All Fall Down

Know that we all fall down;
Love till you hate;
Strong till you break;
Know that we all fall down.

Day Fourteen, Part One

Taylor Cross, District Twelve Female

"Tributes, the Capitol congratulates you on making it this far. To serve as a reward for your courage we are holding a feast at the Cornucopia three hours from now. Each of you will benefit from what we have to offer, do not turn this down so easily, such a feast could mean the difference between life and death. We hope to see you there."

I bolt upwards and stare wide-eyed at the sky, the trumpets receding as the voice drifts away. Rhoena laughs, shakes her head and crawls over to me.

"A difference between life and death... really?" she raises an eyebrow and I can't help but smile. We both know what this means. The end of the Games is today, and whether or not we go to this feast death awaits... oh...

Rhoena stares at me as my entire happiness deflates. My heart sinks and I feel tears pepper my eyelashes.

"Rhoena..."

Her smile goes lopsided until realisation strikes and her mouth forms a silent 'o'. This is it, the day our alliance ends. The day we either both die, or one of us makes it out of here alive. It's a day I've been dreading ever since I met Rhoena, even when my actual ally was alive. Little Rhoena, so broken but so strong now that we've made it here together. She doesn't deserve to die and the fact I've made it so far has instilled a sense of hope inside of me that... maybe I can win.

But that means the girl sitting across from me, with those brown doe eyes of hers and frazzled dark hair has to die. Just another name added to the fallen from this Quarter Quell. And I can't let that happen, because even if I feel a part of Dash has transferred into me, I won't let it overwhelm and control my actions. Rhoena or I will win, because, well we didn't make it this far to just die...

But the same can be said for the others. Nothing I say can justify my reasons. All that I have right now is fear for my own death and my friend's. Is fear enough to push one of us through to the finale, or is there more to it?

"Taylor?"

I blink a few times and stare back up at Rhoena. She reaches my hand and starts to stroke it. I feel a sob building up my throat but I swallow it down and attempt to show her I'm alright. Amidst all the bruises the gesture is agonising but for Rhoena I'd do anything. She lightens up gradually as we spend this minute in silence, comforting one another, knowing our future.

"Three hours, how far do you think the Cornucopia is?" Rhoena whispers breathlessly.

I look over her shoulder then twist my neck so I stare behind me. As if on cue the fire spreading further in front of me splits, leaving a cracked and charred road but free of flames. It rises over the houses and meets the clouds, an invisible forcefield holding the blaze in place from swallowing the pathway. Two walls of fire to guide our way. The Gamemakers have laid the way to... to what really? I'm terrified.

"Looks like it doesn't matter," I say. Rhoena bites her lip and looks down at her lap, fumbling for the knife that sits on the concrete. I reach out and gently place a hand over her own.

"We're in this together, alright? We made it this far as a team and... if... it happens, we go knowing how much we cared about each other. Okay?"

I see tears sliding down her cheeks as she picks up the knife and stares back up at me. I feel my own starting to fall and when she places the blade next to her leg we lean in and embrace one another. The second my arms wrap round her small frame I feel the sobs suffocating me, churning my stomach, heart pounding and rising like a lump in my throat.

How could someone kill such a person like Rhoena? She not only saved me from a monster, but she saved other little girls from an even worse one back in Seven. She confronted her fears, she grew to be a better person than that monster ever imagined she'd become afterwards. Rhoena deserves to win... more than me.

I look up and blink away a new wave of tears and set my lips in a smile.

I know what I must do. Unlike Dash my devotion to Rhoena will never warp into me inflicting pain onto her. His lack of control exploded out of him and once he lost his object of desire it was time to terminate it. Me and Rhoena, it's different. Our relationship is natural, tender and caring. Neither of us mean the other harm, so for me to enable Rhoena to live a life she deserves to return to... I know the answer to today.

"Three hours," Rhoena says, pushing herself up and drawing her arms away from around my neck. "I hope these three hours never end."

I let out a laugh and stare back at the flames as they remain intact, a fiery walkway for us to journey down. It would almost be beautiful if it didn't make me think about my scars, what fire's done to me before. I'm no longer scared, I haven't been for a while, but such a sight reminds me of nothing but pain. The destination of where it's leading is the death of five kids. Five lives that do not deserve to be taken away.

"We made it this far, who'd have thought?"

Rhoena nods her head and lets out a weak cheer. There's no joy behind it but there's a truth there. Really, we've exceeded expectations. When my name was called I never thought I'd even make it out the bloodbath, when Dash vowed to protect me I knew what I could do to win. That was selfish of me, and it turned out going completely wrong.

