The eighth day


-Kade, D9M-

I don't know how long this has been happening for. Any idea of time I may have had before is completely gone. All I know is that too long, this has been happening for too long. The blood rain hasn't stopped, and the thunder has only become louder, more powerful. From my hiding spot, I see a fire, and it's only growing. No cannons have boomed, and I begin to wonder what's happening.

What if…? No, impossible. Surely there's no… Rebellion.

I've never heard any talk of rebellion, but… It would make sense. Maybe. After all, the lights went out ages ago, and haven't come back on. Disasters have been simultaneous and horrific.

I lift what's remaining of my shirt to look at the burns and scratches across my stomach. I had found myself pursued by mutts, lions from what it seemed, with flaming manes of fire. I barely managed to hide and go undetected before they were distracted by Vidarr. He's dead. There's no hope he's alive. So I have to wonder who else died.

What if I'm the only one still left? What if they're waiting until everyone is dead? What if… What if… I can't fathom why this is happening. Maybe it was part of the plan this whole time. Although, with no one shooting off cannons, I have to wonder. I can see visions of rebels, strong men and women dressed in black, storming the HQ and shooting Diesel Bundren in the face before taking Santana hostage. Clearing out the control rooms. But, if that's the case… Why hasn't anyone saved us? I would like to know what's happening.

I put more medicine on my wounds.

"Those don't look so good."

My heart skips a beat. This isn't the first time I've heard the voice. Every time I hear it, it feels more real. It feels like she's here again.

"It's not real." I can't stop myself from having an ounce of hope. I know better.

Dammit, Kade, get it together! She's dead! She's dead just like Lydia, and Mom, and Gabi!

I clench my fists.

"It's not real," I say quietly.

"Might want to get those checked."

"Shut up." Even though it's not Rachel, it doesn't feel right for me to say that to her. Er, to it. Whatever it is.

"I'm only trying to help."

"Shut up!"

Suddenly, I hear a noise, and look up, gasping at the sight. It's… It's…

"District 9…"

It's Iridesce.

But it's not Iridesce. When the figure steps closer, I see the grotesque creature in front of me. I shouldn't be able to, not in this kind of darkness.

"It's not real…" I mutter.

Half of her face is melted off. All of her hair except a single strand has been burnt off. Her eyes are practically popping out, and her guts are spilling out as she holds them in. "District 9…" she repeats, over and over and over again! I tear my eyes away from the figure as my heartrate increases. It isn't real. This isn't real. Get yourself together Kade. Dammit, Kade! It reeks like blood. Thunder booms, and I practically jump out of my skin. I have to get away from here.

"You can't catch me!" taunts a little voice that's haunted my dreams for years.

"No."

"Get me Kade!" A wisp of a little girl darts past me, chasing a little white bunny that runs out ahead. "Come on!"

"No. You're not Gabby. This isn't real. She's dead."

"District 9…"

I glance back and gasp again. The figure moved closer. I immediately start to run the other way.

The giggling of little girls fills my head and causes tears to come to my eyes. I can't break down. Not here.

The bunny makes a U-turn and whizzes around my head. This would be amazing, if it weren't here and now. A laugh that sounds like Karima's fills my head and I double over, covering my ears to make it stop. Anything to make it all stop. I try to scream to drown them out, hoping that something will end my misery. I need silence. I need it to stop.

The sound of a gunshot makes me jump, and the laughter that is accompanied by it. The sounds of a baby crying. Rachel whispering in my ear. Iridesce's voice saying my District. Karima laughing. Amari screaming. Everything is happening at once, and it's overwhelming. I'm screaming, I can't stop screaming, I can't focus on anything, I feel like I'm going insane and I can't do that, I have to win, for Sophia, I have to get back to Sophia, anything and everything for Sophia because she's the only person I have left.

I keep screaming, even if a tribute will find me let them find me, at least it'll be something real. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to drown out the noise. I hear footsteps, whispers, breathing, and I have no idea if they're real or not.

I try to control my breathing, but sobs escape my lips. I can't stop it. I can't do anything.

Yet again, I am completely and totally powerless.

Dammit Kade.

I can't do anything to stop the torture except sit here and wait for the madness to be over.

~.~.

-Martina, D11F-

My legs are raw.

I've scratched and scratched. Now they burn and sting, and still they itch. The skin is raw, and within as little as 12 hours of no treatment, could turn black and start to wither.

Astogenivick.

Defined by a citrusy-type scent.

It's one of the plants that I studied when I was training. Very, very uncommon. Genetically engineered. Just a light touch causes poison to spread over the afflicted area. In the chaos of the storm and the 15-year-old boy whose blood is on my hands screaming in my head, I didn't catch it as I knelt to hide from the storm. I only realized it too late. I know that by my scratching my legs, the poison could have spread to my hands, under my finger nails. I have to take the initiative here. I have to end this so I can get this treated fast, or else I'm as good as dead. I don't have time anymore. I have to end this.

