I hope you enjoy this chapter. I really liked this arena but I feel like it was challenging to convey because of the complexity of it. But I hope this chapter is entertaining and it's one of my longest written for this story. And this is the longest Games thus far in the story. Let me know what you think by leaving a review! Also I finished reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes if anyone wants to talk about that because I have a lot to say about it! Anyways enjoy!
Panem Events
The Capitol was happy with Milo and his Games. They liked the Arena and that Milo was an outer District Tribute who played the Hunger Games well. He sacrificed so much to win his Games, including his left arm. For his post-victory interview, Milo was still pale from so much blood loss and he wore an oversized blazer to hide the fact that he was still missing his left arm because a prosthetic was not made in time. During his interview, Milo didn't have much to say other than that he tried his hardest to win. It wasn't until after he returned to Nine and talked with his family that he realized that the Capitol truly loved his storytelling in the Arena. For his victory tour most of the District found him caring and well-spoken and a grand Victor including the Career Districts. The only District to show any signs of animosity was District Ten since they came so close to victory once again.
The Capitol was excited about this year's Games. Head Gamemaker Julius Falco seemed to have found his groove and President Marcellus was happy that the Capitol was happy. Falco released propaganda for this Games which consisted of a five-second video clip of a black screen with the distant sound of water dripping. The Capitol couldn't wait to see how these Games played with many people guessing that it would be played in complete darkness. One change made in this year's Games was that the pricing of sponsor gifts would be decreased slightly. After Rio Delarosa made comments during last year's Games many of the Capitolites suggested the change. Fear of being disliked led to President Marcellus and Julius Falco to make the change.
The tributes this year were typical. The highest scored tribute was Dazzle of One who scored a 10, she was allied with the other Careers; her District Partner, Cosmo, the Four tributes, Gill and Marcy, and even Two was invited back into the alliance with Gravel and Cidavia. The Capitol was also interested in the alliance of Leviticus of Eleven and Opal of Twelve who scored an eight and seven respectively. Another standout tribute was Moose of Seven who scored a seven and was the Mayor's son. He tried to ally with Leviticus and Opal but Opal was annoyed but his constant flirtatious advancements. Instead, Moose was allied with Erin of Five who also scored a seven, and Ben of Six. Another alliance was of the District Eight tributes, Tailor and Alyssa, with the male of Nine, Daniel, and the female of Ten, Dixie. A lot of the tributes were not allied so the Capitol hoped for a longer Games since there would be less large groups.
xXx
Tributes
District One- Male: Cosmo Nethers, 17 (9) Female: Dazzle Movanti, 18 (10)
District Two- Male: Gravel Hunts, 18 (8) Female: Cidavia Deneru, 16 (9)
District Three- Male: Rodney Malone, 15 (4) Female: Mackenzie Kernel, 12 (3)
District Four- Male: Gill Walsh, 18 (9) Female: Marcy Strong, 18 (9)
District Five- Male: Steven Winns, 12 (5) Female: Erin Gordon, 16 (7)
District Six- Male: Ben Falcone, 17 (5) Female: Beatrice McCarthy, 17 (4)
District Seven- Male: Moose Sverkolski, 16 (7) Female: Molly Root, 15 (5)
District Eight- Male: Tailor Gaines, 14 (6) Female: Alyssa Burgandy, 15 (5)
District Nine- Male: Daniel Moore, 16 (5) Female: Felicity Pate, 14 (4)
District Ten- Male: Sonny Clovis, 16 (5) Female: Dixie Cornwall, 18 (6)
District Eleven- Male: Leviticus Mitchell, 17 (8) Female: Irma Vinoli, 17 (5)
District Twelve- Male: Malachi French, 13 (5) Female: Opal Joyce, 18 (7)
xXx
Day One
The tributes rise up in a large dark cavern. The Arena is the inside of a giant cave system. There are multiple chambers and levels of the cave system. Pools of water, springs, and streams criss-cross through the rock. Slick and jagged rocks are abundant. There is a small hole seventy feet above the Cornucopia that shines a ten-foot radius of light around the horn. The only source of light the tributes have is a headlamp. The tributes also wear fleece-lined canvas pants and a thick grey long sleeve shirt. They also have a light-weight jacket with their District Emblem on their right sleeve. The tributes are disoriented by the darkness and it takes almost the whole countdown to gather their bearings. When the gong rings only Felicity and Malachi run away into the darkness. The rest of the tributes surge forward in a chaotic scramble of light beams. The Cornucopia is filled mostly with packs of food and water and the only weapons being pickaxes. During the chaos of the fighting, only seven tributes die in the Bloodbath.
The first death occurs as Gravel runs to the mouth of the horn. He searches for his choice of weapon, a spear, but only pickaxes litter the ground. He swiftly picks up a pickaxe and turns around to find Rodney digging through a nearby crate. Gravel races over to Rodney and stabs the pickaxe into Rodney's chest.
