Then there were three...but only one can emerge alive...who will be victorious...which pawns will lose...who will be the victor...of the 27th chess Game? Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Panem.

This is...the end.

District 7: Casey Ellison - 69 hours into the Games

We all knew it was the end. We could all feel the adrenaline coursing through our bloodstreams, the sweat making its way down our foreheads, the sense of nerves as we waited for the final outcome.

It seemed impossible for anyone to ever go back to normal, seemed impossible for anyone to ever believe that anything was ever completely normal. We had gotten used to fighting for our lives, but that still didn't make it all any easier.

I sat in my tree, watching the world for sign of life, for sign that something was out to kill us.

Storm came over to me and motioned for me to come down from my spot. I was reluctant, but jumped down expertly anyway. I landed on the long grass with a light thud, and turned to face the love of my life. I had accepted that now, that even though it hurt to lose someone you love, it's worth it. I hoped Storm felt the same, because he would have to deal with my death. I was sure he'd be able to move on without me. I knew, then, that I would do anything for him.

I would cross the line, if I had to. If it was him or them, I wouldn't even think. I would cross the line.

"We need to go to the lake to get water. It's not the same here, it's not like we just have to melt snow. We have to have water," he told me, without adding "or we'll die" at the end of his last sentence, but it hung in the air between us. I nodded, because the Gamemakers had raised the temperature in the last few hours, and now I was boiling under the sweltering heat.

I wiped my brow and looked at my ally. Without warning he pulled me into a hug, and I had a heart- wrenching feeling that it would be our last, but I couldn't think like that. Now was a time to go for the prize.

I pulled away hesitantly, because I wanted nothing more than to keep him locked in my arms and away from any harm that these Games might bring. I wanted nothing more than to know that he was safe forever, forever away from the danger that threatened to kill us both.

We set off in search of the lake, and I knew roughly where it was. Unfortunately, it was in the clearing and in plain sight for Selena to see us. I just had to think about how we made our way around without her hopefully seeing us. But again, I had a feeling that the Gamemaker's wouldn't let us off that easily.

I saw a flicker of movement of the other side of the trees, and the lake was now in front, and between us and the thing moving on the other side. I crept up to the edge of the forest, surveying whether or not it was a trick of the light, or something more sinister.

Then, another earthquake shuddered through the ground, tripping Storm and I over. It continued to ripple through us, and I thought that the arena was flipping again, but instead, I found myself kneeling near the lake. It had been a Gamemaker trick to bring us, and Selena, together for the final battle, the fight to end all fights.

Now, it was drawing closer, and the odds continued to sway like the leaves in a breeze. No one was safe.

I saw her, her dark hair flying around her head like a vague halo, her eyes narrowed as she watched us. She took out an arrow, and aimed at the same time I took a knife from my belt and through it towards her.

It sliced through the arrow, and continued to travel towards her. Selena ducked, and the knife stuck into the bark of the tree behind her, directly behind her head.

I cursed under my breath, and started forwards.

Storm walked beside me, one hand on my shoulder, the other gripping his sword. I saw a flash of something coming towards us, but I didn't have a knife to throw. The thing was, in training, Selena never missed a shot.

District 4: Storm Marlinfield - 70 hours

I saw something heading towards me, but before I could react, a figure jumped in front of me. Casey pushed me harshly out of the way, and her blow sent me hurtling through the air to land back on the grassy ground. I didn't even have time to cry out as her body fell.

My mind couldn't understand what was happening.

Why wasn't Casey getting up? Where did Selena's arrow go? Why was I still alive?

I began to piece together the puzzle, and didn't like the end result. No, because I could only think of one explanation. Casey had sacrificed herself for me.

I ran towards her body, and choked as I saw the blood draining from her, like the life was being taken from my girlfriend. I held her head in my blood soaked hands, and rocked back and forth as tears cascaded down my weeping face.

"Why did you do that, Case?" I asked her through the tears, my throat thick from crying. I kept rocking her, trying to stop the pain in any way I could. Blood was wet on her golden halo of hair, and her chocolate brown eyes were wide with pain she was trying to hide.

"You have people to go home to. You have to go home, have to live," she whispered, as though she lacked the energy to speak any louder.

She was struggling to keep the eyes I loved so much open, struggling to stay alive for these last precious moments.

"I love you," I whispered to her, and the ghost of a smile traced across her pale face.

Her grip on my hand faltered, and it fell limply at her side. Her lips were a cool, pale blue like she was something that had returned from death, or was only just going there. I watched as she blinked ever so slowly, her long eyelashes brushing gently across her angelic face.

Her lips were slightly parted, as if she was about to murmur something. I leant in closer to hear her last words.

"I love you too, Storm. And I don't regret it," she whispered back, and carefully I pressed my lips to hers. They lingered there for a moment, before I pulled away. Her chocolate eyes I had loved so much stared blankly up at me, reflective and glassy as she saw what I couldn't see.

My father always said that tears dried on their own, and that time heals wounds. But what did he know? He had never felt the searing pain in my chest that I had right now or the sense of lose and my heart breaking and shattering into a million pieces. He had never seen the person he loved fall before his eyes, and give their life for no reason other than to keep him alive.

This was different.

