We Say Goodbye

THE VICTORS:

 First: Jasper Apatite
Kills: Ania Vine, Iridium Proditae  

   
First: Sterling "Mammoth" Milano

Kills: Nikolai Demetriev, Ismene Silas

THE DEAD:

Third: Iridium Proditae

Kills: Lock Arakora Skull, Shine Alida, Julius Mako

With no friends to grieve her and no family who wanted to visit her, Iridium’s grave was left bare and alone. Some were thankful that a girl like Iridium who was cold and harsh was gone, but there were so many who respected what she had done. She had the highest kill count and had carried on with such strength despite her horrid injury. Her parents were proud of what her daughter had accomplished but moved on from her death. Her mother never felt guilt for what she had done and told herself she would do it again for her other daughter if she never volunteered herself. Lammina being only seven didn’t understand where her big sister had gone but heard a lot of people talking about her and how they hoped Lammina would grow up as talented as her older sister. She loved training, and promised her parents whenever they asked she’d volunteer, although she never really knew what that meant. With Lammina still in the Proditae family, Iridium was forgotten entirely by her parents.

Fourth: Ismene Silas

Kills: Zephyr Garnet, Malachite Kiraly

A diamond was placed on Ismene’s grave after her funeral, she always loved the way the diamonds reflected the light. Her parents realized the moment Mammoth killed their daughter, and watched as Ismene had killed two tributes (one being her own ally), that the Hunger Games were completely and entirely wrong. They made a promise never to let their son train and volunteer for the Games like so many around had done and would be doing in the future. Sheer visited the grave of her friend frequently, but with Ismene gone she was the target of those Ismene had bullied and eventually never left her house to be seen by the public. There were those like the haters of Malachite who praised Ismene, and there were those who loathed what the girl had done. Ismene Silas had formed a rift in certain members of the community, one that was hard to get rid of.

Fifth: Julius Mako

Kills: Shade Manson, Tyrian Aquila

Around the District people cheered the moment Julius went down with an arrow in his neck. Those he had targeted and bullied were thankful for his death and frequently paid their respects to Iridium’s grave for the kindness she had done. Only Sunny and Julius’s parents knew the real him and mourned for the loss of a great young man. His grave was vandalized frequently especially by the young boys he had bullied the day of the reaping. One day Sunny went missing, some thought she had run away in grief of her best friend’s death, others believed she had been murdered as an act of revenge. No body was ever found. The jewellery business was closed down and his parents did their best to carry on their lives in memory of Julius, ignoring the constant insults hurled their way.

Sixth: Tyrian Aquila

Kills: N/A

His mother mourned the loss of her darling son but remained her usual self and only visited his grave once a month. Tyrian’s father was both upset and angry at the loss of an heir to his wealth, and grieved for his son but moved on eventually. Many people who knew or had heard of Tyrian were neither happy nor upset he was gone. He had been the rich jerk in their eyes but still did not deserve death. Sable grew worse when she watched him get killed by Julius. Eventually Sunny disappeared one day never to be seen again, no one ever suspected Sable was behind it as an act of revenge against Tyrian’s murderer. Cereus cried for his friend and visited his grave weekly, he’d never forgive his friend for volunteering but loved him like a brother all the same.

Seventh: Velvet DeLushe

Kills: Ollie “Oily” Marble, Coralie Crimsen

The shadow that killed Velvet haunted the nightmares of her father the day after his daughter died. Eventually he split with his wife, Velvet had been the one thing that kept them connected together and now she was gone they grew apart. There was nothing to return of Velvet, the shadow had consumed her entirely. Both her parents said their goodbyes to pictures they had of her, her father constructed a shrine of sorts in his new house, covered with pictures of the daughter he had loved. Velvet’s love for danger had always gotten her in trouble and her friends would miss her for that. No one knew the secret of the serial killer she had murdered, but people had their suspicions of who had killed him. The District was thankful for what Velvet had done and grieved for her as a community.

Eighth: Malachite Kiraly

Kills: Cypra Dashor, Duke Pacino

When Malachite had slit Cypra’s throat the District was in shock. Those who had idolized him felt confused at how someone so sweet had hidden such a psychopathic side to him so well. His parents had grieved for the son they thought they had and let the ashes of the son they never loved be taken away to the Justice Building. Lucille found a new boyfriend and together with Malachite’s supposed friends: Carnelian and Indigo they told stories of Malachite and watched the replay of the moment his ally betrayed him. He was a symbol of their hate and often they’d thank Ismene’s parents for what their daughter had done. A great evil had gone and so many were pleased about it.

Ninth: Duke Pacino

Kills: N/A

Baron and Amber Pacino knew the moment Zephyr died their son was doomed. Whereas they looked away when Malachite and Ismene found him underground, Rex had his eyes firmly stuck on the television. The moment his cannon sounded he stood up smiling and left the house. Duke’s funeral was attended by only a small amount, Rex never turned up, he spent his time partying with his friends. He knew his older brother was better at him and now that he was dead he was the star of the Pacino family. Gabriel was the most frequent visitor to his grave, he’d never gotten a chance to tell Duke how he felt and would forever be angry with himself for letting him go without saying so.