Dash tried to hurt this girl next to me and her own friend. Scout, yet another reason why Rhoena must win. She's lost but gained so much over her time in this Arena and my life will be the final loss in her journey.

"Ready to go?" I look at the knife gripped tight in her hand, hoping she won't have to use it but knowing that for her to win it'll have to take at least one other life.

"There's no other way."

There really isn't. This is the end of what feels an eternity of suffering. At least I found Rhoena, the only source of happiness I've had in a long time.

Taking her hand, we start walking towards the fire laid out before us. Three hours until the beginning of what's to come, three hours until the end of hell.

Cloe Harker, District Four Female

The fence is ice cold as I drag my fingers along the points. Behind, the swing creaks in the breeze and falls back down slowly. The slide glistens in the light from the fire, the raindrops cascading down the silver. It would be beautiful if it didn't remind me of the beginning, where it all went wrong. I can see the burn marks in the tarmac, a reminder of the lightning that tore me and Aryanna apart.

This little place that's meant to represent innocence, it ruined it all.

I remove my hand and turn away, wiping a few tears that threaten to fall. I know what today is and what the night will bring and I can't... I won't let anything get in the way of what I must do. Everything I've had to go through has been for today. Aryanna, Athena, Chip, Mercury, Ander... all of them, they've died because of me and whether or not they're in my mind for the good or the bad reasons, I can't just taint their memory... by dying.

Or am I just scared of dying? It's true. Aryanna didn't go out peacefully... we even joked about the pain she was going through.

Another tear drops and I quickly wipe it away, clear my nose and continue back to the path of fire. The atmosphere of today is different, the announcement has made everything tense. With the flames dancing along the walls of those houses that have been torn apart, I know that soon I'll have to fight. I don't think I've been in a proper one yet, not even the one where I took Mercury's life went the way the feast will.

I bet my father's proud of me. Cheering me on as he clutches a drink in one hand and his wife's hand in the other. Maybe I can use the image of him to channel my anger out onto the other tributes, just so I have an edge over them. Granted my training will come in use but, they're all here for a reason. To go in lightly would be the biggest mistake of my life, most likely the last mistake I'll ever make.

The road veers to the left, the fire rising high where the right junction would go. As I turn I see the road rising up the hill, the top of a hedge peeking over the flames.

I'm here. Oh god.

I can sense fear inside of me and I don't like it, not one bit. If I wanted to win I knew that it was no longer time for me to wallow in grief and sadness about who I am and what I've become, that was for me to accept and move on. But now I'm here... am I really good enough to take the victor's spot? If I'm not, then the only outcome of today is death. I don't want to die.

Before I can recollect my thoughts and try to relax myself I hear footsteps. They gradually grow louder but not in the direction of behind. My eyes widen and chest tightens as I see Callista creep out from an open door untouched by the inferno. Her eyes meet mine but she makes no move for me, not a single step in my direction.

It's now or never. I either let her go, or take the first step. I didn't hesitate when my knife entered Mercury's throat. Callista... she has to die.

I swiftly follow after her, not even bothering to mask the sound of my heavy footsteps as they patter against the concrete. She throws a look over her shoulder and groans, pulling out a knife coated in dried blood and standing, ready for me.

"Cloe," she states politely. What the...

"Callista, what happened to you?"

If she wasn't standing, I'd think she was dead. Nothing about the beautiful, bubbly girl I saw in the Capitol is here in this Callista. Her eyes are almost black, hair thin and wispy as she struggles to stand upright properly. This isn't even a fair fight, if I kill her what am I really accomplishing?

Victory, Cloe. Victory either you or Aryanna were going to achieve.

"I'm sorry Callista, I really am."

"I know you are Cloe. If it's any consolation, so am I."

Wha-?

Before I can even process it, Callista turns and somehow sprints up the rest of the hill, reaching the hedge just as the wind gets knocked from me. My stomach hits the concrete and instant pain overtakes every sense, stabbing into me like the very knife I carry.

Fortune looms over me, frowning as his hammer raises in the air. He says nothing as he breaks eye contact. How could he not even look at me? That's... at least look at me!

I kick up and slam my foot between his legs. Instantly he cries out, dropping his only weapon and giving me enough time to scramble upwards and turn away. I could kill him but for some reason I don't. The three hours are up and I need that bag, whatever's in it. The longer I wait whilst Callista's up there, it could go.

