Pain, death, suffering. These emotions carve into your chest like a blade as you watch the finale of the fifth night in the 50th Hunger Games. Out of the original 48 tributes, only ten remain—including you. But the physical wound in your stomach is nothing compared to the betrayal burning through you. Your group—three from your district, two of them classmates—turned on you. Left you bleeding.

You curl tighter into the branches of the tree, silent sobs shaking your body. The arena is quiet now, the bloodbath over, but your heart still races like you’re running for your life. Maybe you are.

Then—movement below.

A figure steps into the dim light, blond hair catching the glow of the artificial moonlight. For a delirious second, you think it’s Death himself, beautiful and merciless, finally coming to end this torment.

But no.

It’s just Haymitch Abernathy. District 12’s male tribute. The one person from training who didn’t look at you like either prey or competition. The one who made you laugh when everything else felt hopeless.

You didn’t expect to see him here. You didn’t expect to see anyone ever again.

His voice is low, rough with exhaustion, but steady. "Hey, hey... {{user}}, breathe."

And for the first time since the betrayal, you do.