The Nightmare Games (The Seventeeth Annual Hunger Games)

Hey guys! It's Cyrissa here! I was recently having trouble finding an open Hunger Games, so I decided to make my own. Hopefully this shall inspire you to make your own!

Prologue
Life was beginning to get back to normal. The Hunger Games had been reinstated, and now they were in their seventeenth year. President Lilia Matthews kept order in the thirteen districts of Panem, which, alongside the Capitol, took part in the annual Games, a bloodbath. Twenty-eight people entered, and only one came out. This tells the story of the Seventeenth Games.

Rules
Have fun, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
 * No moaning and whining if your tribute dies. You can mourn your tributes though.
 * Some swearing (not a lot) will be used. The level of swearing is equal to a PG-13 film, which means it should be alright for teens and older children.
 * Any number of tributes can be entered by one person.
 * Sponsors will be given in the form of backpacks. One backpack can be given per tribute, at the tribute author's request. All backpacks contain a loaf of bread and a 500ml bottle of water.
 * Winners are picked by RANDOM.ORG, but if you are not active I may kill off your tribute. Also, I may kill your tribute off if he/she is not detailed enough.
 * NO RESERVATIONS. First come, first serve.
 * I will try to update every day, and if not, then every other day.
 * A death list will be added at the end of each day, so you know if your tribute is alive or not.
 * PS: I live in the UK, so I will probably update at 16:00 GMT or later. Just a heads up.

Sponsors
One sponsor backpack can be given per tribute, so choose wisely. Each backpack comes with a 500ml water bottle and a loaf of bread.

Arena
This year's arena is a pretty but deadly one. Set in a luxurious 'six star' hotel island, the tributes have to evade traps such as hologramic floors and sentient robots that manage the place. The Cornucopia is set in the main 'square' of the hotel (only the rooms, gyms, etc are indoors) where directions to each of the main places can be found. The beautiful but toxic water of the beach and the high cliffs are another addition to this year's games.

Lavender Tone's (8F) POV
It's that time of year when the sun burns brightly in the sky as our escort reads out the names of the dead. Well, there is a chance that one from our district will survive, but it's very slim.

"Ladies first," she says, trying to keep in a wicked grin. Oh god. Is it going to be me? Is it? My heart beats hard. I don't want to kill anyone after what happened to my family, but part of me thinks I deserve to be in the Games. I'm a psycho, and everyone believes that.

She picks out a name; my heart beats faster. "Lavender Tone."

Well, there we go.

I was picked.

I nervously walk up to the stage, facing the people of my district. They all look up to me, and when our escort asks for volunteers, she is answered with silence. I watch as she picks up another name, a boy this time. She says,

"Keira Jac-"

"I VOLUNTEER!" shouts a man, and I know instantly who he is. He's the freak from district 8, the tallest person probably in the whole of Panem. He's Marshall Vinewood. I feel a shiver down my spine as he trudges up on stage, his weight almost proving too much for it. I can see the fear in the escort's eyes; she's genuinely scared of his massive size. She reads out our names once more before we go into the building to say our goodbyes. I, however, have no-one to say goodbye to. I am a psycho, and everyone's scared of me. And that's just the way I am.

Courtney Mauntell's (13F) POV
I'm beginning to like my new District partner, Cauter - he's smart, funny, wise and helpful. So when I ask him during training if he would like to ally with me, it's no surprise when he responds with a resounding yes.

"So, Cauter. Where shall we train first?" I ask him, happy that I have someone to be with.

"Hmmm. I'm thinking the edible nuts and berries section. Not a lot of people train there, but it's a vital skill."

We head over there and begin our training, where one of the staff takes us to a classroom. She teaches us about some non-edible plants and edible ones, and we get given some worksheets to complete.

"This reminds me of school," Cauter says. He loves studying, and has a great memory. After finishing the sheets fairly quickly, we head on over to weapons training, where we can hopefully gain more allies.

Zach Winnings' (1M) POV
Well well. I hear that there is another 'psycho' in these Games - Lavender Tone. I ask her for an alliance calmly and politely, but she declines. I wonder why this is... after all, she's only a twelve year old, and even if she admits herself to be a psycho, she would most certainly ally with me... right? I head on over to the sword section, where I show off my swordfighting skills to the rest of the Careers.

Zapphire is taking notes of everyone's strengths and weaknesses, and is amazed at my skills.

"Zach, you're brilliant!" she says, notepad in hand.

I blush.

"Thanks." I answer back. No-one has called me brilliant before. Ever.

The day ends, and Zapphire and I take the lift back to our penthouse, to rest. Tomorrow, we'll have to work hard; the gamemakers are going to score us soon, and a good score means more sponsors...

Perry Blitz's (5M) POV
I spend my time at the rope stations; the skill I will show to the gamemakers tomorrow. I'm great at making traps - if I can trap a mutt, then I can surely trap a human being. After only a few minutes, I've created a rope net: I throw it down on one of the training holograms, making them unable to move. I grin.

Not long after, Courtney and Cauter approach me. They ask if I want to ally with them, but I decline, the reason being I get noticed more if I go solo. I walk to the dagger station and begin practicing, hopefully gaining enough training with the weapon to be able to use it in the games. I hope tomorrow I'll get a good score - it affects my chances of survival!

Hazel Maize's (9F) POV
I enter the room; Gamemakers are watching me closely. This is it, the make-or-break moment. I look at the gamemaker - he nods, ready to watch me. I grab a sickle and start decapitating the dummies, swiftly and quickly. After I finish that, I show them my throwing knife skills. I manage to hit most of them in the center of the target. Looking back at the gamemakers, I see their impressed faces.

A buzzer sounds, and I walk out of the room.