24. Rodney Malone, D3- stabbed in the chest by Gravel Hunts, D2
Gravel notices many of the other Careers searching for their preferred weapons in the back of the Cornucopia. "There's only pickaxes. The others are getting away!" Gravel shouts. Cidavia didn't worry about searching for her preferred weapon and picked up a pickaxe early in the fight. She corners the District Eleven girl, Irma, on the outside of the Cornucopia. Irma tries to duck and run away but Cidavia easily slashes the pickaxe into Irma's back.
23. Irma Vinoli, D11- slashed in the back by Cidavia Deneru, D2
Gill runs out of the Cornucopia with a pickaxe held high. He charges towards Ben and Tailor fighting over a backpack. Gill stabs his pickaxe into Ben's chest. Ben stumbles to the ground as Gill stabs him once more. Gill turns to face Tailor, but Tailor has already raced off into the cavern.
22. Ben Falcone, D6- stabbed in the chest by Gill Walsh, D4
Leviticus desperately searches for Opal in the chaos of the Bloodbath. The scattering light beams and screams disorient him, but he finally finds Opal wrestling on the ground with Molly. Leviticus races over and kicks Molly off of Opal. He then smashes his pickaxe into the back of Molly's skull. Leviticus helps Opal to her feet and the pair race off into the darkness.
21. Molly Root, D7- head smashed by Leviticus Mitchell, D11
Gravel spots Sonny searching through a crate and Gravel easily stabs his pickaxe into Sonny's back.
20. Sonny Clovis, D10- stabbed in the back by Gravel Hunts, D2
With many of the tributes racing off into the darkness the Bloodbath is starting to die down. Dazzle and Cosmo spot Erin trying to help an injured Steven away. The District One pair easily finish off the tributes of Five.
19. Erin Gordon, D5- stabbed in the chest by Dazzle Movanti, D1
18. Steven Winns, D5- stabbed in the chest by Cosmo Nethers, D1
The race away from the Bloodbath is slow-going as many tributes have to carefully watch their step on the slippery rocks. There are mutliple trails for tributes to follow, meaning it could be easy for them to get lost in the darkness. Felicity and Malachi are the farthest away since they didn't participate in the Bloodbath. Felicity only went a few hundred yards before finding a small alcove along a trail. She hides inside with her headlamp off to conserve its battery. After hiding for a few minutes she spots the alliance of Leviticus and Opal move past. She debated about stepping out and asking to join their alliance but decided against it. Malachi headed south of the Cornucopia and followed along a path until he found a small pool of water to rest by. The outer alliances were able to partially meet up during the Bloodbath as the Careers spent precious seconds searching for their preferred weapons. Leviticus found Opal and the two went west each with their own pack and pickaxe. The alliance of Alyssa, Tailor, Daniel, and Dixie was split because they weren't able to meetup. Alyssa is with Daniel and Tailor is with Dixie. Their plan is to meet in the west if they got separated. This plan doesn't work out too well since there isn't a sun to guide them and neither group has a compass. In actuality, Alyssa and Daniel are heading south while Tailor and Dixie head east. Daniel was able to grab a pickaxe and Alyssa got a pack of food and water. While walking along the trail, Alyssa slips and rolls her ankle. The pair decide to hide in small cave and to search for Tailor and Dixie later on. Dixie and Tailor ended up with a pack and two pickaxes between them, they try to search for their allies. They travel with their headlamps turned on the dimmest setting to prevent being spotted, and search for their allies until the faces of the fallen are shown. The rest of the tributes are on their own. Moose lost both his allies in the Bloodbath but managed to get a pack and pickaxe from the Bloodbath. The other two loner tributes, Mackenzie and Beatrice, also managed to grab packs and pickaxes and travel far from the Cornucopia before settling in for the night.
Day Two
Early in the morning the Careers awake and after a small breakfast Dazzle takes the lead in dividing people up for the day.
"I say we hunt for tributes in small groups. We only have the hard hats' light and flashlights for light and hunting in a large group will be too noticeable. The other tributes will be able to see us coming from a mile away. Gill and Cosmo can be together while Cidavia and Marcy can hunt together. Leaving Gravel and I stay here to continue organizing supplies," Dazzle remarks.
"Why do I have to stay behind," Gravel moans.
"Because you only scored an eight in training. I'm staying behind because I don't want to lug this heavy pickaxe around. There must be some throwing knives somewhere inside this Cornucopia," Dazzle replies.
Nobody objects to Dazzle's plan and the two hunting groups leave in opposite directions. Dazzle and Gravel go through the crates of the Cornucopia but only find packages of food, water bottles, pickaxes, flashlights, and some rope.
"Not a lot of variety in supplies this year," Gravel scoffs.
