Gods And Monsters.

In the land of gods and monsters, I was an angel.


Terris Avar, District Three Male.


After seeing her district partner in the sky, Laurel cried. I mean, she really did cry, for a while... she cared for him I suspect. Nova was good for cheering her up though. Within a few seconds, Laurel had stopped and whilst Nova seemed rather awkward about it - because, well, she's not the best conversationalist - it worked.

I can't help but feel suspicious about Laurel, and I mean, I shouldn't. Laurel doesn't seem a threat and in fact, she seems sweet and kind and I shouldn't feel suspicious of her, I shouldn't, but I can't help it. I wouldn't tell her, though, or even be remotely distant with her. I just hope she isn't a bad person. I doubt she is. Something I've learned from Laurel in the short time she's joined our little alliance is that she's extremely energetic, like a little animal who can't sit still. But these are the Hunger Games and some people like to play fronts to hide their true self in order to persevere.

"So, this plant," Laurel says sweetly, crushing one of the leaves between her two fingers. "This little thing is suppose to kill people?"

"Yeah," Nova grins. "Crush it up and then you have some poison to use."

"Doesn't that seem... I don't know, a bit too hopeful?"

"I did my research obviously. Otherwise I wouldn't have dragged Terrorist all the way out here," Nova smiles, turning to face me. "Are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine," I lie, words covered up by a smile. "I was just lost in thought."

"Is it about your explosives?" she teases.

"Yeah," I lie again, wincing at the memory that me and Nova used to put our entire trust in each other. Then again, she did keep a secret from me, so it's acceptable I do the same. "I was just wondering how many bombs I can make by splitting this battery up."

When I look up from the ground, both Laurel and Nova are staring at me with curious smiles, Laurel's a bit more open. "In English, please."

I swallow down the thoughts of letting this all out in the open and fight the smile onto my face. "Well, this little battery is what charges up the explosives, like a timer, I guess. By splitting it up, I'm weakening the damage but multiplying the resources. I can either make one large bomb that'll destroy nearly everything in it's path, or I can make multiple bombs that are much weaker, but meaning I have more weapons than I anticipated."

"Yeah... I still didn't understand any of that." Laurel frowns.

"He's saying that he can make one bomb that's huge or loads of smaller ones... I think," Nova looks at me with a quizzical look. "That's what you meant, right?"

"Indeed." I smile.

Nova smiles triumphantly as she goes back to her little collection of leaves that Laurel helped her pick. When I heard her scream, I panicked, of course I did. Nova is, well was, my only ally and I didn't want her to die or get injured. A few minutes of silence went by before Laurel hopped down, Nova not far behind, albeit more awkwardly, a handful of yellow leaves in their hands. I tune out their small talk as the two of them begin to crush the leaves between two rocks. Instead, I focus in on my explosives. I guess the better option would be to make many rather than one. That way, by enhancing my load, I have a better chance for the long-run. I grin childishly as I begin to tinker with the mechanics.

After a few minutes that seem to fly-by, I have my first explosive. The red button on the side will be the trigger, so to speak, and then it will implode. It's designed - just as I expected - to release a blast coupled with shrapnel. If it doesn't kill, it should daze and easily injure severely. My mood suddenly deflates at the remembrance that not killing isn't an option. All Victors, all survivors, they had to make a kill in order to claim their lives back. Last year, the boy from District Twelve, he won through pure luck, but he did kill, just only one. One life doesn't matter; a kill is a kill in this place. A kill is one step closer to returning home.

I zone back in on the end of Laurel and Nova's conversation, something about the poisons and how to crush them. A part of me wants to berate Nova for telling Laurel about her tactic, whilst not part of me is betrayed. It took her ages to let up that secret, and we're allies. Laurel comes along and Nova's handed it over within minutes. What's so special about Laurel? I sigh heavily, trying to clear my mind.

Laurel is not the enemy.

She is not the enemy.

But, technically, she is. And so is Nova. And the Careers and the rest of them, the others, all scattered out there in the plains. I stand abruptly, knowing both of the girls are now staring at me. I smile sweetly, though, because I don't want them to follow me and I'd rather them not be worried about me. I might be confused at the moment - skull drowning in thoughts - but that doesn't mean I want to drag them down with me. Plus, I still... I just can't with Laurel at the moment.

