Zander Kline, 17

District 8 Male


Zander woke to a slow, steady beeping. He was in a small room filled with machines and monitors, all of which were showing different things he didn't understand. Across the room, Kelsi was asleep in a chair.

Zander watched the beeping monitor for a bit before it clicked.

"It's tracking my heart!" he said with a gasp. Kelsi jerked awake with shriek, nearly falling off her chair. It made Zander jump, unsticking a few of the patches stuck to his chest. Something started beeping overhead and he flinched.

"Zander!" Kelsi gasped, rushing over to him. "You're awake! How do you feel?"

"Well, my blanket itches," he said after a moment. Kelsi sighed. The door opened loudly and a woman clutching a clipboard came in. She looked worried, but relaxed when she saw Zander.

"Mr. Kline, you really should be resting," she said, setting her clipboard down.

"I'm fine," Zander said. "And call me Zander. Mr. Kline sounds weird." Kelsi laughed at that, but closed her mouth when the doctor glared at her.

"All of his vitals have been stable," Kelsi said, gesturing to the machines. "And he's not injured. I think we should hand him over to Hathor a little early."

"Hathor is here?" Zander asked, perking up. Hathor was his stylist, and she was amazing.

"Yes, your coronation is scheduled for tonight," Kelsi said. "So Hathor has to get you ready."

"What's a coronation?"

"It's where you get your crown," Kelsi told him. "You watch a recap of the Games and answer questions and get crowned the official victor of the 52nd Hunger Games."

"Oh," he said. "Okay. Is Hathor here now?"

After a brief argument with the doctor, Kelsi got the approval needed to send Zander to Hathor. She walked with him through the Tribute Center and rode the elevator up to the stylists' floor. Hathor was waiting for him there.

Hathor was a tall, broad woman with a shaved head and a skin condition she called vitiligo. She had big blue eyes and a wide smile, and she always made Zander feel safe. He hugged her as soon as he saw her.

"Zander!" she cried. "I am so proud of you! And I have the perfect outfit ready for you. Come, come, come." She led him and Kelsi into her workshop, which was filled with mannequins, desks, bolts of fabric, and drawing tables.

Zander wandered around the space, admiring her designs.

"You're so talented," he said in awe, picking up a drawing of a chariot outfit for a District 1 tribute.

"Thank you," Hathor said with her head inside a closet. She pulled something out and hid it behind her back. "Now, close your eyes."

He did, and when he opened them again, he was in front of a floor-length mirror, wearing a beautiful fitted suit. It was pale blue, and a cluster of pink and white carnations were tucked into the breast pocket. Zander gently touched their petals, thinking of Keegan.

"Do you like it?" Hathor asked. Zander nodded.

"It's amazing."

Three hours later, he was completely ready for his coronation. His skin was smooth from the work of his prep team, Hathor had done his nails, and his hair was brushed and styled. He was standing below the stage with Kelsi, who was nervously fixing his tie.

"Remember, just be polite and kind," she said. "If you get overwhelmed, look for me or Hathor in the crowd. And smile loads!"

"I will," Zander said, pushing Kelsi's hands away and fixing the tie himself. "I'll be okay. Thank you."

Relaxing a bit, Kelsi nodded. She gave Zander a quick hug, careful not to crush his lapel flowers. Then she hurried out of the room. An attendant in black clothes directed Zander to stand on a circle on the floor, and he did. For a moment, it was like he was in the tubes again, entering the arena. And then he was standing on a massive outdoor stage in front of a cheering crowd.

Caesar Flickerman greeted him with a warm smile and a handshake. Caesar was wearing a creamy white suit that complimented Zander's quite well. He guided Zander over to a set of armchairs with a table between them, where they both sat.

"Zander!" Caesar cried. "What an incredible Games! You were fabulous."

"Thank you Caesar," Zander said. "You look fabulous."

"Oh, how kind. But tonight is about you!"

They chatted back and forth for a bit and then Caesar turned on the Games replay. He watched the bloodbath, where several children fell dead around Zander, and where Nikolai and Gamma met their end. Tears pricked at his lashes, but he blinked them away. He watched Faryn and Indigo wrestle by the river, with Faryn barely coming up on top. Zander barely knew Indigo, but she was grumpy, and mean to him whenever they talked. Still, she didn't deserve to die like that.

He watched Bliss betray and kill Summer, and Ayden scavenge her weapons. Kaz killed the boy from 5 to protect Ayala. He and Keegan talked about flowers. Paxton and Lillian were chased by wolves. Then Lillian poisoned Bliss, and Ayden and Kaz fought. Kaz sat with Ayala while she died.

Then came the final day. In the morning, Samara and Anneliese set the Careers' camp on fire, killing Quintus. Anneliese was killed by Paxton, and then he and Lillian chased Samara up the mountainside. She fell, and Paxton let Lillian fall too. Back at the bottom, he killed Domitia without hesitation.

This next part Zander remembered all too well. Softly kissing Keegan before the announcement came, Kaz crashing through the forest, allying with her, sneaking up on Paxton just in time for Kaz to kill him. Then the final fight. Zander remembered sitting in the Cornucopia, watching Kaz and Keegan fight. He felt so helpless. What was he supposed to do?

A familiar feeling of panic washed over him as he watched Faryn tackle Keegan, and heard Keegan call for help. He didn't know how to help! And he still didn't. But he made himself watch as Faryn killed Keegan, and remembered lunging forward to sink the knife in Faryn's chest purely on instinct. He remembered the sound of Heaven's voice announcing his victory. And he remembered crying, though they didn't show that part. He took a deep breath as Caesar turned to him.

"Zander, you had quite a close relationship with Keegan," he said. "Do you miss him?"

"Yes," Zander said without hesitating. "But he's with the flowers now."

"You said he was lovely," Caesar said. "Why?"

"Because he was like a flower. If you are kind to them and water them and give them love, they are pretty. But if you don't, they get brown and weird and aren't beautiful anymore. I was kind to Keegan, and he was beautiful."

"Well Zander, thank you for your time tonight. I believe it is time for you to be crowned!" Caesar stood up and backed away as a spotlight landed on Zander.

He stood still as the national anthem began to play and President Snow approached. He was a short man with thick black hair and a beard, and the most intense eyes Zander had ever seen. He bowed his head, allowing President Snow to rest a glittering silver crown decorated with jeweled flowers onto his head.

"Well done," he complimented.

"Thank you sir," Zander replied.

The crowd cheered wildly.


Hey everyone! Here it is, the last chapter of Ashes! This story wasn't what I wanted it to be, but I am proud of it, and I am very happy with Zander as my victor. He will definitely be showing up in future SYOTs! Thank you to everyone who stayed with me while I wrote this story, and congratulations again to LadyCordeliaStuart on your first victor!

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!