Well, we are here. I feel like when I started this story I had no idea where I was going with it. It's been a bumpy road, and I'm almost sad to see it go, but I told you I would finish it by the time I left, and if I make a promise I try and hold to it.
Here we go, remember poll votes. (They'll be available for view after I post this.)
Gonna shout it from the mountain tops
A star is born
Time for pulling out the stops.
A star is born
Ares Styx, 18
District 12 Male
The glass tube that was holding us in drops, and the field that we are standing on lights up. The area around us is still black, but the floor is outlined with white lights. In the center of the field is a giant platform, and on top of the platform looks to be weapons.
I don't plan on letting anyone get to the point where they'll need them.
I sprint, and the first thing I do is head for Keanu. If I can take him out, then the process of taking the other two out will be easy. I'm almost home.
Keanu is running towards the platform, and he seemed to have the same idea as me. When I get closer to him, he dead stops, and somehow I'm in front of him running rather than behind him. He doesn't strike. He just keeps his pace at a nice jog.
Ava and Vera are staying towards the outskirts of the action. I don't know if they're expecting me to forget about them, and allow them the victory, but that's not happening.
I didn't train my whole life to lose now. I didn't train my whole life to get brought back for a second go at this and then lose.
Keanu is standing on the outskirts of the other side of the platform. I begin to climb the steps but stop dead in my tracks.
What if this is a plan?
What if this is a mutt, and the minute someone gets to the top they fall into some vortex that kills you instantly, or a giant mutt worm comes out from the bottom and grinds me to bits, or even the birds fly by and peck my eyes out.
Surely, they wouldn't make getting a weapon that easy.
"You okay, Styx?" calls Keanu from the other side.
"This isn't right. Something is wrong." I say.
As if on cue the platform begins to sink to the ground, suddenly a huge hole is beginning to form on the floor surrounding it. I'm stuck, and there is no way for me to get out of the hole. As the platform begins to sink, it gets colder and colder. I look over the edge of the platform and notice that there is no way to jump back. Keanu is staring down at me as the platform begins to sink, and I run up to the top of the platform and reach my hand up.
"Dude!" I scream. "Help me!"
He doesn't change his expression as he watches me from atop his position. On the other side of the platform, I notice Vera creep up and watch as I sink. Black sluggish hands reach out from the abyss that I'm falling into and grab ahold of my body, pulling me down into what I assume is darkness.
"No!" I scream. "I was going to win! I can't die here! I can't."
The black hands continue to pull me into the cold nothingness as my head sinks below the surface. I can't breathe anymore.
You failed twice, Ares.
I look up, and suddenly in the darkness I see a light. My sister Nike is standing before me, and her hand is outstretched.
"It's okay," she says. "Let go."
I reach out and grab her hand desperate to get away from the cold hands that surround me. You can't see any faces. All you see is hands. As my hand reaches and grabs Nike's, the feeling is warm and inviting. Suddenly I can breathe again, and let in a thick breath of air.
Nike pulls me from the darkness, and we walk home together.
Honey hit us with a hallelu
The kid came shining through
Girl sang the song
Come blow your horn.
A star is born.
Keanu Hargrave, 18
District 11 Male
"That was brutal," says Vera from the other side of the long pit Ares just fell into.
"It was," I respond.
"Who would have thought that the two kids from District 11 would be in the last 3?" she asks me from across the pit unmoving still.
"I had no doubts I would be he-" wait a minute. "Where is Ava?"
I turn around and see the girl from District 3 sneaking behind me with a knife that I'm assuming she had on her from the start of all this. She looks wide-eyed as I see her, and then looks to Vera for help who begins to make her way around the pit.
"So this is how it's going to be?" I ask. "Two against one?"
"Nothing personal, Kid," says Ava as she relaxes a bit once Vera gets closer. "Just acknowledging the fact you'd beat either one of us in the end."
The two girls each hold a knife, and me being the idiot that I am, dropped mine in the fight with Sashen. This fight is going to be rough, but I can still take them. Ava doesn't know what she's doing, and Vera is still trying to find confidence in who she is. I think I can stir up enough doubt in her to make her realize that she can't beat me regardless of the number advantage.
"Vera, do you really think you can win?" I ask her. "There is no way you can beat me."
"I've made it this far." she said determinedly.
"Ava, you have no shot anyways, so I won't even acknowledge you," I say.
She looks hurt as the comment probably stings, but I don't care. It's not something that I care about at this point. In a matter of minutes, Ava will be dead, Vera will be dead, their opinions, their feelings, their emotions won't matter. All this is is a means to an end. I will destroy anyone who gets in my way when I'm so close to victory.
I will not get third place again.