"Where you going, Terris?" Laurel asks, beating Nova to the question, though she nods along in order to push me into an answer.

"I..." I stumble around for a decent answer. "I need to go for a walk. Cramp."

"Don't be long and don't go far." Laurel teases, and I resist the urge to scream from all the conflicting thoughts in my mind; a battle between my old morals and the morals I have to adopt to survive.

I slowly part from the girls, back facing them until I know I'm a decent distance from the water and the girls. The animals around us have scattered, now, bored with their watering hole being infested by children talking about poisonous plants. My eyes slip closed and I tilt my head up to the sky, breathing in heavily to absorb as much air as possible, hoping it'll cleanse the thoughts of Laurel and Nova and the betrayal and the killing in store for us. Every Victor has to kill; Bolt killed a few, and even Mercury killed a child. No Victor walks away clean, and if I want to walk away, I need to be tainted. I let out a weak sob with no tears. Everything is so... so messed up right now; the world, my thoughts, just everything...

A scream cuts through the placid silence I had gained, and my blood runs cold as I spin around, feet moving before my brain has processed what it could be. The scream hurtles into the air again and again as I keep running, another petrified voice coupled behind it like an eerie song. I turn the corner of the large tree Nova had so eloquently hunted down, only to see Laurel's crouched form facing away from me, her body shaking violently. I speed forward as the scream happens again, and I know, I just know it's Nova. Laurel's body lurches backwards a little, making the scene clearer. Nova is crying, red-faced, but that's not what I notice first... it's the animal that has her leg trapped between scaly jaws. I run forward, my legs noticeably weaker and my breath making my chest constrict more and more. I dash past Laurel - whose holding onto Nova's hand, crying too, trying to pull her free - and go for the creature. It's long and scary, eyes like a reptile and covered in deep green scales. I bring my boot up and down on the head, but it causes the jaws to clench and that's bad because it makes Nova cry more. Panic is flooding my mind and my instinct screams for me to get a weapon, my explosives, but doing all that will take Nova down to.

I throw myself to the floor instead, clawing for Nova's other hand. I shuffle myself around and tug, the only sounds being Nova's terrified screams and Laurel's desperate crying. It brings tears to my own eyes as I realise that, despite everything, I don't want to lose Nova, not yet. Me and Laurel try to pull harder, but the animal just seems to sink it's teeth deeper and deeper into Laurel's leg. Blood is mixing with the water, now, and a deep red hue begins to smother the embankment and drifts out in the water, making the animal more menacing, like it's wading through bloody waters.

Nova's screams - a bloodcurdling scream that makes acid in my stomach just boil - blood pooling in her mouth and then dribbling down her chin.

That's when I notice that the creature has slowly devoured her foot, teeth now reaching the tops of her thighs, inching over the bottom of her back and stomach. She screams again, the blood spraying outwards, hitting me and Laurel in the face. The act disgusts me so much that my grip slips, her hand sliding out of mine. I know in those few seconds that she's gone. My mind is reeling as she screams a final time, before the splashes of water bring me back around to open my eyes, the liquid stained red.

Laurel looks at me and I look at her, our faces mirrored with our terrified, sickened expressions, dotted with Nova's blood.

I can feel the guilt creeping closer and closer to my heart.

The Games have begun for me; there's no turning back now, I'm stained, just like I wanted.

Just not like this.


Justice Florence, District Six Female.


A cannon booms, but it doesn't faze me as I continue to stare at the bloody knife contained in my fingertips. Killing Ewan wasn't a big deal, in fact, it was the better choice. I didn't want to keep him around; the only idea of this alliance was so that I could watch them, inspect them, examining them if the time came, not to allow them to live. I just didn't think I'd be the one to kill them. In all honesty, I studied poison as a back-up, not so that I could use it... but Ewan was so helpless, injured and, frankly, a goner.

Whilst he was out cold, I watched the claws take out Ezra's body and, as I craned my neck, I remember being able to see the horizon through the whole in his stomach.

But alas, now I'm alone. I enjoy the quiet actually. I look up from my seat on the ground, staring hard at the sky. In the distance, the sky isn't so blue and inviting. In fact, darkened clouds seem to be rolling in slowly. I feel like a storm is about to happen, but that might just be me. With a shrug, I stare back down at the knife, running my finger along the curved blade stained with Ewan's blood.