Dazzle only shakes her head, she can't believe she spent years training with throwing knives for no reason. There are always knives in the Arena, at least that's what Headmistress Stella told her at the Academy. Dazzle finds a slender case and opens it to find three pairs of sunglasses inside, "What are the point of these?" she moans.
Gravel hurries over and gasps, "I think these are night vision glasses. I remember in elementary school when a miner's kid brought them to show and tell. Miners sometimes use them in the caves."
"So they help you see in the dark?" Dazzle asks putting them on.
"Oh wait," Gravel says reaching out to stop her, "You can't put them on when in the light because it will hurt your eyes. The light coming from the hole above us would appear too bright with them on. You can only use them in the dark."
"Hmm, well I think we found a way to hunt for tributes without them even knowing we're there," Dazzle says giddily.
When the rest of the Careers return that evening without any luck, Dazzle and Gravel share the good news. These glasses will give the Careers an even bigger advantage in the Games. The remaining tributes don't move around too much. Tailor and Dixie search a few hours for their allies Daniel and Alyssa but they never find them. Daniel and Alyssa are still hiding while Alyssa lets her sprained ankle heal a little bit longer.
Day Three
As the Careers get ready for the day Dazzle, Gravel, and Marcy volunteer to go hunting for tributes. They put on their glasses and leave the Cornucopia early in the morning. Not knowing the outer parts of the Arena well the trio tries not to venture far from the Cornucopia. They take their time searching every crevice and corner for tributes. After searching for hours, Marcy claims to spot a flickering of light about a few hundred yards across a cavern. The group makes their way across the cavern and comes across a small alcove in the wall. Inside they find Daniel and Alyssa. Daniel jumps to his feet but Alyssa only sobs as she tries to crawl deeper inside. Dazzle swings her pickaxe and stabs it into Daniel's chest as Gravel goes after Alyssa.
17. Daniel Moore, D9- stabbed in the chest by Dazzle Movanti, D1
Alyssa shrieks as Gravel slashes his pickaxe across her throat.
16. Alyssa Burgandy D8- throat slashed by Gravel Hunts, D2
Their two cannons soon boom and the Careers continue on their search for more tributes. The day ends without them having any luck and they return to the Cornucopia. The other tributes continue to be holed up not wanting to risk going out and using their lights.
Day Four
Not a lot happens as many tributes continue to stay hidden away in fear of being spotted. Dixie and Tailor mourn the deaths of their allies although they never actually met up with them in the Games.
Day Five
Malachi hasn't eaten since he entered the Games. He travels nearly all day searching for any type of plant or even insects to eat. Malachi squeezes through a tight crevice to find an open chamber filled with small blue luminescent worms. He has never heard of miners finding glowing blue worms in the mines of Twelve. Malachi's stomach growls and hesitantly reaches out to poke the worm. As he presses his finger against the worm's flesh a burning sensation starts in his finger. Malachi flicks his hand but the worm is stuck. Malachi steps back as the pain in his finger intensifies. Malachi stumbles and he puts his hand out to catch himself. In the process his hand smushes another blue worm and the blue goo of it's inside splatters across his hand. The acidic goo starts to burn and bubble up his skin. Malachi starts to cry out in pain which seems to attract the glow worms. Soon tens of glow worms start to fling themselves onto Malachi as he tries to escape. The flesh of the glow worms burn into Malachi's body and Malachi smashes the worms but their acidic insides only make it worse. Malachi stumbles to the ground and his body starts to seize up as the acidic goo starts to deteriorate his insides.
15. Malachi French, D12- poisonous blue glow worms
The Careers venture out to hunt but don't have any luck with finding any tributes. The only other tribute to move around is Beatrice who has started to run low on water and she finds a passageway that leads to lower levels of the cave system. After searching around for most of the afternoon she comes across a spring that leads into a stream. She finds a nearby nook to set up her camp.
Day Six
The day passes slowly as many tributes continue to stay hidden. The Careers send out a hunting party consisting of Cosmo, Gill, and Gravel but they have no luck. Tailor and Dixie devise a plan to attract tributes for them to attack. They tie a flashlight to a rope and let it hang from an outcropping a few meters high which will allow the flashlight to swing on it. Tailor and Dixie turn the flashlight on and let it swing for a few hours in hopes that it will lure a tribute in that they can attack. "Like moths to a flame!" Dixie states. Unfortunately, their light doesn't attract any tributes today.
Day Seven
In the morning, the Gamemakers cause a serious of small earthquakes to occur in the southern part of the Arena were only Mackenzie and Felicity are staying at. The earthquakes cause some parts of the lower levels to collapse and cause the Arena to become slightly smaller. However, there are still thousands of small hiding places and tight passageways for tributes to go to. The earthquake doesn't cause any harm to the tributes but they get the idea and most of them start to move around a little bit more. The day ends without any interaction.
