Hey everyone! I hope you appreciate this story. Only one more chapter until the 100th Hunger Games! I had to take a break from this story for a bit, but I have had much more free time lately. I have crunched out a few chapters in recent weeks and hope to continue publishing often. I would appreciate any feedback you have or if there are any comments you have. Thank you for reading, and hopefully I will have the 4th Quarter Quell finished soon. It is going to be a long one. This Victor is known in my other story "United: 150th Hunger Games" and so I focused a bit more on them than previous victors. This is also one of my longest chapters.
Panem Events
Isaac was well-received by many in Panem. His strategic mind and physical prowess allowed him to achieve victory. His alliance's ability to overcome the Career Alliance was almost unheard of. Even the Career Districts gave him respect for his abilities in the arena. His Victory Tour was exciting as Isaac was an eloquent speaker capable of making meaningful conversation with anyone. The Capitol was very interested in Isaac's love life but he was very private about the situation. Eventually, the intrigue died down as rumors about the penultimate games before the 4th Quarter Quell spread.
President Pennilo continued to have a strong grip on the political sphere of Panem. Any political opponents were quickly subdued and the country itself appeared at peace. The Districts were pushed to their limits but had become accustomed to the high quotas and long work hours. The new Head Gamemaker application process had the intrigue of most of the country. The final applicant to try her hand at creating an arena is, Livia Tribizand. Livia is twenty-nine years old and recently graduated from university at the top of her class. Her program focused on many different aspects including genetic engineering and neurological biochemistry. With these skills, she promised to create an exciting Hunger Games.
Livia worked closely with Julius Falco and their ideas were very conflicting. Livia wanted to create an extravagant arena with plenty of traps and mutts but Julius was steadfast in saying that it would not fit within the budget. The Quarter Quell is approaching and so the budget of recent years had to be cut to prepare for it. Livia did not appreciate that she was not allowed to show her true potential. She considered dropping out of the application process but decided against it. With only three months before the start, the duo finally agreed on a schematic, and construction soon began.
The tributes of this year's Hunger Games appeared much stronger than the year before. Although the Careers themselves seemed weaker than usual. District One's volunteers are both beautiful with blonde hair and green eyes. The boy, Champion, is much more relaxed and charming than Hermes the year prior. Champion's mentors and stylist teams worked hard at showcasing that he is a much better tribute than Hermes. Both tributes from One scored an eight with Champion being proficient with a sword and Sapphire preferring a bow. The District Two pair are the strongest of the Careers. Dimitrius is six foot six inches and a master with a spear. Lima scored a ten the highest of all the tributes. She is six foot two inches with rippling muscles and steller aim with throwing knives. The District Four pair is the least interesting of the Careers. Palo is very quiet but scored an eight with his trident skills. The girl, Miami, is only fifteen years old and scored a seven in training. She almost cried in her interview when asked if the Careers were gonna let her join the alliance with a score so low. Fortunately for her, the Careers did allow her to join since the outliers appeared so strong.
The outliers appear formidable and many in the Capitol are hoping for an outlier win. There was a threepeat for Career victories and now there could be a threepeat for outlier victories. The majority of outliers scored a six or higher in training. There was a large outer alliance consisting of Districts Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve. There were many fan favorites within that group. One is Louisa from Nine, she was well-liked in her interview and as a Silent Baby she will be turning nineteen in the arena if she lives to day nine. Nineteen-year-olds in the arena are a rare occurrence in the history of the Hunger Games, but not unheard of. Another stand-out was Trowel from Eleven who scored an eight. His brute strength and skills with a machete earned him that score. Another major alliance consisting of younger tributes form consisting of Zelda of Three, Porsche of Six, Spruce and Sycca of Seven, along with an unknown leader that the rest would not disclose in their interviews. The only hint was given from Sycca who stated that their leader was a big sister to her during training. Sources claimed it may have been Rachel of Five who scored a seven in training. Rachel claims to be going into the arena without allies but only time will tell.
xXx
Tributes
District One- Male: Champion Royals, 18 (8) Female: Sapphire Day, 18 (8)
District Two- Male: Dimitrius Connelly, 16 (9) Female: Lima Petoskey, 17 (10)
District Three- Male: Sonic Webb, 15 (4) Female: Zelda Dial, 13 (3)
District Four- Male: Palo Matsu, 18 (8) Female: Miami Sedd, 15 (7)
District Five- Male: Atom Collins, 14 (5) Female: Rachel Holder, 16 (7)
District Six- Male: Indy Fotter, 15 (6) Female: Porsche Carney, 14 (4)
District Seven- Male: Spruce MeGee, 12 (3) Female: Sycca Altenbaumer, 14 (5)
District Eight- Male: Felter Rubin, 17 (6) Female: Organza Burnham, 15 (5)
District Nine- Male: Farrow Cunning, 16 (7) Female: Louisa Holland, 18 (6)
District Ten- Male: Cliff Trejas, 18 (6) Female: Havana Sowerbutts, 18 (7)
District Eleven- Male: Trowel Smith, 16 (8) Female: Daffodil Carter, 17 (7)
District Twelve- Male: Surry Yoakum, 16 (6) Female: Julia Bray, 17 (6)
xXx
Day One
The tributes rise into the arena wearing long-sleeved grey shirts with a black waterproof jacket with their district number on the sleeve along with dark denim pants and black sneakers. The cool brisk air flushes their cheeks as they take in their surroundings. A coniferous forest surrounds them and in the distant north are rocky mountains. Throughout the forest are plenty of wildlife for hunting along with pools and streams of water. The western portion of the arena has a series of waterfalls that are fed from the runoff of the mountain. One large waterfall surrounded by large boulders flows into a stream that cuts toward the southern portion and carves a gorge into the ground. With three large alliances vying for supplies, nobody flees away from the Bloodbath when the gong rings.
