Mira Marlina, 17
District 4 Female
The air was hot and humid, and buzzing with birdsong and bugs. My pedestal clicked into place and I clenched my teeth, surveying the jungle around me. We were in a wide clearing, but the ground was covered in roots and tangled vines. The Cornucopia was made of pale pinkish-gold metal, and jungle ferns grew around its base. Piles of supplies sat near the entrance, but other crates and sacks were scattered around. A glowing green hologram hovered above the point of the horn, counting down.
The girl from 7 was on my left and the boy from 9 was on my right. The girl was tall, and in a large alliance, and could prove to be a threat. I was less worried about the boy, but I knew not to underestimate him.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
I set my sight on a rack of spears sitting just inside the Cornucopia mouth as the gong rang loudly, echoing in my ears. I leapt off my pedestal and charged forward, hopping over roots and vines.
Ebony, the girl from 7, was keeping pace with me. I desperately tried to summon an extra burst of speed, but Ebony's hand came up and struck my shoulder. I stumbled, my foot catching on a root and preventing me from saving myself.
For a moment, I felt weightless. And then there was a thud, and a terrible pain washed over me. My vision went black and I collapsed onto my stomach, whimpering in pain. My stomach churned and I could feel wet blood dripping into my eyes.
'Three seconds', I told myself. 'You have three seconds and then you have to get up'. I forced myself to take a deep breath and then heaved myself up, leaning against the Cornucopia for support. The ground dipped and swayed and I felt bile rise in my throat, but I clenched my jaw and forced my vision - and my stomach - to still.
Outside was chaos. Adonis's muscular form was lying face-down on the ground, blood pooling around his head. Billie and Lumine were nowhere to be seen and Marino was standing frozen near Adonis's corpse. My allies were gone. Then my eyes locked with a pair of deep brown ones, and panic filled my throat.
Spartan stalked towards me, his meaty hands curling into fists. I reached back, desperate for any weapon, and came up with a small backpack. 'Spears', I reminded myself. 'There are spears'.
With my other hand, I grabbed a spear from the rack. But now what? I was still shaky from my head wound; I had a feeling that only adrenaline was keeping me on my feet. I had to think fast, but everything was fuzzy.
'You're going to die!' my brain screamed. Desperately, I swung the backpack at Spartan. He swatted it aside, surprised, and I lunged forward. He'd left his chest unguarded, and that was all I needed. I plunged my spear deep into his heart, knocking him backwards with the force of the blow.
A wave of dizziness crashed over me and I collapsed on top of him. Spartan let out a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a groan, a look of pure hatred on his face. But after a moment, his chest fell still. I tried to get up but the ground was swaying like the sea again and I had to flop back down. Killing Spartan made no difference. I was still dead.
Someone grabbed my arm and I jerked my head up, my instinct telling me to fight. But Lumine's big eyes were staring back at me, filled with worry.
"Come on, get up," she said, giving me a tug. Summoning the last of my strength, I pushed down on Spartan's chest and heaved myself up, leaning heavily against Lumine. She threw my arm over her shoulder and began to half-drag, half-carry me into the jungle.
Ronald Jones, 18
District 6 Male
The moist air of the arena clung to my skin, already pulling sweat to the surface. With heat like this, the next two weeks would be hell. But the impending bloodbath was enough to keep those worries from my mind. I was ready to kill.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
When the gong rang, I jumped off my podium and ran for the Cornucopia. But in the corner of my eye, I saw the boy from 8 stumble over a root and fall onto his hands and knees. I threw myself down beside him and sank my hands into his thick hair. I smashed his face into the rocky ground, satisfied with the sound of bones crunching.
Over and over I slammed his face into the earth. It only took about three strikes for him to fall still, but I gave his body a few extra tosses to make sure he was dead. Then I climbed to my feet and wiped my hands on my pants. Mission successful.
Someone near me cried out and I turned to see Juliana sink a machete deep into Kerra's side. My ally slumped to her knees, clutching her bloody ribs while Victor looked on, his eyes wide. I ran over, grabbing Juliana's wrist as she went to strike at Victor.
"Head for the Cornucopia," I hissed at him. Looking panicked, Victor dashed off.
