Orion Farr, 18
District 12

Orion could only sit, staring at his hands as he waited. It hadn't felt real- still didn't. But of course it'd be him. Of course it would be unfortunate Orion Farr, reaped for the Games. First, his parents, now him. Would Jessie be next?

(Would she be slaughtered too?)

The door burst open, Orion's head shooting up- it was Jess, with Ky on her heels. The moment she laid eyes on Orion, she let out a strangled cry. Rising to his feet, Orion scooped his sister into his arms, picking her feet up off the floor as they hugged.

"Are you-"

"Fine," Orion muttered. "Fine as I can be."

Jess hummed a quiet nose, squeezing him tighter. Ky's gentle hand landed on his shoulder.

"I'm… thank you for coming." Orion managed, releasing his sister from his grip. Ky's face brightened a little, but the clouds that hung over his eyes remained.

"Of course."

Orion let Jess guide them back to the couch. They both sat, the couch sinking like water under their weight.

"I'm sorry- I should've…"

"Should've what? Volunteered for me?" Orion responded quickly. "Thrown your life away, while I watched knowing it was all my fault?"

The boy fell silent as Orion continued. "Ky, you have to keep going to school. Promise. You can't drop out now."

"I-"

"Promise."

"Okay- okay I will," Ky agreed, his voice wavering. Orion couldn't bear to see all the hard work he'd put in over the past year go to waste just because of Orion's death. They'd be okay without him- they'd lose his income, but Jessie's recent promotion would make up for it, especially with one less person to feed.

"Jess, you can manage," Orion said, turning to his sister now. "Use my emergency funds if you need to. You know where they are, right? Under the floorboard in my room?"

"I do- I will," Jess nodded, her face stony but still he could see where tears had streaked down her face. "You're talking like you're never coming back though- you have a chance, right?"

Ky nodded eagerly- and sure, maybe he did have a chance. That was the point of the Game- everyone had a chance, but not all chances were equal. Sure, his odds weren't terrible. Orion was strong enough. but he wasn't a Career. Could he really bring himself to kill innocent kids so easily?

(That would make him no better than the rebels or the Capitol who'd taken his parents.)

(But what would become of his family without him?)

"I- I don't know. I can't promise anything," Orion sighed.

"Try. Please try," Ky begged, and Orion couldn't keep looking at him or else he'd end up crying too. He wouldn't let Ky or Jess' final memory of him be something so pathetic and so Orion had to remain strong.

"I will, but I can't promise you anything," Orion whispered. "I'm sorry I can't do more."

"Time's up," the Peacekeeper spoke gruffly from the door- this was it. They were out of time, and there were still a hundred things Orion wanted to say- I'm sorry, I love you, I should've let you in when I had the chance.

Orion didn't utter a single word as his family filed out of the room. He only quietly hung his head- it was likely that he'd take his secrets to the grave. It'd be better that way, certainly.

(Orion's burdens would be buried with him, and his family would be none the wiser.)

Credence Voltaire, 18
District 3

"Volts," Jaimari sighed, lurking in the doorway- not coming in further, but not leaving just the same. "What the fuck was that?"

"I-" Credence stuttered. "I don't know."

"You don't know? Credence Voltaire, one of the brightest minds in District Three doesn't know?"

"I do," Credence whispered, voice trembling. "I do. I couldn't let you go-"

"And so you're gonna kill yourself over it? And turn the District's gaze to me in the process?"

Credence paused, sinking into the couch- he was trembling, and could hardly stay on their feet. They wouldn't have a fairy tale life, full of discovery, and wouldn't get the chance to die peacefully at the end of a long and fulfilling existence.

(They'd be dead in a few months- a year, maybe, if he was lucky, and Credence Voltaire wasn't well known for his luck.)

"No," Credence sighed. "No, I'm not, because I'm not going to have a life, Jaimari."

"What?" Jaimari asked, pausing his near-frantic pacing. "What do you mean?"

"I'll be dead by the end of the year- if I'm lucky," Credence stated, as matter of factly as he could manage- they'd gone over this a hundred times, how to tell Jaimari Torus, the only one he'd ever loved, that he was dying. Despite all those scenarios and options, though, Credence had never pictured it going like this.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm dying, that's what I mean. It's cancer- terminal. I never had a chance."

