THE AUXILIARY ONE HUNDRED FIFTH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES
"The Salt Pillar"


INTRODUCTION

Stinn Hawke, president of Panem, was in rising hot water. The quickly-growing political party and ideological organization called the Morning Star had ingrained itself into the minds of all; now, its roots began to spread through the Capitol itself. Stinn had to admit it was a clever plot; the organization kept from designating a single leader or headquarters, so they could not be symbolically wiped out by a single assassination or bombing. The Morning Star was not a rebel group quite yet, but one that sought change in the structure of Panem. One major goal of the Coalition was to grant ownership of the wilderness regions surrounding the districts to the districts themselves, encouraging opportunities for growth. They also sought for further integration of district industries, ending the era when each district strictly specialized in one area. Stinn Hawke held many political secrets, but none as great and dangerous as this: the movement was pioneered by District 13. District 13 had not actually been destroyed during the Dark Days like most people thought; it had agreed to "play dead" in exchange for self-sufficiency and freedom from the Hunger Games. But a sudden leadership change in District 13, put in place by several sudden assassinations and even a minor coup – caused a change of plans. The district that had always been so mysterious was now loud and proud about their existence, knowing the Capitol would not forcefully attack it because of its large reserves of nuclear weapons. District 12 was the first to find out, catching wind of the news from stray travelers and refugees from the various massacres and fires occurring eastward in District 13. Indeed, change was in the air. The news spread quickly, spreading from east to west across Panem like a sweeping wind. Armed conflict was sure to soon break out. The rebels were motivated by the promise of a new day, lit with the bright lantern of transparency and freedom as the Morning Star rose over the horizon for a new period of Panemian history.

While the Morning Star did not have a single face, the Capitol did. His name was Fox Sikorski. The victor of the 105th Hunger Games, rocketed from his already-celebrity status to a position of utterly godlike fame, was used by Stinn as the literal poster child of strength and patriotism. He appeared at all public events involving the games, was seen walking with the president and Head Gamemaker whenever they appeared publicly, and appeared as the subject of virtually all the propaganda produced in the Capitol. Photographs of the powerful young man were placed on thousands of buildings across the nation. Those who were loyal to the Capitol looked at them with pride, admiring the strong patriot who appeared endlessly faithful to the seat of Panem's government. But the host of the Hunger Games, Ciara Grant, saw an additional opportunity just waiting to be taken. She'd been struggling to establish herself as a valuable member of the Hunger Games team for several years. But now, she had a plan to make sure she would never be forgotten. Fox sure looked handsome, but he'd be an even more attractive idol in his public appearances with the presence of a female partner. She pitched the idea to Stinn Hawke and received his approval almost immediately. Ciara could have held interviews with different young women, or even allowed Fox to choose from a pool of possible girlfriends – but what was the fun in that? Ciara called up the Hunger Games committee that night. It was time to get an arena ready.

Ciara was allowed to look through Stinn's top-secret databases of Panem's civilians. She needed twenty-four young women. Those who were patriotic, strong, inspirational, and very good-looking. There were not exactly two from every district; some districts had more than two tributes, while some had just one or even zero. Rounding up the young ladies was not an easy task. Some of them fell easily into the trap, guided to locations by other teenagers (Capitol actors hired specifically to lure them in). Some were suddenly arrested under phony charges and taken to the Capitol. Others had to be kidnapped using force. But a few weeks later, Ciara Grant had rounded up twenty-four inspirational young women to fight to the death for Fox's heart. This was not a normal Hunger Games; the tributes were subject to an entire week of photoshoots, public appearances, and interviews with different popular show hosts in the Capitol. Instead of having interviews with the Hunger Games host, the tributes were interviewed by Fox himself. The Capitol couldn't have been more enamored with the sudden change in plans. To them, two Hunger Games in one year was a sweet deal. They were quick to pick their favorite girls, forming fan teams distinguished by fashion and hair choices. Many fans also adapted their speech and movement patterns to mimic those of the young lady they hoped would win Fox's hand. These games had the exact effect Stinn hoped they would, and it sure was glorious.

There was a mandatory announcement three days before the games were set to begin. Fox Sikorski himself stood before a large podium, looking dazzling in a coal-black suit that flattered his broad frame. Fox formally introduced each of the girls, who were waiting backstage. When her name was called, each girl stepped onto the stage, stood in the spotlight with a big smile while she was being introduced, then sat on a long purple couch big enough to hold twenty-four people. Fox began the special with a brief speech about recent events, subtly trashing the Morning Star and saying how honored he was by the young women who were "willing" to die to join him. Then he began the introductions:

"Our first tribute is Viveca Chatterley from District 1. Viveca displays the best qualities in a young woman: drive, passion, and grit. At home, she runs a charity distributing clothes to underprivileged children and mothers. Do not overlook her strength; she is smart, fast, and enterprising, holding up the head of the tribute team with sharpness and style."

"Our second tribute is Stelline Winters from District 1. Stelline is an extremely talented poet; since publishing her first poetry collection at age twelve, she has received rave reviews and thousands of sales across her home district. I have no doubt that her mind, which is clever enough to spin any word into a beautiful verse, will serve her well in the arena."

"Our third tribute is Salandra Harcourt from District 1. Salandra is one of Panem's greatest patriots, appearing in newspaper articles, magazine pages, and public announcements praising the glory of the Capitol and our beautiful nation. Her father is the head peacekeeper of District 1; Salandra knows more than just the first thing about fighting for dear life, so keep your eyes on her."

"Our fourth tribute is Glisten Raybould from District 1. Glisten is one of the most beautiful young women I have ever seen, enough to melt any man's heart. She is charming, talented, and very funny, running a comedy special at her high school in the northern zone of District 1. But there is a not-so-glistening streak in her; Glisten displayed wonderful skill in the training center, impressing me greatly."

"Our fifth tribute is Chanteuse Jensen from District 1. Chanteuse is a striking transgender activist, having fought for years for dignity and better treatment of LGBT people in various environments around her home. Despite her male body, she is just as much of a woman as every other young lady on this stage, and I admire and respect her as such."

"Our sixth tribute is Opal Torrent from District 1. Opal, as you may know, is a popular television actress in District 1. I have been a fan of hers for many years, admiring her beauty, poise, and talent for acting and speaking publicly. I believe she has a wonderful future in store if she wins these games, as her greatest dream is to star in a Capitol-produced movie. If she wins I will ensure this happens."

"Our seventh tribute is Tamara Boulder from District 2. Tamara has one of the most incredible backstories of any Hunger Games tribute, having travelled from a home in the seedy backstreets to a house on a beautiful green hill overlooking the Justice Building. She worked several jobs to achieve this, even starting her own business. A skilled entrepreneur, Tamara is also a skilled fighter; she attended the academy for three years, so do not underestimate her."

"Our eighth tribute is Machete Kluss from District 2. Machete is a lover of the Capitol; she pays a visit to this beautiful city every year, and has even lived here for several entire summers. I believe we can bond over our mutual love of the Capitol if she emerges victorious."

"Our ninth tribute is Quarry McPherson from District 2. Quarry is a wonderful architect, having designed many houses and industrial buildings in the town where she lives. People two or three times her age have hired her to design gardens, buildings, and machinery, knowing she has the out-of-the-box thinking pattern needed to make anything look good."

"Our tenth tribute is Cayenne Cleaver from District 2. I am impressed and amazed by Cayenne's level of talent; she is one of the greatest products of District 2's academy, a master of swords and axes. She auditioned to become the chosen volunteer during my Hunger Games, but missed her audition due to a family emergency and was not picked. I am glad she is now getting her chance to show the Capitol what she is capable of."

"Our eleventh tribute is Meitner Grande from District 3. Meitner has an extremely rare blood type, and she has donated her blood hundreds of times to people from all walks of life in need of transfusion. She has saved countless lives, and I am inspired by her generosity and commitment to all the medical environments in which she has volunteered alongside that."

"Our twelfth tribute is Cache Rutherford from District 3. Cache is one of the most gifted musicians I have ever had the pleasure of hearing, specializing on the piano and violin. She is also a singer who has released two albums and toured sparsely around District 3. She adds her own personal touch to pieces of music that have been played for hundreds of years, filling them with a rare kind of heart that makes me think she would be a passionate female partner."

"Our thirteenth tribute is Undine Bosh from District 4. Undine is a young fitness coach, trusted by dozens of clients who enjoy her bubbly mood and dedication to her job. At her impressive level of fitness, I have no doubt she will be a strong contender in the arena."

"Our fourteenth tribute is Aquamarine Richards from District 4. Aquamarine is an established fashion model, portraying bold styles on the runway that encapsulate her fiery, colorful personality. She has even appeared in a handful of Capitol-level photoshoots and shows, so do not been confused if you feel you recognize her face."

