CHAPTER XLIII. DAY IX


"Have you ever sensed that our soul is immortal and never dies?"
-Plato


MOIRA MIKKEL (18) - DISTRICT 2 FEMALE


Moira Mikkel wanted to be safe; she thought she was safe. As she ran in the southern direction from the feast, she felt the wind in her hair and the sun on her face.

I'm free…

The District 2 girl thought she was done with Lana Lotus, finally. As she approached a rocky mountain, her heart started beating out of her chest.

I'm free…

She didn't want to think about the girl from 9, the girl Lana made her slaughter. The girl who died because Lana Lotus grabbed Moira, forced her to do it. She had a life at home, everyone had a life at home, but Moira had a life at home too, a life she wanted to return to. A life she wasn't sure she could ever return to. The District 2 girl was familiar with death, with bodies, but what she wasn't familiar with producing them. Producing 3 of them, 3 parents who have to bury their child just how Moira's parents had to bury Levin. 3 funerals, 3 coffins lowered into the ground because Moira Mikkel slaughtered 3 innocent children. 3 sets of sobbing parents, disgusted by the fact that their child is gone because of her.

If there was a fourth funeral, Moira didn't want it to be hers.

She didn't want to kill again though. She wanted to hide on the top of the mountains until everybody but her died, until Lana Lotus died, until she could go home. Moira Mikkel just wanted to go home or go anywhere but the arena. She wanted to paint, oil on canvas in her bedroom, the light of a candle illuminating her surroundings as she was finally able to cope. All Moira wanted to do was cope.

She couldn't.

The District 2 girl opened her eyes on the ninth day of the Games after all but passing out from the night before. She looked out to see the ocean beneath her, the waves crashing against the rocks. Moira thought she was safe.

"Moira," She recognized the voice far too quickly, faster than she'd have liked to admit it. She turned her head, to see her nightmare, to see Lana Lotus.

The District 4 girl was standing above Moira, her eyes squinted. She tried not to be intimidated, she had been confronted with Lana many times, and this was no difference. Lana would berate her, talk down to her. Moira had heard it all from her, and she wasn't about to get torn down again, "Yes?"

"You ran away from me yesterday," Lana ran her fingers through Moira's curls, her nails slightly touching her scalp, "I couldn't help but be nervous."

"Oh fuck off," Moira pried away Lana's hand, "You don't care about me. You're going to kill me."

"Oh Moira, you underestimate yourself," Lana sat down next to the girl, "In all honesty, I've always seen you as my equal."

"My equal?" The District 2 girl could smell the bullshit on her breath.

"Of course," Lana put her hand on Moira's shoulder, the tension obvious, "It's a shame only one of us can win."

It was a shame, a shame that it wasn't going to be Lana. Moira looked into her eyes, so dark they were almost black. The District 4 girl's gaze was just as intense, her soul nearly fleeing her body.

"I agree," Moira tried to be as subtle as possible, wishing that Lana would go away.

"Perhaps we should decide which of us dies now?" There they were, the sickening words Moira had been dreading.

"Oh?" She was unable to reply.

"I'm just joking Moira," Lana cackled, tapping Moira on the small of her back, "I just wanted to ask you, how are you feeling after everything that happened yesterday."

Moira wasn't going to let her know how she felt. Only she got to know her own emotions, her, and maybe Levin, but there wasn't Levin anymore.

"I'm fine," Moira lied. She was the furthest thing from fine, almost to the point of irony. The more she washed the waves colliding with the hills, their aggression increasing, the more the District 2 girl pictured herself among them.

"You're not," Lana mumbled, pulling Moira up from the ground, "It's Levin, isn't it."

How did Lana know Levin? Her sister, her confidant, her everything, the scariest body she ever saw, scarier than the ones in the truck, the skull that rolled onto the pile. Worse than the bloodbath, Fila's corpse, the feast. Seeing Levin, her hands on her chest, rocks on her eyes. The open casket funeral of the girl who died too soon.

"H-how do you know about her," Moira stuttered, trying to think how the girl could know.

"You told me a lot of things a couple nights ago," Lana wrapped her arm around Moira's waist, "You really have been through some horrible things."

