Karble Ive, District 3, 18:


The Peacekeepers escorted me into the Justice Building which possessed gold, marble and some of the most dazzling things in the District and yet there was something undeniably grim - maybe my viewpoint saw things more negatively because I was about to be sent to my death.

Never in my life had I been so scared, terror would've been a better word. One minute I was a boy who was readying himself to leave school and begin a long, successful career in politics and the next - the moment the escort called my name - I felt every career opportunity I had getting dragged away from me.

And no matter how optimistic I tried being I couldn't see myself clutching that opportunity back. I wasn't the most physically able to say the least. I may not have been malnourished like some of the starving District Three boys, but I was nothing compared to the Careers.

There were so many things that I wanted to do when I was younger, so many opportunities that floated in the air waiting for me to grab them. After seeing powerful men on the television I had always wanted to be like the President and call the shots, and since then I had been working actively to become the next big politician. I had been guaranteed a placement in the District Three senate and next month I was leaving school and finding a job in the treasury.

It felt like a dream come true - I had done well in school, acquired outstanding grades and I was beginning to climb the ladder of power, but all that hope was in vain.

So far the only opposition I knew I had was some sixteen year old girl called Danielle Wright; I knew her from school and she seemed like the average District Three girl with little muscle and a wiry frame, so I didn't have to worry about her. But I did have to worry about the Careers, the teenagers that had spent their whole lives training to slaughter children, teens who knew how to kill a kid in thousands of ways-

They were the opposition, the ones that terrified me. For once in my life I wished that I had the physical power of a Career instead of the political power I potentially held on to, but as a true politician I knew I wasn't going to give up without a fight.

I played every game to win, even if it was a game I was forced in to. The Careers would be able to get sponsors with their training scores but I had different abilities: I was an amazing public speaker, I knew what people liked to hear as opposed to what I wanted to say and I could play with their fears and desires.

And yes, I was bright - maybe not bright enough to make giant electromagnetic generators fry the other tributes like past contenders, but I had a lot of common sense and I supposed that was vital for survival.

The doors burst open and I was blinded by the light outside as my parents hurried themselves into the room. My father's eyes were wide in shock as he walked in and seeing his haunted expression and pallid face made me want to close my eyes and never open them again.

Though at some point in the arena that wish would probably come true, wouldn't it?

My parents were usually joyful people; my dad was a bit of a clown who always joked and my mother was a bubbly person who could talk about the latest gossip all day, but now they looked much different. My father's smile had been replaced by a frown and my mother's make-up was ruined by the tears that streamed down her cheeks.

"Karble!" She wailed in despair before shoving her head into my clothes and sobbing violently; I wanted to cry too, but I knew that crying would only make her even more upset.

"It's going to be okay," I muttered, though we both knew that my words were meaningless.

"I guess this is goodbye, then," my father looked at me seriously. He was always the optimist who saw potential in everything, but there was barely any chance of me surviving. I wanted to be angry with his lack of faith but I knew he was only being realistic.

"Don't say that!" My mother stopped hugging me swiftly so that she could glare at my father. "Karble can get home... I... I know he can!"

My father looked at his feet, and the tears seemed to appear in his eyes for a brief second, though he didn't allow himself to break down. "Karmen... I-"

"My son might not be a Career, but he has a brain!" My mother shouted loudly, probably so that the weeping family in the other room could hear. "He has my father's genes I tell you - a bulky, big boy."

She was lying, of course - I had tried working out once in an attempt to man up, though it failed. I looked still looked ridiculously thin with little muscular definition.

"I... I guess so," my father smiled weakly and I was relieved that he didn't tell my mother that my 'muscles' were limp and flimsy compared to the ones the average Career's possessed. "Karble - you're a politician, right?"

"I was going to be one," I muttered. Though saying goodbye to my family hurt, saying goodbye to my future career was agonising.

"Same difference," he pressed on. "All of you politicians are the bloody same, right? You can lie yourself out of anything, you're all bastards, but you're charming bastards."

My father had a way with words.

"What he's trying to say is that you can get sponsors," my mother clung onto my hand and smiled weakly, though there were still tears pouring down her eyes.

