PRESIDENT SNOW
"And remind me, why is it day seven, in two minutes day eight, and only sixteen of them are dead?" I speak slowly, knowing full well why, but it's nice to see dear Seneca squirm.
"We're trying to drag it out. Make it more interesting."
"Well, you only have a few more days to make sure they're down to the final eight. I'd say, two."
"Don't worry, sir." Seneca took a compulsory glance up at my screen that was playing the main hunger games channel. "I dare say, we've already had a lot of drama this year, what, with the hick boy being driven into the arrows of the district 7 underdog, or the early career split?"
"Why do you think we continued the games, Seneca?" I blurt, and gently place my hands back on the table.
"Um, because we want to continue the punishment of the districts and make those like Katniss Everdeen suffer, as they are mentors?"
"It's because we've trained ourselves. We've trained the capitol! Who could ever think of rebelling, or even leaving, when we provide him this great entertainment every year? We're a violence-based society now. We need this."
It's clear my faux-intensity has scared the head gamemaker, as his eyes are wide now.
"Don't worry, sir. I'll make sure it's an interesting games."
"How have each of them died? I hope not too many from natural causes."
"I believe, fourteen of them have died from battle, but don't quote me."
"Get the real statistics. And please, son" I use the word with relish. "Let one or two of them die today."
"Will do, sir, will do."
Excellent.
PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE (MTNGWN)
It was odd, yesterday, there were no other deaths except for Chayene's. Maybe that'll tide the capitol over for today too, because there's no way in hell that I want to deal with any natural disasters or the like today.
Of course, after finding Chayene dead in the fire pit, we threw out every last bit of the fish (a shame, if you ask me). The hovercraft came, we left, and then it was the end of it. Except for that moment the night before, I hadn't felt a real connection with Chayene, she was really only a burden. Now, we're on the move, which is excellent. There's so much to discover. Like, ten minutes ago, Ashton and I came across a great section of these berry bushes. I was positive they were some of the ones we learned about in the training center.
They almost replace the fish, I guess, combined with the nuts we have in stock and some of our beef strips. Still, pretty soon, we'll need more supplies.
Out of the blue, Ashton replicates my thoughts.
"Should we go scope out the cornucopia?"
"Yeah, if they still have their supplies there."
And they do. In an hour, we're standing on the nearest island to the cornucopia, watching two lone figures mindlessly wander around the circumference of the island.
SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE (Lighty 7)
"Where are they?" I must have posed this question several times today, but each time, Dylan has managed to avoid it by giving vague answers.
"Hunting."
"I don't know, they'll be back soon."
"Why, am I not enough?"
This time, he stops me, and kisses me. It's a peck, really, but it still infuriates me. I could be out there, helping. But instead, I'm walking in circles. Circles. With a boy who obviously feels the same way I do, tethered to someone useless. But I'm not useless, I can do this.
I can't just sit here and wait.
GENEVIEVE, HEAD GAMEMAKERS ASSISTANT
With some kind of sick glee, the gamemaker (Olivan, is it?) counts down to the careers meeting the kid in the forest. The three careers have seen the small boy already, obviously, but the boy is oblivious. I know I shouldn't, but my heart pangs anyway for the pain to come for this district 5 boy.
The guy in charge of the sound suddenly ramps it up, and we're hearing every word spoken.
"And..." Glory, the girl from district one is saying. "We've got you."
Khan, the boy, scrambles back from the soft pine tree he was cutting into. But he's only backed into Jared. The boy bares his teeth maliciously.
"We can do this the hard way, or the easy way." Jared says slowly. "But I like doing it the hard way, so that's how it'll be."
I try and advert my eyes for the horror that comes, but sometimes I can't help but peek.
Jared's got the boy by the throat, slowly opening gashes down his arms and legs. This kind of torture is common in the eyes of the careers, but I never expected this calm collected boy to turn into such a monster.
Finally, even before dealing a final blow, the canon fires, I guess from severe blood-loss.
I really hope this doesn't happen to another tribute.
ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE (charliesunshine)
When the canon fires, it shakes the very tree I'm in. Figuratively, of course. It just shakes my mindset a little.
After seeing Chayene in the sky yesterday, and hearing that, I'm guessing the careers are on the move again. It's weird how they only got one of the district 7/8 (now just 7, I guess) alliance, but I brush it off, assuming that Ashton and Piper must have been too fast.
Actually, if the time came to it, I wouldn't mind joining their alliance. But maybe the time has come and gone. It's the final ten, no wait, nine, and five that remain are careers. Or four, if the unlikely death of one just occurred.
So five careers. Two randoms, me and that district 3 kid. And another two-person alliance. Someone needs to take a few careers out of the picture, if any of us are going to win. Will I have to? Where would I even go?
I like it on my island. It's safe.
For the time-being.
Final nine! Final nine! Final nine!
Chant with me!
Final nine! Final nine! Final nine!
KHAN AUGUSTINE
So, Khan, I liked you a lot. I felt like you had the potential, certainly to shake things up, but I always felt that you would go out without a bang, unlike what your submission stated. You were a nice little emo kid (no offense to real emotional kids), and I'm sure you will be sorely missed. By us. Not the tributes of course.
17. Khan Augustine; Jared Pierce; blood loss from wounds.
Q: Have I made a monster out of Jared Pierce? I hope so. It works with the little plot I have.
Soon the *s*a*ds w**l re*u*e **wn *o t*ree.
I feel like this story will narrow down soon. I'm getting a bit sick of it, as I've dug myself into a hole with these confusing islands.
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