A/N: I am so sorry that I haven't been able to update recently, but I have had a ton of work. On top of that a sudden burst of writers block has made this chapter astoundingly hard to write, meaning that I'll probably be splitting in to two chapters and putting them one after another, sorry.

Anyway, this chapter is yet another Dead Tributes Society. Look back and remember folks, it doesn't get any easier to write from here in out! Sorry...

All new, all dead

The Dead Tributes Society:

The Return

"Well well well, we have our final eight! And who could ask for a better one eh? Each a wonderful tribute in their own way, good luck to them all! But what about the others? The one's who never made it back home? Who succumbed to cold and traps and tributes on the third day, never to rise again. How are their families, friends, pets? It's time to find out, as we take a visit home..."

EMERY LOX (Age 15):

District Six is out. District Six is out. District Six is out.

James doesn't know why but, for some reason, this is the only thought that passes through his head as he drags himself home through the streets of District Six, cheeks wet and dirty. It had only taken two days and, just like that, all hope had been wiped out for the half crippled Phillip Sutton and his acrobatic girlfriend. They're never coming back.

And District Six is out.

Why did he keep thinking that? It's not the important thing. There aren't any real prizes for winning the Games that outweigh the negatives of being in a fight for the death. The fact is that two children, both of whom he'd known, are dead, buried, and gone to wherever it was that dead kids went, if anywhere. Maybe that is why he can't think about the death, just the fact the District didn't win. It gives him something to cling to. Something that doesn't involve the death of his sister. Maybe that's why, yesterday, he'd been able to grieve Phillip but, today? He didn't feel like he could grieve anything anymore, especially not his sister.

The door swings open even as he reaches it, revealing the tangled brown hair and sad green eyes of his sister, Chantrea. She smiles at him as he tumbles to the floor, helping him up with a slender hand. Her eyes dart to a loose thread on his jacket and, in an instance, the thread is gone, held in between both hands by Chantrea. She holds it up, nods and inspects it, before placing it in her pocket with about a hundred similar threads. James tries to smile wearily, but instead his face sort of wrinkles and sags. Chantrea had never quite been right in the head and, right now, he didn't have time to deal with her oddness. He pushes past her, beginning to walk down the hall.

"Everyone seems sad." Chantrea mutters, eyes fixed on the ground, "I can't work out why. I think it's best to leave them alone." The boy ignores her, trying to block out her voice until his head clears.

James sighs, his eyes prickling as he makes his way through the eerily silent house, trying to ignore the muffled sobs coming from the other room. His mom and dad had offered to let Phillip's parents stay until they could cope with the loss, and now, all of a sudden, it's his mom, not Phillip's, who needs help coping. He peeks in through the door as he passes, seeing what he'd already guessed would be there. His mother, redheaded and beautiful, her face screwed up in a look of pure sorrow, weeping heavily against the table. Alice Sutton, her pale, tear streaked face wreathed by dark hair, trying to comfort her with hollow words, knowing from the previous day's experience that nothing could help like crying out the grief. Tim Sutton, a frown on his painted white face, his hair dyed a dark blue, still wearing his gaudy clown garbs. It didn't look right, especially on a man as clever as Tim Sutton, a doctor by trade. James is used to that though, used to Tim's performance coming every other day, regular as clockwork. No, it isn't that. It's how sad he looks. A frown like that just doesn't look right on the man. Last, but by no means least, James' eyes fall on his own father, eyes dark and dreadful, filled with fury masking his sadness, all of it aimed directly at the Capitol. If he could get up from his wheelchair, stand and walk, James is under no doubt that his father would rise to his feet and storm the Capitol right now, demanding vengeance. James would have liked to see that. It would be nice, getting revenge for what happened to Emery. Sounds of cheers and whoops come drifting down from outside and James covers his ears, heading away from the circus that fills the streets. He almost stomps out of the house at that instance, shouting for them to stop. Reminding them that something, something horrific, has just happened, but he doesn't. He doesn't know why, again. There's a lot of things he doesn't know. Maybe it's because he knows that, deep down inside, his family isn't the only one to have suffered tragedy. Two children die every year on average meaning that, over the years, over one hundred innocent District Six teens had been sent to their death. Almost everyone out their knows at least one person who's been sent away to die, some are even related to them, like him. They need to be able to laugh again. They need to be able to forget what happened to their friends, their families. Just like what he's trying to do.

He frowns, trying to push those thoughts out of his head as he stomps into the yard, coming across Jericho Sutton, Phillip's brother, and, curiously enough. Chantrea. She must have beaten him here.

"Hey." He mutters to them, raising his hand and forcing an unconvincing smile onto his face. Jericho says nothing, instead looking away from James. The other boy hadn't said anything since Phillip entered the Games and, from what James can tell about him, it's unlikely he will speak in the foreseeable future. Chantrea nods and gives a small curtsy and James walks up to his sister, taking her by the hand and looking out over the colouful streets of their home. The girl smiles slightly and, for the first time in hours his head clears, and that one thought that has been plaguing him vanishes into thin air.