They stand there awkwardly, and clearly waiting for a moment to strike, when finally I just jump towards Vera, as out of the two she is the biggest threat. I knock her down and begin to choke her out, and she is struggling under the weight of my body mass. I'm careful to make sure that Ava isn't sneaking up behind me with that knife and am ready to swing at her if needed when Ava surprises me.
She throws the knife, and even more surprisingly, she hits me in my shoulder blade.
I wince in pain as the knife is going through the bone. I have no idea how Ava threw it that hard, but it hurts.
I get off of Vera and roll over to my side as Ava runs over to me, and begins to straddle me. She puts her hands over my throat and starts to squeeze.
"Let's see how you like being choked, Keanu." she says angrily.
I hear Vera breathing heavy attempts to regain her breath, and start to look around at my options. We are about 5 feet away from the pit. If I can get my body to move, I can fling Ava into it.
I begin to struggle with getting my legs under Ava's stomach. Vera is still trying to catch her breath, and the knife in my shoulder hurts like nothing I've ever encountered before. When one leg is under her stomach, I kick, and she winces as she falls to the side. I get up and rip the knife out of my shoulder and let out a massive scream. Ava is backing away as I walk over to her.
She is backing up, and the more she moves the closer she gets towards the pit. I smile as I walk over to her, teeth still clenched from the pain I feel on my shoulder, and lift my foot above her.
"Enjoy the fall, Ava," I say as I kick her in the stomach and she falls over the edge. She topples into the pit screaming, and I never hear a landing. I notice that I also don't hear Vera breathing heavy anymore. Turning around I see her standing up, and determined look on her face.
"I guess it's game over," I say with a grin as I walk towards her. She backs away, and I can tell that she is scared.
"I wouldn't say that." she says.
"I would."
I run towards her and tackle her to the ground, and begin to choke her. "I believe that we left off on a certain part of this, Vera," I say as I continue to squeeze her neck. Her eyes widen as she realizes that she has very little room for error right now, and my shoulder is on fire from squeezing her neck.
I feel something pointy go into my stab wound on my shoulder, and I realize that it's Vera's finger. I scream as I feel her digging around in the wound, and fall over to my side. Vera jumps up, and grabs the knife out of her pocket and stabs the front of both of my shoulders. She does the same to my legs, and I'm not able to move any of my body.
"Now that you're settled, I wanted to let you know something, Keanu."
"And what's that?" I ask feeling angry and cheated.
"You lose."
She stabs me in my neck, and the blood begins to pour out. I watch as she gets up and backs away quickly, just in case I magically am able to move or get a surge of energy that can somehow kill her before I die.
I am defeated.
I was so close. So close to winning everything I was cheated out of the first time. Now that the blood is draining out of my body, and I'm dying, yet again. Everything just seems so...peaceful.
"Rest in peace, Keanu." says Vera as my eyes start to glaze over.
"Panem, join me in congratulating your Victor for this year's Hunger Games, Vera Naylor!"
Lights out.
These things will change.
I can see it now.
The walls that they put up to hold us back,
Fell down.
This revolution, the time will come for things to never be the same.
Vera Naylor, 18
Victor of the Hunger Games
I awake to the sound of an alarm blaring. There is a dark object covering my eyes from being able to see, and suddenly it's removed and I'm staring at President Callowgwey. She looks frantic and nervous and begins pushing various buttons.
The next thing that I notice is that I'm surrounded by a green liquid, it begins to drain from a tube that holds my entire body from my neck down. Once it drains, I realize that I'm not wet, which is weird, and interesting all at the same time.
"We don't have a lot of time," says Rachel. "I have a lot to explain and need you to listen carefully."
"Okay.." I say. I'm still confused on what happened during the games. I remember that I stabbed Keanu, and I'm assuming since I'm here, and he isn't, that he's dead. A sudden sadness fills my body as I realize that all 25 of my friends and siblings are dead.
"Follow me." she says throwing a pair of black sweatpants, and a white v-neck at me.
I begin to walk and put on clothes at the same time, which is harder than you think when you're just getting out of a tube of non-wet green liquid.
"Vera, you won the games, but you were never actually in the arena," says Rachel walking into another room. She walks over to the wall and flips open a tile that reveals, even more, buttons, and she begins to press various combinations of those.
"What are you talking about?" I ask. "I remember the carnival."
"Just wait." says Rachel.
She continues to press buttons when Chanel, Iris, Mackenzie, and Huckleberry enter the room. Upon seeing me mom's eyes light up, and she embraces me in a hug.
"I'm so proud of you." she says.
Our reunion is interrupted by Mackenzie Screaming.
I turn and see all twenty-five of the other tributes in the same green liquid that held me. They're wearing virtual reality helmets that we would train with in training. Rachel begins walking over to them and clicking a button the helmets. The alarm is still blaring, and I've started to hear screaming from the house.
