Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.
Review reply to Reba Pudding - Thanks :)
Review reply to GirlOnFire44 - Thanks for the review. I have to admit, I actually didn't like the prompt or trying to fit Thresh to it so i'm glad you liked it :)
A/n: I don't really understand the 'unknown' character. I mean, if you're writing about, say, Jackson, why not have a character slot for her? And there's 'other tributes' for unnamed tributes from any Games. Surely, if you're writing about an unknown character, they're not unknown anymore? I suppose i can understand it in a way. But i really don't understand 'unknown 2'... Hope you enjoy!
42) Unknown – Assess
"Those things are after us!"
"What do we do?"
"We have to face them."
"What, and get ourselves killed?"
"No, let's stay here and get killed in five minutes. That's so much better."
"Look, there are four of us and we can fight. Let's just get out there and take them down. They're not invincible."
"Why are they even after us?"
"I don't know. I don't care. If you don't shut up, you won't care either. Because you'll be dead."
"OK, OK."
"So, on the count of three, let's get out there."
"Wait!"
"What?"
"How do I know one of you won't just wait here while I go and die?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
"Oh for the love of ... this doesn't even go far enough back to protect anyone ... OK, fine. Everyone get by the entrance. Grab each other's hand. We'll all go out. That way, none of us can go back. OK?"
"...Fine."
"Good. On three then. One. Two. Three."
(The 42nd Hunger Games. The male tribute from District 1, the female tribute from District 2 and the tributes from District 4 – more commonly referred to as 'Careers' – had been chased into a small cave by mutts and discussed the best way to survive. On the suggestion of the girl from District 4, they ran out, holding hands, and fought back. The girl from District 4 was killed very quickly as was the boy from District 1. The boy from District 4 died at the end of the battle. The girl from District 2 survived the battle and went on to win the Games themselves, albeit with the loss of sight in one eye. Despite the traditional approach of 'Career' victors, she never forgot the three tributes she fought with and made an effort to ensure their graves were adorned with flowers every year on, until her death in the second rebellion of Panem.)
"They're outside and waiting for us. I can hear them."
"I know."
"So, what do we do?"
"What are our options?"
"We can stay here and get killed."
"OK, no. Next?"
"We can run out madly, try to escape and get killed."
"Next."
"We can run out madly, try to fight them off and-"
"If your next words are going to be 'get killed' then I don't want to know ... is that all?"
"Well ... there is one other option but..."
"Come on, we don't have time!"
"One of us runs out and draws them away. The other one can sneak out in the confusion. But the first one will probably die."
"Damned if you do, damned if you don't ... alright, you wait at the back. I'm faster. I'll run out, draw them away and meet you by the house with the red roof."
"But-"
"You said 'probably' die, not definitely. Come on, this is our best chance."
"... Fine."
"Good. On three then. One. Two. Three."
(The 57th Hunger Games. The male tributes from District 5 and District 9 – who had formed a temporary alliance – discussed the best way to escape from the strong group of tributes who had found their base. The boy from District 5 eventually ran out and managed to draw the group one hundred metres away, where they killed him. The boy from District 9 escaped but was shot in the leg. He eventually won the Games. He made sure to mention his companion in his victory tour and worked to ensure that his family always had some money off him every year onwards, until his death in the second rebellion of Panem.)
"What's the assessment then?"
"It's chaos, sir! We have to get out of here!"
"To the exits then, man."
"But, sir – they're blocked."
"Every exit?"
"We don't know. But it seems so."
"Damn. Well, we can't just stay here. Get the wounded and get moving to the base level."
"The base level?"
"We'll check on the way. If we get down there and we can't leave, we're dead. If we find an exit along the way, good. Otherwise, I'm just hoping we can get out that way."
"It's risky, sir. Especially taking our wounded."
"We don't leave good men behind, you know that. I'm not looking their families in the eye and saying I chose to save myself quicker and left them to die."
"... I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry – start getting people. This is our best chance."
"Yes, sir."
"And don't worry – we're getting out alive!"
(A conversation between a Peacekeeper commander and one of the lower Peacekeepers regarding the evacuation and escape of the miners and other Peacekeepers, during the destruction of the Nut in District 2. As the Commander had hoped, there was one empty exit at the bottom of the Nut. The subordinate and half of the men – including some of the wounded – successfully escaped and most went on to survive the rebellion. Many were killed by the rubble. The commander himself refused to leave until he had gotten everyone out safely. His body was never found.)
"Here's what it basically is, guys and girls. We're trapped in this building. If we go out the back, we're gonna be blown sky-high. If we go out the front, we'll be shot. Any questions?"
"Er ... what do we do then sir?"
"Glad you asked, soldier, glad you asked. I've been looking at this situation a bit and the way I see it is – let's go up."
"Up?"
"Yep. We'll climb onto the roof. Too high for them to shoot us and nothing to blow us up on that roof. We'll get to the next roof and then we'll see. One thing at a time."
"But, sir, won't they follow us?"
"Hopefully not. But if they do, we just repeat the same trick. And remember – if you find anyone, shoot first and then ask questions. Our priority's survival, got it?"
"Er ... sir, what if they shoot at us? I mean, this is risky. Why don't me and maybe one or two others just go out and draw their attention away?"
"Because I don't leave good men and women behind. I'm not going back and telling your families that I chose to save myself and a few others and let the rest of you die."
"I'm sorry, sir."
"Don't be sorry, just get ready to move upwards. This is our best chance."
"Yes, sir."
"And don't worry – we're getting out alive!"
(A District 13 squad and its commander in the Capitol. Having been chased into a house, the commander decided that the best chance of survival was via the rooftops. As the commander had hoped, the Peacekeepers didn't spot them switching buildings. However, one man was injured in the leap. Most of the squad made it to the District 13 hovercrafts and survived. The injured man was shot as he limped away. The commander was killed a second later, trying to help the man to safety. Their bodies were never recovered.)