"Our fifteenth tribute is Mizzie Tabbock from District 4. Mizzie is a die-hard fan of the Hunger Games; I am told she can recall almost any event from any games in history, from the bloodbath of the first games all the way to my victory last month. Someone with such incredible memory and dedication would surely be a wonderful companion, and Mizzie does have aspirations to be in the public eye, making it a perfect match."

"Our sixteenth tribute is Ampera Morridos from District 5. I went to high school with Ampera and was persistently inspired by how classy, kind, and compassionate she really was. She enjoys horse riding and acting, playing the major roles in many theater productions. I know she can succeed in any area by devoting herself fully."

"Our seventeenth tribute is Silvette Rainja from District 5. Silvette is an accomplished painter whose work has appeared in several art museums and galleries. I admire her talent for mixing and choosing colors, capturing various shades of light and shadow in one picture. Her works cover an immense range of human feeling while staying within the same style, a testament to her versatility and creative eye."

"Our eighteenth tribute is Hailey Grunge from District 6. Hailey is nothing short of a mathematical genius. Just last year, she discovered a length mathematical formula previously thought not to exist, wowing even the most educated and learned scientists of the Capitol. She can perform any mathematical operation in her head almost immediately, hinting at a great intelligence that will carry her far."

"Our nineteenth tribute is Sequoia McDonald from District 7. Sequoia is a passionate public speaker, filling her words with vigor and enthusiasm. She can tell anything from a fairy tale to a political speech in a way that is rousing, soulful, and interesting. Even in casual conversation I found her to have a beautiful voice, one that I will be glad to hear often if she wins."

"Our twentieth tribute is Blossom Nuford from District 7. Blossom comes from the zone in District 7 where books are made. She is a popular audiobook narrator, accomplishing millions of sales in the Capitol for her recordings. She is especially known for her campy yet fascinating depictions of male characters' voices. I heard her speaking with Sequoia and it was like music."

"Our twenty-first tribute is Annalace Browne from District 8. Annalace stole my heart when I learned of a charity event which she runs, creating teddy bears for children with terminal diseases. Everything she does warms my heart, and I'm sure you will join me in wishing her well in the games."

"Our twenty-second tribute is Calico Hosler from District 8. Calico is a talented cook, well-known in her entire town for making stews, stir-fries, and all other kinds of delicious meals and snacks. She manages even when food is scarce, improvising to create new recipes and baking techniques of all kinds." (The original script contained the line "I cannot wait to see what dishes she cooks for me if she wins", but this was cut by the editor for fear it would raise allegations of sexism.)

"Our twenty-third tribute is Bessie Young from District 10. Bessie is caring, loving, and compassionate, with a heart of gold and a smile that could win any man's heart. Her neighbors and friends tell me she is a natural healer, able to fix almost any injury. She spent years working without pay, healing farm animals others did not know how to fix. What a wonderful trait for a tribute to have!"

"Our twenty-fourth tribute is Shila Gonzales from District 11. Shila inspired me with all the walls she broke and stereotypes she defied. She is a person with a disability, capable of very limited hearing and eyesight. Even so, she is loved by her friends and neighbors, known for spreading joy and positivity and encouraging disabled children in her area to her pursue a life of happiness and hope."

Here are the tributes:

District 1: Viveca Chatterley, 18 (7) 12-1, Stelline Winters, 18 (5) 16-1, Salandra Harcourt, 19 (6) 13-1, Glisten Raybould, 17 (8) 6-1, Chanteuse Jensen, 18 (4) 23-1, and Opal Torrent, 20 (5) 15-1

District 2: Tamara Boulder, 18 (8) 5-1, Machete Kluss, 19 (7) 9-1, Quarry McPherson, 17 (5) 17-1, and Cayenne Cleaver, 18 (10) 3-1

District 3: Meitner Grande, 18 (6) 15-1 and Cache Rutherford, 18 (4) 22-1

District 4: Undine Bosh, 19 (9) 4-1, Aquamarine Richards, 18 (5) 15-1, and Mizzie Tabbock, 17 (6) 14-1

District 5: Ampera Morridos, 18 (3) 25-1 and Silvette Rainja, 19 (6) 14-1

District 6: Hailey Grunge, 20 (4) 21-1

District 7: Sequoia McDonald, 18 (8) 6-1 and Blossom Nuford, 18 (5) 14-1

District 8: Annalace Browne, 17 (7) 10-1 and Calico Hosler, 19 (3) 25-1

District 9: N/A

District 10: Bessie Young, 18 (4) 23-1

District 11: Shila Gonzales, 18 (4) 24-1

District 12: N/A

HGBO Bets: 25% on Cayenne, 19% on Undine, 18% on Tamara, 16% on Glisten and Sequoia, 10% on Machete, 9% on Viveca, 7% on Annalace, 5% on Mizzie and Salandra, 4.5% on Silvette, 4% on Meitner, 3% on Stelline, Opal, Quarry, and Aquamarine, 1% or less on Chanteuse, Cache, Ampera, Hailey, Blossom, Calico, Bessie, and Shila.


THE GAMES

The dazzling silver cornucopia stood on a dance floor that flashed and spun through a hundred different colors. The floor was made of multicolored panels that whirled dizzyingly, enough to distract the tributes in their hurry to reach the horn. They were in the gymnasium of an enormous high school during a formal school dance. The room was bustling with thousands of teenagers, who were actually mutts that looked just like humans. A few of Fox's friends were partying in the crowd, surrounded by miniature force fields so they wouldn't be hurt. The tributes would have to elbow and fight their way with quite the fierce resolve in order to actually reach the horn. The tributes were dressed in very diverse dresses, designed specifically by the girls' individual stylists. As the countdown ticked, the girls with longer and more cumbersome costumes began tearing them into shorter, more manageable garments. The cafeteria, aside from the dance floor, was filled with fold-up tables, feasts of cakes and meat, and lots of sparkling pink vomit tonic. Thin party mist drifted through the air, carrying the sickly smell of cotton candy while loud disco music (there was a disco revival that year) blasted through large speakers. Outside the cafeteria, the high school sprawled out in all directions, spangled with banners and decorative balloons in commemoration of the dance. There were science classrooms, math classrooms, history classrooms, art classrooms, an auditorium, a music room, several large staff rooms, and much, much more. The arena was full of weaponry; from scissors to glass objects to metal chair legs, there were thousands of objects that could conceivably be used as deadly weapons. The crown jewel of the entire arena sat in the principal's office: there was a single gun, the first firearm to ever appear in the Hunger Games. It was filled with bullets and easy to fire. Whichever tribute seized the weapon would have a massive advantage going forward. Several small courtyards and gardens surrounded the school, which was enclosed in a perimeter of rocks indicating the placement of the force field.

There was a whirring noise in the ceiling of the gymnasium, and a plush red chair descended, carrying Fox Sikorski on its velvety surface. He coughed once and then raised a microphone to his lips, which curled into a grin. "Welcome, tributes, to the auxiliary 105th Hunger Games! The rules are the same as usual; the last tribute standing wins. But this is not your standard-issue edition of the games, and I'd like to explain some things in depth before we get started. The Hunger Games, as you know, typically last several weeks. This time they will only last a single day. Every hour, a new threat will emerge, wreaking havoc on part of the arena and any tribute unlucky enough to be in its path. Imagine this arena is a big birthday cake. And every hour, one slice is… well, you'll see. As usual, all bets are off. You are welcome to betray, lie, backstab, and kill anyone and everyone in order to claim the title of Victor. The only thing off-limits is not having fun." He smiled just a little wider. "Congratulations to you all for being chosen! Just being here is winning. And…" A wink. "May the odds be ever in your favor."

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

There was utter mayhem as the twenty-four girls surged forward, fighting and kicking their way through the crowd of high school students to reach the dazzling cornucopia. During their several weeks in the Capitol, everybody had made friends and enemies across the board. Alliances were shaky and hesitant, and the three girls who constituted what could be considered a career pack (Cayenne, Undine, and Tamara) did not even meet until the bloodbath was over and the others had scattered. Two of these tributes were the first to reach the cornucopia, Undine grabbing a spear while Tamara clamored for some kind of sword. Cayenne had a much more difficult time fighting her way through the crowd; she'd been tackled by a trio of girls in light pink dresses, clawing ferociously in a way that was annoying but not harmful. Cayenne finally reached the horn just as the other girls began to meet up with their allies, wondering whether to head into the horn or race away for near-guaranteed survival of the bloodbath.

Aquamarine ducked under the swinging arm of a fine-suited brunette wearing way too much perfume, fighting her way to her ally Mizzie. Mizzie herself was already gathering supplies, having scooped a clutter of knives into a little orange bag. Aquamarine couldn't find any kind of container to lump supplies into, so she yanked at a tablecloth, sending glass ware and fine China hurtling through the air. Aquamarine had thrown a few packs into the tablecloth and was about to get Mizzie's attention when a dark shadow appeared behind Mizzie, knife raised and ready to kill. It was Sequoia, one of the girls from 7. Aquamarine screamed Mizzie a warning, and she ducked just in time to avoid being sliced open. Sequoia hadn't expected being caught red-handed; she was quickly disarmed and disoriented when Mizzie snatched up a chair and whacked her in the head, sending her reeling. She grunted and tried to get back to her feet, but Mizzie was on her like a hound, scooping up a big carving knife from the nearest table and dragging it down her throat, digging with a ferocity nobody had been expecting from the timid 4 girl.