Day Eight
Tailor and Dixie are resting behind a boulder near their flashlight trap when they hear talking. Tailor peeks out from behind his boulder and can barely make out three figures approaching. "I think it's the Careers," he whispers. Tailor and Dixie watch closely and silently as the Career pack approaches the flashlight trap they made. Tailor and Dixie cower behind their rock as Cosmo walks a mere four feet away from them.
Cosmo groans when he realizes it's only a flashlight swinging on a rope. "It must be some trick a tribute made."
"Well maybe whoever made it is close-" Cidavia doesn't finish her sentences before Tailor leaps out from behind the rock.
Tailor swings his pickaxe and it imbeds itself into the side of Cosmo's head.
14. Cosmo Nethers, D1- stabbed in the head by Tailor Gaines, D8
Gravel is quick to react and swings out his pickaxe towards Tailor. Tailor leaps out of the way and Dixie jumps out from behind the rock. She tries to hit Gravel but he easily dodges the attack. Gravel spins and slashes his own pickaxe across Tailor's chest.
13. Tailor Gaines, D8- chest slashed by Gravel Hunts, D2
Dixie tries to turn and run but meets the end of Cidavia's pickaxe.
12. Dixie Cornwall D10- stabbed in the chest by Cidavia Deneru, D2
"Well that was entertaining," Gravel huffs picking up Cosmo's pack.
Cidavia and Gravel leave the scene with the flashlight still swinging a beam of light over the three corpses.
Mackenzie had watched the action happen from a few meters away. She had noticed the light a few hours before but was smart enough to not get too close. With the District Two pair gone, she quickly scuttles over to the bodies to loot them of any supplies before the hovercraft appears. She removes the flashlight from the rope before inspecting the bodies.
She first inspects Cosmo, she finds a small flashlight and a pair of night vision glasses in his jacket pocket. The Careers removed their glasses when they got near the flashlight. Mackenzie tries the glasses on and notices that there's a small crack in one lens but they're still functional. She then goes through Dixie's and Tailor's packs. She finds another flashlight and a package of dried fruit and jerky. She gathers her supplies before heading away with her new pair of glasses.
Day Nine
After eating breakfast, Dazzle makes a new announcement. Her eyes are puffy since she didn't get much sleep after losing her district partner, "Since there are only five of us left I think it may be smarter for us to do individual hunting. Three people with the glasses will go hunt in different areas so that we can cover more ground. The other two can stay here to guard the supplies."
None of the other Careers object. It's day nine and eleven tributes remain so they have a lot of catch up to do. Dazzle, Gravel, and Gill go out to hunt while Marcy and Cidavia stay back at the Cornucopia. Dazzle goes east while Gill goes west. Gravel heads north and finds a stream. He follows the stream and discovers some lower levels that none of the other Careers had talked about before. He spends the day exploring this new section of the Arena but after a few hours he discovers that he is definitely lost. He tries to follow the stream back out but after traveling what seems to be miles he decides he's going the wrong way and turns back. As the day ends without much action, Gravel still remains lost as Gill and Dazzle both make it back to the Cornucopia.
Mackenzie is the only tribute to do much outside of the Careers. Using the idea of the flashlight on a string she develops a plan for a trap. She finds elevated areas where she uses her pickaxe to chip away at a large rock on the edge. Mackenzie then uses a smaller rock as a brace to keep the bigger rock in place. She ties the rope around the smaller rock. At the end of the rope she ties the flashlight. The idea is that when a tribute tries to pull on the rope to remove the flashlight, the rope will remove the brace and the large rock will tumble down and subdue the tribute. The plan is far fetched and at the moment she only has one rope and two flashlights. She doesn't want to waste the batteries so she leaves the flashlight turned off and will return tomorrow to turn it on for a few hours.
Day Ten
"I promise that Gravel wouldn't just ditch us," Cidavia claims as the her and the other Careers sit around eating breakfast.
"I believe you, Cidavia. I'm sure he's only lost and I feel awful for making another mistake and being a horrible leader," Dazzle huffs.
"It's not your fault. This arena is a complete maze," Marcy says reassuringly.
"It was my idea for us to split up individually," Dazzle says hanging her head.
"Don't worry about it, nobody blames you. We can spend the day looking for him today. We know that he headed north," Gill states.
"Okay...well I want to lead the search party. Cidavia and Marcy will you come too," Dazzle says straightening her back.
Marcy and Cidavia nod their heads and soon the three girls are marching on in search of Gravel.
Opal and Leviticus are walking along a path when they come across a stream cutting through the rock. They have been running low in water so they stop to fill their canteen. The pair decide to follow along the stream in search of a safe place to camp. They walk cautiously with a small flashlight to light their way.