They got to take away his body eventually, just not as soon as they might've liked. I couldn't help myself. All those years of watching my father cut up the dead bodies to see what killed them, I wanted to try it for myself. Sure, sometimes he let me drag the knife down and inspect the insides, but never before have I taken the choice by myself to do it. This was all my choice and I really, really wanted to know what my poison did to his insides.

Suffice it to say, the poison had literally opened up hole after hole - burned around the edges - on his organs. Then again, me dragging my knife down his stomach, that could've killed him.

Either way, Ewan, Ezra and Challis, my once interesting alliance, have all but perished, one after the other.

That was the one thing I knew when I weaseled my way into that group; they weren't going to last long. With Ewan's death, it was but another tally; then the other boy and girl died, and now, later, another face will be in that sky. Fourteen players left. Theon is still alive, and I don't know how to feel about that. Do I honestly care if he's alive? A little. Theon wouldn't hurt a fly, and that's why he won't win. Besides him, the Careers are still standing strong with only one falling, and the other alliances I remember are still holding out.

As far as I can tell, my alliance is the only one to crumble so far.

I smile at the notion, dragging the tip of my blade through the dirt, staining the ground with his blood too. Oh Ewan...

A strange sound suddenly brings me out of my mind, though, and I stand up quickly, alert. My heart races despite actually knowing the source. Out in the distance, a little bit away, a spotted dog is walking around, head scanning the area as it makes this weird noise from it's mouth - not quite like a bark and not a growl either, but almost like a... like a strangled laugh. Without noticing me, I lower myself slowly into the grass, using the height of the grass to my advantage. It seems alone, just wandering around with much thought. But either though it's alone, it doesn't look friendly. It's lips are pulled back, baring teeth, dark eyes and spotted fur making it seem like something from a horror movie.

I watch it with amazement, my hand fumbling around the knife, running my fingers over it in an act of both confusion and excitement. If it comes closer, I'll skin it.

But it doesn't want me. A smaller creature hops along into the view and the dog sinks down, much like me. The other creature is fairly small with horns and some stick-like legs. It's oblivious to the predator that slowly stalks it through the grass, just lazily chewing on the tips. The excitement is flooding my body - I'm going to get to watch another death happen. Another animal kill.

It's close enough now, and out of nowhere, the spotted dog leaps from it's camouflage, teeth snarling. The little deer thing hasn't enough time to move and it awkwardly tries to run, the dog's paw smacking it in the side and forcing it off of it's legs. The creature squeals and the dog's head comes up - just above the grass - before it snaps down and the squeal disappears. When it comes up again, there's a layer of blood matting the fur, and it does that funny noise into the air once more.

My body is literally vibrating with anticipation and nerves and excitement, all brought together to bubble underneath my skin. I'm so excited, I don't even notice that the laughter into the air must have been a calling for a pack, since many other spotted dogs rush out of nowhere, clambering out of the bushes and the secrecy of the long grass.

A whole pack.

The excitement quickly dies and I'm only left with the dull wash of nerves running through my veins. My red hair falls in front of my face and I wince, realising how out of place I must be in terms of hiding. I try to bury myself deeper into the grass, hoping to hide myself from the predators only a few feet away. At first, it was fun, but now the horrid truth has hit me and I know, I just know that if I'm found out, I'm caught. The sounds of them ripping the animal open suddenly stop, and my blood runs cold. I dare to not look up...

...but I can't stop. Peeking through the blades of grass, I notice the animals sniffing the air, splitting off in twos or threes.

They're on the hunt again.

I should try and do the same. Rather than act like the prey, I should become the predator.


Serena Pierce, District Ten Female.


The sound of multiple howls echo throughout the grounds and I freeze instantly, jerking my hand out to grip harshly onto Katey's wrist. My whole body suddenly feels so tense, so rigid, and I can't move. When I manage to turn my head around, I can see Katey, her face pale and her eyes wide. Whatever that sound was, it was pretty close, if you ask me. And, whatever it was, well, there isn't just one, but more. I gulp thickly and snap my head in every direction possible, waiting to see if any animals come out of nowhere. My fingers twitch for my sword on impulse and I feel sickened by the fact that my first thought is to now kill. Katey does the same, though, and her knife suddenly appears from her backpack.