I pulled Juliana's arm behind her back and pulled down, snapping the bone. She cried out and threw her head back, but I moved to the side, avoiding a headbutt to the nose. Then I shoved her to the ground and grabbed her machete. I plunged it into her chest as she cried. But she quickly fell still.
I turned to Kerra, who was slumped on the ground. Her eyes were closed and there was blood everywhere. She was gone too. I sighed and jogged towards the Cornucopia. Might as well give Ebony and Jackson a hand.
Beria Campbell, 18
District 12 Female
I'd never felt this much emotion in my entire life. I was shaking with fury and fear as my pedestal locked into place. My fists were clenched so tightly I could feel my nails cutting into my palms, but I didn't care. What was the point? I'd lost everything.
No, not everything. Lou was still back at home, watching me fight for my life. He had no one left. Bran was gone. Patrick was gone. And now Livia was gone. I had to survive. I had to win.
My eyes locked in on a large ax leaning against the outside of the stone Cornucopia. My pedestal was on the far left of the semicircle, so my only pedestal neighbor was Rain of District 5. That ax would be too large for him. I steadied myself. It was mine.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
The gong went off and we all surged forward. I wasn't the fastest person out there, but anger made me strong. I flew past Rain and snatched up the ax. There was a large backpack nearby that I reached for, but someone else's hand closed around it seconds before mine did.
Releasing it, I brought my hand up and struck my opponent across the face. They cried out, dropping the bag. Without hesitating, I swung my ax with both hands, cutting deep into their skull. I grabbed the backpack and took off towards the distant hills beyond the point of the Cornucopia. I wasn't sure what possessed me, but something forced me to look back at who I'd just killed. It was Spruce, the quiet boy from 11. His face was smashed and mangled now, blood and gore oozing from the wound. I grit my teeth to bite back a scream, and ran.
Adonis Serrano, 18
District 1 Male
My pedestal locked into place and I surveyed the jungle arena with wide eyes. The sun glinted off the Cornucopia, momentarily blinding me. I blinked the brightness away and looked to the mouth of the horn. It was stuffed with supplies; that was what I needed to defend.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
A gleaming metal bow and a quiver of arrows was leaning against a crate just outside the entrance. When the gong rang, I leaped off the pedestal and ran for the bow. But beside me, someone let out a cry and something compelled me to turn. I watched Jeff, the boy from 8, trip and fall, and the boy from 6 dive onto him. He began to pummel Jeff into the ground and bile rose in my throat.
I staggered away from the boys, my knees shaking. This was more than I ever anticipated. Ronald leaped to his feet and took off in another direction, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from Jeff's bloody, beaten corpse.
Lightheadedness took over me and I fell to my knees. Vomit rose in my throat and I threw up all over the ground in front of me. This was too much! I was so wrong to volunteer. I wanted to go home!
A shadow fell over me and I looked up, half-blinded by my tears. Winona stood over me, a large ax in her hand. Our eyes met and she curled her lip before swinging the blade down. I closed my eyes just as the metal split my skull. My last thought was of Flora and my mothers.
Spartan Akuma, 18
District 2 Male
Humid air filled my lungs as my pedestal locked into place. The sun shone brightly down on the mossy clearing, with the Cornucopia glittering at the center. Shifting from foot to foot, I cracked my knuckles and rolled my neck. It was almost time.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
The gong went off and I leaped off my pedestal, slamming into the girl from 11, who was beside me. She screamed as I gripped the back of her neck and smashed her face into the base of her metal pedestal. I slammed her into it repeatedly, waiting until her body went limp to release her. Her body fell onto the grass, her face smashed to a pulp. My first kill.
I climbed to my feet and turned to survey the clearing. The Cornucopia was my next goal, but if I could eliminate another threat along the way, that could benefit me greatly. I started towards the metal structure and found myself locking eyes with Mira.
Blood was dripping from a cut on her forehead and she was leaning against the metal wall of the Cornucopia for support. She was my next target. And she seemed to know it too, as a look of fear crossed her face as I stalked forward.
