Different Perspectives Chapter 6
Faith Dolman, 18, District 12 Tribute in the Sixth Hunger Games
The bodies of the slaughtered lay scattered on the field. Korden, Volts, Nell, Malik, Briony, Graham, Josephine, Cedric, Will, Katrielle, Amber, Miriam and Natalie. The Tributes that have so far died. Eleanor, Dana and Rolex were crushed to death in the Stables. Vincent died from the injury he sustained by the plank, and little Dusty died from the flu. It was just my luck I had to be Reaped into this Arena, the same one where nine Tributes from District 12 lost their lives. Robert and Erin were the first to die, followed by Linda and Gregory. Then June and Basil. I began reeling off the names of the dead. Linda placed third in the Second, followed by June in the Third. She teamed up with the District 5 Male in order to wound the strongest Tribute, the boy from District 2. The boy from 5, Keanu, was stabbed in the abdomen, while June was stabbed in the chest. Their efforts were not in vain, for the girl from 11, Ginny, won after the boy from 2 bled to death. I swallowed, remembering the Fourth Hunger Games, when everything went downhill for me.
"Good luck" I whispered to Harold Hennessey, as he stood in the Justice Building. Mayor Lipp's daughter, Mayfair, glared at me as I passed the locket to him. I had brought the locket and a watch for the twins' 16th Birthday last November. I remembered how happy the twins was when I gave them their presents. Putting the necklace around Harold's neck, I told him not to take it off, before I started to cry. "Faith, it's going to be okay" he muttered, pulling me closer to him. "Just let it all out" I continued to sob before the Peacekeepers escorted Harold and Claire McNarama out of the building. "Faith, I know Harold better. I know he can win this" Lachlan Hennessey told me.
Sitting at home, I watched as the Fourth Hunger Games was about to begin. I saw Harold quickly picking up a small knife, with Horsa Georges and Barbara Cantwell of District 10 and Swift Roswell and Flora Demaine of District 11 behind him. "Horsa, watch out" Harold yelled, as the District 10 boy dodged a sword from the District 1 boy. The sword entered the stomach of the District 8 boy, who then collapsed in front of the Alliance. "Where's Claire?" Barbara muttered in fear. "I'll look for her. She's my District Partner" Harold replied as he went to look for Claire. He managed to locate Claire, but before he can reach her, the District 1 boy picked up a javelin and threw it at her. The spear entered the girl's chest, and Claire fell to the ground. On the screen, I could see how shocked Harold was at witnessing the death of his District Partner. "I'm sorry, Claire. I should have protected you" I heard him mutter as he rejoined his allies. I saw Horsa whisper some words of comfort to Harold. The following days of the Games passed by, and the loss of both Barbara Cantwell and Swift Roswell. I was scared that Oliver of District 2 would stab Harold, but he managed to wrestle the knife from the District 2 Tribute before killing him.
Day Eight of the Games would be a day I'll never forget. The District 1 girl, Amethyst, had slain Flora of District 11. Angry at the death of his ally, Harold stabbed Amethyst in the neck with his knife. Ursula of District 2 drew out an arrow from her quiver, and I could see it was her last arrow. As she pointed it towards Harold I turned towards Lachlan, and muttered "I can't look". A moment later, and I heard Lachlan cry out "No!" Glancing back at the screen, I could see Horsa of District 10 comforting my lover in his last moments, an arrow in the chest. Ursula mocked Horsa about his ally's death, sneering "So how does it feel, seeing your ally die? Why, it's like an arrow to the heart, isn't it". I cannot bear to watch any more, and so ran out of the living room and up into my bedroom. Brave, bubbly, kind Harold. One of many who will be destined to be forgotten about.
After a few hours, I found out from Lachlan that Horsa won the Games, before he left my house to grieve. I decided to grieve, and spent half my time in my bedroom.
When the coffins containing the bodies of Claire and Harold returned to District 12, I went to Harold's coffin and muttered "You were indeed the best of District 12". Of course, it wasn't long after Claire and Harold was buried that I learned from Lachie that the Capitol had desecrated Harold's body. How dare the Capitol not show respect to fallen Tributes? My anger was indescribable.
It was November 24th, the day of Lachie's 17th birthday, and what would have been Harold's 17th Birthday as well. Sitting by Harold's grave, I muttered "Wherever you are, say hello to Robert, Erin, Linda, Gregory, Basil, June and Claire". Lachie went over to try and comfort me. "At least Harold had something the Capitol doesn't have" I said bitterly
"What do you mean?" Lachie asked
"He had a heart, and that is something the Capitol doesn't have. He showed respect to the fallen Tributes, something the Capitol doesn't do. They treat the Tributes as pawns in their cruel Games."
