"Stella!" His sister's name was the last word that left the twelve year old's lips as his head flew from his body. He had, quite stupidly, followed her as she sprinted towards the cornucopia - even though she had explicitly instructed him to not follow her and, instead, run away from the cornucopia and hide so she could come and find him later. He placed 24th out of 24.
"JACKSON!" She screamed from her spot at the cornucopia, pulling a knife from her belt and throwing it at his killer, the boy from District 2. The knife hit its mark. He hit the floor. BOOM!
A battle cry left her lips as she threw knife after knife at the other tributes. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Eleven tributes hit the ground – a knife in their throat, blood pouring out of the wound like a waterfall; their deaths quick.
Estrella reached to her belt, but there was no knife to grab. So, with another scream she pulled the sword, the sword that killed her brother, from the corpse of the Career and swung, over and over. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! A further nine fell, blood pouring out of the red smiles carved by her sword; their deaths quick.
She was so caught up in the destruction that she didn't see the axe until it was lodged in her side. A scream ripped from her lips and her sword clattered to the ground. The male tribute from District 7 standing above her ominously, axe raised. He swung. She rolled away, fingers desperately reaching for the spear that was a metre away from her. He pulled his axe from the ground, raising it above his head. Her fingers closed around the sword. She lifted it. Metal clashed with metal. Lumber clashed with Livestock. She overpowered him, her years working on her District's fields making her stronger. They circled each other. "Well aren't you a surprise?" He baited, swinging his axe. Her sword swung too, the force from both sides causing the weapons to fly from their hands.
They circled each other for a while, daring the other to make the first move. Her moment of hesitation when answering proved fatal as, the next thing she knew, he had punched her in the face. "Just about," she spat out her tooth, blood pouring out of her mouth. She grunted as she ducked another punch and landed a punch to the side of his face, knocking him to the ground, he kicked out at her legs. Estrella gasped as she hit the ground and held a hand to her mouth, feeling blood seep through her hands.
Once they were both on their feet, he spoke again. "The odds have been in your favour so far, you caught everyone off guard – but I see through you, I always did. Got any other skills I should know about? So I have a fair chance." He asked her mockingly.
A musical laugh burst from her lips. "I have lots of skills, wanna see?" But didn't give him the chance to respond, leaping through the air towards him with the grace of a gazelle, she found the pressure point on his neck and held down sharply. A girlish scream escaped him as he crumpled into her arms, both falling onto the blood stained ground. "Happy fucking Hunger Games," the fourteen year old girl hissed to him. BOOM!
But, unlike in her Games, the other tributes all got up and began walking towards her, all asking one thing: "Why did you kill me, Stella? I have a family that I loved and wanted to go home to, I have a family that needs me." They formed a circle around her.
"I don't know," she cried, pushing them out of her way.
"Telly," her little brother's voice said. "Why didn't you save me? You promised me you would."
The other tributes, who were now dead again, began morphing into her loved ones. Johanna. Haymitch. Finnick. Cashmere. Her mother. Her father. Her sister. Mare and Agri from back home. All of them asking her why she killed them.
"NO!" Estrella's scream echoed around the room as her eyes snapped open. Covered in sweat and gasping for air, she glanced around the darkened room.
"Stella," Florentina rushed into the room, taking in the ever-beautiful victor's bedraggled appearance, the patches of blood on her arms and neck, the messed up sheets and the tears in her eyes. "Oh, darling." She swept across the room and hugged the woman who, to Florentina, had never seemed more vulnerable.
Something broke in her and she burst into tears. "I saw all of them," she confided. "I saw Jo, Fin, my parents… When you live in the Districts, you spend your entire life terrified because of these stupid Games. As a child you're terrified that it'll be you, or a loved one going into the arena. Then, as an adult, it's your kids and your grandkids. Your entire existence could be changed in a second, your entire existence is dictated by these Games. WE are not responsible for the actions of our ancestors, so why is it us that face the punishment? Twenty-four children go into that arena, and twenty-four children die in that arena; we victors may look alive and well, but we're haunted by what happened in there. I've killed people, Flo. I've killed people with families, just like mine, without a second thought."
"You did what you had to do to survive," Florentina attempted to comfort the seething woman.
"That's what it's about isn't it? Survival." Estrella scoffed and shook her head. Standing up, she told her escort: "I'm going to take a shower."
Once she was out of the shower and in her training uniform, she headed to the Training Center. The first thing she saw was Johanna practising with her axe and decided to scare the other tributes as well, walking over to a huge clear box she stepped in. A control panel popped up and she set it to throwing knives on the highest setting.
