Beyond The Pale

by Sleepstar of Shadowclan

"Future Generations will name them Tributes 69-92, but I'll never forget them" Long before The Hunger Games became the spectacle in Katniss' era, 17-year-old farmhand Horsa Georges would expect to live out his life on the family ranch. But when he is Reaped to represent District 10 in the 4th Hunger Games, he isn't sure of his chances. Can he return home or will he end up in a box?

20. Snippets

Beyond The Pale Chapter 20

Author's Note: I do not own The Hunger Games

Horsa Georges, 18, Victor of the 4th Hunger Games, District 10, A:D:D 5

The first few months after my victory was difficult to deal with. Every night I had nightmares of the Fourth Hunger Games, as well as Bessie being Reaped into the Games. It was July 4th, A:D:D 5, that the latter came true. "Bessie Georges" the Escort called out from the girls' bowl, and I saw my sister go up to the stage. A boy, two years older than her, named Samuel Lanegan, was called up as well. As I sat in the Justice Building to wish Bessie luck, little did I knew it would be the last time I would see her alive.

As I watched the recaps of the Reaping, I felt a sense of deja-vu. As a girl named Berry Birtwhistle was being called up for District 11, the second name called out was familiar. Fig Demaine, now where did I hear that name before. Oh yeah, he's Flora's brother. The recaps went to District 12, where a girl named Moora Reinhardt was called up. Then it happened. "Lachlan Hennessey", the District 12 Escort called out. A boy with grey eyes and shoulder-length dark hair walked onto the stage, and as he shook hands with Moora I felt tears form in my eyes. Before I could stop myself, I muttered "Harold". The boy looked so much like my fallen ally, and then I remembered the two were twins. Lachlan is seventeen, the age Harold would have been.

As the Games began I saw there was no sign of Fig, Moora, Samuel and Bessie amongst the other Tributes. I watched as a girl from District 1 killed a small girl from District 8, while the boy, Theobald, killed the girl's District Partner. I watched in horror as Berry collapsed, complaining of agony in her stomach before expiring. Lachlan, seeing Berry's death, fled and hid. Theobald slashed at a girl from District 2 as she attempted to grab a sword, two girls from Districts 9 and 4 and a boy from District 3 fell, knives in their backs, a boy from District 5 being slashed to pieces, and three boys, from Districts 4, 9 and 7, and a girl from District 6 all falling to the ground. But Lachlan's expression on seeing Berry die was one of shock, but there was another expression. He's isolated, and he is going to die.

Turning back on the television on Day 2 of the Games, I saw that in the past few hours, several more Tributes have died. The first was the boy from District 6, the second death of the day was the girl from District 1, killed by the boy from District 2. Said boy, Granit McKennie, was killed by Theobald, who then dispatched the girl from District 7. On the other side of the Arena, near where Flora, Harold, Amethyst and Ursula met their ends, the girl from District 3 slit the girl from District 5's throat. As Lachlan crawled out from the bleachers he walked towards the spot where his twin brother died in my arms last year. Taking off an item he wore around his neck, he held it aloft. "Listen up Panem" I heard Lachlan shout. The cameras was focused on the name on Lachlan's tag, and I recognised the name on the tag. Harold, the tag read. "That's right, Panem. That's the name of my twin brother. The one that was treated disgracefully after his death. Tell me Dr. Gaul, where did you put the canister. I learned from the Medics that accompanied my brother that you took a part of him. I watched my brother die, I heard the insult that girl from 2 gave to Horsa, and I am glad it was Horsa that won. He respected my brother, even after his death. Don't you ever forget what you did to Samuel, Bessie, Fig, Berry and Moora. That's right. You poisoned them. You poisoned them so I can remain isolated." I stared in shock at the revealation. Turning to the District 3 girl, Lachie gestured to her. "I'm not afraid of dying" The girl grasped her knife, and in several seconds Lachlan lay on the floor, a slash wound to the chest. The girl knelt down beside the District 12 boy. On the television, I could hear a whisper as Lachie passed away.

The girl won, and District 10 mourned Bessie and Samuel. As Bessie's coffin was lowered into the ground, I can't help but think of the Hennessey family in District 12. Both their sons died in these cruel games. The Demaine Family of District 11 have lost a daughter and a son. I lost my sister.