Mira was a pathetic excuse for a Career, and I would prove my worth by eliminating her. As I approached, she reached for a weapon but just produced a backpack. I kept my expression steely, but inside, I was elated. The excitement for my next kill rushed over me and I took up a fighting stance.
Mira reached back again, this time gripping a spear. But she was swaying on her feet; this would be easy. When she was within arm's length, she swung the backpack at me. I knocked it aside with ease, but then everything went wrong.
She lunged forward, spear in hand. Pain burst through my chest and I staggered back. Shock took me down just as much as Mira's weight did. We crashed to the ground and I felt my heart stutter. I was dying.
Looking into Mira's eyes, I felt a shout of anger boil in my chest. But it came out as a pained groan. This was it. I'd failed.
Ada Worth, 17
District 8 Female
I rolled my shoulders as my pedestal clicked into place, readying myself for the moments ahead. I had to be loose and limber for when it was time. As the countdown wound down, I got into a running position.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
The sound of the gong echoed around the clearing as I jumped off my podium. I'd spotted a small backpack and a knife lying in the grass nearby, safely tucked behind a root, and had decided to go for it. It was close enough for me to get to without entering the main chaos of the bloodbath.
I skidded to a halt and grabbed the bag, swinging it up and over my shoulder. Then, gripping the knife tightly, I looked around. There didn't seem to be any pathways through the jungle, though the areas to the south and east of the Cornucopia seemed the least bogged down by plants and vines. I decided to run west.
I'd almost made it to the edge of the pedestals when a boy threw himself in front of me. I barely had time to register him before he threw a punch, catching me in the side of the face. I felt my teeth clash together and the taste of blood filled my mouth.
Panicked, I swung my blade, cutting deep into his face. He cried out and dropped to his knees, clutching the wound, but I didn't stay around to see the damage. I dashed past him and ran further into the jungle.
Pausing at the edge of the clearing, I glanced back at the chaos I'd left behind. Mira and Lumine were staggering into the forest opposite me. The boy from 3 was helping the boy I'd stabbed earlier. Evelyne was standing tall in the mouth of the Cornucopia, a bow in her hands. Billie was just pulling her bloodied mace away from Winona's body. And Adonis was dead on the ground.
For a moment I could only stare. These were people I had shared food with. Who I had learned alongside. We were competitors, yes, but we were also children. And now we were going to die.
Tears in my eyes, I turned and ran into the jungle.
Bellona "Billie" Silverrock, 17
District 2 Female
The moment was here. In ten seconds, the gong would go off and the bloodbath would begin. The arena seemed to be a humid jungle of some kind, with many twisting roots and vines. I'd have to be careful as I ran to the Cornucopia.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
The gong rang out and I lunged forward, not bothering to pay attention to who was beside me. I charged towards the rose-gold structure, eyes already scanning the piles of supplies for a mace.
The girl from 9 sped past me, getting in and out in record time. I would've stopped to cut her off, but without a weapon I wasn't as capable. I needed a mace.
Suddenly, there was a boy in front of me. In my shock, I slowed down instead of ramming into him. I recognized him as the boy from 7. He had a look of fear on his face, but he held up his fists in what he must have thought was a threatening manner.
I took up a fighting stance and delivered a firm blow to the side of his head. He groaned, staggering back, and I roundhouse kicked him in the ribs. He fell to the ground and I stepped over him, deeper into the Cornucopia.
There. My eyes narrowed in on a sizable mace towards the back of the horn. I hurried over and grabbed it, turning just in time to see a girl run out with an ax. I tried to dash after her, but was again blocked by another tribute.
This time it was the girl from 7. She was holding a quarterstaff and somehow managed to deflect the blow of my mace, even though it splintered her weapon. I went to strike again, but she dodged to the side and hopped over a pile of crates. And then I saw Winona raise her ax over Adonis's head.
I charged forward, but I wasn't quick enough. Adonis crumpled to the ground and I gasped. The Career Pack's leader was dead. I looked around for my other allies and spotted Mira lying on the ground with Spartan. She wasn't moving. Was she dead too?
Anger and panic flashed through me. I ran at Winona, who was just turning away from Adonis's body. I smashed my mace into her nose, sending her reeling back. Adjusting my grip, I brought the spiked weapon down on her head twice more before she fell completely still.
