THE TWENTY SECOND ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES
"Elephant's Foot"
INTRODUCTION
Much change was occurring in Panem by the time that the twenty-second annual Hunger Games rolled around. The first major shift was the resignation of President Lizeth Dyson. Lizeth shocked the nation when she was found guilty of the assassination of a political opponent. Perhaps even a mind as fair and pure and Lizeth's could succumb to temptation if invitation towards sin was presented in just the right manner. In order to avoid severe social backlash and political ridicule, Lizeth Dyson resigned. This left the presidential throne empty. An election was thrown together, and the people of the Capitol selected a woman named Roxann Shannon to take up the position that Lizeth had vacated. Roxann was a curious and clever woman, and her innovation and intelligence made her a great candidate to carry the nation forwards. The nation had a mostly positive outlook towards Roxann, and many were eager to see how she would approach the many problems plaguing society at the time. Closely follow Roxann's inauguration was the resignation of Head Gamemaker Lorenzo Chastain. The success of Lorenzo's career had very strongly been linked to Lizeth, and now that there was a new President the Capitol wanted a new Head Gamemaker as well. President Shannon carefully sifted through twelve thousand auditions before selecting a fifty-five year-old man named Roscoe Agnew to take the position. Roscoe was a clever man, with a keen build and dangerously curious eyes. His personality much paralleled that of President Shannon. This may have contributed to her selection of him as Head Gamemaker. Roscoe promised the nation that, however long his career may last, he would pump out thrilling and exciting arenas each new year. The country had a mixed view towards Roscoe; many people looked forward to seeing his ideas come to life but also missed Lorenzo immensely. Regardless of all hesitation and uncertainty, the twenty-second Hunger Games were declared and the construction of Roscoe's first arena began.
The career alliance consisted of six members, as it most often did. The District 1 male was noticeably the strongest member by a long shot. He made the sponsors swoon via his incredible strength, endurance, agility, and talents with the knife, sword, bow, and axe. The gamemakers even considered giving him an eleven in training, but decided not to for unclear reasons. His district partner, the District 1 female, put on a much less stellar showing than he did. The girl used a machete to slice and slash and maim her way towards a nine, an amazing score, but still not a ten. The District 2 male was a huge mass of a boy, his talents with the knife and crossbow scoring him a ten. His district partner also scored a ten. The District 2 female had the second highest odds of winning (after the District 1 boy). She had a dangerously intelligent attitude. She was a mysterious trickster and temptress, and she made the outer district tributes quiver with fear. District 4 put on the least stellar showing of the trio. Their boy and girl both earned nines, displaying their skills with the trident and harpoon.
The training scores were slightly higher than average; two eights and five sevens were scored outside of the career pack. The eights were earned by Timber from 7 and Chantal from 10. The sevens were scored by Himalia from 7, Armida from 9, Regena from 9, Tony from 12, and Emille from 12. The rest of the tributes scored between six and two in their private sessions. There was a single alliance besides the careers. It was formed between Cayenne and Larke, the two District 11 tributes. The two had been best friends since childhood, and formed an alliance. There were no volunteers besides the careers. Here are the tributes:
District 1: Gold Carson, 17, (10) 6-1 and Swan Amatangelo, 16, (9) 10-1
District 2: Julius Amabile, 18, (10) 9-1 and Isabella Gilstrap, 18, (10) 8-1
District 3: Zesca Cobb, 16, (4) 27-1 and Ximena Durrett, 17, (5) 22-1
District 4: Alistair Krezel, 16, (9) 11-1 and Sunrise Engel, 18, (9) 11-1
District 5: Nebula Spinwell, 15, (3) 39-1 and Elektra Ridland, 16, (3) 33-1
District 6: Zeller Poole, 12, (2) 66-1 and Cassidy Blizard, 13, (3) 57-1
District 7: Timber Vaccaro, 18, (8) 14-1 and Himalia Septimus, 18, (7) 15-1
District 8: Burnett Ekstrom, 15, (3) 46-1 and Anastasia Rosser, 13, (2) 59-1
District 9: Armida Bingham, 18, (7) 15-1 and Regena Prosser, 18, (7) 15-1
District 10: Mitchell Sherrill, 18, (6) 16-1 and Chantal Bateman, 17, (8) 13-1
District 11: Cayenne Gamboa, 14, (5) 27-1 and Larke Kenter, 16, (6) 18-1
District 12: Tony Scales, 16, (7) 16-1 and Emille Cavanaugh, 16, (7) 16-1
THE GAMES
