The Fifth Annual Writer Games: The Fall

Quarterfinals: The Fall of Pompeii

"In the darkness you could hear the crying of women, the wailing of infants, and the shouting of men. Some prayed for help. Others wished for death. But still more imagined that there were no Gods left, and that the universe was plunged into eternal darkness."
― Pliny the Younger, The Letters of Pliny, the Younger: With Observations on Each Letter

–

"The Games are nearly finished, Head Gamemaker."

"Yes, yes. Yes, they ought to finally conclude in the coming days."
"Excuse me? I hate to interrupt, but I have the report on audience engagement with respect to the new 'Career' pack, as some citizens have begun dubbing them. Conclusions reached is that their stance and battle skills have drawn viewership in the wealthier Districts up by 243 percent. In the outer Districts, viewership remains about the same, presumably since they don't expect their tributes to win."

"And the coverage so far? The cameras? The highlights?"

"Well, the coverage of the Careers' relationships has remained steady and popular among the inner Districts, but the coverage featuring the other allies and their subsequent deaths have remains very strong in the outside Districts."

"Very good. And who died?"

District 1 Female, Venus Iridium [adonian]

District 3 Male, Benedict Quill [gracey_liz]

District 10 Female, Daintree Elowen [Jay_Loren] and

District 11 Male, Bakari Maua [LightOfTheMooneh].

"Very well."

"Should we implement the final stages now?"

"Yes, I think it's time."

–

Well, congratulations to the final nine for making it so far. It's been a pleasure to read your entries, and to those who perished it was a pleasure to read your entries. Reminder this task is the start of the bye system, so no more explicit scores. You'll receive public notes.

THE TASK

On the eleventh day of the Games, nine of you remain. For the first time ever in Hunger Games history, the Gamemakers have decided to implement a feast. Having already brought the tributes to within a couple kilometres of the Cornucopia, upon sunrise of the eleventh day, a great cracking in the earth is felt as a table is risen into place. On it is not numbered packs like later Games have, but a random assortment of food and weapons and medicine without any indication for who is meant to take what. It's a free for all, the final bloodbath.

However, should a tribute reach the table, they must contend with the fact that some of the items are booby-trapped to explode or injure upon taking.

The content of your entry can be pretty free-reign, but I'm looking for how you present the chaos and fighting and stealing and taking. After eleven days, the tributes just want to go home. And yes, your tributes MUST take something. By this time, I hope you will be able to show off your skills in balancing action with introspectiveness/drama.

BALLOTS

None any more. Four of you will receive byes based on this performance. Five will go up for votes, and three will die.

WORD LIMIT

1500. Jk. None.

SPONSORS

Congratulations to the final sponsees of The Fall: Packard Bevin and Nerida Cresswell.

For Packard: losing an ally is bound to be hard, especially your District partner. Find enclosed in your parachuted gift a picture of the Quill family from before the Games, a loaf of hearty bread, a sweater specially crafted by the Capitol to retain body heat, and a small tin of salve.

For Nerida: a reminder that Four is counting on you, a gift of the sea: a salty, briny container of shellfish chowder, only for you. Another seashell necklace like the token you brought, made by your siblings' hands. A package of twine and string and needles, for net-making or stitching injuries.

DUE DATE

Friday, August 30, 10pm Atlantic Time.

HOWEVER, welcome back to hell-time, aka the start of school. If people manage to get entries in on or before this coming Wednesday at 10pm, the semifinals will be due the first Monday of September (Labour Day in Canada), and therefore the only task that would take place during (Canadian, at least) school is finals. Your choices.