It's not too long before the pair hears mumbling ahead. They turn their flashlight off and press up against the cave wall. Gravel is heading their way and curses under his breath as he keeps slipping on the slick rock. With his glasses on he easily spots Leviticus and Opal. He charges towards them with his pickaxe raised. Opal screams as she jumps out of the way. Leviticus shines the flashlight beam into Gravel's eyes. He yells from the brightness and it stops him in his tracks. Opal takes the chance and swings her pickaxe into Gravel's back. He crumbles to the ground and Opal repeatedly hacks her pickaxe into his back until his cannon booms.
11. Gravel Hunts, D2- stabbed in the back by Opal Joyce, D12
Opal stands over Gravel's body taking rapid breaths. Leviticus moves over to her, "Great job, take a minute to catch your breath."
Opal walks over to the stream and sits down beside it as Leviticus checks Gravel for supplies. He finds some food in Gravel's pack but the glasses he wears catch Leviticus' attention. He removes them from Gravel and puts them on. Leviticus makes a soft chuckle, he recognise these as what some workers wear at night in the fields. "Good news Opal we don't have to use our lights anymore."
Dazzle, Marcy, and Cidavia return to the Cornucopia in the evening and after the showing of the fallen Dazzle doesn't say another word for the night other than that she'll keep guard for the night. The other tributes remain mostly in place for the day. Moose moved from the eastern part of the arena to a more southern part, he found a small pool of water to make camp by. Felicity hasn't eaten anything since entering the Games and today her body is attacked by cramps as it begs for her to get any nutrition. Without any weapons or supplies she's too afraid to leave her cave and fears the worst.
Day Eleven
After spending most of the night in restless thought, Dazzle decides it's best for her to leave the Careers. Every choice she has made has been a mistake and she fears if she sticks around much longer the others will turn on her. She gathers her supplies and takes a pair of glasses before hurrying away. Dazzle travels with haste to get as much distance between her and the Cornucopia. She feels worthless as a leader and as if all her training at the Academy has been pointless. Every decision she has made has ended with one of her allies dying. After a while she stops to take a break when she notices a flicker of light. Maybe if she gets another kill she will have the courage to return back to the other Careers. Maybe they won't think of her as a horrible leader and a worthless ally. Maybe they will let her come back. Dazzle follows the light and stops in her tracks when she realizes that it's the same trap that killed Cosmo. A flashlight swinging on a rope. Anger swells inside her and she yanks the flashlight. The rope falls to the ground and cracking sound perks Dazzle's head up. She looks in horror as a chunk of rock tumbles towards her. She raises her arms in defense but it does nothing against the weight and momentum of the rock. The boulder crashes into Dazzle and knocks her to the ground; it lands on top of her and soon crushes her to death.
10. Dazzle Movanti, D1- crushed by rock trap made by Mackenzie Kernel, D3
Mackenzie was able to watch her trap unfold before her eyes. She didn't really expect it to work out so well. She hurries over to Dazzle, but her pack is still on her back which is squished under the boulder and even her glasses are broken beyond use. Mackenzie is a little disappointed that she can't gain any supplies but a small parachute floats down. She opens it up to find some rope along with a pack of batteries. She quietly thanks her mentor, Sega, and spends the rest of the day finding a new place to set another trap.
The Careers at the Cornucopia are surprised to find Dazzle gone, but none of them bring up the idea of following after her. Instead with only one pair of glasses left among the three of them Gill volunteers to go hunting for tributes alone. Cidavia and Marcy spend the day going through the supplies to try and find another pair but don't find any. Later in the evening after Gill returns and Dazzle's face appears in the sky, the three of them silently wonder if it was possible for her to kill herself.
Day Twelve
Not much happens as tributes start to move around more often in search of water and possible food. Some tributes have run completely out of food. The tribute struggling the most is Felicity who is so weak she can barely crawl around the floor of her small cave. She's become delirious and the stomach cramps make her cry. Marcy is the only Career to go hunting today and during her trek she encounters a flickering of light but she soon loses sight of it as it slips through a crevice. The light belonged to Moose as he starts to roam around the Arena in search of either food or other tributes. Leviticus and Opal start to roam around more now as well. They still have plenty of food from Gravel's pack but their advantage of the night vision glasses gives them courage. They weren't able to talk to each other much before since they couldn't tell if someone was nearby but with the glasses they have been able to talk and get closer. Not much else happens and the day ends with no deaths.
Day Thirteen
After not eating anything in the arena for thirteen days the pangs of hunger wreck Felicity's body and after a few hours into the day she finally succumbs to starvation.
9. Felicity Pate, D9- starvation
This leaves the Final Eight: Cidavia Deneru of District Two, Mackenzie Kernel of District Three, Gill Walsh and Marcy Strong of District Four, Beatrice McCarthy of District Six, Moose Sverkolski of District Seven, Leviticus Mitchell of District Eleven, and Opal Joyce of District Twelve.