"And you never told me?"

Credence scoffed, shaking their head- why would they? Why would they ever drag the Jaimari Torus down like that? Wouldn't it be better for him if Credence faded like an old photo into the background to be forgotten forever?

(Dead men couldn't tell secrets.)

"Does Hendler-"

"The Doctor's known the whole time," Credence sighed, which quickly turned to a ragged cough. Credence Voltaire deserved to disappear, deserved to be forgotten to the sands of time. He was never meant to create anything that was truly worthwhile- no, he was meant to destroy. Credence was meant to turn anything he'd ever touched to dust, just as lost to time as he would be.

And maybe this was Credence Voltaire's purpose- to give up his life to save somebody who had a real chance at changing the world.

(If it was, Credence would go to their death quietly.)

"So what am I supposed to tell everyone?" Jai asked, his voice cracking as Credence regained his composure.

"Don't… don't be upset," Credence whispered hoarsely. "Tell them whatever you must."

"Tell them whatever I must? When you couldn't even tell me this one thing?"

"Time's up," a gruff voice announced from the doorway.

"I couldn't. I couldn't tell you because I love you, and I'm sorry it had to happen like this and-"

"And that's enough," Jaimari cut them off. "I don't want to hear any more. Goodbye, Credence."

Credence could only slump further into their seat as Jaimari stormed out. Perhaps it was better this way- they didn't want their death to weigh so heavily on Jaimari. Maybe he hated them, maybe Jaimari would be glad to be rid of him after that.

Credence only sat in silence for a few moments, before the door opened again- Dr. Hendler.

"My boy-"

"I told him," Credence interrupted, but before he could get another word out Hendler crossed the room, wrapping their thin frame in his warm arms. Credence's face rested in the crook of his shoulder, and before they knew it they were crying, their tears hot and ugly.

Credence would never see Jaimari Torus again.

(And his life would be all the better for it.)

Octavius "Tavi" Nikoletos, 18
District 4.

Aegeus muttered a quiet goodbye, prompted by Mother, before ducking out of the room. Tavi inclined his head, acknowledging it, before turning his attention back to Father.

Father sat across the table from him, arms folded across his front. He nearly took up the whole couch on his own, a flat look across his face. Perhaps he was keeping it together in front of his children- would Father be upset once Tavi was gone? Or proud, because his son was marching off to the Games just as he was always intended to?

"Tavs, you know what?" Ophelia asked, covering his hand with her own, and it took most of his resolve not to pull away. "I bet you'll be the coolest Career there."

"Don't fill his head with such distractions," Father responded with an exasperated sigh.

"It's true though! I'm just telling him what I think. And what I think is that he's gonna be the best one there."

Tavi didn't know why she was doing this- why was she in any position to think that? He couldn't even manage to be the best in Four, how did she expect him to be the best one in the Capitol? Surely it was a slight- a joke at his expense.

"Ophelia," Father warned, in a tone he hardly ever used on Ophelia. "I think it's time to go."

"But-"

"But, it's time to go. You've had plenty of time with him."

Ophelia let out an annoyingly deep sigh, pushing off the couch, and Tavi was happy the little demon was finally away from him. She dragged her feet with every step before the door, Father holding it open for her to go. But just as she got to the threshold, she paused. Turning back, she bounded across the room to where Tavi sat, throwing her arms around his neck.

"You can do it. I'll make sure to watch you the whole way okay? I promise," Ophelia whispered, and it was all he could do to not appear stiff to Father. Awkwardly, he patted his sister on the back before she released him, giving a massive grin. "You can, don't you dare listen to him. I'll see you again soon."

Tavi only nodded- who was she, to tell him not to listen to Father? When he was the one who'd gotten them both to where they were now.

"Ophelia."

"Yes, Father."

With that, she was gone. Father closed the door, and turned back to Tavi now.

"I-" Tavi managed to choke out. Father's attention was all his now, and he couldn't even speak, what kind of pathetic son was he?