The blood in the wounds isn't helping. As soon as I realized I was kneeling in poison, I got up and quickly ran from there. Just as I was leaving the tent, lightning struck. I can't help but feel thankful.

Now, my legs feel like jelly. I can't move fast, but I have a sword and a weapon of choice, and the determination of a stubborn mule to get out of here and back to where I belong. I've been through too much hell to die now.

I take frequent breaks on my search for tributes to regroup, trying to ignore the reek of blood in my nose and the constant thunder.

I watched as the roller coaster was struck by a powerful bolt and was reduced to nothing but ashes.

On one of my breaks, my legs start to shake. I stay on my feet, afraid that if I stop to sit down I'll never be able to stand back up again. I gasp for air, trying to get a breath, doing everything I can not to open my mouth for fear of getting a taste of the blood.

"Martina! Help!" I hear a shout. It's… Edgard. No, this isn't possible. This isn't real.

It's not in my head this time. I cover my ears and the noise muffles. For a second, I think that he might be out there, somewhere. I take a weak step forward, wheezing, before I stop myself.

It's not him. I repeat it like a mantra. That doesn't control the urge to go check on him. Suddenly, a dart-like… Thing slashes across my back, causing me to scream in fear and pain. I have no idea what it was. Another attacks. I start to retreat, trying to get as far from there as possible, when I realize the fire from one of the buildings is spreading quick. I have to move.

Everything in me wants to give up. My body is begging me to stop, to rest but I know that I can't. My adrenaline levels are through the roof as I keep on moving, running straight forward.

The flames lick my back, but I don't stop. Even when I realize it's useless, I don't stop. Even when all I can see in front of me is brightness, even when my body screams out in pain, I don't stop.

Smoke fills my lungs, causing me to choke, and finally, to fall on my knees on the ground.

I can't believe this is how it's going to end. I didn't even get to apologize. I keep moving, using my arms to guide me, trying for anything. I cough some more, and my vision starts to fade. This can't be it. This can't be it!

Edgard and Hamilton scream loudly in my head, trying to divert my focus. I don't let them. I have to focus on surviving. I hear the gunshots, the baby, Ductor's voice screaming, Vidarr's agonized screams, Wren cooing at birds and Serafina Anya giggling, Cyra crying out. All of them are happening at once, it's too much, it's too much dammit it's too much!

I pause for just a second, my body quivering.

Suddenly, I feel a rush of coldness, and the pain stops. I gasp, coughing, on air. When I open my eyes, the darkness has been replaced by the dimness of the day. I can see almost clearly now. The fire is gone, the rain has stopped, and the voices and chaos has silenced.

I collapse so I'm laying on the ground, gasping for air, watching the sky.

I'm alive.

Right now, that's all that matters.

I'm alive.

Then, the cannons shoot.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

The second bloodbath has come to an end.

I'm alive.

Just then, I hear screaming. Real screaming. It sounds like Kade. I know that I have to get to work ending this quickly, and it seems as if I don't have many tributes in my way anymore. I sit up slowly, and then try to get up.

My legs shake, but they aren't moving.

I realize with horror that it might be too late.

~.~.

What if all the plans you made

Were not worth the price they paid?

Even with the lives you stole,

Still no closer to your

Goal

-Diesel Bundren, Prisoner #35741-

I sit alone.

I'm on high surveillance, as if the bastards in charge think that I'm going to try to run away.

It's too late for me. The only thing I can hope for is that he doesn't touch my girls. Viridian. Ross. Santana.

I have no control.

Ha. That's probably what the prude wanted all along, huh? I bet she's pretty smug by now. Her marriage problem's just been solved. All I know is that I'm not going to take my death like a coward.

I don't know how long I've been sitting here. The cell is dark and dim. Everything is concrete. There is no bathroom, so it smells like shit. I haven't been fed in what feels like days. My stomach aches for food and I've barely slept.

I pick at a scab on my arm. I've been clawing at my arms so much that I'm not phased by the blood. I know Katie wouldn't have wanted me to do that, but then again, Katie didn't effectively put everyone she loves in danger, did she? Rutilus is ruthless. He's not going to have mercy on me. I could let him fuck me sideways, however he liked, however many times he wanted, and he still wouldn't hesitate to kill them. Every time I close my eyes, visions of my family and friends paying the price for my sins flash before them. I can't sleep. I've been lightly in and out of consciousness but never asleep.

After what feels like weeks, the door to my holding cell opens. I thought I would be able to kiss his ass when he came here, but just seeing his face makes me seethe with rage. Joltee escorted in by two body guards, but stops them at the door.

