District 2 Awakening: Bring Me to Life
Bring Me to Life by Evanescence
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run
Before I come undone
Save me
Save me from the nothing I've become…
This chapter was not beta-d. I apologize for any mistakes!
Thanks so much to those who reviewed the last chapter! Each is read and very much appreciated!
Dolly Westever (28) D2 Victor of the 90th Hunger Games
18 tributes.
That is how many tributes I have mentored since I became Victor.
None have returned. Each failing before they even got to the final battle.
Is there something wrong with me? With how I mentor? District 2 always had the most Victors even before the Mockingjay Rebellion. Now look at us, only two in the twenty four years after the remaining Victors were killed for what Katniss Everdeen had caused.
"Dolly. Here are the tribute forms, the tributes are ready to be awakened," the scientist with the long white lab coat tells me as he open the door to the Justice Building. I simply nod, not wanting to see the tributes that I must fight to get home. Only one out of the now three.
"Dolly… are you okay?" I snap my head towards the familiar voice and smile as it is who I expected. Mason McCarthy: District 2 Victor of the 83rd Games.
"Mason!" I laugh and run into his strong arms and smile looking up to capture his still blue eyes. "What are you doing here?!"
"I had to make sure you can handle three tributes this year," he says as he ruffles my curly blonde hair. "You'll have a successful tribute I can feel it."
I nod and look over his body, now thin and not muscular as it had been several years after becoming Victor. His skin now pale and sickly as the virus takes over his body. You see Mason was a sex slave to the Capitol, typical since he was quite a hunk back in his prime and several years after my Games he was diagnosed with AIDS. He now resides in the Victor's Village and wallows in his pain, never seeking the Capitol's help for the pain they had caused him.
"I umm- I'm fine. Maybe one of these tributes can get home," I say optimistically as I laugh and hug him again. I could never thank him enough for getting me out of the Arena though it has left its emotional scars within me. "I'll go by your home after the Games, okay?"
"Okay," he whispers. He smiles and snaps his head to the side quickly and begins to cough, the sound choked and hoarse. He spits out crimson blood and phlegm, the sight making me sick. "Sorry 'bout that."
I gulp. "It's fine. I-I understand…"
"I wish you the best of luck Dolly; you're the best tribute I ever had." With that he leaves, the sound of his shoes booming down the long stone covered hallway. I turn my head back to the slightly ajar door to the large room and exhale shakily, the adrenaline and worry seeping deep into my bones.
Just more tributes, right?
Just mere pieces in the Capitol's Games…
The scientist waves me over to the three still bodies that lie on metal beds, the thought haunting as I remember waking up in one after my Games. I slowly trace my fingertips across the counter of the table, the touch sending an eerie sense of death and gore rippling throughout my body.
"Here are the forms. They should be awake in several minutes." The scientist leaves and quietly shuts the door, the sound barely audible over the insistent pounding in my ears. I take a seat in the lone chair in the middle of the room, mere feet away from the dead tributes, soon to be alive. Sighing, I look at the nicely stacked folders and open the first, my fingertip grasping onto the crisp paper.
Keither Masonfeld
15 years old
Tribute of the 76th Games
"Reaped shortly after the Rebellion ended," I mumble as I look at the profile picture of the young boy. He is a ginger, his red hair short and proper as his icy blue eyes stare deep into my soul despite his non-intimating stature.
I look up to find Keither, my eye catching his flaming red hair to my left. Nodding as I located the not-so-typical Career I carefully hang his form at the edge of his metal bed. I quickly whip up the female tribute's and ease myself to hopefully find a sane one. Last years' female: Madeline Waver had really shocked me once I watched her in the Games. I would never expect such a sweet girl to be a cold blooded killer.
Azura Sparks
18 years old
Tribute of the 46th Games
"One before the Mockingjay Rebellion," I mumble once more as I glance through her Games history. Her profile picture reveals a blonde-haired and blue- eyed girl with a twinkle in her eye yet the fierce District 2 smirk presents itself on her light toned face.
I spot her corpse in front of me and carefully tie the forms to the edge of her bed, my eye catching her wavy blonde hair cascading over the edge of the metal table.
Hero De'Rogue
16 years old
Tribute of the 60th Games
"Another one…" I spot the picture of Hero, a rather strange one. He stands out from most District 2 citizens with his coco brown skin and dark brown eyes, even having curly strands of black hair fall just above his shoulders.
I place his also at the edge of his bed, to the right of me as I stand and walk over to each tribute. Each wears a white hospital gown and glancing just at their arms a small tattoo with the Capitol symbol. Mesmerized by the large screen with many flashing lights and symbols I am alarmed at the bell tone that sounds, whimsical almost as I spot the red cross that flashes across it.