Sequoia McDonald, District 7 Tribute: 24th, Killed by Mizzie, Bloodbath

Mizzie dashed off into the crowds then, grabbing Aquamarine's wrist and hurriedly yanking her along. They were not the only tributes already on the run for their lives; Salandra was now fleeing after arming herself with a long katana-like weapon and a pack of clean water. A pair of allies, Chanteuse and Opal, was also making their way away from the cornucopia. The teenagers swarmed them, making escape difficult. A couple of kicks and punches was all that was needed to deter most of them, while the more annoying pursuers fell under their blades without a sound. Opal was somewhat apprehensive about leaving the bloodbath so early, but Chanteuse was too terrified to stay any longer. She warned Opal that if she ran back toward the horn she would abandon her right then and there. Not wanting to be alone in these games, she nodded shortly and then followed Chanteuse out of the crowded gymnasium.

Up toward the cornucopia, the careers laid their first strikes. Tamara, armed to the teeth after several minutes of careful scavenging for weapons and armor, noticed little Shila from 11 on her knees a few feet ahead. She was shoving supplies into a piece of her dress that she'd torn off during the countdown so she could move faster. Tamara marched toward the end of the spinning platform containing the cornucopia, sword clenched in her hands, and Shila didn't see her coming until it was too late. Shila yelped out in pain and fury as the weapon connected with the back of her neck. She fell onto her front, weeping ingloriously and begging for mercy, but Tamara would not comply. She sliced open Shila's torso with four or five heavy chops, then left her to bleed out on the floor without dealing a fatal blow. There was commotion back at the cornucopia, and she had bigger fish to fry.

Shila Gonzales, District 11 Tribute: 23rd, Killed by Tamara, Bloodbath

For now, though, the cameras focused on what was happening within the crowd, which girls were moving forward and which backward. Ampera marched through the stampede with her mouth set into a firm line, fighting with every cell in her body not to look back at the cornucopia. She kept her head straight forward like she would turn into a pillar of salt if she didn't, knocking down dancer mutts left and right. She kicked a pair of them into a round table bearing vomit tonic, and the table toppled to the ground, hundreds of glasses of fizzy pink liquid shattering on the floor. A girl who had been hiding under the table, Hailey, jumped to her feet, freezing in place as she came face-to-face with Ampera. She spent a millisecond sizing her up and determined she wasn't a threat. Ampera and Hailey made the split-second decision to ally. Hailey picked up one more supply pack before they both turned and ran.

The tributes from District 2 who were not careers – Machete and Quarry – had allied in the training center, and they were still companions in the arena, banding together for company and protection as they were swarmed left and right. The friends were attacked by Undine at one point, but they fought back so violently that Undine dismissed them and rushed away, wanting to take down easier and more vulnerable prey before the bloodbath ended. Machete and Quarry had debated whether they should kill during the bloodbath, but with tributes slipping away faster and faster they decided it was time to go for the throat. Both armed with knives, they crept up behind sharp-eyed Viveca, who was using one of the dancers as a human shield to absorb an arrow shot by Silvette. Machete stumbled slightly, and Viveca turned suddenly around, dropping the dancer and falling to her knees to avoid further blows from Silvette. Machete fell with a single hack of Viveca's blade, digging deep into her leg and tearing her skin into an explosion of blood and muscle. Machete staggered downward, knocking down Quarry in her descent, and they quickly perished under Viveca's biting blades as Silvette drew nearer and nearer.

Machete Kluss, District 2 Tribute: 22nd, Killed by Viveca, Bloodbath

Quarry McPherson, District 2 Tribute: 21st, Killed by Viveca, Bloodbath

With four tributes down, things were really starting to organize around the cornucopia. The careers, though they hadn't spoken to each other or otherwise met since the gong, firmly stood their ground in front of the cornucopia to keep away offenders. Tamara was focused on the crowd, her gaze darting back and forth between the little bunches of sharp-dressed teenagers in search of tributes. Meanwhile, Cayenne busied herself with a more specific task. There were three tributes trapped inside of the cornucopia: Stelline, Cache, and Calico. Cayenne's main task at the present time was to barricade the entrance of the cornucopia, trapping the three girls inside where they would be easy prey. Cayenne enlisted Undine's help to accomplish this task. Calico collapsed to her knees when she realized what was happening, panic filling every part of her body. Cache just stared at Undine and Cayenne with weary eyes, just hoping her end would be quick. Stelline was the only one with the nerve to fight back. She snatched up a long sword she didn't know how to use and barked for Calico and Cache to do the same. They were hopeless against the two trained careers, but that didn't mean they couldn't give their best shot.

Farther out, Viveca was in a bit of predicament. Silvette was now chasing her, barreling through the crowds in pursuit of her possible first victim. Another tribute from 1, Glisten, stumbled by with a pack on her back and two knives clutched in front of her. Silvette was distracted by the sudden appearance of a second tribute and hesitated somewhat, giving Viveca time to escape. She dashed away through the crowd as quickly as she could, the thoughts of the two tributes she'd killed already haunting her. Viveca and Glisten emerged from the cafeteria together, stumbling into the profusely air-conditioned hallway covered in sweat, blood, and food. They decided not to attack one another, perhaps united by a sense of district unity, and ran their separate ways. The other tributes who had escaped the bloodbath included the duo of Aquamarine and Mizzie, the duo of Ampera and Hailey, and a final pair of Chanteuse and Opal. There was also Salandra, who had run from the chaos very early on and was the first to escape.

Back at the horn, Undine and Cayenne moved inward, closing the three tributes inside the bloodbath. Stelline lunged with surprising courage, but blanched and retreated when Undine lifted her spear. She tossed the weapon which skewered through Stelline's chest like it was nothing, and she fell screaming bloody murder while the other two girls collapsed in hysterics. Their lives were moments from a bloody ending.

Stelline Winters, District 1 Tribute: 20th, Killed by Undine, Bloodbath

Cayenne and Undine were quick to close in on the other two. Cayenne went for Cache, while Undine took on Calico. It was easy and fast. Cache, spangled with a measly knife and everything to lose, actually held her ground with admirable ferocity for a few moments. She even landed a slice in Cayenne's face, drawing a dark crease of blood from deep down in her flesh. Ultimately, she could not overpower her attacker, and Cache fell in moments, more humiliated than scared at how quickly she had been overcome.

Cache Rutherford, District 3 Tribute: 19th, Killed by Cayenne, Bloodbath

From that point, it was only a matter of killing the final tribute, Calico. The girl from 8 had tumbled into a heap, rocking slowly back and forth and stammering a stream of unintelligible words presumed to be a prayer or a series of goodbyes to her friends and family. Undine felt more than just a little bad to help kill someone so helpless; despite her strength, she was not a career, and had never been raised to enjoy shedding blood back home in 4. Cayenne, however, was the polar opposite, and she delighted in carving out Calico's upper body with the point of her sword. Undine dealt the finishing blow by spearing her through the chest. Now all three of the intruders were dead in the horn.

Calico Hosler, District 8 Tribute: 18th, Killed by Cayenne and Undine, Bloodbath

There was a bit of a scuffle near the cornucopia for the last weapons; at this point, most of the greater murder tools had been taken, leaving only a few scant knives and a spear. Two girls, Blossom and Bessie, fell into an intense scuffle over the spear. Blossom had been trampled to the ground moments after the gong and nearly died trying to get back to her feet, which was why it had taken so long to get a weapon. Bessie, meanwhile, had been robbed, her knife taken away by Aquamarine and Mizzie while they trudged through the audience snatching objects and kicking people over. Blossom and Bessie tussled over the spear for minutes, yanking it back and forth like children fighting over a toy.

Another tribute, Annalace, approached the table where the weapons had originally been laid. But she turned and ran when she saw Blossom and Bessie fighting over the spear. She didn't want to enter the fight, knowing that would just make things worse, and the knives were not worth risking her life for. Luck was not on Annalace's side; unbeknownst to her, she was being stalked, followed carefully around the gymnasium by Meitner from 3. Meitner was armed with an axe and – despite her moral values telling her otherwise – ready to kill if it meant increasing her popularity with the sponsors. Annalace screamed as Meitner attacked, and Annalace hurriedly grabbed a glass bottle from the nearest table and slammed it into her face. Meitner roared in agony, the glass shattering on the bone and planting little shards into her skin. Annalace knew what she had to do, but didn't know if she had the willpower to do it. Finally deciding to just get it over with, she wrenched the axe out of Meitner's hands and swung it with all her might. It was an inefficient swing but one that sealed Meitner's face. Annalace slowly backed away from the dead body of the girl from 3, unable to comprehend what she had done.