The arena for the twenty-second Hunger Games was a true mysterious majesty of a place. It was a one-for-one recreation of the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The cornucopia stood in the town square of Pripyat, a town just over four kilometers from the damaged reactor. Pripyat looked like a normal town. There were butcher shops. There were baker shops. There were toy shops. There were houses and schools and everything else that a normal town might have. But, it was anything but normal. There were no people. Over the years, nature had begun claiming the land back for itself. Vines climbed the walls of the buildings and trees towered tall over the landscape and moss covered the cobblestone streets. It was as if nature and mankind had been smashed together and were being presented alongside each other in one, picturesque landscape. Inside of the homes, it looked as if they were still populated. Sewing needles lay set down on couches and children's homework lay set down on tables next to pencils and crayons. It looked as if every single person in the town had got up and left at a moment's notice. In fact, that is exactly what happened. This brings us to the damaged Chernobyl reactor, four point four kilometers from Pripyat. It dominated the landscape, a huge steel fortress containing thousands of tons of harmful radiation. The further away that the tributes got from Pripyat and the closer that they got to the reactor, the better supplies they could find. Any tribute that dared to enter the power plant would be killed instantly by the radiation. The wildlife of the place was horribly deformed, hence the powerful radiation that was coursing through the arena. Just one note: the arena itself was not actually radioactive. No gamemaker would be stupid enough to create a radioactive arena. That would make for the most boring games imaginable. Only the interior of the power plant was dangerous, and the rest of the arena was completely safe.
The tribute's stomachs churned with terror as they rose up into the arena atop their pedestals. The sight of the abandoned town of Pripyat was enough to instill a feeling of suspense and fear in any man or woman, and the array of twenty-four girls and boys were certainly no exception. Many were unsure whether to run into the bloodbath at the start of the games. If they did, they would be guaranteed supplies that would help them in the difficult days to come. If they ran away into the arena the moment that the gong rang, they would be banking on whether or not the arena had valuable supplies that they could use. Was that risk worth taking if it meant being spared from the risk of death in the bloodbath? That was the question that was racing through the tribute's minds as the flashing numbers above them approached zero.
When the countdown reached its close and the gong rang through the arena, it was a scene of pure chaos. Tributes burst forward and backward, scrambling to keep their thoughts straight as they scooped up supplies and tried to avoid the watchful eyes of the bloodthirsty careers. A number of tributes turned tail and fled at the very beginning. They were Burnett from 8 and Tony from 12.
Back at the cornucopia, Gold sprinted at the head of the onrush. His feet thumped over the cobblestone ground as he breathed heavily in and out, surging with thrill. Gold was in business when he spotted a whimsically curved sword waiting for him in the heart of the cornucopia. Gold ran towards it, locking his fingers around the leather handle as he scanned the clearing for prey. After a few seconds, he was onto the nearest boy like a hound. Gold brought the blade into the air and slashed it across the boy's chest, causing him to slump like a stone as his eyes glazed back into his head. Many of his essential organs had been taken out by Gold's blow, and by the time he hit the ground with a sickening thump he was dead.
Nebula Spinwell, District 5 Male: 24th, Killed by Gold, Bloodbath
Alistair was not far behind Gold, as despite lacking in some areas he was a very fast sprinter. Alistair grinned when he spotted a harpoon that sat lodged between two stones fifty yards from his pedestal. Alistair retrieved the harpoon and scanned the clearing for his target, setting his eyes on a capable girl with a high training score. Alistair exhaled as he launched the harpoon through the stale air, letting it fly thirty yards before sinking into her shoulder. A spray of blood exploded from the wound, and it was only a matter of time before she passed away. Alistair ran over to rip the harpoon out of her side as he reveled in his first kill.
Chantal Bateman, District 10 Female: 23rd, Killed by Alistair, Bloodbath
Swan smiled as her dexterous fingers wrapped around a bow and quiver of arrows that she found on a shelf in the cornucopia. Swan hurriedly threw the quiver over her shoulder, pulling back her bowstring and launching one of her arrows towards a girl less than twenty yards from her. Swan's aim was perfect, and the arrow lodged itself between two of the girl's ribs. She fell to the ground, gurgling for a few seconds before succumbing to the severe blow her lungs and heart had been dealt.
