telling Layla stories spoken
about how all her bones are broken
hammers fall on all the pieces
two months and the cover creases
"I now present to you District Ten's Layla Hartford, victor of the first annual Hunger Games!"
Layla knows she should be happy. She knows she should be proud of her accomplishment, proud of the praise she and her district will recieve. But she's not. She killed for this spot. She murdered innocent kids, whose only fault was standing in her way. She pushed and shoved and fought. She's ashamed.
fully alive
more than most ready to smile and love life
fully alive
and she knows how to believe in futures
For three long hours Layla sits and watches. Watches that girl from District Four drop like a stone, overtaken by the District One tributes' arrows. Watches her first kill—a boy from District Twelve, whose skull she crushed with a sharp rock. Her stomach twists at the sight of the bleeding boy. He was only thirteen. Thirteen years too young to die. He was too young. She ended his life.
"One more round of applause for Layla!"
She remembers his face in the sky. She cried that night.
all my complaints shrink to nothing
I'm ashamed of all my somethings
she's glad for one day of comfort
only because she has suffered
The images from the video remain in her head. All the ones of her killing stick to her mind like paper to glue. The unarmed, violent kill of the District Six girl. The almost-peaceful death of the boy who Layla had poisoned with berries. With every face, name, there is a family. She remembers her sister next to each fallen tribute.
fully alive
more than most ready to smile and love life
fully alive
and she knows how to believe in futures
Layla does not want to be showered by the Capitol. They killed her sister. She recalls the day they heard that the Capitol had incinerated District Thirteen. All the people in it went too, regardless of their innocence or guilt. Tia was innocent. Tia had been visiting a friend in District Thirteen. Just a harmless visit. And the Capitol had blown her up anyway. Layla's sister, killed for a crime she did not commit.
The Hunger Games were a painful reminder of Tia's too-brief life.
there she stands today
in her brilliant shining way
stronger than her pain
in her brilliant shining way
For the first time Layla starts to think of what would have happened if she hadn't won the Games, if she hadn't found the strength in her to kill, if having to be reminded of Tia's death was just too much, and she wishes suddenly it would happen, that she would be killed and not have to believe that just because she'd won some stupid Games she would have a perfect life. She knew she never would. Tia's image would never leave her brain.
But she wants it to. So she smiles and waves at the crowd. For Tia.
fully alive
more than most ready to smile and love life
fully alive
and she knows how to believe in futures
here's a very rough copy of my first Hunger Games fic, set to "Fully Alive" by Flyleaf. i read The Hunger Games and knew i had to write something. let me know how you think it could be improved, 'cause i know that it can. thanks for the support!