"Emery's dead." He says, tears running down his cheeks. He hopes she understands what he's talking about, and that death isn't another of those words that she never learnt.

"I know." She mutters, squeezing his hand tightly and swinging it backwards and forwards a little, "But Emery was mad. Isn't it better that she dies there, and doesn't come back to the Districts where her madness can hurt everyone?" James thinks of it for a second. It doesn't make any sense but, for some reason, it releases something inside him. He falls to his knees and, for the first time since Emery dies, cries bitterly.

Chantrea just stands there, holding onto his hand, confused, listening to the wails of her brother as they trail off into the dark.

SCRATCH STANDARDS (17):

Allina Wheats had never known Scratch Standards.

OK, well that was a lie. She'd known him in kindergarten, twelve years ago. Back before everyone was worried about the Games. She'd liked Scratch, he was one of the older boys who always came down to the playground to play. He wasn't too poor to be trusting or too rich to be arrogant and even if he was, it wouldn't have mattered to her. He'd been one of the best friends she'd ever had and, besides, she'd always sort of thought he was cute. He'd been a nice guy, and she was sad when he'd left to work the year she moved into the first grade. She'd seen him a few times, harvesting grain in the fields and, once or twice, hidden away in the forests just outside the town, honing his skills with a large, cobbled together spear. He seemed nice enough, a hard worker and unbelievably kind to everyone around him but, the last time he saw her, she was certain he hadn't recognised her. And those last few days of his life when he'd been on the Television starting with ... He hadn't been the same guy. It was like watching some boy she didn't know.

So, actually, she didn't know Scratch Standards. But she knew his sister and his brother. She tutored both of them and she knew that this what hit them hard.

And, like always, she was the only person who could possibly cheer them up. So that was probably why she was standing here now, on their doorstep, a pack filled with money in one hand and her arm wrapped around Kio's, as though they were just another teenage couple who had come to give their condolences.

The door of the house creaks slowly open almost as soon as her hand brushes the door, revealing the hallow face and crooked back of Cleveland Standards, father of the deceased. Allina's grin falters slightly as she is struck by how much Cleveland looks like his son, save for the bent back, a few wrinkles and a rather pained expression carved across his face. He looks down at the bag that Allina holds at her side, sighs and then looks up at her again.

"Thank you," He mutters, and Allina's grin widens as she holds the bag out. He bats her hand away, "But we don't need charity." He pushes the door closed, Kio sticks his foot in the way and begins to push it back open. Clevand groans and, with surprising strength, bats away Kio's foot with his own, closing the door and locking it securely. Kio curses, whatever he says muffled by the gum in his mouth, and Allina shushes him, standing and staring, confused, at the door.

They stand there for several minutes, staring at the door with vacant expressions on their faces. Several long, rather boring minutes. Finally, Allina speaks.

"I don't get it." She mutters, "They just lost Scratch. Why won't they let me help them?" Kio shrugs, his face as dark and moody as ever, but his voice slightly softer than Allina is used to.

"I told you didn't I? Some folks just don't think they need it, Allina. Standards probably thinks he can take care of his little flock just fine." Allina gawps at him. How Cleveland could possibly be under any delusions that he can care for his family without Scratch? As strong as he is, there is absolutely no way that Cleveland will ever be able to return to the fields with his back the way it is.

"Your kidding, right?" She shouts and Kio smirks slightly.

"No. I'm sure he can survive just fine the way he is. He could work in a shop or something, or his kids could go and work on the fields. Either way they don't want your money."

"But they're poor!"

"So's everyone." Kio barks before marching away through the fields that surround the house, muttering that he shouldn't have come. Allina watches him go for a second, before hurrying after him, wading through crops and weeds alike until she is right behind him.

"But why can't we help them?" She shouts after him. Kio rounds on her, his face as cold and uninviting as always.

"You tried this last year!" He growls, "When those kids died you went and tried to give their families money. Did they take it?"

"No." Allina mutters, looking down at the ground.

"Yeah. So shouldn't that clue you in. We lose two kids every year, regular as clockwork. Mad old Delfont doesn't even train them properly, just leaves them to die! It was Gaia and Claude last year, this year it's Scratch and some chick called Lenox! Next year? Who knows, could be you and me for all anyone cares, and no ones gonna help our families, you know why?"

"'Cos they're mean?"