Anastasia Rosser, District 8 Female: 22nd, Killed by Swan, Bloodbath
Inside of the cornucopia, two outer district tributes grappled over the only hatchet that had not yet been claimed by one of the careers. Regena and Mitchell stood, fighting over the throwing axe and beating each other up in an attempt to claim the weapon for their own. Then, almost forty seconds after the fight had begun; Mitchell ripped the hatchet out of Regena's iron grip. Mitchell slammed the hatchet into Regena's chest, and she screamed as she fell to the ground, limp.
Regena Prosser, District 9 Female: 21st, Killed by Mitchell, Bloodbath
Gold was quick on his feet when he spotted a flash of movement from the corner of his eye. Gold whipped his head around to find a tiny, sinewy little boy less than five yards from him. He was laughably easy prey, and Gold's curved sword cleaved apart his tiny frame. By the time he was finished, the poor boy was in ribbons.
Zeller Poole, District 6 Male: 20th, Killed by Gold, Bloodbath
The trickery of one of the outer district boys was no match for Alistair's keen eyes. The boy was keeping low to the ground as he tried to sneak by the watchful career without being spotted. But, Alistair was not stupid enough to fall for his trickery. Alistair hurled his harpoon through the air, and it sank into his skull before he had enough time to scream. Alistair thought that it would only be a matter of time before he succumbed to the grievous wound and so walked away from it all. However, Sunrise, in an attempt to steal the glory, came by a few seconds later. After glancing around to make sure that Alistair wasn't watching, Sunrise beat the boy the rest of the way to death. In the official records, the kill was no longer Alistair's and was now Sunshine's. She had stolen the glory by delivering a few blows just before his death.
Armida Bingham, District 9 Male: 19th, Killed by Alistair and Sunrise, Bloodbath
Unbeknownst to Sunrise, Alistair had seen every moment of the scene play out. Alistair seethed with fury as he ran over to Sunrise and snapped her neck in one clean movement. She tumbled to the ground with a thump, dead. If Alistair had any remorse for his district partner, he didn't show it. Perhaps no insult surpassed the stealing of a kill in the eyes of a career like Alistair.
Sunrise Engel, District 4 Female: 18th, Killed by Alistair, Bloodbath
In the meantime, Swan had made another kill. Swan's fingers locked around a throwing knife that she found on a counter in the cornucopia. She hurled the throwing knife through the air towards a nearby boy that looked to be an easy target. Swan's aim was perfect, and the arrow lodged itself into his skull. Swan ran over to his side to rip the knife out of his head once she was sure that he was dead.
Timber Vaccaro, District 7 Male: 17th, Killed by Swan, Bloodbath
After chasing them around for a while, Gold trapped the alliance of Cayenne and Larke inside of the cornucopia. Gold walked inward slowly, forcing the two terrified tributes backward. Their hearts leapt into their throats when their backs bumped against the back of the cornucopia. They had nowhere to run from the bloodthirsty career. The two tributes squeezed their eyes shut, praying that their deaths would be swift as Gold killed them both in rapid succession.
Cayenne Gamboa, District 11 Male: 16th, Killed by Gold, Bloodbath
Larke Kenter, District 11 Female: 15th, Killed by Gold, Bloodbath
Mitchell was determined to make at least one kill with his axe during the bloodbath. Even though he was an outer district tribute, he recognized that his odds of winning would get higher and higher the more that he strived to kill. Mitchell clutched the weapon so tightly that his knuckles showed a ghostly white. When he spotted a distracted Julius running by him, the opportunity was too sweet to resist. Mitchell's impeccable aim did not fail him when he tossed the throwing axe through the air, and the serrated edge of the weapon lodged itself into Julius' skull as his knees buckled under him and he slumped like a stone. Julius' body put up a good fight, and it was several minutes before he died. But, no human, not even one as strong as Julius, could survive an axe to the skull. About six minutes later, Julius' body stopped fighting and he went completely limp.
Julius Amibile, District 2 Male: 14th, Killed by Mitchell, Bloodbath
District 2 was having a massive spell of bad luck that day, and it was soon after Julius' death that their Isabella met her end as well. Mitchell ran over to rip his axe out of the skull of the boy he had just killed. Mitchell decided to test his luck even more by trying to kill Isabella. Mitchell hurled the axe towards Isabella, letting it flip end over end as it cut through the moldy, stale evening air. The throwing axe plunged into Isabella's chest, lodging itself between two of her ribs and impaling her lungs. Her knees buckled instantly, and Isabella's life was ended soon after that. In a single minute, the District 10 boy had killed both of the District 2 tributes.