The howling continues, coming from all different directions. It feels like we're surrounded. I look to Katey again, hoping for some reassurance. I don't fully trust her, I doubt I ever will, but she's there if I ever need someone. The howling suddenly ceases and, for some reason, it's not as comforting as you would expect.

"M-Maybe they ran the other direction..." Katey whispers, hopefulness in her voice.

"I don't want to find out," I say quickly, edging backwards. "Let's just run."

We spin around and start sprinting in the opposite direction we were running. I know we're heading back to where I killed the girl from District Eleven, but I can't let that distract me. I feel guilty - in fact, it's eating me alive - but dwelling on something that can't be undone isn't going to help me return home. I feel sorry, I feel terribly sorry, but I can't do anything now. It was an act of impulsion and desperation, and I'll have to live with that knowledge for the rest of my life, whether I die here or back in District Ten.

If I let her kill eat me alive, not only will it bring me down, but it won't help Katey. I might not trust her, but she needs my help as much as I need hers, and after everything I've learned, and that's to not leave someone in the dark for too long.

We power through the grass, Katey right behind me, and I can hear her ragged breaths drifting through the air.

But something comes into view, yet my feet are hard to slow down. I pull up to a stop and Katey slams into my back, knocking me down to the ground.

"Sorry!" she pants, her hands roaming my back as I climb up onto my knees, grabbing my sword that flew from my hands. "A-Are you okay?"

I nod hastily, staring at the thing in front of me. "Katey... i-is that a body?"

Katey must look because I can her breath hitching in her throat. "Y-Yeah."

The memories of the girl flash through my mind, making my head spin from how fast I managed to act, piercing my sword through her body. I gulp down the acid that threatens the back of my throat before climbing up onto my feet, eyes locked on the figure in front. Whoever they are, they aren't moving, just slouched up against a tree. I look to Katey, the protests shouting in my mind. I know what Katey is thinking, just by looking in her eyes. I gulp thickly again and nod slowly, following Katey as she walks forward.

It's been a whirlwind.

Firstly, I let two young tributes go, through the fact that I just couldn't kill them. Then, I did make a kill, but not through want but... but from instinct. And now, Katey wants to help someone else and before, I'd be more than willing, and yet, the protests thunder through my mind, telling me that there's no point... ever since that kill, my soul is slowly splitting.

The closer we get, the more and more the tribute, obviously, looks young and feminine. It's a girl and I doubt she's my age or older. Her dark hair is splayed in front of her face, shrouding her facial features and eyes. I don't know if she's moving or not, but Katey's there first, gingerly inching closer and closer. The girl's head rolls back, exposing her face to be that of the girl from District Five, a steady, stained line of red on her forehead, stretching down to her nose. Whoever attacked her, done it hard enough to cause damage.

"Serena, I think she's seriously injured..." Katey mumbles, her posture crouching smaller and smaller as she gets closer to the unnamed girl.

This can be my redemption. But, by the looks of it, it feels like Katey is needing to redeem herself. She kneels down next to the girl and places two fingers to her neck, although it's clear she's still alive. My head and heart are at war, one wanting to think like a tribute and the other wanting to think like a decent human.

Katey's made the decision for us, though, and I'm thankful for that.

"We need to get her some water." I declare, knowing that by doing this, by helping her, I'm fixing myself.


Fawn Asprey, District One Female.


Kit looks in pain. And, I don't mean the small pain, oh no, I mean the sweating-and-the-almost-in-tears-but-never-admitti ng-it. We've been walking forever without stopping, Anubis and Minerva cracking down the whip like they're some higher beings and we're nothing but cattle. I would bite back, but frankly, I don't know whether either is worth my time. I'm just waiting for when this all combusts. I'm terrified of that moment, but I know I'll be safe.

I hate to say it, but I know that Ransom and Kit will do what they can to protect me, and that comforts me a little. If they have want to protect me, I won't stop them, but I won't let them do it alone. If it's a fight between alliances, then I'm in. I wouldn't abandon either of those idiots because they need me and... and I need them.