Lima has a clear shot to the mouth of the Cornucopia. She sprints off the pedestal when the gong rings and nears the mouth of the Cornucopia when she spots a vest of throwing knives lying on top of a crate out in the open. Seems to be perfectly placed for Lima and she hastily puts the vest on while grabbing two knives out of the sheaths. The goal of the Career pack during the Bloodbath is to knock out the major outlier alliance. She sees Trowel racing towards her, a target with a high bounty on his head. Lima throws a knife but Trowel is prepared. He twists his body to evade the blade and as he watches it pass by Lima throws another. Trowel turns back and the knife lodges itself inside Trowel's chest and he crumbles to the ground.
24. Trowel Smith, D11- knife thrown into chest by Lima Petoskey, D2
Dimitrius reaches near the front of the Cornucopia and grabs a spear lying on the ground. He watches the tiny Zelda from Three runs across his point of view but he wants a bigger target to take out. He notices Rachel from Five running along the edge of the Cornucopia. Before she has time to notice Dimitrius he throws his spear into her chest. He sprints over to the dying Rachel and removes the spear from her chest before seeking another target.
23. Rachel Holder, D5- speared in the chest by Dimitrius Connelly, D2
Palo dashes across the Bloodbath field towards the mouth of the Cornucopia. He sees a trident leaning against the mouth of the Cornucopia. He runs past all the other weapons and supplies. He goes to leap over a crate but his back foot catches and he trips onto the ground. His knee bangs into a rock and he loudly curses. He rolls on his back holding his knee in his hand. He tries to get back up on his feet but is pushed from behind back to the ground. Before he can roll over, Daffodil stabs a small sword into his back three times. Palo sputters blood from his mouth as Daffodil runs away.
22. Palo Matsu, D4- stabbed in the back by Daffodil Carter, D11
Miami and Cliff of Ten fight on the backside of the Cornucopia. Miami has a sword and Cliff has an axe. Although Cliff is almost a foot taller than Miami, he skills from training at the academy in Four are paying off. Cliff swings his axe towards Miami's head and she rolls across the ground. She comes to a knee and slashes her sword across Cliff's thighs. Cliff stumbles back but the wound is superficial. He charges at Miami and hacks his axe downward but Miami parries. She cuts along the axe's handle and slices into Cliff's hand. Cliff yells in pain and drops the axe to the ground. He takes a few steps back as Miami yells at him, "I am not weak!" Miami jumps towards Cliff with her sword outstretched. It pierces Cliff's chest and the momentum causes both of them to fall to the ground. Cliff struggles for air as Miami climbs off of him.
21. Cliff Trejas, D10- stabbed in the chest by Miami Sedd, D4
Miami crawls to the side of Cliff and tries to catch her breath. She gets to her knees when she hears Havana's voice behind her, "You may not be weak, but I am stronger." Miami turns her head and sees Havana standing there with Cliff's dropped axe in her hands. Miami grabs for her sword as Havana swings the axe and it cuts into the side of Miami's neck. The force nearly decapitated the District Four girl. Havana watches as Miami slumps to the ground as blood gushes from her neck before racing away.
20. Miami Sedd, D4- hacked in the neck with an axe by Havana Sowerbutts, D10
Felter speeds across the Bloodbath carrying a large pack over his shoulder and a knife in hand. He has no allies but figured he wouldn't last long in the forest by himself without supplies. He makes it to the edge of the tree line when he finds a large group of tributes gathering. Louisa from Nine stands alongside the alliance of younger tributes. "What is going on here?" Felter asks. Zelda and Sycca stare at the knife in Felter's hand. Louisa pulls two long daggers from behind her back, "Do not hurt them," she snarls. Felter takes the hint and sprints away from the group. Louisa chases after Felter and she has longer legs than him. Felter comes across a fallen tree and tries to climb over it but Louisa catches up to him and plunges her two daggers into his back. He gasps for air as Louisa turns to find her younger allies running into view. "Let's get out of here," she huffs between breaths.
19. Felter Rubin, D8- stabbed in the back by Louisa Holland, D9
Back at the Cornucopia, Sonic races to the backside of the Cornucopia. He runs past two older boys fighting with swords and dodges out of their way. Sonic races over to a crate and opens it. Inside he finds a sleeping bag, rope, and a large pack. He briskly opens the pack and rummages through it. In one of the front pockets, he finds two small knives. He is about to sling the pack on when he is pushed from behind and he falls on top of the crate. Sonic looks back to see the massive boy from Two, Dimitrius standing there. Sonic gets to his feet and starts to run away but he doesn't make it far before Dimitrius throws his spear into the District Three boy's back.
18. Sonic Webb, D3- speared in the back by Dimitrius Connelly, D2
Julia watches as Dimitrius saunters over to the Sonic's body to retrieve his spear. Julia takes the opportunity to sprint a few yards and then leap onto the weaponless Dimitrius's back. Dimitrius yells in confusion but Julia quickly stabs her knife into his three times. Dimitrius manages to throw Julia off his back and she rolls across the ground. Julia looks up to see Dimitrius stumbling towards her. He bends over to pick up the knife she dropped but he loses his balance and slumps to the ground. He tries to reach for the knife but Julia gets to her feet, takes the knife, and then sprints away. Dimitrius gasps for air until his heart finally stops beating.
