User blog:Annamisasa/The 101st annual hunger games/Anna's third Hunger Games

Hi there! So this is gonna be my third games, yay! I am super excited as always to get to have new tributes that I can kill of in painfull ways.

Now, as for this tiem I want to try and make "in depth" games with Reapings, group training, private traning scores and interview. This will be my first time with group training as well as interviews so I don't know how good they will be.

Please, as always, remember that I am danish. My grammar and spelling is far from perfect and I am doing the best with what I got.

Introduction
After president Snow death the land of Panem grew more and more peacefull. The 76th annual hunger games was held but as a disapointment for many president snow grandaugther, Rose Ana Snow, wasn't reaped. People slowly grew careless about their freedom and tried to put the days of the rebellion past them. After 12 years of controlling Panem, President Paylor passed away from a heart discease. Her dauther Megan was elected and won but sadly she wasn't a good leader.

Rose was furrious of the way the land was ruled and wanted to lead Panem like she promised by her grandfather, Snow, himself. She made an rebellion group of people from the capitol who throught they were mistreated. She made a complot and poisened all of the food in the president's mansion. Many of the new rulers of Panem died and one dark night, Rose snuck in and assasinated Megan Paylor herself. A year after she was in full control of Panem 0and had crused every single enemy standing in her way.

Before the games
President Rose Ana Snow steps up on the podium, and people grow silent. The laugther, the small-talking all fades when they see her. Her people, her own rebels who have finally won. They look at her. She's their statue, their goddess. She brought them what they wanted...justice. But Rose knows that it's not only her people that look at her. The enemy, the people of the districts are sitting glued to their television screen as well. They still remember last time when annouced the quell and they are all anxious to what Rose now wants... She takes a deep breath:

"People, people of the Capitol. My people. In the days after the quell, I have been listening to what my people have told me. That they had a wish. As a generous ruler, I have listened. The people of the districts as well as the people from the Capitol itself wants the children of the Capitol to compete in The Hunger Games just like the others. As a justicefull, generous and mercifull ruler I have decide to furfill that wish! As a lesson. The people thought they were save when President Paylor took over...a mistake. I can't let my own people think that they are save, even with me as their leader. We must never forget our generations mistakes, and we can never believe that we truely are save".

And with that, President Rose Ana Snow walks off the podium.

Rules

 * I don't use random.org, I want you guys to advice your tribute and send them stuff
 * Two tributes per user
 * Don't hate me if I kill your tribute
 * Only spam if you make a tribute
 * I will not accept "on my profile" but I will accept a link to another page on, example: The hunger games roleplay wiki
 * No tributes that have already been in my game
 * If info to your tribute is missing I will not let them in my games, so follow the template
 * This contains a very small amount of cursing
 * This is not required but I would like it if you wrote feedback for reapings/group training/interview/games etc.

Template
Name:

District:

Gender:

Age:

Weapon: (One or two)

Strength: (Besides weapon, two)

Weaknesses: (Atleast two)

Fears: (Atleast one)

Appearence:

Personality (don't underestimate the importance of this one):

Backstory (don't underestimate the importance of this one):

Reaction when reaped: (Optional but recormented)

What did they do in their private session:

Interview ancle:

Strategy for bloodbath/games:

Token: (Optional but recormented)

Bruce's POV:
Beep Beep Beep Beep...something takes me out of my light slumber and wake up to see my alarmclock. I just lay there for a bit, still feeling half asleep when I realize what day it is...reaping day. I remember my first reaping how my mother woke me up. She would always do that...every single day. Now it's just a "Beep" that has to do the job. It's weird...when my mother would wake me I never really cared much for it...now I miss it.

I get up and get my cloth on. Not the reaping cloth since there is still quite awhile before, just the regular cheap cloth that the orhanage provides. Then I get down on all four and reach in under my bed and get a old sock -my secret bank- and take all of the money I have saved for quite awhile. I smile a little as I head out of my room and run out of the orhanage. Me and my best friend, Michelle, has this tradition that we would always meet at my room and eat breakfast before the reaping.

I run down the streets and head to the small bakery. The women behind the counter looks at me suprised when I enter. From my clothing she can easily tell that I am from the orchanage not so far away. We usually can't afford to buy much and when we do buy something pastry is not our top priority. "Two cinnamonbuns, please" I tell her and she get's two buns from the shelf. I had to save up for three weeks just to buy them. She hands me a bag and I pay her my money and head back. I look at the clock and see that she should already be waiting for me outside my room but when I arrive she isn't there. I walk in and stare out of the window for awhile but she's not there. I look at clock. We both really enjoy these mornings and she usually arrive to early...now she's 20 minuets late. After some consideration I get up and head to her room just to check.

"Knock, knock, knock!" I slam my hand on the door and wait a little. Some girls giggle in the background and whispers something. There is this huge rumor going around that me and Michelle have something going but I am actually not sure if that's the case or not. Maybe I am just stuck in the friendszone but still... Should we have something going on? Sigh, I can never tell what girls wants, anyway. "Michelle? Are you there? It's Bruce" I say. What could have kept her from comming? It's not like we have to do anything special today. "The door isn't locked" I hear Michelle's faint voice whisper. Something's wrong. I open the door and see Michelle sitting on the bed. She looks up and it's easy to tell what's wrong. Her face is beaten red and she has a black eye. I walk over and sit down on the bed beside her. We just sit there for a little while until I finally ask,

"What happened?" A long silence, then she finally says, haltingly. "A younger girl...she tried to steal some bread this morning...from the stocks...she was so hungry, and she spent most of yesterday in her room crying cause her stomach hurted...she almost got the loaf...but Smoke saw her...". I can't help but glare a bit when I hear about Smoke. George Smoke is the worst "caretaker" on in the orhanage. To him, hitting us is not just a punisment...to him, it's fun...entertainment. "He was gonna beat her so badly, and I just couldn't stand by and watch. I ran in there and blocked his way. So he took it out on me..." the rest of her speech is covered up by sobbing. I put my arms around her and we just sit there, while tears fall from Michelle's face.

I take the bag with the buns and hand her one. She takes it and take a big bite of it but then her eyes tears even more up and her crying turns worser, and I suddenly know that it is not just cause of what happened this morning. "Come on, Michelle, tell me...I can't stand see you so sad" I whispers while strooking her back. "Yo-u-u alread-y-y-y know why" she sobs. "Yo-u-u-u are gonn-a-a...volunteer" she says, between the sobbing. "I am sorry" I tell her. "But...can't you see? If I was gonna win this, we could get a better life...no one would ever lay hands on you, anymore. We could life in the victor village, just you and me". She looks at me and dries her tears away with her hand. "But what if you don't? What if you get killed...or what if...they change you? If you are not you when you come home to me?" she asks. I stroke her cheek. "I'll always be your Bruce, Michelle, always. I promise" I tell her.

After just sitting with Michelle for a while I got back into my room. I splash some water in my face and put on the reaping cloth that the orhanage has provided us too. It's ugly, and nothing compared to what some of the people in 1, are wearing. It's like they want us to stand out. Want to tell everybody that we lost our parents, one way or another. I meet up with Michelle who even in her ugly orhanage dress looks beautiful. People stare at us as we walk to the reaping. I take Michelle's hand a squeze it gently. She looks at me smile and then we part.

"Welcome, welcome people of district 1!" Our loud escort, Tamala Ottersena, almost yells into the microphone. "Are you guys excited?" she yells and is flowded by a roaring and clapping crowd. "Well, okay then let's get this started!" she says and walks over to the reaping ball. I know i have to be quickwhen they pick the boys. She picks a slip and yell: "GEMMA TOPAS!" she yells. "I VOLUNTEER!" atleast 30 differrent people yell. "Hmm...who to pick, who to pick?" she says looking out at the girls. "Me!" a girl with long blonde hair pushes the girls in front of her away and march to the stage. She rips the microphone out of the escort's hand and yells: "District 1, say "hello" to you new female tribute and your newest victor, Isis Widow!". She's meet with an loud roar from the crowd and some whistling too. The escorts looks a bit insulted but put's on a fake smile and says. "Okay, guys but the fun is not over yet! We still have our male tribute to choose!". She reaches in the glassbowl and picks a slip from the top. "Isaac Thomas!" she yells and I scearm along with 15 others, "I VOLUNTEER!". She looks at the crowd and takes her time to decide. Please let it be me, pleeeeease, I think to myself. "You" She points with her finger and it takes a little while for me to guess that it's me she's talking about. I rush to the stage. "So, what's your name?" She asks. "I am Bruce Foster" I say and I am meet with some more cheering but defernetly not as much as Isis'. "People of Panem, may I present you the tributes from district 1, Isis Widow and Bruce Foster!" She yells and the crowd goes crazy once more.