"Casey," I whispered ever so softly into her ear, almost urging her to do the impossible and come back to me. But her body remained lifeless, as I felt something in my heart, as though the arrow had pierced my chest. But it hadn't; and she had paid the price.

District 12: Selena Yodis - 71 hours

The flashing images appeared in my head, memories I had never wanted to relive.

The feeling of blood on my fingertips, the sensation of denial as his body fell. The need to hold him tightly and tell him that everything would be okay. That we both would be okay, but he was always the strong one, not me. The want to take away his pain and suck it all up, bear it on my shoulders instead. The ache I felt in my breaking heart when his cannon sounded.

I saw all of that in Storm's face, and I couldn't look away. The memories continued to haunt my mind, as my eyes continued to stare at the tributes before me, his head in his hands.

It was strange, I thought. There were never that many suicides in the Games.

I raised the arrow, thin and slender in my bloody and broken hands. It was light, but I felt as though I carried the weight of the world in my fingers. Eko's face flashed in my mind, and I knew he would understand. He would understand my need to plunge my own arrow into my own heart.

"I'm sorry," I said, and Storm turned towards me.

His eyes were blotchy and red, and tear tracks ran down his cheeks, never stopping. His hands trembled as a hovercraft appeared over Casey's limp body, preparing to take her away from those she loved forever, like the Capitol had done to me.

I couldn't look at it, because I had already decided that one would be coming to me. It only made me surer that I was doing the right thing, for all of us.

I didn't make a noise as I felt the sharp tip of my own weapon graze my chest. I only pushed harder, willing it to dig deeper and touch my fragile and darkened heart. With my other hand I tore of the pendant necklace that was my token. It meant nothing to me now, knowing that I would never have my wedding day.

All hope, for me, was lost.

But Storm would go home, see his family, and still feel the familiar twang in his heart when he saw someone with brown eyes or curly golden hair or a wide and beautiful smile. He would be haunted, just like I was. I dug the arrow head into my bleeding and broken heart that was damaged beyond any physical repair.

"Life goes on," I whispered again, because I knew those words, like many others, were a dreadful lie. I screamed as I pushed the arrow into my waiting heart.

They push you to the limit. They give that one final push over the edge. Then they watch you fall.

The Capitol: Amelia Airhate - 72 hours

Silence.

That's what came from the flat screened television in my front room, from my mother sitting beside me with her nail file in hand, from my best friend on my other side who always had an opinion about something. Just, silence.

Nothing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm honoured to present to you, the victor of the 27th annual Hunger Games; Storm Marlinfield of District 4!" Claudius Templesmith's overly cheery voice rang out from the speakers.

I was frozen in my seat, watching the poor tribute look around in shook, his eyes wide as a cannon sounded to announce the death of the only obstacle in his way. His blue eyes continued to brim with endless tears of sorrow, not joy.

"No! Let me die! Let me die!" He cried, watching the hovercraft appear at his feet, the gigantic claw braced to pick him up like it had for the dead bodies before him. He struggled and fought against it, fighting to remain in the arena that killed 23 other people. And still he tried to stay there, locked in his prison. I would never understand it.

Then he fell limp, and let the claw wrap around his thin body, and slowly lift him up and away.

The silence was never broken; no words were ever spoken in those final moments when the hovercraft took away the victor.

A small smile crept across my face as Marylin stared at me, tearing her eyes away from the screen for the first time in hours. I clapped my hands in glee, and started to jump up and down in triumph as my friend sat and watched me.

"I won! My tribute won!" I shouted at her loudly.

I continued to dance, and Mary nodded her head in comprehension of my strange ways. I waved my hands above my head as cheers also erupted from the box in front of us.

"Stump damsim, oor gimim ma a heabake. Bub welm dom amyways," my mother scolded me, waving her hands in the air also, but to illustrate a different point. I shook my head at her and her Botox, and shimmied my hips over to Marylin, whose blank face was like a mask.

"I always knew he would win, I knew it!" I cried jubilantly, smiling at both of them. My mother returned my grin with a grimace that I thought was supposed to be a smile, and without hesitation, Mary jumped up beside me and hugged me.

"Well done! Maybe next year for me right?" She asked, her wide smile and her narrowed eyes focused on me. I knew it was hard for her, because she always held a competitive streak and a hard edge, and she hated it when she lost.

"Sure!" I replied, and we burst into a fit of hysterical giggles.

Who said the Games weren't fun?

Now, we just had to wait until next year for the excitement to reach its peak again. I loved waiting for it, but Marylin was always more impatient. Either way, we knew it would be brilliant to watch.

"I say, let the Games begin!" I called out, and a firework bounced past our window, lighting up the sky. Happy Hunger Games.

We've named our victor...and soon, the 28th Hunger Games will be among us. What twist will appear along the way? What death, drama and destruction will meet next year's tributes?

Another moment of silence for those who were so close, and yet so far... Casey Ellison and Selena Yodis: two girls with enough fire to light a volcano. And a moment of cheers for our worthy victor, Storm Marlinfield! Not that we've seen the last of him... Stay tuned, his victory tour and interview will be coming shortly!

I hope you loved this chapter as much as I did! Thank you for all the support and reviews, you guys have really kept me going, I could never do it without you or your amazing tributes. Thank you so much!

*~Joy~*