She reached a hand into her belt and her fingers closed around the cool metal, a grin spreading over her face as she moved to the centre of the room. Orange lasers shot out, she glanced from side to side as they moved. An orange flash to her right caused her to spin, throwing a knife at it. It connected, hitting it in the throat and exploded into orange blocks. Another came with a bow and arrow, exploding when her knife it. She twirled as a spear sailed past her, she didn't have to think as her knife flew from her hand. She didn't even glance at the one to her side when she threw her knife at it. One ran across the top tier, she threw, aiming slightly ahead of it, it exploded. One with a mace came swinging at her, exploding when her knife reached it with deadly precision. An axe came flying at her, she decided to show off and did a back somersault to dodge it, throwing a knife milliseconds later. She threw two knives at the same time, hitting the next one in both eyes. Estrella threw her final knife at a jumping one with a trident, blocks exploding all around her. 'They were the other tributes,' she realised.
Clapping broke her out of her daze. She looked and saw it was Wiress, from District 3, enthusiastically applauding her. She mockingly bowed and walked out of the box, not looking at anyone as she went to speak with Enobaria.
"I'm sorry, Miss Oxley," the trainer at the hand-to-hand combat station said to her, "but I cannot permit you and Miss Golding to fight."
Enobaria bared her razor sharp teeth at the man, who seemed to whimper. "Why not?" Her voice was lethal. "We're both victors, we won't kill each other."
"Till we're in the arena," Estrella remarked, sharing a dark smirk with the Career. Enobaria and Estrella were friends in a warped way; they began speaking because they were sparring partners due to them both being of a similar size and build, and, eventually, began to respect each other. In a way, she could understand why they weren't allowed to fight; they were both tributes in the Quarter Quell and, if it weren't for the multiple full body polishes that they'd both had, they would be covered in scars and cuts from the viciousness of it all. "Don't worry, 'Baria, if I were to have my throat ripped out by your teeth it would be an honour."
"That must be the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me," Enobaria said sarcastically, jokingly wiping her eye. "If I were to have my nervous system shut down by you it would be an honour."
Both women laughed. "Seriously, though. I'm going to kill you," Estrella said.
"Good luck," Enobaria chuckled.
"Luck's for losers," she stopped laughing sharply. "See you around." She called and walked over to the knot tying station, where Finnick had tied a noose around his neck.
"Do you wanna take me for a walk?" He asked Katniss, holding out the end of the rope to her. Katniss looked a mixture between amused and uncomfortable.
"She doesn't, but I do," Estrella said, grabbing the rope. "Sorry about him," she spoke to Katniss apologetically, "some people can't be left alone for longer than five minutes."
"Ouch," Finnick whined. "You're pulling too hard, it's getting tighter."
"Good," she snapped at him when they had reached the elevators. "If we're wanting to make an alliance with her, you can't scare her off! First the sugar cubes and now this? What's next? You professing your undying love for her? Fucking hell, Fin!" He scowled at her. "I'm sorry, rough week."
She released the noose with a sigh. His face instantly went calmer and, noticing the camera in the corner of the elevator, hugged her to him. "Go to Haymitch," he whispered in her ear and got out of the elevator.
"We need you to get Katniss out of the arena." Haymitch informed her seriously.
"How are you proposing I do that?" Estrella snorted.
"You know more about the inside workings of the Games due to your dalliances with the Gamemakers. Find out what's going on," he told her. "Katniss is the face of the rebellion, we have to get her out."
"Can you guarantee his safety?" she motioned to Finnick.
"No," Haymitch said. "But, I can guarantee that once we have Katniss, we'll try and find him."
"Where are you taking us?" She asked him.
"District 13," he said, throwing a golden bracelet at her. "Show her this and she'll know to trust you."
"District 13 was blown up," she scoffed.
"District 13 is underground and away from Capitol rule." Haymitch snapped. "Do you know anything about the Games that could be useful?"
"Well, one of the Gamemakers, Hadrian Mozingo, I think his name was, told me that the arena would have a force field all around it. He said that the only way to get rid of it would be to add more energy to it or something like that so it exploded."
It wasn't much, to her, but, to Haymitch, the way to escape was just presented to him; they would have to blow up the arena.
"Estrella Oxley, District 10."
She stood as her name sounded through the speakers. She, coming from one of the last Districts, was one of the only people in the large room aside from Chaff, Seeder, Peeta and Katniss. Nodding briefly at Seeder, she slipped through the doors. Glancing to the Gamemakers, she saw that none of them were paying attention to her – typical for those who came from the last Districts as the Gamemakers will have been gradually drinking and eating themselves into a stupor. "Sorry," she cleared her throat loudly. "I was worried you hadn't heard me come in."