Meitner Grande, District 3 Tribute: 17th, Killed by Annalace, Bloodbath

Silvette was dismayed because Viveca had escaped under her nose. That didn't bruise her determination, however; she was dead-set on making at least one kill before the bloodbath was over. When she saw Blossom and Bessie warring over the spear, she readied her bow, preparing to fire and kill whichever girl the arrow happened to hit. Bessie looked up momentarily and turned white, noticing Silvette drawing the arrow a few feet away from atop a table bearing plates of fruit. Bessie ducked under the arrow, and it landed uselessly on the ground a few feet behind her. Silvette leaped off of the table, sending pineapple and cherry confectionaries flying in every direction, pursuing Bessie through the crowd. Blossom casually picked up the spear and scurried away from the bloodbath while the chase ensued.

Silvette's first arrow missed Bessie, instead landing in the back of a dancer's head. The dancer's mutt-friends looked at Silvette in disgust and confusion, but she didn't bother to explain herself to the artificial people. Farther toward the horn, Tamara noticed her careening through the crowd in pursuit of Bessie and decided to strike. Silvette released the arrow, firing it point-blank into Bessie's neck while she was caught tangled in a web of adoring girls in purple and pink dance gowns. Bessie collapsed instantly, but Silvette didn't have much time to celebrate the victory; Tamara appeared suddenly behind her, flopping her over like a naughty animal and slamming her into the ground. Silvette had hardly even processed what was happening when she was wiped out for good, skewered through the throat with the sharp point of Tamara's trusty sword.

Bessie Young, District 10 Tribute: 16th, Killed by Silvette, Bloodbath

Silvette Rainja, District 5 Tribute: 15th, Killed by Tamara, Bloodbath

With the vast majority of the surviving tributes having slipped away into the deep hallways of the high school, things were starting to settle down around the cornucopia. The three "careers" finally met in front of the horn, raking their eyes over the crowd in search of the last few straggling outliers. Cayenne was still rattling with thrill, covered in little ruby droplets from the triplet kill she'd executed alongside Undine in the cornucopia. Cayenne grunted slightly under the profuse heat and thin choking smoke of the large room, wanting to leave soon and track down her competitors. Undine wanted to stick around longer, but ultimately conceded to Cayenne. The horn would not be their home this time; with the games lasting only a few hours, there was no use returning. They grabbed all the supplies they didn't need and hurled them into the crowd where they would be difficult for the others to find and use. The last career, Tamara, returned from the scuffle with Bessie and Silvette and appeared at the base of the horn just as Cayenne and Undine were preparing to leave. Tamara was badly bruised and beaten, her path slowed by a duo of men with strong fists. Cayenne tossed her a little roll of bandages, which she applied while moving in their haste to get out and about.

The minutes ticked by as the fourteen remaining girls pushed and shoved their way through the crowded high school. Viveca travelled with almost feverish speed through the various rooms and halls of the high school, digging through drawers and cabinets in search of anything she could use as a weapon. Her only "official" weapon was a long crescent-shaped cleaver, though she would have liked to have something else to defend herself if that failed. At the end of the first hour, Viveca was seen in an art classroom, tearing the long razor off a paper cutter in the corner. Salandra didn't know what to do with the long katana she'd taken from the horn; she felt quite stupid lugging the thing along, not even knowing if she'd be able to use it to defend herself if she needed to. She practiced laying destruction on various objects around the arena, including mirrors, desks, and blackboards. She was too panicked to think clearly and realize she was leaving an obvious path behind her. This would lead to trouble later on. Glisten hunkered down in a music classroom, barricading a large piano and celesta in front of the door to block herself in. She needed time to think, but considering how near she was to the horn she would have to move quickly before the careers noticed the stuck door and decided to investigate. Making a stockpile of stands, instruments, and chairs near the door, she spun in nervous circles through the room, wondering what to do. Chanteuse and Opal cut straight to the chase. As they stumbled through the crowded halls, they bounced ideas off each other as to which classrooms they should raid first. They considered travelling down the science hallway, which likely contained many deadly glass objects, but turned back when they saw several student mutts bloody and lifeless on the floor. The careers had passed through that hallway moments earlier, Undine cutting down the more annoying blockers with her spear, and the duo was not in the mood to die just quite yet so they turned the other way.

Chanteuse and Opal stumbled into the main office and dug through the drawers and cupboards, retrieving anything they could to defend themselves. Chanteuse popped open the desk drawer and froze in disbelief at the sight of the loaded gun waiting inside. She gestured for Opal to come over, and they peered pensively down at the weapon for a few moments. Chanteuse gingerly lifted it and Opal flinched, momentarily thinking Chanteuse would use it against her, but she just hurriedly shoved it into her pocket and gestured for Opal to leave the room with her.

Aquamarine and Mizzie had escaped the bloodbath unscathed apart from a few minor bruises from the oppressive crowds. Ten minutes of running later, they dropped down in a little custodial closet with a single dim light that flickered ominously. Aquamarine laid down the tablecloth she'd filled with supplies, revealing a few knives and a pair of orange goggles. Mizzie had a spear, grabbed from the cornucopia early on before she had even met up with Aquamarine. It was nearing the end of the first hour, and the hourly threat which Fox warned of was sure to come sooner than later. Predicting some kind of wild mutt invasion, they readied their weapons and scampered down the hall to hunt for more tools. Ampera and Hailey, the spur-of-the-moment allies who had fought their way out of the bloodbath together, locked themselves in a small science classroom to scavenge for tools. This was one of the rooms Salandra had visited, and a deep gash left by her katana sat in the blackboard up front. The girls heard footsteps outside the room and ducked into hiding, slipping into a small side closet as the steps grew nearer. A scatterbrained girl, Viveca, ran into the room in search of supplies. She took a quick drink from the classroom sink and then left, not bothering to investigate the closed closet; Viveca was aware that the careers knew her general position and she didn't want to stick around any longer than she needed to. When Viveca left, Ampera and Hailey scurried out from the closet and continued searching. Blossom zipped throughout the school with her spear, a bit shaken after the bloodbath fight but ultimately unscathed. Blossom felt invincible with her spear, though she wasn't willing to kill; she saw Glisten scampering through the music hallway moments later but passed her by and did not attack. Blossom stayed near the outer edges of the school, which was not the best strategy given Fox's description of a generally slice-shaped region being destroyed every hour, but Blossom wasn't thinking terribly clearly and was confident she could make a fast escape if things went sour. Annalace ran down her path carrying nothing but the axe she'd stolen from Meitner near the end of the bloodbath. She saw a smear of destruction on her path and turned suddenly around, knowing another tribute had been near. This was the place where Aquamarine and Mizzie were living, and they'd knocked over many large objects in their haste to gather supplies. Moments later, Annalace came to a long gash in the wall laid by Salandra and turned around once more. She was on the run from all signs of tributes, but she would not be able to continue much longer; as the arena got smaller, they would be forced into closer quarters and much less comfortable breathing room.

The girls didn't know it, but outside the arena one of the most chaotic events in human history was taking place.

At the end of the first hour, red lights began to flash in the control center. It was time for the first hourly threat. The gamemakers actually waited a few minutes after the hour ended to give the tributes more time to spread out and prepare themselves, but now it was time. At the northernmost part of the arena, the first "cake slice" began its slow self-destruction. In the classrooms and hallways, thin green mist poured seemingly out of thin air. No tributes were in that region, but if they were, they would have been choking profusely. At last, once the mist had settled down, vicious green fire began spreading over the walls and ceilings. It was much hungrier than normal fire, reaching and spreading with a mind of its own. Once the entire slice of the arena had been thoroughly scorched through, the area collapsed, sending dust flying into the sky and further egging on the flames somewhat.

The girls, though they hadn't been hurt by the fire and collapse, had all heard the noise and were momentarily frightened into either hiding or moving even faster. Ampera and Hailey were once again in hiding, ducking into a cabinet in the music room when they heard footsteps coming their way. By this point, Glisten had completely abandoned the music room, though the panicked wreckage she'd left behind still remained. Ampera put her ear up to the cabinet door and listened carefully to the light footsteps of the invaders. They had a quick hissing argument; Ampera wanted to stay locked up, unsure whether the tributes outside were careers or not. But Hailey was certain that whoever it was wasn't a serious threat. She wanted to go straight for the throat. In the last few minutes, Hailey had made up her mind about killing; if killing a tribute was what it took to heighten her odds of survival than it would have to be done. Moments later, Hailey burst out of hiding with Ampera following apprehensively behind.