Thyra's POV:
My eyes open and my hand automatically fly over and turn off my alarm clock. I look at the timer and see that it say's 6:00 am. Normally I wouldn't get up so early on reaping days but there is something I want to take care of. Some last goodbyes. I get out of bed and put on my regular cloth and put the red reaping dress in a little bag, as well as my figthing cloth. I sneak down into the kitchen and silently prepare a piece of toast, carefull not to wake my parents.If I told them where I were going today they would tell me that it's stupid and silly but to me it matters.

I head out of the maindoor and eat my toast while walking towards the career academy. The streets are almost empty and the few people that aare actually out don't dare speak to me. I like the effect I have on people. They tend to be intemidated by me. I hope I can do that in the arena as well. "In the arena you have the intemidation of being career. Let it help you. Use it to your advantage and for god sake, don't loose it by apparing weak": My father words eccos in my head. He knows so much about the games. I often find myself just sitting at the dinner table with my family and talking with him about the games. I saw my fathers game. I could barely recornise him. He was...so brutal...could that happen to me, too?

The push the double-swing-door open and head down the empty halls. I walk past the diffrent rooms as the memories fly back to me. "Edible plants class" it says on one door, I never really like that one. "Traps class" that ones kinda boring too. I never really liked the classes, I prefer the classes where you can use your body instead of just sitting down all day writing stuff down.

I head down the stairs and find myself in front of the "Dojo/fighting hall". I smile a bit, although this wasn't my favorite I deffernetly liked that class. Zara better be there...we both have unfinished business. I walk into the hall and see that Zara's already ready in her fighting suit. Her blonde hair is gathered in a ponytale and her green eyes shine. She's in one corner off the room beating up a dummy hanging from the cealing. "I'll go change, you ready?" I ask. "More than you" Zara just answers and go back to kicking the dummy. Zara has always been my biggest rival in this class. I was the top in bow and arrow and sprinting class but this class it was a little more difficult and Zara was the reason why. We were always rivals in this class and on the whole academy our rivalary is famous.

After i get dressed I walk out back into the fighthall. Zara is done kicking and now just stands in the middle of room in her fighting stance. "And the one who wins get to volunteer?" I ask. We both know it's gonna be one of us. We are the tougest girls on the whole academy. No one would dare taking our spot in the games.

I walk up to her and then out of nowhere make a circle kick to her head. Zara jumps to the other side and I know I lost my moment of surprise if I had one to begin to begin with. You never know with Zara. I punch out but she quickly jumps to the side. She make a quick hit but I blockade with my arm. I grap her fist, about to make a handlock but she uses the oppertunety to kick me in the stomach. I let go of her hand but the pain from my stomach doesn't seem to bother me. I have to win this. I punch out but she avoids in the last second. I make a circular kick but she, again, avoids it like she was dancing so sort of dance. She moves closer and try for a punch but I easily block it with my hand. She quickly get's her fist away from me before I can force it into a handlock.

We continiue like this for minuets. I kick and punch and she dances around me. I know this tactic, it is the one she always uses. She will dance around you, not trying to attack waiting for you to deem her as being no threat. She will make you so focused on trying to get a hit in on her that you almost forget she can hit you herself. Then you start to lower your parades until she strikes. I know this tactic cause she has used it many times on me. I punch out and she avoids again, and that's when I notice a partern. When I kick she avoids to the oppersit side that where my kick came from. When I punch she always moves left. The plans comes to mind. I hit out after her and see her as she moves to the left. I never finish the punch instead I let it follow by a full circle kick that hits her right in the head. I move closer to try and pin her to the ground and in and in her panic she punches out at me. I grap her fist and force it into one of my famout handlocks. I place my fingers in a splidt second and then tilt her hand backwards. "KNACK!"

"AAAAAAAARG!" Her scream pulls me back to reality. It's like...when I fight I enter this...mode of destruction. I can only think of my victim and how to hurt them...I forget myself. And now I am back. We both stare at her hand which is tilted creepily to the side. "It's not reacting!" She screams. "I am trying to move my fingers but nothing happens!" I look at her in terror. "What are you two doing!" A third voice yells at us. We look up and see that our fight teacher or "sensei" is standing in the doorway. "Mr Yellowstone! Thyra broke my hand!" That bitch...We both knew there were no rules to this. But it doesn't matter anyway. I am Mr Yellowstone's favorite student, and Zara seems to annoy him with her contant avoiding and less aggresive behavior. He walks up to her and examine her. "Go to the nurse" he says. "And you can't volunteer today, if that is not obvious." We weren't supposed to be fighting without a trainer so I am pretty sure that it is his own way of punishing her. He looks at me and nods. "Good job Thyra. It's broken for sure. You can use that handlock in the grouptraining. Now get out before I actually have to report that you are fighting here unwatched". I smile and head out of the door and into the girls changing room.

I get my somewhat short red dress and apply the make-up. I look in the mirror...sexy but also intemitidating. Just the empression I want to give my fellow tributes when I volunteer. ''"If you mess with me, you are gonna regret it badly." ''I get out of the academy doors and head down to the reaping. The zapper lady takes my blood and I walk over to the 17-years-olds happy to see that Zara isn't there. "Welcome District 2, are you ready to see your tributes?!" Vicki Orchid voice rungs out in the towns and she's meet with applause. She smiles and enjoys every moment of it. "Now who will be our first tribute...?" She says while searching throught the glassbowl with her hand. It's annoying...we all know the tributes are gonna be volunteers. "Sophie M-" "I volunteer!" atleast ten different girls yells along with me. I notice some of them around me. When I win these games I'll make sure to beat them up for trying to take my place. "You" the escort points at me and I walk to the stage with confidence. "What's your name?" she ask. "Thyra Sarin!" I say with a loud clear voice. "And who will your partner be...?" She takes a slip from the top of the bunch and reads: "Drey Ross!" "I voluneteer!" loads of boys scream before this Drey person can even reach to take a step. Vicki looks around and then points at a fierce looking guy with black hair. He walks to the stage, and I can feel an arrogant aura around him. "And your name is...?" "Raven Mockingjay" he answer coldly. "District 2 may I present our tributes! Thyra Sarin and Raven Mockingjay!" The crowd roars.

Mauve's POV:
A warm hand strokes the side of my face and I open my eyes. My mother's worn out face and somewhat cold eyes looks at me. She never really liked me, but somehow she is still nice to me. "It's reaping day" She says. She smiles a tiny bit but her voice still sounds cold and collected as always. My whole family is like that...the whole damned district is like that. No colors, no feelings...just facts and results.

My mother get's up but then her face changes. It looks like she's pissed, but why? The she goes down and drags something out from under my bed. A painting. It is my newest masterpiece. The colors just seems to work with me as I painted it. It the best thing I ever made. I finished it yesternight after 1 month of painting it. Every single penselstrooke can be seen on the painting. It is picturing a live I never had. A girl in a beautiful white dress is standing in a meadow. A bush of bloodred roses grow there and the girl is holding one of the roseflowers in her hands to examine it. The garden is young and healthy. There haven't been in any boundaries for it's groth, it has expanded itself. Not like in District 3 were everything you do is decided by someone...

"You painted, again?!" My mother looks at me angrily. I look down, and sit up on my bed. My mother looks under the bed to look for more paintings, but luckily I have stored most of them under the floorboards, under the bed so she doesn't find any. I was gonna store the painting down there tomorrow, but now that will never happen.

"I asked you a question, Mauve", my mother says. "Yes..." I mutter. My mother looks at me annoyed and then it begins. The same speech she always give me: "Mauve, you know as well as me that there is no future in paintings. You can't earn a living with a brush, you end up having to live on the streets and become a prositute! Why is my daugther so stupid? I didn't raise you to be this way!" she shreeks. I want to slap her. She has begone talking with me about what will happen if I get to live on the street. But I don't believe her...I can make living with a brush in my hands...I think...

My mother takes the painiting downstairs and I jump out of my bed, only wearing my pj's and follow her. She heads right to the fireplace which is lit cause of cold nights. She throws the painting on the fire and I just stand and watch as one months of work, as the live I never had, as my new masterpiece burns away within seconds.

