I DO NOT OWN ANY RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTERS, JUST THE PLOT.
This is another narrative that I strangely forgot about considering it's mine! It's basically an outlook on past hunger games and is told from Haymitch's point of view. Enjoy!
Haymitch's P.O.V.:
Cruel bastards! I thought to myself. Things wouldn't be this way if we said they had to play in their game.
The cameras switched to a shot of District Twelve as they showed the President's speech and the names being drawn. Yet again, another young girl was called forward and just when I thought she too would be sent to die, an older girl stepped up to take her place. The only person to ever volunteer to be a tribute in years. Seeing that moment again made me feel twice as much pride in the district as I did when I was standing on stage next to that girl, Katniss Everdeen; sister to the young girl who was supposed to be in her place. It also made me think back to almost over a decade ago to the last person to volunteer.
Jacob Faufner. He chose to go as tribute on his last round of mandatory reapings, the year he turned eighteen, in place of his brother Ryan who was fifteen. He was sent to the arena alongside his sister, Skylar, who was thirteen. In training, when we talked about strategies, Jacob would be sure that Skylar heard every single word I had to say, even made her repeat them back to make sure she heard, and in weapons training he would show her every move and strategy he knew rather than practicing for himself. She wasn't very good at all and by the time we were done and it was time for the games, I'd say she would've been third to die if she even made it that long.
One night, the night before the games began; I couldn't sleep so I went onto the roof to get some fresh air and ran into Jacob.
"What are you doing up here?" I asked him.
"Thinking," he said.
"Thinking about what? You're supposed to be sleep." I told him
"I know what I'm supposed to be doing! I'm thinking about the fastest way to get her out with the least amount of damage possible. At some point one of the others is going to figure out I'm the one keeping her alive and they're going to come for me. I need to keep that from happening until there are at least four of us left. That way, when I'm gone, she might have a chance." He said with a distant, calculating look on his face.
"What do you mean when you're gone? You can take this whole thing. You're one of the best tributes we've had in the games in a while let alone from district 12."
"I will not kill my sister! I have spent my whole life trying to care for and protect my siblings; they will not die by my hand! I will protect my sister until it's time for her to protect herself," he said with a tone of finality in his voice.
"At least then someone will show her some mercy in death," I say trying to explain the cruelty of the games. "If you really want to protect your sister then don't let her suffer and die by their hands. That would be the cruelest thing you could do for her."
"You're from the same district as us. You should know better than I do; the two things any of us knows how to do is suffer and fight. I'm going to make sure she suffers as little as possible." He tells me turning to go back inside.
Jacob did exactly as he'd said he would and he kept Skylar alive until the final six but when they got to the final five and the feast was announced, they had no choice but to go. His plan fell apart at that point. The Gamemakers decided to get involved and what a surprise, the cameras decided it was time to tune in on the other three tributes and the only thing seen of Jacob and Skylar were the hover crafts lifting their still forms into the air after the cannon went off. Later that night, President Snow called me from the viewing room.
"Haymitch, I'm terribly sorry for the loss. Maybe next year, huh?" he said patting me on the shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, what do you want Snow?" I asked him, shrugging his hand off of my shoulder. I just knew he was after something.
"Now, now, no need for that. I know you're upset, but these things happen. Now, I need you to go to the Faufner's and inform them that the bodies of the children have been incinerated in an accident." He said as though it were just a normal conversation.
"What do you mean incinerated? We all watched their bodies be taken by the hover craft, they were perfectly intact."
"Well I'm telling you they were incinerated. Now go inform the family." he said frustrated that I was questioning.
"If you want the family informed, you go and inform them yourself or send one of your people. I've caused them enough pain not being able to bring at least one of their kids back home, I won't cause more by telling them their children can't be buried.""Now Haymitch-" He began to try to persuade me.
"No. You're not about to push me into your little game. I already played my round, I won. Now if you have no more business with me I would like to head to bed. I'm tired; it's been a long day. Have a good evening Mr. President." I said as I walked away, headed for my room.
Ever since that day, the President and I haven't had the best relationship. I never did find out what they did with Jacob and Skylar's bodies.
Jacob was right about one thing. We know how to suffer but we also know how to fight. At least he died a fighter.