Careers
Artemisia Waterborne (CF), Zapphire O'Quaid (1F), Zach Winnings (1M), Veronica Morderkaiser (2F), Eugene Watson (2M), Manta Li (3M), Brooke Waterborne (4F), Mack Waterborne (4M), Caesar Sharpclaw (11M)

Anti-Careers
Clara Jane (6F), Hazel Maize (9F), Anthony Sharpclaw (12M)

Courtney's (13F) Alliance
Courtney Mauntell (13F), Cauter Dumont (13M), Alexis Sanchez (5F), Vesper Brooks (7M), Canary Ash (12F)

Marcella's (3F) Alliance
Marcella Brynlee (3F), Corin Greer (7F)

Jacob's (10M) Alliance
Jacob Woodward (10M), Lilac LaRue (11F)

Loners
Surorian Chaos (CM), Perry Blitz (5M), Lavender Tone (8F), Servus Vinctos (6M), Marshall Vinewood (8M), Quentin Ryes (9M), Valerie Woolworth (10F)

Clara Jane's (6F) POV
I walk onto the stage; even though I am looking forward to talking in front of Panem, I am nervous. If I get this wrong, I could lose all my sponsors. The interviewer, Katrin Stewart, is sitting on her egg chair, facing me. I sit down and sheepishly say,

"Hello, everyone."

"Hello, Clara!" Katrin replies back. Her ginger hair is shoulder length, her eyes the color of the greenest grass you could find. "So, what's it like in the Capitol? Do you like it?"

"Well, I think it's a beautiful city. The technology here is amazing - I think this shows what the whole of Panem can do," I answer.

"Do you miss the comfort of District Six?"

"A bit. I don't like the way I was badly treated there, but I feel... a bit empty without it." The audience stares at me with a sympathetic look; at least they know whether I win or lose I will find my way to a better place.

"I feel sorry for you, being badly treated. I hope, that one day, you will achieve what you always dreamed of. That was Clara Jane everybody!" Katrin says. The buzzer sounds, and I exit the stage. I feel relieved - now I can focus on the games.

Mack Waterborne's (4M) POV
I rise up into the arena, ready to face the twenty-seven other tributes. The bright sky almost blinds me for the first ten seconds, but when I can finally see again, I look around. The arena is beautiful; it's like one of those luxury hotels in the olden days, when humanity wasn't affected by disaster. Next to me is Servus Vinctos (a really freaky guy with a mask) and Alexis Sanchez (one of the Anti-Careers). I think to myself, ''Right. I'm going to attack Servus because he has no alliance. ''The countdown reaches twenty seconds, and I shift my focus onto the Cornucopia. I can see lots of weapons and supply bags scattered in and around the Centre.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...

The gong sounds.

Lilac LaRue's (11F) POV
Jacob and I run to the nearest backpack. I use it to defend myself while he goes a little closer to the action to grab two packs of throwing knives. A creepy guy with a mask comes up to me, and I run in fear and horror. Surprisingly, he drops his weapon on the ground and puts his hands up in surrender.

"I'm Servus Vinctos, tribute from District Six. Your alliance is quite weak at the moment - maybe you'd like somebody strong to help you?" he says. I look at Jacob, who nods.

"Ok then. Come with us." I answer.

I don't entirely trust him; he's big, scary and downright creepy. But, if this means that we have an extra person to help us, then it's fine by me!

Artemisia Waterborne's (CF) POV
I grab a trident, stabbing anyone unlucky to be in a different alliance. I see Clara Jane, the female from six, and she looks at me in the eye. She hasn't got a weapon yet, so I use this opportunity to stab her repeatedly with a trident until her face turns pale and dies.

BOOM!

Nearby, I see Mack battling Servus as he goes into one of the huge, apartment-like suites with two small tributes. Servus fights back, and decapitates him almost instantly.

BOOM!

I head out of the Cornucopia to check for more tributes.

Anthony Sharpclaw's (12M) POV
I'm still at the Cornucopia, picking up leftover supplies and trying to stay out of the way of the Careers. I pick up one of the leftover swords, only to find that somebody is standing next to me.

Damn it.

The person is Perry Blitz; he has no weapon, but is carrying a heavy backpack. In an attempt to get noticed by my brother, one of the Careers, I ferociously turn into a beast and bite him, ripping him apart with my 'iPhone sized' claws. He's dead in no time.

BOOM!

The Careers are now coming after me, so I run away. Because I can run faster than them, I rush to the restaurant, on top of a beautiful cliff. I look behind me, only to find that they gave up. At least I escaped certain death...

Veronica Mordekaiser's (2F) POV
We are beginning to open up our supplies and backpacks we have. I personally don't think we should stay in the Cornucopia; the blazing heat is proving too much for some of us.

"Guys, we need to move to a building," I say.

"You can't tell us what to do, can you?" snaps Zapphire. I clench my fists.

"I DON'T WANNA HEAR A F***ING WORD FROM YOU, OKAY?" I yell.

"So what?" she says back. Without a single thought, I grab my dagger and throw it at her head. She slowly loses blood and dies in front of everyone.

BOOM!

"Now everyone. I am the leader. Does everyone understand?" I ask.

"I think I'm smarter than everyone here. And, I deserve to be the leader-" Eugene says, before I throw a dagger at him and Zach, making sure they die slowly and painfully.

'''BOOM! '''

BOOM!

I am about to kill Brooke when Caesar bites my neck, causing my blood to gush out onto the floor of the Cornucopia. Manta slices my flesh off bit by bit.

"Next time, don't even try to kill allies for no reason. Zach was a nice man, a really nice man. We've made you pay for this," Artemisia says, before she and her teammates leave, taking all the supplies with them. I begin to black out and lose my consciousness, and the last things I see are the three dead bodies next to me.

BOOM!

The Fallen, Day One
Clara Jane (6F) - stabbed by Artemisia (CF)

Mack Waterborne (4M) - decapitated by Servus (7M)

Perry Blitz (5M) - mauled by Anthony (12M)

Zapphire O'Quaid (1F) - murdered by Veronica (2F)

Eugene Watson (2M) - murdered by Veronica (2F)

Zach Winnings (1M) - murdered by Veronica (2F)

Veronica Morderkaiser (2F) - mauled by Caesar (11M)

Still Alive:
Artemisia Waterborne (CF)

Surorian Chaos (CM)

Marcella Brynlee (3F)

Manta Li (3M)

Brooke Waterborne (4F)

Alexis Sanchez (5F)

Servus Vinctos (6M)

Corin Greer (7F)

Vesper Brooks (7M)

Lavender Tone (8F)

Marshall Vinewood (8M)

Hazel Maize (9F)

Quentin Ryes (9M)

Valerie Woolworth (10F)

Jacob Woodward (10M)

Lilac LaRue (11F)

Caesar Sharpclaw (11M)

Canary Ash (12F)

Anthony Sharpclaw (12M)

Alexis Sanchez's (5F) POV
I woke up. I still can't believe that over 50% of the Careers are dead. Now, we are the largest alliance, and what we lack in brawn, we make up in cunning, intelligence and speed.