"What the hell is going on, Rachel?" ask Chanel.
"The tributes were never actually in the arena. I thought that if I held another Hunger Games that it would make the country fear me enough that they would settle, but it didn't. My future didn't change, and Obsidian is still leading a rebellion to overthrow me. Which is what you're hearing right now. I let him think that he's been controlling what I've been doing with a leaf that he stuck in my tea one morning that had hypnotizing properties, but I never actually drank it before he started ordering me around." she crosses over and begins to press the drain button on the tubes holding the tributes, and I watch as the liquid begins to drain.
"Star and I didn't want you guys to have to deal with losing kids that you raised," says Rachel as she begins laying out sweats and t-shirts for the other tributes. "So we created this simulation to look like a real Hunger Games. We were able to tap into the tributes helmets, and broadcast onto the network what they were seeing-"
"Where is Star?" ask Mackenzie interrupting.
"She...she didn't make it." says Rachel as she frowns "There isn't time for mourning right now," she says putting on a brave face. I think she's telling herself more than she's telling me. "Obsidian is on his way now, and he's blown through all of the country's defenses. He won't stop until I'm dead. You guys have to get out of here." I say as the tributes begin to stir from their sleep.
"What is all of this?" I ask pointing at the tube.
"The green liquid sustained your body of nutrients, and cleansed the area around you when you used the bathroom in the arena. The helmet sent waves to your brain once you died in the arena that put you in a hibernation sleep." says Rachel as she pulls out a watch and puts it on mom's wrist. She begins pressing buttons, and before my eyes, mom transforms into what she looked like 18 years ago.
"I want to thank you guys for your service to me, and helping me achieve everything that I've wanted to accomplish." she says as she goes down the line and gives them their youth back. She gets in front of me and has a sympathetic look on her face. "Vera, I'm so sorry that you had to go through this."
I slap her in the face.
"Vera!" screams mom.
"No, I deserved that." says Rachel.
"I hate you," I say. "You let me believe that all of my siblings were dead. Raised me with the belief that I was either going to die or live when I turned 18. Made me have all kinds of trust issues because of the situation you put me in. You brought me back from the DEAD."
"I know," says Rachel. "And I'm sorry."
We start to hear footsteps approaching the lab, and Rachel begins to run to the door.
"I have to go. This there are fake identies in the file cabinet for each of you. I've arranged with Panem Australia to house you once Obsidian takes power. Instructions for how to get there are, and where to go from here are in your file, Chanel." she says as she begins to walk out of the door.
"Wait." says mom.
She runs over to Rachel and puts the watch on her wrist. She pushes various buttons, and Rachel's grey hair turns brown again. Her wrinkles smooth as she becomes a young woman.
"If you're going to go down, you at least need to be hot while doing it." says mom.
Rachel smiles as she wraps her in a hug, and then runs out of the doors right as Obsidian's men burst into the other room of the lab. The doors close and lock, and mom springs into action of waking the other tributes up.
Once everyone is all dressed and caught up, mom walks over to the side of the lab and presses three tiles at the same time. The wall opens, and a lighted pathway reveals a way out of the room.
"Let's go guys."
If this is to end in fire.
We should all burn together.
Watch the flames climb high, into the sky.
Calling out father oh, stand by and we will see
Watch the flames burn auburn on the mountain side.
Rachel Callowgwey, 21
President of Panem
The men barge into the room, and Obsidian walks with his held high into the laboratory. My eyes shift to the room that holds all of tributes and parents, and see that the door was closed before they go in the room.
"Rachel, lovely evening isn't it?" ask Obsidian.
"It was." I say looking at him angrily.
"Now now," he says walking over and touching my face. "Don't be that way. Although I'm curious of something. How did you get beautiful again?" he ask.
I smile at him sarcastically.
"You think I'm pretty?" I say with my tone dripping in acid. He rolls his eyes and raises up his hands to his men. "Turn this place upside down until you find the time machine." he says.
Twenty minutes pass as they search the room for something they'll never find. It's with Chanel, and if I'm estimating correctly they should be halfway through the tunnel system by now. Once they realize that finding the watch is a blind man's mission, Obsidian orders the men to grab ahold of me, and they begin leading me through my house.
Trashed furniture, broken down doors, looted jewelry is all over the floor. They lead me to the elevator and I know they're taking me to the Presidential office. When we arrive in the hallway of Victors, surprisingly it's untouched. Vera should be in this room now.
Too bad she'll never get the chance.
Obsidian walks down the long hallway. A picture of each victor from all 300 years sits on the wall. When he gets to the 223rd games, and sees my picture he laughs as he grabs it, and rips it to shreds. Marissa's picture sticks out like a sore thumb as I walk by the 224th, and Addison's as well once I walk by the 225th.