"No! 'Cos they know better!" Kio roars, turning away, his voice softens and he addresses Allina again "We don't know when we're gonna go Ali, and constantly trying to give people money is just gonna make them feel like they're using you or you think they can't cope or something..." He shrugs, smiling slightly and leading her out of the fields and into a narrow street. "I guess it sounds pretty stupid, but people gotta learn for themselves Ali. One day you'll learn that... I think." Ali grins at him and giggles, wrapping her arm around his and marching off down the street. Maybe everyone's right, maybe she really should stop doing this and just let the grievers grieve without trying to make things better

But she didn't think she was going to be doing that any time soon!

VERAIN LONGCAST (age 16):

"Well," Enoch Longcast grumbles as he leans back in a plush chair in the tributes tower, sippin on a refreshing martini and staring across the room at what should have been a grotesque sight of his little sister hanging on the wall (it wasn't, Enoch knows for a fact that the 'corpse' is just a very realistic fake), "Looks like another body to add to the pile."

"Enoch!" Kai Keoloha gasps, indignant, as she knocks him over the head with her heel. Enoch groans and rolls his eyes. Girls. "What the hell? That's your sister!"

"So," Enoch mutters, actually scaring himself slightly at how casually he is taking this whole 'little sister is dead' thing. "I've had three siblings, five friends and a buddy's son die in these goddamn Games, all of 'em volunteered. All of 'em knew what they were getting into. All of 'em had been bragging about it for years before going! They weren't pathetic little weaklings like the kids in your District, got that! So excuse me if I don't get all watery eyed about another dear sister dying in the Games." He barks over a waiter. "Eh, boy! How about another martini..." He looks over at Kai, "Oh and something for my date. Fruity OK, with one a those little lemon slices on the edge." Kai glowers at him and he smiles apologetically, before taking another shoe to the head.

"You're a dick you know that?" Kai growls, and Enoch mutters something not all together pleasant. Why had he agreed to be her date to this retarded party? Sure she was sort of attractive, but they were just too different to really fit together. It's all gonna end in tears if something doesn't get better soon. "How can you not feel sad about your own sister's death? I know I'd feel horrible if anything happened Aukai or Aukake!" 'Oh god,' Enoch thinks, 'she's blathering on about her little brothers again. Quick, man, change the subject back!'

"Dunno. I always thought I'd feel sad or something," Enoch begins, wondering if he's just subconsciously trying to sound tough, or whether he actually means what he's saying, "But, now I've got here, it's really just another death."

"That's terrible!" Kai gasps, and Enoch frowns, shaking his head.

"That ain't terrible," He whispers, "I'll tell ya what's terrible. Going in. No matter how prepared you thing you are you're never ready for them Games."

"Tell me about it..." Kai mutters, looking slightly agitated by this new choice of topic.

"Went in, confident as anything, killed fourteen guys in the first day, I think, including half the Careers. Sponsors liked that, rest of tha' Career's didn't, came at me in the night. Butchered the rest. Killed seventeen kids in one day. Claudius said it was a new record. Said I should be proud. I wasn't. I'd spent four days in a ditch, not eating, hunting kids down across a rain clogged marsh..."

"Hey..." Kai mumbles, clearly distracted, "This sofa's nice. Don't you think?" Enoch, however, is in no mood to be distracted, and continues to rant and rave.

"And then on the fourth day I found these kids," Enoch growls, "Twelve, both a them. Boy with brown hair an' all pale like, girl blond, tiny thing. Had fled the Bloodbath while I was butcherin' everyone an' stuck together for warmth in some small ditch. Never crossed my path till the final eight, must a hid all that time. Not eatin'..." He pauses and sighs "They knew me, tried to run. They remembered me, should 'ave. I'd announced who I was loud enough on the first day. Heh." Kai shuffles nervously in her seat, rubbing the back of her head.

"I-I'm really not comfortable here, 'Noch. Think we could change the conversation."

"They remembered me alright," Enoch growls, ignoring Kai. The girl clenches her fists and grinds her teeth, eyes darkening, "Didn't remember 'em. Boy's leg was in a bad way. I probably did that. Girl wasn't quite awake, hair messy, one eye didn't work. I'm pretty sure I did that too. Didn't get far. Girl was dead before she could move, snapped her neck. Still remember the squeal."

"Stop." Kai mumbles, before repeating herself, more forcefully this time. Enoch doesn't listen though, he is inflamed, engulfed.

He is so engulfed by his speech, in fact, that he doesn't even notice the drink that is bought for him, even when the waiter leaves and Kai has downed her own.

"Boy tried to crawl away, let him, he couldn't get far. Hunted down the other five losers and then came back to finish him off. Kid had barely moved. Could barely breath either, wheezing or somethin'. Asthma? Is that what it's called. Dunno. Left him there, let him die. Saved me a job. One of the kids I killed had some food and there was no way I was missing out on a meal for some poor, dying sunava..."

"I said SHUT UP!" Kai shrieks, standing to her feet, "JUST SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE BLEEDING GAMES! CAN'T YOU TELL THAT IT'S BOTHERING ME?"

