One Hundred and Thirteen Story:
The Hunger Games
Jace POV:
Normally on the day of the Selection, the last thing I was worried about was being chosen. But this time was different. My little brother just turned 12, and now his name is in the cup. That was the most terrifying thing about this whole Selection. I didn't want him to have to go through the horrific experience that was this inhuman competition.
I was getting ready when I heard a knock on the door. I turned around and in walked Will. He looked terrified, and with good reason. Selection Day always had a grey cloud looming over everyone's head, but this time it was different, this time he could potentially be a victim.
"Hey man, you okay?" I asked and he shrugged. "What's on your mind?"
"What if I get picked?" He asked in a small voice.
"Your name is only in that cup one time Will. I highly doubt that you'll be picked." I tried to reassure him, but honestly, anything could happen.
"But I'm scared." He admitted.
"I know you are, but we just have to make it through Selection, and figure out what to do from there." I said and he nodded. "Come on, get ready. We have to leave soon." He nodded before leaving my room. I looked back in the mirror and sighed. I wanted this day to be over so that we could go on living our lives. Despite how shitty things were in this Region, it was still home.
Time Jump – Selection Time
Jace POV:
We were standing in the center of the courtyard where the Selection would be taking place. We were standing in our age group, so I wasn't near Will, and that didn't sit well with me. I could see him from where I was standing, and I could see him fidgeting. I knew he was nervous, and with each minute that passed, I was getting more and more anxious as well.
"Greetings all." The woman finally said. "My name is Jia Penhallow, welcome to the 49th Annual Hunger Games." She said with so much pride in her voice, it was sickening. "We must not delay this any longer. First, the girls." She said as she walked over and picked a slip of paper out of the bowl. She walked back towards the microphone. "And the Tribute for the girls is….Clarissa Morgenstern." I looked over and saw the familiar redhead that I've always saw painting in her family's local shop. She walked hesitantly up to the stage where she would wait for the other name to be called. "And now, the boys." She said as she made her way to the other bowl. She grabbed a slip of paper, and made her way back towards the microphone, the anticipation was killing me. "And the Tribute for the boys is….William Herondale." She said and my heard stopped. I saw Will get out of line and slowly start making his way to the front, when I realized, this wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to go into that dome. I got out of line and started making my way towards him. I put my hand on his shoulder and he turned around and faced me.
"Go to mom Will." I said calmly.
"But I was picked." He said as I saw the tears well up in his eyes. I looked up at the woman and the guards who were going to come and take me away.
"Not anymore." I said. "I volunteer to take his place." I called up and the whole place went silent. I looked back at Will. "Go to mom Will."
"But Jace…" He said.
"Don't argue with me. Go to mom, she's going to need you right now." I said and he nodded. He made his way back towards the parents and I made my way up the steps.
"Well, it looks like Region 12 has it's very first volunteer." Jia said happily. "May I introduce you to the two Tributes from Region 12! Clarissa Morgenstern, and….." She turned towards me. "I didn't catch your name my boy."
"Jace Herondale ma'am." I said.
"I'm assuming that's your brother." She said and I nodded. "Well, Clarissa Morgenstern, and Jace Herondale, Region 12 Tributes!" She cheered but the whole Region was quiet. We weren't like Regions 1-4, we didn't get excited about the games, we dreaded them. We were guided back towards the rooms where we would wait to say goodbye to our families. I was pacing when I heard the door open. Once it did, Will ran towards me, and I knew he was crying.
"Hey, don't cry." I said.
"But you're leaving." He said.
"But I'll come back for you." I said.
"Promise?" He asked.
"I promise Will." I said and he nodded, and than I looked up at my mom. "Take care of him mom." I said and she hugged me.
"Come home to us Jace." My mom said and I nodded.
"Times up." The guard said.
"I love you both." I said and they were escorted out. I took a deep breath and followed the other guard to the car that would take us to the train. Jia was sitting in the middle of us while we started moving and talking about everything and anything, but I wasn't listening. I was just thinking about how to stay alive for my family.
Time Jump – Middle of Train Ride
Jace POV:
It was a long ride to the center of our world, Alicante. It was the middle of the night and I couldn't sleep any longer. I was walking around the train when I walked into the compartment where we met earlier today. I was surprised when I saw Clary sitting on the sofa.
"Hey." I said and she looked up and gave me a sad smile.
"Hey. You couldn't sleep either?" She asked and I shook my head. "Well, Jia left us this box of past Games, I was just going to study up on some of them, want to join?" She asked and I figured it couldn't hurt.
"Sure." I said as I joined her on the couch.
"I figured we could start with our mentor's tape." She said as she turned towards me. "Since he isn't very talkative."
"Or sober." I added and she laughed.
"Or sober, I figured maybe watching him in the Games would be the best form of education." She said as she popped the video in. "Man I'm going to have to get used to all this new stuff." She said as she made her way back to the couch.
"It is very intimidating." I said and she nodded. "Makes me wonder how different Alicante is from Region 12."
"Just by the looks of this train, I have a feeling we are going to be very overwhelmed." She said and I just nodded.
We sat there and watched tape after tape trying to get an idea of what we were going to go through, but so far, every Games have been different, so we could really be up against anything. But it was helpful to see what the Shadowhunters were capable of. They were from Region 1 and 2, and they were lethal. Region 3 and 4 were pretty terrifying as well, but 1 and 2 were the ones that normally always won these Games, and that kind of discouraged me a little, but I promised Will that I was going to come back and intended on keeping that promise.
"Oh good, you two are up." Jia said once she walked into the train car. "We have a lot to discuss today."
I felt like she never stopped talking. She was just going on and on about how great Alicante was, and I didn't really care about any of that. Region 12 was a struggling Region, so whatever she was talking about, didn't apply to my life. All I wanted to do was win these games, and get home to my mom and Will.
The day went on as expected. We got through the crowds and settled into our rooms where we would be staying until we were shipped off to the place where we would fight until the death. Tomorrow we would start our training, and I was a little nervous. I had no idea what this training was going to be like, and I didn't know what the other Tributes were going to look like either. It was all a guessing game, and being from Region 12, I didn't have a lot of pull in this game. I just had to trust in myself, and my talents, and that was going to have to carry me through the games.