We get into the office, and he has them sit me in the chair behind the desk. Caridee walks over to the couch and puts her feet up on the coffee table that is made from wood that is more expensive than the mountain of makeup she has caked on her face.
"Rachel, I'm sorry that it had to come to this." says Obsidian with his hand over his heart and making a fake sympathetic face.
"Better not to lie, Obsidian." I say. "We both know you're a prick."
He smiles as he pulls out a pistol and points it at me. "I've waited 18 long years for this Rachel. 18 years to take you out, and to put the Snow's back in power. You have no idea how good it feels to be in this room. To finally be able to kill you."
"Careful there." I say as I refuse to show the fear I'm feeling on the inside of my body on my face. 'You don't want to get overly excited." I say.
He smiles as he walks to the front of the desk and holds the pistol to my head. "Any last words?"
"Why do the bad guys always insist on making long ass speeches?"
We turn, and to my absolute shock, we see Chanel, Iris, Mackenzie, Huck, Vera, and the rest of the tributes standing in the doorway.
"Honestly, had you just shot her we wouldn't have had enough time to get here." says Chanel.
"GET THEM!" screams Caridee.
The men run towards them, and the tributes begin fighting.
I hear screams of pain, I hear taunting, I hear bones cracking. Everyone in this room is a trained killer, and most of the tributes are kicking ass.
I notice that Amandus is lying on the ground eyes wide open, as well as Jayanti. Those are the only two that I notice of ours that our down.
Obsidian tries to run out of the room, but I run after him and tackle him. He falls to the ground and the gun falls out of his hand. I grab it and point it at his head as she pouts on the ground.
"This isn't fair. You've never been good at running the country! You shouldn't be here! The Snows are the rightful rulers of this country, and all you are is some bitch that knew my great aunt! You're supposed to be dead!"
"And here I am," I say smirking as the gun is still pointing at his head.
I hear footsteps behind me, and see Caridee trying to sneak up on me. I turn and shoot her in the head, and then turn back to Obsidian. One by one the tributes and the parents walk out of the room. Bruised up and scarred as they won the fight. Julian is among the fallen I'm assuming by the fact he's not in the group.
"Vera, come here."
She walks over to me and I hand her the gun. She looks confused as she holds it in her hand, and then leans down to Obsidian while holding the pistol to his head.
"I hate Rachel." she says. "But I've always hated you too. The thing about the past Obsidian, is that it's in the past. You may have been the ruling family back in the day, but the thing is, every family has ghost they'd rather forget."
She pulls the trigger, and blood splatters the walls and all around us. I get up from the body and look around the room. The dead assassins are lying on the ground, as well as Jayanti, Julian, and Amandus.
Iris, Mackenzie, and Huck walk over to their kids that gave their life fighting for me yet again. I'm not a good person, but I did what I thought was best. I didn't mean for this to happen. Everything I did was for the prevention of this.
"What do we do now?" ask Mackenzie with tears in her eyes.
All three of them have lost their child twice. That's something I'll never know the burden of. I'll never know the burden that these tributes have gone through. I'll never be able to apologize enough for what I've done, but I've done it. And I have to deal with it.
"We handle the ghost of our past," I say turning and walking back towards the elevator.
Well, that's the end of the story. I'll be posting a epilogue explaining what happens to all the people in their futures hopefully by Sunday. If not, Monday.
Eulogies
4th Place: Ares Styx (Killed by Platform falling)- This was a victim of the poll votes again. I'm sorry he went out Apollo, thanks for subbing him again. It'll be weird not writing for a Styx kid in my next SYOT. Also thank you for being a loyal reader.
3rd Place: Ava Willows (Killed by Keanu Hargrave)- Ava should have died sooner. The fact she didn't is on me, and I take responsibility for that. I felt I developed to much of her and Joseph though to kill both of them at the same time. Congrats to her submitter for making third.
2nd Place: Keanu Hargrave (Killed by Vera Naylor)- Christian I want to thank you for subbing to this. It was incredible to write your tribute, and to hear your feedback, and even more fun to write this and share it with you. He made it here because his poll vote was second highest. You should be proud that your first tribute was a runner-up. Good job dude.
Victor: Vera Naylor- Okay, so what the hell? She lead the poll with 5 votes to win, and I was confused as hell. Vera was supposed to be a bloodbath. The more I wrote her the more I got to see the development from little girl to woman. It was great seeing her as a underdog throughout the story. I'm proud of her oddly. She earned her win. She was voted to win. Congrats Emma.
Poll results are on my profile for proof.
What did you think?
Hope you enjoyed the story.
Stay tuned for the epilog.
Keep it classy,
Caleb