"Nice day, isn't it?" Canary remarks. Here, we have no leader; we vote on decisions that are made. However, if you are talking about who formed this alliance, it was Courtney's idea.

"Maybe. It's getting warmer by the second, even in this air-conditioned villa." I answer. Suddenly, I hear a strange noise.

"Guys, I think we should go. The air-con has turned off, and if we are outside, we may find some other cool places." Cauter says. We leave, and just in time too! Looking back through the windows, we find the room has been gassed. No-one has died, as I don't hear any cannons.

"Cauter, you do realise I have asthma," Vesper whispers, using his inhaler as a method to dim his symptoms.

"Oh well. I'll try to find a place inside for you then," he says, as we head off to the cliff - near the restaurant and check-in buildings.

At least he has saved us from certain death...

Anthony Sharpclaw's (12M) POV
I can see five eager tributes walking towards my location - at first thought, I think it is the Careers, but no - it is Canary and her 'friends'. Making sure Hazel is inside, I lock the cafeteria doors; I don't want her to get hurt, or play a part in these games. I don't know whether to trust her or not; she was nice to me on the train, but I don't think so now.

"Guys, he's Anthony. I don't think he's in a good mood; he's clenching his fists. You may wanna stay back..." I can hear her say. In a moment of rage, I rush towards her and her teammates, about to use my claws to fatally injure one of them.

"Shit, we better run..." murmurs Vesper, before they turn and run in an attempt to get away. The slowest of the group is Alexis, and I manage to bite a deep wound into her leg before I feel her sharp scythe plunge through my back. I cry out in pain before I fall into blackness and hear a cannon.

BOOM!

Cauter Dumont's (13M) POV
"Lex, are you alright?" I ask. She looks in pain, but not fatally injured. I have a medkit from one of my supply backpacks in my hand, and I treat her wound. "It should be alright, it's just a case of the deep wound causing sicchasia, which may cause emesis."

"I'm sorry, what?" Lex answers. It's not my fault I always tend to answer with technical vocabulary; I am used to using it in my medical school back in 13.

"The deep wound causes nausea and vomiting. Basically, she'll be a bit sick, but she'll be fine."

We head back to the cafeteria, continuing with our journey to find a new place to stay.

Valerie Woolworth's (10F) POV
I managed to avoid being gassed; I was admiring the nice view of the beach when I realised that that was happening. Heading back into my room, I grab my supplies and weapons and head outside. I follow the pathways to the forests, and venture inside - the trees will provide some shelter, so nobody will be able to see me.

As soon as I have taken my first step inside the forest, I see a man with fangs - Caesar Sharpclaw? I grab my spear, and even if I'm not that physically strong, I manage to strafe the mutt-boy, attacking him quickly before taking it back. Caesar fights back - he bites me in the arm before I throw my spear at him.

"AAAGH." I groan. I am so weak, so tired, so exhausted, but I keep fighting.

"Lady from ten, you do realise I was with the Careers?" Caesar says, before using his claws to strike me in my chest. I am very bloodied, but so is he. And the fight continues, until eventually we both give in. We are both fatally wounded, and we begin to black out slowly. The last thing I hear before we die is two cannons.

BOOM!

BOOM!

Hazel Maize's (9F) POV
Anthony's gone missing. I'm hiding in the dining room, scared, alone and afraid. The reason why I'm here is because h told me a few days ago to camp out here, in the canteen. Since then, he's been giving me supplies and food, and treating me like I was his pet. Either way, I have mixed feelings about him dying. The bad thing about it is that I'm alone, the good thing being that I'm free.

Five people come in, and I immediately put my hands up in surrender.

"I don't mean you any harm," I say. "Anthony was keeping me here; I was in his alliance, but he wouldn't let me go anywhere."

"Hmmm. Should we let you go, or do you want to stay with us? We're the biggest alliance currently, so you might want to stay." Courtney says. She originally said that she wanted a small alliance, but because the most of the Careers died, she ended up being the creator of the biggest alliance yet.

"I'll stay with you. After all, you guys are very clever to have survived the bloodbath unscathed." I answer. We take shelter in the restaurant, making use of the food and water readily available there. It will be a lovely evening getting to know these tributes.

Marcella Brynlee's (3F) POV
Corin and I are staying in the hotel's gym. It makes sense to stay here - it is quite a large space, so we can store all of our supplies with room to spare.

"Corin, do you have a spare knife?" I ask.

"Actually, I do. Here you go," she says. She gives me a beautiful titanium knife, carved with different messages.

"Was this a sponsor gift?"

"I don't know. It came in this weird parcel, addressed to you."

"It doesn't look like a regular sponsor backpack; I've seen those in training."

"Well then. I think you are lucky. Keep the knife - it may save your life."

I shuffle into my sleeping bag, the words of Corin's rhyme dancing around in my head as I drift off to sleep.

Brenna Larson's (Gamemaker) POV
"WHAT THE F*** HAVE YOU DONE? You are such a bitch, Brenna." the Head Gamemaker, Marcus, says. I accidentally pressed a button that may have messed up the whole games hadn't he intervened to stop it. I'm in big trouble - luckily the President wasn't watching. If she was, I'd be dead by now.

"She's only sixteen; at least forgive her." a voice announces. It is my friend, Anne-Louise, who has stuck up for me many times when I was bullied. After all, being the youngest gamemaker EVER in Panem's history isn't easy - the only reason I am here is because of a stupid choice I made about a year ago. Since then, I have been more recognised throughout the Capitol, and ended up getting a place here. I wish I had never gone down this path - after all, one small choice can affect many others.

Suddenly, I pause. President Lilia is coming, so we put on our pokerfaces and pretend that nothing happened.

