Chapter One.

- The 13 Games: Stoneheart -
{A District Two Story.}

Prologue, Part One.

Jasper Apatite, Victor of the 13 Games: Luxury.
District One, 17 years old.

With flashes and strokes of blood and sunlight, Jasper woke from her sleep.

In her chest her heart hammered, a vigorous drumming against her ribcage as she stared into the darkness of her bedchamber. A moan crept past her lips and she rubbed her eyes clean of sleep and threw her legs from the covers, standing up shakily and hobbling towards the door.

She was a walking cliché at this point. A Victor with nightmares? Perish the thought.

"Can't sleep?"

Jasper nodded at Sterling Milano as she left her room and fell into the cushions of the couch. Her fellow Victor of the First Games of this Quarter Quell. What a revelation the two of them made. Cordial without murderous rage firing through their veins.

It had been less than two weeks since Jasper and Sterling had tried to kill each other and she'd managed to take away the life of Iridium, his final ally, the last person he'd willed himself to protect. It was funny that these Games allowed for alliances to actually make it through whole and undefeated. Jasper didn't know what that was like. She'd lost all of them. A domino effect of death and destruction.

"Has the announcement been made?" Her voice was raspy and she wished she had a glass of water, but she could not force herself to stand up and get one. Their apartment in the Capitol, where they were to remain for the duration of District Two's Games, was as lavish and luxurious as they'd come to expect. Sterling just looked at her and shrugged miserably. "You're cheery."

"I'm exhausted," Sterling said, downtrodden. "Don't tell me you're finally able to close your eyes and see anything except Julius dead. Or any of the people you killed. Don't you find it utterly soul-crushing?"

"Poetic," Jasper said, her lip curling into a sarcastic smile. When Sterling just gazed at her, beady eyes full of a defeatist attitude he'd have to get over when it came to their final Games, she just sighed and leaned forwards, resting her chin in her hands. "Honestly? I try not to think about it too much. We're going back into that Arena when this is all over with and there are twenty-four Victors left. We're going to be allies, no doubt. We're going to carry on killing. The cycle continues and we're nothing more than pawns to keep pushing around that fucking chessboard."

She found her fingers clenched into fists and felt embarrassed, moving her hands to her lap and avoiding Sterling's raised eyebrow. When he laughed, she relaxed just a little, and found herself mirroring the reluctant mirth that came from his mouth.

"And you call me poetic," he said.

"Bite me," Jasper laughed, throwing a cushion at him.

Two weeks ago, they were determined to murder one another. One week ago, Sterling had nearly killed himself. But here they were, united in their loss of not just their friends in the Arena, but the loss of themselves, and somehow, they'd pulled a relationship out of the ashes. Or at least, if it wasn't a relationship, Jasper could now sit near him and not feel as if he wanted to wrap those huge, calloused hands round her throat and choke the life out of her. The definition of progress.

The two of them spent the remainder of the early morning in silence. At one point, Jasper almost felt her mind go back into a dream-like state, where the nightmares would soon rip the peace apart, but she forced her eyes open. Sterling was right – it was exhausting. She almost wanted her final Games to be tomorrow. Her body was still geared up for a fight for survival. The adrenaline still existent, burning her veins, willing her to pick up a weapon and attack at every shadow and movement she caught in the corner of her eye.

She hated being this jumpy. She hated everything about who she now was.

Again – a walking cliché of a Victor. Maybe that was just who she was now. Sterling too.

By the end of this year, at least one of them would be dead anyway. Two weeks ago, Jasper had done everything she could to make sure that she hadn't died. Now, the concept made her feel oddly peaceful.

She kept fighting because it would be wrong for those that did not survive her Games, but that didn't mean the fight was easy. But when were they ever?

"Oh look, the sun's up," Sterling said.

Jasper murmured something in agreement and couldn't fight the urge for her head to fall into the cushion. It was impossible to stop herself from drifting off.

And as usual, the nightmares soon arrived.

Hey folks!

Yes, I'm still writing Forever Neverland but this is going to have a slightly extended deadline anyway, plus with my update speed that isn't going to take much longer tbh!

Not sure how many of you were around back in 2013 following me and the creation of The 13 Games. It was a concept where each month, every District would offer 24 of their own tributes and they'd have their own Games, two would win, and then finally all the Victors would compete in a 'Final Games.'

I'm not kidding myself that I'll ever get there. There have been attempts before that have failed. But with the time I currently have, I thought why not try another one at least!

All info is on my profile. Please actually read it. It's important for the story that you understand what I'm looking for. I will literally just ignore submissions that put anything but Two in their District lmao. Don't be that person.

Any Qs, please PM me. Drop a review as well just to let me know what you thought!

Ok bye-bye.