She now had their full attention and knew it. Estrella strutted over to the dummies, picking up the smallest one she could see – it was about the size of a twelve year old – and propped it up so it stood to its full height of around 5'0. She headed to the paints station, grabbing a jar of blood red paint, and then went to the swords, picking up the largest one there. She walked slowly back to the dummy, biding her time, before sharply spinning and decapitating the dummy. Estrella grabbed the paint pot and wrote next to the head. She laughed coldly, looking Plutarch Heavensbee straight in the eyes as she kicked the head of the dummy towards the Gamemakers. It rolled ominously towards them, the words she had written becoming visible:
Happy Fucking Hunger Games
Estrella's face was blank as Caesar read out her score. 'At least I look good in my poster,' she thought.
"You scored an 11?! Congratulations!" The team of District 10 rushed to congratulate her, squealing happily.
"But the Girl on Fire got a 12," she remarked, standing. "I have a client, I'll be back later. Don't wait up."
When she knocked on the door of the apartment, the person who opened it wasn't who she thought it would be. It was a peacekeeper, who grabbed her arm and dragged her inside. "President Snow wishes to speak with you." He said monotonously as they reached the door. He pushed it open and another peacekeeper pushed her into a red leather chair.
"Ah, Miss Oxley," President Snow said maliciously. "I'm not going to sugar-coat it for you – we're past that point in our relationship. So, get on your knees; you'll be showing the Districts thanks tonight." He informed her as about fifteen peacekeepers swarmed around her, creating a circle.
"Come on," the first leered at her, unzipping his fly. "It's been years since I've seen a naked woman." They all began to reach for her tearing her dress from her. Estrella knew what was coming and simply turned off, zoning out completely and becoming numb.
It was only when she was lying on the floor, naked, covered in semen and ashamed, did a tear fall. "You now know what happens when you test me, Miss Oxley. I hope that we don't have to do this again. You may leave." And she did, scrambling back to the Tribute Center.
It was Katniss Everdeen who found her, shaking and staring straight ahead of her. She looked possessed. "Err, Estrella?" She placed a hand on the older victor's shoulder.
Estrella's hand locked around Katniss' wrist in a vice-like grip. "Never let them take you, never let them do to you what they did to me. To Finnick. To Cashmere. Don't let them." She released Katniss like she'd burned her and drew her knees to her chest, rocking backwards and forwards as she muttered to herself.
"What?" Katniss spluttered, terrified but pitying of the broken woman.
She blinked, stopping her shaking and standing up calmly as if she hadn't just had a mental breakdown. "Sorry about that," she said casually. "Sometimes I just snap. It's a bit weird really – has to happen, got to keep the cattle booming – as they say back home. See you around, Girl on Fire."
It was only when she had walked into the light, that Katniss saw the woman's body. She was naked, bruises, cuts and white patches covered her tan body. Her golden hair was mussed up, her mint green eyes not holding any of the life that they usually had, and her legs had blood and marks the shape of hands trailing down them. Katniss nearly vomited. "What happened to you?" She asked.
"Oh, this?" Estrella asked lightly. "I like to call this a Monday."
"I don't understand why you can't just say no!" Cassia blubbered as she ran her hands through Estrella's thick, blonde hair, beginning to straighten it with a flat iron.
"There's a lot of things you don't understand." Estrella said. "Ignorance is bliss, my darling."
There was a silence as the team did their work. "Ugh," Emilie mumbled. "How many times have I told you to leave your nails alone?"
"More than a million," Estrella snorted. "I need them short so I can use weapons. No weapons equal no Stella. Wouldn't want me dying now, would we?"
"No!" Valentino said fiercely, his green hands took her by the shoulders. "You are going to go out there and ace your interview. Then, you're going to go into the arena, and you're going to come out. Alive. Understand? I'm not losing you, Star."
All nastiness left her as she hugged her prep team, muttering apologies to them. "I understand."
"Good, now let's get you finished and through to Otto." Emilie smiled. "He has a beautiful outfit for you this year!"
"Now, our next tribute stole our hearts nine years ago when she won her Games at fourteen, after volunteering in an attempt to protect her younger brother." Caesar Flickerman said seriously, the crowd beginning to cheer thunderously for her. "We've watched her go from being the little underdog to the most beautiful woman in all of Panem, and have loved every second of it. The Capitol's Star… ESTRELLA OXLEY!
A/N: I hope you like this chapter - if you did let me know, if you didn't let me know! It's super difficult to add ideas to a story that already has such a rich plot (and so many characters!), but I've tried my best.. LittlexMissxVicious X