Friday 4 July 2014

Remember, Remember


The Victor of the 135th Hunger Games
Jezabel Gremory

District Two
Kills: 4



Second Place: Luxe Wylde
District One
Kills: 5

Nobody understood Luxe as she grew up. She was weird, disturbed, isolated. Augustus Kingston took advantage of that. He honed her skills, taught her the methods in which to kill, and encouraged Luxe to embrace her twisted side. She was the perfect example of what malevolent natures do. As Varsity watched her die, he was relieved: he had always disliked Luxe for what she was, how she had his Grandfather wrapped around her finger. Luxe had no burial. Varsity refused the coffin. Her body was cremated, ashes stored in the Capitol amongst the other rejected bodies. 

Third Place: Cera Monet
District Four
Kills: 0

As Cera's body burned amongst the water, the beach was packed. Everybody who knew her had turned up: from distant friends to people who simply knew her by name. People adored Cera. She was sprightly and cheerful and kind. She never backed down but knew when to quit. Piper, Riley and Rio were the notable attendees. They watched as she sunk into the ocean, and later that night, they arrived at the beach for a boozy night full of memories, toasting to Cera's time. A couple of days later, Rio would be caught, right underneath the freshly-painted mural of Cera's death, captioned with the words: "Favouritism Kills!"

Fourth Place: Blair Taverly
District Three
Kills: 0

Blair's survival was a shock, but her death was even more so. It took the Capitol hours to find her body, bobbing on top of the waves. District Three looked on in sorrow as their last chance faded away. Her body was returned to the derelict house that had been nothing but a violent whirlwind of arguing, fights, and screaming matches. On the day of her funeral, her parents finally broke down, realising what they had done to her. They both promised to fix themselves, for Blair. Without realising it, Blair's death did one thing good: it brought her divided, stubborn parents back together, looking for comfort in a time of darkness. 

Fifth Place: Demara Chass
District Five
Kills: 1

Demara had only wanted to see them once. Once. What she never realised, though, was that she already had. As she stood on that stage, her brothers looked on, completely unaware of who she even was. She had claimed her wish without realising it. Demara's Mother buried her swiftly, fearful of Demara's Father returning. Demara had no visitors, no attendees. Many only knew her as a poor girl, one who feigned injuries and ailments to steal from the rich. But at least Demara got her wish: she would never realise that it was all for nothing. 

Sixth Place: August Dreygon
District Seven
Kills: 0

August's funeral was lavish and expensive. Many people - from acquaintances to strangers - attended the ceremony. Everyone expressed sorrow over the circumstances, including Eron Dreygon. He had covered up for one son - a desperate suicide attempt turned into a leap from mental instability - before losing the other to the Hunger Games. Ostin's death had secretly broke him, but he needed to save face, and in the meantime, August grew up bitter because Eron wasn't strong enough for the pair of them. Up high somehow, August would be reunited with his best friend and older brother, and he would finally fill the gap in his chest once more.

Seventh Place: Cyril Faraday
District Three
Kills: 1 (2 if you want'a count Karen)

Cyril's plan had backfired. Carter, Viria and Della Faraday had watched with weary eyes as their son, so broken and desperate, had resorted to using the electricity in the water. Questions flew around their heads the days after. Why did he do it? Suicide? Accidental? Carter couldn't believe his brainy son had forgotten about conductivity, so all that was left was desperation: desperation for it to be over. Cyril's coffin was small as it returned. Deep in the wet mud, Cyril's body was laid to rest in Three's graveyard. Daily, Della would bring wild daisies, commanding her brother to awake. Despite hitting the family hard, they gathered around, and supported each other through the hard times ahead. 

Eighth Place: Clio Dimity
District Eight
Kills: 0

Clio's death hit District Eight particularly hard, far too close to Satchel's. Many had hoped she would win. But as the bat collided with her skull in a sickening thud, all hope was lost. Back in District Eight, Sulia broke down in angry tears, screaming and cursing the Capitol in broad daylight for killing her girlfriend. A Peacekeeper swarmed in and lashed her. But, alongside Tymbause, Clio's brother, they would not stop. Clio deserved justice. The streets rang with their cheers and screams for it. As Clio was laid to rest in Eight's graveyard - attended by a small gathering and paid for by Chiffon Poiter - Tymbause and Sulia were locked up. 