"You know something Faith? If I get Reaped into the Arena, I'll call them out for the way they treat the Districts. I'll show them that my twin isn't to be cast aside. Horsa showed dignity to Harold in his last moments, which is more than what the Capitol gave him. They basically took one piece of him before dressing him in white clothes, and did not tell anyone. It was only because the person that dressed him told me what happened". I did not have the heart to argue with Lachie, he makes an excellent point about the Tributes deserving dignity in their final moments.
I felt tears run down my face.
The Fifth Hunger Games. The Escort, whose name I don't even know, had made her way towards the boys' Reaping Bowl. A slight, redheaded sixteen year old girl by the name of Moora stood on the stage. Pulling out a slip of paper, the Escort read the name.
"Lachlan Hennessey!"
I felt my world crumble. Nearby, I heard the anguish sounds from a woman, Martha, I remember. Lachie's sister.
On the first day of the Games, I noticed that the District 10 Tributes, the boy from District 11 and Moora was nowhere to be seen. I watched as a pair of Tributes from District 8 was killed, the girl beheaded and the boy gutted, a girl from District 11 dying in agony, Lachie's look of fear, the girl from District 2 cut apart as she attempted to grab a weapon, three Tributes, girls from Districts 9 and 4 and the boy from District 3, killed by throwing knives, the boy from District 5 knocked out cold, and the boys from Districts 4, 9 and 7, and the girl from District 6, all killed by throwing knives. At least Lachie is okay, I thought.
Day 2 was another day I would never forget. As the girl from District 3 slit the throat of the girl from District 5, Lachie revealed himself. He held up a tag with his brother's name on, and shouted "The name on the tag? That's my twin brother, and don't you ever forget it. You treated him as a pawn, never saw him as a person. You killed the District 10 Tributes. You murdered Fig and Berry. You poisoned Moora. One day, you'll pay for the deaths of Claire, Harold and every single Tribute that died in these Games. Tell me, Dr Gaul, where did you put that canister?" Glancing at the District 3 girl, Lachlan turned to her. "Go ahead, I'm not afraid" he told her. Within moments the girl from 3 slashed Lachie's chest, cutting the nametag in two. Realising what she had done, she knelt beside Lachlan, his last words being "I'll see you soon, Harold"
District 12 mourned Lachie and Moora. At home, I sat in my room, looking at the celing. It was bad enough one twin got Reaped, but both twins Reaped in successive years was awful.
The date 24th November passed in silence, as I made my way to the graves of the Hennessey twins. It would have been their 18th birthdays, I thought. Alas, Harold will always be sixteen, and Lachlan will always remain seventeen. I had just celebrated my eighteenth birthday two months ago. Fingers crossed I'll see my 19th birthday. That is, if I don't get Reaped.
The temperatures in the Arena has dropped, and I don't have the strength to move to somewhere warmer. Robert, Erin, Gregory, Linda, Basil, June, Harold, Claire, Lachlan, Moora, Dusty. District 12 Tributes that have so far failed to return home. Eleven Tributes that have so far, failed to win. Taking out a locket, I looked at the image.
"Come on Faith" I heard Harold yell as he and Lachlan ran towards the lake. It was a summer's day during the Third Hunger Games as I carried the picnic basket.
"What do you think about June teaming up with that boy from District 5?" Harold asked
"If it means taking down Hercules, then there is no problem. He and Ariana took out half the field already" I replied
"But still, I can't help but think about that poor District 3 girl" Lachlan piped up
"You mean Juilana?" I asked
"Yes. She knew she wasn't going to survive, so she found one of the knives and killed herself with it. At least she didn't starve to death like that girl from District 7" Harold elaborated
"Exactly. It's better to die quickly than die of starvation" Lachlan muttered
"I agree" I said as I took out the camera from the basket.
The boys was kneeling on the grass as I took the photo before heading back home for mandatory viewing, watching as Hercules stabbed both the boy from 5, who, as it turned out, was named Keanu, and June. However, he would bleed to death, leaving the girl from District 11 as the Victor.
The spot over there was where Harold took his last breath, and where Lachlan lost his life. The air is a lot colder now. In my mind, I can hear Harold's voice calling me. I feel tired. Closing my eyes, I whispered "Harold" as everything faded to black.
"Wake up Faith". Opening my eyes, I could see Dusty standing in front of me. "Dusty!" I called to my District Partner. The small, sandy haired boy was smiling at me. In the short time I knew him, he became a sort of little brother to me. Talking my hand with Dusty's, the two of us walked to a place without fear.
So here we have it, another sad chapter. Poor Faith, losing not just one friend, but two. As I said, because AO3 is down it mans I have to upload this chapter and Therin's Chapter on here.