A/N: And so we reach our final twelve. Any surprises, any disappointments? Let me know in the reviews. I love those things, love them! Even just a "cool" makes me supper happy. I won't reveal which two districts are up next, but I'd like to hear your speculations ;)


Preston Richards, 17

District 5 1st Male

I wake up before all of the others. I glance at the moon through the cornucopia's transparent ceiling. It must be about three in the morning. There are thirteen tributes left. I just need to kill one of the other careers. It doesn't matter which one. Then I'm out of here.

Using my hands to quietly push myself to a standing position, I turn my head slowly around the cornucopia. Organza is silently asleep to my left. Madras' chest slowly rises and falls to my right. Electron is snoring softly in the far corner.

Nobody is guarding. Nobody is awake: except for me, of course.

My ultimately familiar spear feels alien in my grasp. I haven't used it to kill an ally yet; only outliers. I can't afford to think about this. I don't have the time. I turn quickly to the left and bring down the point of the spear. I feel the point slowly sink into her chest, and I feel the spray of hot blood on my legs. Then the cannon fires, and Organza's face shines in the sky.

Organza Evernight, District 8 1st Female

"Preston Richards, Francina Damige, Dawson Brisk, Thred Curtis, Electron Davies, Nimona Marks, Madras Kestler, Rollag Hermes, Brigitta Channel, Sasha Grotrekk, Threada Collins, and Crochet Undersee, you have survived the first stage of the fortieth Quarter Quell, the one-thousandth and final Hunger Games!"

I may not be the strongest tribute the games have ever seen, and I may not be the fastest, but I'm sly and I have some smarts on my head. That may just be enough to carry me through the next stage.


Francina Damige, 18

District 5 8th Female

I honestly never expected to make it this far. I'm pretty sure I have the lowest score of any of the twelve survivors other than Sasha. But honestly, who am I to complain? Thirty-six of the kids I saw in the training center are now dead, their families now cursing my name for surviving in their place.

I doubt I'll be able to make it very much further. But hey, you never know. An unforeseen change of events, a tidal wave of sorts, may carry me closer to the victory.


Dawson Brisk, 15

District 5 8th Male

I'm honestly pretty nervous as the hovercraft rescues me from my prison. I know I'm not completely helpless; I have a six, which is better than Francina and Sasha can say. But I know there will be some strong competition ahead, even more so if I happen to make it to the third and final stage.

The odds are clearly stacked against me, I'm aware of that. Winning this thing may be difficult, but I'm ready to do whatever is necessary to pick my way out of this mess.


Thred Curtis, 18

District 5 9thMale

Well, here I am, where I never dared to hope I would ever be. Once the entire first stage is over, only 72 of the 288 tributes will remain. It's depressing, the way the Capitol views us. Like plastic bottles, old takeout containers to be thrown away without a second thought.

But I've made it this far, so I suppose I have no right to complain. Now, it's the best I can do to focus on riding my way through the next stage. Then I might be able to see my family and Button again.


Electron Davies, 17

District 5 11th Male

I have no idea what gave Preston the nerve to just kill Organza in the middle of the night, but it doesn't matter. I always knew I'd get this far. Now the real challenge begins. Just because something is a challenge, however, doesn't mean it isn't possible.

I'll be the victor. They'll see.


Nimona Marks, 18

District 5 12th Female

The Capitol doesn't care about us. They see every human life as disposable, including ours. From the second I'm taken from this arena, they'll treat me like a princess, pretending they care for me before dropping me like a hot stone into the second stage.

It's seriously depressing, for sure, but now I'm fighting for my life. I can't give up, no matter what.


Madras Kestler, 17

District 8 1st Male

Everything is a blur as they carry me into the hovercraft. The medical teams surround me, covering me with tiny laser points, searching for any interior injuries they can heal. All I can think about is how I'm going to make it through the next stage.

Really, it's too early to make "for sure" plans. I'll have to wait until training to meet the other careers I'm grouped with. There'll probably be multiple career packs. But don't worry, I'll make it through all the trouble. I always do.


Rollag Hermes, 16

District 8 8th Male

I try to deny my feelings, but I feel nothing but terror as the medics paste bandages and strange cream-like substances over my injuries. In the next stage, I'll be up against thirty-five other tributes. And if I make it through the second stage, I'll be up against twenty-three others. The twenty-three strongest out of the original 288. The very cream of the crop.

I take a deep breath and try not to worry. There will be a time for worrying and that time is not now.


Brigitta Channel, 18

District 8 9th Female

My father always told me to think about the risks and rewards before diving into an unfamiliar situation. There's a risk of death, of course, but I try not to think about that. I'll probably have plenty of sponsors, and lots of support in the Capitol public itself. There's a risk of injury, of course. Some kind of injury the medical teams can't heal. But that's impossible. Five years ago, the victor had his genitals completely torn off, and they managed to attach everything nice and neat. Any injuries I sustain during this second stage, they'll be able to heal.

Any non-lethal injuries, of course. But I'm not going to die. I won't allow it.


Sasha Grotrekk, 14

District 8 10th Female

I'm definitely the weakest of the twelve survivors. There's no denying that. But… I'm a fast runner, I guess? I have some smarts on my head as well. And my small size serves as a survival advantage. I try my best to be optimistic, to look on the bright side of things.

Yeah, I'll be alright. I hope.


Threada Collins, 17

District 8 11th Female

First, I was an anti-career. Then, I joined Dawson, Thred, and Rollag. I wonder how many more alliances I'll join in this next stage. It's not really something I'm proud of. The only reason I split from the anti-careers was because the careers attacked and I had no choice. I'm under the impression the boys were planning to kill me anyway by the point the stage ended.

I imagine what the tributes from the other districts will be like. It keeps my mind from thinking about what's to come.


Crochet Undersee, 18

District 8 11th Male

Other than the dead siblings, Violet and Indigo, I was the last tribute reaped. When that happened, all I felt was betrayal. I'd escaped ten other death sentences and somehow been screwed over by the eleventh one. That made no sense, I know. In order for there to be betrayal, there first has to be trust. I guess I did trust I wouldn't get reaped. It was my last year. I was just about to be safe.

Now, I guess I am safe. For the time being, at least. The second stage starts in a week. They can't hurt me before then.