Time Jump – Training Session
Jace POV:
Clary and I got ready and headed towards the training area. When we walked in we both were in awe. There was so much stuff there to train with that I couldn't even really comprehend it at first. There were knives, spears, daggers, bow and arrows, and so much more. It was everything that was going to be offered in the Games, and that in and of itself was intimidating.
The other Tributes were already training, and damn were they good. I looked at Clary and she looked quite nervous. We made our way into the training facility and started scooping out the place. I didn't want to show off my skills just yet, I wanted everyone to think I was an underdog from Region 12, and I planned on keeping it that way for as long as possible. Just by watching all of these kids going as hard as they could wasn't giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling about the Games, but I guess I'd just have to wait and see what lies ahead of us.
Time Jump – Final Evaluations
Jace POV:
Training was finally finished and Clary and I were waiting in our room to see where we stood. They broke down the Tributes into three categories. Weak, Moderate, and Strong. Those in the Strong category were generally fan favorites for winning the games, which meant that normally Region 1, 2, 3, and 4 ended up in them. Everyone else typically fell into the other two categories, which put a target on their backs, especially those in the Weak category; they tended to be taken out first.
I didn't know where I was going to rank. I wasn't particularly pleasant in my evaluation. They were being rude, and I decided to put them in their place. It was all up to the Game Makers on where they wanted to put me now, and part of me didn't feel too confident about it. Jia had a few choice words for me when I got back to the room. Hodge on the other hand thought it was incredibly bold, and funny.
"Ladies and Gentleman of Idris, the scoring as been locked in, it's time to see where everyone stands." Michael Wayland, the host, said. Clary and I sat at the edge of our seats, and waiting until they got to our Region. "Let's start with Region 1, Kaelie Whitewillow…..Strong" He said and there was no surprise there. "Sebastian Verlac…..Strong. Region 2, Helen Blackthorn…..Strong. Meliorn Fairly….Strong." He continued. "Region 3, Seelie Queen…..Strong. Raphael Santiago….Strong." He said. "Region 4, Maia Roberts….Strong. Bat Velasquez….Strong." That was it for the Shadowhunters, now on to the rest. "Region 5, Camille Belcourt….Weak. Eric Hillchurch…..Weak." Now it was getting to the Tributes that I needed to worry about, the ones I knew I could out do. "Region 6, Maureen Brown…..Weak. Matt Charlton…..Moderate." I looked over at Clary, and she was looking more and more nervous, and I couldn't blame her. "Region 7, Catarina Loss…..Moderate. Kirk Duplesse…..Moderate. Region 8, Lilith Conway….Strong." He said and that made me a little nervous, someone from Region 8 got in the same category as a Shadowhunter. "Jordan Kyle…..Strong."
"Damn." Hodge said. "Two Region 8's in the Strong category. That's rarely been done." That made me a little more nervous.
"Region 9, Tessa Gray….Moderate. Malachi Dieudonne…..Weak." He continued. "Region 10, Emma Carstairs….Strong. Edward Longford…..Moderate."
"Shit." Hodge murmured. "This year is no joke."
"How come there are so many Strong competitors this year?" Clary asked.
"I have no idea." Hodge said honestly. "They must have been impressive enough to make that category." Clary just nodded and we focused back on the results.
"Region 11, Leila Haryana…..Weak. Tomas Rosales…..Moderate." Wayland continued. "Region 12." He said and that's when everything got real. "Clarissa Morgenstern…..Moderate." He said.
"We can work with that." Jia said happily, and Clary just smiled a little and leaned back.
"Jace Herondale…..Strong." He said and I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me.
"Congratulations." I heard Clary say beside me, and I gave her a small smile.
"Oh this is wonderful!" Jia praised, and honestly I was still processing it all.
"They liked your guts kid." Hodge said as he gave me two thumbs up.
Everything seemed to slow down after it was all over. I didn't know what I was expecting. Or, I guess I was expecting them to take it out on me and categorize me as Weak and let the Shadowhunters have their way with me. But here I am, in the Strong category, and I don't know if that's better or worse for me.
The next day when I came down for dinner, Clary wasn't there. I took my seat and waited maybe 15 minutes, and Clary still wasn't down. Jia and Hodge were talking, and I thought it was weird, so I decided to ask.
"Where is Clary?" I asked and Hodge looked up.
"She decided that she was going to train alone for her last day." He said and I was confused.
"Why?" I asked.
"Sometimes this happens." Hodge explained. "You two might be from the same Region, but you are competitors, don't forget that."
"So she wants to work alone so that it'll be easier to kill me?" I asked a little annoyed.
"I don't know, but she's distancing herself from you for some reason." Hodge said and than he went back to talking to Jia. I was annoyed that Clary decided to separate from me on the last day. But I couldn't let it get to me, I just had to focus on me.
Time Jump – Final Day – Interviews
Jace POV:
Clary and I were standing in line for our interviews with Michael Wayland. I was going first, and watching some of these other interviews, kinda made me a little nervous, since they were being so personable and I wasn't like that at all. I stuck to myself most of the time, and I liked it like that.
The line was inching closer and before I knew it, I was the next one up, and I was fidgeting like a kid who had too much sugar. The interview felt like it was taking forever, and that was just increasing my nerves. Once the audience started to clap, that's when it hit me.
"Ladies and Gentleman, from Region 12, Jace Herondale!" He cheered and the place erupted. I made my way out on the stage, and we shook hands before taking our seat. "Jace Herondale, Region 12, Strong. How does it feel?" He asked.
"Uh, pretty unreal to be honest." I said.
"Were you prepared going into your session?" He asked.
"I guess." I said, and I think he wanted me to be more elaborate, but I didn't have much to say.
"Okay, so, you volunteered for your little brother, correct?" He asked and I nodded. "What was going through your mind when you heard his name being called?" He asked.
"I was pretty devastated." I said. "His name was only in there once, and he got the short end of the stick."
"But you stepped up." He said.
"I'm his older brother. It's my job to protect him, and that's what I did." I said and the whole place aww'd.
"Did you get to say goodbye?" He asked.
"Briefly." I said.
"And what did you two talk about?" He asked.
"I promised him that I'd come home. That I'd try to win for him." I said.