After getting ready for the day Cidavia, Gill, and Marcy decide it is best to split apart. The Arena is too large and splitting apart might bring the Games to a quicker end. Marcy and Gill plan to stick together and with only one pair of night vision glasses left they rock-paper-scissor it with Cidavie. After winning two-of-three Gill and Marcy get to keep the glasses, but they recommend that Cidavia stays at the Cornucopia so that she doesn't run out of supplies. Cidavia doesn't object and she watches as the District Four pair leaves her behind.
Day Fourteen
Cidavia spends the day in restlessness. She feels obligated to stay at the Cornucopia where she knows she'll be safe, but she also wants to hunt for tributes in the arena. The restlessness overcomes her and she packs a bag filled with plenty of food, water, and flashlights. She leaves the Cornucopia behind with a pickaxe in hand and her hard hat's headlamp. She doesn't care if she is noticed by other tributes, she's not afraid of anyone left in the arena. Cidavia heads west and follows a path that leads down into the lower levels of the arena.
The other tributes roam around as well. Even Beatrice who has been staying near her spring for most of the Games even ventures out for a few hours. While walking along a stream she notices a flash of light across a cavern. She turns off her own headlamp and waits in darkness for almost an hour before turning her light back on and returning back to her camp.
Day Fifteen
Moose wakes up with a growling stomach. He hasn't eaten anything in almost three days. He decides to make the trip to the Cornucopia in search of food. The path back to the Cornucopia is fairly easy from his camp. It's only about an hour hike, but the path from the main cavern that holds the Cornucopia to the chamber of his camp is hidden behind a large boulder and can't be seen from the main path. Once he's in the main chamber he can easily find the Cornucopia since it sits directly below the light coming from the ceiling of the cavern. The light hurts Moose's eyes but they quickly adjust. Moose sneaks up to the Cornucopia but is surprised to see it deserted. He fills his pack with food and an extra flashlight before hurrying away and speeding back to his camp by the stream.
The other tributes roam around for a bit except for Beatrice who is still shook up from her experience the day before. The District Four pair finds a path leading into the lower levels of the Arena and find a stream to camp at for the night. Cidavia is also in the lower levels of the Arena but on the other side. Leviticus and Opal don't leave their camp beside a stream but instead, have a day of rest as they continue to share stories from their home lives.
Day Sixteen
The morning passes without much action and the tributes don't start moving around until the afternoon. Beatrice walks along the stream searching for any type of moss or even salamanders that she could possibly eat. She wades into the cool stream and shines her flashlight down onto the water for any signs of possible food. At one point she slips and falls on her butt, drenching her lower half. Beatrice bites her lip from crying out in pain. She manages to roll herself onto the bank as she gathers her bearings. She closes her eyes as she mentally assesses herself. When she opens them she scans her light along the bank of the stream and doesn't see any tributes. She carefully stands up and decides to head back home. When she turns around she drops her flashlight at the sight of the District Four pair. Marcy is quick to swing her pickaxe into Beatrice's chest. It doesn't take long for her cannon to boom.
8. Beatrice McCarthy, D6- stabbed in the chest by Marcy Strong, D4
Day Seventeen
Gill and Marcy continue to follow the stream and come across a small pool of water. As they travel around it, they come across Moose. He tries to get away from the Four pair but self-isolation has depleted his speed and reflexes. Gill easily stabs his pickaxe into Moose's chest and he rapidly bleeds out.
7. Moose Sverkolski, D7- stabbed in the chest by Gill Walsh, D4
Gill and Marcy don't even worry about taking Moose's supplies because they still have plenty. The day ends without any further deaths.
Day Eighteen
Not much happens as the playing field dwindles down. Marcy and Gill continue searching for tributes. Cidavia hunts for tributes in the lower levels of the Arena. Even Leviticus and Opal spend most of the day looking for tributes. Mackenzie continues to check her flashlight traps and make sure that the flashlights have good batteries.
Day Nineteen
The day passes similarly to the day before. There aren't any tribute interactions and no deaths.
Day Twenty
Marcy and Gill are walking along when they spot movement of light ahead. They hurry their way over to the light and find that it is another flashlight on a rope. "I wonder how many of these traps those outliers made. I can't believe the batteries are still working," Marcy says pulling on the rope.
A snap sounds and Marcy looks up to see a stalagmite hurtling towards her. She gives a short scream before it smacks into her head. Gill jumps back at the sight but squats down to aid his district partner. Blood flows from a large gash on her head and her skull is dented. It only takes a second for her cannon to boom. Gill shouts in frustration before taking her pack and moving on.