I try to hold my tears back, but of course I can't. I just stand there a sob. My mother looks up from the fire and see me crying. She walks over to me and I close my eyes, knowing what is next. "SMACK!" Pain rises from my cheek and begin to burn just like my picture did before. I open my eyes and see my mother's cold eyes glaring at me. "Now you have something to cry about" she tells me and head into the kicthen. I rush up the stairs and just lay on my bed crying.

I gently push a wet tissue to my face. My eyes are all red from crying, although the pain was not really what caused it. My painiting...my masterpiece... I can't belive is gone... Now it is just a bunch of ash in the fireplace. I bet my mother will be forcing me to clean it out later, just to make me even sadder. I get out of my pj's and get my skyeblue reapingdress on. I look okay pretty but my stained red cheek and my eyes that now are red from crying are making me look like a sadder version of a doll. I look a bit in the mirror. I always come of as young looking...it annoys me, I don't think my mother would beat me if I looked more mature... it's like she has forgotten that I actually fifthteen years old. She treats me like a child. I wish she would just adjust to the fact that painting isn't just something I do for fun...it's my passion. I may have lost a masterpiece today but I will create more. I smile a bit. One day I'll be famous. When I die, my paintings will be in museums in the Capitol.

I walk down to the kitchen and see that my mother has already taken teh breakfast away. She always serve the same, anyway so I always cook my own. I feel like I am stuck in routine, when I am not painting. Same mornings, same school, same evenings. I guess it's why I like painting...I can escape that way.

We get out and head to the city square. We don't say anything to each other. My mother is probaly still mad at me for painting, but I won't apologiez for it. As we walk I see atleast 30 girls wearing the same reaping dress. I smile a little. No one has my dress as I made it myself. My mother told me it was ridiculous but I still use the dress today. We reach the square, and we seperate without saying a word to each other. If I were to get reaped, the last memory of my mother would be her hitting me. I get my blood taken and walk over to the 15-year-olds. Then our escort walks out on the stage and begin with her usual "WELCOME EVERBODY!". She wears a long neon pink dress and her stupid signature lightning-shaped hat. She walks over the bowl with the girls. I hold my breath. "MAUVE CALLAHAN!" It's me...no wait...how? I stumbled to the stage and the escort has to help me up the stairs cause of my shaking steps. Then she walks over to the boys bowl and takes a slip out. "CRAMO CINGLETON!". A cute boy with glasses and braces walks to the stage with a look on his face telling me that he's angry. What are you gonna do about it? I thought to myself... The odds just weren't in our favor. "WELL DISTRICT 3, HERE ARE YOUR TRIBUTES!" our escorts says but she doesn't sound to happy with us. "MAUVE CALLAHAN AND CRAMO CINGLETON!"

Muzzy's POV:
"It's time, Muzzy." My eyes open and I see my mother standing beside me with a lttle smile on her mouth. But she can't fool me...she's scared... She knows I am gonna volunteer. She knows this maybe the last day before we part...forever, maybe. She holds in a sob, tries to cover it up then she walks out of my bedroom. She tries her tears away with her hand as she walks out.

I get up and get on the reaping clothing eventhough I am actually heading to the academy. I need to head over there one last time before I volunteer. Me and Twix agreed on that. I look in the mirror...it's weird...somehow when i am gonna meet with Twix, I always try to dress my best. I always try my best for Twix...

I head down the stairs to see my mother standing by the frying pan cooking some pancakes. Egg and bacon is already on the table, I can see my mother has tried hard to get a nice breakfast before the reaping but I sadly have to dissapoint her as I already have a little appointment with Twix to meet before the reaping.

"Mother... I am sorry...I can't eat with you guys today." I look down hating to tell her. She looks at me and I can see that she has cried. But I need to say goodbye to Twix.

"What...? Why so?" she ask.

"I kinda...promised Twix I would meet her...sorry..." I mutter. I look at her. She sends me a sad smile, she knows how much Twix means to me. "I guess...it's okay." she says and tries to hold in another sob. My sister is just staring at her slice of toast on her plate. My mother begins to fill a bag with two pairs of pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon. She hands it to me and I hug her as a last goodbye, then I head out,

I always liked the smell of the salty sea and seaweed. I can't imangine how it must be to live in the other districts without the ocean nearby... I don't get how they can breath in the districts like 3 with so many factories and such. The sun shines bright and there are many people in the streets as I head down to the academy. People wave when they see me, and wishes me good luck, knowing I am gonna volunteer. I don't really care, luck don't excist anyway.

I reach the academy and head inside. Although it's not closed for today there is no one here. Most people spend teh day with their family's...I still wonder...should I be home with my mother and sister? I know maybe should be but I just...I need to meet Twix one last time, before I volunteer... I just have to. I walk down the axe hall where you can train close combat with axes, and axe-throwing. It's desserted but I know that Twix will head over here so I can meet up with her. I pick up an axe and walk over to the targets.

"You are pretty bad at, that aren't you?" I hear a familiar voice tell me after I miss for the 7th time. I look behind and see Twix, standing with crossed arms and a smile on her face. "Twix" I say and I drop the axe and embrace her. It's funny...normally if someone were to insult me, I would beat the to they were unrecorniseable but not Twix. She's different. She has always been there.

We head out of the academy, to the beach and we sit down. The wind is mild and warm and the waves sound in the background. I open the bag a splidt the food between us. We just sit there in a nice silent way and eat while looking out at the ocean.

"I guess....I guess this is goodbye" Twix mutters. I look up at her, and she looks down at her half eaten pancake. "No...not goodbye...see you later" I tell her. I think...that we have gotten to be more than just friends..."I will come back, Twix...I will come back to you" I tell her and hug her tightly.

We walk towards the reaping area together and stand in the line holding hands. I can hear some girls giggle in the background. I feel a certain...feeling...a feeling that I want to hurt them, make them take it back. Twix squeeses my hand a bit. "They aren't worth it" she whispers. I squeeze her hand and the rage dissappears. Twix has always been able to do that but I don't know how she could. I reach the end of the line, and they take my blood. I squeeze Twix's hand one last time before parting with her and hten I walk over to the 16-year-olds

"Welcome, everybody to District 4's reaping in the 101st annual hunger games!" Our escort Liaranda Gazella walks over to the mic, wearing a get-up that looks like a mermaid. "Now let's reap some tributes, shall we?" Hah! They are all gonna be volunteeres anyway. Sometimes I wonder if our escorts IQ is below 40... She walks over to the bawl with names and takes a slip. "Aria Yellow!" She yells...Twix sister..."I VOLUNTEER!" Twix's cry can be heard from miles away and the escorts doesn't hesitate with using her. Twix runs to the stage, but quickly hugs Aria before getting up there. "And what is your name?" Liaranda ask. "Twix Yellow" she says scared, but still she seems like she prepared...that's she okay with it. "She must be your sister, right?" Our escort ask. "Yes..:" Twix mutters. I know what I am gonna do now...Twix can't die in these games, not this way...even if it takes my own life...I won't let her go.

Our escort takes a slip and reads: "Jonah Salts!" "I VOLUNTEER!" I yell with 20 other people. Our escort smiles and then point at me. "You" she says and I walk to the stage. "And your name is...?" "I am Muzzy Sparks" I tell her in a confident voice. "Well, district 4 here are you new vict- I mean tributes, Muzzy Sparks and Twix Yellow!" We walk to the train and Twix sends me a deathglare. "Both of us can't win these" she hisses almost. "I know..."

Jillian-Anne's POV:
The smoke. The smoke is all around. I run and run, the heat, it is nearing me! What do I do? What do I do? My heart is beating so fast it is almost breaking my chest. The heat? Who did this? Why would they do this? I run and run, spin around in circle's but I can't seem to find an exit. The heat...it is nearing. It is burning...it will burn me...it will burn. I need to get away, now! But the smoke is everywhere like a thick fog and I can not see a thing. A scream pierce through the room, that I am in. I turn around and folllow it, I run and run and BAM!

I lay on the ground. I must have fallen but I am not really sure. The smoke is still there but now I can see the edge of a silhuette. "Who are you?" I whisper. The heat is nearing, I need to get away but the silhuette. I need to know who is here with me. I get up from the ground and I walk near the other human. And then I see it...it is... me...or like...a clone of me. I look at myself, and a scream pierces the air again as the clone of me begin to burn vividly. The flames burn her down but she still smiles. Laugther. Two more faces appears through the smoke. It is...my parents, and they are laughing maniacly as me... or as my clone burn.