17. Dimitrius Connelly, D2- stabbed in the back by Julia Bray, D12
Farrow and Champion fight at the side of the Cornucopia. The two tributes are fairly matched. Champion has a sword and Farrow wields a scythe. Although Champion has more skills, Farrow's longer reach with a scythe has led the battle to last much of the Bloodbath. Champion lunges with his sword but Farrow parries it with the scythe. Farrow tries to turn and swipe the scythe at Champion, but Champion leaps out of the way. Champion goes into a series of attacks; he swings and slashes his sword at different angles. Farrow tries to block each attack but one comes through and Champion's sword cuts across Farrow's forearm. The cut slices through muscles and nerves causing Farrow's right wrist to hang limp. Farrow uses one hand to lunge with the scythe. Champion slashes downward with his sword and knocks the scythe from Farrow's grip. Farrow barely has time to react before Champion slices his blade across Farrow's abdomen. Farrow's intestine bursts out and he collapses to the ground.
16. Farrow Cunning, D9- abdomen slashed by Champion Royals, D1
Lima runs around the Bloodbath field looking for a target. She is surprised by how quickly the field of tributes has diminished as she sees the boy from Five, Atom, disappear into the woods. She spots the girl from Eight, Organza, running away from the Bloodbath with a spear in one hand along with a small pack in the other. Lima runs a few yards to close the gap between them and then throws two knives. Both knives land in the center of her back and Organza falls to the ground.
15. Organza Burnham, D8- knife thrown into back by Lima Petoskey, D2
Sapphire curses as she climbs on top of a crate within the Cornucopia to grab the bow placed high on the wall. She should have gone for another weapon to at least have a better shot at killing a tribute. She knows by the fact that the yelling from outside is dying down that the Bloodbath won't last much longer. Sapphire grabs the bow and then runs to the mouth of the Cornucopia. She loads an arrow and scans the surrounding area. She spots a group of the outlier tributes standing at the edge of the forest looking in her direction. The girl from Eleven seems to almost beckon Sapphire to join them as she waves her hands. As Sapphire is about to release the arrow she gets shoved from the side and the arrow flies off far away from her intended target. Sapphire looks toward her assailant and it's Havana from Ten. Havana swings her axe and she knocks the bow from Sapphire's hands. Sapphire screams for help but it's too late cause Havana hacks her axe into Sapphire's chest before meeting up with her allies.
14. Sapphire Day, D1- axe hacked into the chest by Havana Sowerbutts, D10
Lima hears Sapphire's call for help and she runs to that side of the Cornucopia. She sees the large outlier alliance disappear into the trees. She throws a knife but it misses and lodges itself into the ground. Lima debates going after them when she sees Champion chasing after Indy. The boy from Six races towards the edge of the forest. Indy is much more agile than Champion and Lima suspects that Champion wouldn't be able to catch up with him in the forest. Lima takes the opportunity and she throws one of her knives into Indy's back and he yells out in pain as his body slams into the ground. "Hey! I almost had him," Champion yells with a huff. Lima shrugs her shoulders, "Well you should have been quicker." The pair laugh as twelve cannons sound signaling the end of the Bloodbath.
13. Indy Fotter, D6- knife thrown into back by Lima Petoskey, D2
Lima and Champion return to the Cornucopia and are shocked that they are the only remaining Careers. To be certain, Lima stalks around the Bloodbath field and identifies Sapphire's, Dimitrius's, and the District Four pair's bodies on the ground. It is almost unheard of for the Careers to be cut down to less than half their numbers during the Bloodbath. The alliance of Zelda, Porsche, Spruce, Sycca, and Louisa head west and find a cave near the waterfall to make camp in. Louisa had encouraged the younger tributes to stick to the outskirts of the Bloodbath to gather supplies since she knew her other alliance was planning to target the Careers. The group had not gathered much supplies but they all survived the initial Bloodbath which was a success in their eyes. The other outer alliance; Havana, Daffodil, Julia, and Surry were able to get quite a bit of supplies as well. Their strategy of attacking the Careers while they were targeting other tributes was a success. They weren't sure what happened to Louisa though, but in the chaos of the Bloodbath, they did not fault her for not being able to meet up with them. The only tribute not in an alliance who survived the Bloodbath is Atom. He escaped with a pack containing some dried fruit, jerky, rope, and a knife. He flees south and makes camp along the gorge running along the southern border.
Day Two
Lima and Champion eat a quick breakfast and discuss the plan for the day. Lima volunteers to guard the Cornucopia. She wants to organize more of the supplies and she wants to be prepared if the outlier tributes try to ambush again like last year. Lima's goal is to not only survive as a Victor but to also bring honor back to Two after the disgrace the two tributes were last year. Champion slings on a lightweight pack and picks up his sword before deciding to head north towards the mountains.
There are four separate mountains on the northern portion of the arena. Each is approximately eight thousand feet tall and fairly forested other than the peaks which are rocky and desolate. The alliance of Havana, Daffodil, Julia, and Surry made camp in a cave on the easternmost mountain. They spend the day setting up snares and traps in the forest in hopes of catching any game for later on. They have enough food to last them a week but Surry is adamant about being prepared and starting a reserve now.