"And try you will." He said. "You are your Region 12 counterpart, how has it been being here with her?" He asked.
"I don't really know her all that well." I said and he simply nodded.
"Ladies and gentleman, Jace Herondale!" The audience applauded and I stood up. I made my way off stage and I finally took a deep breath. "Next from Region 12, Clarissa Morgenstern!" He cheered and Clary got on stage. "So Clarissa…"
"Please, call me Clary." She said and he nodded.
"So Clary, how are you feeling?" He asked.
"Uh, pretty overwhelmed. We don't have anything like this back in Region 12." She said with a smile.
"Anything like what?" He asked.
"Well, anything really. I mean, I bathe in water that's at least a week old most of the time." She said and the crowd gagged a little.
"Do you really?" He asked.
"Region 12 isn't the nicest place, but it is home." She said and he nodded.
"What's the strangest thing you encountered?" He asked.
"On the train here actually, Jia gave me a box of tapes from past Games, and I was getting ready to watch them one night, and Jace joined me, and we couldn't get over the box that you put the video in to play." She laughed. "What's that called again?"
"A DVD player?" He asked.
"Yes, a DVD player. We don't have those in 12." She said.
"How do you watch videos?" Wayland asked.
"We don't. I've never seen one before." She admitted and the crowd looked stunned.
"Speaking of Jace, how do you two get along?" He asked and Clary blushed a little.
"We get along fine." She said, and that kind of annoyed me since she had been ignoring me since after the results came out.
"Were you two friends back in Region 12?" He asked, and Clary laughed.
"We went to school together, and we crossed paths occasionally, but we didn't really hang out. He spends a lot of time with his brother." She admitted, and it was true. I spent a lot of time with Will.
"He seems extremely dedicated to his family." He pointed out.
"He is, and he might not show it, but he's really a sweet guy." She said and my jaw practically hit the ground, where was this coming from? "When we were maybe 13, I remember standing in front of the local store in our town. My father had died, and my mother and I were starving, and I didn't have any money for food." She started talking, and the memory came flooding back to me like it was yesterday. "I was just standing there, and the next thing I feel is something yank on my bag, and when I looked down, there was a loaf of bread in there. I looked up and Jace was walking away with his hands tucked in his pocket. I never got a chance to thank him for that, but he saved my mother and I because of that." She said and the whole place aww'd.
"That seems very out of character from Jace. Especially from what we've seen of him thus far in these Games." The interviewer said.
"Well, people react differently when they are chosen for these Games." Clary said and the interviewer nodded in agreement.
The rest of the conversation I kind of tuned out since I didn't want to hear whatever she was saying. Clary didn't make any sense. We've barely talking in days, and when we were around each other there was no friendly conversation or anything. It was just blank, so this was all confusing to me.
When Clary got off the stage, I planned to confront her. She had all these positive things to say about me on camera but not to my face? I marched right over to her, and a little aggressively I shoved her against the wall.
"So what, are we BFF's on screen, but off screen we ignore each other?" I yelled, and Hodge and Jia came running over and pushed me back. "If you aren't going to be real to my face, don't say that shit to other people. You made me look like a fool!"
"No she didn't." Hodge stepped in.
"Are you kidding me? She hasn't spoken to me in days." I said and Hodge got in my face.
"She helped you out." He said in a menacing tone. "Don't take it out on her for playing the game better than you."
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"You two failed to ask me the most important question since getting chosen at the Selection." Hodge said and Clary and I looked at each other. "Do you two even know what that might be?" He asked. Clary and I were silent. "You never asked me how to win." He hissed. It never occurred to me to ask that, it seemed simple.
"You kill the other 23 Tributes." I said. "It's pretty simple."
"There is more to it than that." Hodge said.
"Like what?" Clary asked.
"You won't know what the Games look like until you get there, so if it's a dessert, and you're dying of thirst, how are you going to get water? You get cut, how are you going to heal? You get sick, how are you going to fight that illness?" He asked and I didn't know the answers to any of those questions. "You have to get Benefactors. You have to get people to like you. And the way I've been observing, you aren't a very likable person Jace."
"I volunteered for my brother." I said and he scoffed.
"Sure, you will always be known as the boy who volunteered, but once you're in the Games, you'll just be the boy from 12, with absolutely not merit, and no chance of winning." He said and I balled my fists. "Clary telling that story about you, made you likable, made you empathetic, made you human." He said. "You needed that boost. So don't shove her for doing you a favor."
"I'm sorry." Clary said. "I just thought they deserved to know that you aren't cold and distant. There is a heart in there." She said as she pointed to my chest. "I thought people deserved to know that." She said before walking off with Jia. Hodge put his hand on my shoulder.
"There are 22 other people going in there with you. They all have the same thing in mind: they want to win. Having her by your side is going to be beneficial." Hodge said.
"I work alone." I said.
"And you're going to die alone in there with that attitude." Hodge said before following Jia and Clary. I shook my head and followed suit. I needed to sleep this whole night away and just focus on tomorrow. I needed to be in the competitive mindset in order to get back home, I needed that for Will.
Time Jump – Game Time
Jace POV:
Before we were getting escorted off to the ship that would be taking us to the Games, we got one final goodbye with Hodge and Jia. Clary and I were standing there, not talking. Hodge and Jia finally came in and I felt like the awkward tension in the room was gone.
"Going off of the outfits that you're wearing, I'm assuming the climate is going to be chilly. Possible mountains and snow." Hodge said. "Make sure you stay warm, but remember, building a fire is basically a death sentence. Find other ways to keep your heat, and at the beginning, when they count you down, don't go for the weapons. That place is a blood bath. Just get as far away from all the other Tributes as you can." He continued and I nodded. He gave Clary a huge first and than me, but he held on a little longer. "You can't go this alone. To get Benefactors, you need to give these people something to fight for. Your brother isn't enough this time around, Clary will be a key factor in that. Remember that." He whispered in my ear and I nodded. "Good luck." He said and we nodded.
Clary and I both made our way to the meeting area. We still didn't talk. I didn't know what she was thinking about, but I was thinking about what Hodge said, and if pretending to be that sweet guy that Clary mentioned in her interview kept me alive longer, that's what I was going to do.