"No, Karmen, you don't get it!" My father stood up, as if a lightbulb had blinked over his head. "A politician's job is to backstab other people, and Karble is a budding politician... He'll know how to deceive people, isn't that right, Karble?"

"Err... Yeah," I mumbled.

"Well that's your strategy! Worm your way into a powerful alliance and say you're the 'brains' - and once you've fought your way into the finals backstab them!"

"I'll try..." I didn't exactly sound enthusiastic, but I supposed that a flawed strategy was better than nothing.

My mother dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a tissue before handing me a diamanté rose pin. "Whatever you do Karble, I'll be right beside you - okay? Keep that as your District token... To... To r-remember..."

She burst into tears and I glanced at my mother's favourite piece of jewelry whilst my father consoled her. I had planned to take my head boy pin as a token, but I was never going to ignore my mother's wishes... Even if the pin was a bit too effeminate for my liking.

"And you take this," I clipped my badge off and handed it into my mother's palm. "And... Remember me, I guess."

My dad placed a hand on my shoulder and his eyes bore into mine seriously. "Karble, before we go... You know I'm proud of you, right?"

That did make me tear up, even just a little. I knew my dad was proud of me - I saw it in his eyes - but he never said it directly - he always told me to try and do better, or to strive for the best. I had wanted to hear him tell me he was proud for years.

And then the Peacekeepers came in and whisked my parents out. I was left alone again, listening to the muffled conversation of the girl next door, and then two people walked in.

My friend Micra, with her pretty face and wide blue eyes and Darwin, who was suave, cocky and athletic - though I always thought I was destined to be more successful than Darwin he'd have a much bigger shot at winning the Hunger Games than I would.

"Karble... I..." Micra ran up and hugged me tightly. "I don't know what to say... I can't even cry... I'm just shocked... I..."

"Don't be hysterical," I told her, though it was nice to see someone be shocked and upset - I did expect a whole group of tearful friends sobbing as they wished me goodbye, and though I was disheartened Micra and Darwin were good enough for me anyway.

"Don't die," Micra pulled away and looked me seriously in the eyes. "I... I really don't want you to go... You..."

"We don't want you to leave, K-Dizzle," Darwin smiled, though I could tell he didn't mean to.

"Don't call me that, it's embarrassing," I smirked at my friends, and inside I was thankful that at least smiles could be exchanged in our last goodbye. "You two won't go all mad if I die, right?"

"We really can't promise that Karble," Micra's voice cracked as she tried to restrain her emotions. "We're all so used to you being with us... And it'd be weird if someone didn't scold Darwin for picking his nose..."

Though Darwin looked a little insulted, he held Micra closer as she seemed more visibly close to tears. "Mic-"

"And I'd have no competition in technology class... And... I r-really don't want you to-"

Before she could get the last dreaded word out she broke down and sobbed into Darwin's shoulders. There was an awkward minute of silence as Darwin just held her there whilst the atmosphere turned horribly sombre. No-one had the strength to say it, but it couldn't be denied that I was being sent into death...

"Don't give up, Karble," Darwin said as the Peacekeepers called my two best friends out. "We're vouching for you..."

And then Micra stood up and the two were escorted out with linked hands, which made me smile weakly. Micra and Darwin always had a love/hate relationship, and it would've been nice if my death did something positive, like bring my two friends closer together.

The next in was my older sister, Elise. Because there was a large age gap between my sister and I we didn't see much of each other, and though I loved her I was never particularly close to her. In her arms was her son, and beside her was her lanky husband who I barely knew.

"Oh Karble," she rushed over to me and crouched down, looking at me directly in the eyes. "I... I don't know what to say."

"A bit of advice would do," I mumbled. I was usually a good thinker or strategist, but the fear that gripped me right now was too much - I could barely string up a sentence, let alone formulate a strategy.

"I don't know..." Elise sighed whilst her husband stood towards the door awkwardly. "Oh Karble... I... I'm so sorry."

With that she wrapped one of her arms around me and forced me into a warm embrace, which seemed strange at first but eventually I managed to find the strength to hug her back. "It's not your fault Elise..."

