Hey guys! It's the last chapter of Mackenzie's group! Hope you enjoy!
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly.
I'll do what it takes, until I touch the sky.
I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change.
Breakaway.
Tycho Brunsfeld
Reawakened Tribute # 17
Mackenzie's Group
"So I'm dead?" I can't believe what this nurse has come out and told me. I mean I don't see it as to far fetched, knowing what the Capitol is capable of, and seeing the kind of things they look at for entertainment. Honestly though, bringing the dead back to life? I would love to see the mechanics behind this whole thing.
The nurse looks at me and nods. She has a faint smile on her face. One that I know is perfected to make me feel as safe as possible. How am I supposed to feel safe when they can do anything they want? Disturbing a dead person's peace? Who does that?
"I don't understand." I respond very quickly. The quiet voice that I've had since I was little comes out of my mouth, and I'm not sure why, but I shudder. Even though I died my voice hasn't changed.
"Well, it's kind of simple." says the nurse as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You were chosen, Tycho. There was a group of tributes, that for one reason or another, the President saw something in. You will be trained from infanthood, all the way to 18 years old. You'll compete in another Hunger Games, and then you'll have a second chance at life. Isn't that awesome" She ends the explanation of how my life just got ruined for the second time around with a bright and perky tone of voice.
I don't say anything, I just stare at her. This can't be real. This can't be right. I'm dreaming. We actually haven't launched into the arena yet. I didn't take 20th place. All 24 of us are still alive and well, and we will see each other at the cornucopia soon.
"Tycho, I need to put this watch on you." says the nurse as she gets up. She takes my wrist, and with a surprisingly strong grip, holds down my arm.
"What's it do?"
"This will make you a baby again." she says.
"Yeah right." I say "Like that is possi-"
14 Years after Reawakening
Tycho Brunsfeld, 14
Mackenzie's Group
District 5 Male
I like to watch. It's more of a survival instinct I guess. I like to watch to make sure that people are who they say they are. My siblings are the opposite. They are very brash. Quick to judge, and that's what someone is. No room for change, no room for someone being able to do something out of character. I see things though.
Sylvia's sweet routine is something I see through. When she talks to Jade, and even Hazel, I see her eyes roll when they turn around. Her anger is something that, in my opinion, will serve her well in the games. She has always been someone that is sneaky.
Wyatt on the other hand, is very forward. There has never been any doubt in my mind that Wyatt is who he says he is. Being from District 1, it's something that he takes on a personal conviction. He is very vibrant, and aggressive. I do my best to stay out his way, but that's not always a possibili-
"Move, Puberty Boy."
Wyatt shoves past me, and plops down onto the couch so he can watch TV. We have to leave for school in 20 minutes, but it seems he's ready for the day. They call me Puberty Boy, because my voice hasn't dropped. At this rate, I don't think it ever will.
"I've asked you to stop calling me that." I say quietly.
"I asked you to stop calling me that." he responds in a voice that is rude, and mocking.
I take a spot on the loveseat. The living room is set up nicely, if I do say so myself. Everyone has a spot, and they all have a desired chair. Mom made sure there was enough space for everyone when decorating her house. When we were 12, she added rooms to the house so we would only be two to a room.
"Leave Ty alone." says Jade as she walks in and sits. "It's not worth it, Ty. Don't argue with him. You know he is a high-key douche."
"That's why you're one of the first people I kill in the bloodbath."
She rolls her eyes and plops down next to him. He smirks as he moves over so she has a little more room. Him and Jade have a weird relationship. They say mean things to each other, but I think they are friends? That is still something I don't understand.
"I'm not excited for Caridee's class today." says Jade as she leans her head back on the couch and pouts. "The girl is so ditzy, and don't even get me started on how her and that horrid girl from 1 bounce back and forth with their stupidity. I can't handle it. Honest."
"You're so dramatic." says Wyatt as he continues to flip through the channels. This is how conversations often go in the house. I'm here, but I'm not. They don't really see me. They just kind of assume I check out, or forget I'm there all together.
"You can't tell me it's not an accurate saying. If you tell me that you can tolerate either of them you're a stone cold liar, Wyatt."
"I just take both of them for what they are, sexy as hell."