All the Tributes got on the plane and that's when it all sunk in. we were actually going to be participating in these Games. The Games that I had dreaded for years, and now here I was. I still had no idea what to expect. But I knew that it was going to be brutal, and test all my limits. I was going to try my best, that's all I could do.
Time Jump – One Minute Before Game Time
Jace POV:
As I'm standing on this little platform, I see can see the numbers slowly count backwards:
60
59
58
57
56
55
I look around and I see Clary across the way. She looks at me, and she looks terrified. I take my eyes away from her, and back at the middle of the Games. There were a lot of weapons and just backpacks of useful stuff that would be key in my survival. When I look back at Clary she shakes her head.
34
33
32
31
29
28
I felt like I've been on this platform longer than I was getting prepped for the Games. The Shadowhunters were smiling and rocking back and forth. They were ready. Ready to win, ready to kill, ready to betray each other when need be. I looked at the other Tributes. Some looked just as terrified as Clary did, and others looked almost indifferent. Like they were ready for their fate.
17
16
15
14
13
12
I on the other hand wasn't giving up that easily. I would fight until I couldn't fight any longer so that I could make it back home to Will. That was my goal from the beginning, and that's what I was going to try my hardest to accomplish.
10
9
8
7
6
5
At this point I was trying to figure out a plan. I knew I wasn't going to be heading straight into the madness like everyone else was going to do, but there were still some backpacks along the edge, before the mountains started, and those could be very useful.
3
2
1
0
The time ran out and everyone went running. I saw Clary run in the opposite direction, and I ran towards a lone backpack, grabbed it and ran towards the mountains as well. I could hear the screaming and the laughing coming from the other Tributes, but I couldn't focus on that, I had to focus on finding a place where I could make a makeshift home for right now, and worry about the other Tributes later, once they finish having fun back at the base.
Time Jump – Hours Later
Jace POV:
I've been walking for hours. I had no idea where I was, or where anyone else was for that matter. But I guess that was a good thing. It was getting cold, and I knew that I needed to find a place to stay for the time being to warm up. Hodge was right, I wouldn't last long if I didn't find some alternative way of warmth besides fire.
I came across this cave and decided that I would be better in there than out in the open, since I didn't know what the Game Makers were going to throw our way during the night. It was the best that I could do, and for that I would have to make it work. I saw the light dim outside the cave. I put my backpack down as a pillow, and closed my eyes. That's when I heard the talking.
"You sure he's up here 12?" I heard a husky voice say.
"Yea. I saw him run this way." An all to familiar voice said: Clary.
"You better not be tricking us." The husky voice said again.
"I'm not." Clary said and they continued walking.
"You sure about this Seb? A girl said. "Why can't we just kill her now?" And I'm not gonna lie, I didn't like the sounds of that.
"I'm positive. She's a moderate, and not a very good one. Once we find her Region partner, we'll kill them both." He said. "Trust me Kaelie, I know how to win these Games. All 4 of my brothers did." He said and than they continued walking. I didn't know whether to feel betrayed by Clary, or sorry for her fate in these Games. My eyes fluttered closed, and I decided to get whatever sleep I could, knowing tomorrow was another day to fight for my life.
Time Jump – Five Days Later
Clary POV:
I was in over my head when it came to the Shadowhunters. I knew that I was being used as a pawn, but when I heard them talking about killing Jace, I made a split second decision. I knew he needed to make it home for his brother. He needed to make it home, more than me, and more than any other Tribute in these Games, and if I could give him time, and the opportunity to come up with a plan, I was going to do whatever I could to help him. There was more to Jace than the cold and distant exterior that he always put on, there was something sweet deep down inside of him, and he didn't deserve this. His family didn't deserve this, and I was going to make it my last wish to make him survive these Games.
Jace POV:
The sound of the cannon rings in my ears of all the lives lost for a pointless reason. It has been an incredibly long five days, and I was hungry, and I was tired, and extremely cold. So far I had counted 14 deaths, which meant there were 9 others, not including myself, left. I knew all 8 Shadowhunters were still around, and I can only assume Clary is still around, which meant this game was down to the final steps. The Shadowhunters were gunning for me, and I didn't know how long they'd keep Clary alive if I wasn't there.
I made it a point to switch caves every day. I didn't want to be stuck in the same place and I guess neither did the Game Makers, since an avalanche hit and destroyed the first cave I stayed in. I knew they weren't going to make it easy, but for people aren't accustomed to the harshness of avalanches, they were making it a brutal time in here.
Hodge POV:
"Come on Mitchell, the Shadowhunters are far more superior this year, the Games are losing their popularity. Once they killed everyone else, people simply lost interest. You need a power play." I said trying my hardest to get Jace home. I knew his family needed him, and Clary approached me alone asking me to do whatever I could to make sure he survives, and I was going to stick to my promise.
"What to you want me to do Hodge?" He asked. "The President would have my head."
"These are your Games Mitchell. You have the liberty to do whatever you want to make sure they are successful." I pointed out.
"I've given these Tributes my absolute best. They are resilient, I don't know what else to do." He admitted.
"Stop trying to go after the Shadowhunters." I said. "There are still two Tributes from 12. Use them. Give the Regions who feel like they've lost hope a chance to get that hope back."
"I'll see what I can do." Mitchell said before walking back towards the control room. I made my way back to the commotions of the people with a smile on my face. Something was going to come out of this, I just hoped that it was good.
Jace POV:
It was dark, I was in a cave, and I heard the theme music. This meant there was going to be an announcement, and I honestly have no idea what they were planning on announcing.
"Attention Tributes, there has been some change in the rules, if two Tributes from the same Region are still alive, they may win together. That is all." The voice said and the music played him out. I thought about the Shadowhunters. They were all still paired up, but so were Clary and I. we had a chance to make it home. Hodge was right, I was going to need her in these Games, and now I needed to find her.
Time Jump – Hours Later
Jace POV:
In the time that I had spent looking for Clary, two more cannons went off. When I looked up to the sky, I was happy to see that neither of them were Clary. Kaelie was crushed by an avalanche, and Helen died in her sleep due to hypothermia. That just increased Clary and I's chances of making it home. There were only two other teams left that could possibly win, and that made me feel pretty good.
