THE 28TH HUNGER GAMES

With the huge success of last year's interesting Hunger Games, the Capitol waits with baited breath for the next installment of the entertaining TV show. Everything seems to go to plan, and the atmosphere of the nation begins to shift. The Districts, as usual, begin to worry about their children, while the Capitolites chatter excitedly about what the arena might be. As the third decade of Hunger Games approaches, the show seems to growing in popularity as each year passes.

Meanwhile, in the Districts, Peacekeepers are surprisingly suffering from shortages in their ranks. President Snow notices the losses and decides on a solution. Only a few days before their Reapings, he demands that District Two set about training and sending out Peacekeepers. There are doubts – will they rebel? Start fights? But President Snow is confident in his plan, and nobody can change his mind. District Two don't argue, and soon Peacekeeping Academies (PAs), very much like HGAs, are set up all around the major settlements.

THE LANDSCAPE

The Arena is a flat plain, with a thin forest of oak trees over to the north-east and a lake in the west. The main features of the Arena, however, are the tall stone pillars, arches and deteriorating buildings that are quite clearly Ancient Greek. Some are good shelters, others good hiding places, and some even have small tables and chairs inside. Small, trickling streams run through the dusty marble and rock ruins, but most of them are stagnant and dirty brown in colouring.

THE CORNUCOPIA

The Cornucopia sits on a small rocky platform in front of the tributes. It holds food, water and a variety of weapons, but only range weapons – no melee items such as knives or swords. Instead, bows, slingshots and crossbows are littered around inside.

THE TRIBUTES

- Lillithe Greyscale - District 1 female, 18

- Ericko Gleaves - District 1 male, 17

- Julianna Hooke - District 2 female, 17

- Heradus Titanno - District 2 male, 18

- Bura Tenise - District 3 female, 18

- Bruize Jackons - District 3 male, 15

- Silva Sheele - District 4 female, 17

- Urchin Mannor - District 4 male, 17

- Roberta Jannson - District 5 female, 13

- Doro Grillsby - District 5 male, 16

- Carta Bricker - District 6 female, 18

- Timothe Mustins - District 6 male, 15

- Ivy Linndell - District 7 female, 12

- Oaker Particks - District 7 male, 16

- Marjoria Hullton - District 8 female, 17

- Paisley Jerress - District 8 male, 17

- Scarletta Collsbridge - District 9 female, 13

- Harvess Holting - District 9 male, 17

- Kathi Midrick - District 10 female, 18

- Adam Gundale - District 10 male, 15

- Peony Rakewell - District 11 female, 17

- Thrade Erikson - District 11 male, 16

- Reeda Naver - District 12 female, 13

- Lichen Thende - District 12 male, 18

THE GAMES

As the gong rings out over the eerie, silent landscape, all the tributes pause for a second, taking in their surroundings. This kind of sparse, open arena is similar to last year's design, which could be an advantage to any struggling tributes who can remember information from the previous year. Faced with the barren arena, however, most tributes run towards the Cornucopia, which results in a large Bloodbath with eight kills altogether.

The first unfortunate tribute to die is Adam, who stumbles into Julianna's path as she reaches for a sword. She swiftly stabs an arrow into his back and turns on tiny Ivy, who stands only a few feet away, frozen in shock. The young tribute is killed the same way, as Julianna smirks and runs over to join her allies, who have already grabbed their weapons.

However, it's not only the Careers who are intent on killing as many tributes as possible. Carta from District Six manages to shoot down Reeda as the younger tribute makes a dash for the entrance of the golden horn, using her bow to stick an arrow in the girl's neck. Only a few minutes later, she also kills Doro, who is shot in the stomach with a well-aimed arrow.

The fifth death happens as Bura and Oaker brawl over a backpack, using their fists in an attempt to win the bag. Eventually, Oaker manages to grab a nearby metal water bottle and uses it to knock Bura out, then proceeds to smash her head in violently. He doesn't stop until she is completely still, then he snatches the backpack and runs into the sandy landscape beyond.