The light of the lampposts stationed within the bloodbath area dazzle me for a second just as I break through the first hedge and nearly slip in a puddle. The Cornucopia is only half visible behind a stone table standing just before it, six bags of all different sizes waiting equal space apart. My bag is of average size but that's not what I have to think about right now.

Callista. Where is she? And the other three... Rhoena, Taylor and Daraeh, I can't forget about them.

I jog forwards with my knife raised blade out in front of me. The table nears closer and closer as more footsteps join behind me. I look over my shoulder at Fortune, face creased in pain as he crosses the hedge. When I look back Callista has her bag in her hand, smiling at me as she opens it and drops the tablets into her palm.

I don't know why she does what she does next, but she does it anyway. With a single flick of her wrist her gift goes flying into the Cornucopia, abandoned amongst the supplies. She just gave up what could have saved her... what?

"I'm not running from it anymore," she says to me, or herself, or Fortune. I don't know who. She slowly steps out from behind the table and raises the knife, pointed out in front. "I die as the person I really am."

With a single lunge, she darts straight for me with the blade aimed right for my neck. I counter with my own weapon and slap her swiftly across the face as she tries to bring it back round. I don't feel proud of any of this but deep down, it was always going to come down to me accepting everything about what I had to do. No time for second guessing now, it's fight or die.

Callista goes for it again, grimacing as she lunges at my neck. I duck again and twist my body behind hers, kicking out and catching her in the back of the leg. Callista never said anything about winning as who she is. Because she knows she's dead. There's no ounce of strength left in her.

I pity the girl before me as she falls to Fortune's feet. I stare up at him as his face goes unnaturally calm. Callista looks into his eyes with a smile on her face and pushes her knife against the concrete, away from her.

"Do it," she closes her eyes tight as the warhammer rises above her head. Fortune takes one deep breath, looks back at me and down it goes in one clear, smooth arc. I close my eyes on impact and try to ignore the noise of her skull imploding, the sickening crack as she slumps to the ground.

BOOM!

When I open my eyes, a violent spray of acid pours from my mouth at the sight of the blood and bone that's replaced Callista's head. Fortune stares at me and raises his weapon, frowning.

Underneath what I've built up, everything still has its effect. Fortune, he's the one to beat. He barely flinches as his boot slides in a pool of Callista's blood. Then he raises his hammer to meet me and I ready my knife.

I'm scared... standing on my own two feet without someone to guide me is difficult. No matter how much I want to sink in and let myself return to who I was before, when it was easier than trying to be strong and independent, I can't. I won't let Fortune take my life.

I raise my blade and stare straight into his eyes. This is it... with one last deep breath, I ready my feet and charge.

Fortune Dietrich, District One Male

I try to keep my eyes off her body as I step over, sorrow coursing through my veins. I didn't want to, despite what Cloe might be thinking right now as she stares at me, but I had to. This is it, no more time to stand and think about something before you do it. It's about action, what the Hunger Games have always been about and what my life's revolved around.

I don't have room to wallow in grief and anger over my actions. That's not who I was designed to be.

Cloe stares at me then down at Callista's skull, mushed to a pulp. Her knife shakes but grows steady and I know it's coming. Either my death, or another kill to add to my growing list. Cloe's strong, she's here because she's been through a lot and the fact she can stare me down with her cousin dead... I commend the strength she has. I can't let that stop me though from doing what's... what's necessary.

She charges at me and I click into action immediately. The adrenaline pumps fast through my veins quickly, dispelling any signs of remorse over Callista. For now I need my head in the zone if I'm going to make it out of this alive.

She slashes at my head and I quickly bring up the mid-section of the warhammer. The silver beats off the metal and she stumbles backwards slightly. Cloe's nimble on her feet though, and fast. She's at it again in seconds and stabs forwards at the same time as her hand rakes down. Blinding pain trails down the side of my cheek as my flesh burns and tears under her nails. I beat back the real weapon and knock my elbow into her, bringing it up to her throat.

Cloe goes down coughing and groaning. Her head barely misses cracking against the side of the table, one of the bags teetering on the edge. My own is small though larger than Callista's. For whatever reason she dispelled of her own gift in order to.. to what really? Going down as an alcoholic rather than giving herself an actual chance. Why would she throw her life away like that?

I've done a lot of stuff, seen a lot in my time here and that's just helped fuel my determination to win. Despite the regret over killing people like Eden and Tiller, I haven't for once stopped to consider any other possible solution to my time here. Because, there isn't one. Cloe here knows that, she understands what must be done and that's why she's here.