I had tracked the Shadowhunters looking for Clary, but she wasn't with them anymore. I don't know where she is, I knew she wasn't dead, but I didn't know where she was. I tried to keep my distance from the Shadowhunters. There was no need to put myself in harms way when I needed to find Clary.
I was trudging through the snow trying to find another cave to spend some time in to warm up. It was getting colder every day, I figured that was to make the Games go by quicker. I was lost in my head when something caught my eye. Red. But not just the color, it was blood. I saw there was a trail of it leading slightly up the mountain: I decided to follow it. I don't know how long I was walking until I heard clattering of teeth. I started looking around for any sign of Clary. Finally, I looked up, and she had positioned herself in a tree, not too high, but out of my reach.
"Clary." I called up to her and she looked down. Her lips were purple, and she looked ghostly. "Clary, are you okay?" I asked but she didn't answer, I can only assume she was freezing up there. "I need you to listen to me okay? I'm going to get you somewhere warm, but I need to get you out of that tree." I said and I thought I saw her head nod slightly. "Do you trust me?" I asked and she nodded again. "I need you to fall." I said and she looked hesitant. "I'll catch you." I promised and I saw her take a deep breath before she rolled off the branch she was sitting in. Like I promised, I caught her but we both fell to the ground, she was on top of me, and I was staring into those green eyes that looks duller than they did before we entered. "Let's get you warm." I said and she nodded.
I stood up and scooped Clary into my arms. She was tiny, and lost weight being in these games. I've been around this area before, I knew there was a cave near by that we could stay in for a couple hours while she warmed up.
When we got in the cave, I set Clary down and I took off my jacket. Carrying her kinda made me a little hot, and she needed the warmth much more than I did. I could tell she wanted to protest me, but I wasn't having it. And since we were in a cave, I decided to light a fire. She needed it, and even if it was lit for an hour, it was better than nothing.
After about 15 minutes I saw that Clary's body language relaxed a lot, and I assumed it was because she was thawing out. She moved a little closer to the fire and held her hands to it. Her lips were no longer purple, but her teeth were still chattering slightly.
"Any better?" I asked and she looked at me.
"Yes. Thank you." She said.
"What happened to you? I thought you were with the Shadowhunters?" I asked, and a little bit of bitterness came out as well.
"I was. They wanted to find you so badly, and they were having a lot of trouble, so I volunteered to lead them to you." She said. "They thought since we were from the same Region that I knew everything about you." She said. "I ended up leading them around the entire mountain, and they weren't pleased that they couldn't find you. One night while they were all sleeping and I was taking watch I ran."
"You are probably their number one target now." I said with a slight laugh.
"Possibly, but that means you aren't." She said.
"Why'd you do it? Risk your life for me?" I asked.
"You need to get home to your brother." She said. "You have a family to get home too."
"So do you." I said and she shook her head.
"Not really. After my father died, my mom checked out. I pretty much take care of myself." She said and I nodded. That must suck, not having anyone back home rooting for you to stay alive. "But you have people. You have your brother, and he deserves to get you back."
"Well, did you hear the new rule?" I asked and she shook her head.
"I was kinda frozen." She side and I laughed.
"There can be two winners if they're from the same Region." I said and her eyes lit up. "Us, and Region 3 and 4 are the only ones left with partners." I said and if on cue, a cannon went off. I went to the edge of the cave and stuck my head out to see who it was. When I went back in the cave Clary looked way more alert.
"Who was it?" She asked.
"Raphael Santiago. That leaves us, and Region 4." I said.
"We could both really go home?" She asked.
"We could both go home." I said and she smiled. "Are you warm enough that I can put this fire out?" I asked.
"Yea." She said. I grabbed some snow from outside and threw it on the fire and it immediately went out. She scooted back and wrapped the jackets around here.
"I have an idea, but it's totally up to you." I suggested.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Body heat." I said. "It's the next best thing to warm you completely up." I said and she nodded.
"Okay." She said. I made my way over to her, and I put my arm around her. I leaned back on the hard ground and she curled into my side. I laid the blanket out on top of us, and pulled her close. "You're like a human heater." She said and I laughed.
"I guess that's a good thing." I said and I felt her smile against my chest.
"It's a great thing." She said and I laughed. We had a real chance of getting home now, and I was feeling more confident than ever.
Time Jump – Later That Day
Jace POV:
I don't remember falling asleep, but I was woken up by a cannon. Clary was still asleep, so I moved carefully so that I wouldn't wake her up and I made my way to the end of the cave. When I looked out, I saw that Bat Velasquez was the next one to leave the Games. That meant Clary and I were the only Region left with both Tributes. We could be the only winners, and that felt amazing.
"Jace?" I heard and I turned around. "Who was it?" She asked.
"Bat." I said. "We're officially the only team left." I said and she smiled. "But we shouldn't stay here. We should go." I said and she nodded.
"Okay." She said as she put her jacket back on. I gathered up all our stuff and we got out of the cave. It was still cold, but I knew that we could make it.
"We should head back to where the Games started." I said and she nodded. We started making out way there when I remembered something. "Wait, I never asked you how you left that trail of blood."
"Nose bleed." She said. "It got really cold, and it's been known to happen when the weather drops."
"Makes sense." I said and we continued to walk in a comfortable silence. It was weird, being in Clary's company wasn't weird, or awkward. We got along really well, and I hated that it took us this long to actually build a friendship.
When we got to the base, we noticed that Sebastian, Seelie, and Maia were all there. They had made that place their headquarters and I had to admit, it was a pretty good idea. We crouched behind a bush and just watched them argue. No doubt it was about how to find us.
"What do we do?" Clary asked.
"We wait until they're alone." I said. "Get them vulnerable and take them out." I said.
"I never thought it would come to this." She said and I looked at her. "I made it a lot father than I thought I would."
"Well, we're making it home Clary. No matter what." I said and she smiled and nodded. "I'm going to go after Sebastian, and I want you to go after Seelie."
"What if I can't take her?" She asked hesitantly.
"Seelie may be a Shadowhunter, but she was never as skilled as the others. I'm going to assume that she made it this far purely by luck. She's the easiest target." I explained and she nodded.
"And what about Sebastian? What are your chances against him?" She asked.
"Pretty even." I said. "Maia is the toughest one left out of the three." I further explained.