"You're such a pig." she says as she hits him with a pillow.
The rest of the group joins us in the living room as we wait for Mom. We have never been late because one of us is running behind. Anytime the group is late, it's because Mom has woke up late, or her alarm didn't wake her up.
"She should be out soon." says Sylvia as she sits next to Jade, filling that couch to capacity. "I just heard her scream about how she'll be late again."
We all laugh, and we all fidgit. Ever since what the Hunger Games is has really dawned on us, we are all kind of awkward around each other. We haven't really broken apart from our mold, and the carefree attitude this house used to have is slowly slipping away.
"I can't handle this." says Wyatt. "It's to quiet."
"Can we make an agreement?" I ask.
"Did you say something Puberty Boy?" ask Wyatt, which warrants another pillow hit from Jade.
"I think we should make an agreement not to kill each other in the arena until we are down to the last six." I say.
The group looks around and stares. I know how these kids think. I see the look in their eyes, and I can already tell what I just said ruffled some feathers. For people like Shawn, it's a sigh of relief knowing that people like Sylvia, or Wyatt wouldn't kill him. For someone like Wyatt, it's probably really annoying because they don't see the point in it.
"It's just that, whether we really think of each other like this or not, we are siblings. Just because Mom isn't technically our mom, doesn't mean that we aren't. You can't tell me that we don't have some sort of affection for one another."
The all kind of just continue to exchange glances. Finally Shawn is the first to speak.
"I'm in." he says.
The other all agree. So the first non-alliance, alliance of the games has been formed. It's time to start planning now who I might want for an alliance.
I'm nuts.
Baby I'm mad.
The craziest fun, that you've ever had.
You think I'm psycho.
You think I'm gone.
Tell the psychiatrist something is wrong.
Sylvia Hadley
Reawakened Tribute # 18
Mackenzie's Group
"FUCKING LORENA!"
The nurse stares at me with a shocked expression. I freaking won though! I won, and then I died?! How did the Capitol let this happen?! How did they not bring me back to freaking life when the 18th games were happening rather than now?! It's been like two hundred and something years!
"Listen, Sylvia. We really need you to calm down." says the nurse as she lays her hand on my shoulder. I give her a look of shock and brush her hand off my shoulder.
"Do. Not. Touch. Me."
I'm livid. This isn't an uncommon emotion for me, but I can't help it. I was so close! I can remember the feeling on her dying, of her cannon sounding. The triumphant sound of my Victory shout as I realized that I had won.
It was all seconds too late. They've showed me how the medical team on the hovercraft messed up as they were supposed to pick me up. They were literally seconds away from me being able to survive.
"I demand to be let go." I say as I start unplugging random wires from my body. The nurses in my room, because after I woke up I scared the one that I had. It took five to make her feel safe. Anyways, they are all on me. I don't like it.
"Sylvia, you can't just unplug the wires! There's a process to it!" screams a nurse.
I kick someone in the stomach and they fall over, and I make it out of the bed. As I'm running to the door a giant wall of a man comes in and blocks the entry way.
"We had a feeling you would do this, Ms. Hadley." says the man.
"Move it or lose it, gigantron." I slam my foot into his man parts, and he lets out a loud scream. I crawl under his legs, and I'm halfway down the hall, when all of the sudden I feel a small prick on the back of my thigh.
I look down to see a syringe of yellow liquid draining out into my system. This is not happening. The idiots freaking got me. My body starts to go weak, and the world around me starts to spin. I was so close. So close to getting out, to getting the life I des-
14 Years after Reawakening
Sylvia Hadley, 14
Mackenzie's Group
District 9 Female
Caridee has to be the stupidest thing since whoever invented spray can cheese. She consistently forgets things like a black board marker when she tries to write. I can't tell you how many time this ditz has tried to write with her hand.
"Today we are going to talk about something important." she says. The lack of enthusiasm in her voice leads me to believe that it isn't something important. I take pleasure in knowing she hates her job as much as we hate her though.
"We are going to be discussing group mentality. Something that very few of you have thought about. You're going into an arena where you will be put to the ultimate test, and most people couldn't do that alone if you look at past games. Even the career districts needed each other to make it to the end."