"Don't bother," Father said, leaning forward. Tavi froze as Father's flat expression dropped away, to something far more familiar.

"What?"

"Don't bother with words. We both know what you need to do."

Tavi nodded eagerly, but Father shook his head. "No. You clearly don't understand. You will listen to me, and listen to me very closely, do you hear me, Octavius?"

"Yes Father," Tavi responded.

"You will come home with dignity, or you won't come home at all."

(Come home a Victor, a real Nikoletos, or don't bother coming back at all.)

"Do you hear me, Octavius?" Father hissed. "Do you understand me?"

"I- yes, Father," Tavi agreed.

"Good. Now get out of my sight."

Tavi scrambled to his feet, moving quickly out of the room into the hallway. As he exited he very nearly ran into his District partner, Calypso.

"Sorry," Calypso said, her voice small, but Tavi hardly heard it.

He would finally make his family proud. He would show them what he could really do.

(He would come home the son his Father wanted, or he wouldn't come home at all.)

Rowdy Krazimir, 17
District 9

"The fuck was that?" Rowdy yelled, pacing the length of the room.

"What do you mean, what the fuck was that?" Georgi responded, a smug look crossing his face. "I'm sorry, Roderick, but this is just how it is."

"You got me reaped, didn't you? On purpose!"

"You really think I'd do that? To my only son?" Georgi said, shaking his head adamantly. "You'd accuse me of such treason?"

Rowdy let out a half growl- of course he would. Georgi Krazimir wasn't a man, he was a coward, and Rowdy didn't know why he'd ever thought otherwise. His father was taking the easy way out getting rid of him like this, tragically young. Rowdy bet he'd even earn sympathy from Nine in the process, a little boost to his next campaign from the death of his son.

"Fuck you! Rowdy yelled. "Fuck you, and this District, and your dumbass campaign!"

Georgi shrugged. "If you say so."

"I shoulda burned this place down when I had the chance, and you with it. Now get the fuck out of my sight," Rowdy spat.

Georgi didn't say a word as he got up and left the room, leaving Rowdy alone. Nobody else would come to visit him- his friends weren't even his friends, and his mother didn't give a shit.

He was alone, really and truly alone.

(Alone, and walking right to his death.)

"If you say so," Rowdy growled, to nobody in particular. "If you say so my ass!"

If Rowdy wasn't going to be shipped off to the Capitol in five minutes, he would've burned the whole District down. He would've torn it apart, bit by bit, before his father's eyes. He wanted Georgi to watch as his empire burned, even if it meant Rowdy would burn with it.

(Burn, burn, burn. It was all Rowdy could do, and even now even that'd been taken from him.)

How was Rowdy supposed to destroy something he was so far from? He'd be shipped off to the Capitol, and Georgi wouldn't face any consequences. Unless he could figure out another way, he'd go to his death and return in a casket.

"Kid, it's time to get going," the escort said, poking her head into the room- she had some ridiculous name Rowdy couldn't be assed to remember.

"Why should I do that?" Rowdy responded, continuing to pace the room.

"Either you come of your own accord, or I send the Peacekeepers in, and I don't think you'd particularly enjoy that."

Rowdy grunted, interrupting his pacing to step out of the room. As he did, the door across the hall flew open, and a small, red-haired girl stepped out. Rowdy hadn't gotten a good look at her until now, but as she gave him a little wave, Rowdy looked closer. He recognized her- she was one of those Emmer kids, the family his father had been complaining about endlessly for months. Her father was running against Georgi and had gained a fair amount of public favour, which Georgi didn't like. Losing the election was practically the worst case scenario for his father, and this was the first one in years he actually had a chance at losing.

"Aneira, this is Roderick. Roderick, this is Aneira-"

"Rowdy. Not Roderick," Rowdy interrupted the escort. "We've met before, yes?"

Aneira nodded, ducking her head. She seemed like she was trying to make herself as small as possible, and Rowdy could see streaks in her makeup where tears had fallen. She seemed rather pathetic in his opinion, but…

Maybe this was exactly what- no, who he needed.

(Maybe, he had found a way to burn it all to the ground.)