Ninth Place: Satchel Taupe
District Eight
Kills: 0

Satchel had no family. Before he was even ten, Satchel was forced to mature beyond his years, even if he was hesitant to do so. Many nights were spent on the factory floor, fearful of not meeting his deadline. Van Diem was an appalling man, one who took advantage of the needy orphans who stumbled upon his home. So, when Satchel died, Van Diem threatened his workers into silence, knowing that Satchel's body would be sent to the next-of-kin. Van feigned as a kind, adopted parent, claimed Satchel's body, pulled his corpse from the coffin, and burned him in the backyard. His ashes never got scattered. He was never laid to rest. He would forever be a prisoner to the system.

Tenth Place: Oker Horvath
District Six
Kills: 0

Everyone watched in dismay as Oker finally died, after days of torturous deployment from medicine and a festering injury. His already-split family began to divide further. Nobody could cope. It was when Oker's body returned home, however, that everything exploded. One half wanted to bury him publicly with a ceremony. The other wanted to grieve in peace. His brothers, Luca and Brent, took matters into their own hands, and cremated Oker with their own devices. His ashes were split between the feuding parents. Half of Oker was scattered in the wind, whilst the other stayed in an urn on the mantel. Even in death, Oker was torn. 

Eleventh Place: Camillo Creed
District One
Kills: 0

On a quiet day in District One, Camillo's coffin returned to his home. Maxwell and Pearl Creed instantly dealt with their grief in different ways: Maxwell poured himself into training Platinum and Victor, Camillo's siblings, whilst Pearl poured herself endless drinks. His body was laid to rest in the Creed Mausoleum, where countless members of the family were buried. Years later, Pearl would never wake up after a boozy night, Platinum would die in the initial bloodbath, and Victor would be too distraught to even live his dream. The Creed's bad luck seemed to continue on.

Twelfth Place: Sable Kordel
District Two
Kills: 3

True to his thoughts, Sable's parents didn't miss him all that much. Even when Sable was cremated on Training Centre grounds - as per tradition - they didn't attend. They were far too busy to notice. Licht, however, was distraught. His best friend was dead, and he wasn't coming back. Licht spent many days in perpetual sorrow, lost without him. He even adopted Sable's pets - Blackie and Corvus - despite not really liking the creatures. They were his connection to Sable; he needed them in order to cope. Sable would've wanted him to appreciate death as much as life. Licht always knew his friend was odd, but loved him anyway.

Thirteenth Place: Beatrix Reiser
District Twelve
Kills: 1

Beatrix had a simple funeral. Her parents - Clarence and Eunice - adorned her coffin with flowers, a pricey effort in District Twelve. She was laid to rest in Twelve's graveyard. As the days went by, the family rebuilt themselves over the lost. Her younger sister, Phoebe, took over Beatrix's role at the small, corner shop that the family owned. Slowly but surely, their life was pieced together... until two years later, when Phoebe was Reaped, dying in the bloodbath. This time, the family didn't cope. Clarence and Eunice lost the spirit to live. The shop wilted, their lives fell apart, and the Hunger Games left their permanent toll on the Reiser family. 

Fourteenth Place: Callum Reeves
District Twelve
Kills: 0

Callum's complicated family matters didn't stop them for burying him proper. On a cold, rainy day in District Twelve, Callum's coffin was walked down the street, carried by his Uncle Cormac and cousins, Bently and Joel. The family would share laughter, tears and memories as Callum sunk into the murky grave. Maeve Reeves openly cried, losing her only child to the arena. Torn, she never told Callum's Dad, Mack, about his demise or the funeral. He never bothered to be part of Callum's life, so why should he get to mourn it?

Fifteenth Place: Serpine Dextra
District Ten
Kills: 1

At the time of Serpine's death, both Libel and Sora Dextra were high. It never sunk in. In fact, Libel laughed at the sight of it, assuming it was a hallucination. It was only after the pills had died down, that Sora realised that Serpine was actually dead. The grief that followed resulted in a violent outburst, one that saw the entire house being trashed, screaming and shouting and crying and, in the end, an attempted arson attack. As Serpine's coffin arrived, neither parent was able to take her, and instead, Serpine's neighbor, Mara Seety, agreed on their behalf. Serpine was buried in Ten's graveyard. As she watched down in disgust, Libel and Sora promised to get clean - they never did.

Sixteenth Place: Bennett Helling
District Five
Kills: 0

It broke them. For many years, Leon and Ira had tried for children, and every time, Ira just couldn't conceive. Bennett was the lucky one. He was the fighter, the survivor. They doted on him, let him do and have whatever he wanted, and Bennett learned to abuse that power. And when he died, it changed everything. Leon and Ira had no purpose. Their love soured, grief tearing them apart. As Leon carried Bennett's coffin, he could feel how light it was, how Bennett felt in death. Nobody would know how Bennett was headless, how there was nothing to save. The thought of it - her headless baby, dead and buried - broke Ira, and one fateful night, she ended her knife in the bathtub.