"No." Enoch growls, unusually calmly for him, "I can't. Don't you see, we've lost our emotions, whole bleedin' world has an' I got proof."

"Oh yeah?" Kai spits.

"Yeah. You know what they're doin' to those kids, huh? The ones in at the moment..."

"It's sick." Kai roars, "Every kid in the District's knows that!"

"Yeah an' I don't care!" Enoch roars back, "It don't matter to me, my sis is already dead an' I don't care! I don't care about nothing anymore! No Victor does! That's the point of the Games!"

"Well I care." Kai says, her voice low and dark, "I care about my family and my friends and my tributes. I cared about them and I wanted them to win, but they didn't. They went home in little wooden boxes."

"You don't care," Enoch smirks, "You killed kids same as me. You just think you care!"

"Shut up!" Kai roars, slamming her elbow into his face and knocking the huge boy backwards, "Shut up and get out of my way!"

"Or what?"

"OR I'LL TEAR YOUR UGLY MISSHAPEN HEAD OFF!" Kai threatens, before pushing Enoch out the way and storming out, making sure to throw his own drink at him as she leaves, glass and all. Enoch sighs, rubbing the glass off of his jacket, and shakes his head.

She's being stupid. There is no way in hell a tribute can care. Caring gets you killed. Caring gets you and your whole family killed, beaten to death by some chick from one or stabbed through the chest by a jerk from five or strangled by that ape from Eleven. His family had cared too much. Cared about winning.

And they'd died.

He'd given up, and he hadn't.

But, then again, that was exactly why he had shown an interest in Kai. She made the night more interesting. Sure she hadn't been sympathetic and at the end of the night he's left, lying in the middle of the floor covered in drink and glass, with groups of party guests glaring at him or laughing quietly, but she'd been someone to talk at. He is probably gonna need stitches now too, but it's an occupational hazard that he's used to, and it is hardly Kai's fault that she didn't like to talk about the Games, as much as he has tried to pretend it is. Sure she's doomed to die, broken and betrayed by the people who worship her, for whom she's just another perform to be abused and destroyed, just like they did to him but at least she's still fighting. Fighting for her life every day, just like he is.

And it keeps him going, knowing that he's not alone. Knowing that the other Victor's understand that the dead are lucky ones, that they only have to put up with the battle for a few days, not a whole life time. The dead don't know how good they've got it.

They should be pitying him, not the other way around!

'ATTENTION: SPONSORSHIP IS NOW CLOSED, THERE'S NOTHING MORE YOU CAN DO TO HELP AND, SOON, YOU WILL SEE WHY!'

The Dead:

24: Alew Ferove (D8)- Killed by Demis, skull shattered

23: Quentin Rapido (D5)- Killed by Zus, shot

22: Essence Craymaker (D1)- Killed by Alylla, beheaded

21: Arixo Varsity (D12)- Tortured and Killed by Irre, stabbed

20: April Conolly (D10)- Killed by Mutts, eaten

19: Hype Tarick (D12)- Killed by Mutts, crushed

District 12 OUT :(

18: Phillip Sutton (D6)- Killed by Jules, stabbed

17: Jules Radcliffe (D4)- Killed by Phillip, poisoned

16: Teagan Cooper (D5)- Tortured by Verain, Killed by Mutts, shot

District 5 OUT :(

15: Demis (D2)- Killed by Alylla, stabbed

14: Emery Lox (D6)- Killed by boiling water

District 6 OUT :(

13: Scratch Standards (D11)- Tortured and Killed by Verain, stabbed

12: Verain Longcast (D2)- Killed by Scratch, strangled

District 2 OUT :(

11: Alylla Stone (D9)- Killed by Zus, skull smashed

10: Jakob Hart (D3)- Killed by Kate, poisoned

9: Ash Vernon (D7)- Killed by Lenox, burnt

Left: 8 tributes

The Tributes:

Irre Massenhaft (Kills 1): Kama, dagger, cool eye patch

Kate Ryal (Kills 1): Small knife, bow, 9 arrows, thick coat and boots

Blake Kaitz (Kills 0): Small pack (food eaten), sword, dagger

Kayton Roys (Kills 0): Small ax, large food basket (food for 2 more meals), large axe, capitol tent

Georia Hanel (Kills 0): Large pack (food eaten), slingshot, Weird Box

Zus Ryaov (Kills 2): Longbow and 6 arrows, lamp, thick coat and boots

Trent Flee (Kills 0): Dino Mutt pelt, meat cleaver

Lenox Carter (Kills 1): 5 fever pills, makeshift poncho, rope, sword

RESERVE: Bow and 10 arrows (kuhse) Banquet (Narcissa Weasley) Small basket of food (akatrixie) Capitol medicine (cut sealant), slingshot (Arcticmist)

Next Week: The Gladiators.