Atom starts to work on making traps in the southern part of the arena. However, his target will be tributes, not animals. He spends most of the ripping branches off of trees and then using his knife to whittle them into spikes. At the end of the day, he has collected a large pile to start fabricating them into traps tomorrow.
The alliance of Louisa and her younger allies; Zelda, Porsche, Sycca, and Spruce adventure near their cave at the waterfall. Louisa urges them to stay closeby and not make too much noise. Thankfully the roar of the waterfall drowns out a lot of the noise. Louisa looks at the younger tributes with a bit of guilt in her heart. Her goal of getting all of them together was to create a shield of younger tributes around her. Especially since she had the other outlier alliance thinking she was them. Louisa was hoping to keep the younger tributes close while the Careers and outer-district tributes windle down the numbers and Louisa would have an easier shot at victory. After getting to know the younger tributes more, she can't imagine using them simply as fodder.
"Are we still planning to take on the Cornucopia tomorrow?" Zelda asks as the group gathers to eat dinner. The question takes Louisa by surprise. She was hoping that they had forgotten the plan that she proposed during training. Copying the idea Isaac of Five had last year, she hoped this would take down at least one Career while sacrificing some of her allies.
"I'm not sure if we should. There are only two Careers left, and we have enough supplies to last us a bit," Louisa says quickly.
"I say we do it. The Careers think just because we are younger that means we are weak. I'm not afraid of any Career," Spruce states confidently.
"I agree. Your plan in training will work Louisa. We trust you. Besides, since there are only two Careers maybe they are both hunting and no one is guarding the supplies," Porsche places her hand on Louisa's.
Louisa scans the tributes around her and they all seem so hopeful. They all appear to trust her when she feels like none of them should. "If that's what you all want to do then we should do it."
Small cheers erupt around the group and Sycca gives Louisa a tight hug. Louisa's one goal is to win. She knew she was gonna have a messy game by having two alliances. She hand-picked these tributes to be her goats to slaughter to help her get to the end. She tells the others to get plenty of rest and she goes to lie down on the back edge of the cave. Louisa lets one single teardrop fall and she decides to not feel any more guilt for the decisions she has made.
Day Three
Louisa and her alliance wake up early as the younger tributes are restless. Louisa can tell that a few of them seem to have second opinions on the plan but none of them speak up. Spruce, the youngest, stays close to Louisa as she starts setting out breakfast. Spruce helps Louisa slice a few apples while Louisa pinches off pieces from a loaf of bread. They eat the meager meal and a few think that it may just be their last. Louisa goes over the plan once again as they make their trek to the Cornucopia. Zelda and Porsche will advance from the front while Spruce, Sycca, and Louisa will attack from the back. As they near the Cornucopia, not a word is said as they part ways.
At the Cornucopia, Champion sits on a crate while drawing in the dirt with the tip of his sword. He debates going hunting while Lima hunts in the east. She left quite early this morning, eager to get another kill. The only reason Champion hasn't left yet is because he knows Lima did a lot of work organizing the supplies yesterday and so he wants to respect her by guarding it today. The sound of a twig snapping ahead of him catches his attention. He snaps his head up and spots two young girls charging towards him. One of them stops not far from the edge of the woods, but the other continues to charge. He waits for her to approach him. She holds a small knife in hand and Champion can tell it's as foreign as a bomb in her hand. The young girl, whom he recognizes as the girl from Three, stops as fear overcomes her face as she realizes the mistake she has made. She stands frozen as Champion dashes towards her and stabs his sword through her chest.
12. Zelda Dial, D3- stabbed in the chest by Champion Royals, D1
"Spruce wait!" Champion hears behind him. He turns to see another young tribute running towards him. Champion is confused about what has motivated these weaker tributes to attack him. He then spots Louisa and is even more confused as to why she is with them. "Were they originally running away from her?" he thinks to himself. He is brought back to reality as Spruce jumps toward Champion. Champion sidesteps the attack as Spurce clumsily slashes his knife. Champion easily slices his sword through the air and it cuts across Spruce's abdomen.
11. Spruce MeGee, D7- abdomen slashed by Champion Royals, D1
Champion looks back up to Louisa as she drags a young girl away by the hand. By the tears streaming down her face Champion assumes she must be Spruce's District Partner, Sycca. Champion goes to chase after the pair when he feels five piercing burns in his back. His breath catches as he spins around slashing out his sword. His sword cuts the arm of the girl who earlier stopped near the tree line. It's Porsche from Six and she takes a few steps back as she examines the slash on her arm. The cut isn't very deep but it stings horribly. Champion lunges at Porsche with his sword but his movements are sluggish as he stumbles to the ground. He begins coughing and choking on blood as Porsche runs over to join Sycca and Louisa.
10. Champion Royals, D1- stabbed in the back by Porsche Carney, D6
Louisa grabs both Sycca and Porsche and pulls them into a tight hug. Porsche and Sycca both have tears running down their face as Louisa tries to console them. It takes a moment but the girls then get to work at grabbing four packs and filling them with food, water, a few blankets, and extra knives. Louisa ushers them back toward their cave by the waterfall. All of the cannon might draw the wrong attention.