Isabella Gilstrap, District 2 Female: 13th, Killed by Mitchell, Bloodbath
However, Mitchell's satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment were short-lived. The other careers had seen Mitchell kill both of the tributes from 2, and seethed with fury as he shamed District 2 so. Swan was the first to make a move, and she pulled back her bowstring. Swan loosened her grasp, unleashing the arrow and launching it through the air towards the weakling. Swan made sure that the arrow made contact with his head, wanting his death to parallel those of the 2 tributes. Swan's fury ensured that her aim was perfect, and Mitchell tumbled forward into blackness the moment that the arrow punctured his brain.
Mitchell Sherrill, District 10 Male: 12th, Killed by Swan, Bloodbath
The careers managed to make one more kill during the bloodbath. As one final hoorah from the careers before the bloodbath ended, Gold managed to pin a stray boy to the ground. Gold made his death long and drawn-out, trying to put on as much of a show as possible as he drained the boy of his sanity. Once he was practically begging for death, Gold slashed him across the chest. By the time that the spray of sticky blood from his torso died down, he was dead.
Zesca Cobb, District 3 Male: 11th, Killed by Gold, Bloodbath
Fourteen cannons rang through the arena. Fourteen bloodbath deaths was a lot. Even if it didn't seem like much, the dwindling number of tributes would become a problem before the gamemakers knew it. They would have to ensure that the number of natural deaths be cut down if they wanted a long and exhilarating games.
At the cornucopia, the fractured career pack got to the long and painful work of rounding up the fourteen corpses and piling them up into a pile in a far-off corner of the town square. It was hard work, and in turned out that dead girls and boys weighed much more than many of them were expecting. Apart from the splatters of blood staining the cobblestone ground, there were no signs that anyone had died there once they were finished. Gold, Swan, and Alistair got to the work of setting up a camp in the cornucopia for them to sleep inside of at night. Three sleeping bags laid side by side on the ground, a body-head activated warming packet inside of each one. A lit flashlight and lamp sat next to each sleeping bag, and with the addition of a pillow for each one it was actually rather cozy. They took one hour-long shifts that night guarding the cornucopia. In this way, they managed to avoid being robbed for the whole night.
However, the audience's main focus was not on the careers. It was on the ways that the outer district tributes spread out.
A vast number of tributes headed towards the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the distance. They were Himalia from 7, Burnett from 8, and Tony and Emille from 12. Most of these tributes had not learned about the Chernobyl disaster at all and so did not know how dangerous the damaged reactor really was. The trek towards the huge plant was much more than one day's walk, and so those tributes were forced to settle down for the night, their journeys not yet completed. Burnett was the slowest runner out of the quartet, and he settled down for the night just shy of halfway to the plant. Burnett walked off of the pathway and settled down on the dry, grassy ground. He pulled a layer of leaves and muck over him in order to shield him from the sight of the other tributes. It wasn't exactly a five-star hotel, but it got him through the night rather well. He woke up the next morning with no cuts or bruises at all. Emille was slightly faster than Burnett, and she made it just a few hundred feet further than he did. Emille had a backpack that she had salvaged from the cornucopia, unlike Burnett. Once the sun set below the rocky horizon, Emille sat down, her back leaned against a sturdy willow tree. Emille unzipped the backpack, and her heart leapt into her throat when she saw what was inside. An entire thermos of clear, drinkable water, and half a cup of dried fruit. In her eyes, it was a great haul. Without even meaning to, she fell asleep right then and there. Tony was a fast runner, hence his developed leg muscles that he had trained working in the District 12 mines. Tony made it 4 kilometers in to the 4.4 kilometers necessary to reach the power plant, and when he physically couldn't run any longer he crunched up into a little cove in the side of a large hill to his left. Even though Tony had ran into the bloodbath, he had run away with nothing but his bare hands. It was cold that night, but Tony was a durable boy and he powered through.