6. Marcy Strong, D4- killed by rock trap made by Mackenzie Kernel, D3
Mackenzie returns to check her trap a few hours later and is happy to see that it's been triggered, and a pool of blood has stained the rocky ground. She's upset that she couldn't get any supplies but knows since it's the final five there are not many days left. Later that night after seeing Marcy's face in the sky she feels very accomplished of killing two Careers thus far in the Games.
Day Twenty-One
Gill stalks the Arena for the remaining tributes, Opal and Leviticus move around a little bit but stay near their camp by the stream, Cidavia travels around a little bit but spends most of the day resting, and Mackenzie spends the day resetting her traps. None of the tributes encounter one of another.
Day Twenty-Two
Opal and Leviticus are resting near a stream and quietly talking to one another. Opal wears their pair of night vision glasses. The pair is rationing out their last bits of food.
Opal asks the question they've both been thinking for a while, "So how much longer can we be allies for?"
Leviticus doesn't say anything for a few seconds, "Well we're already in the top five with two Careers left. I'd like to stay together until at least one of them is gone."
Opal nods her head, "It would be better to face the Careers as a pair than as individuals."
"Sticking together will give us the best chances of one of us making it out of here," Leviticus replied fidgeting with his hard hat.
Opal is thankful she's wearing the glasses so that Leviticus doesn't have to see the tears swelling in her eyes, "I'm just thankful that you've stuck by my side throughout all of this Levi."
"Likewise," Leviticus replies nonchalantly.
"Well isn't that sweet," Gill hisses as he steps around the corner his pickaxe wielded high. Before either Leviticus or Opal can react Gill swings his pickaxe into Opal's neck. Her head is nearly severed.
5. Opal Joyce, D12- throat slashed by Gill Walsh, D4
"No!" Leviticus shouts, scooting backward. Gill glares at him and Leviticus' hands go up to his hat and he flicks his light on. The intense beam causes Gill to shout and to shield his eyes from the light. Leviticus reaches out and picks up his own pickaxe and uses it to stab Gill in the side. Gill falls to the ground with a yell and soon bleeds to death.
4. Gill Walsh, D4- stabbed in the side by Leviticus Mitchell, D11
Not wanting to look at the remains of Opal, Leviticus grabs the glasses from Gill and takes the packs before leaving the bodies behind to find a new place for the night. That evening Leviticus receives a small loaf of bread from District Twelve in honor of his kind friendship with Opal.
Day Twenty-Three
The three remaining are within a mile of each other but the crevices and nooks of the cave system allow for slow progression as they search for one another. Cidiavia recieves a sponsor gift of night vision glasses early in the morning. Now that all three tributes have night-vision glasses none of them use any sources of light which would alert the others of their position. The day passes slowly and the Gamemakers start to flood the lower chambers of the cave to drive the tributes together.
Day Twenty-Four
Cidavia wakes up in a pool of water. The water is soon knee-high as she quickly gathers her supplies. Her night-vision glasses can't penetrate the dark murky water so she can't see where she steps. She tries to take her time as she heads uphill but she missteps and falls forward. Her face smacks into the cave wall, blood flows from a gash on her forehead. She manages to stumble a few steps and crawls up a high rock before losing consciousness.
The Gamemakers dramatically slow the rise of the water hoping that she will regain consciousness. They don't want to lose one of this year's best tributes without a fight. Cidavia's mentor, Lorien, sends in a first aid kit in hopes that Cidavia will awake. The water continues to slowly rise and after a few hours, it reaches Cidavia. Cidavia doesn't stir, the water envelops her, and her cannon booms as she suffocates from drowning.
3. Cidavia Deneru, D2- drowning
Both Mackenzie and Leviticus are surprised by the cannon. Both tributes are on an upper level of the cave system and don't experience the rising water. Both are shocked to see Cidavia's face that night and they both prepare for the inevitable showdown the next day.
Day Twenty-Five
Throughout the night the Gamemakers raise the water level and Leviticus is the first to awake the next day. The water is rising slow enough now that he doesn't panic. Instead he grabs his pickaxe and night-vision glasses before heading uphill.
Mackenzie wakes up a few minutes later from the water. Mackenzie starts to cry as she realizes that she has to face Leviticus. She wipes her tears away and focuses on the fact that she's the first twelve-year-old to make it to the finale in years. She grips her pickaxe tightly and starts moving on.
Mackenzie spots the light shining on the Cornucopia for the first time since the Bloodbath. Mackenzie has to remove her glasses from the bright light and it takes a moment for her eyes to adjust. Packs and supplies bob in the knee-high water. She scans the area but sees no sign of Leviticus. Mackenzie decides to wait inside the Cornucopia for him to show up.
Leviticus finally makes it to the Cornucopia and takes his glasses off from the light shining from the opening in the cave ceiling. The water is at his knees meaning it must be almost to Mackenzie's waist. He wades his way over to the Cornucopia and Mackenzie spots him. She decides to sneak up on him by swimming under the water. She has never swam before but she gathers enough courage to slip under the water. The water is so dark she can hardly tell if she has her eyes closed or not. She swims blindly and runs into something hard. She pops out of the water with a gasp but realizes she only ran into the side of the Cornucopia.