Tenth: Sparkle Rose

Kills: N/A

When Sparkle died her mother took the body in and had it cremated. The urn now sits on her fireplace as a way of remembering what her daughter had to do to support the family. She still maintained her job as a stripper, leaving Leon at home by himself despite how guilty she felt about doing so. Those who had paid for Sparkle and had frequently invited her into their beds mourned the loss of a girl like her. Her friends Royce and Satin quit training and supported Leon behind Sparkle’s mother’s back. Living on the streets they knew how to get in and out of houses undetected and made sure for Sparkle that her younger brother was well looked after. 

Eleventh: Nikolai Demetriev

Kills: Alise Tourmaline

The moment Mammoth stepped out of the darkness and snapped his neck, Nikolai’s father changed. He was fired from his job when he never turned up, rather spending the time with a bottle of alcohol in his hand and sick on the floor. He lost his house, never paying rent and was drunk the day Nikolai’s body was returned. It joined Meaghan’s in the dusty halls of the Justice Building. Those who had known Nikolai, the girls he had flirted with and the boys he had competed with grieved for the tough career that had always been fun to be around. The popularity with a morning star grew because of Nikolai, every day there would always be someone swinging one around just like Nikolai had done the day of the reaping.

Twelfth: Zephyr Garnet

Kills: N/A

When his funeral was carried out it was attended by a lot of people his mother never knew he had any connections with. They would forever miss their ‘Jay’ who had helped them gather the information they needed. Mr Rachid never employed someone else to do this job, no one was as good as Zephyr. His mother grieved and moved on, always visiting his grave to say how much she missed him. Ismene’s parents visited her one day to apologise but she slammed the door in their faces, she’d never forgive the girl who had bullied her son and been the one to take his life. His scarf was returned and she wore it every day as a reminder of her husband and of her son.

Thirteenth: Caitrin Tahira

Kills: N/A

The second her cannon sounded her parents hugged each other and cried in each other’s arms. It was hard for them to move on, when her body was returned to them they buried her in the graveyard under a beautiful tree. They visited every day, hand in hand and placed flowers on her grave. It was a difficult time for them, but for Caitrin they patched up their relationship and swore for their daughter never to argue again. Her friends carried on playing pranks in her memory, remembering the daredevil that she was. Ellsabeth remained shy but for Caitrin she always followed what the other two said and joined them on the pranks they carried out.

Fourteenth: Shine Alida

Kills: Jayce Adaire

Everyone was shocked when Shine fell with the arrow in her head. Fourteenth was not the usual place for a girl with her talent. Those who had been in competition with her in the training academy paid their respects at her funeral, the only one who had known her who didn’t show up was her father. Her disobedience had formed the rift and he was happy she was gone, never there to ask questions. He had loved his daughter like he had loved his wife but he had killed her and now Shine was gone he was left alone which he was perfectly happy with. He never visited her grave and punished those he saw pausing in front of her. In the attack led by Brann’s parents he was murdered before the Malone’s were killed. Even his fellow Peacekeepers were happy to see him gone and Shine’s grave became frequently visited. The love for her grew with his death.

Fifteenth: Coralie Crimsen

Kills: N/A

Mammoth was appalled with what Coralie’s parents had to say a week later after he got back. He had gone to their little shop to pay his respects but found them carrying on with smiles on their faces as if she had never been born. When Coralie had dived forwards to protect Mammoth her parents knew she was as good as dead. The moment her cannon had sounded they mourned the girl she had been before the others had ruined her voice and moved on with their lives, burying her in the graveyard as a sign of respect but never visiting. Those who had tried to kill her were finally happy she was gone and life went on with no one except Mammoth visiting her grave to place flowers in her memory.

Sixteenth: Meaghan Paar

Kills: N/A

The moment the ants came out and Tyrian left Meaghan to die, Axel actually felt guilt. He had felt guilty the moment Meaghan had left after strangling her and now she was gone it was hard for him to move on knowing he’d never be able to say sorry. His mother noticed this change in him and tried to get him training again but he moved out the following month, leaving his mother to live by herself. No one was around to collect Meaghan’s body and arrange a funeral so a cremation was put in place and she was taken to the Justice Building to join the ashes of many other unwanted tributes. Axel found a girlfriend and a year later he became a dad, his daughter had the same bright red hair as his younger sister, in memory of her they named her Meaghan. She looked so much like her.

Seventeenth: Shade Manson

Kills: N/A

When Shade so willingly gave his life away Jewel grew even quieter. She never shed a tear for her friend but no one ever saw her except for her parents. She remembered so clearly the time she had kissed him on the forehead. It wasn’t romantic, she had always longed for a friend and Shade had been there for her. He was always so independent except around his mother, when his body was returned to her his father ordered it cremated before she even got a say. She kicked him out the following week, sticking to what she had whispered in Shade’s ear in the Justice Building. She tried to move on but always visited the little tree in her garden where she had sprinkled the ashes. It was nice to just talk to him even though he was gone. Jewel finally gathered up the courage to visit Shade’s mother, the two met up every other day from that moment on. 