"Everything good?" she says. "Brenna, I'd like to have a word with you."

Oh shit. I am not in a good situation at all, and I start to wonder if I'll ever make it out of the Gamemaker Centre that I'm in...

The Fallen, Day Two
Anthony Sharpclaw (12M) - sliced by Alexis (5F)

Valerie Woolworth (10F) - mauled by Caesar (11M)

Caesar Sharpclaw (11M) - speared by Valerie (10F)

Still Alive:
Artemisia Waterborne (CF)

Surorian Chaos (CM)

Marcella Brynlee (3F)

Manta Li (3M)

Brooke Waterborne (4F)

Alexis Sanchez (5F)

Servus Vinctos (6M)

Corin Greer (7F)

Vesper Brooks (7M)

Lavender Tone (8F)

Marshall Vinewood (8M)

Hazel Maize (9F)

Quentin Ryes (9M)

Jacob Woodward (10M)

Lilac LaRue (11F)

Canary Ash (12F)

Lavender Tone's (8F) POV
I walk along the beautiful golden beach. This reminds me of when I was young; when I used to live happy and carefree among the children of District Eight. Thanks to my stupid decision making, I managed to be classified as a 'psycho', and landed myself a place in these Games. Ugh. If only I had been less foolish...

I have nothing from the Cornucopia - no food, no weapons, no water. I've managed to pick up a canteen from a dead tribute on my way to this beach, but otherwise I have nothing else. Now my canteen is empty, I can begin to see myself slowly die of exhaustion. I begin to look carefully at the water. Wait a second. Is seawater drinkable? Relying on my instincts alone, I fill it up with the water from the beach. I drink from it as quickly as I can, and refill it.

A few seconds later, I begin to feel pain. Every part of my body is shutting down, and I can barely stand up anymore. I feel weak and full of regret for my actions. I should have not even picked up that stupid music box in the first place... I think to myself as I start to lose consciousness. Not long after, I black out. The last thing I hear is a big

BOOM!

Jacob Woodward's (10M) POV
Servus and I are walking to the minimart in the corner. Lilac is currently staying inside our apartment-like Suite, drawing out a map of the island. From what we know, one half is forest and beaches while the other is a hotel and cliffs. As we approach the minimart, we get our backpacks ready.

"You stay outside, Servus." I say.

"Why? I'd certainly do better inside..." he answers, with a slight smirk on his face. Something's wrong with him. Maybe it's that creepy mask on his face, or his smirk whenever he suggests that Lilac and I do something stupid. Feeling an urge to get rid of him, I walk behind him and stab him in the back, killing him instantly.

BOOM!

I cautiously enter the minimart to find the most gigantic man I had ever seen. I approach him carefully, looking at his face to determine whether or not I should run away. He seems peaceful - his weapon is attached to his waist and not in his hand.

"Hello?" I ask. He doesn't reply, but he nods. "Who are you?"

"I'm Marshall, the freak from Eight." he mumbles. He clearly doesn't want to fight, nor does he want to talk. I feel especially curious though. Who is he? Why is he so tall? And why is he here?

"Why are you not killing me? Everyone goes for a kill whenever they see a tribute, but not you. Why?"

"Because I had a bad life when I was young. I was called a 'circus act', bullied at and insulted because of my height. I think these games are stupid, you know. I don't want to kill you, Jacob. I suggest you run before I change my mind."

I walk away from the shop, and head back to my room where Lilac is waiting for me...

Corin Greer's (7F) POV
What a strange day it has been! The mysterious knife is giving Marcella some weird powers; one minute, she's stronger, then the next she's more resilient to pain, then she's faster. Whilst Marcella practices her skills on a dummy, I set up some simple net traps in front of our villa to catch out any tributes who come near us. I exit the villa to guard, when I notice a face. It's Surorian from the Capitol. He has a chakram in hand. And I only have my sword, my wits and my instincts.

Surorian Chaos's (CM) POV
There we go. A tribute has spotted me, and I have spotted them. We have no choice but to fight where we are; my attack pose has essentially angered Corin. I throw my chakram to the wall of the villa, and I watch it rebound to hit Corin on the elbow. She responds with a sword attack, trying to hit my chest but ultimately missing. I use this opportunity to stab her with my scythe - she drops down to the floor, dead.

BOOM!

Marcella Brynlee's (3F) POV
Corin's dead. I didn't go outside because one; I didn't want to die for her, and two; I want to kill whoever murdered her, but surprise them first. And that's what I do. Surorian is coming to the villa, so I arm myself with a different knife - not the powerful one - and wait at the door. It opens, and I immediately stab whatever is in front of it with my knife. I hear a cannon.

BOOM!

I have avenged Corin.

Brenna Larson's (Gamemaker) POV
''What you did today was reckless; it almost jeopardised the future of our Games. If you even make the slightest mistake, you will be punished. And punished very hard.''

Lilia Matthew's words dance around in my head as I survey the tributes. I don't want to be a part of this. My father had set this all up for me as work experience, but I don't want work experience. Most of us don't work anyways, so why do we need training?

"All set for the Fallen broadcast?" Marcus asks.

"Yes." I reply shyly. He was extremely angry at me yesterday, so I am trying to keep him calm. The hovercraft displaying the broadcast leaves, and I sigh. Another day is over.

The Fallen, Day Three
Lavender Tone (8F) - drinking toxic water on the beach

Servus Vinctos (6M) - stabbed by Jacob (10M)

Corin Greer (7F) - stabbed by Surorian (CM)

Surorian Chaos (CM) - stabbed by Marcella (3F)

Still Alive:
Artemisia Waterborne (CF)

Marcella Brynlee (3F)

Manta Li (3M)

Brooke Waterborne (4F)

Alexis Sanchez (5F)

Vesper Brooks (7M)

Marshall Vinewood (8M)

Hazel Maize (9F)

Quentin Ryes (9M)

Jacob Woodward (10M)

Lilac LaRue (11F)

Canary Ash (12F)

Manta Li's (3M) POV
I wake up to find that Artemisia has vanished, and her supplies with her.

"WHERE THE HELL HAS ARTEMISIA GONE?" I yell, waking Brooke up. "Explain why your sister is missing."