"No need to follow me anymore, Lieutenant Statius, Lieutenant Vorenus. I'm not afraid of him." The two men nod and step back, the door closing behind them. I hear a slight hum and know what's happening.

"Not afraid of me my ass! Take down this goddamn forcefield and say that! I've subdued you once and I'll do it again, just test me!"

"You poor thing, you must be delusional. I'm not the one that lost my bonkers and ruined everything."

"I didn't ruin it!"

"What if we had not stopped you? What if this had been the Games with no Victor? What would the nation have thought. What anger and hatred and rebellious thoughts would we have had, hm? It's a good thing we stopped you from stealing anymore lives."

I swallow hard, remembering what I have to protect, and hold my place.

"I have to say, I'm interested. If I wasn't so interested," he chuckles, "Well, I would have killed you right then and there. I decided to spare you because I'm so fascinated. Why? Why did you do it? What made you, the unbreakable Diesel Bundren, snap?"

"I'm not saying a word."

"I suggest you speak. I may not be merciful if you don't."

"I… I didn't snap. I…" I swallow a lump in my throat.

"If you lie, we will know. If you lie, your entire family will die. The girl with windy buns. The pianist."

"It was just-"

He speaks very slowly and clearly. "We will know if you lie."

Tears form in my eyes, and I do everything I can to stop them. I can't let my family die because I was stupid. I can't let this be the reason my sister's life is cut short. I can't be responsible for killing everyone I love. I can't risk it. I have to tell him.

"Time is running out!" he says.

I burst, a loud sob tearing out of my throat before I can stop it. "It's because I love him! It's because I'm a fucking coward that can't even love someone without fucking it up and damming it to hell! It's because I will never redeem myself, it's because I'm scum and disgusting, it's because I violated everyone and because nobody will ever love me, especially not someone as perfect as Viridian!" I'm in hell. Of all people to hear this, Joltee Rutilus is the last person I wanted to see that. I can't stop sobbing now.

"Hm. How very interesting."

Another sob tears out of me and I start screaming. "Do whatever the hell you want with me, rip my organs out one by one, break every bone in my body, make me bleed and cry for mercy, shove your dick in my ass, in my mouth, choke me, come on my face, tie me up, shoot me ten times, leave me on the FUCKING FLOOR! Just don't hurt them! Please!"

Joltee stays perfectly relaxed, smiling at me. "Oh, Diesel, Diesel, Diesel. They're already dead."

"You're lying."

This isn't real.

"Padme didn't believe me, when I looked into her pretty greenish-hazel eyes and told her that this was all your fault."

Through my sobs, I bark out a loud laugh. "My niece has blue eyes!"

"She did, it's true. But she was wearing contacts to resemble her current favorite tribute. You know, the one that almost died by your hand?"

My high spirits slowly sink again. "You're lying. This isn't real. You're lying!"

"You're only in denial, Diesel."

"YOU'RE LYING!" I sob. "PLEASE!" This isn't real. This can't be real, this can't be happening. He's just fucking with me. He's just bullshitting. This isn't real.

"Vienna kept asking what we were going to do with her brother."

"YOU'RE LYING!"

"Padme and Marley were so excited to go behind the scenes. Too bad that excitement didn't last."

"THIS ISN'T REAL!" I sob.

"Viridian went easy. He was confused. Hungover."

I lunge for him with all of my might, hoping that maybe the hum of the forcefield between us was a trick, maybe I could break it. Electricity jolts through my body as I'm thrown backwards, slamming into the wall with a groan. There's total silence before Joltee speaks again. I can hear the smile in his voice.

"Your sister never cracked. Never begged for mercy. Never, ever said a single word against you."

This is real.

This is so very real.

It's all my fault that they're dead.

"Santana-" I choke out.

"Miss Villanueva will not be in danger until the end of the Games. After all, as is tradition we must give our Head Gamemakers a taste of their own medicine. In your case, you caused mass slaughter, so that's what we gave you back."

"Like it wouldn't have been mass slaughter if it had happened any slower." I don't know where this intense hatred for the Games came from. Maybe it's been in me all along. Maybe it's something new. It's hard to tell.

"I hope you realize what you've done. I hope you live your last few moments knowing that it's your fault that Mary Catherine's slits were reopened as her organs poured out on the floor. That it's your fault that Viridian had to watch his lovely slender fingers be chopped off one by one when he barely had any clue what was happening. I hope you know that Padme and Marley defended you as they were burning alive, starting with that girl's ridiculous hat with the ears. I hope you know that as innocent Vienna was bent over the table being fucked in the ass till she was bleeding, she was still defending you."

More tears pour out of my eyes, and I can't stop them. I can't control them. I can't believe I did this.

This isn't real.

This is so real it hurts. As much as I try to believe it's not.

