Ok, so, um, I'm really super sorry about the whole not-updating-in-freaking-forever thing but I've been...you know what, never mind, long story.

But it is midnight here and I'm supposed to be starting my third term of school in precisely eight hours and forty five minutes. I've been putting off going to bed for no good reason, so enough of that jibber jabber here is Day 2 of the Games.

I'm sorry if it's cheesy, or if the language isn't perfect, or if it's just plain horrible but seriously, this was the best I could do.

Lux Johnstone, District 1

I'm up early when the forest starts to crumble.

Inside the confines of the force field, I see trees falling and burning. Some of the trees hit the force field and bounce off it. Brooke and Hunter stir, and then watch with me.

I hear the screams of unsuspecting tributes escaping the deluge of branches and leaves, so I sit down and watch everything fall. No cannons fire, so everyone has survived.

Dante and Katana are up by the time the forest has completely fallen. All that remains are fallen trees. The sky above is grey and matted with clouds. It's a perfect day to hunt.

And on the force field, I see the following words.

35th Hunger Games

Day 2

Environment: Forest Wasteland

Chanel Mallory, District 1

Falling. Everything is falling.

Everyone is up, and we're all trying to dodge the falling trees. Galaxy's hair is tangled with twigs. Lily is stumbling over fallen logs. I see Kitty and Bonus, running through the madness with their hands tightly interwoven, never losing grip.

My bow is in my grasp, the sheath of arrows strapped to my back as we all continue running, dodging death as it tries to squish us like bugs. There are no tributes nearby, and we are making for the edge of the arena.

Suddenly, Bonus falls into the path of a falling tree, his hand being torn from Kitty's. Kitty turns back just in time, pulling Bonus up just as the tree smashes onto the ground. The surprise in Bonus's eyes is short lived as we continue on.

Bonus and Kitty run together. Lily is spurring on. Galaxy slows to a stop, and sinks to his knees.

"Galaxy, come on," I say desperately. "We have to keep moving."

"I killed her, Chanel," he whispers. His face crumbles "She's dead, because of me. I can't do this."

I turn back and grasp both of his hands. "No, Galaxy, it wasn't your fault. It was a mistake, just a silly mistake, that's all."

"A mistake that cost her life!" he yells. "I was stupid, so stupid. I should've let Lily save her. I can't do this. I can't win the Games; I'm never going to see my family again."

I grip his wrists, my hands like steel vices. "Listen to me, Galaxy. Are you listening? Zyna wouldn't have wanted you to give up like this. She knew how much you loved your family, she wants you to go back to them. I want you to get up and run with me, we don't have enough time."

Galaxy's eyes snap up to mine. "But Chanel-"

"She switched the berries, Galaxy!" I scream. "She knew she couldn't survive, so she switched them! You had the right berries all along, but she didn't want to weigh the alliance down anymore. It was a suicide act!"

His gaze doesn't waver. "And you let her?"

That's when I know I've made a huge mistake. Now I look like the enemy. Galaxy is too distraught to believe me that he's painting me as the enemy.

"Galaxy, she owned her death," I say slowly. "She was set, there was nothing I could do to change her mind. And this is a life or death game. She knew she couldn't make it."

I look into his brown eyes, and he stares into mine. Breathing heavily, his eyes blurred with tears, he rises up and we both run together.

There's nothing much left to fall anymore, and we are able to see Lily, Bonus and Kitty again.

Galaxy stares at me in surprise, but I can't let him know that what I just told him was a complete and absolute lie. I don't think I could bear him living with the guilt that he killed the one person he desperately wanted to save. I could see that it was eating him alive, consuming him from the inside out.

So I did the one thing I thought best. I decided to bear the weight myself.

Elise Victorien Rochefort, District 8

Alistair and I are both strewn across the ground, panting after the morning run we just took part in.

I gotta give it to him, he's pretty damn fast. Since he's a rich kid, like me, I never really expected him to be skilled in any way. You know, because he hasn't had that much training like I did. But he can take care of himself.

I'm relieved. At least I won't have to save his butt every two seconds.

I play with my battle fans whilst he twirls his knife around. We both sit in silence. There's nothing to say, really.

"Why did you save me at the cornucopia?" he asks.