"And?" The District 2 girl was frustrated with herself for telling Lana about everything, even if she could barely control herself.

"I imagine you don't want to experience any more of it," Her eyes returned to Moira's, "Do you want to be with Levin, with the bodies from the truck, with everyone you killed."

Moira wasn't killing herself. She couldn't lose herself to Lana, not like this or not in any way.

"Of course I do," She tried to be confident.

"Then why didn't you care when Levin died, and why are you pretending it matters now."

Lana didn't lie. When Levin passed, Moira repressed it, not wanting to think about her sister's lifeless figure, the one she found laying on the couch. She was guilty about it everyday, the way she pretended to not care, not crying at the funeral. She thought as if she never had a sister, because if she didn't have a sister in the first place, Moira couldn't have a dead sister. As she grew, the memories of the body from the funeral home fading, the District 2 girl thought more and more about her sister, the girl she didn't cherish nearly enough, the girl who was gone, and the girl who Moira would never know.

"I did care," Moira protested, not working as Lana's words continued to haunt her.

"Fila died because of you."
"Two, now three kids died because of you."
"Levin didn't matter to you."

"Nobody matters to you."
"You're selfish, no longer caring about the bodies you saw."

She tried to block it away.

"You're a monster."

"It doesn't seem so," Lana smirked, "And I don't think it's fair that somebody as selfish as you has the same chances of winning as me."

Lana was the selfish one. Lana was the selfish one. Moira repeated the phrasing in her head, hoping she'd be able to believe herself.

"I mean, there is another way," The District 4 girl continued to speak, "My friends and I, we participate in something we refer to as The Returning," she did air quotes with her fingers, "We like to think of it as a reset, a way to start your life over and do better the next time," she curled her lips, "I think you more than anybody needs to start over, Moira."

It was true, Moira had fucked up so badly during this first go at life. She deserved a second chance, one where she would care for Levin, and one where she wouldn't go into the Hunger Games. She wasn't sure if Lana's promises were false, but the District 4 girl seemed to be an immortal figure, and Moira Mikkel wanted to be immortal. Perhaps the girl did "The Returning" so she could keep coming back again and again.

"I do," Moira bit her lip, "How do I start over?"

"You're a monster."

"Well the mountains here are similar to those back in 4," Lana explained, "And what we do is we jump off into the water as I typically say a blessing, and then in a few hours, whoever jumped is spat from the sea once again."

"So I would be back here then?" Moira wondered, beginning to be suspicious.

"Of course not," Lana laughed, walking Moira to the edge, "You'd be home in 2, with Levin, though of course you would need to grow up first. You'd have a second chance, my friends just choose to be reborn in 4 again. You can go anywhere you want."

"I like that," Moira looked over the mountain, the waves even harsher than before. She took a deep breath, seeing the faces of Fila, of the kids she killed, of the bodies from the truck. She saw Levin.

"You're a monster."

The District 2 girl bent her legs, ready to plunge into her new beginning when she realized she couldn't. She couldn't start over because she disliked her current life, she just had to make the best of it, she had to win. Moira couldn't accept second chances, especially when they came from Lana Lotus.

She turned around to see the District 4 girl in utter silence as she placed her hands on Moira's shoulders and spun her around. Moira tried to change the directions so she could push Lana off the cliff, but it was too late.

"Long live the white whale."


PIPER SANDERSON (16) - DISTRICT 10 FEMALE


It had been nearly a day since Saf passed and Piper was still in the denial stage of grief over the girl. When a cannon fired earlier in the day, her first thought was to look over to Saf and ask her who she thought it was for, but Saf wasn't there, and Saf never would be there. At times, the District 10 girl found herself talking to herself, not loud enough that people could hear her but rather painful muttering, knowing that nobody would speak back to her unless it was a muttation, and if that happened she would be screwed since she didn't have anything to kill it with. Now more than ever, Piper Sanderson didn't want to die. She obviously had no desire to die at any point, except maybe in the brief moments when she saw the girl from 4 turn her Saf into a meat shield, treating her body as if it was nothing. For a slight bit of time, Piper wished she was the one whose limbs were being torn off them, their head skewered as they were turned into nothing but a tool.

