Trigger warning: some homophobic comments and slurs in Alec's POV.
Day 3:
Rosemary "Rosy" Ivring, 19
District 4 Female
"Don't come back until you've killed someone," was Void's parting greeting as he and Aurora, as well as Ember and Rosy, split up to do some more hunting. Amperia was in charge of staying behind, in case the Cornucopia got ambushed in the meantime.
"He doesn't have to rub it in," peter snarled. "What does he think we've been trying to do this whole time?"
"Where do you think we should go?"
"What about the stage?"
Rosy nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were some tributes hiding out there."
Beep! Two sponsor gifts began to drift down. Ember caught them, then passed one over to Rosy. "It's for you."
Rosy quickly unwrapped the gift to reveal a small set of paints and a tiny paintbrush. There was also a note from Chelsea.
In the arena, you are going to forget the beautiful things in life. Don't forget to make something beautiful.
Rosy studied the note, flipping it every way imaginable. Was this some sort of cryptic secret message? Or did Chelsea really expect her to just drop everything and paint? And as much as Rosy loved to paint, now was not the time.
"What did you get?" Ember asked her.
"Some paint."
"Oh, cool. People must really love your work then."
Rosy shoved the paint into the backpack she was carrying. "Hopefully, this will come in handy later. If we don't have anything to do, we can just paint instead."
Ember shrugged. "That would be a great way to stick it to Void."
"Hey if we don't find any tributes today, we'll just give him a nice self-portrait he can throw knives at."
"If I don't destroy it myself."
"What did you get?"
"A tribute tracker."
Rosy almost dropped her bag on her foot. "You're kidding."
"That's what Devote said it's called."
"What does it do?"
Ember fiddled with the device, which was a large screen with an antenna and some buttons on the back. "Um, I think it shows us the locations of one of the tributes. But the thing is, it will only work for me up until said tribute is dead. Now, how do I turn this on..."
Ember clicked one of the buttons randomly and the screen went from black to a deep royal purple. It stayed that way for a moment before it went back to black, but this time with green lines floating across the screen. A small purple dot appeared, then was replaced by a triangle striped black and white, pointing in one direction. According to the compass in the side of the screen, it was pointing north.
Ember stretched his hand out into the direction they were planning to travel. "That way."
"Are you sure?"
"...no."
Rosy cackled and Ember gave her a small smile, his cheeks glowing pink. "But we said we wanted to check out the stage anyways. And I think you're right. There's someone there."
"Who do you think it is?"
"I don't know yet."
Rosy slung her bag over her shoulder. "Well, I think we're going to find out very soon. Do you have your sword?"
"Always."
"Okay. Let's go."
As they trudged onward, Rosy tried to think of who the Gamemakers were sending them to. Wasn't there an alliance that ran off in this direction? Was it Alec? That might've been a possibility, to force him to face his ex-allies. But if that was the most reasonable answer, Rosy decided that it didn't make sense. Then again, the screen had made a big deal of showing them the colour purple. Why purple? Rosy tugged some lint off her dark sea blue jacket, pondering to herself what purple could possibly mean...
Her eyes drifted back to her jacket.
Suddenly, everything clicked.
"Ember, you know how each district has their own colour in the arena? Like how mine is blue and yours is white?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Who wears purple?"
Ember stopped walking. "Um...District 9. I think."
"District 9..." Rosy hummed to herself, staring back down at the tracker. "I think I know who you're after."
"You do?"
"At least I think I do. I have a hunch. Keep walking."
Finally, the large stage was in sight. And the tracker began to loudly beep, almost like an alarm. Rosy blinked; with every loud beep, she saw a quick flash of red. That's when she heard Ember's velvet-coloured voice, asking her if she was ready. He could see a group of tributes hanging in the rafters.
Rosy pulled a throwing knife from the belt she was wearing to carry them. "What do you know. There's tributes here after all."
"One of them is wearing purple!"
The tributes began to scramble. Ember drew his swords. "Ready, Rosy?"
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
Jonathan Firre, 12
District 19 Male
"So what are we doing today?"
Rachel sighed. "Jonathan, I don't know!"
Jonathan pouted, curling up into a little ball as he studied the ground below him. He wished there was more to do in the rafters, or that his allies actually wanted to do something rather than sit here and "watch for other tributes" or whatever the twins called it.
Being cooped up above the stage was just boring.
Jonathan didn't think the Games would so boring. The ones he had watched in the past, there was always so much going on. Hell, even on the first day, there was so much excitement! Well, maybe excitement wasn't the correct word, since the other tributes were pretty terrifying. But at least there was stuff for Jonathan to do.
Up in the rafters, there was limited space. Multiple times, both Veronas refused to let Jonathan climb down for anything other than a bathroom break. So Jonathan started taking more of them, using them as an excuse to go explore the surrounding area. He didn't tell anyone, not even Palatino.