But anger was still coursing through me. I looked around for another target, only to stumble back as pain pierced my chest. Looking down, I felt my jaw drop. An arrow was protruding from my chest. I glanced up and locked eyes with Evelyne. Her gaze was steely as she released another arrow. The pain intensified as the arrow pierced the skin of my throat. Everything grew darker as I fell back, and I was gone before I even hit the ground.
Marino Cortez, 18
District 4 Male
This was it. I'd been putting on a brave face all morning, but in all honesty, I was absolutely terrified. I had strong allies, but I wasn't strong. I had no training. And I couldn't rely on Billie and the tributes from 1 to protect me. They would be fighting for themselves.
Luckily, my pedestal was fairly close to the end of the line. There were only three tributes to my left. Spruce was to my immediate left, and beyond him it was Rain and then Beria. Juliana was on my other side.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Juliana was off before I could even blink, and the others were off shortly after. I stumbled forward, suddenly overwhelmed. Someone screamed and there was the sound of a collision. I focused on the Cornucopia and tried to make my feet move, but I was stuck. Panic had frozen me.
'I don't want to die here!' I thought frantically. I needed to make myself move. Clenching my fists, I dug my nails into my palm, hoping the pain would kick my brain into gear. Then suddenly, there was a thud and groan of pain. Beria had just slammed her ax deep into Spruce's skull.
Bile rose in my throat and I nearly fell. This was too much! I needed to get away. Beria was already making her way into the jungle, so circling around the left of the Cornucopia could be a good strategy…
Mind made up, I forced my legs to move and dashed around the pedestals, trying not to draw attention to myself. I reached the side of the Cornucopia and pressed myself against it, breathing hard. I could hide here until my allies had secured the horn.
"Excuse me," someone said. I nearly jumped out of my skin, my hands instinctively coming up to protect my face.
"I'm not going to hurt you," the same person said. "I just need a boost."
Lowering my hands, I blinked in surprise. It was Rain, the young kid from 5.
"What?" I asked.
"I need a boost," he repeated. "Up there." He pointed to the Cornucopia. He had a coil of rope slung over his shoulder and a mesh bag of fishing hooks, but nothing else. And he looked sincere…
"Okay," I said awkwardly, folding my hands into a stirrup. He put one foot in, and on the count of three, I hoisted him up. He scrambled to get a grip and I gave him an extra shove. With that momentum, he was able to get up on top.
"Thanks," he called down before flattening himself against the metal and crawling away. I blinked up at him in shock.
"You're welcome."
Then I pressed my back against the warm metal and waited…
Hugo Firewall, 14
District 3 Male
My pedestal rising on the far right of the ring was both a blessing and a curse. I had less of a direct shot to the Cornucopia, but I was safe from most of the other tributes. People wouldn't go out of their way to attack me. Lumine was the nearest Career, and she seemed focused solely on the plethora of weapons and supplies within the mouth of the horn.
But what was I going to focus on? Materials for my inventions would be ideal, but I had no idea where those would be. Food would also be important, as would shelter. I scanned the row of tributes for Zeppelina, but she wasn't looking at me. And I didn't have time to get her attention.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
I stepped off my pedestal and ran forward, but paused about halfway to the abundance of supplies. I shouldn't go in too deep. Instead, I darted to my left and grabbed a small fanny pack. Near it was a blue box with a handle, so I grabbed that as well. A girl screamed nearby, making me jump. I looked up to see Spartan grab Ruby and throw her against her pedestal. Blood sprayed against her skin and tears welled in my eyes. She wouldn't survive that.
Someone dashed up to me and I flinched before realizing it was Zeppelina. She was carrying a brown sack and had a backpack on.
"Come on," she hissed, shoving me back towards the jungle.
"What about Vasir?" I asked. She paused and looked around.
"He's hurt. Forget about him."
"What?"
I followed her gaze to see Vasir on his knees nearby, clutching his face. His hands were red with blood. A strange sort of numbness rushed over me, followed by intense heat. I shoved the box into Zeppelina's hands.