Seventeenth Place: Faele Resquin
District Six
Kills: 0

Nobody was really shocked that Faele had died. She was too weak, too paranoid. Even with a strong alliance to back her up, she couldn't rely on them forever. And that led to her ultimate downfall. Faele's small, humble family gathered around as her coffin returned home. She was subsequently buried in Six's graveyard, attended only by family. Without realising it, Faele had started a storm. Her family slowly became paranoid of their surroundings. The kids stopped going to school. Laurel quit her job. Eventually, they became recluses, surviving on their own. Even to this day, nobody knows where the Resquin family has disappeared too.

Eighteenth Place: Deacon Fleet
District Eleven
Kills: 0

Deacon's death was untimely. Everyone could see that. He shouldn't have died there and then, and more importantly, Blair should've saved him. For Tori Fleet, it was tragic. She had lost a sister, a husband, and now a son. Deacon was buried in the backyard under the disguise of night, right next to Alec Fleet Nobody attended the isolated memorial. Nobody even knew where Deacon had been buried. Many years later, depressed and alone, Tori Fleet killed herself. To this day, nobody knows where Deacon lay.

Nineteenth Place: North Merrean
District Seven
Kills: 0

North's death wasn't a real shock to District Seven. They never expected her to make it. Even North's parents - Electra and Darren - have come to terms with the idea that their eldest daughter would never return her. It was comforting, really, and North would've wanted that. Her funeral was small and quaint. All of the "friends" she had made throughout the years - befriended and taken advantaged by - didn't bother to turn up. Thankfully, North would never know that. She died believing that people truly liked her. 

Twentieth Place: Alvar Zale
District Four
Kills: 1

When Luxe shot the arrow into Alvar's back, District Four erupted in a frenzy of curses and disbelief. He was the strongest member. In height and build, he should've destroyed his opponents. And yet, an arrow took him out. Bradyn and Ira Zale broke down, wept in each other's arms, whilst Delta Zale could only imagine the pain that her brother had gone through. The family couldn't afford to bury Alvar properly. Quintus Albeit, Alvar's coach, paid for it instead: and on a cool evening, Alvar's body was set to sea and burned. The family never really moved on from their lost. There would always be a hole.

Twenty First Place: Alyssum Harper
District Nine
Kills: 0

Alyssum left behind a huge family: five younger siblings, to be exact. The family couldn't afford to lay Alyssum to rest. Instead, her coffin was left outside as her Father, Nikolai, crudely dug a shallow grave for his forgotten daughter. It would only take a few months for fungus and mushrooms to grow on the spot where Alyssum lay. Her Mother, Adeline, would use these for medicine and other essentials. She saw it as a blessing from Alyssum, a constant reminder of their brave daughter. And with that knowledge, the family were able to build again. 

Twenty Second Place: Orion Tallen
District Ten
Kills: 0

Orion wasn't really liked in District Ten. Many saw through his artificial nature. Augustine - his best friend - was well-known for threatening Orion with his countless confessions. Some would say that he often dug his own grave. Roselle, Orion's Mother, saw it differently. Sweet and humble, she never pandered to Orion's demands, and tried to bring him up right. It apparently didn't work. Orion never had a proper funeral. Paid for by Macaulay Hatch, Orion was buried in his backyard, where Roselle would be able to keep a closer eye on her wayward son. 

Twenty Third Place: Keran Farley
District Nine
Kills: 0

Keran had a simple funeral. It was all his family could really afford. On a misty morning, Keran was put to rest in Nine's graveyard. The attendance was small - Alon and Viola Farley, and his best friend, Acanthe - was all that turned up. Each of them mourned in their own way. For Acanthe, though, it was the worst thing to ever happen to her. Day after day, without Keran's watchful eye to ensure she didn't slip, she found it increasingly hard to stay clean. Exactly a year later, Acanthe was found on Keran's grave, eyes open and colourless, a needle poised at the bend of her elbow. She would be buried right next to her friend, and they'd be together once more.

Twenty Fourth Place: Leona Verbena
District Eleven
Kills: 0

Unlike most, Leona's parents never received her coffin. In fact, they hadn't known she had been reaped until they saw her on the stage, trembling and scared. They had sold her many years prior in desperation, promising to buy her back from the fields. They never got their chance, though. Instead, Leona's coffin was sent to her owner, who proceeded to burn her coffin and spread her ashes on the fields where she worked. Some would say that he did it out of kindness, others would say that he only use her for extra fertiliser.