"Hmmpphh." A low grumble calls from the metal tables and I rush over to see the color brought back to the dead tribute's faces. Keither begins to stir and I stand eye- well closed eye to him as he awakens, the adrenaline in me soaring.
He opens his eyes and immediately I am welcomed to icy blue orbs that shine grey against the bright lamp that lights the room. He gasps in shock and his body rockets backwards, his breathing coming out in short pants.
"Hi! I'm Dolly and I'm going to be your mentor!" Being cheery will make these tributes less stressed plus I need to feel some happiness inside my broken, scarred heart.
He inhales sharply and gulps as he stares at me, his eyes wild and deranged as he violently jerks his head side to side. "I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead."
"I'll explain this situation to you when your district partners wake up," I coo as I gently rub his back. He flinches at my initial touch and slowly calms down as he closes his eyes and sighs. Lifting his chin to meet my eyes, I give him a reassuring smile, trying my best to calm him down for both of our sakes. "It's going to be okay."
He simply nods and examines his body, bending his elbows and wiggling his fingers. I take in his appearance; he immensely stands out from the blondes and brunettes in District 2, even to the smooth and porcelain soft skin which shows no evidence of training. The only sign of imperfection shows in his calloused and dry fingertips that gracefully rub against the sleek metal edge of the table from which he lies. Keither is definitely an interesting Career, should cause conflict between the other two…
"Ahhhh…" a syrupy sweet moan beckons from behind me and I watch as Azura opens her crystal blue eyes, matching my own. She widens them and her pupils dilate in and out of focus, trying to adjust to her healed body. "Wh- Where am I?"
"You're in District 2's Justice Building. I'm Dolly," I whisper as I hold out my hand to the girl. "I'll be your mentor."
Azura's face contorts in disgust and pain as she snaps her hand away from me. "Is this just some sick joke?! I thought I died in the Games?!"
"You did. I'll explain when your other district partner wakes up." I feel the sense of worry build up again as Azura's eyes meet Keither's, the connection instantly explosive as Azura goes up to him.
"Where are your scars?! Do you see mine," she says as she points to the faded black and blue bruises that patch her body along with jagged lines from the days of training. "You are not a Career!"
He just stares, his eyes captivating as I catch his gaze over Azura's. She frowns and looks over to Hero who still hasn't awakened yet.
"Who the hell is this guy?! And this quiet ginger," she hisses as she points to Keither. Once again Keither says nothing and just stares absentmindedly as the stone walls seem to swirl and dissipate in his haunting eyes.
"I said I'll explain to you when Hero wakes up," I hiss back not liking this girl's attitude. She huffs out a confident sigh and returns her attention back to Keither.
"Don't we have another mentor that can train me. I don't like this Dolly girl," she whispers quite loudly as I can obviously hear her. Keither doesn't respond and moves to the other side of the room. "Fine, be an asshole. So where's the guy mentor?"
"There is no 'guy mentor'. There is only one mentor per District and that is me," I state forcibly as Azura slumps down in the chair I sat in. "The last President passed a law after the 76th Games stating that each District should have one Victor mentoring tributes."
"Oh…"
"Yeah… you should be like Keither there and shut up."
She fumes with hurt and plops herself down on her bed. "This guy is taking too long to wake up. I need to know what the hell is going on!" She strides over to Hero's bedside and hovers above his still sleeping body. "If you want something done, do it yourself…"
Azura raises her hand and brings it across Hero's face, the sound loud and stinging as it echoes off the walls. She cries out as her throbbing red hand begins to ooze with blisters and clear liquid.
"Damn it. Your body is sensitive right now!"
"At least he's awake," Keither mumbles as Hero shoots up from his bed, the black curls plastered to his face.
"What the hell was that," Hero yells as he faces Azura for the first time. Obviously being hurt by a slap is more traumatizing than finding yourself awake after dying.
"You wouldn't wake up so I did it for you thank you very much," she sneers as she points to Keither. "We were all waiting for your sorry ass to wake up!"
"Excuse me for getting some rest!"
"Yeah like forever!"
"Shut up!"
"Children," I exclaim as I come in between the irritating two. "I'll explain what's going in if you can just pay attention."
The three take their seats and face me, their eyes wide with curiosity and anticipation. Sweat begins to form at my hairline and trickles down my round face. Exhaling deeply I look up to see each one's eyes focused, almost as if in a trance as their eyes explore the new ruins from which they emerged from.
"This is the year of the 4th Quarter Quell. You were resurrected from dead tributes from past Hunger Games to fight in the Arena once more to become Victor."
Each gasps in surprise and shock at this predicament. Surprised that they even had another chance to victory. A victory I now regret. "You have a second chance… how are you going to treat it?"
My questions floats and hangs heavy in the air as the three contemplate and look at each other, the years between them thinning and dissipating before my eyes as they are just still children. Not adults as they would've been if they had been alive, Azura probably dead by now.