Eighteenth: Ollie “Oily” Marble 

Kills: N/A 

His mother had lied to him, the money came pouring in when Jasper and Mammoth were announced the victors. She had never betted on her son winning, his father had even gone further by betting that he would die. Their riches grew through the death of their son and they didn’t seem to care. Oily’s older brother Jaffa grieved for his brother but moved on within weeks, training to volunteer for next year. It was CE who no matter what her friends told her, could not move on. She cried for her brother who had always been there for her but also felt guilty. His quest for balance had grown because of her bipolar, she knew the second he volunteered he’d do something to get himself killed and when he was killed in the bloodbath she fell apart. Her parents seemed to have forgotten about him when his body was returned. Jaffa was around to sort out the funeral preparations but CE was the only one to go. His body was buried alongside so many others in the graveyard, the only visitor being CE and the tears that never stopped falling.

 

 Nineteenth: Cypra Dashor

Kills: N/A

The training academy laughed when Malachite killed Cypra. They moved on easily, she had been a failure and was not to be mentioned any more. Back at home her parents stayed strong for their son. Cypra had always been difficult to cope with yet they had loved her like a mother and father should love their daughter. Her little brother was never told what had happened to Cypra. He cried and cried for Cypra to be with him and help him train again but his parents never gave in like they used to always do. He lost his love for training easily, his parents could not lose another child. Cypra’s ashes were put in an urn and kept on a table by the fireplace. They remembered their daughter, the troublesome girl who loved her younger brother. She was never truly a career, and they did their best to forget this side to her.

Twentieth: Ania Vine

Kills: N/A

Everyone in the District but her brother moved on from her death. Those who had been her friend but abandoned her after she pushed them aside felt guilty when she fell but it wasn’t hard for them to get on with their own lives. Ania had always been a distant girl, troubled by her sister’s death her parents had shunned her believing that Grace’s death was an embarrassment. When Ania fell she was erased from the family pictures, they claimed they never had any daughters the moment her coffin arrived. Ania’s body was taken in by Evander, he was kicked out when his parents found out that he had had her buried in the District graveyard. He spoke to Ania every night, telling her he would stick to his promise and not volunteer for his last year of eligibility. It was eight months later when he was mugged and left to die in the pouring rain, now the Vine family had lost all three children. Their parents did not care.

Twenty-First: Alise Tourmaline

Kills: N/A

Maren had moved on through the death of her brother and now the girl who had saved her life was dead she somehow still remained strong. She always visited Alise’s grave, remembering the new Alise that she had come to love after the attack. Vixar moved on along with Maren although he always joined Maren when they visited her grave. At least she was with Tarchus, the thought of that helped them through their grief. Her mother and father broke when Alise fell during the bloodbath. Emerald was old enough to know something was wrong and questioned her parents where Alise was months into the future yet they never said anything. Alise’s chances had been low, they knew that yet the death of their darling daughter had broken their hearts, nothing anyone could do could make them whole again.

Twenty-Second: Lock Arakora Skull

Kills: N/A

When the arrow took down Lock in the bloodbath his family was never the same. They had always been so close due to how different they were. His parents always wore black and with the loss of their son it was only fitting for them to stick to the tradition in the grief they shared for Lock. He was always a quiet boy, even at a young age he had a love for literature that made him unique in the eyes of everyone around him. There was something about him that never got him bullied where so many like him had been. Angelo never left his room the second Lock died, only moving on six months later. His book club had now lost two members due to the Hunger Games, they never had another meeting again.

 Twenty-Third: Jayce Adaire

Kills: N/A

Jayce volunteered like Alise for a friend he thought had no chance. Many judged him for being stupid for this. His friend had been twice his size, a natural career who would have been able to win. From an early age he was never the brightest around, even in a District where beauty came above brains he was still bullied endlessly. He’d never known Brann or his family before he volunteered yet they had become connected during the Capitol.

Jayce’s parents knew the second Brann fell that Jayce would soon follow. He was always so connected to anyone he came to care for. His sister was much the same and when his coffin returned to the District she snapped and was never seen again. Jayce’s parents moved on with their life, his son buried in their back garden to keep their son with them as they grew old. He was always with them alive, and would be in death.

Twenty-Fourth: Brann Malone

Kills: N/A

Everyone knew how deluded Brann was. Raised in District One his dream had always been to be the next big thing. He used to draw little pictures of himself in the Arena the moment the announcer said his name as Victor. His parents were always worried about him. He was deluded and compared to so many others he didn’t stand a chance. When the mines went off around his pedestal his parents were outraged at the blatant unfairness of his death. They knew their son would die the second he volunteered but he was destined to go out in a fight he had drawn when he was only five. His parents were killed the following year, rebels at heart seeing the Gamemakers kill Brann without giving him a chance was enough to make them snap. Brann was left in the District graveyard alongside his drawings of himself as victor. Something he always wanted to come true.