She continues to ramble on, and honestly she makes me want to gouge my eyeball out. It's a good thing she's pretty. Without that look of hers, she wouldn't be nearly as successful. However, with that clock for her biology running down like a clock, she better trap a man soon before she runs out of beauty. I say trap, because I can't imagine a man possibly wanting to be with her.
"Who can give me some idea of what a group mentality means?"
"Well, I can give an example?" says Katarina from the far end of the room. Caridee lights up in a way. She isn't used to people responding to her lectures, let alone someone like Kat who is known for fixing her makeup all period.
"Very well let's hear it." says Caridee eagerly.
"How does it feel to be the dumbest teacher in the academy?"
Caridee's eyes narrow and she stares the girl down as she chuckles in the back with her friends. That's why I can't stand Kat. If you're going to be a bitch, do it because you want to be one. Not to impress your annoying as hell friends into thinking you're not annoying.
Caridee walks down the aisle and stands in front of the girl that just insulted her in front of the class. She squats down, and gets eye to eye with Kat, and then says this loud and proud for everyone to hear.
"How does it feel knowing you have a 1 in 26 shot of making it to your nineteenth birthday?"
I bust out laughing at Kat's face, and everyone looks at me confused. I didn't mean to give Caridee credit, because I don't like her either. However that comment was just the right amount of deserved and venomous.
"Look, you guys want me to keep it straight with you? I will." she says. "I may not be the smartest, but something I have is a skillset that you need. If you kids want to survive this is something you'll need to take seriously. Even the strongest tributes fall. This is why you were brought bac-" she stops herself and covers her mouth. Her eyes widen, and she walks over to the wall and presses a button.
Mom, Chanel, Huck, Iris, and Obsidian walk in back to back. We are all really confused as to what is happening right now.
"What's wrong?" ask Iris confused.
Caridee huddled them into a group and whispers something to them. She is seems genuinely worried, and when the parents separate, they all seem worried too. Except Iris, she seems pissed.
"Kat. Here. Now."
The class erupts with a fit of giggles as Kat gets up from her chair, and sulks to the front of the room with Iris. She makes her apologize to Caridee, and the class, and then takes her out in the hallway to talk.
"What did you mean we were brought back?" I ask
"Caridee looks at me confused. She gives me a look that tells me she is trying to hide something and she's not smart enough to pull it off.
"What she meant was that she brought you guys back to her class for a reason. There are so many things you can learn from my sister." says Obsidian genuinely.
He is a much smarter man, but I don't buy what he says either. However, I'll let it slide for now. Whatever it is they are talking about, we will learn about it sooner or later. Obsidian takes a seat in the chair at the front of the room. Caridee smiles at him, in a way that thanks him for staying with the class.
I don't understand the two's relationship. It's a little unnerving. They are always whispering like they have something going on. Something is not right between them.
When class ends, and everyone is heading to Iris' combat class, I couldn't get out of the room faster. Another hour of hearing that ditz ramble on and on. Plus, I like the combat class. It lets me hate punch things, and pretend it's people that I actually hate.
"Hey, walk with me to class?" ask Jade with a smile.
Like her. I hate her. I still remember what she did to me at the mock Hunger Games when we were ten years old. Her and Hazel are dead to me. I will not have betrayal in the real games, and that only proved to me that the two were very capable of it.
"Sure!" I say with a smile so fake you could probably produce a lego. I pack up my bag and purposefully leave my textbook in the desk so I'm able to turn around halfway there and come get it.
We make it halfway down the hallway before I "realize" that I forgot my book, and turn around to get it. I walk down the empty hallway, and look at the rows of lockers. It's a single wall, and we all have lockers that match our personality. I think it's honestly stupid because these people don't need to know who I am to get a knife shoved in their back, but whatever.
"You almost blew it today, Caridee!"
A conversation the two are having before I enter the room sparks my interest. The two seem frustrated with each other, plus he's chewing out Caridee and I'm all for it.
"I'm sorry, Obs." she says apologetically.
"Do you know how hard I had to work to slip the hypnosis plant into Rachel's tea! If you blow that we brought these tributes back from where they came from, you'd be fired instantly. I'd be fired instantly."
"I know that!" she says upset. "I didn't mean to."
"You need to think long and hard about how much this plan means to you. I'm not above putting my sister in a trance. We need to make this work. I will rule this country."