But Piper knew better, she knew that Saf died and not her for a reason, and if she was meant to die in that moment, she would be in a box on the train to her parents, but Piper wasn't. The girl was alone, under a tree, leaves surrounding her and berries feeding her. She was safe for the most part, knowing that if somebody came to hurt her it wouldn't be completely out of the blue, though she doubted that she would be able to fend for herself. The District 10 girl was slightly scared about the outcome of the next few days, six people remaining if she counted on her fingers properly.

Slowly the denial turned to anger, Piper mortified that she was so helpless in the moments where Saf died that she couldn't do a thing to save her. She had no weapons, no real way of protecting herself. All she could do was run, which was exactly what she did but she was still afraid that she made the wrong decision, and that maybe if she didn't run right when the sword touched Saf's neck, she would be safe. Of course, that would mean that Piper would be dead, but maybe the girl was better off dead.

She wasn't immune to the fact that this feast scenario felt so much like the incident with Alabastor. The girl from 4, the same one who helped the girl from 2 kill Saf asked Piper who she wanted to save. As Piper was dancing with death in those moments, she looked at Alabastor, as cruel as he was, and she made the decision to sacrifice herself for the boy.

It didn't work, Alabastor was dead.

She was the reluctant older sister of the kid, yet she still said she would protect him yet he died. Piper was unable to feel sad about it, but he died.

When her and Saf went into the forest, awaiting the Cornucopia, Piper swore up and down that she would protect the girl, even if she didn't have anything to do it with. She promised she would ensure Saf's safety, the girl who made her feel things for the first time in her entire life, Piper said that she would protect her.

It didn't work, Saf was dead.

Piper Sanderson was bewildered by the fact that she had evaded death not once, but twice. She was here for a reason, or so it seemed, and she had to keep telling herself that if she wanted to make it to the next day, and the day after. She was here for Shane, for Elodie, her parents even if she didn't like them at times. While Piper was free from protecting others for the first time in the arena, she now had to protect herself for the sake of the people she loved. The District 10 girl was worried though, knowing that both times she evaded death, she had an ally with her, and Piper no longer had any allies to die instead of her.

She needed weapons or anything, and she needed them badly. She needed something that could protect her since she was no longer enough. She was clueless though, knowing that the Cornucopia was empty and dangerous, and nobody in the Capitol was rich enough to buy her a weapon this late in the Games, especially when she didn't do much in the arena.

Piper looked above her, the foliage from the trees dangling in front of her when she got an idea. While the District 10 girl wasn't amazing at climbing, she was good enough that she could properly hoist herself onto a tree and not fall. Piper grabbed onto the side of the tree, pulling herself up ass her ragged toga scraped against the bark. She wrapped her legs around the tree, moving as though she was a worm for what seemed like an hour but was probably around five minutes when she reached the first layer of branches. She had no idea how she was supposed to pull one off, so she pressed her left leg against what seemed to be a sturdy branch when SNAP! The large chunk of wood fell to the ground.

Piper carefully slid down the front of the tree, lowering herself to the ground so she could inspect what she found. It was maybe eight feet long, and less than a foot wide, and after placing her hand underneath, the District 10 girl could tell that it wasn't too heavy. She wasn't too sure what she would do with it, so she picked off the leaves and marveled at the club of sorts that she had made.

Piper had evaded death twice, and the next time she was present for somebody dying, she would be on the other side of the bloodshed.


LANA LOTUS (18) - DISTRICT 4 FEMALE


Lana Lotus closed her eyes taking deep breaths as she stood atop the rocky mountains wondering why she had never been to this part of the arena before. She peaked over the edge, The Time of Red Shore finally among her. It had been months since the Red Shore was present in 4, the girl missing it's soothing presence as she faced the beach. Lana was at peace, not having to hit her disobedient disciples on the back for not looking at the Shore, fully able to enjoy the pleasure that Moira's blood brought when it mixed with the waves and collided with the sand.

Lana has always been exceptionally good at picking up on the insecurities of others. It began at the District 4 orphanage shortly after her parents were gone, the fellow kids picking on her for her race, her odd dialect, where she was born, all the things she couldn't control. Lana wasn't one to stand idly by, fighting back with her own comments on her abuser's uncontrollable flaws. The kids in the orphanage had nothing to lose, and berating them became a game for her. Moira Mikkel had nothing to lose and pushing her to do the Ritual of the Returning became a game to her.