Leviticus turns and sees the drenched Mackenzie. He tries to run through the water but it slows his speed. Mackenzie dives back into the water and tries to swim away. Her heart is racing and she starts to panic. She rises out of the water hyperventilating. Leviticus swings out his pickaxe but she falls out of the way. Mackenzie loses her pickaxe in the process and she tries to dive back under the water. Leviticus manages to kick his foot out and it connects with her gut. She starts coughing to catch her breath and this gives Leviticus the chance to slam his pickaxe into her chest near her heart.
Tears stream down her face as she starts to fall into the water. Feeling sorry for the young girl Leviticus catches her before she slips into the water. He holds her as she quickly bleeds out. "I'm sorry, but I had to win. You fought bravely, you made Three proud.," Leviticus softly whispers. It only takes a few seconds for her cannon to boom.
2. Mackenzie Kernel, D3- stabbed in the chest by Leviticus Mitchell, D11
"Congratulation, Leviticus Mitchell of District Eleven. You are the Victor of the 90th Hunger Games!"
Leviticus allows Mackenzie's body to fall into the water as a ladder falls from the hole above. He proudly grabs hold of it and is lifted out of the arena.
xXx
Blog: victorsunited. blogspot. com
Facts about the Victor
Leviticus constantly insists that people call him "Levi" because the only person who calls him Leviticus is his mom when she's angry.
Appearance: Levi is 5'11 and muscular. He has short, wavy brown hair, olive skin, and hazel eyes.
Family: Levi has three younger brothers. He marries at the age of 21 and has two daughters. None of his descendants participate in a Hunger Games.
Death: Levi dies from a heart attack at the age of 83 four months before the 156th Games.
xXx
Hunger Games Kills
Dazzle Movanti, D1 (2)- (Erin Gordon D5, Daniel Moore D9)
Cosmo Nethers, D1 (1)- (Steven Winns D5)
Gravel Hunts, D2 (4)- (Rodney Malone D3, Sonny Clovis D10, Alyssa Burgandy D8, Tailor Gaines D8)
Cidavia Deneru, D2 (2)- (Irma Vinoli D11, Dixie Cornwall D10)
Mackenzie Kernel, D3 (2)- (Dazzle Movanti D1, Marcy Strong D4)
Marcy Strong, D4 (1)- (Beatrice McCarthy D6)
Gill Walsh, D4 (3)- (Ben Falcone D6, Moose Sverkolski D7, Opal Joyce D12)
Tailor Gaines, D8 (1)- (Cosmo Nethers D1)
Leviticus Mitchell, D11 (3)- (Molly Root D7, Gill Walsh D4, Mackenzie Kernel D3)
Opal Joyce, D12 (1)- (Gravel Hunts D2)
Mutts/Other (3)- (Malachi French D12- poisonous glow worms; Felicity Pate D9- starvation; Cidavia Deneru D2- drowning)
Victors
76th Hunger Games: Minnie Griffith, 17, TS (6) Kills (4), District Eleven (1 Female)
77th Hunger Games: Luna Sparks, 18, TS (7) Kills (5), District Five (1 Female)
78th Hunger Games: Marley Higgins, 16, TS (6) Kills (3), District Eight (1 Male)
79th Hunger Games: Maverick Sayles, 18, TS (9) Kills (3), District Four (1 Male)
80th Hunger Games: Lorien Hastings, 17, TS (9) Kills (5), District Two (1 Female)
81st Hunger Games: Fiona Dempsey, 18, TS (4) Kills (2), District Seven (1 Female)
82nd Hunger Games: Stella Knight, 18, TS (8) Kills (4), District One (1 Female)
83rd Hunger Games: Ranger Winchester, 16, TS (6) Kills (4), District Ten (1 Male)
84th Hunger Games: Slade DePriest, 18, TS (10) Kills (6), District Two (1 Female - 1 Male)
85th Hunger Games: Kyra O'Brien, 17, TS (9) Kills (4), District Four (1 Female - 1 Male)
86th Hunger Games: Isaiah Harlowe, 18, TS (6) Kills (5), District Eleven (1 Female - 1 Male)
87th Hunger Games: Sega Pirah, 18, TS (3) Kills (2), District Three (1 Female)
88th Hunger Games: Sterling Russeau, 17, TS (9) Kills (3), District One (1 Female - 1 Male)
89th Hunger Games: Milo Bradford, 18, TS (5) Kills (3), District Nine (1 Male)
90th Hunger Games: Leviticus 'Levi' Mitchell, 17, TS (8) Kills (3), District Eleven (1 Female - 2 Male)