The alliance of Havana, Daffodil, Julia, and Surry are shocked by the series of cannons. They have spent the day setting up more traps along the mountainside. They expect the Careers must have run into the younger tribute alliance. Lima is hunting the eastern part of the arena when the cannons go off and she rushes back to the Cornucopia. She is surprised that Champion is gone and she discovers the fresh blood staining the ground. She waits at the Cornucopia for the rest of the day hoping that Champion simply chased after the tributes who attacked him. In the southern portion, Atom has been busy setting up traps for the day. He manages to construct two traps successfully. They are wooden spikes tied to a bracket of sticks using a rope. The spikes are raised into the branches of the tree and will drop onto the tribute who sets it off.
Day Four
The day passes rarely slowly as many tributes have gotten into their daily routine. Atom continues to make traps. Surry checks the traps that his alliance has made and brings back two squirrels that the girls offer to skin and cook. Porscha, Sycca, and Louisa stay in their cave at the waterfall. Louisa rewraps the bandage on Porsche's arm and Sycca heats the vegetable stew they got as a sponsor's gift. Lima decides to leave the Cornucopia and instead spend the rest of her time hunting and living in the forest. She fills two packs full of supplies. She doesn't want to leave anything else for tributes to scavenge so she sets the rest of the supplies on fire. She watches the inferno grow until the flames lick at the mouth of the Cornucopia. Satisfied with her work she heads north to the mountains in search of tributes.
Day Five
Havana and Daffodil split up from Julia and Surry early in the morning. Havana and Daffodil are heading down the mountain to try and find a water source while Julia and Surry check the traps. Their rationing of food and supplies has not been as successful as originally thought. Havana and Daffodil search at the base of the mountain for most of the day but have no luck in finding a water source. Surry and Julia have better luck when they find a squirrel smashed under a deadfall trap.
Louisa watches as Porsche and Sycca play along the pool of water at the base of the waterfall. The pool of water meets the cliff's edge as it tumbles over large boulders before forming a stream in the gorge below. "Don't get too close to the edge," Louisa warns. She tries not to be overtly motherly to the younger girls, but after the events at the Cornucopia, she has settled into the mother role. Louisa still has mixed emotions about what her path forward is supposed to be. She strongly wishes that the three of them could just live peacefully at the waterfall. If the other tributes all kill each other, the three of them could live here forever. As long as they could survive whatever the Gamemakers threw at them. Louisa shakes the fantasy from her head when she looks up to see Sycca slip on lichen lichen-covered rock on the edge of the pool. Sycca's eyes grow wide and she reaches out to Porsche but she isn't fast enough and she tumbles off the cliff. Sycca's scream is cut short as they hear her body bounce off the boulder in her descent. Porsche yells in shock and runs toward Louisa. Louisa pulls Porsche close as she walks to the cliff's edge and looks down. Sycca's body is a battered mess with her limbs bent in odd directions and a halo of blood around her skull.
9. Sycca Altenbaumer, D7- slips off a cliff
This leaves the Final Eight: Lima Petoskey of Two, Atom Collins of Five, Porsche Carney of Six, Louisa Holland of Nine, Havana Sowerbutts of Ten, Daffodil Carter of Eleven, Julia Bray and Surry Yoakum of Twelve.
Day Six
Atom is checking on his traps. He looks for any that have been tripped and to make sure they are properly set. Around midday, he is traveling back to his camp when he hears a growl behind him. Atom slowly turns around to see a large grizzly bear mutt standing on its hind legs. It stands nearly twelve feet tall and Atom can tell it's a mutt by its glowing red eyes and golden claws. Atom takes off he knows that his small knife will do no good against the beast. Atom debates luring the mutt to one of his traps but he doesn't think the trap would be deadly for the mutt. A new plan blossoms in his mind as Atom heads south. Atom runs through the thicket of the forest as he swipes cedar tree branches from his face and thorns catch on his clothes. He doesn't turn around to look at the bear mutt but by the sound of it, Atom can tell that it's gaining ground. Atom finally reaches the place he intended to go. Atom leaps out of the cover of the trees and dives to the side under the shelter of a fallen tree. Atom has led the mutt to the cliffside of the gorge. The grizzly bear mutt crashes through the trees and it doesn't have time to stop before it skids off the side of the cliff. It roars and claws at the dirt as it tries to catch itself but it's no use. The mutt plummets to the ground nearly sixty feet below. Atom stands to his feet while huffing to catch his breath. As his heart race reaches its baseline a sponsor's gift falls from the sky. Atom opens it and finds a bundle of rope inside, which he takes as a sign to create more traps.
In the northern portion of the arena, Havana, Daffodil, Julia, and Surry make their descent as they go to search for another water source. They all carry a small pack of supplies and their choice of weapon. They left much of the gear in the cave near the mountain's peak. Their goal is to find a water source and they bring enough supplies to stay the night if they need to. They almost reach the base of the mountain when a roar catches their attention. Havana looks back and yells for the others to look. Another grizzly bear mutt tramples down the mountainside towards them. Havana and Daffodil immediately start running away. Julia grabs Surry's hand and pulls him along to catch up with the others. The grizzly bear mutt chases after the group and leads them west. The grizzly bear mutt continues to chase them and is gaining ground. The group won't be able to outrun the mutt for long. Surry has a spear and he stops to throw it at the mutt but he throws it too short and it sticks in the ground a few feet ahead of the mutt. The mutt charges past the spear and Surry stands frozen in fear as the mutt leaps onto his body. The girls look back and Julia cries out. Havana pulls Julia along as the mutt begins to maul and devour Surry's body.
