Hiyas Tonto

The Careers ran for the weapons. It was good to be the only one who wanted a mace and throwing knives. I didn't have to worry about someone beating me to it.

I might should have worried about someone beating me to the other weapons, though. Ash snatched up the flail and smashed me across the shoulder with it. A few inches higher and he would have brained me. As it was, he knocked me flat.

"Watch out!" Valerie yelled. She stabbed Ash in the chest and he fell sideways. She turned and offered me a hand. When I took it, she stuck her sword in my stomach.

"Oops, missed."

Ash Black

The gong sounded and the rage flooded back. I couldn't kill the Capitol, but I could kill their agents. I got in one good blow before the girl from Two stabbed me. But I wasn't down yet. I brought the handle to my flail clacking into the bone of her ankle. When she fell, I picked up the spiky ball in one hand and smashed it into her back.

It didn't kill her, but I knew I'd done some major damage. I got to my feet and swung the flail in a sweeping circle without aiming. My strike hit the boy from Four in the ribs and flattened him. The boy from Two buried his axe in my back and I fell. I couldn't get up that time, but I could still bite his leg. I saw the girl I'd hit come in for another blow and let go.

"Capitol, you don't own me!"

Electra Magneta

Desiree was panicking. When the gong sounded, I ignored the loot in the Cornucopia and ran to her. I grabbed her hand.

"Come on!" I yelled. She followed instantly when I pulled, even though she must have barely felt the force of my tug. Behind her platform, I saw a plastic bag filled with batteries and grabbed it. We'd figure the rest out later. We were in no condition to fight.

Hoban Tam

I ran toward Ventrix's platform until I remembered that was bringing me closer to the Cornucopia and the Careers. I pivoted and grabbed a pack on my way to meet Ventrix, who was skirting around the platforms at a safe distance. We met up and ran into the rocky channels.

In just a few feet, we couldn't even see the Cornucopia anymore. We could hear it, though. The Careers were shouting like they were having trouble with something, and everyone was screaming. Sometimes the screams got cut off.

Diggory

Lots people stand. Three two one. Noise! See Kasha now?

Boys girl run. Run to yellow shape. Shouting.

BLOOD.

NO BLOOD FATHER BLOOD. BLOOD HURT FATHER HURT DIGGORY. BLOOD BEFORE HURT BEFORE. RUN.

Run run run. Run away Chimera said run away. No more screaming bleeding. Stop stop.

I falling down. Not hurt, not blood.

Kasha? Kasha.

Angelo Tempest

We'd discussed Diggory before the Games. None of us wanted to do that. It wasn't even sporting and we'd alienate the sponsors. I never thought I'd be the one to do it. It was the ultimate act of a bully. But when I saw the "first aid" kit stocked with vials of poison, I knew what to do. I took one of Karyssa's arrows and dunked it in a vial.

"Here, it's the best way," I said, looking at Diggory as he ran. Understanding flashed in her eyes as she took it. It wouldn't even hurt him.

Peach Unk

Granja was sensitive. I'd have to do the heavy lifting myself. I didn't see a pitchfork in the Cornucopia. In this Arena, survival would be the main concern, and I looked for that sort of thing instead. I took a risk and darted closer to the Cornucopia, snagging a bag. I doubled back and bolted, grabbing a rain poncho on the way.

Granja surprised me. When I turned around from facing the Cornucopia, her arms were already full of supplies. She had a bunch of bananas in one and various cans and bundles in the other. I reached her side and we ran into the rocks.

"Where'd you get all those?" I asked as we ran.

"They were on the edges," she said.

"I didn't even have to run in?" Screw that.

Blaise Wesley

There was a big axe waiting for me in the Cornucopia. I knew the Careers would want it, but I was fast. I could sneak in and get it while Demarcus got survival stuff, since he didn't use a weapon. Nobody would be able to get us then.

I reached the axe and hefted it. It was heavy, and it slowed me down as I ran toward Demarcus. Then my leg bent and snapped. I screamed as I fell, and I saw Theo standing over me with his leg still cocked from his kick. He took the axe and twisted it from my hands. I heard Demarcus' yell as Theo struck. Theo was going to pay. Demarcus would never let him go.

Addie Child

I knew what to do. It was weird nobody had thought of it before. I'd run straight into the Cornucopia and grab whatever I wanted. Then I'd climb over the Cornucopia and land safe on the other side. The Careers would never expect that, and I'd be gone before they knew what to do.