Thrade, having stalled on his podium, decides to run away from the Cornucopia and try his chances in the arena without supplies. However, he never quite reaches the outskirts of the Cornucopia clearing, as Lillithe shoots a crossbow dart into the back of his head. Only seconds later, she spins around and sends another dart into the neck of the fast-approaching Harvess, who was waving a slingshot in his hand. He falls to the ground, killed instantly.

The final death of the Bloodbath is caused by Heradus, who manages to get his hands on a crossbow too. Although he seems unsure about using the long-range weapon, he fires a dart and it hits Kathi in the stomach. She falls to the ground, her death much slower than the other Bloodbath victims as the dart's poison circulates through her bloodstream and eventually kills her.

The rest of the day is not as bloody as the initial massacre, though one death occurs - this time, it's by a mutt rather than another tribute. While sheltering inside one of the stone structures that cover the arena, Paisley is attacked by a cloud of tracker-jackers, whom he has disturbed by accidentally stepping on their nest. Screaming in pain and terror, the tall boy runs through the sand until he is eventually overcome and dies from the stings.

24th - Adam Gundale, District 10 male

23rd - Ivy Lindell, District 7 female

22nd - Reeda Naver, District 12 female

21st - Doro Grillsby, District 5 male

20th - Bura Tenise, District 3 female

19th - Thrade Erikson, District 11 male

18th - Harvess Holting, District 9 male

17th - Kathi Midrick, District 10 female

16th - Paisley Jerress, District 8 male

Day 2 dawns with extreme heat sending many of the tributes into hiding. Those who are unlucky enough to be without shelter find themselves aimlessly wandering through the sand, dazed and suffering from heatstroke. However, most of the remaining players have found themselves some kind of protection against the sun, like Peony, who has already made it to the forest in the far north-east of the arena. There, she finds a clean stream and sets up a camp, obviously planning to stay there for a while.

Unsurprisingly, there are two deaths today: the first happens in the late afternoon, when Scarletta is ambushed by the Career tributes. Although her fast running enables her to escape them for a few minutes, they eventually discover her hiding in one of the stone structures. Lillithe shoots her with an arrow while Heradus and Ericko hold her down. Her screams soon attract the attention of nearby survivor Timothe, but he is smart enough to ignore them and move further away.

The other death happens a little later in the day, and this time it's Carta again who makes the kill. She's proving to be a rather dangerous tribute, as she demonstrates when she shoots down Silva from a distance. As the girl slowly bleeds out, Carta steals her few supplies and hurries into a nearby cave to check them.

However, although there are only two dead today, some tributes are in trouble. Marjorie, who only grabbed a pair of throwing knives from the Cornucopia, has no food or water, and Lichen is in a similar situaton. While Marjorie practices throwing her new weapons, though, Lichen merely sits inside his shelter and seems to wallow in self-pity.

15th - Scarletta Collsbridge, District 9 female

14th - Silva Sheele, District 4 female

Day 3 brings light rain (a great contrast to yesterday), which isn't enough to collect for water and merely wets the ground a little. With the number of tributes almost halved, the Games are progressing fairly quickly, but the third day brings no more deaths and the tributes move around a little, exploring the arena and trying to find more supplies.

Early in the morning, Roberta is attacked by tracker-jackers, but fortunately for her it isn't a large nest and she manages to escape. After hallucinating for hours on end, she collapses inside a stone shelter and falls unconscious. Despite the fact that she is still alive, her current state makes her extremely vulnerable.

The Careers, being the most powerful and the only alliance in the Games so far, set about exploring the immediate area and searching for tributes. However, they find nobody in sight, not even any footprints or disturbed sand. Julianna, who has apparently appointed herself as the leader, suggests that they head for the lake in the distance, since they are low on water and some other tributes may be drawn to it also. The others agree, and they reach the shore by late evening.

While the Careers are traveling, however, many of the tributes set up their own camps when the sun begins to set. Peony, who has stayed in the forest so far, seems to be the most comfortable tribute, but nobody knows how long her safety could last.