What did I just overhear? This is probably the most interesting thing that has ever happened in my short life here. Nothing exciting ever happens, but the question is what are they talking about? This is something I should keep to myself. Until I figure out this mystery. Where did we come from? Why is it bad if we find out? What the hell is a hypnosis plant?
I knock on the door and two jump up in surprise, and I walk in.
"I forgot my textbook." I say with a smile.
I walk over to my desk, and grab the book. When I leave the room Obsidian closes the door behind me, and I hear him say, "We need to watch her."
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
Julian Octavian Maximus
Reawakened Tribute # 19
Mackenzie's Group
I'm too angry to talk. I just listen.
Listen to how I died in my original games, how placing second was something that was so impressive. How I showed so much promise, but in the end just fell short. I'm pissed about it. I don't open my eyes, they don't know that I'm awake. It's not something I want to discuss.
Losing to the girl from 5. That's the worst thing that I've ever heard. How does someone that trained their whole life for these games lose to someone who just learned what a knife was the day before entering the arena?
"We need to get the watch on him."
I still refuse to open my eyes and see what's going on, but whatever it is, it's something metal. I hear the clicking of buttons, and then I don't hear anything anymore.
14 Years after Reawakening
Julian Octavian Maximus, 14
Mackenzie's Group
District 2 Male
It's easy in weapons training. After that dreadful day where we all kind of waited around, and we assessed what using a real weapon was like, if you can even call a bow and arrow a real weapon, Iris has allowed us a lot of free reign in choosing our own. I've taken a personal liking the spears.
It's great how the spear just flows off of your hand. It's great watching how the blood comes out of the fake tribute dummy that we get to practice on. It's great focusing on how I'll get to do that to these tributes soon in the arena.
I love the games for what they are. It drives me crazy that we don't get to watch the entirety of old games as they happened. But even the clips of the old games that they show us occasionally in the classes we have to take makes me happy. There is something about knowing that one person killed 24 other tributes in the arena. And the great part about this games, is that if I win, I get to potentially kill 26 people, not just 24.
"Hey, are you up for grabbing wings at the spot tonight?" ask Ares as he lifts the weights that he has been working out with for the past twenty minutes for his last set.
"I don't see why not." I say.
Ares is one of those tributes that I can't wait to stab like a shish kabob. He is so arrogant, and so cocky. Killing him would be like getting the tastiest cake in the world, and then adding more frosting to it. I cannot wait.
I've made a list of tributes that I want to kill in order. Sylvia, Honora, Ares, and Wyatt are at the top of that list. Getting the strong people out of the way first, might not be the most redeemable strategy. However, it gets my chances of getting out of the arena to shoot up drastically and I'm all for that.
I walk over to the sword section, because when I'm not using spears I like to use the swords. You never know what the game makers might leave for you at the cornucopia. I see Vera there, and to my surprise she's actually gotten a lot better at using it. She was one of those girls I didn't really expect to do well at anything, but with Iris coaching her, she's done excellent.
"Hey you." I say with a smile.
"Can I help you?" she ask not turning away from her combative dummy.
I smile to myself. Girls that play hard to get are one of my favorite things. Vera is one of the only girls in the academy that doesn't see my for the awesome person that I am. She doesn't treat me like a superstar, and I think that's why I like her.
"I just was looking at the cutest girl in the room slaying at using a sword."
She holds up her hands, and kind of chuckles to herself. She walks over to the bench, and then starts to laugh really really really hard.
"I'm going to have to stop you right here." she says in between her fits and giggles. "Me and you are not a thing, will never be a thing, will never even be considered to be a thing. Don't try and use your "mac-daddy" moves on me. I'm not interested Julian." she says as she gets up and walks to Honora and Jinx. The girls laugh in fits of giggles and stare my way.
Gosh, she makes me boil with anger, but at the same time I'm oddly turned on.
"That's gotta hurt." says Joseph as he walks to the swords and begins to dismantle the training hologram we have the option of working with.
"Shut up, Joseph." I say angry. "No one asked you."
Joseph makes me so angry. He's the golden boy of this academy. When I was twelve I started taking these games serious, and Joseph thinks he's hot stuff because he saw the importance of training a long time ago. If it wasn't for his little obsession with Ava, no one would really like him.
