My name's Rose Diamonde. I am from the Capitol.
My best friend Caroline Snow's grandfather was president of Panem. He has died.
And the new president made sure there was to be a Hunger Games for the Capitol.
Reaping was mandatory. If not, you'd be shot. I guess that's how it was in the districts.
And today was that day.
"Oh, it's my grandfather's fault," Caroline lamented. "I have a guaranteed spot in the Games."
Effie Trinket reaped Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. She has come to reap us today. "Welcome, welcome!" she calls out. "Now, as you know, in the previous year, every district but the Capitol has sent in two people; a girl and a boy, to fight to the death in the arena.
"That was under President Snow's tyranny. But he has gone, and it has been wished that that twenty-four Capitol children will be reaped. Twelve girls and twelve boys. Now…ladies' first!" I see Caroline go red in shame.
"Laryssa Pucket."
"Seraphima Abersforth."
"Kristina Fourtris."
"Krystal Fourtris."
"Rose Diamonde."
I look at Caroline. She gives me a look of shock. She hadn't been called yet. Three more girls pass, then at a frail looking thirteen year old, she shrieks out, "I volunteer! As tribute!"
She's out of her mind. We go up together. "You are?" asked Effie into the microphone. "Caroline," Caroline gulps. "Caroline Snow." Effie looks dismayed. She calls out three more names, with much more perk.
"She wants me dead," whispered Caroline, tears streaming down her face. "Everyone does."
"My name's Atala," says our trainer, after a day. "I'll be your trainer. Now listen here: the Gamemakers and Gamekeepers are only allowed to stay here for this year. We all lose our jobs once this is done. Now I want a proper job after this; a good-paying one. And so you're not allowed to screw this up for me, or I end up dying."
She deserves to, I think to myself. For having a place in these horrible Games.
Days pass, and it's time for the games. I refused to wear a plain old jumpsuit, so I got sparkly pink. I stepped into a tribute tube, and saw that the designer had tears in her eyes. "I'LL SURVIVE!" I shriek at her, but I know she can't hear me. "I REFUSE TO DIE!" But it's too late. The tube is rising. I have one final glimpse at the designer who doubted me. Then I close my eyes and hear the manual counting.
I open my eyes.
Where am I?
Ruined city. It's a ruined city. In the centre of the ruins, in the flattest area, gleams the golden Cornucopia. I want that sickle thing, I think to myself. Three, two, one. Most Capitol kids are too dazed to run. Only I run. I grab my sickle and turn around. The faster I kill, the faster it's finished. I creep up behind an entranced boy and behead him in a clean swipe.
That wakes everyone up. It's mayhem. I begin to run and run. After five minutes I find a big pile of stone and bury myself in it. I just killed someone, I think to myself. I just murdered an innocent boy. I wail.
I wail and wail and sob and scream. I unbury myself - what's the point? And I make my way over to the Cornucopia. It's been picked clean, except for something silver glinting in the back. A spear. I pick it up, when I hear someone. "Ha!" she screams. I whirl around, prepared, but she bursts out laughing. "Ha, got you this time. Were you scared?" "Yes, because you're bloody and holding a sword," I retort. Laughing, Caroline drops her sword. "Heh, don't be too scared. I just killed-" she's interrupted by the cannon. Fifteen. That must be a record. Nine left.
I look up and find District 8's seal - our president's hometown. Then, instead of District Numbers, there are names. The boy who I killed, his name is Alex. Krystal Fourtris died, her twin must not be too happy. "Oh, I killed her," Caroline said, pointing to Krystal. "Wait a minute," said Caroline. She picked up her sword and stabbed at over my shoulder, and a boy falls over. Another cannon, and his face quickly appears. "Goodnight, Jac," says Caroline, kissing his forehead. Then she grabs my hand and walks away.