Ah, darn it. He had to ruin it, didn't he?

As he waits for me to give him an answer I'm completely blank. I don't even know why I decided to save him. It would have been much easier if I didn't have him around. Not only do I have to look out for myself, I have to make sure he doesn't get killed either. And everyone hates him at home. Everyone would love it if I just killed him right here and now.

So why did I save him? I go through some options.

To gain sponsors? No, I think I've done enough on the sponsor front for now.

Love? Ew, no.

Friendship? I never spoke to him once at home.

"Are you going to tell me or not?" he asks.

I turn to him, and that's when I realize that there was no choice. I had to save him. I don't know why, but I know I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I saw him dead. I just couldn't leave him.

"We're from the same district," I say. "I couldn't just leave you to die."

Alistair sighs. "You know from watching the Games that district partners abandon each other all the time. And everyone from Eight hates me."

"Why are you so bothered about it?" I yell. "Why can't you just accept the fact that I saved your life? Why do you have to drag this out and make everything so damn complicated?"

"Because I don't deserve to live!"

I stare at him in complete shock. I know how much everyone hated him at home, but I didn't know it affected him this much. Here he is. Alistair Felton, the mayor's son everyone loved to hate. Spoiled. Bratty. And…depressed?

"You deserve to go home, Elise. I'm only just weighing you down," he hissed. "So why don't you just kill me right now?"

He gets to his knees. Dropping his knife, he spreads his arms out and closes his eyes, waiting for me to commit the act. And it's true. He does weigh me down sometimes. And it would be easier if he were dead. But I know I can't kill him. I can't kill someone from home.

I kneel next to him. "I don't give a damn if the whole world hates you, Alistair. I'm not killing you. No matter what anyone says, no one deserves this. No one deserves to be a tribute in this arena, not even you."

Catkin Breese, District 7

His screams and his moans haunt me.

I don't know how it's gotten to be like this, but the screams of the dying have clawed their way into my brain and are invading my dreams. Last night was just a replay of me beheading that boy from District 5. Screaming as my axe dug into his skinny neck. Then the final spill of blood as head disconnected from body and my job was complete.

Every time I close my eyes, he's there. Holding his head, his eyes wide open in shock just like they were when I cut it off.

I've fallen off the edge. God help me, I'm insane now.

It's moments like these when I'm thankful that Clyde is blind. He didn't see me, the hunger and blood thirst in my eyes as I killed that innocent boy. Even if he heard his desperate screams, he didn't see me for the monster I was in that moment.

Monster.

Monster.

I am a monster.

The screams fill my ears and soon enough I'm clutching my head, begging for mercy because the screams won't fade. They won't disappear. I hear the screams of the fallen boy. I hear the screams of Clyde, of Liana and Josiah. And soon enough, I hear my own screams.

This monster. This monster will claim me once again and I don't think I have the will or the power to stop it. I can't. I just can't.

I'm so confused. I didn't waste a though on killing this boy, and now I'm full of guilt over it. He killed Moss, I killed him. Fair's fair, right?

But I know it's not that. The girl I left back in District 7 wouldn't hurt anyone, let alone kill them mercilessly. The girl always did what she needed to do, and took care of her family. She was a protector, not a psychopath.

The Games have changed me. And I can't go back.

Bonus Erwin, District 9

"Kitty, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Her bright eyes shine their light in my direction as she turns and follows me, away from the ears of our alliance. We hop over the rubble of trees towards a quiet place. Chanel's eyes follow us, but she doesn't make any attempt to come over and see what's going on.

"What's up, Bonus?" asks Kitty.

This is it, I think to myself. This is the moment when I tell Kitty I'm in love with her.

Yes, I guess I'm an old romantic. I've thought about this so many times in my head. It's always been this girl in my mind. Not Kitty, but not anyone else I knew either. I would be charming and sweet and passionate, and the girl's eyes would blur with tears of joy. And then we'd kiss.

I've never kissed anyone before.

Oh, God, how is this going to work? What if I'm not smooth at all? What if I stumble over my words like an idiot? What if I say the wrong thing? Oh my…what if I'm a horrible kisser?!

But I look at her, just look at her and I know I'm home. Her eyes calm me, and her smile makes my toes curl. All my thoughts dissolve and I speak.

