thin trails of blood slid down my face like teardrops. I looked up through the curtain of dirty hair falling in my face to see the car's headlights glaring right back at me like the eyes of a hunter cornering its prey. The engine roared like a racehorse flaring its nostrils. I shoved Ember out of the war zone towards the door. "Run!" I said as I jumped on top of the counter.

Just as the car rammed through the counter I leaped onto the car's hood with an ungraceful thud that most likely did serious damage to my ribs. Its engine flared at me, annoyed and enraged.

I took the butt of my gun and slammed it down on its windshield, "Shut up! Just shut up!" I yelled. I leaned down and yanked one of it wipers off making the car honk so loud I almost went deaf.

"I'm the driver here." I said, using the dismembered wiper as a pointer. "You are the car. You do not get to tell me what to do." I threw the dismembered wiper away and crawled in through the broken glass, settling myself into the driver's seat, trying to block out the buzzing noise in my ears.

The car started to lurch forwards and I grabbed the other wiper and said in a soft yet menacing voice laced with malice and venom. "Unless you want me to rip you apart piece by piece, I suggest you behave."

The car jerked back and forth on it tires as I tried to get control of the steering wheel. It was a hard struggle for dominance which I was quickly loosing. My head hit the back of the headrest hard as the steering wheel jerked out of my hands, ripping through my fingers like fire. I bit down a scream as the car rammed us straight through the back wall of the shop. My head automatically ducked down, my hands covering the back of my head as I curled into a ball; splinters of concrete and wood filled the air flying at my head through a gaping hole I'd left in the windshield. I opened my eyes and coughed as I breathed in the toxic air mixed with dust and splinters. There was a crack in the right lense of my goggles but other than that they still worked. It was in that moment I became truly grateful for how useful those night goggles had proven to be. Without them I would have lost an eye.

The car sped down the road with me trapped inside as its captive. I saw Ember in the rearview mirror, her hands cupped over her mouth, shouting something at me. The road before me began to split apart at the seems, fiery liquid boiled up from underneath the ground, but the possessed car just kept driving straight ahead; straight to a fiery doom. I desperately pulled and kicked at the door, but it wouldn't open. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Ember pointing up at something and saw the open open moon roof. It was a gap big enough to crawl through! I pulled myself up through the hole onto the roof of the car and made a leap off the back end of the car, hitting the cemented road with a hard thud. I forced myself to my feet watching as the car drove down into the fiery pit, the flames consuming it. I felt the ground beneath my feet begin to rumble as the earth cracked open, a river of fire burst out in a stream, bubbling and sizzling as it consumed the road and everything in its path.

"Go, go! Start running! Now!" I yelled at Ember, my eyes filling with horror.

This was one way I did not want to die. We ran down the city square past the broken fountain, past clothing stores and electronic stores, the fire at our heels. The entire shopping center had now been turned into a swimming pool of hot liquid.

"What do we do now?" Ember asked, after we'd turned down an alley finding ourselves cornered like mice.

I stared at the fire coming towards us, lapping about our feet, taking in our surroundings I spotted the emergency ladder bolted to the wall, coiled up. I smashed the glass around the button and released the ladder, making sure Ember went first. And then out of sheer stupidity, I did the one thing they tell you never to do. Half-way up the ladder I paused and glanced down at fire lapping up at the rungs, filling up the alleyway just as it had the shopping center. If I made one misstep-No. I wouldn't think about it. Not now.

Ember paused and looked down. "Alanna, are you alright ooow-"

"Yeah-yeah I'm-I'm fine. Just keeping climbing, okay," I said, trying to sound as confident as possible, trying to divert her attention from me so she wouldn't stare down and lose her balance, knocking us both down into the the red orange yellow ocean below.

It seemed like ages before we finally reached the top. We must have climbed at least fifty stories high. Getting to the rooftop, Ember scrambled up then help out a hand to help me up. We both sat there for several minutes panting, I wiped the hair out of my eyes and looked down at the fire lap up at the edge of the ladder rolling back and forth like ocean waves. "Jeez, what the heck is that stuff?"