"I mean for not getting to know you," Elise sniffled slightly whilst she struggled to keep in the tears. "Or for not having you know your nephew..."

As she pulled away I looked at the baby I barely knew, and I noticed how much it - or he - resembled me facially.

"You always cared," I said as the baby giggled, so unaware of the depressing situation - so unknowing of the dystopian world it lived in. "That's what matters."

"If you come back..." Elise started off, and I noted how she used the word 'if.' She wasn't naïve, she knew this was probably the last time she'd see me. "I'd... I'd take you out more or something, or let you babysit..."

"Yeah, that'd be fun..." Though almost impossible, I thought.

The Peacekeepers then opened the door and looked in seriously, and Elise held onto my hand tighter as if she never wanted to let go of it again.

"Elise..." Her husband called her from the door before glancing at me sympathetically. "Time to go now..."

"And please, Karble, don't let yourself die so easily... Because if you die..." She held her baby as she stood to leave. "I wouldn't want to see mum and dad so broken."

"I'll try," I choked. Elise wiped some lost tears off her cheeks before standing up and walking towards the door.

"Goodbye Karble..." She moved to the door and cast one last glance before walking out and muttering something that sounded like 'goodbye forever.'

There was a moment which I used to compose myself, I used a handkerchief to dab at my eyes before before I was to be guided to the train station which would take me away to the Capitol, where I would be sent into the arena to embrace my fate.

Whether I was going to be brutally murdered by the Careers, torn apart by a mutt or crushed by falling trees, it was a fate that I hadn't accepted. I promised Elise I would try my best, and that wasn't a promise I was going to break easily.

With a false grin I glanced into the nearest mirror at my reflection. The Pre-Games events would be so easy to me, seeing as I was a politician who knew how to play an audience.

And the first thing was looking presentable; cleanliness is next to godliness. I straightened all my clothing with my hands and then sculpted my hair into a small quiff until I was satisfied with everything - not one hair could be out of place because you never knew when it would be highlighted in a magazine or newspaper.

Once my District partner was done talking to any friends and family she had the Peacekeepers escorted us out of the Justice Building and into the train station, where we were blinded by flashing lights of the camera and deafened by adoring screams.

If this was what politics was like with all the attention and love I knew that I would be missing out on the opportunity I had craved for so long. And now I'd be fighting to seize that opportunity back.

Through the blinding blue light of the cameras I caught a glimpse of my District partner; she was my competition, but I knew she wasn't going to put up much of a fight. She was skinny and underfed like the majority of District Three, and while the adoring paparazzi called out our names she didn't wave or move because she had the charisma of a demented badger.

"Looks like we're in for a rough ride, don't you think?" I grinned as we stepped onto the train, our escort at our heels. "My name is Karble Ive, by the way."

"Danni... Danni Wright," she shook my hand curtly as I looked at a mysterious glint in her eye. "I know you, you're the one who delivered that speech last summer."

"Thank you very much... And nice name," I complimented her despite feeling unnerved by her enigmatic presence.

"And in answer to your question, yes, we're in for a rough ride," Danni looked at me once before walking down the train's corridor and dissolving into the shadows.

As much as I hated to admit it Danni couldn't be more right.


Helen Aspen, District 10, 14:

I glanced to the audience who were all staring at the ground, giving off a solemn atmosphere whilst I could hear my father crying out for me in the background. I tried to remember everything that had went on but it seemed so impossible - this was it, I was going into the Games.

And for me going into the Games meant dying; I had no talents. I wasn't fast, strong and I didn't have any clue on how to use weapons. I was kind of smart, but probably nowhere near as clever as the tributes from Three, Five and Six.

The moment my name had been called was the moment my coffin had been lowered into the ground. Here in District Ten we label tributes that looked like bloodbaths (like the ones in District Twelve) 'dead men walking' - and now I knew why. I was going to die but at this very moment I was living and breathing, I was a dead woman walking.

"Well, say goodbye to your District Ten tributes!" Geonova Fillington beamed. He was our escort who had bull horns implanted into his head so that he could represent District Ten even further.