"AAAAAAAARG!" I scream, kick and bite my lip. My eyelids fly up and I see the familiar backside of the bridge I live under. I look around expecting to see smoke but I can see everything around me. The horrible smell down here is almost heartwarming compared to the smell of smoke before... My chest begins to move as I begin to cry and laugh at the same time. I just sit there, laughing while tears fall down my face. Hah! It was a dream! Just a dream! My parents are dead and I am alive! Hah! They can't hurt me...can they?

I sit up and crawl out of my sleepingbag. It is too cold to sleep without being fully dressed so I don't need to do anything special. I consider taking a bath in the little stream under the bridge. Some people say you get ill by svimming in it but I don't mind, I mean me and the stream are good friends...right? I jump in the stream fully cloth and svim around. I like svimming. In water you can't burn, that's why I am friends with the stream. "Good morning" I whisper to the stream, the brigde and the birds. I look and see that there are some people looking at me from above the bridge. I smile and wave but they quickly walk away. Oh well, they probably had to go somewhere. I dive down and lay on the button of the stream. I wish the stream could swallow me so that I would never ever burn...So I wouldn't have nightmares...

Wait... I svim to the surface and take in some air. The people before who had to go somewhere...wasn't there anything special today? Hmmm... "Sorry, Stream, I have to go" I tell it and svim back to my camp. I see a little note I wrote. "IUWRCA KLT" it says...Ooooh, it's reaping day! Good thing I wrote that note. I may as well get going. I hope no one minds that I am still soaking wet. I mean, it's not like there's a rule that you can attend to te reaping without dry cloth.

Are people playing some kind of game? Everybody seem to walk to the other sidewalk when they see me...Hmmm...are we playing a game of tag? I don't know, people seem to make games without me. But I guess I am "it"... I run over to a man who has big expensive coat on stands with his back turned. I run over and poke him in the back. "You are it!" I yell and smile. He turns around and looks at me weirdly. "Oh, em sorry but you are supposed to count to ten before you can try to catch me" I tell him. Geez, know the rules before you play! He just stares at me like there's something wrong with him. "Sorry sir I thought we were playing tag" I look down and then quickly back away. People around me are staring and whispering: "It's Jillian-Anne, don't look at her". I look down...no one likes me...

I walk over to the blood place and stand in a line waiting. It fun to wait but I notice how all of the children stand atleast a 3 feet away from me...why do no one like me? I don't know... People always say that friends are nice, but no one wants to be friends with me. I reach the end of the line and the zapper lady reaches for my hand and make red water come out of it. I giggle and people start to stare more. "Next" the ladys says. "Can I try again?" I ask. "Next!" she says rudely and I walk over to the place where she directs me to.

"Welcome everybody" A lady with a yellow dress that is tight and long walks up. Her hair look like a bulb and I try not to giggle. People tend to stare when I giggle today, for some reason. She begins to say all of this noices and she speaks so fast I can't even hear what she says. Then she walks over to this big glass bowl and she drags a slip. "JILLIAN-ANNE FORSYTHE!" she yells. That's me... what does that mean? It's something bad for sure... People begin to stare at me, and someone pushes me. "Stop" I yell but people keeps pushing me towards the stage. I look up and see that the lady with the yellow dress isn't there. Instead my mother is standing there in a yellow dress and smiling and me. "STOP!" I scream, kick and yell. I bite someones hand and then someone puntures a needle in my arm...

I wake up on and walk out of the door. A boy is sitting by the table with our escort. "Congratulations, you and Sagitarius are our new tributes" The escort lady says.

Isabel's POV:
I open my eyes. Or... I think I open them, but it is still as dark as when they were closed. I look at the little scrampled clock that I bought. It was broken, missing one hand, so that I can only see which hour it is. It is around 3:30 am, I think. It's hard to tell, cause it's so dark. Reaping day is tomor- today and I need my sleep, so I close my eyes and lay down a little.

After a long time of turning on my madress -a bed is too expensive- I realize that it won't help. I have gotten quite used to the darkness with my eyes and then I see it. My arm, my wrist. Its all... dark red. I quickly switch on the light and my eyes widen as I lose my breath. My whole left arm is soaked in red, dark blood. I... I didn't... No! I stopped! I controlled it! But why is it...? Why am I bleeding? I didn't cut... I stopped... I get up and press my right hand to my arm, although it has bleed so much that I can't even see the wound. What do I do? What do I do?! I run out in the kitchen to wash the wound when I see it... The knife... The kitchen knife from my parents kitchen... The knife I cut myself with. It's lying on the table and covered in blood like it was newly used...

"AAAAAAARG!" My scream pierces through the air, as I sit up on my madress. At first I just sit and try my best not to hyperventilate. I force my shaking arm up to examine it. My pj's are nice and clean, not one spot of blood. I feel the fabric, expecting it to be soaked in blood, but it's just normal... I drag up the sleeve and expect to see bleeding wounds. Instead I am met with the haunting, long scars... The scars that formed as I were suicidal... They are almost...embarressing... Like they are forcing me not to forget. Every single day I am reminded...of when i was...broken, almost. Unperfect.

I get up from the bed and put on my reaping dress. I had to sew it myself. I remember when I lived with my parents... I didn't need to sew my own dresses. I slept in a real bed... But I also... they were the once who made me cut myself. They were the cause of the scars that streches down my arm like lines in diagram. They map out my state of mind at that point. I would rather starve than go back to being broken.

I walk into the kitchen, almost expecting the bloodcovered knife to be lying on the table but of course it's not there. ''It were a dream, Izzy. Only a nightmare. It can't hurt you. ''I tell myself, but I don't find it very convicing. And why now? I thought I had put the past behind me... that's why it's called past, right? Still I had this dream today. Does it mean something? I take the bread I baked yesterday from the grain I get from my tesserae. I had taken... two I think. One for myself, and one so that I can sell the rations I get from it. It's hard to keep the knife still as I slice the bread. Too many memories. ''Izzy, you coward, you have a nightmare once, and then you can't even slice a loaf of bread? ''It's foolish to be scared of it, I do know that, but still... I can't help but think back when the cutting were the only way to save myself. The only way I could get to...control anything. I was so sick, of myself, of the world. I shake my head as to shake the memories of myself. I don't need them. They are past.

I get going to the center of the city. There's quite a long way. I remember when I lived with my parents, I could get there within 10 minuettes. Now I walk with people from the poorer part of the districts. People who take a shower once a month, people who never had enough to eat. I always felt bad for them and tried to help them. My parents were disgusted by them. Maybe they are disgusted by me too, now.... I reach the square and the zapper lady takes a bit of my blood. I shiver and then walk to stand with the other 17-year-olds. Some of them smile at me and I smile back. I were friends with most of them, but when the cutting began, I kinda lost connection with them.

"Welcome everyone!" Our escort, Paul Flomming, walks on stage, wearing a blue, pretty casual suit. I like our escort... He's not flamboyant and crazy like the others. "Let's find out who's the female tribute from district 6 is." He says as he calm deep voice as he digs his hand deep down in the bowl of slips. He drags out one and walk back to the mic. "Isabel Wilson!" He yells. Wait... Me?! My hands begin to shiver and people automaticly back away from me. Our escort looks at me. "SorryIn the." He says faintly as I try to make my shivering legs walk up to the stage. I final get up there and our escort walks to the bowl with the boys names. As I look out at everyone I get eyecontact with my mother. She sends me an almost mockingly glare saying: "''If you had stayed with us you wouldn't have to take tesserae, and then you wouldn't have been reaped." ''I glare at her. I would rather be in the hunger games that becomming suicidal again.

The escort drags out a name from the bowl and walk back to mic. "Michelangelo DeSantillo!" He yells. A smaller boy with black hair and grey eyes walk to the stage and more than one girl begins to sob. He must be quite popular with them. He sends me a little smile, and I smile back at him. He seems quite innocent, and I can't help but feel bad for him... "Ladies and gentlemen, your tributes from district 6, Isabel Wilson and Michelangelo DenSantillo!"

Mallory's POV:
The mornings mist clings to the ground, and make the forest seem almost creepy as I open my eyes. The forest almost seem like a different world when it's like this in hte morning. I crawl out of my sleepingback and shiver a bit. I sometimes wish I could live a little more warmer place. I remember when I first came to 7. I don't remember much about it but I do remember walking around in the streets, being cold and hungry. And I remember seeing them... In their white, creepy uniforms. Peacekeepers... I knew that I couldnt stay, but 7 is surrounded by loads of forests and such. Many of them are still growing so no one ever comes here, luckily.