8. Surry Yoakum, D12- killed by grizzly bear mutt
Day Seven
Lima continues to hunt for tributes within the northern mountains. She hasn't had any luck and her food supply is dwindling much faster than she anticipated. She reaches the base of a mountain and decides to head south in hopes of finding more tributes. Atom continues to check his traps. He is also running out of food and water. He spends the morning creating snare traps in hopes of catching a squirrel or rabbit. Atom then passes the time in the afternoon looking for a water source.
After the death of Surry yesterday, Havana, Daffodil, and Julia set up camp near a stream in the eastern portion of the arena. It's the same stream that feeds into the series of waterfalls. The girls decide it's not worth the effort of tracking back to their original camp to get their supplies. Mostly because they do not want to waste the energy and they're not sure if they will even be able to successfully navigate back to their cave. Havana proposes the idea of traveling downstream to hunt for tributes, and both Daffodil and Julia agree.
Louisa is refilling a canteen in the pool of water when she hears people's voices behind her. Louisa motions at Porsche who is sitting outside of their cave to hide. Louisa picks up her twin daggers and crouches behind a boulder. Louisa watches as Havana, Daffodil, and Julia walk into view. Louisa lets out a sigh of relief, at least it isn't Lima. Louisa believes that the girls may not attack her since she was originally in their alliance. However, she doesn't know what they will do to Porsche. Louisa decides to make the first move and puts on a shocked face as she pops up from behind the boulder, "Oh my goodness! I can't believe I finally found you. I spent days looking for you all. Where have you guys been?"
Daffodil stumbles into a shocked Havana, and Julia is the first to say anything, "Louisa? Where have you been?"
Louisa thinks back to the training center where she worked so hard to get close to these girls. "I've been here for the past few days. I looked for you at the Bloodbath, but Lima threw a knife at my head and I had to get out of there quickly."
Julia looks at her with sympathy, while Daffodil is as silent as ever. Havana grips the axe in her hand, and Louisa realizes that Havana will be the one she needs to convince if she wants to survive this encounter without bloodshed. "Havana, I am sorry about Cliff. I know you two were very close. I did try to look for you all, but I had no idea where you were. I am sorry that each of you lost your District Partner, but let me join up with you. We should stick together to take down Lima at least."
Havana nods her head slightly, "Four is better than three."
"We can stick together until we take out Lima and the other two tributes. Together until the end as you said in training," Julia says embracing Louisa.
"Let me grab my supplies from the cave. I would say we could stay there but it barely fits me inside," Louisa says as he climbs up the cliff leading to the small cave.
She goes inside the cave and finds Porsche squatting at the back. Porsche trembles with her hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. Louisa hugs her, "I have to go, but you will be safe here. Only leave the cave to get water, I'll leave you most of my food."
Porsche squeezes Louisa tightly and stifles a cry, "Were you planning to abandon me all along?"
The question takes Louisa aback. At this point, she isn't sure what her game plan is anymore. The relationships she has made have confused her mind. "I think this is the best plan to get us both closer to the end."
"Do you need help up there!" Julia shouts from the ground below.
"No! I am just gathering my things!" Louisa shouts back.
Porsche pulls a woven bracelet from her jacket pocket. It's made from reeds that Louisa recognizes from around the pool along with colorful stones glued to it using tree sap. "An early birthday present in case I don't see you again."
Tears come to Louisa's eyes but she doesn't let them fall, "I will see you soon."
Louisa climbs out of the cave and rejoins Havana, Daffodil, and Julia. The group decides to head back to the camp upstream. Julia links her arm to Louisa's and pulls her ahead. Havana leans to Daffodil and asks, "Do you trust her?"
Daffodil looks back to Havana with a smile, "I don't see why we wouldn't."
Day Eight
Louisa wakes up the earliest and out of habit starts to make breakfast. She fries the last bit of bacon she has and sets out pieces of dried fruit. It reminds her of when she did this earlier in the games for the younger tributes. Eventually, the others began to stir and were excited by the meal. Havana is hesitant to eat at first, but joins in after Daffodil and Julia state how good it tastes. Louisa understands that Havana is hesitant to trust her, but she doesn't blame her. The group separates in pairs as Havana and Daffodil go to look for berries and nuts while Louisa and Julia start weaving fish traps.
Havana and Daffodil are not having much luck when they hear a branch snap ahead of them. They both squat low to the ground and see Lima trampling through the forest. She is much skinnier than at the start of the games and her hair is a matted mess. Havana and Daffodil are silent as Lima marches onward. Havana and Daffodil sneak away as Lima heads in the opposite direction. The girls make it back to the stream and warn Louisa and Julia that Lima is nearby. "Should we try to attack her?" Julia asks.
Havana nods her head, "I think taking her by surprise is our best bet."
The group hurries to gather their weapons and they head downstream in hopes of cutting Lima off. Havana leads the group as they scan the forest ahead in search of Lima. The forest here gets thicker as the cedar trees get closer and closer together. They are nearing the waterfalls and Louisa thinks of Porsche and hopes she is safe. The group hides behind a fallen tree when a knife sails a few inches above Daffodil's head. They look up to see Lima charging out of the tree line with throwing knives in hand. Havana leaps over the tree and heads toward Lima with her axe held high. The rest of the girls follow suit. Lima throws a knife and it lands in Havana's chest and knocks her to the ground. Daffodil falters for a moment as her friend falls. Lima wastes no time in throwing another knife and this one lands in Daffodil's chest.