And before I knew it I was scooped up and whisked away to a building that seemed to be carved out of marble and gold - the Justice Building. I had never been there, but I always stopped and looked at it in all its marvel whenever I passed. Marble and gold were so rare, so scarce.

"And you two will say goodbye to your families whilst I get my hair re-done," Geonova said as my District partner and I stepped in. Before any of us could say anything Geonova slammed the door behind us, leaving us in a darkened corridor.

"I'm Leo by the way," my District partner smiled at me and grabbed my hand. I shook it just to be polite, but I didn't trust Leo - I didn't trust people in the normal world, and the Hunger Games had much more back-stabbing than the corrupt ways of normality.

"I'm Helen."

The boy moved down the corridors and closed the steel door of the room he was supposed to say goodbye in. I thought I knew Leo, or my dad worked with his once before his dad became paralysed in an accident, and now that Leo was probably sent off to die. That meant that the Brydon family were going to lose their two best workers.

I almost wanted him to win but that wasn't the right way of thinking because his life meant my death. Not that we'd survive anyway; one of us would get skewered by a weapon or something eventually.

I wasn't morbid, just realistic.

"Get into your assigned room," a Peacekeeper behind me jabbed me in the back with his gun. I yelped in pain whilst moving forwards into the room. Though my 'goodbye room' didn't hold the grandeur of the Justice Building's exterior the satin couch that I sat on was probably worth more than anything I had ever seen in my life.

I waited there in silence whilst wondering who would visit. My father? My brothers? Maybe even Lilly would visit; despite the fact I didn't talk to her much I'd still consider her a friend. I knew my mother wouldn't visit, she never did.

My mother was one of the richer women of District Ten. She grew up in the lap of luxury, bubbly and happy. One day she met my father, and though he was below her social status he treated her like royalty. She had never been treated better and as a result she mistook her small infatuation for him as love.

They eventually married and had my elder brothers and I. And then everything went wrong; my mother's family disowned her for marrying below her status, she had to work to provide for her children and my father didn't treat her like a princess because he was so busy raising a family. She became miserable and depressed.

So she left when I was four. I could barely remember it, but I could remember my father and her screaming at each other. I tried to hug on to her knee as she grabbed her coat and plead.

"I love you honey, but I love my wellbeing more," was all she said before she walked away forever. I couldn't remember my parent's divorce, but I remember those words - the words that would always haunt me and remind me why I couldn't trust anyone. Even my family would go away in the end.

"Helen," my father opened the doors and peered in. There was a silence and before I knew it he rushed over and pulled me into a tight hug whilst crying. "I'm so sorry... I... I can't..."

"It's okay," I said, though my voice sounded weak with emotion. I tried to fight back the urge to cry so that my family didn't know how pained I was.

"Your brothers are here," my dad told me whilst trying to sound optimistic, though I could still feel the wet tears on his face. "They'll say goodbye too, once my time is up."

"Make the most of it," I sighed. He needed to make the most of it, it was the last time he'd ever see me - he knew that. I knew that.

"You'll try your best, right?"

I sighed exasperatedly. My father was too kind and optimistic for his own good, and that worried me. I was a bloodbath in every way - I was too chubby to run, too skinny to fight and I wasn't remotely good looking. Nobody would sponsor me, and even if someone did I wouldn't make it past the first battle.

"Dad... I... I don't think I'm going to live," I croaked, and though I tried my best not to cry the tears escaped. Admitting that you were destined for death was never a good thing to do when you had your father with you.

"No!" My father cried out as I tried to pull away from the hug before he held on to me tighter. "Helen you don't know how much you mean to me..."

"Of course I know," I sobbed.

"You don't... You and your brothers are all I have," my father pulled away whilst wiping his eyes with his sleeves. He then framed my face with his hands before looking into my eyes seriously. "Promise me you'll try to fight?"

"I ca-"

"Promise me, Helen."

I looked into my father's dark eyes, the eyes that were identical to mine. And then I saw the pain in them, the pain he had when my mother left, the pain he had when he couldn't provide us with food because business was low; I had seen this pain so many times before and I didn't want to see that pain again.