I keep my eyes locked on him as he slips his eyes shut, still walking, his jawline visibly clenching from the pain. Whatever is happening to Kit, it's really affecting him badly. For someone who I assumed emotionally strong, he seems broken by whatever is causing him so much agony. Ransom, on the other hand, is keeping to himself as of late, the kill obviously bringing more trouble in his mind than he first thought. I feel guilty, I admit that, but I didn't ask for him to kill the boy... he offered. I try to push the thought to the dark corners of my mind, hoping that I don't have to worry about Ransom too.

Not when everything might turn sour at any point.

I glance over my shoulder at Minerva and Anubis behind us, talking casually and strolling along, making us do the work.

I'm surprised they haven't killed Ransom after all the trouble he brought about. Well, actually, no, I'm not surprised. I guarantee that Minerva or Anubis is just waiting for the perfect moment to strike him down when he least expects. I still don't even have a clue as to why he is dropping supplies, but that's his business, not mine. He's playing with fire a lot, and sooner or later, he's going to get burned.

"Kit," I mumble quietly, his head turning to the sound of my voice, but his eyes are only half-open. I don't know how the hell he's managing to keep walking. "Kit are you okay?"

He nods sluggishly and manages a smile, his eyes popping open, suddenly brighter. "I'm great. Just really tired and I think I'm getting a cramp or something."

"Maybe we should ask for a rest," I suggest, knowing that, in reality, my question would be laughed at. Not only that, but Kit's a terrible liar. "I mean, they're both pretty damn evil, but they might say yes."

"They'll say no. But you got them sorted with the first bit; they're both pretty damn evil." he smirks.

"I'll kick their ass," I lie, stepping over a rock. "I mean, they aren't going to say no if we fight them."

"Fight them for a rest?" Kit raises his eyebrow, sarcasm dripping in his voice. "I'm sorry, Fawn, but that doesn't seem worth it either."

"What happened to your fight? Your fire?"

"And what happened to yours?" he hisses back, his expression looking hurt. "I'm sorry Fawn, I really am, but they're dragging us down. I'm like a bird, you know. I need to be able to fly and do my own thing without being held captive. We need to leave them or something."

I glance over my shoulder warily once more, just to check they aren't listening into our conversation. Of course they aren't; they're both too mighty to acknowledge us. "And get out how?"

"You said it yourself; we'll fight them."

And, once again, my lies have brought about more trouble than I anticipated. When I look into Kit's eyes, though, I know he's serious. He's been itching to knock-off Minerva or Anubis for a while now. Each time they speak, I can feel the anger radiating off of him like an aura of heat. He nods curtly, eyes fixed on mine. I always said that, as a team, we'd go in together. I might not have skills, but it doesn't take much to stab someone with a knife; any idiot could do it. I nod in response, my heart sliding down to my stomach slowly. I gulp thickly when as he jerks his head slightly in the direction of Ransom, walking with hunched shoulders just a few inches from us.

"Tell Ransom. We'll need all the help we can get." he whispers, sealing the deal.

The Careers are about to break.

And not everyone will walk away with their life.


Ransom Denvir, District Two Male.


I lean over, the knife cold against the flush of heat on my skin. He's asleep, unconscious, looking so peaceful and unexpected. He doesn't even realise what I'm about to do. The scarf has exposed his neck and gently, I place the knife against one side, pulling it across swiftly, red washing out hastily. The sight makes me feel sick, but at the same time, I'm fascinated by the act that I caused. I can hear talking from behind me, but I can't focus on it. I can only focus on his throat, ripped open by me.

That's the thought that plagues me.

Not so much the act, but after the after-thoughts.

Why did I enjoy it?

That's what makes me sick the most. I'm not an average Career. I'm not even really a Career. I'm Ransom Denvir, a boy forced to train and compete for a mother who breeds for the sole fact that one better not mess up her dreams. I'm not a Career. I don't enjoy fighting or killing or the Hunger Games... and yet, ripping open his throat, it let me with a sense of empowerment. I could do it. I was capable of taking a life. Granted he was unconscious, but I managed to will myself. I done it to protect Fawn - but how stupid was it of me. My mind seems to argue that it wasn't for her, not really, it was just a cover-up in order to take a life for myself. I enjoyed it and there's no denying it. The aftermath is something that makes me feel like I'm stronger than I was before, and I enjoy this newfound sensation.

