Authors Note: Characters will start dropping like flies now, it's end game. If your character dies, it's nothing against you or the character. You might not agree with my choice but I am the one writing this and I have a pool of victors in mind and a plot to follow. Just no angry reviews, it won't bring your character back, if it's rude, I will ignore it. Only two will walk out of this, twenty-two were always going to die. Enjoy.

Violet Hardgrove, 17

District Nine Female, Pair 2

Paired with Stefan Roberts

We watched with unease as the weapons arrived. Ezra was gifted a bow and arrow, Paisley was given a dagger, Invidia a spear, Beckham and axe, Noelani a trident and Nicholas, another dagger. Beckham and Niko looked uneasy with their new sponsor gifts while the others took to flaunting them to us weaker Tributes.

As we lined up by the tree line, I expected everyone to run back to camp, at least that is what Stefan assured me would happen. However, when the gong sounded, everyone scattered. From what I saw, about eight Tributes ran back towards their supplies, closely followed by the Careers including me and Beckham. The rest ran away in all directions. I sprinted after Stefan, hoping to not be left behind but just as I was within arms reach of the boy, Beckham stepped in front of my path and pushed me back.

"You have to go," he said firmly, using the butt of his axe handle to push my shoulder away. "It's not safe here," he growled, the Careers vanishing further into the distance. I opened my mouth to speak but with a groan, the dark-haired boy pushed me to the ground, winding me. "Trust me, go!" he snapped before turning back towards his alliance and catching up.

I lay on the floor for a few minutes until I had regained my breath. I felt my blood boil at Beckham, causing me to look foolish during the most viewed part of the Games. However, when I heard Stefan shriek from off in the distance, my fear was replaced with unease. I quickly turned on my heel and ran in the opposite direction to my allies.

Invidia Aurel, 18

District 2 Female, Pair 10

Paired With Beckham Knox

Stefan let out a throaty growl as he looked at his allies that now surrounded him, a large gash on his arm caused by Paisley's dagger. When someone came crashing through the bushes, he looked hopefully it was Violet only to find out it was Beckham. The boy looked at him with pitiful eyes as Paisley went in for another swing.

He turned on to the side, blocking most of the force with his arm but the blade cut to the bone. He let out another scream of frustration and pain as the smiling girl backed away. I knew myself he was a competent fighter but only with a weapon. He never mastered hand to hand combat and there wasn't much he could do. The moment he got the upper hand on Paisley, Ezra would send an arrow straight through his head.

"Shame your little girlfriend isn't here," Paisley spat, striking him in the face with the handle of her blade. "You could have taken it in turns-" Paisley was cut off when Stefan swung a punch at her face, striking her cheekbone and eye. The shock of the swing caused the girl to stumble a few paces back as she regained her bearings. When she did, she screamed at the red-headed boy who looked pleased by herself. "How dare you?" she bellowed, touching her cheek and looking at the blood that ran down her fingertips. "Fuck you!" she screamed, slashing the knife across Stefan's chest but not deep enough to be fetal.

As Stefan tried to hold back tears from the pain, Paisley kicked him to the ground and quickly straddled him. I watched with unease as she held the knife to his throat and got close to his face.

"For that, I am going to cut each one of your fingers off, one by one, and force you to eat them. Then I will move onto your toes...then-"

"Stop!" I growled, the words escaping my mouth before I had a chance to stop them. My allies looked at me although Beckham was far behind me, ready to run if things went south.

Paisley scowled. "You have a problem?"

"Yes," I said bluntly. "I'm not against killing but he is a Career at the end the day, he deserves to die with some form of honor...you're not impressing anyone by dragging his death out, you are making an enemy of District Two and losing sponsors with each finger you cut free-"

"You want us to kill him?" Ezra asked.

"You've had your fun, you made showed the audience he was weak, now end it and focus on the other big players within the Game." Ezra looked over to Paisley who with a nod, rose to her feet, dragging Stefan with her.

"Fair enough," she sighed, stabbing Stefan once more in the leg for good measure, "get on with it then-"

"Me?" I asked, clutching my spear tighter. Paisley gave a nod, backing away from Stefan. The blood boy thanked me before closing his eyes waiting for my spear to hit him. However, my body became still.