"White whale."

Even then, the District 4 girl didn't realize how easy it would be to have Moira commit to her despise. The concept of being reborn was something she usually saved for the older members of the Collective, their aging minds delirious and desperate for a new chance, but Moira was only eighteen, and Lana's manipulation worked even faster. Tying her up the same way Ishmael bound her to her bed when she misbehaved made wonders for the girl's mental decline, and it took such a small amount of effort to get the girl to return to where she thought was home.

The seas were Lana's home. The place where she was found washed up after a rough night of passionate sex with strangers, the girl using her body as her only sense of power led her back to the place where she was raised (a house, not a home) as she flung herself into a riptide, done with it all. The thoughts of Ishmael plagued her, and the body of the woman who adopted her, the one she killed for her money, fresh in her mind. Lana thought about how useless she was, how she was easily disposable, society's reject, a whore. She flung herself into a riptide.

She wasn't done with it all.

Lana Lotus woke up on the shores, the sea (her home) spitting her out, telling her she's worth more than what she tried to do to herself. She had the feeling that she was immortal, a goddess among commoners. She should have been dead, there was no reason why she wasn't, yet the District 4 girl rose once again.

That was the story that the man who found her disheveled body told her. The man, Shane, said that Lana was chosen by the sea spirits to lead Panem into a new world, and she believed it. Still, she was a forgotten member of society, going door to door with Shane, to spread the word of Lana's place among the heavens.

"White whale."

The people she seduced into her collective were kids sickeningly similar to Kingston, kids who just wanted something to believe in, though Lana wasn't sure what exactly it was that they needed. Deep in her core she knew everything was bullshit, the salt, the story about the whales, the way she was "spat from the seas." It was a symphony of falsehoods but it kept Lana afloat.

Up until now, Lana had done everything right. She had used her body just the way she did to get what she wanted from the cruel men of her past to lust Bell into her dominance making him an easy kill. As the light drained from his eyes she saw every man who ever wronged her in them. Eros was easy too, his insecurities prominent from the moment she saw the boy, and while he was still alive, he was petrified of her, his arm scar a mark of the District 4 girl's control. While Lana was planning on taking care of Kingston eventually, the girl from 3 did it for her, and in a way that the image of her carrying his burnt body made her into a hero. She exploited Fila's hero complex, her thirst for nobility and tendency to follow the rules, killing her in an instant and leaving the depressed girl from 2 in her clutches.

Seeing Moira jump (or rather fall after being pushed), meant that her game was over. Her mission to convince the girl that she was worthless was through, even if Lana was the one who had to deliver the final blow. The power of the Returning, the significance of the Red Shore meant nothing the more Lana thought of it. While manipulating people to jump was one thing, pushing them over the edge was something that the District 4 girl had never done before. As The Time of Red Shore ended, Lana couldn't help but wonder whether or not she was worthy of such a reward.

"White whale."

As she watched the shores return to normal, Lana laughed at the fact that she was alone for the first time in what seemed like her entire life. It was just her and the ocean, her home, and something she planned on getting used to for a bit before she made her next advances towards winning the Games. It was like being in 4 without the vivacious energy of the Collective, and while Lana missed them, she knew that they would soon be embracing her as she stepped off the train and into their arms.

"White whale."

The mist began to rise above the mountains, Lana sniffling in its glory despite the despair she felt as she lost the view of her precious ocean. She began to twitch her nose, her nostrils moist from the mist as she continued her temporary moment of tranquility, peace among war.

The mist was a canvas of sorts, a place where Lana could see the things she never thought she'd see so soon, Crista making candles and Shane telling stories around the fire. She saw the Neophytes doing the ritual of the salt, begging to watch the Games with her Consorts.

Lana saw her whole world in the mist.

"White whale."

The namesake of the cult appeared in the mist, Lana confused as to why it was there.

"The white whale takes those who are impure."

She heard a voice, one that existed in the back of her mind for years and one she couldn't put a finger on. It was a wrecked sound, deep and scratchy, a sound that made the scar on Lana's back sting as though it was being sliced open by a ghost.