There was something up with the kid from 3. Ever since the Games hard started, Palatino seemed a little more shaken up and quiet. Anytime his father came into the topic, he suddenly became self-critical and doubtful. He jumped at every little noise and refused to let go of his dagger, even to eat or go to the bathroom.
The worst part? Jonathan had a feeling that they weren't as close as they used to be.
"I'm going to the bathroom," Jonathan announced, louder than he needed to.
DJ cringed in disgust. "You already went three times."
"Yeah, well I'm going again. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Jonathan climbed down and hurried behind the stage. Nobody would ever look for him here. But at the same time, there was nothing new to see her. He could go round to the front of the stage, but then his allies would see him. Jonathan wasn't sure what would happen if they knew he was betraying their trust like that.
But one little peek wouldn't hurt, right?
He wrapped himself up in the curtains, so only his head was sticking out. The rest of the arena looked so colourful. Too bad his allies didn't want to leave the stage. Jonathan wondered if there was anything inside the trailers; maybe each one had some supplies hidden in them for tributes to use. If he timed it perfectly, he could probably run for the nearest one...
But this "bathroom break" was taking way too long. He needed to head back soon before somebody went looking for him.
As he climbed back onto the stage, Jonathan nearly lost his balance when he heard a loud alarm sound. DJ suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him up. "What the hell did you do!?"
"I didn't do anything!"
"Well, somebody did something!"
"Guys!" Rachel was panicked, pointing to two tributes marching towards them with weapons. "We've got company!"
DJ picked up their axe. "Well, it's a two on four. We can do this."
Jonathan reached for the hatchet, the only other weapon available, but Rachel grabbed it first. The two Careers climbed onto the stage, looking for the entrance to the rafters, one of which was conveniently blocked off by Jonathan and Palatino. The other was free and loud them through the backstage and outside, but if the Careers saw them, there were no shortage of passageways leading to the same area.
DJ hissed. "Fuck. We're screwed."
"No," Rachel said between breaths. "No. We're not. Everyone, follow me. DJ, I need you to stay at the back..."
Rachel's voice wobbled as she locked eyes with her twin. DJ was clearly fearful, but they gave her a firm nod, shoving Jonathan out of their way. "Alright."
Jonathan grabbed Palatino's hand, dragging him along as he followed after Rachel. The boy from 1 and the girl from 4 had already crawled up onto the rafters. The boy drew his sword but DJ blocked it with their axe. The two weapons kept clashing into each other.
Rachel shoved the door open, Palatino tripping over his own feet to follow her inside. DJ pulled back too, there was no way they'd be winning this fight. They brushed past Jonathan again, who was now at the back of the pack. The Careers were starting to gain up on them...
Then something sharp pricked his leg.
"Got him!"
Jonathan began to feel a bit dizzy as he glanced down. There was a knife sticking out of his shin. Blood quickly oozed out, dripping onto the floor and staining it a dark red.
Another knife struck him in the chest.
Jonathan tumbled backwards, his head smacking against the rafters hard. He heard Palatino scream, the twins shout at him, then fading footsteps as his allies ran, leaving him alone. Alone to die. Jonathan never imagined what dying would actually feel like. He always knew he wanted to live by himself to escape the craziness of his family, but he had expected they'd all see each against at some point.
Now, there was no parent to kiss him goodbye. No brother or sister to hold his hand. No grandparent to gently touch his shoulder and tell him he'd be alright. Just knives and his killers slowly backing away as he choked to death on his own blood.
"Should we go after the rest of them?"
"No. Let's not risk it."
They were gone soon enough, leaving Jonathan all by himself to fade away as another casualty to the Hunger Games.
Boom!
Alexander "Alec" Thorngrove, 18
District 4 Male
The cannon sent chills down Alec's spot. But what was he so worried about? This was the reality of the Games, after all. Children were going to die at each other's hands.
"Who do it think it was?" Merona asked Ace, who replied with just a shrug, very unusual for the most talkative member of the group. Synth stopped pacing, finally! Alec wished he wouldn't do that; it only made everyone more nervous. But they had to stay on guard, for the Career ambush Alec knew would happen at some point. The Gamemakers would never let him off so easy.
Sometimes, when it was nighttime and all was quiet, Alec wondered if he made a grave mistake, allying with a ragtag team of misfits and not the Careers. But then, he'd always catch a glimpse of Synth sleeping next to him and the sight was reassuring enough to make him feel better about the people he was with...
Goddamn it! What was his problem!?
"We're running low on food," Alec said to nobody in particular. "We'll have enough for tomorrow and that's about it."
He nearly jumped when he heard Synth's voice behind him. "Damn. Too bad there's no animals in this arena."
"R-right. And where would we cook it?"
Synth just pointed vaguely with the tip of his spear. "I'd find a way."