False hope wasn't much, but it was a better feeling than despair. I paused before smiling weakly at my wonderful, hard working father again.

"I have a plan," I lied. "And I'll try my best to get home dad... I'm not going to give up."

The Peacekeepers came in and announced that my father's time was up as he clung on to my hand, all the pain from his eyes had diminished and reappeared as false hope.

"Do you promise?"

"Yes," I muttered.

"Sir, your time is up," a peacekeeper said as they clung on to his shoulders. That only made him hold on tighter.

"You won't ever give up? You'll fight to the end?"

"Of course I will..." I said to my father with teary eyes as he hand was pulled from mine. My father was pulled away from me and though I didn't want to I cried out for him one last time.

"Don't give up," he told me one last time before he was dragged away from me.

I was left in silence before my two brothers came into the room. Tristan had the same old solemn face; like me he had been hardened by our mother. Chris was always the bright one who made a joke out of everything, but he wasn't bright at the moment and he couldn't make a joke this time.

"I'm... I'm sorry," Tristan said as he gave me a small hug. He then silently pulled away whilst I smiled weakly, knowing that Tristan did truly care - he just didn't know how to express it.

"Well, what did dad say?" Chris asked me as I looked at the plush, plum coloured carpet hopelessly.

"He made me promise I'd try my best to get out of that arena alive," I told Chris, and though I had given my father hope I was still doubtful - I didn't have a master plan, though I liked to think I did.

"And... You meant it, right?" I looked up to see Tristan glancing at me with the same hope in his eyes as my father.

"Yeah," I mumbled.

"You have a chance," Chris smiled at me, though his usual brightness had dulled it was still enough to make the corners of my mouth curl upwards. I always worried about the people I loved leaving me, but I knew Chris would always be by my side. "You... You're a smartass. You could easily outwit the Careers."

"Before being outwitted by the dangerous wires District Three tributes tend to make? Or being poisoned by a District Six person?" I told Chris, making his optimistic facade fade for a second.

"They won't make it past the bloodbath," Chris protested, though he looked glum. "You know that... I know that..."

"Who's saying I'll survive the bloodbath?"

"You will," Tristan spoke out, surprising me once again. "Just run straight into the forest... You can find water and food in there, so don't bother risking your life for a loaf of bread."

I smiled at Tristan whilst Chris held on to my hand, dropping something on to it. "And take this... It's lucky after all. You may just develop ninja powers so that you can seriously beat the crap out of the Careers."

I giggled a bit before my gaze moved to the cold, solid thing on my palm. I saw the one credit coin in my hand and I smiled weakly at Chris. The dented, ruined coin was something Chris found whilst we were travelling on the road that lead us to town. For some reason Chris has always had it close - he'd had this illusion that the battered old coin he found on the road would bring him luck.

"You want this as my token?" I asked in disbelief whilst my thumb stroked the dints in the coin.

"It's lucky," Chris said. "It'll give you luck."

I pocketed the coin and looked at both of my brothers. "Luck? I'll need plenty of that."

Chris smirked and opened his mouth to reply, but the peacekeepers quickly called the visitors out. There was an emotional goodbye as Tristan gave me the same old last piece of advise - learn to use a weapon, stay hidden and always have water. Chris had to be dragged out, and seeing tears stream from his eyes made me cry too.

This was going to be worse than I imagined, all the emotional goodbyes. My friend Lilly visited, though she wasn't my friend - she was more of an acquaintance who I walked to school with, and we only ever talked about the books that we liked to read.

There was no conversation when Lilly visited. There was only a sympathetic look as we sat in silence, hardly talking as if this was a walk to school and not a final goodbye. That's what I liked about Lilly; nothing fazed her.

"Did you ever get to finish Moby Dick?" Lilly asked out of the blue whilst I used the blissful silence to calm my nerves.

"No," I said. "I didn't."

"I'd give it to you," Lilly said before rummaging into her bag and bringing out a battered old book. "But you already have a token, don't you?"

