Silas Graham | District 3 PK

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On the surface, at least to his superiors and coworkers, Silas maintains a strict, if not quiet, regiment while in public. This, however, is all a façade. Having been raised in District 2, where the majority of peacekeepers are plucked from, he has realized the harsh realities of what the Capitol has brought: youthful and innocents who, because of their environment, have turned to bloodthirsty savages. Despite his training alongside those who were not only willing, but wanting, to fight, Silas never once considered volunteering for the Games. He sat by, watching as the people he had grown up with threw their lives away for some twisted sense of glory. With every loss - as well as every victory - Silas could feel another twinge guilt and revolt adding to the already existent collection of emotions.

Away from from his superiors and among his subordinates, Silas is known to be a friendly, albeit aging, face. Where normally harsh punishments would be given to a citizen, he gives a hushed word of warning before sending them on their way. Given his kindness and knowing it could mean torture - or worse - for the man, citizens have kept silent about his actions. And, although he never admits it, he continues to feel anguish year after year, as children he has watched grow up are selected to face their near-inevitable death. It remains ever constantly difficult to continue this charade, pushing Silas to become an off-the-clock alcoholic; though, this remains mostly secretive, as he only drinks in private.

Silas's only other pastimes are reading and re-reading the very few books that he has managed to come across in his position, walking through the marketplace, and simply staring out past the fence of their gated community, as if daring to believe that there is something else present beyond their near-enslavement. For, despite remaining friendly, even teasingly playful, with the citizens of District 3, Silas has long since lost hope for any change. The only bit of future he looks forward to is reaching his twenty-year retirement in four years' time, allowing to reside alone and to drink away all of his worries. He currently has no plans for family, especially not children, for as long as the Capitol's regime continues.

Silas recognizes the dangers that he faces in not following the strict rules set by the government. But his view is simple: if it costs him his life to make others' easier, he has now become a martyr - another debt that the Capitol will someday, hopefully, have to repay.



Silas was born the 23rd year of the Hunger Games in District 2. He was the only child of Margaret and Devon Graham. Though neither of his parents had been selected for the games, he did lose an aunt, a career, to the games at age three. Just as many of the children in District 2, Silas received some preparation for the Hunger Games, including basic survival skills, hand-to-hand combat, and training with various weapons. In spite of all this knowledge, however, he began to see the Games as atrocities, seeing how it changed his peers into monsters, hungry for blood. He passed through his teenage years with no fear of being selected; after all, someone was almost guaranteed to volunteer for his place.

Silas, despite his growing disgust, remained silent. He received only minor infractions with the peacekeepers - mostly being out past curfew, with a single instance of fighting with another boy who praised the Games. And, as time came to pass, he began gaining more and more experience with pretending to fit in. He reached age eighteen, was never selected for the Games, and was then assigned a full occupation within the district.

From ages eighteen to twenty-three, Silas worked as a blacksmith. He remained single, unwilling to struggle to develop feelings for women who viewed the games as entertainment. At the age of twenty-three, he signed with the peacekeepers, and - after a year of training - was deployed to District 3 at the age of twenty-four.

The position was uncomfortable, to say the least. Silas held none of the enjoyment, nor the excitement of power, that many of the other peacekeepers held. Slowly, he began to ease up on most infractions. A boy out past curfew? Hurry up, don't get caught. A girl seen with fresh game? Take it home immediately, avoid the main roads. A public drunk? Sympathetic Silas would escort the person home, careful to keep he or she out of sight. It took several years, but his reputation with the citizens began to grow. If trouble was to be avoided, Silas became the peacekeeper to go to.

And, as such, time has passed. Silas Graham has held the position of peacekeeper for sixteen years of the required twenty, and he looks forward to nothing but being able to retire and drown out the rest of his days with some damn fine bourbon.[/color][/ul][/justify]