The Lost Games
Rated M (for violence and adult language)
01.
The girl they pluck first is pudgy and short, Evony is sure there's chocolate under her nails. She walks nervously toward the stage her legs shaking madly with every step-the careers never take so long to volunteer. Evony simply grins, watching as the girl's knees quake, her face shinning with sweat on the little projection screen to the left. The other careers grin, too.
Evony slips through the throng of people slowly weaving her way into the isle,
"I volunteer as tribute." Her voice carriers onto the stage, the girl sags visibly, the cameras turn to Evony who grins and saunters up to the stage, passing the girl halfway.
"Bitch." She mutters under her breath. Evony is tempted to trip her. Her foot twitches to sweep out the girls legs but she doesn't instead blowing the camera a kiss and patting the girl sweetly on the shoulder in an 'its okay, I'll keep you safe' gesture. It's fake, and everyone in the square knows it, but already the Capitol is eating it up.
She bounces into place on stage as their escort fishes out a males name, she doesn't recognize it; he's not a Career. Not even two seconds later Lachlan volunteers and saunters up to the stage, grinning and putting on a show, like careers do. Everyone is so happy to get a second shot at it.
When its time for the tributes to shake hands Lachlan pulls her into his side, an arm around her waist and they lean in and wave at the cameras, playing it up like any good tributes should.
02.
Tamsin's name is plucked off the bat. The career who was supposed to volunteer does not speak up, not unsurprisingly, so Tamsin shrugs one shoulder and stepped up onto the stage into place, giving a hard stare at the camera, with the slightest hint of a smirk.
The man who is called next pales, nobody had volunteered for this tiny pixie of a girl, would he have the same fate? He walks toward the stage, Adams apple bobbing as he swallows, eyes flickering across the others gathered in the crowd, looking for someone to save him. He's about to put his foot on the steps when a voice calls out.
"I volunteer as tribute." Tamsin's eyes scan the crowd, landing on his mop of dark hair as he weaves through the throng of men. Vex is grinning and bowing as he makes his way to the stage, loving every second of the camera on him.
When they shake hands Vex tries to drag Tamsin in for a kiss, she slams her forehead into his nose, when she pulls away there's a smear of blood across her pale skin. She smiles smugly and walks off with their escort, pony tail swinging behind her head.
03.
"Lauren Lewis."
Her heart seizes in her chest, her wide pale eyes staring up through the space between the heads of those in front of her-she'd thought herself lucky to escape the reaping when she was younger, this was not fair. She's not surprised when she gets to her spot and nobody volunteers in her place. This is district 3. Every year the crowds hold their breath-they don't want to be reaped and it's not without a little joy they bid goodbye to their tributes.
"Ryan Lambert." She groans audibly-of course it would be him.
District 3 doesn't have careers, but if they did Ryan would be one. He sashays up to the stage, winking at the cameras and kissing the hands of more than a few of the women in the mass she'd just peeled herself from. They're sad to see him go-the men are not, most are grinning broadly, they cannot wait to see the playboy murdered.
He gives her an overdone wink when he steps onto the stage. She frowns.
04.
The girl was freshly 18, her eyes still wide with hope that her world could get better. She was just a baby, already her hands were shaking and she was walking jerkily toward the stage. Ciara couldn't stand the thought of sending the girl to her death and this year all of the careers had been under 18, there was nobody to take her place, except for Ciara-she could go.
"I volunteer." She announced, stepping into the isle. There was silence, pure silence, and then a hushed whisper rolled over the crowds. Ciara had been training careers since she had become too old to be reaped herself. Of course, the rules had changed now.
She placed her hand gently on the girls shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, smiling briefly at her, meeting the girl's watery gaze, before she slipped up onto the stage and took her place, she could hear the girl sobbing as she melded back into the crowd.
They'd barely said the male tributes name when a gruff voice rumbled from within the parting male crowd, "I volunteer." Dyson stepped into the isle, moving quickly on his long legs toward the stage. He smiled at Ciara briefly before giving the camera his broadest grin. Ciara rolled her eyes, shaking her head.
05.
Kenzi hates this more than anyone. She'd been so relieved when she turned 19, she made it and she was safe. And then they'd made the announcement, this years quarter quell would be citizens ages 18 and older, she'd felt like puking that day. She stood in the throng of people ringing her hands together, chewing on her lip, she is sure it's bleeding but doesn't care.
"Mackenzie Malikov." Fear seizes her insides but she puts on a brave face and moves up to the stage at a leisurely pace-as if she doesn't care that she's walking toward her death. When she takes her place on the stage she crosses her arms tightly, staring angrily into the lens of the camera, a scowl set firmly on her lips.
She doesn't hear the name of the boy called, but he's young and his mothers cry is more of a scream as a few peacekeepers grab at her to haul her away-nobody is supposed to remember how heartbreaking this is. He looks terrified, deep in his dark eyes, but like Kenzi he is putting on a brave face, hands balled into fists, jaw set firmly as he walks toward the stage. His first foot hit the step when a voice behind her peeped up.
"I volunteer as tribute." A collective gasp filled the square, Kenzi's sharp eyes turned to pin on the owner.
"Fitzpatrick McCorrigan." Their escort gasped. He gave no response as he stepped onto the stage. They were asked to shake hands and Kenzi was half tempted to refuse, but stuck her hand out to the bar keep impatiently before marching inside promptly after the short shake.
06.
An older married couple volunteered in place of two children, there was utter silence as each took the stage, cuddled in each others arms as they walked with the escort off the stage.
07.
Aife was not happy when her name was called, and she wasn't surprised when nobody volunteered in her place-the man stealer would be gone. But the smile on her face when Bruce took the stage was genuinely happy. She had an ally, she may get far-she may even win.
08.
Stella bursts into amused laughter when her name is called-just as she had told everyone it would be. She laughs even harder when she sees Masimo's face when his name is called and he shuffles dejectedly up to the stage.
09.
Another old couple volunteers in the place of their children, silence once again filled the square in respect as they took the stage, hands twined together as they head inside.
10.
The girl whose name was called was a mother, Bo watched her children a few nights a week. Their father had died recently. She couldn't stand by and watch-she wasn't like everyone else she just couldn't, not with the sound of her children crying beyond the ropes. Pushing through the crowd she stumbled into the isle, "I volunteer!" she shouts.
The woman sags in relief. Giving her a hug-for as long as the peacekeepers will allow- before she blends back into the crowd, just in case they won't let her volunteer. Nobody protests and Bo takes the stage, hip cocked to one side and arms crossed over her chest.
She isn't surprised when Rainer volunteers and joins her on the stage; she rolls her eyes at his devotion to protecting her.
11.
"Val Santiago." She rolls her shoulders briefly, to shake away her nerves, before she marches up to the stage, making a motion with her hand that silences any volunteers. She will go. Her face remains calm and collected as she meets her fathers gaze across the crowd. Her mother had been a victor.
"Hale Santiago." Her calm façade fades rapidly, looking across the crowd for anyone to take his place, but he too makes the motion with his hands-he will go, but he will not be coming back, they all know that. He joins his sister on the stage; they do not shake hands before they leave the stage.
12.
A young girl with a mop of blonde hair and bright blue eyes is selected along with the town drunk. She has to jump away from the handshake when he pukes on the stage. She scurries off ahead of him without looking back at her family, tears in her eyes as she's hauled to the train station.
A/N: I know any of you that read my other fics are probably like "really another story?", the answer is yes. But it's a for fun one that I probably wont update regularly, just like the rest of them.