Paisley and Ezra could not be trusted, I knew that from the start. The moment my spear hit Stefan, they would attack me and Beckham. I would not be able to get my spear back in time and although I could hold off Paisley in a fight, Ezra would put an arrow through my head first. Then they would move on to Beckham. In a few minutes, they would wipe out all the other Careers aside from Noelani. However, I couldn't hit them instead of Stefan. The Moment my spear hit Ezra or Paisley, the other would hit me with their long range weapon. It would end with me dead by a knife or an arrow. So with a sigh, I lowered my weapon, deciding to keep the weapon at my side for now.

"I can't kill my District partner," I lied. "I would be shunned-"

"Fair enough," Ezra grumbled and as fast as lightning, the blonde male loaded his bow and shot an arrow into Stefan's head. As the boy slumped to his floor, his cannon sounded. "We should split up and find more targets," Ezra said coldly, pulling his arrow free from Stefan's eye. "Come on."

Akhal Breker, 18

District 10 Female, Pair 4

Paired with Niko Davenport.

I, Althea and Federick had become lost from the rest of our group on our way back to camp. Frederick insisted he needed to come back but I didn't understand until he pulled free a crossbow from a supply box. He seemed to calm down when he held it, feeling powerful against the rest of the competition. When Andrew and Laura arrived they avoided us, quickly gathering their things but keeping an eye on us at the same time.

"Most people haven't come back, you should-"

"Take their supplies," I said finishing the sentence.

"Even if they don't seem useful." I gave a nod, moving over to the crates and rummaging through them. I found a few things that I placed in my many pockets, matches, plasters, shoelaces, shirts, anything that seemed interesting or could have been useful.

I was looking through one box, taking any of the food that could have fitted within my pocket when someone grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back and placing a dagger to my throat. She pulled me to my feet and pulled me back against her body. The moment I saw the dark-skinned arms that were wrapped around the blade, I knew it was Paisley.

"Nice trick you did back at the bloodbath," she seethed. "Really fucked me up, I thought I honestly might die as I tumbled to the ground-"

"That wasn't me," I reminded her.

"I know, it was your District Partner...Frederick?" I started to wiggle but her grip became tighter. "He was protecting you, so in my eyes, you were part of him. I'll get him next though when I find him. I hoped when I opened my eyes after the fall, he would be there right next to me so I could strangle the life out of him...but he wasn't-"

"Surly Ezra could have killed us by now?" I said, hoping my stalling would buy time.

"Of course but that would have got Ezra killed, I don't want that, so-" her words were cut off with a shriek, her right arm that was holding my arms together pulling away, allowing me to escape. When I looked behind the girl, I saw Frederick holding his crossbow, looking slightly shaken. As I ran away, I looked at Paisley who had been shot in the back of the knee cap that was now shattered. As the girl screamed on the floor, I ran after Frederick who ran back into the woods.

"Where were you?" I called after him, trying to keep up.

"Anthea went to look for Niko, she said she could hear him...I came back when I saw Andrew and Laura running away." He then stopped, turning back around to me. "Did you pick up her blade?" I shook my head, I didn't even think of it. Frederick rolled his eyes. "You should have done, I can't always be there protect you... let's just find the rest of them."

Paisley Delacor, 18

District 1 Female, Pair 1

Paired with Ezra Arlington

I thought my leg was done for before, not as looked at the arrow going through my knee, It was clear it would never hold my weight again.

I watched the tree line where Frederick had vanished, expecting him to come back and finish me off. However, the only person that entered the old camp was Invida and Beckham. The two looked at me as I greeted them, knife in hand, just in case.

"Where is Ezra?" I said through tears. Invidia looked over to Beckham then back to me.

"He got caught in a fight-"

"Is he alright?" I said my grip loosening on the blade slightly.

Invida shrugged. "We didn't see...he told us to come to find you...we didn't even see who it was against." I gave a sigh, my eyes drifting down to my knee once more.

"Well, I am injured, I will need you to look through these supplies and find a first aid kit," I said sternly. Invida looked over to Beckham who quickly started to hunt through the camp.

Invidia looked at the arrow in my leg coldly, holding her spear by her side.

"Who got you?"

"Frederick," I sighed. Invida smirked, looking into my eyes.

"That was weak of you-"

"I am not weak," I snarled, shifting my body weight slightly.

"Of course you are...Stefan was weak because he didn't do well in the trials...I didn't like Stefan, I hated the guy but he wasn't weak...I should know, he was in my training class for years." She looked to Beckham who started to walk away. "You got injured by the same guy twice...an outlier at that...so...buy your standards, does that make you weak?"