Himalia, however, was a different story. She was a speedy and durable runner, and she was able to keep running long after the last sign of the oily yellow sun had sunk below the jagged horizon. It was around midnight when Himalia reached the power plant's front doors. Being the curious girl she was, Himalia flicked on her flashlight and broke the lock holding the door shut with a tool. Locks are people's way of telling you to stay out, and perhaps Himalia should have heeded the warning. The moment that she entered the steel structure, she began to experience heavy nausea. By the time she was halfway down the first corridor, she starting vomiting herself silly. Himalia desperately attempted to escape the chamber of death, but it was futile. Her thrashing body was only a few yards from the entrance when her body gave up and she tumbled forward into blackness, killed by the radiation. The gamemakers left her corpse right there, where it was. Perhaps it could serve as a sign to the other tributes about how they should think twice before entering the building that had caused so much destruction a few centuries prior.
Himalia Septimus, District 7 Female: 10th, Radiation, Day 1
Ximena and Cassidy both stayed in the town of Pripyat. Ximena ventured out towards the very edge of the town, eventually settling down in the village's school. It was eerily dark as she creaked open the front door and slipped inside. Ximena felt around for a light-switch and found a rope hanging from the ceiling. She pulled it down, and the room became illuminated by the orangish-yellow light from the ceiling. Ximena was standing in a foyer sort of area. She turned around a corner to the right and found herself in a math classroom, the board still covered with markings of addition and subtraction problems. Ximena smiled, perhaps thinking back to her own time as an elementary school student. Ximena ventured through the building further, walking in and out of different classrooms before settling down in a wardrobe in an art classroom. It was a tight fit, and it stank horribly of mold, but it would have to do if she wanted to stay hidden from the watchful eyes of the careers. She pulled a bit of cloth from her bag and used a rope to tie it around her nose and mouth, hoping to filter out some of the odors and dusts in the air. Cassidy, unbeknownst to the fact that Ximena was in the same building, settled down in the school as well. However, Cassidy found a home underneath one of the risers in the school's music classroom. It was rather spacious under there, and with the addition of her sleeping bag and pillow it was cozy little place. Cassidy added in a hand-held heating packet, and once the entire space had been heated up it was hard to imagine a more comfortable place to sleep. Before going to bed, she poked a few holes in the walls with a tool so that she would always have fresh air.
Elektra was the odd one out. She didn't settle down for the night in a permanent location, instead travelling around the arena all night and taking breaks occasionally. She spent a few hours exploring Pripyat before venturing out into the forest beyond and then towards the power plant. Elektra was at the front entrance to the reactor. She threw open the door. She stepped forward. Elektra's foot landed on something that was hard, yet soft. Elektra looked down, and her stomach lurched with terror. The body of Himalia, who had died a few hours prior, stared back at her with a cold, hard gaze. Elektra suppressed a scream as she ran out of the plant and darted away as fast as she could, not bothering to be quiet as she raced away from the girl's corpse. She made quite a racket, and many of the other tributes heard or saw her running by before she ended up hiding in a little cove for the night.
Many of the tributes woke up bright and early the morning of Day 2. Per usual, it was the outer district tribute's priority to find food. They found various different ways to meet their calorie needs in the arena. For example, Cassidy cooked the wheat that she found growing outside of the school and used it to make bread. She was a great cook, and the food was actually rather yummy.
Given the small number of tributes, the gamemakers were more surprised than they should have been that Days 2 and 3 passed without any deaths at all. The careers had split up every day and had ventured out, combing through every square inch of the place in search of whatever tributes they might find. They found none. The crop of tributes consisted much of intelligent and clever individuals, and they hid from the careers well. In this timeframe, some of the tributes had changed their plans-of-attack for surviving in the arena. Emille, for one, travelled back to Pripyat after realizing how much her proximity to the power plant was taking a toll on her body. She made camp in a back closet of the town's bank. Also, Ximena moved around in the school. Instead of camping out in the wardrobe in the back of the art classroom twenty-four-seven, she started changing her positions a lot. First, she went to the kitchen and hid in one of the food cupboards. Then, she went to one of the history classrooms and hid behind one of the desks. Ximena jumped around the school.
However, it was only a matter of time before Ximena's food supply ran out and she was forced to leave the safety of the building in order to forage the desolate place for whatever she could find. Ximena walked out of the school, and to her great misfortune stood face-to-face with a grinning Gold. Gold cut her to ribbons before she had time to scream, wiping off his bloodstained blade in the grass once her cannon had faded away fully.