I remember running around in the city, like a lunatic. Every single corner of the street there were a new one. White uniforms... Guns... Cara had been shot by one of them. Cara... ? I remember running around the city, like a wild animal locked in a cage, until I finally found my way out to the forest. The forest where the only place were I could rest. Be alone. Wash Cara's dried blood off my hands in the cold stream.

I light a small fire and just sit there enjoying the heat. I spear a bit of meat on a stick and just sit there roasting it. It's nice to sit quietly and just roast things. With the heat and the expectations of a full belly. It almost make you feel happy... a bit, at least. I take the stick away and begin to eat the meat directly from it. The heat from the now dying campfire and the delicious juice from the meat that fills my mouth. It makes me be okay with the fact that I am alive and that Cara isn't. When I am cold and starving I wonder whom of us got the best fate...

I get up and begin to walk through the forest, heading to the city square. The forest has gotten to be like a home for me, and I can pretty much remember each of the natrual paths. I never walk on the path made by human, scared that I might encounter someone, and that they will report me for living out here. Actually, if I could choose, I would have everyone leave me alone here. It's much easier to just be alone.?

I walk by a tree when I notice something. The tree has something carved into it. A heart. And it says "M" and "J" in it. I feel it imidiatly. The feeling that comes right before a flashback I grab a branch on the tree to keep myself from falling on my feet and let myself drift away.

''They stand there by the tree in the forest. I am there. It's me, but a few years younger... 13? 14? There's a boy with me. A tall boy with brown hair and tanned skin. We are sitting on a carpet, with a little basket of bread beside us. Me and the boy sit on the carpet, looking each other in the eyes and then they lean towards each other, kissing. It's weird having to watch myself, yet not myself, kiss someone that I don't even remember. The boy get's up and take the breadknife and stands up. Then he begins to carve in a heart and "M" and "J" in the bark. I sit down and giggle as I see what he's doing: "It's silly" I tell him. He just smiles.''

And then I am back. The flashbacks faded as quickly as it came to mind, but I know that it happened. I let my fingertips run across the heart on the tree. Who were that boy? My first love...? And... Where is he now...? I shake my head. I usually get more information about my past whenever I go into a flashback, but this one just made me even more confused.

I finally reaping square. All the way there I kept wondering about the boy. I can't help but looking for the boy, but of course to no aveil. I don't know what to look for. Tanned skin and brown hair. It's not much to go from. The zapper lady take a bit of my blood. I squeak a tiny bit, not cause of the pain but because of their peacekeeper uniform. I wish I didn't have to go to the reaping. I hate being in these big, crowded area. There are so many of them... so many peacekeepers...

I walk to the 16-year-olds and stand there for about 15 mins before our escort, what's-her-name, finally walks on stage, she's dressed in a short pink cocktail dress. "Hey there, everyone!" Her annoying playfull voice makes everything sound sexy. "Let's reap some tributes! Shall we?" Why's she asking? She walks with long confident steps over to the bawl containing the girls names. "Mallory Riversong!" She yells. Wait... No! This can't be... Me? I walk to the stage, and I am almost about to punch our escort cause of the stupid sexy grin on her face. From her face, I can tell that I disgust her, probably cause of the smell of campfire, that hangs around me. I smile a bit. Not so sexy now. The escort walks to the second bawl and takes a slip from the top. "Kenneth Gropes!" A boy with shiny green eyes walk on stage. He looks calm and collected, like if he were walking to buy groseries. Either he's really strong or really dumb. He sends me a warm smile as the he walks up to the stage. "Well, everyone, here's your tributes from district 7! Mallory Riversong and Kenneth Gropes!"

Demi-Lee's POV:
The light of dawn shines through the blue plastic roof spread from the walls of my little hut. Its pretty grey outside, still early morning. It was the only thing I could mine that would be the right siece to cover it. It is quite annoying really, cause I am awakened every single day at dawn, but it is usefull sometimes. I get up before the other streetkids, and when there's new stuff on the landfield  it is good to be up early.

I get out of my bed. It is not really a bed, more a pile of miss-succeded texile from the factorys. It is actually more comfortable than what most people think. People think I live a rough life, but that is not really the truth. I may not have the best furniture, and sometimes, I do go hungry to bed, but I healthy and well. That is all I need.

I put on my cloth, which is mostly also a pathwork of un-succeded pieces of clothing from the factory. There is something that I would change, not cause of the looks, more cause of the quality. Some real nice cloth that would keep me warth, does not sound too bad on days like today. I look in the cabinet where I store my food, mostly what I get from tesserae. It is empty, and it has been for a while. My stomach makes growling noises, but there is not really much I can do. I hope i can find some rotten food on the landfield.

It is not a long walk to the landfield. I knew that I were wise of me to make the hut close to the tip. But not too close. We streetkids tend to steal from each other, and a house so close to the landfield is pretty much asking for it.

I finally reach there, and is greeted with the stench of rodden food, and other rodden stuff. I were disgusted the first time I were here, now it almost feels like home. A outdoor, smelly version of home, filled with all sorts of garbage, but also treasures, if you know where to look. I once found a piece of jewellery and I didn't starve for a whole month. I venture in there, and pleased to seee that the place is as good as empty. I find a pile that looks pretty promising and sit down on my knees to try dig through the pile.

"Hey!" A anger filled deep voice calls out. I look over my should and see a tall, thin, yet muscular boy with grey eyes and black hair stand, frowning over me. From the rags that he's wearing, I can see that he's a streetkid like me.

"This is my territory" He says, threatningly. The strongest gets to be the first people to look through the landfields and if you are finding something they want, they will take it from you by force.

"Come on. There is loads of new stuff, and no one around!" I tell him. He looks a bit at me. Eyes me. He does actually seem okay. Most of the boys takes teh control by being in packs and fight us, 4 vs 1, so that we don't stand a chance. "Fine." He says and walk to another pile nearby. Kinda weird, but still...a bit sweet.

"Woo!" The boy yells and then I smell it. It's some kind of steak or something and it smells really good, so it must not be rotten. I look over and get it confirmed. The boy holds a plastic bag with a none-rotten juicy steak inside it. I look down. Nothing usefull has been found in my pile so far and I have looked for half an hour. The other kids will be here soon. My stomach make a growling noise, and I look back at my pile, knowing that I need food today... if not... I don't know. A hand is put on my shoulder and the boy is standing behind me with the plastic bag in his hands.

"What, aer you gonna mock me with it now?" I ask him, annoyed.

"No. I thought you would like a piece, but if you don't want I can take the offer back." He says with a smile on his lips. I consider it. Normally you should not let show weaknesses, but this guy didn't beat me up when he wanted his territory alone, and even let me be on it. That is actually quite nice of him. I nod and he slices off half of the steak with a knife from his belt. A knife is nessairy when you live as we do. He hands me the piece of steak and sit down beside me. We eat in silence, but it only takes me a few seconds to finish my part or it. I feel almost like a whole new person, a person without a empty to stomach, to be exact.

"Thanks" I say. He just nods and get's up. "The reaping." he says. Apparently not much talkative now. Maybe something happened to him, that could be why he would be sad at reapings. I always wonder why people are on the streets. I guess I don't have teh most depressing story, some of these streetkids are a mess.

We walk silent to the square. Many girls are in beautiful dresses and I just walk in these rags. I smile a bit though. Normally those "fancy" girl from the upper class will pick on me and other girls from the streets, but being with this guy apparently make them stay away from me. I should get to know him better... I  carefully peak to get a better look at him. His face is a bit beaten down, and it's unoticeable but his nose is slightly twisted, probably from a fight with someone else. His eyes has a certain coldness about them, as he stairs out at city square. He looks up and sees me looking at him and I quickly look down, to hide my face which I can feel is blushing.

We walk silently to the zapper-lady and begin to stand in line, when I finally summon enough courage to ask. "I never really asked you... What is your name?" He looks at me with eyebrow raised, looking at me like he's saying: "why would you ask about that?" but then, a tiny smile appear on his lips. "Dimitry" he replies and then we reach the end of the line. The ladys takes my blood and with that me and Dimitry seperate.