"Really?" She asked, seeming surprised.
"She's cunning, and intelligent, and manipulative." I said. "She's the mastermind behind everything the Shadowhunters do, and I wouldn't be surprised if she killed the others off behind everyone else's back."
"That's so messed up." Clary said.
"These Games test you in the most brutal way possible. They bring out that side of you. I heard Maia even filed her teeth down so she could rip people's throats out easier." I said and Clary's jaw dropped.
"That's sick." Clary said.
"But effective." I pointed out. "She's going to be the hardest to take out, so we need to isolate her."
"But how do I take out Seelie? I've never killed anyone before." She said and I put my hands on her shoulders and focused her attention on me.
"How good is your aim?" I asked.
"Pretty accurate." She said. I reached in my pocket and pulled out a dagger.
"Take this, and throw it into her neck. She'll bleed out. It's simple." I said and she took the dagger, but I knew she didn't want too. "I know you don't want to do this Clary, but we can go home. We just need to kill them."
"I know, but it feels so wrong." She said and I pulled her into a hug so that my lips were at her ear and I started whispering.
"This whole system is wrong. Kids killing kids for other people's amusement? It's the worst form of discipline." I said and I felt her nod. "But we're here, and we're the only Region left, and I'll be damned if we both don't make it home. So we need to kill them Clary, but that doesn't make you a bad person, it just makes you a survivor."
"Okay. Okay, I can do this." She said as she backed away. I looked over and saw the three dispersing.
"Okay, they're most likely going out to canvas the area. You track Seelie, and I'll go after Sebastian. Once you hear both cannons, we'll meet back here." I said and she nodded. I leaned over and pressed my lips to her forehead. "You can do this." I said and she nodded again before going to the direction Seelie went. I took a deep breath and started following Sebastian. "By the Angel I hope this plan works." I said to myself as I watched Sebastian's moves. He was armed, but only with a simple spear. He stopped to take a look around, and that's when I decided that I was going to make my move. I lunged at him and as soon as he heard movement, he got in a fighting stance, this might be harder than I anticipated.
Clary POV:
I watched Seelie's movements carefully. Jace was right, she didn't seem as bright as the others, but than again, when you have that kind of alliance, you knew they were always going to have your back. Well, everyone except Maia that is.
She stopped at one point and started looking around. She had a knife in her hand, but it didn't look like she had any other weapons on her, which shocked me. She was totally ill-equip and for someone from the Shadowhunting Regions, that was surprising.
I got in position where I had the perfect view of her neck. I don't know what she was looking at but she seemed extremely distracted. I lined my dagger up and took a deep breath.
"Come on Clary." I said to myself. "Jace is counting on you, just throw it, and leave. You don't have to watch her die." I said trying to pump myself up.
I took another deep calming breath before I went to throw it but I moved my foot and a branch snapped from under me, and Seelie's head snapped in my direction.
"12." She sneered and came charging at me. This was not how it was supposed to go. She was quicker than I imagined, and before I knew it I was being tackled into the snow. "Where's your sweet and caring partner little girl?" She mocked. "Did he leave you to fend for yourself? Everyone knew you never had it in you from the start. Destined to die at the hands of the greatest Shadowhunters these Games have ever seen." She taunted as she dug her foot deeper into my throat, slowly cutting off the air supply. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. "What was that? Are you trying to beg for mercy?" She laughed but that's not what I was going to say. "Any last words 12?" She asked and I knew I couldn't let Jace down. I clutched the dagger in my hands and finally found my voice.
"My name…..is not….little girl." I choked out before plunging the dagger into her throat. The shock that spread across her face was something I don't think I'll ever be able to forget. I pulled it out, and she placed her hand there while staggering back. She fell into the snow, which was slowly being dyed red. I heard her gasping for air. I finally got to my feet and turned to leave, and that's when I heard the cannon. The majority of me felt sick that I just took someone's life, but there was a little part of me, that was proud that I finally stood up for myself. I was no longer playing these Games for myself, but for Jace as well.
I was walking back towards the spot where Jace and I planned on meeting when I heard the cannon go off again. I looked up towards the sky and prayed that it wasn't Jace. When I saw Sebastian's face I let out a sigh of relief. We only had one more to go, and although she might be the toughest, I was running on an adrenaline high, and for the first time in my life, I felt invincible.
Jace POV:
I was walking absentmindedly back to the base of these Games. Sebastian was a lot stronger than I anticipated, but in the end, I out maneuvered him and that's all that mattered. I vaguely remember hearing the cannon go off, but I didn't get a chance to see who it was, and I just prayed that it wasn't Clary.
When I got back to he edge of the base area, I could see Maia pacing. She clearly wasn't expecting to lose the last two people in her alliance, but I was hoping that maybe this made her vulnerable. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder, but when I turned around, I was relieved to see that it was Clary.
"Oh my god." I said as I pulled her into a hug. "I was so afraid you didn't make it."
"Didn't you look up when the cannon went off?" She asked with a little laugh. That's when it dawned on me, there was something about Clary: something about being with her, protecting her, making her laugh, and warming her up that felt right to me. Something I didn't even think of in the beginning.
"I was kind of in the middle of something." I smiled and so did she, and that's when I noticed her neck. "What the hell happened to your neck?" I asked as I tipped her chin up a little.
"I stepped on a branch, and Seelie lunged." She said and my jaw dropped a little. "It definitely wasn't the way I wanted it to go, but it's over now."
"I know you didn't want to do it Clary, but I'm so proud of you." I said and she smiled at me.
"I just kept thinking that I couldn't let you down." She admitted and I brushed a piece of hair out of her face. She blushed a little, which was absolutely adorable, and I just wanted to make her blush again. "But now on to the real task: Maia."
"Yea. I think not having Seelie and Sebastian around threw her off. I don't think she was expecting them both to go at the same time." I admitted.
"So what do we do?" She asked. She seemed more confident, maybe it's because of what went down with Seelie, or maybe it's because she really wanted to get home, but either way, I liked this new found confidence.
"She's clearly vulnerable right now." I said as I pointed to her. "But that's our advantage. At this point, I think what we have to do is just go for it."
"Like just run at her, and hope we win?" She asked and I laughed.