My hand instinctively held on to Chris' coin, trying to absorb the lucky vibe that he managed to hold for years. "Yeah. I do."

There was another silence, and Lilly's visit ended when the Peacekeepers called her out. She gave me one long look before she stood up, slung her bag over her shoulder and smiled at me weakly. She felt sorry for me; I could see it in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Helen," she sighed. "Good luck."

And then she left, leaving me to wonder why so many people always wished me luck when they knew that luck wasn't in my favour. Twenty-four tributes, six Careers and a bunch of underdogs. I was nothing.

My thought process was ruined when my mother walked in with her hair wet from the rain that had been pouring outside. Her cheeks were wet, whether by tears or the downpour, but I didn't care. My mother had a new life now, with a new husband and a new business. Why was she taking notice of me now?

"Helen..." She moved over to the sofa, throwing off her coat that was made from the finest wool and opening her bag that was crafted from the grandest leather. "Baby... I'm so sorry."

"Don't call me baby," I said stiffly. "Why are you here?"

My mother looked up at me, affronted. "Helen... I want to say goodbye... You're my daughter."

"I am not your daughter," I said defensively, clenching my fists. This coin probably wasn't so lucky after all - I had to spend my time with the woman who I hated, the woman who abandoned me.

"I gave birth to you didn't I?" My mother said, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes as she lit a cigarette and took a drag. "You're my daughter.

"You didn't see me off to my first day at school," my voice was hushed as the silent rage brewed up inside of me. "You didn't comfort me when I felt unworthy, or teach me how to write... So no, you are not my mother."

She blew out the cigarette fumes in reply before actually speaking. "I provided for you and your brothers."

"No you did not!" I stood up and shouted as the anger began to spill out. How dare she tell me she raised me when she didn't even send me christmas or birthday gifts. "My father and Tristan have to work hours at a slaughterhouse to provide for me. My father raised me - Tristan raised me to a degree, but you did not raise me. You abandoned me!"

My mother stood up too, glaring at me angrily. "Oh, did Markus tell you that?"

"Yes, dad did," I seethed.

"Think clearly - two slaughterhouse jobs is barely enough to provide four people with food," my mother told me before throwing the cigarette onto the carpet, stomping on it with her leather boots so it was extinguished. "How does your father pay the bills? How do you have clothes on your back? Because of me!"

There was an awkward silence. Did my mother really aid us financially through the years? Seeing as my dad and Tristan's jobs were so low paying there must have been some kind of aid needed. And then the question I'd been willing to ask came out of my mouth:

"Why... Why did you go? Why did you never visit me?"

My mother looked at the carpet which she had ruined and I could almost feel the guilt running through her as she paused, trying to explain herself. After a while she answered. "I... Helen, it's complicated."

"You loved me," I recited the words she had said ten years ago, feeling my heart crack a little. "But you loved your wellbeing more, didn't you?"

"He-" My mother started.

"Get out," I mumbled as my fists clenched in fury so that the 'lucky coin' Chris had given me dug its way into the flesh of my palm. My mother looked at me with a stunned expression as she tried to process my words - had she expected this to end well after years of ignoring my existence?

"Helen..." She began with tears pouring down her face.

"Get out!" I shouted this time, grabbing a lamp and throwing it at the wall angrily. The warning was enough, and as bits of glass rained down onto the floor I screamed at her with tears of rage pouring down my face. "Get out! Get out! Go away!"

And then she did go away, leaving me alone for the final time. I was confused, angry and I was going to die. And with trembling hands I glanced at the Panem emblem that was engraved on to Chris' lucky coin, wondering if I'd be lucky enough to survive.

Probably not.


Sorry for the late update... I've been ridiculously busy! No more excuses from me, the next chapter will be up in about 3-4 days.

Also over 50 reviews in 3 chapters? That is... Wow. Speechless. Keep that up, please! I haven't responded to reviews lately as I've been so busy but I really do read and appreciate them.

~Toxic

Capitol Commentator Question: What do you think of these two? Big thanks to singclapclap and The Girl with the Amber Eyes for them :)

Interview Question: If you had a final goodbye with your family what would you say?