"I'm going to win," Hero and Azura say in sync. They both turn to each other and smirk, the battle starting before they even enter the Arena.
"Everyone knows there are more male Victors than female so the odds are definitely in my favor," Hero scoffs as he crosses his arms.
"Actually since after the Mockingjay Rebellion, there are more female Victors than male."
"Mockingjay Rebellion," Azura questions as she narrows her eyes. "When did that happen?"
"A little after the 3rd Quarter Quell, I'll explain more on the train ride to the Capitol. You're families are here to visit you guys. Don't be alarmed by their appearance, time didn't stop for them," I say as I push them into the three small rooms. "I'll be waiting here when you guys are finished!"
I take my seat at the open window displaying the three rooms, each with a secret microphone in them for me to hear their conversations. This was not my idea, all credit goes to Seraphina. Not that I don't mind listening to tearful goodbyes it's just one of those personal things.
"Azura," a low and deep voice calls from her room. She turns her head and a very old man steps through the door, bringing a wrinkling and pale hand to his aged face.
"Daddy," Azura cries as she runs into his fragile arms. I watch as a new look of Azura emerges and drips with profound love and respect as the two embrace. "I missed you…"
"I missed you too sweetie," he coughs as he faces his young daughter. "Look at you, just the same fifty four years ago…"
"I wish I could say the same to you," she giggles as she parts from her father. "Where's Mom?"
"She passed several years ago, honey. I'm sorry."
Azura's eyes begin to water and small teardrops cascade down her face as she begins to pace around the room. "I-I don't want to be alive again. I don't want to face death again. Not without you and Gracie."
"I know," he coos as he sits at the table. "Your sister is also here to visit you along with her children and grandchild."
"Gracie…"
"She missed you a lot Azura. Along with your mother…"
Azura nods and smiles, her teeth gleaming like pearls. "Thank you Daddy. I hope I can get home this time."
"I hope so to."
The two embrace once more and Azura's sister and family waltz in, the two sisters reunited. A single tear drop falls from my cheek and lands on my palm, the coolness of it relaxing as I turn my attention to Hero's room. He stands embracing his mother, father, and sister who are all aged, time never stopping for them.
"Hero, my son," his father booms as he hugs his only son, the son who now has a second chance to get home. "Make us proud, come home."
"I will Dad. I'll fight to get home to you."
"I missed you so much," Hero's Mom blubbers as she tucks her small frame in her son's large chest. "Please come home, Hero."
"Don't worry Mom. I will," he states as he hugs onto her even tighter as his sister joins in. Soon the small family embraces one another tightly, a spring just about to recoil back into its original shape.
Finally, I turn my attention to Keither's room and am surprised to see a young woman who looks exactly like him except for her big brown eyes which narrow and widen with each response from him.
"What do you mean you don't want to come home?!"
"I just don't Chase. I felt like I didn't have anything to get home to… before I knew I had a sister…"
"Mom had me shortly after you died; she passed away five years later."
"Oh…" I can see the small spark in his eyes, the haunting essence of it gone.
"Please Keither, just be a Career for once… for me and Mom."
Keither just nods and embraces his sister, the resolution settled and calm as they stand embracing. I remember that feeling, feeling like nothing had mattered. After my Games I couldn't sleep, eat, drink, smile, laugh… all of these things hard after the horrors of the Arena. My family had only cared for the money and fame I had acquired, never caring for my deteriorating mental state. I am glad their families care so much for them. It gives me hope for their return; that they won't end up like I did.
"The train is here, Dolly." The scientist calls from the open doorway. I nod and smile, waving him off to his other duties and stand. I collect each of my three tributes from their families, smiling and laughing as they wished their loved ones goodbye.
Just a piece in their Games…
I smile and laugh as we head to the train, making the oxytocin in me spread throughout my whole body. Making the glee and happiness last for only seconds before the depression sinks in again.
Happiness is a precious thing that once held its place within me, but now I must fight for it to stay in my scarred and broken heart...
A/N: POVs will be done from your tribute's mentor. Instead of reapings these will be 'awakenings'. So I present to you: Dolly Westever, Keither Masonfeld, Azura Sparks, and Hero De'Rogue. Oh and after the awakenings I will be doing the tribute's POVs. I didn't get to include the mentors all that much from Haunted and well since Calloway and River are mentors… yeah. Questions will be provided at the end of each chapter. Answering the questions get you 35 points and if you add writing critique and analysis it will be 45 points :p Awakenings will be done in random order… for the fun of it :p
Update info will be posted on my profile along with the links to the blogs and such
I plan on making a blog for the Victors, all since the 76th Games :p I'll let you guys know when it's completed, hopefully by the next awakening. Plus the tribute blog is under construction.
Several thought on each tribute, your favorite and least.
What did you think of Dolly?
Love Always, Domi