The Fifth Annual Writer Games: The Fall

Task Two: The Fall of Icarus

Be patient and tough, someday this pain will be useful to you.

Ovid

In the Districts, nighttime falls. With it brings sleep which begets dreams, but it is not all peaceful. For many, their nights will be filled with memories of those who've been sent to the arena in previous years. Children, grandchildren, friends, family. In the early years, those whose District allowed them an advantage—those already hardy, those who did hard labour—often made it near the end. But those who do no labour capitalize on those who do. They gain the wealth, and they in the years subsequent to the first several, took to erecting training centres. In One, in Two, in Four even. They do their fair share of work, though—mining, goldsmithing, fishing, on and on no District can be an island—yet their wealth allowed them an advantage. And what Capitol viewer wouldn't want to see that? It shot ratings up when the Capitol viewers saw themselves in the glitz and glam of One, when One started moving past Bloodbath to the middle and gradually to semifinals, and then, finals.

Now, twenty-four children are having their last night in the Capitol. For many, this will be the last time they get to sleep. By tomorrow evening, many of them will be dead.

In the Control Centre, the Gamemakers mill about, in shadows from the fluorescent red lights that indicate the beginning of the end. They haven't slept in a day, or days, at this point many can't even remember the last time they were home. In the night, they continue to work. Finishing touches to the arena setup—it's expansive so they do not worry about boundaries (in fact, they won't have boundaries or barriers for another five years)—would to any casual observer seem tiny and unimportant. But they know how important it is. One misplaced camera could spell trouble. They've had workers out for months building the arena, taking advantage of the uninhabited wildernesses grown overtop of ruined cities, their memories hidden beneath a dozen feet of soil.

When morning breaks in the Capitol, the Gamemakers will see the fruits of their labour.

When morning breaks in the Districts, the citizens will carry the weight of murdered children upon their shoulders, more faces to be added by day's end.

When morning breaks in the Training Centre, the tributes will greet death, and hope she will look kindly upon them.

–

Congratulations all, or most of you, for handing in. As I haven't had any requests to take over tributes, those who didn't hand in aren't kicked out, but if you don't hand in this task you'll be eliminated. As is expected, it's time for the Hunger Games to begin. The tributes are hovercrafted, chipped, and sent to their final rooms before being launched upwards into the arena. They don't know where they're going, or what they'll see. All they know is one thing: today is the beginning of the fall—from ego, from life, from everything they ever were.

THE ARENA

Carefully and lovingly constructed just for you tributes, first thing to know is even before your plates lock into place, it's going to be chilly. Your stylists have fitted each of you in thermal wear and boots tough enough to trek through mud, snow, and ice.

When they rise into the arena, a cold breeze gusts at their faces—a thin hat and gloves provided but so skintight it feels almost like the items aren't there. Without them, though, they risk hypothermia.

The arena is a montane forest, nestled in a valley neighboured by towering snow-capped mountains. Even if tributes hiked to the top—which would take a week if not more—when they reached the peak they would see nothing but more forest. The valley and mountains is actually remains of an ancient volcano. Lush forest, though, has taken it over.

Be wary of a misplaced foot, for there are occasional crevices and drops which lead to gushing rivers from the melting snow above.

The rivers feed into streams and underground reservoirs disappearing into nothing. It's well into winter, though, water ice cold. There will be no hiding of one's tracks with the layer of snow covering the ground and on the trees—unless they're savvy, that is. There's quite a bit of forest cover but also equally rocky areas, open areas on hills that overlook dormant trees.

The cornucopia is set in a brief clearing in the center of the caldera, the tributes raise in places around it. It's pretty standard fare. Last year the arena was a barren wasteland which held only weapons, and was so widely unpopular the Gamemakers this year decided to go back to earlier arena designs in terms of survival chances. However, compared to the last several years, for many tributes the arena seems safer and more hospitable than they could have hoped for. For many tributes they look at the arena and see hiding places, see places where animals crawl, see the bags and weapons full of food and weapons and tarps and flints dotting around the Cornucopia, and they give a sigh of relief. But be careful, lest they fly too close to the sun.

THE TASK

Standard Bloodbath. Write any time from when they are on the hovercraft (ie. AFTER they said goodbye to their mentors, but before they're dressed/say goodbye to stylists/are raised to the arena) and being raised into the arena to whenever the Bloodbath ends and the cannons sound (would recommend max three hours, but hey, if the Bloodbath is a Bloodbath, maybe it'd go on for longer. Who knows? Also opposite to that, the Bloodbath could happen in twenty minutes).

However, you MUST show your tribute in the Bloodbath (and by in the Bloodbath I mean they necessarily exist in the Bloodbath by just being there) and your tributes must ALSO make one (1) (at least) questionable decision which can be interpreted as an Icarean folly of flying too close to the sun. Take that as you will and interpret it as you will. In case you haven't caught on, these Games are here for you to explore things. I'm just here to enjoy the ride. So make it your own.

WORD LIMIT

no.

BALLOTS/KILLS

In entry deaths don't count towards point deductions, because in past experience it's just meant people unrealistically kill tributes to the detriment of their entry. You can have as many as you want, therefore, and don't need to be specified to be.

YOU MUST, however, send me a list of five ballots at the beginning or end of your entry which will be private and which, for this task only, will be halved in strength. Reminder that deduction ballots do go against your score but that the voting system/who goes up works differently than normal. Refer to the rules again or check my last Games Canon for more info on that. If you do not send me your ballots, you will be docked half a point.

TEN OF YOU have the chance of going up, the top two per this task (excluding ballots) will be saved (ties will be broken on a case by case basis), Eight will be up for votes, with six perishing.

SPONSORS

Unlike last Games, unfortunately the Gamemakers have not yet come to the idea of putting their own money on the line for tributes when all they care about is results and good screen ratings. However, they do think the top stand-outs should be recognized. To Eitan Mizrahi, Tucker Steppe, and Jodi Roanoke, each of you may consult in depth with me about this entry and characters, but also may ask about future tasks as a glimpse into the future. Specificity not guaranteed.

DUE DATE

Sunday July 21, 9pm Atlantic Time.

Questions? Ask away. May the odds be ever in your favour.