"I'm just saying. Vera isn't the nicest of the bunch. I'm surprised you didn't go for Honora." he says as he puts the death blow onto the hologram and watches it splurt out.
"Honora isn't half the girl that Vera is." I say staring back at them.
The three girls are running on the treadmill, and it makes for a nice watch if you know what I mean.
Joseph gathers the rest of the boys in our group together, and we begin to plan our evening. It's Thursday, and the last day of school is tomorrow. When we are out for summer is really the only time we get to do normal kid things, like go the water parks, and experience cool stuff.
"After we get wings tonight we wanted to sneak out, and go to the skate park." says Nickle. His hands are still in the cast from when Jade totally wrecked him in the music room. I still can't believe that princess ruined him.
"Yeah, I'm down." I say. "It's just letting us know the ranks tomorrow, so we should be good."
I honestly don't have to even be here tomorrow to know that I will be at the top of the list. After my blunder, it was super important for me to prove myself to the boys again. If we want to make an All-Star alliance, we need to pick the best of the best from the girls and boys.
"Cool, so we will go home, and then meet each other back there at 10?" ask Joseph.
"Perfect." we all say.
We continue to go about our training schedule, and we try to finish the workouts assigned to us. We just have a lot of trouble finding the inspiration to do so with it being so close to the last day of school.
I walk over to the machine and punch in my ID number.
"Welcome, Julian. We have a strict and intense workout for you today. Please start on the treadmill."
Perfect, I get to be near my lady.
If you ain't here to party.
You picked the wrong place,
You picked the wrong Friday night.
If you ain't here to party,
You'll be missing out on the best damn time of your life.
Huckleberry Jenkins, 38
Victor of the 294th Games/ Survival Mentor
It's important for them to feel like normal kids. So when they plan things like sneaking out, and going to places like the skate park, and to the mall that will inevitably stay open for them because they're low key famous. It makes it hard to bust them for things like that.
We always let them get away with things like that. It's not that they don't need discipline, because trust me, we do that. They just don't do kid things like that often, and as much as we try to make it seem like they aren't, they are kids.
Walking down Rachel's hallway is kind of bitter sweet. I'm excited, because if you've seen Rachel, she is a total smoke bomb, but if you've talked to her...you know why it can be bitter. The things I would fantasize about that girl if only she didn't open her mouth.
I knock on the door, and she beckons me into the office. She is wearing a white dress that hugs her butt in all the right places if you know what I mean.
"Do you have the list, Huck?" she ask.
The list of rankings is in my hand. As they get older the list gets harder and harder to make. It's never fun making a list and saying that your kid is potentially one of the first to die. It's very humbling.
"Yes. There was a change in first place. You might be surprised." I say as I hand her the list.
She looks at it, and her eyebrows shoot up when she sees the name at the top of the list.
"Very well, that's all I need you for."
Such a serious girl, for such a lovely body. It shouldn't add up that way.
I exit the room, and continue my walk down the hallway and towards the elevator. The kids should be sneaking out now, so I should take the long way home. I enter the elevator when I get a text from Mack.
"Mine just snuck out." she says. "Wine party at my house?"
"I'm in!" says Chanel.
"Same!" says Iris.
"I'll see you ladies there." I say.
Well there you have it!
The List
Victor: Julian Octavian Maximus
2nd: Wyatt Lane
3rd: Artemis Merone
4th: Joseph Aleds
5th: Honora Cashmere Flloyd
6th: Ares Styx
7th: Sylvia Hadley
8th: Katarina Moreelle
9th: Orion Acquarius
10th: Jinx Freight
11th: Vera Naylor
12th: Hazel Patch
13th: Ava Willows
14th: Sashen Blaize
15th: Nickle Parks
16th: Jade VanBelle
17th: Caius Sevara
18th: Ellie Zweigle
19th: Keanu Hargrave
20th: Edith Blackwood
21st: Amandus Porter
22nd: Shawn Wheel
23rd: Carmen Diego
24th: Baptiste L'Acroix
25th: Tycho Brunsfeld
26th: Jayanti Haeok
Next time you see them they are 16!
Keep it classy,
Caleb