With a scream, I threw my knife at her but unable to stand, the dagger simply grazed her arm, leaving a small cut at the most.

Invida gave a sharp intake of air as she looked towards the tree line where the knife had landed. Her smile then turned to a scowl.

"You know, if it wasn't for that little lap dog of you, you would have been killed at the very start. No one would have helped you-"

"It's not wrong to rely on someone to be there for you-"

"Love makes you weak-"

"Then you are as weak as me!" I yelled, allowing the frustration to built up inside of me to come out. "If me loving Ezra makes me weak, then you are weak because that little porn star you call your lover!" I could tell by Invida's reaction to this comment that his District life had slipped under her radar. "You didn't know, huh?"

"Shut up-"

"Me and Ezra found his videos, he must have fucked half of his District. I mean, he even fucked his sister...and he seemed to enjoy it."

"You're talking bullshit, he would have told me-"

"Of course, it's all an act...he doesn't feel that way, he is forced to do it, no doubt. I can sympathize with him on that...for that, I hope he lives longer than you. But if he can act so well when he is screwing his sister...what makes you think there is any truth to...well, whatever you two have going on?" Invida didn't answer, she looked shell shocked. I knew at any moment she was going to throw my spear but I wanted my words to haunt her for the rest of the Games. "I can't wait until he turns on you...but I don't want him to kill you. I want Ezra to do that. I want him to smash your pretty little face in and you will realize that love can be a strength...loving someone who doesn't love you back is the real weakness-"

I hurried the end of my sentence as I saw her raise the spear. As the tip of the spear shattered through my skull, I felt somewhat at peace, knowing my words would stick with Invidia after my death. As the spear drove further into my skull, I thought about Ezra, how thankful I was for the comfort he had given me, the love he had shown. I wish I could have told him but at least I knew my death would be avenged one way or another. Unlike Invida's. That was what love was.

Ezra Arlington, 18

District 1 Male, Pair 1

Paired With N/A

I wasn't sure how it happened, it just happened fast. I was wrestling with Miko when June unbuckled my shaft of bows, sending them tumbling to the floor. I whipped around, flipping June over my shoulder and throwing her to the ground when someone behind me pushed me to the ground, only to be kicked in the face by Mikeo. It only took a few seconds to gather myself up but when I did, the three had vanished into the thick forest that was growing darker by the second. The moment I noticed my bow and arrows had gone, I ran after them but not knowing what direction they were in, it was hard for me. So after a few minutes, I gave up and started to walk back to the old camp where Paisley told me to meet her.

It wasn't hard to notice Paisley's body when I arrived, it was hard to deny it either. She was the only dark-skinned Tribute this year and her body was slumped against a fallen tree, her head shattered into a million pieces. Not being able to see her face at first allowed me to convince myself it was someone else. Someone else with the same skin tone that I had just not taken notice of. However, when I got close and looked at her body, it was hard to deny it was anyone else. Her nails were painted with chipped blue polish and the birthmark on her right wrist proved to me that I could not lie to myself anymore.

Paisley was dead.

I tenderly touched her body, feeling the shattered bone within her leg that creaked as I pulled free the arrow. It was a double attack, the arrow was from no one I knew but I could tell it was a crossbow and the wound on her head could have only been made with a spear. I tried to think but I couldn't remember Beckham being given a crossbow...Violet maybe? I placed the arrow into my pocket as a weapon and for later identification.

I lay Paisley down onto her back, dropping the odd tear onto her skin as I cross her arms over her chest and straightened her leg out. I then got some discarded tarp and dropped it over her head so no one could view what was left of her skull.

"Fred?" A small voice called out from behind me. I turned from my morning to see Althea stumbling into camp, struggling to see in the darkness. Only when she made it into the clearing did she notice me. She froze as I looked her in the eye.

"Did you kill her?" I asked through gritted teeth. The girl kept silent, shaking her head. I then pulled out the arrow, showing it to her. "Do you know who this belongs to?" I said, trying to regain my composure. The girl focused on her small arrow that glinted in the low light, her eyes widening. "Do you know who uses a weapon like this?" I asked her again. Her eyes widened before she quickly turned and started running back into the darkness. Much faster than I had given chase to Mikeo and June, I lept from Paisley's side and caught the girl by the hood of her jacket, pulling her back.