"Basically." I said. "The Game Makers want the Games to end. It's getting colder and colder by the hour. So either we wait for her to die of hypothermia, or we take some action, and I don't know about you, but I hate the cold, so I'd rather get it over with." I admitted and she laughed.
"What do you want me to do?" She asked.
"I need you to go on the opposite side of where we are now, and make some noise. Make her start heading in that direction and I'll take care of her." I said and she nodded. She leaned up and pressed her lips to my cheek.
"Good luck." She said before walking away. These Games were definitely eye opening, and something was definitely going to change when we got back, but for right now, my focus was on Maia.
I waited until I heard the same sound Maia did, and once she started walking towards where Clary was, I started sneaking up behind her. It was in times like these that I was glad I was a soft walker. Maia was oblivious, but that's how I liked it. It all came to and end when she spotted Clary's vibrant red hair and broke out into a run. She was quick, I'll give her that. And unfortunately she caught up to Clary before I got to her.
"What do we have here? I have to admit, I'm impressed you survived 12, but that's all about to end." Maia said. It was now or never.
"Put the knife down." I called out, and Maia swiftly moved, as she held the blade to Clary's throat.
"Well if it isn't the happy couple. Region 12, who would have ever thought." Maia said, her voice laced with malice. "I expected you to make it far, but her." She said as she dug the knife in deeper. "I expected her to be dead the first day."
"People always underestimate those from 12." I said. "We fight to survive every day, these Games are no different."
"But they are." Maia said. "These Games are nothing like the real world. These Games…..these Games are everything."
"Is that what they teach you in Region 4? That these Games are what life is all about?" I asked.
"They teach us how to be winners. They teach us how to be the very best at what we do. They teach us to be Shadowhunters." Maia said. "Same can't be said for you two."
"We might not have very much in 12, but we have what we need, and that's good enough for us." I said and Maia laughed.
"That's pathetic." She said. "And that's why I'm going to end your miserable lives right now." She continued. "Starting with hers." Maia said and that's when I saw Clary finally move. She plunged the dagger I gave her earlier into Maia's stomach, and Maia released her. She stumbled backwards a few feet before growling at us like a wolf. "You'll pay for that!" She yelled but before she could lunge, I threw the spear that I took from Sebastian and I plunged right into her chest. She was dead instantly.
"It's over." Clary said and I sighed.
"It's over." I said. Clary walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my torso and I instantly hugged her back. We got to go home.
"Attention Tributes." We heard from above. "The previous rule about two Tributes from the same Region has been revoked." He said. "That is all." Clary and I looked at each other. We didn't come all this way just to die. I saw Clary's face soften, I knew she could probably see how conflicted I was.
"Go head." She said. "You deserve to make it back to your brother." She said and I was stunned.
"I'm not going to kill you Clary." I said and of course, the temperature dropped.
"They need one winner Jace. And that's going to be you." She said. "Let's face it, I'll die of hypothermia before you if you refuse to kill me."
"I'm not killing you Clary." I said as I took her hands in mine.
"Than what do you suppose we do?" She asked. "They need a winner." And than an idea hits me.
"No they don't." I said.
"What do you mean?" She asked. I took a knife out of my pocket and I grabbed the dagger off the ground and handed it to her. "Jace."
"On the count of three." I said and she looks at me with her eyes filled with worry. I push a piece of hair away from her eyes. "Trust me." I whisper, and she nods. "On the count of three." I said again. We both put the blades to our throats.
"One." She says.
"Two." I count, and she takes a deep breath.
"Three." We say together.
"STOP!" We hear right as we're about to push even harder. "Stop. May I present you the winners of the 49th Hunger Games." The voice says and Clary and I both drop the weapons. I pull her into a hug and she wraps her arms around my neck. I was finally going home, and it all seemed too surreal.
Time Jump – One Week Later
Jace POV:
To say we caused quite a gossip line in the Regions would be an understatement. People were moved by our act of 'love' as they are now calling it, but at the end of the day, we were just two people who wanted to live.
After a couple days of interviews, and a parade, we were finally on the train back to Region 12, and for some reason, I just didn't feel like myself. I was excited to be seeing Will again, but I wasn't the same person that I was when I left. Those Games change you, and I didn't know if I would ever be the same, but maybe one day I could get back to my old self.
Clary locked herself in her room the entire ride back to 12. I couldn't blame her. What we had to do to survive wasn't something kids our age should ever have to go through. Especially Clary. She was nice, and sheltered, and from the time I spent with her, I knew she liked to see the good in people. And these Games destroyed all of that for her. She was no longer sheltered, and she was no longer innocent, and she no longer saw the good in people, but rather spotted the bad right away. The Games changed her more than me, and I hoped that she would recover.
When the train stopped, I saw Clary emerge from her room. We could hear the Region outside applauding and cheering. I looked at Clary and she looked at me, and we stepped out of the train and were greeted by everyone in the Region. It didn't take me long to find Will. I ran to him, and picked him up into my arms.
"You won." He said and I smiled.
"I told you I'd come back." I said as I set him down. I pulled my mom into a hug next.
"It's so good to have you home Jace." She said and I kissed her head.
"It's good to be home." I said.
"Did you hear?" Will asked. "We get to move into the Champion Circle. We get a HUGE house!" Will said and I laughed.
"That's great!" I said as I ruffled his hair. "To be honest, I totally forgot that was a thing."
"All of our stuff has been moved in already." My mom said. "Let's go home." She said and there was nothing that sounded more amazing than the word home. I looked back to see if I could see Clary, and all I saw was her walking through the crowd. She wasn't kidding when she said she didn't have anyone. I can't imagine what it must be like to come home from what we just went through, and have absolutely nobody.
When we got to our new house, I had to admit, it was pretty nice. It was way bigger than anything I've seen before, and there was way more space than the three of us needed, but those are the perks of winning, and I was going to enjoy it because I earned it.
Time Jump – Later That Night
Jace POV:
It was late, and Will was already in bed, and my mom was too. I went outside to get a little fresh air, when I saw a single light on in the house that Clary was now living in. I made a split second decision and made my way over there and knocked on the door. I waited a few moments and than it opened.
"Jace, what are you doing here?" Clary asked.