"I know we haven't known each other for that long, and I know this isn't the best place, time or moment, but I need to let you know."

As I speak, I can see her smile start to fade. But I've started, and I can't stop. The words and emotions pour out of me like water out of a broken dam.

"Kitty, I'm in love with you. Ever since we were reaped. Actually, from the first moment I saw you in that field on reaping day. You're beautiful, and smart, and brave. And it breaks my heart to look at you and wonder if you feel the same, but I couldn't hold it in. I just had to let you know."

The tears start to fall from her eyes, but I can automatically tell that they aren't tears of joy like I'd always imagined. I feel my heart start to break into tiny little pieces.

"Bonus," she whispers. "I-I'm sorry…I can't."

She starts to walk away from me, but I grip her wrist to stop her. When she turns around to face me, the look on her face makes me feel like I have to hold back my own tears.

"I'm sorry, Kitty," I whisper. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

She then almost tackles me in a hug, and we hold on to each other in desperation as I'm fighting back my own tears.

She pulls away. "I love you too, Bonus," she says. "God, I love you so much, but I can't do this. Not here."

"Why not?" I ask her. "If you're afraid I'll die tomorrow-"

"Don't you dare tell me to not care about losing you," Kitty screams. "I've already lost my father, who I loved so much. I left him at home and I'm never going to see him again. If I invest myself in you, and you die tomorrow, I would be shattered. Shattered. I don't want to do that. I don't want to put myself through more pain."

Kitty starts to walk away, but I yell after her.

"Why did you kiss me, then?"

She freezes.

"How did you know about that?" she murmurs. "You were sleeping."

"I felt it. You know I did, that's why you pretended you were sleeping after I woke up," I whispered.

She stares at me, her gaze boring into my eyes. "Don't do this to me," she warns.

"I love you," I say. "And you love me. And we may be in this godforsaken arena and we might die tomorrow, but I don't care. I don't give a damn because all I care about is you."

Her hands settle on my waist, and my hands cup her face. Her eyes are squeezed shut as if she's trying to wake herself up from a dream, and her breath on my face sends shivers down my spine.

I'm struggling to breathe now from the contact. "You might be shattered when I die, and I might be devastated when you do, but I don't care. I just want to be with you. And I'd rather be with you for a short time than not be with you at all."

Her startling amber eyes shine up at me. "Then what are you waiting for?" she breathes.

We both smile, then my face tilts down to hers and we kiss.

Kitty Feldspare, District 9

As soon as Bonus's lips touch mine, I feel like I'm going to faint.

But I'm glad I don't though. Because firstly, it would be seriously embarrassing. And I wouldn't have experienced what followed.

Kissing Bonus isn't easy to explain. All that I know is that it's a million miles away from the innocent kiss in my bedroom the night before the Games. This kiss is all passion and fire.

My head is spinning. It feels like I'm bursting into flames, but drowning at the same time. I'm coming undone but fusing into a whole being and I can't comprehend any of it. I feel like I'm going to melt into him.

I wish that this moment would never end.

But it does, though. And when we both open our eyes, I feel like everything has magnified. I look into Bonus's green eyes and I just can't help but think about how beautiful he is.

We lean into each other, our foreheads touching and we're smiling. And for a moment, everything else slips away. The arena and the other tributes out to kill us. It's just him and me.

I love him. God help me, I love him.

And he loves me.

And for that moment, everything's perfect.

But we come back down to earth, and hand in hand we walk back to our alliance to find them all staring at us, smiling. And eating.

Popcorn.

Galaxy chuckles. "It's about time you two kissed," he says. "I was going to throw you two together if you didn't by Day 3."

"Seriously, guys," laughs Chanel. "The sexual tension was killing me here."

I look at Bonus and we both blush as Lily nods in agreement, her mouth stuffed with popcorn.

"So, where'd you guys get the popcorn?" asks Bonus.

Lily clears her throat. "That would be me," she says. "My mentor has a sense of humour, and I think she thought we needed snacks for that show you just gave us."

She proceeds to pass me the sponsor note that came with the popcorn, and Bonus and I both read it.

