All-Stars: Non-Careers

Chapter 24

I can still do the last few Tributes without feedback. I think it will be fixed by Bloodbath time.

Azalea Meadows

There were a lot of alliances this year. That wasn't really my scene. An alliance was only as good as its weakest member. I was better off with nobody to support but myself.

I was glad none of them had asked me. Silver's alliance was a bunch of babies that would drag me down. Jay and his buddies were a sausage fest. The only ones I'd look twice at were Beth's group, since I remembered her from my Games. But then, I wouldn't want to be in her group. I remembered her from my Games.

It was obvious there were a lot of Tributes who weren't going to be killing anyone. We were lucky we had Beth's gang to at least get something done. Last time I died because I was eager to get the killing started. I didn't have to worry about that happening twice. There were a lot of easy pickings, and the other killers wouldn't want to eliminate one of their small number.

I got a wicked smile as I made my plan. I didn't want to mess with Lyte, since he was always hanging around with that big guy. Silver, though, wasn't a threat. And wouldn't she look so heartbroken if one of her little angels died? She couldn't be popular with the Gamemakers, either. I'd get their approval and kill some of the weaklings. It would be two birds with one stone.

Celestial Yeager

Even if we never intersected much, Dane and I had been through two Hunger Games together. It was weird not seeing him this time. It was also weird seeing so many people I remembered from last time. We just kept circling around, like phantoms from the past that never quite made it to the other side.

Every time I came back, I felt less connected to the world. All my pets would be dead by now. My father had recovered from my death as much as he ever would. It was more a disturbance than a resurrection of hope for him each time I came back.

I didn't think it was worth it anymore. I'd been through two Hunger Games already. All the fear and pain and helplessness- it wasn't worth it for a shot at life. Someone like me wasn't going to win, especially this time with so many other people. The only thing that made it feel worthwhile was seeing Pepper. We were a team at the end. I helped her win, and she was still here.

I couldn't imagine the people would still be interested in me if I died again. It was okay with me if they moved on. I already had. I only hoped the third Arena was something beautiful.

Serena Hyland

I tried to keep to myself as I wandered through the Games building. It was hard enough going out there with all those people. I didn't want to attract attention. But of course, that was impossible.

"Hey! You're one of them Tributes, right?" a man said. He was covered in bronze powder and his suit was silver.

"Yeah," I said quietly. My voice was all squeaky. I kept my words short so I wouldn't stutter.

"I have a bet out on you," he said.

"Really?" I asked. I didn't think anyone thought I would win.

"I got a month's pay that you'll go in the Bloodbath," he said with a smirk. He didn't have to look so predatory about it.

"Oh," I said. I shouldn't have expected anything different. The man laughed.

"You didn't think I bet on you to win? Nah, I put that money on Des. She did so well last time," he said. I turned around and ran through the crowd before he could say anything more. He shouted after me angrily as I went, like that would get me to come back. I already knew I was dead. I didn't have to stick around to hear him say it.

Skyler Dacher

It didn't seem like it to most people, but there were lots of upsides to my situation. If I got chosen for the Resurrection Games, that meant I was popular. I wasn't a terribly nasty person, so they didn't bring me back just to laugh at me. That meant they brought me back because they liked me, which meant they would probably send me stuff. I made it a long way last time. Nothing was set in stone.

I was glad to see Hadley again, even if it didn't seem like we were allying this time. Maybe she'd win if I didn't. I'd be happy to hear that if I wouldn't be dead.

Soleil sent me a sword the first time because she thought it would scare people off. It didn't work for Careers, but there weren't any Careers this time. I practiced more so the Gamemakers might put a sword in the Arena or sponsors might send one. I wouldn't be able to actually kill a person, probably, but I didn't have to if they stayed away.

Last time my Arena was really nice. Maybe it would be like that again. It might be a mock-up of the Capitol, or maybe a giant chocolate factory. But with so many people, they'd probably want something that weeded us out more quickly. A desert seemed likely.

That seemed like a bad thing too, but there was something good in it. If I knew to expect a desert, I could learn more about finding water. I'd have an edge, and that might make me stand out in a crowd of seventy-four.