Ember crawled over to where I was crouching and looked down. "Oh that, that's lava," she said, pulling back from the rim of the roof. "Our teachers in Twelve used to warn us that if we dug too deep in the mines we'd hit the core where the lava spits out."

Ember stared out at the sky, a distant look appeared on her face, "That's how mom and dad died," she said in a hushed tone.

I felt like I should have laid a hand on her shoulder, but then she snapped out of her dark mood as quickly as it had come. "Oh my gosh, that stunt you pulled with the car was awesome!"

I grinned. "Yeah, well, it was either do something or get run over and smashed to smithereens. It's nothing you can't handle if you know how to ride horses."

Ember shot me a wide-eyed glance. "You guys have horses in Four!?"

I laughed a little and nodded. "Yeah, there's a small stable down by the dock I used to work at. Granted, we don't have as many stables as District Ten." I took a moment myself, to stare off into the distance, remembering the morning of my twelfth birthday when my mother woke me up early and dragged me out of bed despite my loud complaints and told me to get dressed without even telling me where we where going.

It was a long anxious car ride down to the beach but when we finally made that turn into the stable driveway. I could barely contain my excitement. The stable hand took my mother and I into the barn and let us pick out our horses. Tacking up a horse for the first time in my life was a bit of a struggle. I was very nervous, afraid any movement I made around the gelding would cause him to rear up. We led the horses down to the beach, I cautiously reached a hand up to his muzzle and the horse leaned into my touch sighing in contentment the way horses do. I giggled and my muscles began to relax. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Perhaps I would live to see my thirteenth birthday. We mounted our horses and I, being the little midge I was back then, had to get help from my mother to boost me into the saddle. We raced down the shore line, the wind playing with my hair, the salty sea air filling my nostrils. It felt like the horse and I were one being as we ran along the shore and then into the sea. I could hear mother shouting at us to get out of the water but both of us were enjoying ourselves far too much to pay her any attention. I ruined the saddle that day. Had it been any other day my mother would have been outright furious with me. I did still get a punishment of sorts though. For the next eight weeks I had to help out around the stable to repay the water damage done to their riding equipment. So for the rest of my summer I mucked out stalls, fed horses, and groomed them, and when no one was watching, slipped them all some sugar cubes. After my punishment was officially over I found myself sneaking off to the stables a lot after school when I had free time.

I got up, shaking off the happy memory, and walked to the edge of the roof looking over the city. Most of the buildings had all gone up in flames. The streets had been drowned in the ocean of lava which flowed through every part of town now. There was a crackling sound over head as the announcement came on.

"Congratulations to our three remaining tributes. You've all shown great endurance and strength to make it this far. Keep up the good fight. Remember, only one of you will be going home. Good luck and may the odds, as always, be ever in your favor."

I heard Ember cough as I turned around. "Well," she said, "guess we'd better split up."

"No," I said shaking my head, "We're not. I'm not leaving you out here to fend for yourself against Riptide." My hands clenched into fists. "He's a monster, he'll rip you to shreds. That's not going to happen, not on my watch."

"But you heard him. Only one person can win-" she started to say but I stopped her.

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there, okay?" I didn't want to think of what was coming. What would happen if Ember died leaving me and Riptide. Or if he died and we were the only two left. I couldn't decide which was worse. I didn't want the poor girl to die. But I didn't want to be the one to kill her either. I know I should say that I'd just sacrifice myself and let her win, but I didn't know if I really could. A dark part of me wished Ember would go first, that something would happen, so that I wouldn't have to kill her. I closed my eyes, feeling terrible.

Ember let out a breath and nodded running a hand through her dirty dark red hair. "Alright."

I looked back out at the city, looking from rooftop to rooftop. "Hey, you don't by any chance have that map with you, do you?"