Here you are. Enjoy the show. And tell the love birds from 9 that their mentor ships them like no tomorrow.

-Sigrid

"Ships?" I ask. "What is 'shipping'?"

"We don't exactly know either," admits Galaxy. "But we think it's when people like the idea of two people being a couple, or something like that. For example, green eyes and red hair."

Bonus swats at him, and then reaches for a handful of the kernels. I do the same and soon we all return to munching on the snack.

Galaxy looks to Lily. "Lily, what about your district partner? I wonder how he's getting along. I think we should ask him to join us, if we find him anywhere soon."

Lily sighs. "To be honest, I don't know how he's doing. And I'm sure he's got his own plans."

Chase Keynes, District 12

By the second night, thirst hasn't exactly started to claim me yet. But I know it will by tomorrow, so I'm hoping that I've gained enough sponsors to get me some water.

It's been a quiet day. No cannons have fired, and I've been alone with my own thoughts. Out of all people, I'm thinking of the girl from District 10.

I did confront her on that first day of training out of hatred. But…why? She didn't kill Lilli and Leon.

But her mentor did, Chase. Remember that. All District 10 are scum, remember?

I go back to her reaping. The camera usually shows the reaped tribute's family members, and at hers it showed no parents. But there was a wheelchair-bound elder brother, her twin brother, the sister she volunteered for and two younger siblings. No parents mean they're all orphans. They were all skinny, and even though the brother's old enough to work I don't think anyone would take him because of his disability.

Oh god, could I bring myself to kill an orphan?

Oh look, Chase, I think to myself. You've got a heart again.

"Told you we'd find someone."

I swivel around to find another tribute staring back at me. Dante, the District 2 male. And flanking him is Katana, the girl from 11.

"Jesus, Brooke," he shouted. "We could've just killed him without him noticing. Thanks for ruining it."

"Why don't you go back to screwing your girlfriend?" murmurs the boy from 4.

"What was that, fish boy?"

"Oh my god, shut up!" screams the guy from 1. "You let him get away, you assholes!"

I had already run off, ducking through the fallen branches when I feel the sharp cold of a blade settle against my throat.

The girl from 11 is behind me. "Take one more step, 12, and you die."

Tension is brewing in the air. I can't see the Careers behind me, but I'm guessing their weapons are poised at me, ready to take the kill shot.

"You know," I say. "I really didn't suspect you'd join the Careers, Katana. But I guess you want to win, don't you? And you need a strong alliance to do that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" says Katana.

"But I know that's not the only thing keeping you here, isn't it?" I continue. "Oh, every tribute and just about every citizen in Panem knows you can survive just fine on your own. But you're only here because you love Dante."

"That's none of your business," she sneers.

"Oh, but it's everyone's business now. You're tributes, remember? All eyes are on you. You have fallen head over heels for him, and it's pathetic."

Just before she has the chance to slit my throat, I bring my heel down on her foot, hopefully smashing the bones. Her grip on me falters, so I turn around and punch her in the throat.

Dante pounces, swinging his sword at my head. I duck his shot and kick him in the face. He comes at me again and I land two more punches on him, sending him to the ground.

I know Dante won't stay down for long, so I make quick work of the boy from 1 before I turn back around. But Dante's over with Katana, cradling her foot which looks injured now from when I stomped on it.

I hear a yell behind me, and the clean slice of metal as Lux swings his sword aiming for the middle of my skull.

But the impact doesn't come. I whirl around to see Lux being strangled by a skinny girl with blonde hair. She holds him in a headlock until he falls unconscious.

Dante, Katana and the rest of the Careers minus the boy from 1 have all disappeared. I take in the girl's blonde hair and her blue eyes. It's only when my eyes fall on to the patch on her jumpsuit that my mind flips into overdrive.

She looks at me, astounded. And I can't help but stare back at her in disbelief. Before I have the chance to do or say anything, she runs off into the night. I watch her, hear her footsteps echo in my ears as I realize what just happened.

The girl from District 10 just saved my life.

Ok, so just letting you know that there's gonna be some long gaps between updates. I'm just going to be honest, with everything going on with me right now I'm not going to have much time to write stuff.

But I'll try to write and update when I can. I hope you understand.

Leave a review if you want, and thank you for reading :)