I walk over to the 15-year-old girls and our escort walks on stage. "Welcome everyone!" She says with an annoyingly sweet voice. Her dress is made entirely out of cotton candy and makes her look like a pink cloud. "Let's get this started!" She sounds like she's opening a party. She picks a name from the bawl with the girls and reads out loud: "Demi-Lee Seista!" I just stand there, more surprised than actually scared and then I walk to the stage. I try to look for Dimitry, but I can't find him in the bunch of boys. The escort draws a another slip. "Jordan Heremiah!" She yells. A smaller boy walks scared to the stage but never reaches there. "I VOLUNTEER!" A boy looking like his brother yells, as he runs to the stage. He has tanned skin, and blue eyes. There is something in his eyes. He seems sweet but there's something hidden beneath. But I don't know what. "And what a sweet young man we got us here!" chants our escort, with an extremely annoying smile painted on her face. "I'm Logan Heremiah" He says. "Oh, your volunteered for your brother! Ain't that sweet?" She asks but does not wait for a reply. "District 8, I give you your tributes, Demi-Lee Seista and Logan Heremiah!"

Igranie's POV:
The small room is still dark when my eyes open. I sometimes still feel like smell the smoke in my room. There are still marks of burn on the planks on the floor. We got rid of most of the burned furniture but not the floor itself. It was too expensive. I can't count how many nightmares I have had of my room burning. Me trying desperately to escape. My shirt catching on fire. And then, finally when my father broke down the door, and pour a bucket on water on me... it almost felt like I had reached heave. I still feel the burns on my bag, sometimes. The feeling of fire going up and down my spine. Sometimes when I wake up, I think I see smoke in the room. Sometimes I can still smell it.

I get out of my bed. I smile a bit looking at my "new" bed. We could not afford regular bedsheets, so we had to stuff old blankets with grain. A bed a of grain. It sounded cool enough at first, but when you tried to fall asleep you would realize why people dont use grain for beds. But I could never tell my parents. I always smile and say that I lveo my bed. All of my cheap furniture. It would have been too hard if I did not. My siblings... I would sleep in a bed of grain for the rest of my life if it brought them back to life. That is why I don't complain. How could I ever complain, knowing that my siblings died in the fire?

"Igranie!" My mother yells from the kitchen, not realizing that I am already out of bed. I have to get of at 5:00 am normally so I can't really get used to sleeping in, even if its reaping day. Especially now... All of these tesserae's where easy enough to take when you were standing by the Justice Building. Now, knowing that my name has been in there... over 20 times... now it's not so easy anymore. I get up and look in my closet, which is one of them few furnitures which survived the fire... well, somewhat survived. Like the floor, it still have spots left by burns on the wooden doors to the closet.

I reach in to get my reapingdress. It was big sister's. I walk over to the tiny mirror hanging on my wall and look. I can't help but turn backwards and look at the long red wounds the fire has made on my pale skin. Like as if I were roasted over a fire, just like a a baked twistbread. Which is not too far away from the truth. I put on the goldendress that softly flows around my knees and look in the miroor. It looks okay but I will never be as pretty as my sister were in it. Also it's old and haven't aged very well. 2 years ago my sister wore this and looked stunning. I look like a trashy copy of my beautiful dead sister.

After breakfast, which was mostly just oatmeal, like usually here in district 9, I head to the reaping square. 9 is a big district and my mother and father have to walk to the other end of the city square. I wish I could be with them. I hate these big crowds. After that man hit me, I have never wanted to get more contact with people. My parents are all I need, but they aren't here right now. I walk over and stand in the line to get my blood taken.

"Look. At. Her!" I hear a girl's voice whisper. Some giggling sounds in the background

"Wow, that dress must have been found on a landfilled, dumped there by someone who thought it were too ugly!" Another girls says.

"That sad, poor, little slut." One of them whisper and it's followed by even more giggling. I just stand and look out in the blue, trying to get my attetion away from them, eventhough I know that they are talking about me. I look at my dress. I guess it is a bit revealing cause it's too small. I would tell my parents but I don't want them using the money to buy me a new dress.

I try to look away and ignore them, when one guy catches my eyes. Black haired, green-blue, eyes and quite tall. There's something about him. The way he walks. He just seems... dead... Broken beyond repair. It is scary almost. I look around to see if anyone else has noticed but of course they don't. He looks up and looks into my eyes, and I just feel like I am looking at someone wanting death to come. He looks at me and then at the girls, who are still mocking my cloth. Almost like he's telling me that I should do something. I look down, embarressed that I stared at him. The Zapper lady calls me over and I flee the waiting line with the broken boy and the laughing girls.

The escort finally makes her appearance on stage after being fifteen minuets late. She walks up to the microphone. Our escort seems weird too. She is wearing goth like clothing, which is weird considering she's from the capitol. She looks like one of those queens in our history book, if someone had throw a bucket of black paint all over her medival clothing. "Let's just get this over with." She says in a hushed voice and walks over to the glass bowl with the girls names. "Igranie Avena." My heart skips a beat, and I force my shaking legs to make me walk up to the stage. On the way up, the broken-boy catches my eyes, emotionless like before. I get up on stage and shut my eyes, in an attemp not to make the tears fall. I hear the steps of our escorts high hells, as she walks to the bowl filled with the boys names.

"Gabriel Valley." Our escort mutters.

"I volunteer." someone else mutters. I don't even have to open my eyes. I already know who it is. But I open my eyes anyway. And see as expected, the broken boy walk to the stage. His steps doesn't seem as dead as before. They carry a certain confidence too... a certain pride. The boys reaches the stage and the escort hands him the microphone. We all know the drill from watching how they volunteer in 1, 2, and 4.

"Dracma Dornus!" He says. Doesn't mutter like I espected. It's like... I don't why he volunteered but he seems a little more alive now. I guess you never realize how alive you are when you are so close to death...

"The tribute from district 9 are Igranie Avena and Dracma Dornus." Our escort mutters once again.

Khirstina's POV:
The crack of dawn goes through my window and disturbs my before so peacefull sleep. Well... not peacefull... Ever since Fern died, my sleep has not been peacefull. At first I would cry for hours. Being weak. Lying in my bed, crying, and being weak.

Why did I cry? I don't know. It was not me who had to be slaugthered to be eaten by Capitols selfish and puny excuses for human beings. Just to know, that Fern is on a dinner table, why I lay in my bed without being able to do something... it was horrible. But I could not just lay crying. I had to do something... And after much consideration, I finally found out what. Volunteering. Winning The Hunger Games. For Fern.

I get out of my bed and put on my cloth. Common farwork cloths. Not like other people, I refuse dress up for the reaping. I don't get why people put on their nice cloth when they are really just preparing themself to another year of slaughter. I am not gonna dress up to please the Capitol. They killed Fern. I step out iin the kitchen were my mother is boiling eggs. Like all of the other idiots of District 10, she's wearing her most beautiful dress. It's ridicolous, and we all know it's gonna be covered in mud when we reach the square. Why does she even bother? I sit down by the taple and my mother put two warm hard boiled eggs on my plate. We call that "luxury breakfast", cause it's that or nothing.

After breakfast I walk out to do one last thing. A last reminder foor myself. Reminding myself of why I am volunteering. I walk out to the pig-stable were the pigs are incaged. We are gonna let them out on the field after the  reaping... well, my parents are. I can't. I will be long gone to the Capitol. Fern loved to be out on the ppen. Just walk around in the field. Play in the mud. I would play with him and my mother would always scold  me, but I did not care. I was happy back then. Right now... not so much. I finally reach the cage where Fern would be found. He's not there, of course. I just stand there. Running through the good memories. Trying to comprehend that there won't be any more memories. But I will avenge Fern, I remind myself. And I won't cry. And then I walk out, heading to the reaping square.

I get to the square where, as expected, most people are dressed in fine dresses and shirts. People step away from me when I approach, all covered in mud, and in my old farm clothing. I walk right up to the zapperlady, no one in the line botheres to make me stand and wait. They can see that  I want something. They can see I am here for a reason. A purpose. Avenging Fern. I walk to the 17-year-olds, and stand for about 15 minuettes before our escort, Lina Raven, steps out. Wearing a fancy purple dress with pink diamonds all over it. "Hello everyone, I am Lina Raven, and I am here to get some tributes reaped, shall we?" No shit, Sherlock. She dances over to the glass bowl with the names and picks a slip. "MEGAN HILL!" She yells, but before Megan can step out, my cry echoes through out the square; "I volunteer!" I march to the stage, and the escort eyes me. When I walk up, she moves away a bit, probably disgusted by my mud covered cloth. She hands me the mic; "And your name is...?" "I am Khristina Steward" I tell her and smile as I see move even futher away from me, trying to avoid my muddy cloth. She walks to the boys bawl and drags a slip but she never reaches to say the name before teh words: "I VOLUNTEER!" Echoes yet again. A tall blonde guy march to the stage and announces that his name is "Isaac Presko!" He looks at me with a cold glare and I glare back at him. "District 10, I present you our tributes, Khristina Steward and Isaac Presko!"