It was like an even more terrifying version of Russian roulette. Hailey lofted up her weapon before she'd even seen which tribute was on the menu. She briefly processed the sight of Aquamarine's long brown hair and slightly bowed frame, then dragged the knife into her back, gashing it down to create a long crevice of torn skin and muscle. Her ally, Mizzie, froze in place for a moment, needing time she did not have to decide how to react. Hailey barked for Ampera to prepare her own weapon as Aquamarine drew her spear. It was time for a fight.

Aquamarine Richards, District 4 Tribute: 14th, Killed by Hailey, Hour 2

Mizzie retaliated with incredible ferocity. Despite her humble appearance, she would not hesitate to kill both of them if she had the opportunity. She was outnumbered and outgunned but still inflicted sizable damage within the first few moments of the fight. Ampera stumbled backward as Mizzie flung her spear outward. She'd reduced the force of the impact, but only slightly, and a deep hoarse groan escaped her lips as the blood started flowing.

Hailey, the original aggressor, had not anticipated Mizzie to organize her thoughts so quickly. Hailey's unpreparedness led to her downfall. She figured every swing would be Mizzie's last before she collapsed from loss of energy or gave up as blood pumped faster and faster from her dead ally. Hailey gurgled like a dying fish when the spear connected with her chest, flooding her lungs with blood and sealing her doom. Ampera watched in terror for a single moment, then ran for her life, bursting out of the music room and into the main hallway just as Hailey's cannon fired.

Hailey Grunge, District 6 Tribute: 13th, Killed by Mizzie, Hour 2

There were a number of small conflicts throughout the second hour but no more deaths. Viveca and Salandra broke out into a fight shortly afterward. It was a good thing for Viveca that Salandra was relatively inexperienced with the long sword, because it really packed a punch when it was used properly. Viveca learned this the hard way when Salandra shoved the weapon into her wrist, driving it into the skin and drawing blood. She screamed in horror and pressed the wrist against her body, but she couldn't stifle the bleeding any further without settling down somewhere first.

Viveca had the early disadvantage, but she was fighting for her life and her energy was impressive. She used a shard of glass she'd taken from a math classroom earlier to fend off Salandra for a few moments, swiping it hard and even hitting her in the chin at one point, drawing blood. The fight continued for half an hour, and they only disbanded when outside forces intervened. Salandra saw the careers coming, noticing a flick of Tamara's black hair down the hall, and ducked into the nearest classroom. Viveca took the chance to run, disappearing around the corner and slipping down to the main floor.

Speaking of the careers, they were on the prowl and in fact onto a trail. They came dangerously near Viveca and Saladra, but they weren't actually hunting them; they were following the general region of hallways in which they'd seen Blossom a few minutes earlier. They'd found their original paths scorched away by the flames, and the detour brought them through a wider area of hallways to where other tributes were hiding or moving. Blossom realized the careers were following her dangerously late. She ducked into a classroom and began barricading the door, shoving desks and chairs to block it. The door didn't have a lock, so she tied a large piece of cloth between the handle and the nearby pencil sharpener to keep it from moving. Fortunately, the classroom had moving windows. She slipped out one and scampered through a courtyard before quickly re-entering the school, spear clutched tight in hand. For now, she was safe.

It was nearing the end of the second hour and most of the tributes had started to settle down, if that was even possible. Viveca found herself in a small office near the fake main entrance, the one that had originally held the gun. Now, it was completely barren; Opal and Chanteuse had practically torn the place apart in their mad rush for supplies back during the first hour. It was unlikely to find one in a place that had already been laid so bare, but the thing Viveca was really searching for was an axe. She'd seen several at the cornucopia and knew they must be somewhere – most likely in the hands of the other tributes. Viveca yanked a sharp piece of metal loose from the bottom of a broken desk, a makeshift weapon to use and wield since she'd lost one of her blades. The girl who had taken it, Salandra, was currently sitting still. She'd been injured during her fight with Viveca, and – now able to do nothing but sit until the pain subsided slightly – was relaxing in a barricaded science classroom near the music hallway. Salandra's katana was a little too big for her own good, but it sure kept the others away so she had nothing to complain about.

A mostly forgotten tribute from District 1, Glisten, was one of the few tributes currently on the move. She was overtaken by a fit of paranoia and fear so powerful she could hardly even breathe. Her steps were hesitant and uneven and she even burst out screaming at several occasions. She wished she had a mentor to tell her what to do (there were no mentors in these games) rather than leaving her to her own unreliable senses in the arena. That being said, Glisten was not defenseless; she'd stolen a few blades from the site of the Hailey-Ampera-Aquamarine-Mizzie fight. The other two tributes from 1, Chanteuse and Opal, couldn't agree on whether to actively hunt for tributes or stay still. Despite the extreme power of their shared weapon, they needed to be careful when they fired; it had only six bullets inside and there were no refills. They took turns holding it, but tensions were growing between them, each of the girls afraid the other would use the weapon to suddenly kill her. Opal didn't have much to worry about; Chanteuse was fiercely loyal and unlikely to turn on her. But Opal was antsier and less settled on staying allies for as long as possible. Refusing the other girl a turn holding the gun would have been seen as an act of aggression for either of them, so this was not an option.

Outside the arena, the threat grew greater and greater. The entire nation was expecting to be destroyed any moment.

The remainder of the tribute crowd, the careers and the outliers, were not moving much as the second hour drew to a close. The careers – Tamara, Cayenne, and Undine – had been storming around the school ever since the end of the bloodbath, breathing heavily in rage and frustration. Despite their ravenous hunting efforts, the others were great fighters and fast runners, and it was easy to evade any pursuer in the many tight hallways and closed-off spaces provided in this arena. At last, Cayenne slammed her sword into the ground and declared that it was time to rest. They blockaded the door of a nearby history classroom and decided to rest for a few minutes. Tamara dug through the drawers and cabinets, ravenously searching for weapons and maybe even hiding tributes. There were none. Cayenne rustled through some papers on the main desk and found a few cryptic messages. They were written in some kind of strange cipher. Cayenne could make neither head nor tail of the message, but Undine had some ideas. She scribed the message on the back whiteboard with a big orange marker and tried to decode its meaning while Cayenne sat back, perplexed.

The school clocks chimed nonchalantly on the turning of the hour. This time, the gamemakers launched a wave of destruction exactly on the hour. The tributes in the wrong place in the wrong time would do well to run for their lives at the first sign of anything suspicious. In a large biology classroom, a bed of ivy began to expand and morph, reaching down the desk and over the floor. Nobody who'd seen the plant had realized it, but there was an immense reservoir of soil and genetically-engineered choking ivy underneath the terrarium holding the ropy green vegetation. Soon, the entire classroom was consumed with the ivy. It tugged itself tight like strands in a tense piece of fabric and then continued to spread, working its way through the next cake slice of the school.

Annalace had been resting in a teacher's lounge for several minutes. She was exhausted after her long race around the arena, and the cameras hadn't been tracking her much because of her lack of movement and desire to stir the pot. Annalace yelped one when she saw the ivy creeping under the door, slithering over the ground like a huge nest of serpents. The ivy quickly broke the door lock, and Annalace stumbled backward, crushed against the back wall as the ferocious foliage spread to fill the entire space. It wrapped around her body like a constrictor, crushing her bones and muscles as it squeezed inward. By the time her cannon fired, she was twisted in a taut green hell of ivy. The gamemakers had to stop its spread using explosives so they could collect her body.

Annalace Browne, District 8 Tribute: 12th, Killed by choking ivy, Hour 3

Much was set into motion by the deadly ivy. Now, nearly a third of arena was completely uninhabitable, forcing the tributes closer together. Two largely forgettable tributes, Ampera and Blossom, were dangerously near the ivy and only barely escaped. Ampera noticed the ivy creeping under the door of the room she was in and quickly bolted toward safety, zipping out at the last possible moment before she would have been doomed. Ampera was fast enough to avoid its spread, slipping into a large wing of math classrooms as Annalace's cannon fired. The other near-victim, Blossom, noticed the ivy coming far too late. However, she was armed with her trusty axe, and she braced herself to fight back. With a single swing of the hatchet, she chopped three broad strands of ivy. The plant matter hissed and recoiled like a wounded cobra. Blossom was mere seconds from death for at least ten minutes straight, dodging through tiny gaps in the ivy and slipping into any opportunity she found. At last, she escaped with her life. Blossom dashed into a closet and locked herself inside, breathing heavily and shaking from head to toe.