Ember frowned in thought, her brows knit together, as she dug through her bag. She unfolded the withered piece of paper and handed it to me. I laid the map across the railing smoothing out the bumps in the paper. I scanned the landscape finding first our location and then the cornucopia. I pointed with my finger on the spot.

"Here, that's where we need to go. When the hovercraft comes to pick us up it'll most likely be there." Besides, I had a feeling based on the course we'd been traveling, that the gamemakers were trying to steer us towards the cornucopia. We could either keep fighting and have fireballs thrown at us from every direction, or go peacefully.

Ember leaned over my shoulder studying the map. "Okay," she said, her eyes surveying the area, "But if we're here," she pointed at our location, "and the Cornucopia is all the way over there," she pointed the the building up north, "how do we get from here to there when all the roads are blocked off?"

I studied the map harder, biting my lip in concentration. I looked across the floor, my eyes landing on the wooden beam. If we could use that as a bridge- I looked back at the map. The building next to us was close enough we could make a bridge across to it. I looked at the other buildings, if we could just find more ways to cross the neighboring buildings, we could roof hop our way to the Cornucopia which towered over the center of town.

I got up to go retrieve the beam laying by the shed and picked up one end, "Come grab the other end." I motioned for Ember to help, she did as I asked with a questioning look on her face.

I jerked my head in the direction we needed to go, "Drag your end over to your left. Okay, good. Now lay it down." Ember stood with her back to the edge I looked over her shoulder at the building facing us. We both worked together to carefully shove the beam over to the other side.

I let out a whistle, wiping the sawdust off my hands and grabbed my pack which I'd taken off. "Okay, now let's hope this thing is stable."

Since it was my idea I volunteered myself to go first. I stepped out onto our makeshift bridge, hoping it was strong enough to support my weight. I suppressed a scream as I felt the beam bend under my footsteps, heard the cracking of wood as Ember slowly clambered on behind me. I kept my eyes focused straight ahead refusing to look down at the lava below. It was the height I was having an issue with. It was the unstableness of the beam and the possibility of falling into a boiling pool of lava I had problem with. When I reached the other side I practically leaped onto solid ground with relief. I scrambled to the edge ready to catch Ember if she needed help. She dropped next to me shaking with fear.

"That was the worst thing I have ever done in my life." She said quivering like a dog.

I raised an eyebrow, "You're not scared of heights, are you?"

She gave me a look, then swallowed. "Uh no, no. Not at all."

I let it go. As soon as we both had caught our breath we got to work pulling up the beam and carrying it over to the next ledge. Thankfully all these buildings had, so far, been the exact same height and width apart.

Ember stopped mid step and stared down over the edge of the roof, "We're doing this again?" she asked, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

I nodded, "Look, if you want, I'll go after you. That way if you stumble, I'll catch you, okay?"

She nodded and we made our slow voyage across the thin wooden bridge. It was barely wide enough to place just one foot down at a time. When she started to wobble I caught her arm steadying her. "Just look ahead. Keep going." I hissed.

We repeated this nightmarish process twice. I looked up at the our last destination. It, of course, just had to be taller than the other buildings. I groaned and swore under my breath then turned to Ember, "We're taking a break till I figure out a way up there."

"Fine by me." I heard Ember say in a voice that didn't sound too disappointed. She pulled out one of the sandwiches from her bag and started eating.

I took out my own and started tearing off bites as I looked around the rooftop searching for something that might be useful. I looked behind the shed and there to my growing surprise, I found a rope and grappling hook. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I had a feeling the gamemakers had purposely left it there for me. After finishing the sandwich I stuffed the wrapper back in my bag and cleared my throat, holding up the rope and hook for Ember to see. "Well," I said, "Looks like we found our way across."

"With a rope?" she asked as if it was an absurd suggestion.