I stare at her as she looks at me and attempt some kind of comforting smile. It doesn't stop me from steadying my weapon and waiting for her, but I want her to know that no matter what happens. Whether I kill her or she kills me, that I have no ill feelings towards her. She's just another teenager trained to be a murderer and through her time here she's understood a bit more about how it all works.

"Going to do it then or what?" she spits out a ball of red saliva and curses loudly. I bite back a laugh, not because it's funny but because in such a situation, hearing such words... it's just a steady reminder of our age.

"I want this to be a fair fight, at the very least."

She looks at me and for a second I see the corner of her mouth curl up, but that's gone in a flash and quickly she grabs the knife and pushes herself forwards again. The blade nearly makes it into the front part of my boot but I kick up and close my eyes at the scream that follows the snap of her fingers.

As large as my victim list may be, the screaming never gets easier.

With her scrambling around for the knife, I step over and walk around to the back of the table. The bag opens in a matter of seconds to reveal three, curved blades. Blindly walking in the dark of that mansion, I lost my knives. I hate to admit it but I'm happy that I now have some back, it gives me something much more smaller and easier to handle in case someone gets too close.

I attach two to the clips on my belt and grasp the other one in the hand I have at the bottom section of my warhammer. I steady my breathing and try to avert my eyes from Callista's body once more. This is about Cloe now.

Panic sets in when I lean over the table and see she isn't there. The knife is gone also. I thrash my head around but try to keep myself stable as I try to locate her, but there's no hint of where she might be. This isn't good... always, there's always been a lack of control over everything. I should have just killed her when I had the chance, I didn't want to but it was for the best. Now...

Hushed voices. I hear the whispering coming from the gap closest to the left. I slide the hammer down gently and place it on the concrete by my feet, then I bend down with the knife tightly gripped in my hand and level my eyes so they're just peering over the tabletop. I keep myself behind a bag so as not to remain obvious.

Wherever Cloe is, she's a problem I'll face soon. For now, a new problem has surfaced.

Rhoena and Taylor cross through the hedges together, hands entwined as they walk quickly towards the table.

"Come on Taylor, we can get out of here quickly..."

Taylor stares at the bags and gasps. Her hair goes frantic as she twists her head in all directions. Luckily they don't land on me as I grasp the knife tighter between my fingers and bend down just another inch or so.

Their eyes settle on Callista and Rhoena barely represses a shriek at the bloody mess before them. The shame of what I've down settles in my gut but I try to spare all my thoughts on these two as they look at Callista then back up at the table.

"Let's just get the bags and go."

I know what I have to do... I couldn't get Cloe because I gave her a few seconds to get away. I don't know these two but there's no room for regret or anything of the sort. These two have to die... it's the way it goes.

The pair reach the table with Taylor in front, grasping on tight to Rhoena's hand. Slowly, her fingers go for the bag and I don't waste my chance.

It cuts cleanly through her flesh and pins her to the table, an easy cut but the sound that comes afterwards... I try to block it from hurting my head.

She screams and looks at the bloody mess, the blade protruding and Rhoena screaming as I stand up. I go for the warhammer and at the same time pull the blade out of her hand and flinch at the next shriek that breaks past her lips.

"Rhoena..." her voice grows weaker as she turns to her little ally, crying as her eyes widen at the sight of me walking round the table. "Go... go!" forcefully she pushes her backwards and the girl stares back at me, then Taylor, then at the hedge. I pity her, I hate myself for what I'm doing as the battle goes on behind those eyes.

"Please..." Taylor's last words die on her tongue as I plunge the knife into the back of her neck.

BOOM!

Red cascades down my hand from the wound and I hold back a gag as Rhoena shrieks and clutches the knife in her hand. She points it at me but her eyes stay on Taylor's body as she sways and then collapses on the ground in a heap, only a few inches from Callista's outstretched arm. Blood continues to pump from her open neck as I step over her body and stare at the little girl trembling in front of me.

"Stay... back..." her voice is delicate as she takes a miniature step backwards. Without realising she's backed herself into a corner. The hedge meets her jacket and she jumps up, before the tears lean on her eyelashes lighting up her eyes.

Everything rages inside of me, a storm of vile feelings I have towards myself, staring down yet another innocent victim to these Games and my desire to be victorious. Through volunteering for a place in this Arena, so many lives were condemned.

And not even this hatred for what I'm doing stops me from continuing to close the gap as she holds the knife in her small hand, holding back the tears as she stares at me with a broken face.

"I'm coming home..." she whispers.

Before I can drive my own blade into her body, a figure pulls backwards from behind the hedge and drags a knife across her fragile neck. The skin tears as blood trickles down her front, spraying out and dowsing me in red.