"She's not my..." she yells.

"I DON'T EVEN CARE. JUST, WHY THE HELL IS SHE GONE?"

I point my sickle at her.

"Look, Manta. Whatever happens now, there's only two of us. Now calm down and take a deep breath."

I calm down. Even though there are only two of us, we need to survive. I can't manage this alone, nor can Brooke. We sit down on the floor of our suite, and begin discussing plans.

After a few minutes, we head outside. We aim to kill any tribute we see nearby, in order to narrow down the number of people who might attack us. We take no more than ten paces from the ground floor of the apartment-like suite complex when Brooke receives a sponsor backpack.

"Well, today looks like a brilliant day for me!" she exclaims under her breath. I growl, and look at the red-and-green backpack. It contains a javelin - her favorite weapon - and some nice and sturdy armour. We leave the complex after she equips herself with her armour, and follow a trail of blood that leads over to the gym...

Brooke Waterborne's (4F) POV
Well, well. I have some nice and sturdy armour to wear, and another javelin. We follow this strange trail of blood - it could lead to another tribute, or it could be a trap. Manta encourages me to risk it. Only a few minutes pass until we land up outside the gym. The door is closed, and we shuffle back.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I say. I think there are traps behind that door, some of which could be deadly.

"Obviously. That's why we're here," he mumbles.

"You go first then."

"No, you go first."

"You were the person who suggested this!" I say in shock. With that, I open the door and push him in. Running away, I am slashed with a scythe in the hip, though this does not stop me. I hear a cannon.

BOOM!

Vesper Brooks' (7M) POV
I'm beginning to like Cauter. He's smart, intelligent and funny like Courtney said. Half of the people alive are in this alliance, which doesn't have a name. Is it the Somehow-Still-All-Of-Us-Are-Alive alliance? The Survivor's Aliiance? I ask Courtney, the creator.

"Well, you can call us the Underdogs." she replies. Canary hears us, so she walks into the small conversation we are having.

"Alright, Underdogs. I would like to announce my plan. Half of us - Vesper, Alexis and myself stay at base. This is because Vesper has asthma and Alexis and I can guard our base. The rest go out to hunt, but they should stay together." Canary says. Courtney still doesn't trust her, so she doesn't accept her plans immediately.

I think carefully; our alliance is democracy-based, so why don't we have a vote?

"Let's have a vote," I remark.

A show of hands decides the winner. With 4 hands agreeing to 2 disagreeing, we decide to split up and head out. Just before Cauter leads the way, he receives a backpack with a javelin and some armour. The group then leaves, leaving Alexis, Canary and me in the villa.

"Now, Vesper, you guard the door," Alexis says, before she and Canary head outside to guard the rest of our base. I am now beginning to change my mind about this plan...

Quentin Ryes' (9M) POV
My District partner - Hazel - is still alive. I don't know if I'll ever see her again; she went with Anthony, a mad beast guy who ended up dying during Day Two. I relax in the tropical forest, however I have my scythe in hand, just in case.

Only a few seconds pass when I see a group of people. Wait a second; is that Hazel? I put my hands up in surrender, and head towards her.

"Who the hell are you?" Courtney says. She doesn't trust me at all compared to the others in her group.

"He's Quentin, my District partner," Hazel answers.

"How do I know to trust him?"

"He's a nice guy. Trust me."

Courtney doesn't believe her, so she looks at me with a tough, unforgiving look.

"How about you leave me alone?" I whisper.

Courtney approves, and just then another person comes in, this time not even offering peace. It's a Waterborne - Artemisia Waterborne.

Artemisia Waterborne's (CF) POV
I jump down on these puny little Anti-Careers (or were they a different alliance?) and begin stabbing and slashing them. I'm about to stab Courtney first, but someone jumps in the way. It's Quentin. With that, Cauter throws a javelin at me. It hits me in the throat, guaranteeing certain death for me and for Quentin. With my last breath, I throw my trident at Hazel. Now I'll never know if I killed her or not.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The Fallen, Day Four
Manta Li (3M) - pushed into Marcella's (3F) trap room by Brooke (4F)

Quentin Ryes (9M) - sacrificed himself for the Underdogs

Hazel Maize (9F) - stabbed by Artemisia (CF)

Artemisia Waterborne (CF) - hit by Cauter's (13M) javelin

Still Alive:
Marcella Brynlee (3F)

Brooke Waterborne (4F)

Alexis Sanchez (5F)

Vesper Brooks (7M)

Marshall Vinewood (8M)

Jacob Woodward (10M)

Lilac LaRue (11F)

Canary Ash (12F)

Courtney Mauntell (13F)

Cauter Dumont (13M)

Courtney Mauntell's (13F) POV
It's all Canary's fault. Canary's stupid, stupid fault. Cauter is inconsolable; he is literally in tears from yesterday, where Hazel and Quentin died. We are still in the forest, where pretty much no-one is. We consider returning back, and after a few minutes of negotiating, we're done.

Canary Ash's (12F) POV
Two people are walking towards our base; Vesper recognises them as an angry Courtney Mauntell, and a distraught Cauter Dumont. Vesper goes outside to comfort his friend, whilst Courtney approaches me.

"What have you done?" she asks. I fail to give a reply; she's harsh when you've made a mistake, but she won't kill me. The worst thing she can do to me is to make me leave. "You've practically killed Hazel and Quentin. They were nice people, and you sent them off with us to die. Cauter is deeply saddened: he could have saved them for goodness' sake."

"I'm sorry."

With that, I pack my bags and make my way down the cliff, heading towards the hotel square. I know I don't have to leave, but if I remain, I feel as if I would be ignored, and maybe underestimated. I take one last glimpse at the four people still at the base - I'll avoid making any contact with them. Instead, I'm going to hunt the rest of them down, picking off them one by one. I hear a voice.

"Canary! You don't have to leave just yet!"

But I ignore whoever is shouting, and just try to move on. There's no point in going backwards anymore; the past is in the past.

Lilac LaRue's (11F) POV
We are heading towards a small lounge; if this ever was a hotel, this space would be for the wealthiest of the wealthy. I hold the door open for Jacob - these small, tiny acts of kindness do make us smile. We may even treasure these smiles for the rest of our short lives; there's no way we can win anyways. We're too weak.