"I'm going out to sea Katherine."

"Be careful of the water spirits."

"I'm looking for the whale."

Another voice, this one female, lighter than the other voice appeared in Lana's head. This voice was one she recognized instantly, even though she hadn't heard it for years. It was her mother. Lana tried to smile but her lips wouldn't move as the male voice once again dominated the conversation.

"Don't make an embarrassment of yourself, Lana. Everybody is watching."

It clicked, though Lana wished it didn't. Ishmael's voice continued to sound like a broken record as the mist engulfed the mountaintops.

"White whale."

More of the steam entered Lana's nose, Ishmael's voice only getting deeper, more prominent. The District 4 girl wanted to scream but she couldn't. Any noise she made was drowned out by the sounds of her father.

"White whale."

Lana shook as she felt teeth sink into her hands; she could tell she was bleeding but she couldn't see any blood. Another mouth bit into her leg, and then a third and a fourth until her body was lifted out of the mist, and into the sky. Lana cocked her head to see her arm, drenched in red, her legs in the same circumstance. Her limbs stung as they were grabbed by the teeth until finally she saw what had gotten her. While the face was indistinguishable, the body was oddly human save for the tentacles at the bottom, some of which had the heads of dragons on them, the same heads that were grabbing at her limbs.

"White whale."

Ishmae's voice only grew louder as Lana continued to be lifted, noticing now that the figure had a large harpoon. Once again she screamed but once again no words were heard from her lips. For the first time in years, Lana Lotus was sweating, the clear liquid coming from her forehead as the blood continued to drip from her limbs. She caught a quick glance at the beach, the Time of Red Shore returning as she felt her body be flung into the mouth of the creature who had captured her.

Lana didn't feel a thing as she returned to the sea that had once spat her out.


EROS FORTUNA (18) - DISTRICT 1 MALE


As Eros sat against the mountain, the very one he had returned to after the Feast with nothing to show from it, his life felt parallel. Just a few nights ago he was in the same place, crossing his fingers as he looked at the sky in hopes that he wouldn't see Fila, now still crossing his fingers but unsure whose face he was looking for. He had been at peace with the fact he was on his own, no longer having allies or people to speak to, but that didn't change the fact he would still be thinking of Moira, since he didn't have anybody else to think about except for himself.

The District 1 boy wasn't used to thinking of just himself, always a part of a team, a one among many, an us in a world full of thems, but now it was just him. The boy had grown to be suspicious of the people around him, constantly picked apart and taken advantage of when he was younger, but he didn't have anybody to take advantage of him now. He just had himself, just Eros. The chips he were eating were stale but the boy didn't mind. He was used to not having food, and he was accustomed to treating every meal as if it were a blessing. Eros was lost in his thoughts, not really caring about his surroundings when the national anthem once again played.

He heard two cannons earlier in the day, and while he was hoping for the best, he had a sinking feeling that Lana Lotus was still at large. He looked up to see Moira's face, petrified at the sight of yet another one of his friends gone. While she was an introvert and never somebody that Eros connected with on the same level he connected to Fila with, she was still somebody, and now she was gone. Eros remembered the sad stories that Moira told him about his life, about how she was hoping that all her trauma would magically disappear once she won. Based on the experiences he had so far, he could only imagine Moira's trauma would have only intensified had she won.

It took only a few more seconds for it to click for Eros. He and Lana were the only remaining Careers. Lana who he was so sure killed Bell. Lana who killed Fila. Lana who followed Moira to the mountains after the feast. Lana who probably killed Moira when he heard the first cannon this morning. Lana who had destroyed his pride, a permanent scar on his body. She was going to get him next. Eros didn't care about the next person whose face would appear since he was already nervous that she was coming to get him, that she knew where he was and she was going to get him. He picked up the weapons from the ground and was about to start running when he heard Fila's voice echo in his ear.

"Look up Ro. It's all going to be okay."

He knew Fila wasn't real and that it was just his subconscious speaking but he listened anyways. The boy turned around and lifted his head to the sky only to be filled with unmistakable glee.

Lana was dead.