"I'll be right back," I told her. Then I sprinted towards Vasir.
Stopping beside him, I grabbed his shoulder and tried to haul him to his feet.
"Don't hurt me," he hissed, pulling away.
"Vasir, it's Hugo," I said gently. "We have to leave."
He opened his right eye to look at me warily.
"Zeppelina is going to leave without us if we don't go," I whispered, giving him another tug. Reluctantly, he got to his feet and allowed me to guide him back to our ally. Zeppelina had an indecipherable expression on her face, but nodded.
"Let's go," she said firmly.
Together, the three of us made our way into the jungle, fighting past vines and hanging branches. Vasir whimpered quietly, but Zeppelina trudged on. I let out a quiet breath, one of both relief and sadness. Ruby was gone. But the rest of my allies were alive, and we seemed to be well-supplied. Maybe we had a chance.
HERE IT IS! The culmination of all my efforts thus far. I'm so ridiculously excited and nervous to post this chapter. I don't want to upset anyone; please keep in mind that this is in the name of the game, and that tribute deaths are not a reflection on the submitter. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please leave a review! Thank you all so much :)
Questions
1) Whose death was the most surprising?
2) Whose death was the saddest?
3) Were there any surprise survivors?
4) Did the deaths feel realistic?
Eulogies
24th: Ruby Ashmead (killed by Spartan Akuma)
RIP Ruby. You were a bright and positive character and the glue of your chaotic alliance. I'm sorry you never got to confess to your crush. You were a joy to write and I'll miss you loads. Thank you SilverflowerXRavenpaw.
23rd: Jeff Tyler (killed by Ronald Jones)
RIP Jeff. You were submitted as a possible bloodbath and I definitely needed some tributes to die here. I liked having you around and I enjoyed the challenge of differentiating you from Jackson and Jonathan. You will be missed. Thank you AmericanPi.
22nd: Spruce Windstorm (killed by Beria Campbell)
RIP Spruce. I absolutely adored you as a character and I actually had you on my list of victor contenders for a while. But in the end this was the best place for you to go. I'm so sorry. Thank you FlameAndVoid.
21st: Kerra Rathbone (killed by Juliana Bruta)
RIP Kerra. You were an awesome tribute and I loved your character concept. Unfortunately, I struggled a bit with fleshing you out and so you had to die here. I'm sorry Ace, and if you want to submit Kerra somewhere else, you have my blessing. Thank you Ace-0f-Sw0rds.
20th: Juliana Bruta (killed by Ronald Jones)
RIP Juliana. You were a strong but naive girl and I enjoyed exploring your character. I really wish you could have truly made a friend. But I needed more bloodbaths. Thank you DigitalZarathustra.
19th: Adonis Serrano (killed by Winona Espero)
RIP Adonis. You were a wholesome guy who just wanted what was best for everyone. But LCS submitted you as a bloodbath and I needed more tributes to die here. You will be dearly missed. Thank you LadyCordeliaStuart.
18th: Spartan Akuma (killed by Mira Marlina)
RIP Spartan. Every story needs a villain, and you were a great one. Unfortunately, I wanted to take out a few strong tributes, and so you had to go. You fought for your honor until the very end, and were a joy to write. Thank you Very New To This.
17th: Winona Espero (killed by Billie Silverrock)
RIP Winona. You were a strong and driven tribute with an admirable goal, and I had a lot of fun writing you and the dynamics of your alliance. You succeeded in taking out the Career Pack and hopefully you died knowing your goal was accomplished. Thank you Gomex.
16th: Billie Silverrock (killed by Evelyne Hope)
RIP Billie. You were an absolutely incredible tribute and it pained me so much to kill you. But I wanted a big bloodbath and I thought it could be interesting to take out a strong tribute early. Thank you Victoria the Bipolar Tribute.
Alliances
Save Me:
- Lumine
- Mira
Winona's Bunch:
- Evelyne
- Ronald
- Jackson
- Ebony
- Victor
Manipulation Station:
- Zeppelina
- Hugo
- Vasir
Loners:
- Marino
- Rain
- Ada
- Beria
- Jonathan
Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!
- Fiona