Just then, an announcement booms through the speakers.

Brenna Larson's (Gamemaker) POV
I arrived at work today, hoping that everything would be well. But it wasn't. Entering the main room, I gasped as I saw a horrible and gory sight that might shape the rest of my long or short life.

Twenty-eight dead bodies on the floor.

I use my eyepiece to contact the peacekeepers; they arrive in about five minutes, and help me identify who these unfortunate victims are. One by one, the names roll out. I look closely at the list of the dead, when suddenly, I find the name of a person who I have loved and hated.

Marcus Cæcilius.

Marcus? Why now? Even though he was mad at me, he at least helped me to understand the basics of Gamemaking. Now that he's gone, I don't really have anyone else to guide me through the confusing journey of being a Gamemaker. I sigh. If only my father didn't sign me up for this...

A few minutes later, a 'Mandatory Viewing' broadcast pops up on the large TV screen that we have here in our headquarters.

The Broadcast
Dear Citizens of Panem,

Today was a sad day for us all. Twenty-seven Gamemakers have been unlawfully killed, and we have lost one of our most treasured political figures. Our President, Lilia Matthews, has been shot in the head whilst visiting the Gamemakers. Do not panic; the Games will carry on as usual. Just remember: stay calm, and stay vigilant. Thank you.

Brenna Larson's (Gamemaker) POV
Lilia's dead? A new president will be 'selected' then, if that's the case. This just makes me wonder - who on earth would do this? I pause to think, then I remember that I came close to death as well. The meeting that I had with my father had probably saved me. But then, why would my father set up a meeting at that exact time?

Filled with questions that are probably unsolvable, I take my position in the Head Gamemaker's place.

Marshall Vinewood's (8M) POV
Five days in, and I have managed to survive. The only people I've seen are Lilac and Jacob; the rest are probably out in the arena somewhere. The store supplies are keeping me well stocked with food and water, so there's a low chance of me starving or dehydrating.

I hear an announcement through the speakers (there's probably some in every room).

"Hello? Hello?" a young girl says. She's about sixteen, and very shy. However, her voice does not sound like any in the arena.

"Dear Tributes, we have set up a feast. This feast will be different to others we've had before; there are twenty-eight backpacks on a table, and twenty-eight codes situated near the Cornucopia. Each code does something different; I'm not telling you what they do do, though. This 'feast' will be held tomorrow, at sunset, in the Cornucopia. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

I don't know what to do for once. Should I stay, or should I go? I genuinely don't know.

The Fallen, Day Five
Pretty much nobody, except for the President and the twenty-seven Gamemakers.

Still Alive:
Marcella Brynlee (3F)

Brooke Waterborne (4F)

Alexis Sanchez (5F)

Vesper Brooks (7M)

Marshall Vinewood (8M)

Jacob Woodward (10M)

Lilac LaRue (11F)

Canary Ash (12F)

Courtney Mauntell (13F)

Cauter Dumont (13M)

Alexis Sanchez's (5F) POV
Today's the Feast. We haven't made up our mind as to whether we should go or not yet; we have 40% of the tributes in the arena with us, but we don't want to lose any more people. Canary shouldn't have left - however, she might have left to avoid fighting with us in the end. Either way, it's good and bad. Time is ticking: we have to decide NOW.

"Guys, why don't we come to the feast?" I ask.

"Alexis, are you sure?" Courtney replies.

"We have plenty of supplies - I don't think we need to." Vesper remarks.

"Yeah, I think it would be better if we stayed at camp." Cauter says as well.

"Okay then, we'll stay. " I announce. We continue with our daily routine of resting, guarding and hunting for supplies. At least we are safe... for now.

Jacob Woodward's (10M) POV
Should we go or should we not? I've been spying on those underdog people, and they talked about not going. Lilac suggests that we stay back, but I think otherwise. After all, only 60% of the tributes are going, and that number could be shortened! A few minutes pass as I discuss my ideas with Lilac.

"Alright," she says, "but we have to hurry. It's nearly sunset; we should hide out near the square."

We head to our hiding place, ready to strike when the time comes...

Brooke Waterborne's (4F) POV
I'm going to that feast. I intend on stealing the backpacks, but not killing anyone else there unless they try to attack. As I camp out near the square, a table rises up. ''That's it! The backpacks have risen!''

Three people, including myself, rush to the table when the outside of the square bursts into flames.

"I won't hurt you, I swear," I say to the two others there. They are twelve and thirteen - too young to die. At least, in these bloody and cruel games.

"My name's Jacob, this is Lilac." the twelve-year-old says. "You must be Brooke, one of the Careers."

"The Careers are gone now." I snap. "They all died, except me."

"I see..." mutters the thirteen-year-old, Lilac. "Shall we ally?"

"At this moment in time, yes. It would be helpful." I say, before we gather all the backpacks and codes. The codes come on a golden tag, unattached to the backpacks. They are on a different table, this one black instead of the usual brown. The fire stops; a person fades into view.

"Brooke? You're with Lilac and Jacob?" Marcella says. We were good friends in training - if I wasn't with the careers, I would have been with her.

"We just happened to be the only ones here. Do you want some of this?"

I offer her a share of the backpacks and codes. Now, we have seven each.

"Meet Marcella. She's from Three, and a skilled fighter." I remark to Lilac and Jacob, who are puzzled. They take us to their suite, stopping at the gym and Villa number 403 to collect our stuff.

"Where shall we go next? We can't just hang around like this!" Marcella says.

"I saw some people in the canteen earlier." Lilac replies. With that, we head on to the cliff.

Canary Ash's (12F) POV
Four people head up the cliff; are they the new Careers or not? Either way, they are heading to where my alliance are situated. Even if I abandoned them, I still care for them. I have to protect them. After the four people are three quarters of the way up, I take my position in front of the restaurant.

"Don't even try-" I say, or begin to say, as Brooke strikes at me with her javelin. As we are fighting, I see Marcella fiddling with her backpack...