Day 4 sees Roberta awakening from her short period of unconsciousness, only to find herself unsure of her surroundings, hungry and extremely thirsty. She sees the glimmer of the lake in the distance and, thinking that she can make it there by crawling, she attempts the journey. However, after about half a mile, she dies from lack of water.

The rest of the day is fairly uneventful, the cannon shot alarming some tributes and warning them to stay in their camps and shelters. A few hours after Roberta's death, another alliance is formed - this time, it's between Marjoria and Bruize. Bruize offers to share his food and water with Marjoria if she teaches him how to throw knives, so she lends him one of her weapons and soon a bond is formed. They seem to get along very well, and even share stories about their separate Districts.

Meanwhile, as evening draws in and darkness shrouds the arena, two more tributes die of dehydration. Apparently, finding a clean and reliable water source is going to be an issue in this year's arena, as the numbers are cut down to ten remaining tributes already. The two dead are Urchin and Lichen.

13th - Roberta Jannson, District 5 female

12th - Urchin Mannor, District 4 male

11th - Lichen Thende, District 12 male

To the Capitol's relief, the Games aren't going to end too quickly - Days 5 and 6 pass without deaths. Marjoria and Bruize manage to maintain their upbeat attitudes, still talking casually and seeming a lot less stressed out than some of the other tributes. On the other side of the arena, still by the lake, the Careers are getting restless. On the morning of Day 6, they still haven't had any visitors to the lake, and Heradus starts to complain that they aren't getting enough kills in. Julianna tells them to be patient, but Lillithe says that if they don't get any other tributes before tomorrow, she's going to leave the alliance and try her luck on her own. Nobody attempts to stop her.

By the evening of Day 6, some of the tributes are in hot water. Oaker, dehydrated and hungry, has gone back to the Cornucopia only to find it empty of all food and water. If he doesn't find anything or receive a miracle sponsor gift soon, chances are he won't survive past Day 8. In the forest, Peony is fast running out of food, and has resorted to gathering brambles from nearby bushes. Luckily for her, the plant knowledge she possesses stops her from nearly eating nightlock.

Day 7 arrives and Lillithe flounces out of the Career alliance, stamping away from the lake shore with her bow, some arrows, water and a small food parcel. The others aren't very sad to see her leave, but they know that they are less powerful now. Despite her grating personality, Lillithe was a good asset to the group.

Carta, who has kept quiet since her kill on Day 2, makes a comeback as she ambushes Timothe as he walks along the sand. After a tussle, with Carta attempting to strangle Timothe with the string of her bow, the boy is finally killed, his cannon shot ringing out loud and clear. Carta gives a self-satisfied smile and kicks his body to the side, apparently unaffected by the fact that it was her own District partner that she killed.

Later in the day, Marjoria and Bruize find the first clean stream amongst the ruins - although it's small, they are very grateful for the water after days of slow dehydration. They decide to set up camp there for the evening. However, they aren't the only ones to find water: Carta receives the first sponsor gift of the Games, obviously as a result of her most recent kill.

10th - Timothe Mustins, District 6 male

The eighth day in the arena brings another rain shower, this time a little heavier than the first. Peony ventures out of her camp for the first time in days, starving hungry and desperate to find food of any kind. However, almost as soon as she steps foot outside of the tree-line, she is shot down by an arrow. Lillithe has killed her from a vantage point on top of a nearby stone structure, and seems pleased with herself as she jumps down to raid the body.

Marjoria and Bruize are still talking, but hunger, worry and lack of sleep are making them much more irritable than usual. Bruize finally snaps, telling Marjoria that if she doesn't shut up, he'll kill her before any of the Careers can even get close. Marjoria stares at him in shock before snatching back her throwing knife and inviting him to try it unarmed. He doesn't attempt to harm her, and instead they sit in silence, both apparently fuming with contained anger. It's only a matter of time before one of them really does attack the other.

Oaker, having found no food and no water, eventually succombs to dehydration as he collapses outside the Cornucopia, dead. His cannon makes the Careers even more frustrated, and this time Julianna decides that they will move out and try to hunt down the weakest remaining players before it's too late.