The District 1 boy did a double take, not sure if what he was seeing was reality or a sick lie. He pinched himself hard, closing his eyes and opening them to see that he was in fact not dreaming. The girl from 4, his enemy, the person who had plagued his thoughts for far too long, was finally gone, and he could finally sleep at night without the fear of her breathing down his back, her presence a looming threat to his sanity.

"I'm the only Career left," Eros spoke to himself before saying it slightly louder to the sky, "I'm the only Career left!"

He smiled for the first time since Fila died as he came to terms with the fact. The odds were in his favor now, Careers a shoe-in for Victor when they made the Top 5. Eros Fortuna was going home, even if that wasn't a real thing anymore. He was going to be alive though, dining with Sapphira in the Victor's Village and going on walks with her dog. He would be a king!

All he had to do was actually get the crown. There were four people who had to die before Eros could go home, and being as he was pretty sure he was the oldest by two years, his chances were looking greater by the minute. He'd help the Ollaris parents mourn the loss of their daughter, bring cookies to the Mikkels on his Victory Tour. Eros would finally be able to say he did something by himself, for himself.

The District 1 boy was so close to his throne and he wasn't about to let anybody else sit on it.


Thank you so much for reading the 9th day of the Games. Ideas for this chapter were some of the first that I came up with when I was plotting this story, so seeing it all on paper is bewildering. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and I can't believe there's only one more before the finale!
Best,
Lindsay


Moira Mikkel, District 2 Female - 7th Place (Killed by Lana Lotus)
I really got lucky with Career girls this time and Moira was no exception. She had one of the most unique backstories I've ever seen and I appreciated how persistent she was even in horrible times. She's the subtle sort of character that sort of grew on me more and more as time went on, and by the time I'm here, I'm really sad to see her go. She was a troubled girl, and while it was hard at first, growing into writing her was a treat, and I'm glad I got to improve my writing through her.. I'd say Moira was the most ethical Career, and I appreciate her for that. Writing her was a treat and I'll miss getting to be in her head. Thanks to Paradigm of Writing for submitting her (and sorry I gave you 7th twice in a row.)

Lana Lotus, District 4 Female - 6th Place (Killed by a Mutt)

To the like 4 people reading this who played Among Us with Will and I (Lana's Submitter), me threatening him that I would kill Lana in the next chapter when he falsely accused me of being the imposter even though I fully saw him going through the vents after he killed somebody, and he knew I had seen him, this was always going to happen and was not related to Among Us. Lana Fucking Lotus… the love of my life besides Sapphira, where the hell do I even begin with you? This death hurts a lot, hence the long eulogy, but there are truly not enough words to describe the love I had for Lana Lotus. When I got her form I was on FaceTime with Haley and my jaw dropped to the ground. I genuinely could not believe what I was reading. I fell in love with Lana in a matter of seconds, even though I knew it wasn't good for me, and my mind was immediately consumed with ideas for her portrayal. Then I was sent the Collective's manifesto and I fell in love all over again. She's such a special character, the way she's abusive, yet had such a tragic upbringing, and while it didn't excuse the horrible things she did, it offered an explanation for why the twisted mind of Lana Lotus functions in the way it does. There are just so many layers to her, to the extent I read her form every day, and I am eternally grateful that you trusted me enough to allow me to write her. I've truly never seen a character like Lana, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to write such a complex villain. In fact, writing Lana was never not enjoyable. I could honestly write about her for hours but alas, she had to go. I think it's oddly poetic that Lana was killed by a manifestation of her dark past as opposed to another Tribute since it goes to show how cryptic and powerful she is. Lana Lotus, you have given me such a unique experience and I will never forget the way you changed my writing style for the better. But alas, Lana Lotus is back in the very sea that spat her out, the place she belongs and the place where she shall rest for eternity. As I drink this salt water, I offer a toast to you. Thank you so much to ripple237 for submitting her.


THE LEADERBOARD

Arena: III
Eros Fortuna: I
Liana Taylor: I
Sperry Holster: I
Lana Lotus (DECEASED): V
Moira Mikkel (DECEASED): III
Fila Ollaris (DECEASED): I
Bell Christos (DECEASED): I
Kingston Havlock (DECEASED): I
Ares Krishnan (DECEASED): I
Alabastor Contreras (DECEASED): I


NO ALLIANCES REMAIN