Marcella Brynelee's (3F) POV
I open one of my backpacks, only to find a useless rock. Wow. I search the backpack, hoping to find a slot of some sort. ''Aha, there it is! ''I insert the golden tag containing a code into another tag on the backpack; this time, when I reach my hand into the backpack, I find a glowing orange rock, like one about to burst into flames.

I know exactly what to do.

I'll burn them all.

Throwing the rock onto the roof of the building, my alliance watches as it bursts into flames.

"NO!" Canary yells, before dodging Brooke's attack and fatally wounding Lilac. She dies within seconds.

BOOM!

I grab my powerful knife, the only weapon I have in hand, and manage to cut Canary a little. However, she dies afterwards, even though she inflicted a tiny wound.

BOOM!

"How did you do that?" Jacob asks. He looks sad, upset, shocked - all the things you would expect when a twelve-year-old witnesses their older ally's death.

"Magic," I answer, before stepping away from the dining hall.

Courtney Mauntell's (13F) POV
'''"FIRE! FIRE! The building is burning down!" yells Cauter. '''

We try to escape, but the doors are locked shut. I can hear voices outside the building; one was Canary's!

"I heard Canary out there-" I try to say.

"WE HAVEN'T GOT TIME FOR THIS!" Alexis yells. "We need to find a way out."

Cauter uses his javelin to shatter the glass in the back window - but it's surrounded by flames! The other windows seem to have the same problem too, meaning that we have little chance of survival, if, it all!

"Cover it with your coats, jackets, jumpers, anything you have!" Alexis shouts. We do so, and the fire dies down a little. "You go first, I'll do what I can to get the supplies!"

The supplies are being fished out, one by one. The backpacks are burnt, and some are even destroyed. Alexis manages to get all the supplies safely out, but at a cost.

"Lex? You okay?" Cauter asks. "Lex?" He rushes in, and pulls her lifeless body outside. Whilst Cauter tries to tend to her serious burns, Vesper and I head to the front.

I immediately head to the front and attempt to whip Marcella, but she blocks it with her patterned knife.

"Too bad, buster," she replies, before getting another knife and trying to stab me with it. I dodge.

"Jacob, come with us!" I whisper to him. Marcella and Brooke exchange glances, then run down the cliff. I think they made the right decision - if they stayed then they would have died. The day ends on a sad note; Alexis, who saved pretty much all our supplies, feels weaker by the second.

"Please," she begs. I quickly slash her with my katana.

BOOM!

The Fallen:
Lilac LaRue (11F) - slashed by Canary (12F)

Canary Ash (12F) - died of a papercut inflicted by Marcella (3F)

Alexis Sanchez (5F) - died of burn wounds in a fire. This fire was started by Marcella (3F) - this death counts as a kill.

Still Alive:
Marcella Brynlee (3F)

Brooke Waterborne (4F)

Vesper Brooks (7M)

Marshall Vinewood (8M)

Jacob Woodward (10M)

Courtney Mauntell (13F)

Cauter Dumont (13M)

Jacob Woodward's (10M) POV
There's been talk around camp about seperating. I don't want to seperate; these tributes have been really nice and kind towards me. In return, I have given them advice on how to use the backpacks; you attach the code, then pull out the item in the backpack - it will have some sort of special power. We have 14 of these, so each of us except Courtney and Cauter get three. The pair from 13 get four each.

"Guys, I think it's time. Time to split up." Cauter. It's Day Seven, and according to the Fallen broadcasts each night, there's only seven of us left.

"Hmmm. That would be something to consider. I know you and Vesper are friends, and I know that this alliance is stronger together, but I think you are right." Courtney says.

"Why do we have to leave?" I say, timidly.

"Well..." Cauter says, drawing a diagram in the dirt. "If we stayed together, eventually there would be just us left, and we don't want to have to kill each other, right?"

I nod.

"No, wait! Marshall is a threat right now, we need to defeat him together." Vesper says. "Why don't we stay for the day, and then we split up at night."

"He is a calm guy, and he's innocent too! Why on earth would you kill him?" I ask.

"He was calm to you, but we don't know about what he is to us. He might kill us now, considering that there's only a few of us left..." answers Courtney.

"Fine..." I groan. " He's in the minimart. When you attack, I'll guard the outside."

We head on over to the minimart, taking our backpacks with us.

Brenna Larson's (Gamemaker) POV
GODDAMN YOU. YOU ARE AN IDIOT.

Those are the thoughts running through my mind. I've been appointed Head Gamemaker, being the most experienced one; I feel as if I am not ready yet. Twenty-seven new people have been appointed, and things are slowly going back to normal. But something's missing. Something has just gone, but I don't know what it is. And I just want to know.

"Ms Larson, the Gamemakers are waiting for you." a voice calls.

"Tell them I'll be there in a minute," I reply.

I'm due to make an announcement, but I just can't. ''It's okay Brenna, just calm down and relax. The Games are almost over. ''I take three deep breaths and head over to my microphone in the hall.

"Dear Tributes,

Tomorrow will be the day these games will be over. A deathmatch is due to take place at dawn, and only one person will emerge from this arena. Only one person. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

After the speech, I organise the mess that is my table. My brother - my older brother - had placed a bet on a tribute, and he said that if I didn't make them win, he would kill me. I wonder if he was lying...

I take another deep breath, then walk out of my study into the Gamemakers' room.

Marcella Brynlee's (3F) POV
A deathmatch tomorrow? That's ruined my plans. I was originally going to pick off on the alliance, but that won't work anymore. Brooke walks towards me - I flinch, but then realise that she is my teammate and that I shouldn't kill her. At least, until tomorrow.

"I have a plan." I whisper.

"What is it?" Brooke whispers back.

"I've been messing about with some gunpowder I found in a cellar. I've been blowing some handmade grenades up near the edge of the arena. It turns out, although it's self reparing, the barrier takes a few seconds to repair itself. Maybe, if we can, we might be able to blow a hole up in the side of the arena. It might let us escape!"

"Great plan. Let's do it at midnight."

Marshall Vinewood's (8M) POV
I hear banging and shouting - I've locked the door, but I know the people outside will break it at some point. I stay calm; even though an alliance is probably going to kill me, I will fight back. I'm not afraid.

