Author Games: Panemdemic

Task Two: Enervation

<><><>

enervation: a feeling of being drained of energy or vitality; fatigue.

<><><>

Pluto Solaris is already exhausted, just like each tribute.

He's not half convinced such tiredness isn't from being forced to work with Gorgeous Lasse, who can't seem to ever stop gushing about President Necare and his... something or another. It's been fatiguing just to listen to her bubbly voice, and it's taken far too much effort for him not to cringe at her sense of humor. He'd only been able to get work done once she left to meet up with the President, and having to make up all the work he hadn't done during the day wasn't exactly his favorite thing in the world. He's on his fifth cup of his go-to double mocha supreme latte frappuccino extra ugg boot friendzone yoga pants spray tan please, but despite the caffeine racing through his veins, it still hasn't been enough to wake him up completely. Besides, he doesn't even think he could get a wink of sleep if he tried- the vivid images Gorgeous had conjured up the previous day would surely haunt him in the form of nightmares.

Paella probably would have fired that woman by now, despite how the President enjoyed Gorgeous' services... both as a Gamemaker and in other areas. Shaking his head slightly, Pluto glances at the final plans for the arena one last time as the twenty-six remaining tributes prepare to enter the Games only one will come out of. Paella probably would have had a comment or two to make on how to improve it, but he'll just have to do his best this year, however alone he may be.

"Ooh," a giggle sounds in Pluto's ear, and his shoulders slump, a sigh escaping his nostrils as the telltale shrill of the Vice Gamemaker reveals her presence. "Can I see?" He turns around to see her batting her eyelashes. Reluctantly, he obliges. Perhaps if he were to try to include her more and try to get her mind off constant desire for the President, Gorgeous could become a better Gamemaker. "Huh," she mutters in response to the map. "👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀 good shit go౦ԁ sHit👌 thats ✔ some good👌👌shit right👌👌there👌👌👌 right✔there ✔✔if i do ƽaү so my self 💯 i say so 💯 thats what im talking about right there right there (chorus: ʳᶦᵍʰᵗ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ) mMMMMᎷМ💯 👌👌 👌НO0ОଠOOOOOОଠଠOoooᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒ👌 👌👌 👌 💯 👌 👀 👀 👀 👌👌Good shit"

Pluto certainly hopes so.

<><><>

THE TASK:

    The sky is clear; the day is windy. Your tribute will find their platform rising into a town square, cobblestone underfoot. A rusted fountain rests in the center of the circle of tributes, which, upon your plausible further investigation, will be filled with green liquid and drowned rat corpses. Hanging from the sides of the fountain, which acts as your nontraditional Cornucopia, are gas masks. It is recommended that you fetch one of these for future use. However, there are only twenty, and twenty-six of you left. Without a gas mask, the plagues in the air are deadly after about an hour- A battle is imminent.

Timber-framed houses of wattle and daub stretch into the distance, some in shambles and others still standing, resting on the sides of tight roads you will eventually scamper down. At some point, you will realize that you have seen no living things besides the other tributes, and that the arena is eerily silent. Skulls and bones litter the sidewalks and interior of the houses, and carts of corpses rest abandoned at the side of the road.

Eventually, you will come to a building strangely out of place in this medieval town- a hospital. It is equipped with most medical supplies of the present day, though many of the labels have been peeled off. Time has again been paused in this hospital, despite its difference in medical advancement and architecture than the world outside. It is rather makeshift and packed with patients- unfortunately, they've all been reduced to corpses.

This task is mainly for you to focus on the action of the Games beginning, the battle for gas masks, early exploration and thoughts on the arena, and perhaps delving deeper into who your tributes are. We will be awarding sponsorships after this task, so be sure to write your best! Additionally, you must begin feeling and mention some sort of exhaustion- the first symptom of our disease.

<><><>

Word Count Maximum: 2750

<><><>

Due Date:

EST: Friday, 23 December 2016, 17:00pm

CST: Friday, 23 December 2016, 16:00pm

MST: Friday, 23 December 2016, 15:00pm

PST: Friday, 23 December 2016, 14:00pm

GMT: Friday, 23 December 2016, 22:00pm

UTC+8: Saturday, 24 December 2016, 6:00am

AEST: Saturday, 24 December 2016, 8:00am

We apologize for the shortness of the deadline, but we'd like to get everything over with before the holidays kick in around this time. If your time zone has not been listed or you have difficulties converting, alert us and it will be added.

<><><>

Deaths/Ballots:

Deaths: 6 [Note that these only existed for in-entry purposes, and are optional]

Ballots: 3

<><><>

Bonuses:

First Entry: +0.5

We may include an additional bonus if we notice something special in one of your entries.

<><><>

Ballot Challenges:

As this is an even task, ballot challenges will be received. Rankings will also only be posted during even tasks, though all ballots count.

1. Cordelia Karmitta (2) - You may not stand out by a lot, Cordelia, but you've still managed to set yourself apart. However, being slightly different from the crowd won't result in your favor. You may not use any word over seven letters long in your entry.

2. Paris De La Cruz, Mason Falkov, Remult Tedusius, Elm Woods, Kaelyn "Kaylee" Menorr, Rhea Charon, Kaleo May, Pimbep Cottage, Wavelet, Edelina Renova, Xander McColl (1) - Congratulations! There are far too many of you here for comfort. Let's kill some off then, shall we? You must directly murder another one of the tributes who received one ballot last task.

3. Not Listed - You have all been rendered ineligible for extensions this task.

<><><>

Have fun, everyone! We know there were some confusions last task as to the requirements, so if you have any questions or need to confirm something, please do not hesitate to ask.

<><><>