Dependence - Book Two (Wattys 2013 Finalist)

Capitol Update: Special Attraction Vote Period

Piper Papillon’s POV:

‘’ Hello Panem! I am very excited to be talking to you all tonight! I have very important and very exciting news! The time has come for you to decide the special attractions that will be in this year’s Hunger Games! We have gone through all your suggestions and have finally settled on nine possibilities, and now we must pick just three. We ask that when sending in your vote, you use the template that is on your screen.’’

*Template*

Attraction 1, option A
Attraction 2, option C
Attraction 3, option B

‘’ For special attraction number one –  that will go active on day two of the Games – our three options are;

A – zombie townsfolk
B – Animal hybrids
C – Mermaid sirens

For option a, we have zombie townsfolk. These are Capitol engineered mutts that will take the form of dead people that lived on the island. They will remain on the island until they have been wiped out by the tributes.

For option b, we have animal hybrids. These are also Capitol made beasts that are half and half of two animals. Some will be deadly, some not so much. They too will remain on the island until they have been wiped out by the tributes.

Finally option c, the mermaid sirens. These are another Capitol designed mutation, that will use their voices to attract male tributes to the water and kill them. I have been told to inform you all that there is only a small part of the arena in contact with the ocean, so not all tributes will be affected, just any that are by the water, if any at all.

For special attraction number one –  that will go active on day three of the Games – our three options are;

A – Geysers of boiling water
B – Earthquake
C – Blood rain

For option a, we have geysers of boiling water that will be set up in random locations around the arena. They will erupt randomly and for different amounts of time and will remain in the arena for the duration of the Games. Again, I have been told to inform you all that not all tributes will be affected by this. Just those near the geysers – it is quite possible that none will be in distance of them.

For option b, we have an earthquake. This is a natural disaster that will render some of the island impassable. As well as this, the earthquake will have a knock on affect. A tsunami is quite possible and it will wipe through the beach area of the arena.

Finally option c, we have blood rain. This has only ever been done once before in Hunger Games history, during the seventy fifth Hunger Games, or the third Quarter Quell. However, if it is chosen this year it will be quite different. As opposed to the rain lasting for a certain amount of hours, it will continue to rain until the amount of blood equivalent to all the blood spilled in Hunger Games history is rained down upon the island. It will not do damage to the tributes, but personally I love it!

For special attraction number three – that will go active on day four of the Games – our three options are;

A – Torture stalls
B – Partner Coma
C – Food offering

For option a, the torture stalls, this is something never before seen in Hunger Games history. There will be hangman stalls set up in a certain location in the arena. Under each hangman stall, with be a locked glass container with items of important for the tributes survival.  The tributes will receive a key that will open a certain box, however if they turn the key, then the person attached to the stall will be killed. So the tributes will have to decide, what is more important, the supplies, or the person’s life.

For option b, the partner coma, one person in each pair will drift off into a deep sleep, and it will be up to the other partner to go to a feast to get the cure. Once the partner has given the cure to their comatose pair, they will wake. Here’s the catch, there will only be enough for all but one, so the pairs will have to fight hard to get the cure or they and their partner will die.

Finally, for option c, the food offering. The Capitol will create clones of friends and family members of the tributes who will go into the arena. These clones will offer the tributes food, however the food will be poisoned and they will die.

Well, now that you know all the possible special attractions, it is time to vote! You will have until after day two of training to vote so don’t delay! Until next time, I’m Piper Papillon and that was your Capitol Update!’’