While the 11th Hunger Games was taking place, I decided to write a letter to Mmseyone Musk, the girl who won the Fifth Hunger Games. Taking out a pen and some paper, I wrote:

Dear Mimi

My name is Horsa Georges, Victor of the Fourth Hunger Games. I have seen how you comforted a tribute from District 12 named Lachlan Hennessey. His twin brother, Harold Hennessey, was a Tribute in the Fourth Hunger Games. He was courageous, kind and bubbly, and was the best friend anyone could wish for.

A few months later, my wife, Nonnie, gave birth to my first child. "Taliesin Swift Georges" I suggested, remembering the District 8 male that died in front of me and my fellow ally respectively. Three more children would be born, two girls and a boy, after Taliesin. Barbara Flora Georges, Claire Ginger Georges and Harold Denis Georges. The eldest girl, Barbara, named after my District Partner from the Fourth Hunger Games. Flora after my ally from the Fourth Hunger Games as well. The twins, Claire and Harold, named after the District 12 Tributes from my Hunger Games. Claire's middle name, Ginger, in tribute to the District 9 girl, with Harold's middle name being in tribute to the lumberjack from District 7.

To Mimi.

Thank you for the letter the other day. I have some news to share. Nonnie has given birth to a little boy. His name is Taliesin Swift Georges, named after the boy who I saw die in front of me, and my ally respectively.

Horsa

Years pass, and I dreaded that Taliesin, Barbara, Claire or Harold would end up in the Hunger Games. But all that changed for the Reaping of the 28th Hunger Games. A girl, Rhiannon Croft, stood on the Stage as she awaited the boy who will join her in the Games. The Escort pulled out a slip, and read:

"Taliesin Georges!"

I couldn't believe it, my own son was going to the Games. I thought of Edgar Parlour, whose youngest daughter, Treasure, died in the First Quarter Quell. I thought of Virgil Barde, whose son, Tarpaulin, died in last year's Games. I thought of Ginny Canova, how she mourned the death of her youngest child, Fern, in the First Quarter Quell. Mimi mentioned the loss of her niece, Alcheme, in the First Quarter Quell, in a recent letter.

For the following days, while Nonnie, Barbara and the twins watched the Games I kept myself busy with the horses and working on the ranch. As I began brushing the black coat of the horse nearest to me I heard a shout.

"Horsa! Got some good news" Nonnie yelled. "It's our son, Taliesin. HE'S COMING HOME!"

"Wait, Taliesin won?" I asked.

A year later, I waved Taliesin off. His Tributes, Josephine Cantwell and Hengist McDonald, looked tense.

Turning on the television I saw that all twenty-four Tributes was standing, as Lucky commented. "As well as the Districts 1, 2 and 4 Tributes being the overwhelming favourites, let's not count out Goldenrod Gore of District 8, Hengist McDonald of District 10 or Skarloey Rowe of District 3 as potential Victors". As the countdown made it's way to zero, the boy from 3 winked at Hengist, who nodded back. As the gong rang I saw that the boy from District 2, Ptolemy, had speared Josephine. Hengist had vanished into the undergrowth, clutching a heavy bag. The Cannons boomed ten times, signifying the deaths of ten Tributes, Josephine amongst them. Taliesin must be grieving, I thought.

Hengist died a few days later, sacrificing himself to buy time for his ally to escape. Taliesin must be mourning the death of his Tributes, but he at least consoled himself that a family in District 3 wouldn't be mourning their son, and at least his older brother wouldn't have to go through what Huyen Le Duc went through during the First Quarter Quell. Her brother didn't stand a chance.

Here it is, little snippets of Horsa's life. Yes, Horsa became pen-pals with Mimi. The boy from District 3 is a reference to the now-deleted fanfiction called Cheating Death: Those That Lived. Huyen did Mentor her brother in the First Quarter Quell, as District 3 voted in family members of their Victors. She took it upon herself to Mentor her protege's brother. It's also a little Production Foreshadowing towards a Plot Point in the first part of "The Vonheli Chronicles" in which Beetee ends up having to deal with a Man Cave, all while the Tribute he was supposed to Mentor was put into a frozen wasteland Arena.