9th - Peony Rakewell, District 11 female

8th - Oaker Particks, District 7 male

The morning of Day 9 sees a dramatic showdown between Lillithe and Carta. Having met near the edge of the forest, they both raise their bows, and the fight seems completely equal. However, Carta holds her fire. As Lillithe shoots first, Carta dodges the arrow and while the Career girl reaches for another, Carta sends a dart straight into her chest, knocking her to the ground. Lillithe dies of blood loss as Carta robs her of the backpack she was wearing and walks away without looking back. Now with the most kills out of any of the tributes (five), she seems to have no remorse.

Marjoria and Bruize finally part ways, both afraid of what happens next. However, Marjoria doesn't notice that Bruize has stolen back the throwing knife she gave him previously, and by the time she notices it is gone, he is too far away for a confrontation. Cursing to herself, Marjoria sets up camp for the night, while her former ally moves closer towards the lake.

7th - Lillithe Greyscale, District 1 female

Day 10 sees the numbers cut down to the Final Four before afternoon arrives. The first death out of two occurs when the Career group is attacked by a swarm of tracker-jackers - coincidentally, the same ones that killed Paisley on Day 2. The vicious mutts end the lives of Ericko and Heradus, leaving only Julianna alive. However, she loses her backpack and is covered in stings, nearly dead herself.

Bruize finds himself at the lake in no time, and is grateful for the clean water. Meanwhile, Carta roams the sandy plains, searching the horizon for any signs of her fellow tributes. However, Majoria is smart - she knows that whoever's left will be searching for her. She's hidden herself in one of the smallest stone ruins, praying that she can out-live the remaining three.

6th - Ericko Gleaves, District 1 male

5th - Heradus Titanno, District 2 male

Day 11 brings the death of Julianna, after hours of hallucinations and crawling around in the sand. The remaining three - Carta, Marjoria and Bruize - all seem eager to survive and get out of the arena alive, so they all try to build what they think is a good defence. Marjoria practices throwing her single knife, perfecting her techniques. Bruize refreshes himself with water and the last of his food. Carta cleans her arrows and mutters to herself, possibly thinking up plans of attack. However, nobody dies that day.

4th - Julianna Hooke, District 2 female

Day 12 comes and the Gamemakers decide to interfere. Around half-way through the day, an announcement comes through the loudspeakers to the tributes: the Cornucopia has been replenished with food, water and all the weapons they can imagine. However, if they don't make it there by evening, the trackers in their arms will explode.

Of course, the three tributes immediately set out for the Cornucopia. Bruize, being the farthest away, has a disadvantage, and as the hours tick by, he appears to be only half the distance to the golden horn. He seems to realise that he won't make it in time, and crouches down on the ground as his tracker beeps once and blows him sky-high.

Arriving at the Cornucopia, Marjoria and Carta hear the explosion and realise that the third tribute won't be joining them today. Grinning, Carta advances, an arrow already drawn on her bow. Marjoria stays exactly where she is, expressionless. Then she raises her knife and throws it.

Carta dodges the blade and Marjoria slowly falls to her knees, realising that it's over. She calls out to Carta, telling her to just shoot her, and the District Six girl obliges happily. With a slight chuckle, she sends an arrow straight into Marjoria's head, naming herself as the Victor of the 28th Annual Hunger Games.

THE VICTOR

Carta Bricker - District 6 female

THE AFTERMATH

District Six was known for both of its Victors being a little strange to say the least, and Carta was no different. Although she posed and smiled very well for the cameras, and said all the right things in her interviews, there was a side of her that only came out in the arena - a murderous, emotionless, cold side of her which had been unleashed as soon as she set foot on the sandy earth. However, she was so good at concealing this part of her personality that people almost forgot that she was responsible for the death of five innocent teenagers. After her Victory Tour and the fame that followed, she remained relatively untouched by alcohol or drugs, which was very uncommon for Victors. Instead, she managed to live until the grand age of 89, and died of heart disease in the Victor's Village of District Six.

FAMILY INTERVIEW

Although Carta's father was unavailable for comment, her mother and uncle are able to say a few words about her Victory. "We always expected her to come home," her mother, Angelini, says confidently. "We never doubted her abilities. She was always a special girl." Her uncle nods in agreement. Carta's younger sister, Ruth, seems to still be in shock over her sister's achievement and shys away from the cameras, refusing to speak at all.