Chanteuse and Opal were on the move again, running back and forth between classrooms and quickly exchanging the gun like a hot potato. They didn't know it, but an enormous fight was brewing; a fight that would result in the deaths of four tributes. They were the first party to the fight, armed with the deadliest weapon in Hunger Games history. They had a minor argument about when to use the gun; Chanteuse wanted to use it on any tribute they saw, while Opal thought they should use their more rudimentary weapons in that scenario and save the bullets for a much deadlier threat later on. They would have to make a decision very shortly, because the careers were heading toward them. All three of them were hungry for blood; Undine had finally decoded the message. It was the passcode to a locked safe beneath the desk, containing a digital map of the arena with moving dots representing the tributes. The map was delayed by ten minutes, but they still had a general idea of where most of the tributes were from it. Now, they were heading near the site of the ivy siege, knowing the tributes near there would likely be off-guard and wearier than usual. The final party was Viveca. She came to the edge of the ivy nest and noticed sudden chops clearly made by an axe. This reinforced her hopes that a tribute carrying an axe was nearby. She didn't know just how close Blossom really was, but she would find out soon enough.

Viveca heard scuffling footsteps behind her and turned suddenly around. It was the careers, and this time there was no hope of escape; they'd already seen her and were now in hot pursuit. She worried for a second that Undine would toss her spear, but she did not; she didn't want to risk missing, leaving her defenseless with her main weapon on the ground far away. Viveca turned tail and broke into a run, needing a few seconds to collect her thoughts before she decided how to fight back. Just then, thundering footsteps came from the other direction. Chanteuse and Opal joined the party unwittingly, stumbling straight into the murder mania party. Chanteuse yelped in terror and lifted the gun. The girls had agreed to ask one another for approval before firing, but Chanteuse was too panicked to do anything but fire. She fired two bullets, one at Tamara and one at Cayenne. Cayenned stumbled out of the way when she saw the weapon and avoided death, but Tamara was not so lucky. She fell to her knees instantly, groaning once and then falling still. No amount of academy training had taught her how to survive a gunshot.

Tamara Boulder, District 2 Tribute: 11th, Killed by Chanteuse, Hour 3

Undine and Cayenne shared a brief terrified glance and then charged Chanteuse, tackling her expertly and pinning her to the floor. Chanteuse panicked and fired a spray of four bullets, using up all the ammunition in the weapon. She tried to fire even more, but the weapon clicked uselessly. Viveca whimpered in fear and dropped flat on the floor to avoid the barrage of ammunition, and Opal did the same, fearing bloody death if there were more bullets hiding in the gun somewhere.

In the closet mere feet away, Blossom squeezed her eyes shut and groaned quietly. She had a decision to make. Now was her last chance to escape with her life; the careers or other tributes would doubtlessly investigate the closet once the fight was over, and then she would really be helpless. All in a flash, Blossom threw open the door and dashed into the most chaotic scene she had ever witnessed. Cayenne and Undine were brutally pummeling Chanteuse into the ground while Opal and Viveca lay terrified on the floor. Blossom raised her axe. It was a split-second decision, but it was time to take matters into her own hands.

Chanteuse screamed in horror as Cayenne's head fell off with one clean chop, landing on her chest. She scurried out from underneath Undine and jumped to her feet. Blossom hoisted up the axe again, taking down the girl from 4 before she had time to retaliate in any form. She caught only a split second of the gleaming blade before everything went dark. The two dead careers collapsed in a pile, blood spreading out in an enormous pool, and Blossom stumbled backward in horror, unable to process what she had just done.

Cayenne Cleaver, District 2 Tribute: 10th, Killed by Blossom, Hour 3

Undine Bosh, District 4 Tribute: 9th, Killed by Blossom, Hour 3

That left the final eight: Viveca Chatterley from District 1, Salandra Harcourt from District 1, Glisten Raybould from District 1, Chanteuse Jensen from District 1, Opal Torrent from District 1, Mizzie Tabbock from District 4, Ampera Morridos from District 5, and Blossom Nuford from District 7.

The girls on the floor shakily rose to their feet. The gun still sat where it had landed, tossed into the corner like an old plastic bottle. Opal and Viveca backed slowly away from it like it might blow up and kill them. Opal was legitimately terrified; despite being the oldest tribute in Hunger Games history, the scene had shaken her like a leaf in a heavy wind. Viveca, meanwhile, was only pretending to be dumbfounded in shock. She saw Blossom holding the axe she so-desperately wanted and knew it was time to act.

It was easy as pie. Blossom was gripping the axe only lightly, face contracted in horror at the sight of the dead bodies on the floor. Viveca yanked the weapon out of her hands with no trouble at all. Blossom staggered backward slightly, images cascading before her eyes that she was unable to react to, frozen in utter fear and shame. Viveca held up the axe and hesitated for a single moment, her eyes tensing up from an intense inner debate as she wondered whether it was wrong to kill the girl she'd stolen the axe from. No, this wasn't the time to be soft. She brought it down with a single heavy swing, cleaving open Blossom's shoulder with an inefficient blow that left her much more hurt than injured. Too bewildered by conflicting feelings to continue, Viveca bolted away, leaving Blossom dying on the floor while Opal and Chanteuse staggered into the nearest classroom, having seemingly forgotten all sense of identity and feeling. It took Blossom nearly half an hour to die, the bright lights around her subsiding to a slight thrumming haze and then to darkness.

Blossom Nuford, District 7 Tribute: 8th, Killed by Viveca, Hour 3

The remainder of Hour 3 was empty of conflict. One tribute, Ampera, made a bold decision during this time; she was going to return to the cornucopia. She was running off of the scant hope that the careers had left at least something behind when they abandoned the horn; though there was no guarantee, Ampera was sure it would be worth the risk for any kind of weapon or tool. Moving quickly and quietly as usual, she eventually came to the gymnasium, which was still crowded with fake high school students dancing their artificial lives away. Ampera slowly made her way to the horn, pushing and shoving through the swelling crowd and trying not to let the dazzling floor distract her. To her dismay, the horn was completely empty save for a few spare pieces of wire and plastic. She sat down in the back for a quick breather, needing a rest before going about the hassle of getting out.

Everyone in Panem cowered in fear. They were moments from certain death.

Most of the other tributes were scared into hiding after hearing the gunshots, frightened and confused. Viveca ran somewhat aimlessly for twelve minutes, then collapsed in a small janitor's closet. She held Blossom's axe like it was a treasure chest full of diamonds; she'd found herself to be a natural with the axes in the training center, and now she was starting to feel more confident knowing she had a weapon she could actually use well. Salandra practically knew every room and hallway in the school by heart; she'd been racing in circles for three straight hours now, with only brief rests. Now, she settled down for a much longer break. Her drive to kick and fight her way out of this arena was growing as the games progressed; the next time the opportunity presented itself, she swore to herself she would use her katana and draw blood. Glisten found herself in a bit of a sticky situation; thinking she heard footsteps outside her room, she shut herself in a big wooden cabinet. Once the noises had cleared, she pushed on the door. It wouldn't open. She was too scared before to notice the metal locking system that had clicked into place. Glisten pounded on the door, groaning in panic and frustration. It did not give. Glisten prayed she could find a way out before her slice of the arena met its doom. Chanteuse and Opal were dizzy, shaky, and near-mad after the fight, so the gamemakers didn't bother them for the next half hour or so. They talked softly to one another, recounting frantic and scattered images of their home lives; Chanteuse's gender activism and Opal's experiences acting on television. The audience listened carefully but still could not distinguish most of their words. Mizzie had been relatively inactive since Hour 2; after a number of near-death experiences, and traumatized by the death of her ally, she decided to lay low and wait for the tribute count to dwindle just a little more before putting herself out in the open. She was about to re-enter the hallways when she heard the gunshots and jumped back into her barricaded closet shelter.

The bad news was that Mizzie was in the arena slice targeted by the next demolition. The good news was that she noticed the threat coming early enough to escape alive and unharmed. The bad news was that she ran right into the midst of two other tributes. The good news was that they did not respond violently to her intrusion. She was curled up in her closet home when she noticed a disgusting smell penetrating the air. Heart beating like a jack hammer, she burst out of the closet and into the hallway, where an enormous cloud of black smoke issued from a few holes in the ceiling. Mizzie inhaled a puff of smoke and screamed in horror, coughing from the putrid poison gas. Mizzie scampered away from the gas and straight into the room where Chanteuse and Opal were living. They hadn't even bothered to barricade the door.

The three girls made peace, and Mizzie joined their conversation. She found them both to be fascinating individuals, though she found it hard to make casual conversation in the middle of a publicly televised death game. The good news was that they bonded quickly over their horrible predicament. The bad news was that a fourth member was about to join their party – someone uninvited and unwelcome.

Chanteuse looked up suddenly and gasped in horror as a katana went straight through her chest and protruded from her back. Opal and Mizzie leaped upward and tackled Salandra. She was knocked backward but kept a tight grip on her katana, which she used in deadly sweeping motions to keep Opal and Mizzie at a distance. Opal tore her eyes away from the dead body of her fascinating transgender friend and swallowed hard, wondering how to take down Salandra with Mizzie's help.

