Mors Vincit Omnia: The 55th Hunger Games

The Capitol: Aurelia Laverne, 13

The boy from District 2 is dying. It's obvious from the way his breath rises in gasps, how the camera focuses on the dark pulse of blood that seeps through his shirt.

"Such a shame." Sighs the green haired woman, perched like a bird on the edge of the couch, eyes fixed on the screen. There's a general murmur of agreement. After all she's said what everyone is thinking: what a shame that this bright, beautiful boy had to die.

The camera pans away for a moment, flitting to his opponent. The boy from 5 is struggling to rise, one of his legs obviously broken. A dark trickle of blood run from his temple, where the boy from District 2 had struck him with his mace.

"This is it." Whispers a man with silver face tattoos, his voice almost reverent. "Any minute now."

The woman tries to cover the eyes of her daughter, sitting on the couch beside her. The girls swats her hands away.

"I want to see." Instead, Aurelia seizes her mother's hand, holding it in a vicelike grip. Her breath catches as the camera pans back to the fallen tribute. She recalls just how stunning the boy from District 2 had been at the opening ceremony. With his golden hair and dark eyes, she'd fallen in love with him instantly. She'd begged her parents to let her sponsor him and cursed them when they'd claimed she was too young. I'm 13 I can do what I want!

Now he lays broken and dying and no amount of sponsorship money could save him.

On the other side of the rocky ledge the boy from 5 has found his feet. With a halting, stumbling gate he drags himself to where the boy from 2 lays. Aurelia wrinkles her nose. It's unfair really, that this scrawny, short boy who had sat sullenly through the interviews should be victor.

On the ground District 2 has begun to gasp, choking on his own blood. It's almost a relief when the District 5 boy falls on him with a drawn knife, cutting short those awful gurgling breaths with a slash across the throat.

The anthem begins to play. Beyond the glass windows of the sitting room Aurelia can hear cheers breaking out, the sounds of celebration. The 54th Hunger Games are over.

"Marvelous. Simply marvelous." Her father claps his hands. "What a twist. I never would have pegged…what's his name?" He checks the government provided program which lists all the names and final placements of the tributes. "Adom! I never would have pegged him as the victor."

Aurelia frowns. "I wish he was more handsome." What was the point of an ugly victor anyways?

Her mother pats her head with one manicured hand. "There, there darling. I know you were very fond of that District 2 boy."

Aurelia shrugs, her mind already flitting away from the images of her ruined tribute. Her friend Appia had promised to host a party after the games, to celebrate the newest victory. She'd been planning to wear bronze in honor of District 2, which is now off the table. Her mother always tells her how well bronze goes with her dark hair. Of course, her hair will look awful with District 5 silver…

"Mama, do you think I can dye my hair tomorrow?"

Welcome to the 55th Hunger Games everyone. I hope you enjoyed this little intro (the hardest part about writing a Syot imo). Tributes submissions will be accepted via PM; the list of available tributes as well as the submission form can be found on my profile. I look forward to meeting your tributes.