I repeated but once again, she didn't answer, only screaming for help. With all the anger built up inside of me, I grabbed her blonde hair in a clump behind her head and slammed her face into a tree trunk. The impact was so hard, her head leaked a small amount of blood and her nose was shattered. I asked her the question again but she just screamed in pain. After that, I didn't ask her the question anymore, I just continued to throw her head against the tree until all that was left of her face was the brains that oozed out. Then, for good measure, I threw her body to the floor and stomped on it until my anger had subsided and all I could do was cry.

Frederick Loophole, 16

District 10 Male, Pair 11

Paired with N/A

When I and Akhal watched the fallen that night, it gave us an uneasy feeling. We had not seen Niko, Mikeo, June or Althea since the bloodbath. We both hoped they were together but we feared the worst. The worst was good, it meant we were closer to the finish but we had not allied, only each other.

When Paisley's face appeared first, I felt my heart do a little jump. Akhal looked back at me but I didn't answer, I instead looked down at my feet. I hadn't killed her, I would have been rewarded if that was the case. Yet, it was likely I had aided in it. However, now I had no rewards and the knowledge that I was an enemy of not only Ezra but District One.

I was shocked to see Stefan, clearly, the Career's had split. However, one thing I was not prepared for was the face of Althea. Akhal didn't say anything, she only looked up at me when we were sure June and Mikeo were also not victims.

"At least Niko is alive," I said to the girl. She didn't answer, looking down at her hands instead.

"She didn't deserve to be here-"

"Neither do you," I said.

"There is more to life than me...most people here didn't deserve it," she sighed, looking over to me.

"To me, you are the only other person I give a shit about." Akhal didn't answer, looking up at the stars. "Akhal, do you like Niko?" I asked, taking a seat on the grass next to the girl. She looked over to me, then back to the sky and sighed.

"Yes-"

"Does Niko like you?" This seemed to gain more thought from the girl as she peeled her gaze from the sky and picked a clump of grass from by her feet.

"He kissed me...I think so?" She said it so bluntly, I felt my heart sink, a lump forming in my throat.

"Well," I cleared my throat. "I promise I will get you back to him." Akhal didn't answer, seeming distracted, I followed her gaze to the bright constellation of stars above us.

"Why did you volunteer?" She asked, her voice shaky like she was concerned for my reaction.

I rubbed the back of my head as I looked at the girl. "I thought I might as well, there was nothing left for me back in Ten-"

"But was this all worth it?" I thought about what I had achieved. I had changed, I guess but at that moment in time, I hadn't lost anything. I had Akhal, and as long as she was alive, I could go back to Ten.

I turned too her, looking her in the eyes. "Not yet."

20th Place: Stefan Roberts, 18 (D2M) killed by Ezra Arlington (D1M). Paired with Violet Hargrove (D8F)

With Ezra and Paisley running the Career's, it only made sense they would turn on the District Two pair. Sadly, Invidia is stronger so Stefan was the one to go. Invidia couldn't do much to help him. After all, there are only two winners. Plus it would have been two against one and she would have risked getting Beckham killed. However, Invidia was right, he was not as weak as they all made out. Stefan was really never close with any of the Tributes but I am sure he will still be missed. Invidia will hold a form of guilt for his death.

19th Place: Paisley Delacor, 18 (D1F) killed by Invidia Aurel (D2F). Pair with Ezra Arlington (D1M).

Most people expected one of the District One pair to go. It was Paisley. Out of the two, I felt I wanted to write Ezra's development more but that is not to say Paisley was a boring character. Her form was detailed and she was different from most female Tributes I get. It feels like a waste for her to go so soon but Ezra's development would be stunted with her alive.

18th Place: Althea Falen, 16 (D5F) killed by Ezra Arlington (D1M). Paired with Frederick Loophole (D10M).

Poor Althea got overlooked when it came to the Games. Her partner wasn't interested, she was overlooked by her alliance (seemingly). She just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although, her death was slightly heroic. She could have told Ezra that the arrow belonged to Frederick and got not just herself but Frederick and his allies killed. However, I don't think she did it for Frederick, she had no way of knowing if Frederick would find Niko, Mikeo, and June again. Outing Frederick would have put all of them in danger. I think it shows how kind Althea was after all the shit Frederick put her through, she pretty much spared him from the wrath of Ezra.

NEW PAIRS:

Ezra Arlington, D1 and Violet Hardgrove, D9

Frederick Loophole, D10 and No one currently.