Rye's POV:
"Beeeeep! Beeeep!" The alarmclock distrubs my light sleep and I tired open eyes. I had stayed up for a bit longer than usual last night cause of Leaf. I smile thinking about my sister. As frightnened and sometimes helpless as she seems she deserves the best. She is always kind and caring, but still she somehow get's bullied every day of school. I am all she got. It is not enough, as she deserves much more, but I try my best to be that best friend she doesn't have.

I have this feeling. I don't know what. Our conversation on the roof still echoes in my thoughts. And somehow... I know it will be important. ''"'But, I will keep my promise and do everything I can, to win." ''I somehow have a feeling, that those words will be important. Can I somehow tell? That I will be reaped. Does the reaped tributes feel that they will be reaped? I don't know... Maybe I am just nervous.

I get out of the bed and put on my training cloth. I still have that weird ominious feeling, but I know how it can go away. I walk out in the garden and head to the tree with a dummy tied up, hanging from a treebranch. My scythe is  standing, leaning against tree, where I left it yesterday. I normally don't train that much, but in these few weeks I have been training daily. My mother and Leaf are so worried, and I want to try and make it easier for them. It seems to comfort them that I train more with scythe.

I pick up my scythe and let myself go to "fight-mode". It's hard to describe. When you are an experinced fighter, then you just... you forget everything around you when you wield your weapon. Some people are filled with anger, when they go into "fight-mode". But I feel this weird way of calm. Peace. I finish my attack with one direct hit into the chest of the dummy. The scythe pierces right through the chest of the dummy and rip it right of the branch holding the dummy up. I smile and walk back into the house, and is greeted with the smell of pancakes. I haven't had them in forever. Leaf is putting plades on the table, and looks up when I walk. She tries to smile, but I can tell she's sad. Worried, for me. We all eat in silence and then we head to the square. I seperate with Leaf and my mother on the half way there, since people who can't be reaped are placed in completely other city parts to watch the reaping take place. I hug Leaf tight, "I will be okay" I tell her and then leave them.

I am about halfway when I hear noise comming from an ally. Girl's voices. "Not so tough now, huh?" one of them squeeks. I know that tone of voice. It's the way of speaking that the girls uses to bully Leaf. I can't just walk by, and I walk into ally and see a terrifying sight. Three girls are standing with a pair of scissors in their hand and another is lying on the ground all curled up. One of the girls let her scissors drag wounds over the curled up girls chin. The curled up girl tries to punch the girl with the scissors but she moves out of the way. "Forget it, Scarface." I hear one of them say, sounding creepily pleased. "It's some very lovely scars you have running down your face. It's sad they have been so downtoned." The girl on ground whimpers and suddenly, I can't stay quiet anymore. "Leave. Her. Alone." The girls look up, still holding scissors covered in blood. One of them scream and then they retrieve futher into the ally, and down a sideroad. I take a deep breath trying to resist the urge to chase after them. Being three, and armed with long scissors, I can't really say how the battle would have turned out.

I look up and eye the girl who was lying curled together in a ball. She is holding her pressed towards the cuts on her chin, as to try and prevent the blood from dripping. She looks up at me with her cold misty eyes. I have heard about her. It's Ella Mangolia. Most people think she's crazy at most people have heard at least one of the rumors going around about this girl. Most of them containing words such as: "Distrubed", "Insane", Mental". That kind of stuff. Yet when you see her lying on the ground like that, you wonder if she's really distrubed as other people say. And even if she was... Would she deserve it? I walk over to her and help her stand. "Thanks" she mutters quietly, avoiding looking me in the eyes. "Has this happened before?" I ask. It's disgusting, really. No one deserves to be bullied this way.

"Not on this scale. I have to get home." She tells me and try to walk past me but I stop her.

"No. It's too late. The peacekeepers will find out you weren't at the reaping and punish you."

"I know..." She mutters, again. "But I just need to wash the blood away." I rip a piece of my jacket.

"Unless your home is close by, it's not possible. Try and hold that towards your chin, the bleeding should stop." She finally looks me in my eyes. "Thank you. For all of it."

"It's fine. No one should be treated that way." I tell her. Memories of Leaf, crying herself to sleep builds up and make me feel like punching something. It's not fair. Not for Leaf. Not for Ella. She looks at me and raises an eyebrow as to say: Should we get going? And then we both head to the reapingsquare and seperate.

About 5 mins after, Haley Reen, our escort, steps out, wearing a get up making her look like an apple. "Hey Everyone!" She says sweetly. "I am here to reap some tributes, let get this started, shall we?" She asks, but is met with no approval. She walks over to the girl rseaping bowl and draws a name. "ELLA MANGOLIA!" Ella begins to walk up, when the girls who were cutting her face open begin to laugh. Ella looks back and see what i assume would be her father, and then tears fall down her cheeks. Most people begin to stare, thinking Ella was not capable of crying. Then Ella walks silently to the stage with tears running down her cheeks. Even the laughing girls stop laughing. When Ella finally reach the stage she takes the microphone out of Haley's hand and her words echoes out over the entire square. "Daddy, I love you I'll, I'll try to come h-home...".

A silence spread. The escort doesn't even claim back her mircophone. The silence lingers, as if it were to last forever when people suddenly begin to softly chant. "Ella Ella Ella". I join in with them, and we just stand there, chanting her name before the escort finally takes the microphone away from Ella and walks silently to pick a male tribute. I can see her rub a tear away from her cheek as she walks. She reaches for a name, and yell out: "RYE FLETCHER!" Oh god... I look up and Ella nods a tiny bit as to say; ''I am sorry. ''It's not her fault, it's no ones fault. I know that if it wasn't me it had to be someone else, so I march quietly to the stage. "Distirct 11, here are your tributes, ELLA MANGOLIA AND RYE FLETCHER!"

Melanoi Jet's POV:
"Bip! Bip! Bip!" The alarmclocks annoying noise pierce through my sleep taking me back to my room, waking up in my warm bed. I look at teh time. 6:30. Great. Normally I would not be very happy with getting out of my warm bed, but today is different. It's reaping day, which means that I can dedicate the whole day to be under the wood's loft of branches, thhat cleans the air. Everything in the district is so controlled. Out there it's the wild. Where no human hands have controlled. Most people fear it. But I... I feel drawn to it. It's my home. Where I belong.

I get out of bed and put on my rather "scaffy" cloth. i never really liked dressed, especially the ones that the richer girls here in 12 wear. Those dresses could never last in the wild. I always wondered what would happen if you took the spoiled rich girls in 12 and let them out in the forest for a week or two. Would they survive? I am honestly not sure... I grap my hunting bag lying on my chair. I used it only two days ago, but it still feels like forever ago. I can't stay away from the forest a longer time ago. Before I head out of th door, I quickly look in the mirror in our entranceway, to put on my signature mark, my lilac lipstick. I let the pale lilac color coat my lips and then head out without eating breakfast. I'll eat in the forest.

I quickly sneak under the fence around 12. I slip under getting my cloth muddy, but I don't care. I stand up, when I reach the other side and breath in enjoying the feeling of finally being home. I look and find the first and best tree and climb all the way to the top of it. Then I find a thick branch and run. Right out in it. I feel as my feet goes off the branch and I fly through the air for a splidt second before landing on another branch in a new tree. I used to do this, just to get a rush of adrealin, but now it's different. I don't get adrealin, as I know I will be okay. Now I just feel calm. When I fly through the air. I am not scared. I am calm, almost like nature itself. Flying between branches isn't scary. It's like... it's like I feel most alive, when I fly between the trees.

It takes me around 15 minuets before reaching the forest pond I found a couple of weeks ago. The water is entirely clear and really makes for a beautiful scene. But this time I am not alone. A beautiful deer, healthy and young. I get out my shurikens and sit at the branch ready to throw. It's weird. Animal's sense are better than humans, yet the animals never seem to notice me when I sneak up on then. As on que it's head flies up, but does not see me. It turns around and walk south and I leap silently from tree to tree following it.

After arround 15 mins of me trailing behind the deer it finally reaches a small glade and I see what it was walking towards. A little baby deer walks out from the bushes to greet it. I take out my shuriken ready to throw, killing the prey but then i hesitate. It is weird, I usually don't mind killing but somehow killing this mother and child, just seems... wrong. I lower my arm and just look at the deers as they nuzzle close up together. Not even animals notice me when I am in the forest. It's like I am one with the forest.