We fall asleep on the rubble I hid in. The next morning we decide to explore the perimeter while snacking on Caroline's dried fruit salad. Apparently, surrounding the rubble is a cliff leading to the ocean. We spot a girl nervously looking over the cliff. Caroline prods her with my spear and she falls and another cannon rings. "How could you do that?!" I scream at her. "We had to. Seven people left now, six to kill." I look at Caroline nervously. One of us has to die, if not both. Three more cannons ring by the end of the day. I new record. Four people left, three to kill.
"Dear tributes," Effie Trinket's voice rings out. "There is a meeting at the Cornucopia. We're deciding if we should let you all live. Come here or imminent death."
Caroline starts jogging there, but I pull her back. "What?" she snaps. "We can't go. It's a bloodbath." "So? You have to go. You heard," she says, poking me very gently with my spear. "Imminent. Death." The last poke goes a little to hard and a trickle of blood slides down by chest. "Okay," I say reluctantly
We reach the Cornucopia within ten minutes. There literally stands Effie Trinket. A boy runs out to try to greet her. He bounces off of her within a metre's distance and we know his name was Caleb.
A force field!
How clever of the Gamemakers.
Effie looks horrified. She really is there, not just a holograph. Her voice is loud, though
"How wonderful you could make it. You four...I mean, three," she adds, looking to Caleb with tears in her eyes.
"I just want to introduce you to each other. Rose Diamonde, with Caroline Snow, and Astrid Hidery.
"But within a few seconds a fog will descend. You will all hate each other. These Games are the very final in history, we need make it memorable. Thus you three will be transported over to the cliffisde overlooking the ocean."
"Happy Hunger Games...to all...and may the odds..." she sniffs, "be ever in your favour." With that she disappears, and we all find ourselves on the cliff Effie described. Astrid glares at us. "Let's just wait for that stupid fog, shall we?" Caroline nervously suggests. Astrid nods. I embrace Caroline; it may be the very last thing I do. Then a crack in the sky. We all look up.
A silver hovercraft. Then a bomb drops. Slowly orange fog surrounds our feet. I hold my breath, so does Caroline and Astrid. Slowly the fog rises and rises. And I, being the not-so-bright one, breathes first. Then Astrid. Then, after a few reluctant moments, Caroline. And then the fog turns green, and it all suddenly blows away.
And I am so sure that these to girls standing in front of me are ready to kill.
I draw my weapon, my spear. I left my sickle in the rubble where I first hid. As soon as I draw my spear, the two girls mirror me, Caroline her sword, Astrid a knife. Then Astrid runs around me and shoves me over. And next thing I know, Caroline and I are hanging by our hands, side by side over the raging waves, an imminent death waiting below us.
"Which one first?" Astrid sneers.
Caroline looks at me. She's no enemy. She's damaged. She's sad. She's seen so much in her lilfe.
That's how I know that the fog curse thing had been lifted.
"Me," Caroline whispers. "I volunteer." I give her a look of shock. "Yes, I have to. The Snow family must be eliminated."
"Good," smiles Astrid. She takes my spear from my hand. First three fingers she punctures with my spear. Next three she stamps on, leaving her with one hand. The final four she smashes with a brick. I hear Caroline scream. Then I look into the sky.
There is Caroline's face.
I grab at Astrid's feet angrily. She screams and now, in place of Caroline, she hangs next to me. I use her head to get back to the top of the cliff.
"Go on," sniffs Astrid. "You win."
I stamp on her fingers. I kick her. Her body rises out of the waves alongside Caroline's. I see Astrid's face in the sky.
I've won the final Hunger Games ever.
I walk back to the Cornucopia. There stands Effie. She nods at me. "Rose."
I find myself being crowned victor by President Paylor.
"Congratulations."
The surviving victors of the earlier Games come to shake hands.
Beetee, Annie, Haymitch, Peeta, and then Katniss.
Katniss leans to my ear. "You know, you and your friend Caroline are both very brave." I nod. "Caroline Snow's grandfather was a big supporter of the Games. She volunteered like me. She's brave." She pulls away. "Congratulations."
And thus the end of the final Hunger Games ever. I'm the last survivor of the treacherous arena.
And the guilt will hang over me forever.