Joltee stands up, and takes a handgun out of his pocket.

"I hope you know that out of all of them, you're the only one that has the luxury of a fast death."

The buzzing of the forcefield disappears, and before I can even lunge for him, he fires a clean shot through my chest.

I collapse on the ground as everything fades away, just like that.

I have no one to apologize to.

They all died because of me.

It's too late.

~.~.

A/N: Was I expecting to laser through an entire chapter in a matter of hours? No. Do I regret it? Oh, hells no! I hope you're loving these updates as much as I am. It's getting down to the wire here for sure. Though no one died in this chapter I figured it was still action-filled and an important check-up from tributes we haven't heard from in a while. From here on out, well, it's going to be interesting.

Also, this story's first birthday is the 21st of this month! As much as I would like to post the epilogue on its birthday, that is… Six days away. Six busy college days away. So that's pretty doubtful. But still it would be cool.

I'm going to put up a poll sometime probably later this week for the Victor. I'm leaving the "What Comes Next?" poll up a few more days to get any extra votes I can. Although my mind is mostly made up, it could still change so if you haven't yet voted, I'd love your input!

Still streaming on Sundays, hopefully I'll get the D5 chibis done soon!

Okay, there are SOOOO many CQs I could ask you after this shitshow. Let's see here…

CQ: Do you enjoy the Capitol side-plot I have going here? Do you feel like it enhances the tributes or overshadowed them? Did it add to the story in your eyes or make it unique? Was the balance good? I love Capitol characters and if you liked seeing this side-plot I'll transfer that to other SYOTs I write. But I want your feedback!

Also, if you sponsored someone on the seventh/eighth, they did receive those items and I took off point values that were in play BEFORE this change. If that makes sense. The gifts were sent after the hell subsided, so next chapter the tributes will have them.

Scores:

AbbyCorabby123: 10

A-Bookworm-Named-Steph: 41

Apollo's Slytherpuff Daughter: 113

bagelswift: 2

Beauty. Is. Strange: 61

Blonde4ever: 62

calebbeers21: 6

Coolgal02: 61

CrissKenobie-the-Numenorean: 110

CptAwesome: 10

Culturalchicken: 2

deathless. smile: 15

Dreamer: 756

dreams and desperation: 90

eldergrayskull: 4

elisa. anya: 5

Emrys Holmes: 98

epictomguy: 24

erica1024: 16

fat necrosis: 64

falyn. oliver: 43

GirlOnFire: 20

GryffindorOnFire: 9

hopefuldreamer1991: 217

Ibbonray: 35

Jalen Kun: 17

Jess: 582

johnsonmiranda70: 6

Josephm611: 227

Kate: 683

Xx-Katerina-xX: 56

Kyoko Rose: 26

Lady Lysa Arryn: 127

Legend: 584

Littlefoot876: 2

LokiThisIsMadness: 95

magicharity: 163

Master Maedhros: 10

MissVolturiKingsfan: 4

Medium-Indigo (Guest): 60

MicaaAmaya: 4

Music Rules The World: 4

Mystical Pine Forest: 30

nevergone4ever: 2

OncerTillTheEnd: 4

xxPeppermintxx109: 114

PrimroseEverdeenmyLittleDuck: 10

Programming: 7

xQueen-of-Applesx: 40

rising-balloons: 80

Red Roses1000: 5

ReignRain: 2

Rosemarie Benson: 12

Sagerose the Divergent: 10

santiago. poncini20: 116

Seahorse8: 32

seaotter99: 22

Shaunaicecream (Guest): 20

stop-pulling-on-mariazell: 30

superneet1214: 6

Skyflapple: 21

starrymidnight16: 4

ThisWorldWeHate: 17

TyeTheLurker (Guest): 50

the victor of panem: 61

We're All Okay: 71

W. R. Winters: 316

youngpatriot: 44

Updated prices for items!

Battery (for flashlight/lanterns): 20

Small Canteen (Empty): 30

Large Canteen (empty): 35

Blanket: 40

Compass: 40

Pillow: 40

Bandages: 55

Socks/shoes/shirts/extra articles of clothing: 55

Basic First-Aid Kit: 60

Functioning Flashlight: 60

Iodine (to disinfect water): 60

Small Canteen (with water): 75

Matches: 75

Simple foods (bags of jerky, crackers, or dried fruit): 80

Functioning Sleeping Bag: 85

Well-functioning Lantern: 100

Large Canteen (with water): 115

Night-vision goggles: 120

Tribute's Favorite Capitol Meal: 150

High-Quality Food (bread from a District, meat, broth/soup): 150

Knife: 160

Complex First-Aid Kit: 200

Medicine: 230

Tribute's weapon of choice: 300

Arena Map: 550

Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks all!