But do I really?

I can't bear to be around Fawn or Kit now. Every time they look at me, I see disgust in their eyes. It's like they're looking into my soul, searching for the monster deep within, the monster that was but a seed, ready to blossom once the deed was done. Fuck it. I can't justify my actions without either lying or deception.

I took a life and I enjoyed doing it. I enjoyed doing the one thing my mother had trusted upon me to do.

I'm no better than her; I'm no better than Anubis or Minerva.

"Ransom," the voice cuts through the darkness and I snap out of my thoughts, unable to look at Fawn whatsoever. Before, I would have jumped at the chance to check out her body, but now, it only brings me with the realisation that I'm a monster and she's too good for me. Beauty and the Beast, how poetic. "Ransom. Look at me."

I am barely able to make eye contact, but it's enough to keep her quiet. "What Fawn?"

She looks around warily, but I know that Minerva or Anubis are nowhere near us. "We're going to stop soon. And, when they catch up, Kit is going to attack them."

That's something different to what I expected. "He's going to what?"

"Attack them," she says more quietly, our footsteps drowning out the syllables. "We're going to kill them both, Ransom. You, me, and Kit, we're going to take them down before they get us."

"Why would they want to kill us?" I ask the question despite knowing the answer. I feel like smiling sarcastically. "Is it because of me losing supplies?"

She glares a little but shakes her head, the gentle wind brushing her hair. "It's not just you or the fact that you discarded any of the stupid supplies. We've always been the walking targets, but time is running out and buttons are being pressed far too often. Damn it Ransom, you have to help us."

Because I'm the muscle. Kit's athletic but not as strong as he could be. Fawn isn't as skilled as she leads people to believe, so it's left to me, the brawn. I could maybe battle Anubis hand-to-hand, but it's Minerva that's worrying. I know for a fact that she's better than she leads on, too. She's sadistic but can actually back it up; Tarzana was quick to mention that Minerva had a habit of leading people into a false sense of security.

But maybe by helping them kill again, I kill two birds with one stone. I can experience the rush once more by taking out two of the biggest competitors, as well as making amends for my guilty conscience concerning Kit and Fawn. It's a win, win, win situation. I nod slowly and she smiles forcefully.

"Thanks Ransom. You'll know the signal when it happens."

She skips across the gap back to a walking Kit, whose face is scrunched up, like he's thinking about something. I continue to walk but glance over my shoulder at the pair of them behind us, walking casually except, except now, their eyes are planted on me and their mouths are turned up in predatory smiles.

A loud crackle of thunder snaps me back to facing forward, a dark shadowing spreading out across the horizon and speeding towards us. I look up above, the dark clouds rolling in, flashing blue every so often. The animals in the distance begin to scatter from the open plains.

A storm is on the horizon; for both this arena, and our alliance.


Gods And Monsters by Lana Del Rey.


The blog for this story is wildone hunger games . blogspot - all deaths will be notified here!

Nova Watts, District Three.

All deaths will be based on realism, story arcs and whether or not the submitter is reading the story. Obviously, reviews let me know this, and if said submitter chooses to not review, I have no idea if they're reading the story, and therefore, am more inclined to keep other tributes over said submitter's tribute. Each decision is painstakingly hard but must be done. Everyone knew the odds when they created a character. I would hope you stick around, but if not, I understand.

Necklace of Rope, thank you for Nova, I loved her character to pieces but it was her time to go.


I would love for you to answer a specific question I have for each chapter!

Career deaths next chapter. Any ideas or preferences?

And, of course, a general review on my writing? It's invaluable!


As is obvious, our Careers weren't going to last forever. The plan is set in motion and the sides are picked. Next chapter, get ready for it to break and like Fawn said, not all of them will walk away... the amount of deaths, however, is my secret ;)

The storm is my other subplot you can find out now - it's nothing that magnificent, but after some research, I found out that Africa has a heavy season of storms that can be quite... disruptive.

Nova's killer was, indeed, an alligator. Some watering holes that animals like buffalo and wildebeest cross are occupied by alligators, and they pick the weakest ones off. After research again, I learned that they usually just attack the nearest or weakest thing that's close to the waters edge: Nova and Laurel were close to it.

This chapter was notably shorter... POVs have decreased.