Ximena Durrett, District 3 Female: 9th, Killed by Gold, Day 4
That left the final eight: Gold Carson and Swan Amatangelo from District 1, Alistair Krezel from District 4, Elektra Ridland from District 5, Cassidy Blizard from District 6, Burnett Ekstrom from District 8, and Tony Scales and Emille Cavanaugh from District 12.
Days five thru ten passed, deathless, an enormous span of time with no bloodshed whatsoever. The gamemakers had had great intentions building the arena as a town, but they had installed far too many places for the tributes to hide. The careers grew more and more frustrated each day with the fruitlessness of their endeavors, and they resorted to ridiculous tactics like trying to light Pripyat on fire. The gamemakers extinguished the inferno before it could get out of hand, though.
Then, at around one o'clock in the afternoon on Day 10, Head Gamemaker Roscoe Agnew came up with a brilliant idea that he hoped would throw a wrench into the works and make the games more exciting for everybody. Roscoe saw how the careers were thirsty to get their hands dirty. He saw how Tony and Emille lay so weak from hunger and dehydration they could barely move. He saw how Cassidy had a jagged wound down her leg that she would die from unless she could get medicine.
Roscoe declared the first ever feast.
"Attention tributes!" Roscoe proclaimed for all to hear. The acoustics of the arena were exceptional, and he was heard by all of the tributes. "In precisely one hour's time, there will be a feast at the cornucopia. At the center of the arena are marvelous items that could well save your life any second of any day in this grand arena. I am well aware that you will have no idea when it is time for the feast. As such, a timer, counting down to zero, will be projected into the sky right about now. There are items that each and every one of you need desperately. Think twice about not showing up."
At that, a timer appeared in the sky. It displayed 1:00:00. Then, it began counting down.
It was no surprise that, in one hour's time, every single one of the remaining tributes showed up for the feast of death. The three careers, of course, were more than happy to get their hands a little dirty and to bump off some of the 'weaklings'. Elektra made an appearance because she was very weak from dehydration and needed water. Tony and Emille showed up because they needed food. Cassidy went into the feast because she needed medicine to keep her leg from becoming infected. Burnett showed up because he wanted to do his part in cutting the length of the games as short as possible.
Then, at two o'clock that evening, the feast began. The tributes burst forward, scooping up supplies and avoiding each other in a chaotic rhythm reminiscent of the initial bloodbath. The first to meet their end in the bloodbath was Emille. She had leaned over to pick up a huge gallon-jug of water, when Alistair, being the bloodthirsty career that he was, pounced upon her. Alistair tackled Emille, pinning her to the ground. Emille put up a good fight, but in the end she was no match for the career. All of Emille's hopes of victory were extinguished when Alistair pulled out his harpoon and plunged it straight into her heart.
Emille Cavanaugh, District 12 Female: 8th, Killed by Alistair, Day 10
Burnett ran across the yawning mouth of the cornucopia when he spotted an orange backpack on the other side of it. While he was doing so, Swan pounced out of the mysterious darkness of the cornucopia and tackled him. Burnett's death was swift when the serrated edge of Swan's knife lodged itself between two of his ribs, and his eyes were sent rolling back into his head within seconds.
Burnett Ekstrom, District 8 Male: 7th, Killed by Swan, Day 10
That was when the career alliance suffered their next loss. Tony picked up a baton that lay in a cluster of dead flowers at his feet. Tony locked his fingers around the weapon so tightly that his knuckles turned white as he smashed it upon the nearest career: disoriented Swan. The blow to the head instantaneously shattered her skull, and by the time that she hit the ground she was dead.
Swan Amatangelo, District 1 Female: 6th, Killed by Tony, Day 10
Gold was quick on his feet when he spotted Elektra trying to worm her way past him. Gold raised his blade into the air and slashed it across Elektra's back. Elektra screamed as she fell limp on Gold's blade, dropping the bag of loaves of bread she was carrying as she tumbled to the ground at his feet.
Elektra Ridland, District 5 Female: 5th, Killed by Gold, Day 10
Alistair's keen sense of vision did not fail him when he took a quick peek inside of the cornucopia. There, in the darkness, was an unmistakable sight: a pair of glowing eyes glaring back at him. Alistair lunged towards them to discover Cassidy hiding inside the cornucopia and applying healing salve to the gash running down her leg. By the time that Cassidy noticed Alistair looming above her, it was too late. Alistair's harpoon had already wormed its way into her torso. Tending to her leg wound was the least of Cassidy's problems as she passed away a few minutes after.