A/N: WOW. I am back, after 4 months away from this site, and it feels so good to be writing again! I am ETERNALLY sorry for the huge wait, I wish I could turn back time and update more often during that long period, but unfortunately I was so caught up in life that it was basically impossible. Hopefully there are still some people sticking with this. If so, what did you think of Carta? There seems to be a bit of a trend with District 6 Victors. Anyway, I might be posting more regularly now, though don't get your hopes up…

Victors List

1st - Ambro Fray – District 10 male – won by killing his last opponent, Lud

2nd - Midas Redfold – District 1 male – won by killing his last opponent, Kall

3rd - Laria Barr, District 2 female – won by killing her last opponent, Kylo

4th - Aqua Jonson, District 4 female – won by killing her last opponent, Timm

5th - Seth Fairpine, District 7 male – won when his opponent, Zayda, was killed by a fallen tree

6th - Hestia Blaine, District 4 female – won by killing her last opponent, Cryssa

7th - Traff Fletcher, District 12 male – won when his opponent drowned

8th - Laxander Brow, District 6 male – won by killing his last opponent, Cayn

9th - Tekka Noreal, District 3 female – won when her last opponent, Kilda, was killed by a caterpillar

10th – Melody Brighte, District 10 female – won by killing her last opponent, Rya

11th – Cindya Graychime, District 9 female – won by killing her last opponent, Uist

12th – Amadeus Shine, District 1 male – won by killing his last opponent, Gregorie

13th – Cleaver Blackbrooke, District 2 male – won by killing his last opponent, Janice

14th – Mett Streeke, District 5 male – won by killing his last opponent, Cob

15th – Apollo Rust, District 6 male – won by killing his last opponent, Hartford

16th – Poppy Brookeway, District 11 female – won by killing her last opponent, Christopher

17th – Morelle Edgecombes, District 1 female – won by killing her last opponent, Aluminum

18th – Griffa Barr, District 2 female – won by killing her last opponent, Harvey

19th – Cally Featherton, District 8 female – won by killing her last opponent, Keld

20th – Cadran Jentille, District 2 male – won by killing his last opponent, Splashe

21st – Fritta Armento, District 12 female – won by killing her last opponent, Carmelita

22nd – Jonn Artokraft, District 2 male – won by killing his last opponent, Coir

23rd – Sparki Wallin, District 3 – won by killing her last opponent, Seaha

24th – Daffodill Prenders, District 11 – won by killing her last opponent, Valkyrie

1st QQ – Fynnar Montane, District 4 – won by killing his last opponent, Lonnie

26th – Twyline Caroll, District 8 – won when her two last opponents, Blayde and Sasha, killed each other

27th – Asher Benchander, District 7 – won by killing his last opponent, Triss

28th - Carta Bricker, District 6 - won by killing her last opponent, Marjoria

List of Districts & Victors

D1 – Midas Redfold (2nd HG), Amadeus Shine (12th HG), Morelle Edgecombes (17th HG)

D2 – Laria Barr (3rd HG), Cleaver Blackbrooke (13th HG), Griffa Barr (18th HG), Cadran Jentille (20th HG), Jonn Artokraft (22nd HG)

D3 – Tekka Noreal (9th HG), Sparki Wallin (23rd HG)

D4 – Aqua Jonson (4th HG), Hestia Blaine (6th HG), Fynnar Montane (1st QQ)

D5 – Mett Streeke (14th HG)

D6 – Laxander Brow (8th HG), Apollo Rust (15th HG), Carta Bricker (28th HG)

D7 – Seth Fairpine (5th HG), Asher Benchander (27th HG)

D8 – Cally Featherton (19th HG), Twyline Caroll (26th HG)

D9 – Cindya Graychime (11th HG)

D10 – Ambro Fray (1st HG), Melody Brighte (10th HG)

D11 – Poppy Brookeway (16th HG), Daffodill Prenders (24th HG)