Chanteuse Jensen, District 1 Tribute: 7th, Killed by Salandra, Hour 4

It wasn't easy overpowering Salandra, but they did it eventually. Their first priority was to disarm her, which was easier said than done because she gripped the sword like a vice. Opal stomped down on her wrist, loosening her grip somewhat so that Mizzie could yank it out. Mizzie instinctively tossed the blade across the room, but Opal barked for her to retrieve it; they would need it to kill Salandra. Mizzie scrambled from the katana and held it high, ready to bring it down through Salandra's chest and kill her. She hesitated for so long that Opal tore the weapon out of her hands, uttering a brief and suddenly driven mutter of "I'll do it myself" and then turning the katana's original owner into a shish kebab.

Salandra Harcourt, District 1 Tribute: 6th, Killed by Opal, Hour 4

Now it was all coming down to the wire. There were five tributes left, all of them finding themselves blockaded in smaller quarters. Three slices were now inhospitable, leaving less than half the arena in tact; the rest was either burned, filled with ivy, or polluted with poison gas. Viveca was driven downward to a garage on the outer edge of the high school. The garage contained two cars, propped up in strange positions and surrounded by wrenches and bolts as though they were being worked on by students. A large wooden sign over the door said, "auto shop". Viveca entered one of the cars only to find herself sealed in; the doors locked automatically, trapping her inside. She covered her face with her sleeve and broke the window with her axe, then stepped outside. Now she sat cross-legged at the front of the garage and took a few moments to savor the stillness. Glisten remained trapped in the little closet. She had no axe to save herself with. She banged on the door, screaming at the top of her lungs, but it wouldn't budge. She actually broke off the handle, leaving the locking mechanism in tact. She was entirely and completely trapped. She didn't stop banging on the doors until her wrists and ankles were literally bloody and her voice was hoarse from screaming. Animal instinct kept her pounding at the door even when she was bruised and bloodied and about to pass out from the pain. Mizzie and Opal found themselves alone with the katana. It was a strange feeling; it felt like a human presence, that weapon that had killed their friend. Opal kept thinking about the gun, and it kept her from focusing, so she ran back to the place where the fight had happened and tossed it into a trash can. It was a huge risk; at this point, moving more than one needed to was a terrible danger. But it gave her peace of mind and pushed her over the slump she'd fallen into in the last few minutes. Ampera just stayed in the cornucopia. She figured the gamemakers would want her back there anyway sooner than later. Part of her said she should move around a little to earn herself more screen time, but it was comfortable and safe back there in the horn and she kept stubbornly still. The flashing lights started to give her a headache, so she put her face in her hands and tried to relax as the moments ticked by.

Viveca had similar ideas. She hoped the careers had left something useful behind in the cornucopia, but she could tell all the way from the edge of the gymnasium that it was empty and barren. She didn't see Ampera hiding way in back. Discouraged, Viveca slumped down in a little science classroom and dug absentmindedly through some of the drawers. Her fingers ran over the little trinkets and tools, then came to a rest on something specific. Viveca picked up the object and shoved it into her pocket. Then she ran back to the garage.

At the end of the fourth hour, Garnet decided it was time for the finale. Driving the tributes toward the cornucopia was an easy task; they were all eager to get these games over with, whatever that meant. Opal and Mizzie were silently sitting cross-legged when they heard a barrage of heavy footsteps from outside. Mizzie cautioned a peek out the door and grabbed Opal by the shoulders, her face white as a ghost. A pressing crowd of high school students was coming; it was time to move. They raced out of the room just in time, a few precious strides ahead of the mob. One of the mutts grabbed Opal by her shoulders, but Mizzie scared it off with the katana. Scarily, for every student they scared away three more appeared. It was tiring and difficult to keep ahead of the crowd, but they made it eventually, stumbling into the gymnasium just as the fourth hour came to a close. It was time for the final fight.

With the turning of the hour, of course, a new section of the arena was destroyed. Small areas in the floors and ceilings opened up, and long thin spikes emerged. At first, they ran only from floor to ceiling. Then they started coming out of the walls as well, crisscrossing the entire region in an inescapable net of sharp spikes. They mercifully put Glisten out of her misery. A spike emerged from the opposite wall and proceeded across the room, creeping toward the place where Glisten was trapped. It broke the closet door in half like a perforated cracker, then skewered straight through her stomach. She was pinned against the wall like a bug in a child's collection, and she didn't stop kicking and screaming until the last trace of consciousness had left her.

Glisten Raybould, District 1 Tribute: 5th, Killed by spikes, Hour 5

Opal and Mizzie kept fighting their way through the crowd. They vaguely heard the groaning of the spikes from the other end of the arena, but they didn't let it distract them; for now, their task was to reach the horn. It briefly occurred to them that Garnet might not want the finale to occur at the horn like usual, but they dismissed this quickly; if this wasn't the plan, then why had the mutts driven them here? They stepped up into the cornucopia and instantly found themselves in battle. Ampera had seen them coming and readied herself for their arrival, crouching in the shadows with her blades ready. The fight was long and tense, with no clear winner. Ampera evened things out more nicely by disarming Opal of her katana. She sent the weapon spinning backward into the crowd, and Opal dove backward, scrambling for the weapon as Mizzie continued fighting blade-against-blade with a determined Ampera.

Viveca arrived at the garage and got to work instantly. She scavenged a big grey bucket and a thin plastic tube. Viveca popped open the gas door of one of the cars and fed the tube inside, hoping there was fuel inside. She sucked on the pipe once and then let gravity take over, siphoning gas into the bucket until it was half full. Any more than that and it would weigh her down too much. Viveca tossed away the tube and began her clunky return to the horn, weighed down significantly by the gas-filled bucket. The object in her pocket felt like it was on fire. She patted it frequently as though to reassure herself that it was still there.

Opal, Mizzie, and Ampera had ramped up the fight somewhat; more than just weapons, they were punching each other now. Ampera had managed to pin Mizzie against the wall of the horn and was now pummeling her in the mouth while Opal tried in vain to tear her away. The katana was lost for good; the dancer mutts had carried it away and were now tossing it up and down like a celebrity crowd-surfing at a concert.

Viveca stumbled into the scene. The mutts had jostled her around so much that quite a lot of the gas had spilled, but it was still more than enough to accomplish what she needed to accomplish. The three girls were so absorbed with their fight that they didn't even notice Viveca stepping up onto the cornucopia platform, ready to end the most unique edition of the Hunger Games the nation had ever seen. She rocked the bucket back and forth a few times and then splashed all three of them with gasoline, dousing them from head to toe in the foul-smelling liquid. They froze in place for a moment, so confused by the sudden chilling splash they forgot about the fight.

"SURPRISE!" Viveca cried out. She pulled the box of matches out of her pocket, and two seconds later the cornucopia was filled from bottom to top with roaring flame. Viveca turned around and dove away from the horn, screaming in pain as the flames seared her back and legs. But the three tributes inside the horn were cooked alive instantly. Three cannon shots fired in rapid succession, and then Viveca was the only remaining tribute.

Opal Torrent, District 1 Tribute: 4th, Killed by Viveca, Hour 5

Ampera Morridos, District 5 Tribute: 3rd, Killed by Viveca, Hour 5

Mizzie Tabbock, District 4 Tribute: 2nd, Killed by Viveca, Hour 5

The mutts cleared away suddenly, making an empty space in the center of the cafeteria where Viveca lay. A hole opened up in the ceiling, and Fox Sikorski descended, dressed in a dazzling silver suit. The microphone was still in his hands as though he had been sitting up there for the entire games.

"Viveca Chatterley of District 1, you are the victor of the auxiliary one-hundred fifth annual Hunger Games!" Fox cheered.

Viveca just curled up into a ball, weeping and screaming as her back turned black and dry from the horrible burns. She didn't know it, but she was going from one hell straight into another. Something terrible had happened during the games, and Panem would never be the same.

Viveca Chatterley, District 1 Tribute: Victor of the Auxilliary One-Hundred Fifth Annual Hunger Games, Hour 5


AFTERMATH

Once she'd been heavily bandaged and sedated in the hovercraft, it was time to tell Viveca the news. During her time in the arena, Panem had undergone a drastic shift; every citizen in the nation was anticipating being incinerated at any moment. Following a series of even more aggressive statements from District 13, the Capitol launched an enormous team of soldiers to find and remove their nuclear stockpiles, seeing that coming to a deal was impossible with the leaders of 13 so hot-headed and their arsenal so large and deadly. They came in droves at night, armed with guns and tanks and enormous trucks for carrying away the weapons. District 13's stockpile consisted of nearly five hundred nuclear weapons, including a number aimed directly at the Capitol. They were ready to fire at a minute's notice, and the Capitol had dozens of weapons aimed right back. This news rattled around Panem like a flame sucking up the oxygen in a small space, leading to mass hysteria and utter chaos as the civilians took to the streets to loot and murder like rabid animals or hid in their basements in terror. Nuclear war had brought humanity near extinction once before and it sure as hell could do it again. The Capitol's forces successfully seized and disarmed most of District 13's nuclear weapons which it contained within its borders; however, that was not the end of the story. The greatest massacre in the history of Panem played out in District 13 as the Capitol's gunmen mowed down thousands upon thousands of technicians, weapon developers, and even innocent civilians. Refugees fled to District 12 and spread the news, and many in the mining district feared that the Capitol would nuke them next. With the Capitol and District 13 circling each other like vicious vipers, all humanity seemed on the brink of fiery death, and all anyone could do was hope they would survive the next five seconds.