I ignored her, tying the hook onto the rope I pulled to make sure the knot was tight then slung it over my shoulder as I walked forwards facing the edge of the roof. I unravel a strand of rope from off my shoulder and threw it with as much force as I could muster into the air aiming at the rooftop which towered above us. I yanked on the rope making sure the hook had a good hold on the edge of the roof top. I then positioned myself to leap with Ember in front of me holding onto the line.

"Just look straight ahead. Don't-"

Ember cut me off. "Look down. Yeah, I know."

I got an exhilarating rush as we leaped off the rooftop soaring through the sky, across to the other side. I found myself laughing as the air rushed around me. It felt good, weighless, with the air beneath me, my feet hovering above the ground. My feet reached the cold stone surface of the skyscraper finally and I began the climb, pulling myself up the rope with my arms, my legs shoving me forwards. I watched as Ember climbed up onto the ledge scrambling to her feet. "Just wait right there. I'll be up in a sec!"I shouted grunting as I pulled myself up. Almost there just a few more steps up. I told myself.

I collapsed on top of the roof and turned quickly to undo the rope. It's then that I heard a muffled, strangled sound from behind me. "Alanna-mmhg!" I dropped the rope looking up to see Riptide holding Ember at sword point, a sadistic grin spread across his lips. The tip of his blade was cutting into her neck.

"Ember!" I yelled as she bit Riptide's hand that was covering her mouth.

"Alanna get out of here-" His blade cut her off, digging into the sensitive porcelain flesh under her chin.

"Have you ever heard yourself talk? You're quite annoying," he said, rolling his eyes.

Before I had any time to react, Riptide yanked her head back slitting her throat open with his sword. The tip of his blade sliced her open from chin down to collarbone. I put a hand to my mouth as the blood fell on his hands and he dropped Ember's limp body to the ground.

I shoved Riptide out of the way with enough force that it sends him flying back, his sword slid across the rooftop. With Riptide out of the way, I scrambled over to Ember, blood pooled around her head from the open wound. I held her hand as she gagged, trying to breath, but no air would come to her. She tried to whisper something to me, but I couldn't catch it, her voice was too soft.

"Ki- kill me," she pleaded, "Please. Just do it n-now." Tears streaked down her face as she violently coughed up more blood. Her eyes stared into mine, full of pain and anguish. I nodded, fighting back the tears rimming my own eyes. Taking the knife from my belt with shaky fingers, my other hand softly caressing the curls of hair on her face, raising the knife, I sank it into her heart. The blood pooled up around my hand, my fingers were drenched in red. And then her eyes rolled up. Her coughing stopped. The cannon went off.

My fits clenched at my side, anger swelled within me so bad I was shaking from it. Red clouded my vision. I looked up at Riptide with a murderous face, someone had to pay for this and he was standing right there. "You monster!" I spat getting to my feet, blood dripping down my arm from the blade.

Riptide raised a finger scolding me, "Now is that a nice thing to say to your district partner, Alanna?" He stared at me, mildly amused. "My, my, is that blood on your hands, princess? Tsk. Tsk." He gripped my chin as if inspecting me and smirked. "Well, well, look at the pot calling the kettle black."

I glared at him, imaging my hands crushing his skull as he walked around me like a lion moving in on its prey.

"And here we all thought you were the perfect spotless little mermaid who could do no wrong." He leaned down caressing a strand of my hair. "Looks like someone had us all fooled, right, princess?"

And then I did it. Rearing back my arm I socked him right in the face, watched as he fell back. Stalking towards him I shoved him to the ground straddling him.

"You're right. I did. And you fell for it Riptide, along with everyone else. I'm not a weak little sea rat."

He smirked up at me with a cold cruel look in his eyes. "You're right. You're not." And then the tables were turned. I found myself underneath him as he grinned. "So what'd it take, Alanna? What did you promise Odair to help you win? How many nights did you give to him?" He spat in my face.

A storm was raging within me, but I swallowed the waves and smirked back, eyebrows raised. "And what would it matter if I did?" I looked into his eyes. "Why Riptide, you're not jealous, are you?"