7. Havana Sowerbutts, D10- knife thrown into the chest by Lima Petoskey, D2
6. Daffodil Carter, D11- knife thrown into the chest by Lima Petoskey, D2
Lima reaches to pull another knife from her vest but stops as she jumps to the side while Julia lunges at her with a spear. Louisa slashes out with her two daggers and they cut across Lima's bicep and she stumbles backward. Her foot trips over a cedar root and she falls backward. She lands on the ground with a hard thud but manages to pull a knife from her vest. Julia plunges her spear into Lima's chest and with a last bit of energy, Lima flings the knife into Julia's shoulder.
5. Lima Petoskey, D2- stabbed in the chest by Julia Bray, D12
Julia howls in pain, but Louisa urges her to not remove the knife yet. Louisa leads Julia back to their camp and finds a roll of gauze at the bottom of a pack. Louisa tells Julia it's going to hurt and she pulls the knife out of the shoulder. The wound is just below the right collarbone and not very deep. Louisa packs the wound with gauze and then uses the rest to wrap around Julia's torso to secure it. Louisa tells Julia to rest and that she will keep guard.
Day Nine
Porsche was relieved to not see Louisa's face in the sky the night before. She stays within her cave for most of the day and expects Louisa to come back to her. She waits around all morning but when Louisa hasn't come yet Porsche decides to head to the Cornucopia. Porsche wants to believe that Louisa wouldn't abandon her but she'd expect Louisa to be back by now. Porsche is running low on supplies so she plans to restock at the Corncupia. With the Careers all gone she believes no one will be there to guard, and if anyone is there she expects it to be Louisa and her friends. It takes most of the afternoon and when Porsche reaches the Cornucopia she is shocked to see that all of the supplies have been burned up. Porsche doesn't want to trek back to the waterfall tonight so she sets up camp inside the blackened Cornucopia.
Atom continues to monitor the southern portion of the arena. He has constructed eighteen different traps and set up multiple snares. He manages to catch two rabbits and cooks them for lunch. He finds a small stream leading to the waterfalls and refills his canteen before heading back to his shelter.
Louisa stays with Julia for the whole day. Julia sleeps off and on until midday. She eventually starts to feel better and although she has pain with movement the wound doesn't bother her too bad. Louisa watches over Julia until she falls asleep that evening. Louisa packs her things and heads toward the waterfall in search of Porsche. She doesn't know if it's the best idea to leave Julia wounded but Louisa only wants to make sure Porsche is alright. Louisa reaches the waterfall and calls out for Porsche but gets no response. Louisa climbs up to the cave and at night it's impossible to see far inside. Louisa calls for Porcshe again. Louisa begins to get nervous. Did another tribute find her, a mutt, or did she slip off the cliff too? At least Louisa knows that she isn't dead since a cannon did not go off today. Louisa decides to sleep in the cave for the night and will look for any signs of Porsche in the morning. It isn't until she lies down for bed that she realizes that it's her nineteenth birthday.
Day Ten
Louisa wakes up and searches around the waterfall but finds no signs of Porsche. She didn't leave any of her belongings so Louisa assumes she wasn't in a hurry to leave which could be a good sign. She widens her around the waterfall but with no luck. Louisa then decides to head back upstream in hopes that Porsche might have tried to follow them north.
Julia wakes up feeling groggy and she looks around for Louisa. She notices that her pack is gone and assumes that she split off for good. Julia's shoulder is still very sore but she can move it just as long as she doesn't overdo it. She knows that she can't stay solitary this late in the games without annoying the Gamemakers. She gathers her things and begins heading south.
Atom is doing his rounds while checking his traps. He doesn't have any luck with the snares and none of the tribute-sized traps have been set off. His stomach growls from hunger and he takes a swig from his canteen to try and stop the pain. He is heading back to his camp when he hears a noise behind him. Atom hides behind a thick tree and peeks out to see Julia heading towards him. She holds a spear in one hand but Atom knows it will be hard for her to use it in the thick forest. Atom takes off to the right and as expected he hears Julia following behind him. He weaves through the tree so that she can't get a good aim on him while also allowing her to keep up. He is soon gasping for air but he reaches a trap and he leaps over the trap mechanism. Julia doesn't notice and she knocks over the stick holding the trap at bay and she barely has time to process what's going on before the trap falls from above. The weight of the wooden spikes knocks Julia flat onto the ground. The spikes puncture her body in multiple locations and it doesn't take long for her cannon to sound.
4. Julia Bray, D12- killed in spike trap built by Atom Collins, D5
Day Eleven
All three tributes wake up knowing today is likely the last day of the Hunger Games. Porsche stays within the Cornucopia. She builds up a few molten and burnt crates to form a small barricade at the mouth of the Cornucopia. Louisa takes her daggers, leaves the rest of her supplies near the bank of the stream, and heads toward the Corncupia. Atom heads to the Cornucopia as well, he plans to lead the other tributes into one of his traps.
Porsche watches as Atom walks out of the treeline onto the Bloodbath field. Her heart rate increases, and although Atom is also fourteen she doesn't think she could beat him in a battle. Atom simply stands at the edge of the trees and doesn't make an advance toward the Cornucopia. Atom then dashes back into the woods and then Porsche sees Louisa race across the field after him. Porsche almost calls out to Louisa but decides against it.