Cassidy Blizard, District 6 Female: 4th, Killed by Alistair, Day 10
It was then that Gold and Alistair teamed up in an attempt to take down the only other remaining tribute: Tony from 12. Staying close to each other, Alistair and Gold raced Tony all around the arena. Tony was a tremendously fast runner, but in the end he was no match for the two trained careers. Gold hurled his curved blade through the air, letting it flip end over end before it lodged itself into Tony's back. Tony cried out in pain as he fell forward onto the ground, and Alistair finished the job by stomping up and down on his back until his body gave up fighting.
Tony Scales, District 12 Male: 3rd, Killed by Gold and Alistair, Day 10
That left Gold Carson of District 1 and Alistair Krezel of District 4 to vie for the title of victor. At first, they did not actually realize that they were the last two remaining tributes. In fact, they had no idea. They wandered back to the cornucopia that night, walking and talking and just being friends. They went to sleep, not knowing that they were the last remaining tributes.
The morning of Day 11, when they still had not realized that they were the only tributes left in the arena, the Head Gamemaker had to make the announcement.
"My deepest congratulations to the final two tributes of the twenty-second annual Hunger Games. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor," Roscoe declared.
Gold and Alistair finally realized that they were the only tributes left. That very instant, Alistair darted over to pick up a curved blade just like Gold's, knowing that he wouldn't stand a chance if he fought using his harpoon. The final battle between the two boys began. It was a long battle, filled with near-victories and rescues and the boys cursing under their breaths whenever the other managed to evade them. The screech of metal against metal had filled the air for two long hours when Gold triumphed, slicing off Alistair's head in one clean slice and sending it tumbling to the ground as the rest of his body collapsed.
Alistair Krezel, District 4 Male: 2nd, Killed by Gold, Day 11
"Gold Carson of District 1, you are the victor of the twenty-second annual Hunger Games!" Roscoe announced grandly as a hovercraft appeared to collect him.
At first, Gold tried to suppress the oncoming grin. But, he just could not control it. He burst into laughter as he climbed up into the hovercraft. He had just won the Hunger Games. What a truly spectacular surprise.
Gold Carson, District 1 Male: Victor of the Twenty Second Hunger Games, Day 11
AFTERMATH
The Capitol had begun to form a liking towards career victors, given how confident and loyal to the nation they were. Gold was certainly no exception, and he made a great addition to their beloved lineup of victors. As for Gold himself, he loved all of the attention and was proud to have brought the pride to his family and to his district that he did.
His victory tour went rather well, although District 4 was disgusted at how he had decapitated their beloved Alistair in the final fight.
Gold moved into the Victor's Village of District 1, the fourth victor and first male victor to do so.
Gold would live to the age of one-hundred four, dying from bone cancer around the time of the one-hundred ninth annual Hunger Games. In this lifetime, he would marry two different women. With his first wife, he would have two children. With his second wife, he wound not reproduce but would adopt twin sons.
NEWS
Gold moves into the Victor's Village of District 1, the fourth victor to do so.
Velvet Farrow becomes engaged to her future spouse, a man named Lucius Kritz.
Seeder Kaiser marries her high-school sweetheart, Willow Carrita.
LIST OF VICTORS
1HG: Cordin Frey (#1, District 3)
2HG: Sapphire Waber (#1, District 1)
3HG: Molly Toliday (#1, District 4)
4HG: Amelia Spangler (#1, District 2)
5HG: Misty Sablone (#1, District 12)
6HG: Olivia Seager (#2, District 2)
7HG: Flux Stafford (#2, District 3)
8HG: Brandi Coyne (#2, District 1)
9HG: Isaac Crandall (#1, District 5)
10HG: Velvet Farrow (#3, District 1)
11HG: Mags Flanagan (#2, District 4)
12HG: Slate Ogston (#3, District 2)
13HG: Woof Dozier (#1, District 8)
14HG: Blaze Skalnik (#4, District 2)
15HG: Dina Wilmarth (#2, District 5)
16HG: Beatrice Toland (#1, District 6)
17HG: Amelia Bankston (#5, District 2)
18HG: Markus Gardd (#2, District 6)
19HG: Odius Ruttler (#6, District 2)
20HG: Seeder Kaiser (#1, District 11)
21HG: Freya Digard (#7, District 2)
22HG: Gold Carson (#4, District 1)