Riptide shoved off me and I got to my feet, still smirking. Memories flashed before my eyes.

Riptide and I in class competing to answer the questions. I smirked when the teacher had called on me instead of him. Riptide's gloating voice in my ear as we checked the scoreboard for our grades; he had outranked me on the final, getting a perfect score while I had only missed one question. I was sure he'd cheated. I remembered the time we were running in a race against each other as children and he'd tied my shoelaces together so that I tripped and fell. The day I went to the stable to take care of Neptune, only to find out Riptide had bought the gelding and had him carted off to his family's estate. I could remember that day two years ago as if were yesterday, fresh in my mind. I was walking home and had to pass by Riptide and his gang of rowdy friends, leaning, crowded around the fountain that stood in the town square. I tried to ignore the foul jokes they tossed back and forth amongst each other. Riptide claiming proudly that he was the best there was, that he could have anything he wanted, had been in every girls' pants. I remember rolling my eyes.

One of the guys, Tidepool, thinking I wasn't paying attention, pointed me out and said. "Yeah, except miss smarty pants over there. Bet you can't get her." I don't know why but I slowd down.

Riptide just chuckled. "Watch and learn, boys."

"Hey, Cove," Riptide called after me, running up with a suave smile. "You doing anything tonight?"

I stopped. "Anything, or anyone?" I asked disgustedly.

"Well, whatever floats your boat, Babe," he smirked, trying to be flirty. It made me sick. "My parents just got this new yacht. I'm sure I could sneak it out, and you and I could-"

I shoved him."You're pathetic, you really think everything should just be handed to you on a silver platter because your parents have money."

People stopped what they were doing and watched the scene we were making.

"Well, here's a cold, hard wake up call for you, Riptide." I slammed him into the fountain, watching the water fall over his face. "You can't have everything you want. Including me."

A chorus of "oo's" and "Burn's" erupted from his friends.

I turned and left, not stopping for even a second to look back.

"You just can't stand it that there's someone who's actually better than you, can you? It gets under your skin that the only times you've ever been able to beat me, was when you cheated."

Riptide grabbed me by the collar, slamming me up against the wall. "Shut it." He snarled, the tip of his bloodied blade held to my lips.

I pushed the blade away, biting down my disgust as Ember's dried blood touched my lips. I ducked out from under his arm as he made a move to run me through. Blinded by rage, Riptide made another attempt to rush at me. I ran, putting some distance between us, aimed my gun, and shot. Riptide stumbled the as the bullet entered his leg, he groaned, kneeling on the ground. "Go ahead." he spat through gritted teeth. "Go ahead, kill me!"

I walked up to him, grabbed him by the the collar of his shirt, and shoved him against the wall the way he did to me. I let all the anger I bottled up earlier finally wave over me. "You killed Ember." I stated in a low growl.

Riptide looked up fighting the pain, a hateful smile played on his lips. "So did you."

I did. We both did. We were both monsters. Both from the same district. Both of us, trained to kill.

"You deserve to die." I stated. He nodded like he really didn't care.

"So," he breathed, his lips close to mine, "kill me."

I ran a hand along his arm, up to his neck, taking the blade out from my belt. I let out a heavy breath against his lips, then leaned in closer and whispered something in his ear quietly. Soft enough so that the cameras could not pick it up. Then taking the knife, the one I'd used to end Ember's suffering with, raised it against Riptide's beating heart looking him straight in the eyes. He watched me, no fear in his eyes, just calm acceptance. And then I drove the metel home.

I watched numbly as his body sank to the ground. The cannon went off.

Just close your eyes.

Claudius's voice boomed overhead with the announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you, the victor of the Seventieth Hunger Games, from District Four, Alanna Cove!"

You'll be alright.

I looked up, head held high, knife in hand, letting it clatter to the ground with an audible thud, my face was void of emotion.

Come morning light.

A burst of clear golden sunlight came flooding into the arena blinding me.

You and I'll be safe, and sound.