"I saw the light." I said. "It's late, what are you still doing up?" I asked.
"I could ask you the same thing." She said and I laughed.
"You could." I said. "I think the Games messed my sleep schedule up, since I never really knew if it was actually day or night in there."
"Yea, I got home from the train and took a nap, and now I'm not tired at all." She admitted.
"How is the new house?" I asked after a moment.
"Way to big for one person." She laughed.
"What about your mom?" I asked.
"Refused to leave our old home. She didn't want to be far from my father." She explained.
"So you're all alone?" I asked and she nodded. "Want to come over?" I quickly asked.
"Aren't your mom and brother there? Probably asleep." She said and I laughed.
"Yes, but we're both awake, and it seems silly for us to just do nothing and be bored." I said and I could see her thinking it over.
"Okay." She finally said and we walked over to my house. When we walked in we made our way to the living room where there was a TV. "I don't think I'll ever get used to these houses."
"I know what you mean." I agreed. We took a seat on the couch and like it was second nature, she curled into my side. It was something that I could get used to, and I had a feeling she might be here a lot more now.
Time Jump – Two Years Later
Jace POV:
The next two Selections were nerve-wracking to say the least. I was no longer of age to be entered, but Will was only 14, and each time the Selection Day comes, I'm terrified that he's going to be picked.
But I wasn't alone. I had my mom and Clary by my side holding onto each other my hands while we anxiously waited for the names to be picked. And each year, Will had been lucky to escape.
Selection Day was tomorrow, and like always, I couldn't sleep. I was sitting on the couch looking at the TV but not paying any attention to it. I never wanted my brother to go through what I had to. He didn't deserve it.
"Jace?" I heard and when I turned my head, Clary was standing in the doorway. "What's wrong?"
"You know I can never sleep before Selection Day." I said and she made her way over to me before sitting on my lap. Yup, since the Games, Clary and I have found peace together. At first we had become each others confidant. We would talk about the nightmares we both endured, and the way we felt about different things, and how our thoughts and emotions have changed since the Games. Eventually it grew into something more, and with the permission of those who look over 12, Clary was allowed to move into my house.
"You need to sleep Jace." She said and I nodded because I knew she was right.
"It's worse this year because we are their mentors." I said and she nodded. When we were approached to be the mentors for these Games, I was confused at first, until I heard that this year, 2 boys and 2 girls would be selected. Which meant they wanted more mentors, but all I could think about is how Will's chances just got worse.
"I know, but we can't possibly be worse than Hodge." She said and I laughed.
"You know that's not what I'm worried about." I said and she nodded.
"We just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow." She said as she got off my lap. "But in the mean time, come back to bed. It's cold without you." She said and I just couldn't deny her. It was impossible. I reached for her hand and we made our way upstairs. We got comfortable in bed and she rested her head on my chest and I kissed her head.
"Goodnight Clary." I whispered.
"Goodnight Jace." She said back. "Love you." She mumbled but I couldn't help but smile.
"I love you too." I said but I knew she was already asleep. Tomorrow was out of my control, and that's what I hated most about it, but also something I had to accept.
Time Jump – Selection Time
Jace POV:
As we stood in the familiar meeting area, I couldn't stop shaking. 2 boys were going to be picked today, and I couldn't help but feel nauseous and anxious at the same time. I didn't want Will to be picked, but I knew I had no control over it.
Jia gave her normal speech but I just blocked her out. Once she was done, I saw her moving towards the bowl that had all the girls names in it, but I didn't listen to who she called. All I cared about was if Will was chosen. She made her way over to the boys bowl, and I sucked in a breath.
"First for the boys…..Matthew Abraham." She said and instant relief filled my body. Until she went back over to the bowl. "And the second boy is…Paul Castinello." She said and it was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Of course it was going to suck more this time around because Clary and I would be there getting to know these kids. At least in past years we could just turn off the coverage and pretend it wasn't happening, but not this time.
We got a few minutes to say goodbye to my family, and I spent most of them hugging Will, thanking the Angel that he wasn't chosen. He got to live another day, and that's all that mattered to me.
Once Clary and I boarded the train, we were greeted by the 4 faces that we would have to train and prepare for what would most likely be their execution. I couldn't wait until the day that these Games were put to an end, but for now, all Clary and I could do was prep them as best we could, and hope that they possessed the skills necessary to win.
"Do any of you have any questions for us?" Clary asked as we took a seat.
"Yea." The one boy, Paul I believe asked. "How do you win?" He asked and Clary and I both laughed.
"That is a very good question." I said and Clary started to explain the ins and outs of the Games and how sometimes there were going to be surprises that you couldn't possibly know were coming, especially from these Game Makers.
As I sat there listening to Clary talking, and as I looked at these kids taking in every piece of information they could, I realized how truly lucky I was in life.
I was alive.
I was in love.
I was a survivor.
My family was safe, and growing, as my hand rested slightly on Clary's little bump.
I would never truly be able to fully recover from what those Games did to me. But Clary and I like to make lists of things in life that make us happy when it all feels like its too much, and that make us sane. It's pretty grueling at some points, but there are far worse games to play.
Authors Note:
Wow, this might have been the hardest story to write thus far in this cluster of stories, but I promised a reader that I would write it, and I did. Tessa Leddy, I'm sorry that it took me so long. I know you wanted this for your birthday, and I know that I'm a week late, but this one was really hard. I'm not going to lie, at one point I was tempted to delete the whole thing because I didn't think it was good enough, but I promised you'd get it, and I intended on keeping that promise! I hope that it lived up to your expectations. I tried to keep the skeleton of what The Hunger Games story line is, but also add my own twist, and I think I did that pretty well. I also added some details from the other books, like the train scene from Catching Fire, since it was my favorite scene, and they didn't put it in the movie. Anyway, let me know what you all think, and leave a review!
I don't know if this was apparent, but I thought I'd let you know anyway. In this story, Clary is more of the Peeta character, where Jace is more Katniss, and of course Will is Primrose :)
Disclaimer - I do NOT own The Hunger Games. That world belongs to the amazing mind of Suzanne Collins. I just used it as a guide for this story! The last line in this is also not mine, but from the books!
Happy Belated Birthday Tessa Leddy! Hope this was worth the wait! :)