BOOM!

Cloe steps out from the hedge and looks at me, water trailing down her cheeks as she stares down at Rhoena, curled up in a pool of her own blood. I barely register her shoulder collide with my own as she pushes past me and heads for the feast table.

The knife leaves a long line of blood down the front of her jacket but she continues to wipe away furiously, even when it's all gone. I say nothing as I spend a second staring at each of the three bodies. All alive this morning with hopes about what today might bring, and that shattered because of the two of us here right this second.

More footsteps arrive and I barely see Daraeh step through the gap I arrived through. Being late ensured her survival, and now she's here with me and Cloe in the finale.

Her eyes widen on the corpses then settle on her fellow finalists. I see a multitude of emotions in those eyes but nothing can compare with what I feel right now. So much destruction has gone on because of me, and even now there's still that hope that I might win. Nothing can quench that desire, and that's why despite what's happened, I'll still kill these two now that the time has arrived.

Almost in a triangular shape, the three of us stand off and lock eyes with one another, shifting between either opponent.

The hedges start to move, twigs entwining with one another until the outside is cut off, only the rain from above and dark clouds reminding us of where we are. The bodies occupy my thoughts for one more second before I switch them out in favour of Cloe and Daraeh.

Two more kills then I can go home. There's no debate about whether or not I can take their lives, I only have to look around me for the answer to that question. But what I come out of this Arena like, if I do make it, that's another mystery entirely. And it's one I'm ready to solve. With Cloe and Daraeh here, the Games are about to come to an end.

All Fall Down by OneRepublic

Callista Avallone, District One Female

Taylor Cross, District Twelve Female

Rhoena Selfridge, District Seven Female

Teddy, Callista had a very big shift in who she was throughout her time in the Arena. From the girl who wanted attention and company to her alcoholism effecting her as well as people like Mercury and Iris, there was a lot to work with for her and that's why her journey was something I enjoyed writing a lot. The fact she was an alcoholic at times presented a challenge as there was a lot I wanted to do for her but I didn't want the fact she'd suffered from withdrawal to overwhelm her character. Thankfully I found a way around that and I'm happy with how she went, deciding to not run away from it anymore and accept what was coming for her. Thank you :D

shade, Taylor admittedly was a hard character to pin down to begin with. She was probably the one tribute who jumped around where she would place in the Games the most, but I'm happy I made the decision to keep her around this long because if she had gone early, I would have missed out on one of my favourite plot points and alliances throughout this entire story. I had the idea of her developing in the direction of Dash when she was with Rhoena for a while, but then towards the end I didn't want that to become overpowering because there was always something so gentle about her and I wanted to preserve that to the very end. Thank you for providing me with such a character, her and Rhoena as a friendship will be remembered :)

Saige, Rhoena... yeah Rhoena was something else. Anyone who speaks to me knows how much I care about Rhoena and killing her off was probably the hardest thing I've had to do for this entire story. I knew from the moment I had her form, regardless of who her allies would be and where her development might go, that she would make it far. At one point, she was down as a possible victor, but as other characters began to stand out alongside her I realised that going down at the feast was perfect, especially with Taylor there as well. Rhoena was a fragile and broken girl, as Chaos said a few times in her reviews there was always something more poetic about her and I tried to stick to that when writing her POVs because it worked with someone so melancholy. Then through Scout and Taylor, she grew into a stronger character but with hints of who she always was still there. Rhoena is in my top three favourites, definitely. But this was the time she had to go, thank you so much for submitting her to me!

Author's Note: I said I'd get this done quick, didn't think I'd get it out a day after the last one though xD

This is definitely the hardest chapter that I've had to write. Killing these three... it had to be done but it was difficult. Like I said last chapter they were here for a reason and now that they're gone it's weird knowing I won't write for them again. But the feast has begun and with it leading onto the finale, the final six had to be cut into the final three. Such decisions are hard but I'm happy with the outcome nonetheless.

Poll results are up, go check those out. Sorry if you didn't get a chance to vote, because of the speed I got this chapter out the poll wasn't up for that long.

Fortune, Cloe and Daraeh. My final three. It's weird to go back and think that this story started with fourty-eight now that it's down to just three. I hope everyone at least understands why each of these tributes have made it to this point. It's the best finale I had in mind and I'm excited to write it.

Question time!

Stand out POV and why?

Who do you want to win and who do you think will win?

Unfortunately my internet might be cut off for a few days soon. If it isn't I'll try to get the finale up this weekend maybe, if not... well, it'll be within a week's time. Can't believe it's nearly over. Until next time!