Ace and Merona shared a quick look, then both burst into a fit of giggles. They had been doing that a lot in the past two days. Was it a District 10 thing? Some sort of immature joke Alec was too old to understand? Were they laughing at him? He hoped not; he already felt insecure enough.
"I'm going to the bathroom," he finally said. He could finally be alone there.
As he washed his hands, an old thought drifted into his mind, of a young Alec walking down the street with his father. Alec wouldn't have been older than seven at the time, the place was crowded, and multiple times he grabbed his father's hand as to not get separated. Jake refused to let him.
It was hard for Alec to really keep track of all the people he saw, up until his father pointed him out. Two men in their early twenties, arms linked. At one point, they finally stopped walking, held each other, and kissed. At first, Alec had hardly noticed and nobody else in 4 seemed to care. But Jake Thorngrove did.
"That's disgusting."
"What is?" Little Alec was distracted by a seagull walking alongside him.
"Those fags. And the way they come onto each other like that in a public setting. With children."
"What's a fag?"
Jake sneered. "It's a dirty, dirty bastard and I hope I'll never have one as a son." he marched on, leaving Alec struggling to catch up.
At the time, it was hard for a kid to understand what that all meant. But as Alec got older, met people who weren't exactly straight, got crushes, tried to ask others out, and just became a typical teenager with a typical teenage love life, he realized it all. And when he realized that some boys were just as cute as girls, he began to worry.
But Jake Thorngrove would never know. Jake Thorngrove couldn't know!
He wouldn't even tell his sister, or his stepmother. It wasn't worth the risk. And Alec hoped it wouldn't be a problem. But when he finally got in close proximity with Synth Greene and realized that this older boy, no. Synth was not a boy, he was a man. And he had his own agenda to get out of here, just like everyone else.
Dammit! A crush on his ally, of all people!? Why did it have to be Synth!? Why couldn't it be someone like Rosy instead!? At least then, he wouldn't risk his dad finding out!
He just glared at his reflection in the mirror, at himself, for being so stupid. For acting like a dumb, hormonal teenager in the Hunger Games of all things. For a brief moment, Alec considered punching the mirror. No, that would just draw Synth's attention and Alec didn't want to face him right now. Synth wouldn't understand. And no way in hell would he feel the same about some kid he met less than a week ago.
There was a knock at the door. Of course, now Synth would show up to bother him. "Alec! You've been in there for a while! Is everything okay?"
Alec quickly splashed some water onto his face. "Yeah yeah, I'm fine! Just give me another minute!"
"Um...okay then!"
Right. He couldn't stay in here forever. He'd have to leave this cramp bathroom someday and do something, where that meant actually reveal his feelings for the entire world to know, or stay in denial about it until he died. Or until Synth died. Whichever came first.
Why was it so hard to accept himself? Was it really a big deal? Nobody would judge him, right? Hell, if Ember could come out as trans to the entirety of Panem, then he could certainly let the word "bisexual" slip. Who cared that a single person wouldn't support him? There would be others that would. Right? Right!?
Deep down, Alec knew it had to do with more than just his sexuality. But it was just a giant can of worms he didn't feel like opening.
Synth smirked when he opened the bathroom door. "There you are! What took you so long?"
"Uh...it's none of your business!"
Synth rolled his eyes. Ace jostled Merona and they both giggled again. As if Alec hadn't spent ten minutes having a nervous breakdown in a cramped bathroom in a giant circus tent while the Hunger Games went on around him. Fine by him. He could happily pretend that nothing happened at all.
But he knew he'd have to confront his fears eventually.
15th place: Jonathan Firre, District 9. Knife thrown into chest by Rosy.
There were a ton of 12 year-olds in PC, but I think Jonathan was one of the ones who stuck out the most. His dynamic with Palatino was so much to write and Jonathan knew exactly what he wanted in life: some peace and quiet away from his rambunctious family. He places here because unlike his allies, he was a bit harder to fit into the plot and I couldn't find a place for him. I felt like this was a good place to end his story, with his death fracturing an already crumbling alliance. Thanks for him JAJ!
Current Alliances:
The Careers: Void, Ember, Aurora, Rosy, Amperia
Like everyone except Synth knows what's up: Alec, Ace, Merona, Synth
That wasn't supposed to happen! Palatino, DJ, Rachel
Angery Lonely Lesbian: Hera
Lone Lumberjack: Arwan
Kills:
Void: 2 (Elana, Jenny)
Ember: 2 (Ezra, Powder)
Julius: 1 (Grey)
Aurora: 2 (Deloris, Autumn)
Hera: 1 (Julius)
Rosy: 2 (Aldair, Jonathan)
Well, we're starting to get a little spicy now! What do you think will happen to the alliance of Palatino, Rachel, and DJ, now that Jonathan's dead? Will Alec ever reveal his secret crush, or stay in denial forever? And what could Ace and Merona possibly be giggling about? Well, I think we all know the answer to that last one.
See you all in the next chapter!
-Vr