In the ocean west of District 4, District 13 landed its first strike. A submarine operated by District 13 launched a nuclear torpedo into a fleet of fishing ships offshore. It was the first use of nuclear weapons in more than one hundred years. With radioactive contamination in the water and atmosphere, an enormous evacuation took place, flushing District 4's residents further east and closer to the mountain range that surrounded and guarded the Capitol. The Capitol was confident it had seized nearly all of District 13's reserves, but it still was a risky move to retaliate using atomic weapons of their own; things might escalate faster than either side could ever anticipate. But District 13 was now expanding its powers; its leader murdered the governing officials of District 12 and took control of the little mining district, then filled it with nukes waiting to be fired at the Capitol. President Hawke needed to make a decision and he needed to make one fast. The nation was expecting him to use nuclear weapons against District 13… but certainly not District 12.

The hovercraft rolled in so silently they might only have been a fleet of phantoms in the misty sky. Then the bombs fell: only one at first, raising a humungous red mushroom cloud that could be seen all the way from District 8. The bombs fell faster and faster. They were raindrops, they were seeds of grain being thrown over the shoulder of some humungous destructive god in the sky. In moments, District 12 had been wiped completely off the map. There were no play-dead shenanigans this time; the mining district had been utterly obliterated. The conflict de-escalated slightly as District 13 reeled from the costly destruction of their nuclear supplies. Eight hard months of war later, with guns and napalm and conventional bombs and grenades, District 13 retreated back to its homeland like a scared little boy. They had been beaten.

Viveca and the other victors were held strictly locked down in the Capitol, arranged by gender and district in a nuclear bunker far beneath the training center. When the war – the Third Great Rebellion, as it was called – ended, they were let free. The wedding between Fox and Viveca was arranged almost immediately. Viveca spent her entire life as a partner to Fox, appearing at public events and attending fancy feasts and parties alongside him. Despite being considered a victor, she was never required to mentor or present herself at the reapings; she was free of most of the responsibilities that weighed down the others. The burns on her back never healed, so her stylists always dressed her in long costumes that covered the injuries. The burns on her face were more easily covered with make-up, much like the scars Fox had on his face. Viveca integrated into the victor life rather well; she'd never wanted to leave her home of District 1, but now she could live lavishly and know that her family was doing the same. She never whispered a word of rebellion throughout her entire life, knowing she would be destroyed if she did. Overall, she served her purpose, acting as a loyal and attractive companion to Fox and placating the crowds that were still somewhat rebellious after the war. Viveca's charity back home in District 1 was brought to new heights after her victory, and many of the more charitable victors found themselves donating to it over the next several decades. Over the decades, Viveca fell into obscurity, and today she is one of the least-remembered victors in history. Even so, die-hard Hunger Games fans still tell the story of her games and keep her legacy alive.

The payouts on her victory were alright, as 9% bet on her.

Viveca did not move into the Victor's Village of District 1; she was made to live with Fox in District 5.

Viveca would live to age eighty-one, dying from a stroke during the one hundred sixty-eighth Hunger Games. Shortly after her victory, Viveca suffered an infection that left her infertile, so she never had children with Fox or with anyone.


NEWS

Viveca and Fox are married lavishly in the Capitol. It is the first time that victors from different districts have married. The other two victor pairs, Finnick and Annie as well as Victor and Remus, were from the same district.

Two glass reaping balls are installed in District 13. From now on, it will provide two tributes for the annual Hunger Games.


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)
23HG: Ashlyn Breston (#3, District 6)
24HG: Dayta Albrand (#3, District 3)
25HG: Diamond Griego (#5, District 1)
26HG: Thor Rosner (#8, District 2)
27HG: Magnet Lisagor (#4, District 3)
28HG: Maria Dutra (#3, District 4)
29HG: Discordia Komine (#9, District 2)
30HG: Barley Chisolm (#1, District 9)
31HG: Marlin Coppi (#4, District 4)
32HG: Wyatt Kerdler (#5, District 3)
33HG: Molly Soltan (#5, District 4)
34HG: Grover Handa (#1, District 7)
35HG: Troy Stiles (#6, District 4)
36HG: Lana Voltaire (#10, District 2)
37HG: Lucy Said (#7, District 4)
38HG: Porter Tripp (#3, District 5)
39HG: Penelope Turek (#8, District 4)
40HG: Beetee Latier (#6, District 3)
41HG: Radiance Clinton (#6, District 1)
42HG: Technik Hartline (#7, District 3)
43HG: Dylan Levitt (#9, District 4)
44HG: Rye Boyum (#2, District 9)
45HG: Chaff Korsmun (#2, District 11)
46HG: Nolan Wrack (#11, District 2)
47HG: Klink Byrae (#4, District 5)
48HG: Brutus Cordley (#12, District 2)
49HG: Wiress Freid (#8, District 3)
50HG: Haymitch Abernathy (#2, District 12)
51HG: Lyme Mabbett (#13, District 2)
52HG: Ruby Rayfuse (#7, District 1)
53HG: Lily Eckel (#3, District 11)
54HG: Blight Holzer (#2, District 7)
55HG: Emily Pollick (#5, District 5)
56HG: Sally Vasilia (#6, District 5)
57HG: Mason Kittridge (#14, District 2)
58HG: Margaret Cartmill (#1, District 10)
59HG: Tiger Sterne (#8, District 1)
60HG: Cecelia Rieffel (#2, District 8)
61HG: Valerie Easton (#15, District 2)
62HG: Enobaria Rigatti (#16, District 2)
63HG: Gloss Linden (#9, District 1)
64HG: Cashmere Linden (#10, District 1)
65HG: Finnick Odair (#10, District 4)
66HG: Victor Xhang (#17, District 2)
67HG: Augustus Braun (#11, District 1)
68HG: Iuna Mosier (#12, District 1)
69HG: Alexander Westlake (#2, District 10)
70HG: Annie Cresta (#11, District 4)
71HG: Johanna Mason (#3, District 7)
72HG: Remus Daley (#18, District 2)
73HG: Apollo Reinold (#4, District 6)
74HG: Meredith Powell (#4, District 7)
75HG: Struve Lockman (#19, District 2)
76HG: Porcelain Wing (#13, District 1)
77HG: Router Lowell (#9, District 3)
78HG: Surge Upsdell (#7, District 5)
79HG: Kasey Slosser (#5, District 6)
80HG: Tarquinius Orfe (#20, District 2)
81HG: Talisa Plummer (#12, District 4)
82HG: Poplin Amsden (#3, District 8)
83HG: Pixel Watt (#10, District 3)
84HG: Dock Elizabeth (#13, District 4)
85HG: Sycamora Bromley (#5, District 7)
86HG: Bobbin Chern (#4, District 8)
87HG: Organdy Karat (#14, District 1)
88HG: Sickle Salgato (#3, District 9)
89HG: Admired Thompson (#15, District 1)
90HG: Chipson Harris (#11, District 3)
91HG: Mars Talbot (#21, District 2)
92HG: Arnold Scruggs (#3, District 12), Wystella Knapp (#22, District 2), and Robina Caite (#3, District 10)
93HG: Taj King (#16, District 1)
94HG: Steer Drudgers (#4, District 10)
95HG: Diode Cooper (#8, District 5)
96HG: Pluto Talbot (#23, District 2)
97HG: Vine Lilard (#4, District 11)
98HG: Larke Jean (#5, District 10)
99HG: Poseidon Odair (#14, District 4)
100HG: Rimno Kiely (#12, District 3)
101HG: Aspen Sprout (#6, District 7)
102HG: Dandelion Linwood (#5, District 11)
103HG: Cherry Perlman (#7, District 7)
104HG: Syren Magretta (#15, District 4)
105HG: Fox Sikorski (#9, District 5)
AUX 105HG: Viveca Chatterley (#17, District 1)


A/N: Welcome to the other side of the chapter, friends! The destruction of District 12 and introduction of District 13 into the Hunger Games is such a big event in my canon that I knew I had to dedicate a special chapter basically entirely to it. This was a really unique concept but I really like where I went with it! Suffice to say that Panem is a very different place now, and things will be changing even more in the near future. Expect a devious twist more regularly than just every 25 years, that's all I'm saying… but that's for another time.

As always, please leave a review if you're able, and thanks for reading! We're past 900k words now. Pretty sure this is one of the longest HG fanfics on the internet and it's still so fun to write and update. See you next time for the regularly scheduled 106th games.

Cjborange