The door breaks. Courtney comes in, and I dodge her whip. I see they do not want peace - they want to fight, and if they try to attack, then so will I. With one fell swoop, I slash her with my scythe, wounding her in the process. Blood drips out of her chest, and she cries in agony.

"COURTNEY! NO!" a boy yells. He's her district partner, and he goes and tries to save her. I feel pain in my legs - Vesper has slashed them with a sickle. I swing my scythe towards the boy from Seven, and he dodges it. I try again, this time managing to hit his arm. He falls down in pain, moaning. The boy from thirteen now dashes towards him.

"Don't even try..." I hear him say, before I am hit with a javelin. I fall to the floor as everything turns to black.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Jacob Woodward's (10M) POV
Cauter walks out of the shop, covered in blood.

"I'm sorry, Jacob," he says to me. Did he kill my teammates? Did he kill Marshall? I don't trust him anymore - I'm a nice guy, but with the blood on his jacket and the sound of three cannons, I'm sure everyone died in that minimart, and that one of the deaths were his responsibility. They were innocent souls which shouldn't have died in the first place. And so, I throw a knife at Cauter, even if he's my ally. I don't trust him anymore.

BOOM!

The day is ending, so I pack up all the supplies that once belonged to the 'Underdogs' and leave.

The Fallen:
Courtney Mauntell (13F) - slashed by Marshall (8M)

Vesper Brooks (7M) - slashed by Marshall (8M)

Marshall Vinewood (8M) - cut by Vesper (7M)

Cauter Dumont (13M) - hit by Jacob's (10M) throwing knife.

Still Alive:
Jacob Woodward (10M)

Brooke Waterborne (4F)

Marcella Brynlee (3F)

Brooke Waterborne's (4F) POV
Marcella wakes me up - it's midnight, and the full moon is shining bright. We have trekked to the other side of the forest, near the barrier; Marcella checks by throwing a stone at it and watching it bounce off the border.

"You ready?" she says.

"Yes." I reply. She pulls out something from her pocket, then takes a deep breath before she pulls its fuse. Throwing it, she looks away and instructs me to do the same. I obey, and just in time too! The loud explosion almost deafens me, and the only thing I can hear is Marcella shouting,

"RUN!"

We both make it through the hole, but Marcella is struck by a bolt of lightning.

"I'm dead - the burns that I have are fatal. Take this; my necklace and my knife will remind you of me, and of my family. Remember me..." she croaks.

I hear a cannon.

BOOM!

The hovercrafts are coming, so I play dead. I watch as they circle around the sky, but never land: the floating ships in the sky look like they're surveying us. But I wonder: why on earth aren't they landing? Maybe it's to do with the way we escaped - they are probably denying Marcella a proper burial, which is why they are not collecting her body.

I use my javelin to cut the portion of skin near my tracker; I subsequently remove the small device.

BOOM!

The Fallen music plays, and a hovercraft displays my name, district and photo. The Capitol thought that I was dead - they believed my trickery! An announcement plays, stating that Jacob was the winner of these games.

After a few hours, the hovercrafts disperse. I carry a body - Marcella's broken, burnt body, and walk towards the forests to my right, ready to search for her family. I am determined to give her a proper burial, and I will stop at nothing to do so.

Larrick Marisele's (Gamemaker) POV
Great. Two people escaped the arena, and we had to deal with that for the past three hours. We've already taken Jacob back to the Capitol for his upcoming interviews, which will be held in two days' time. A busy schedule has been given to us, and we have to follow it so everything runs smoothly.

Something is quite strange today - Brenna doesn't feel like herself. She gets into more tantrums, or sometimes rages at us; she never acts like that! I wonder what's going on.

"Brenna, why are so you moody today?" I ask her.

"Who is Brenna Larson?" she says. "I'm not the real Brenna. The real Brenna is dead."

She pulls off a mask to reveal herself as... President Lila Matthews, who 'died' in the attack on those twenty-seven gamemakers. "Thank you, Michael Larson."

She blows a kiss to the screen. Apparently, Michael made a bet, and asked Brenna to make his tribute win. Maybe that tribute died, and so did Brenna too.

Lilia points her gun at everyone. "Now, you are powerless. Any attempt to escape or do anything will result in your death."

My hand trembles over the self-destruct button on my desk... I don't know whether to press it or not. This button could result in 27 people dying, but it could save many lives. I shiver. Lilia is mad. Very mad. She's insane, almost.

Lilia aims her gun towards me, and I move my hand away from that big red button. So much for not pressing it earlier on...

Brooke Waterborne
I made it to a wire fence - I slipped through it effortlessly, and walked inside the district. There were factories everywhere - computer factories. I was in District Three.

Marcella's family were not so easy to find. After a few months of searching, I managed to find Rowan, her old friend. Marcella had told me a lot about her and the kind things she'd done for her and her family. She knew it was me - Marcella's silver necklace and her powerful knife gave it away.

After Rowan directed me to Marcella's family, she introduced them all to me. They gave her a burial, though in secret; if anyone were to know, the family would be in grave danger again.

I then took up a life in District Three; I became a programmer for the latest Capitol software.

Jacob Woodward
I was given a hero's welcome when I returned to District Ten. I regretted killing Cauter - after all, when I re-watched the footage, he only killed Marshall out of self-defence. He helped people in need when they were injured or sick, and he did save Alexis's life at the beginning. Servus, on the other hand, was totally unlike Cauter. I didn't regret killing him at all.

Going back to normal wasn't easy. I kept on getting nightmares and flashbacks about the time I killed Cauter and Servus, and about the time when Lilac died. The memories will never go away, and I'm sure they will stick for the rest of my life.

I've heard that one of the tributes - Brooke - escaped the arena. The footage shows otherwise, but people at the Victor's Party have told me that it was true. I wonder where she is now, and what she's doing...

Next in this series of Hunger Games:
End of Transmission (The Eighteenth Annual Hunger Games)

Repercussions (The Nineteenth Annual Hunger Games)

An Eye for an Eye (and a tooth for a tooth) (The Twentieth Annual Hunger Games)

'''If these games are not linked to the pages, it's because of them not being created yet. There will be a 1 -2 week intermission between games.'''