Louisa chases after Atom through the woods. She is much taller than him and she gains ground quickly. Because he is leading her away from the Cornucopia, Louisa suspects he is leading her to a trap. Louisa stops chasing after him and stands still. She's surrounded by cedar trees but she stays focused. Atom loops back around and runs fifteen feet to the left of Louisa. At this point, he is getting exhausted and starting to slow down. Louisa chases after him and gets closer and closer to him. She slashes a dagger across his back and the pain brings Atom to his knees. She kicks him over and he tries to crawl away. She raises a dagger and he turns over and tries to slash her with his knife. Louisa kicks Atom in the gut and he instinctively drops the knife and grabs at his stomach. Louisa plunges her dagger into his chest before heading back to the Cornucopia.
3. Atom Collins, D5- stabbed in the chest by Louisa Holland, D9
Louisa walks back out onto the Bloodbath field containing the Cornucopia. "Porsche come out. Where are you?" Louisa asks exacerbatedly. Louisa catches movement at the mouth of the Cornucopia and Porsche walks out. She seems smaller than Louisa remembers.
"Did you abandon me, Louisa?" she whimpers as tears flow down her cheeks.
"No! I didn't. They would have killed you at the waterfall. I left to save you!" Louisa shouts. She's angry at these games, she's angry at the Capitol, and she's angry at herself.
"Are you going to kill me?" Porsche looks into Louisa's eyes.
Louisa looks up at the sky to prevent herself from crying, "I have made a lot of questionable choices in these games. I didn't realize I would come to know you so well any of you. Zelda, Spruce, Sycca, and even Havana, Daffodil, and Julia. My one goal was to survive and that is what I am going to do."
Louisa looks back to Porsche and she has her head in her hands as she sobs. Louisa runs across the field with her arms open as if to hug Porsche. She grabs Porsche by the shoulders spins her around, covers a hand over her mouth, and uses the other to slice a dagger across her throat. The cut is clean and the cannon is almost instant.
2. Porsche Carney, D6- throat slashed by Louisa Holland, D9
Louisa lays Porsche gently on the ground as the bright red blood pools around her. Louisa looks down at the woven bracelet that Porsche gave her as a gift. Louisa uses the bloody dagger to cut it off and places it on Porsche's chest. "I cannot keep this for it will only remind me of what I did to you."
Louisa stands up and waits as the hovercraft appears above her and drops a ladder. Louisa forces herself to not cry. "I will not feel guilty for the things I did to survive," she says to herself as she is raised into the sky.
"Congratulations, Lousia Holland of District Nine. You are the Victor of the 99th Hunger Games!"
xXx
Blog: unitedvictors. blogspot. com
Facts about the Victor
Louisa is the oldest victor in history being nineteen years and two days old when she won. Her strategy of being in two alliances at once has also never been as successful as she implemented it. Many of the citizens in the Districts are shocked at how favorable Louisa is toward the Capitol after her Hunger Games. In her mind though, if they put her through everything she experienced in her Hunger Games, she deserves all the pleasures she can obtain.
Appearance: Louisa is 5'10 and slender. She has long light-brown hair, olive skin, and hazel eyes.
Family: Louisa has one older sister. Louisa never marries but has many Captiolite boyfriends over the years. She never has any children.
Death: Louisa dies from liver cirrhosis at the age of 74 two months before the 154th Games.
xXx
Hunger Games Kills
Champion Royals, D1 (3)- (Farrow Cunning D9, Zelda Dial D3, Spruce MeGee D7)
Lima Poteskey, D2 (5)- (Trowel Smith D11, Organza Burnham D8, Indy Fotter D6, Havana Sowerbutts D10, Daffodil Carter D11)
Dimitrius Connelly, D2 (2)- (Rachel Holder D5, Sonic Webb D3)
Miami Sedd, D4 (1)- (Cliff Trejas D10)
Atom Collins, D5 (1)- (Julia Bray D12)
Porsche Carney, D6 (1)- (Champion Royals D1)
Louisa Holland, D9 (3)- (Felter Rubin D8, Atom Collins D5, Porsche Carney D6)
Havana Sowerbutts, D10 (2)- (Miami Sedd D4, Sapphire Day D1)
Daffodil Carter, D11 (1)- (Palo Matsu D4)
Julia Bray, D12 (2)- (Dimitrius Connelly D2, Lima Poteskey D2)
Mutts/Other (1)- (Sycca Altenbaumer D7- slipped off a cliff; Surry Yoakum D12- grizzly bear mutt)
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 (5) Kills (3), District Eleven (1 Female - 2 Male)
91st Hunger Games: Heron Miller, 15, TS (5) Kills (3), District Seven (1 Female - 1 Male)
92nd Hunger Games: Aeriel Cooper, 17, TS (3) Kills (2), District Six (1 Female)
93rd Hunger Games: Laura Lee, 16, TS (6) Kills (5), District Twelve (1 Female)
94th Hunger Games: Nova Battles, 17, TS (9) Kills (6), District Two (2 Female - 1 Male)
95th Hunger Games: Nox Durant, 17, TS (10) Kills (6), District One (1 Female - 2 Male)
96th Hunger Games: Saylor Costa, 18, TS (9) Kills (4), District Four (1 Female - 2 Male)
97th Hunger Games: Lilac Kazner, 17, TS (5) Kills (2), District Eight (1 Female - 1 Male)
98th Hunger Games: Isaac Jules, 16, TS (7) Kills (4), District Five (1 Female - 1 Male)
99th Hunger Games: Louisa Holland, 19, TS (6) Kills (3), District Nine (1 Female - 1 Male)