I went for the lighter things as I charged. I didn't want anything weighing me down. I took a multitool and a flat canvas canteen and stuffed them in my bra as I ran. I hefted a small backpack at the edge of the Cornucopia and started to climb.

It was going perfectly until Careen stuck her knife through my leg until it clanged off the metal Cornucopia. She grabbed my pants and yanked, pulling me off and dropping me to the ground. She stuck her other knife in my chest and when I didn't die fast enough, she pulled the first from my leg and jammed it into my head.

It was supposed to work, like it always did before. This never happened.

Inky Balboa

I needed supplies for traps. That and water bottles. I was lucky- there was a bottle right by my station. After that, I took a spool of rope and looked to see what the others were doing.

Rory and Zinnia were together peeking around the edge of a cliff, waiting for the rest of us. Chase was across the circle of platforms picking up supplies. Addie was in the center-

Oh my god. The girl from Four pulled Addie from the Cornucopia and stuck her knives in her. Addie never looked scared. She didn't get scared. She was too brave. I saw the knife go into her head and I felt like I was floating away. I forgot about gathering supplies and ran. I ran toward Rory and Zinnia. Zinnia was trying to run back toward me and Rory was holding her back.

I was even more scared than I'd been when the gong went off. If Addie could die, anything could happen.

Chase Strata

I gathered any supplies I could grab in both hands. The Games might last a long time. We'd need a lot of food and water.

I could hear the fighting behind me, but I didn't look. I wanted the world to be a nice place. I didn't need to see what was happening there. When I saw Inky running toward Rory and Zinnia, I stopped gathering supplies. I didn't want to hold them back.

As I was running, someone stabbed me in the back. I thought it was a sword, but when I twisted around after I fell, it was only an arrow. I could have maybe gotten up and limped toward the others, but that would have given away their position. I wouldn't have made it- Karyssa shot another arrow just above the first.

Maybe I'd see my mother soon. But if I didn't, that meant she was still alive. Either way was good.

There we have it. Now they, and you, can rest in peace while I'm in Milwaukee. I did some shuffling and last-minute resurrecting, but here's how it panned out.

Obituaries:

24th place: Hiyas Tonto- stabbed by Valerie

Hiyas was a Bloodbath, and I am most grateful. He was your normal Career and the girls hated him so much they straight up killed him. That's pretty bad. Thanks Only1God for a Bloodbath. People like you make the Games doable.

23rd place: Ash Black- Stabbed by Valerie and killed by Theo

A few things in Ash's profile resulted in this. First was how much he hated the Capitol. This led to enough rage to stay in the fight after he got his flail. The second was his extreme fight instinct and the third was his suggested victory fighting three Careers. He didn't win that fight, but Valerie and Angelo are both significantly injured, and Hiyas would be if he wasn't dead. Somehow I managed to forget to note Ash's submitter, but thanks. He was passionate and his relationship with his dead family made it easy for me to develop him.

22nd place: Diggory- Shot by Karyssa

Diggory was sent as an inevitable Bloodbath. His submitter thought he'd be really hard to write, but I just so happen to have heavily studied feral children for no good reason. I re-read the massive amount of information available on Genie, the most famous feral child, and watched videos to make sure I got the correct speech and movement patterns. It was fun to study the linguistics and behavior patterns and I had a lot of fun writing Diggory, even if he was depressing. Thanks Lisaisanut for the challenge and opportunity. I never decided if Kasha was dead, but it would make sense for her crime. It would also make sense she'd come for Diggory.

21st place: Blaise- Axed by Theo

Blaise was overconfident. He was also a young boy. Little boys do that sort of reckless stuff. Blaise was a last-minute fill for a vacated slot, so I'm grateful for him. Thanks Jayman for Blaise. He and Demarcus were the coolest cats. Now Demarcus is the coolest cat.

20th place: Addie Child- Stabbed by Careen

Addie's form noted that she would die "doing something ridiculous and messing up". Yeah, there's a reason no one thought of her plan. She had the guts, just not the entire Victor package. Thanks MysticalPineForest for Addie. She flamed out and didn't fade away.

19th place: Chase Strata- Shot by Karyssa

Chase was a long shot from the start. He never mentioned it and preferred to stay optimistic, but it was going to happen. He lived his dream as well as he could and didn't have to watch his mother die. She's likely too sick to really understand and will probably join him soon and they won't have to worry about dying anymore, since they're dead. Thanks Everlastingimpression for Chase. I'm gonna miss him, Nubu's gonna miss him, we're all gonna miss him.