I leave them and jump silently away, looking for other prey when I find a lone wild hound passing by. My shuriken fly through the air and the blood falls from is head. The Death Star hit dead center right between the eyes of the beast. I jump down from my branch and begin to skin the animal, putting the hide in my hunting bag. It may not be the best, but I should be able to trade it for something, later. After skinning, I set up a all campfire, and spear the meat using a sharp stick and just sit and relax by the fire, waiting for my breakfast to cook done. Wild hound isn't the most delecious, and with our money, we could probably effort much more but I like it this way. So down to earth, like nature.

After eating, I get up and begin to head out of hte forest, using the treebranches to get around, as always. The rest of the meat and the fur is in my hunting bag, swung over my back. It does bother me a bit, I don't like to carry around on stuff when I climb. It take a bit off the excitement away but still not much. I reach the fence, and leave my bag up in a tree where the wildhounds can't get to it. I will just pick it up after the reaping.

As I walk to the square I see many of the richer kids who I go to school with. Wearing beautiful long dresses and stylish shirts. My clothing is nothing compared to theirs, but I like it that way. I never really got it. I stand in the line, get my blood taken and walk to the girl's section.

After waiting for around 20 minuets, our escort Melody Anderson step out, wearing a pink cocktail dress, with a wig of matching color. "Hey everybody, it's Melody!" She says as if the entire district were her best friend. She pauses waiting for people to clap but soon realizes that there won't be any. "Let us find out who our lucky tributes are!" She says, still as excited as before. She walks and dig her hand deeply into the bowl with the girls names and drag up a slip. A childs name is on that. One of our lifes will change right now. "MELANOI JET!" Her words echoes over the square, and I find my way to the stage. It's ironic. Even now, I am not scared. I feel like I am about to run out from a tree, jumping to another. I am not afraid, I can do this.

Our escort smiles a bit, and then walks over to the boys bowl. She drags a slip and reads; "WILL ASTRA!" A boy with brown hair begin to walk to the stage, looking down at his feet. "I volunteer!" A boy, looking like a bigger version of Will, walks past him, gives him a a tiny hug and then walks up to the stage. "What is your name, my friend?" Melody asks. "Cedric Astra!" There is a certain confidence... pride in his words. Happy to volunteer for his brother I guess... "And here, District 12, you have your lucky tributes, Cedric Astra and Melanoi Jet!"

Mariah's POV:
"BEEEP!" I am thrusted out of my deep sleep and awake, almost chocked from my alarm clock. I roll to side of my doublebed. My bed feels so awfully cold without my boyfriend there. I turn to my side, not really wanting to get out of my bed, but then it strikes me. It's reaping day! At the CAODT we have this tradition of having a competetion before the day of the reaping, and I am gonna go try out with my bow. Ever since I started on the CAODT the bow and me have always seemed as one person, and I can't wait to show my skills off.

Suddenly staying in my "nice and warm" bed seems almost impossible. I pretty much jump out of my bed and get  my aquamarine blue dress. My mother bought it for me. She pretty much gives me everything I could ever want, cause our graphite factory are making big profit. When I was a child, my mother always came home with a new dress or piece of jewelery for me, every day. She's lucky I didn't turn out as a spoiled brat. I guess I can thank my father for that. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother, but I always wanted my fathers attention. One of the few things my mother could never buy from me. But I can never seem to get him to focus for more than 5 minuets. Then he has some work to do or something. There are a few things in life you can never have I guess... My fathers love would be one of them.

I put on the dress and look in the mirror. The aquamarine fabric fits perfectly on my body, like silk. The dress look perfect, somewhat tight at the upper part, and wavy down by my legs, and the fabric stops around my knees. Beautiful. I lean forward toward the mirror, and get out my make-up. Coat my lips in pink lipstick, darken my eyelashes with mascara.

I put down the make-up and head out into the kicthen. My mother is already up cooking for me. She always is. Everyone single day, she get's up and cook me breakfast. My father is not here, off course. He never is in the mornings, even on reaping days, he's always working. "Good morning, sweety" She says. I smile at her and sit by the table and -of course- there's already a plate and such for me. She puts to pancakes, warm and freshly made on my plate and I eat them quickly so I can get out of the door. After finishing them, I get up and out of the door. "Goodbye mom, see you later!" "Bye Honey!" And then I slam the door. Sometimes I wonder if I treat my mother badly, compared to how she treats me. It's hard, I feel that I should be praising her every single second of my life cause of the nice way she treat me. But I can't... I can't help myself from loving my fathe just as my mother eventhough he spents less time with me.

I finally reach the careers academy and head out in the training yard. The academy is quite small, we are only about 100 training. Most people either don't want it, or can't effort. I mostly here cause of my father. My mother wouldn't risk having me volunteering. But my father wanted this... I have to make him proud, that's why I am on this academy. There are 10 different competetions, all weapon-based. Swordfighting, spearthrowing, knivethrowing, blowgunshooting, knife-fighting, shooting with bow and arrow, axe fighting, axe-throwing, trident throwing and slingshot shooting. There are most people at the sword-battle-ring, where a big group of people have gathered to see the final showdown between two boys. I smile cause I know one of them. His blue hair makes it so that I always notice him. Xavier. He looks so sexy with his fightsuit on and a sword in his hand. In offensive mode, where he only thought going through his brain is: "hurt him". It is almost... scary... yet somehow it's beautiful too. To watch him like that. I like to think he fighting for me. Our eyes lock and I send him a tiny smile. Then Xavier lifts his sword in one clear downwards movement. His opponent flies to the side, more in fear than actual reactions and steps outside the ring.

"Xavier wins!" The judge calls out and people begin to clap, and I clap with them. As people begin to walk to watch other competetions take place, I run into the ring and hug Xavier, plating a little kiss on his cheek. He's soaked in sweat, but I could not care less. "You won!" I say excitedly. "You helped me," he says and smile. I look up and see that the bow-shooting cometetion for girls is about to start. "Do you mind?" I ask, not wanting to leave his embrace. "Nah, I need to get a shower anyway. I will see you in your final."

"How do you know I will reach there?" I ask. "I just know it." He says and walks towards the academy building. I run to the shooting grounds where the targets are placed. We are about 15 girls lined up. They work in duals. Two are choosen to go against each other, and the one who wins move up. I stand there as I watch some duals take place. Most of the girls hits bullseye or close. It's not for fun when people participate in these. There's a lot of prestige too.

"Mariah vs. Julia!" The judge calls out. I take my place in the spot. We get one arrow each and have to hit closer than the other. A quick, yet entertaining dual, to see who get's the precise shot. I eye Julia. I have not talked with her a lot, and she's new with the bow and arrow what I remember. She shoots and hit the fifth ring, counting with the bullseye being first. Not bad, but not good either. I smile a tiny bit, about to make Julia look talentless, with one of my perfect shoots, but then I eye her again. Her mouth bends downwards cause of the poor shot. I shoot and hit the fourth ring, only a few cm from being worse than her. She sends me a thankfull smile knowing that I could have defeated her with ease. I am quite famous for my archery skills, eventhough this is my first actual competetion.

I step down from the shooting spot and let the competetion roll along, watching some of the girls shoot. One of my biggest competors, Clementine Alberts, hits bullseye for the second time, against her competor. She sends me a confident smile. There's no doubt in my mind that she will be a finalist. If I end up in the final dual with her, would I be able to beat her? I get up for another dual. We both hit the fourth ring, but my arrow was around 7 mm closer. I shiver knowing how close that was. Only 4 people are left, Clementine, Addison, June and me. It's not too surprising though, we are usually the fourth best in the archery class.

"Clementine vs. Addison!" The judge calls out.Addison looks frail and scared with her blue eyes and brown hair and freckles compepared to Clementines long blonde hair and grey eyes. Addison shoots, hitting second circle, and the crowd claps a tiny bit. Clementine stand with a little smirk on her face, obviously un-impressed. Both me and Clementine know where she will hit before she sends her arrow flying. As predicted, the arrowhead almost spear through the bullseye as it hits with perfect aim. Addison bows her head in shame and head back to the crowd. "June and Mariah!" The judge yells and June step up beside me. I like June, she's not bragging like Clementine, she's hardworking and doesn't say much. She shoots first and I watch as her arrow hits just inside the first ring, making it a bullseye. That one will be hard to beat. I pull back the bowstring, aim, and release. I can see that I hit just inside the first ring too, but who of us is closer to the middle, is too hard for me to see. The judge get out his ruler and carefully measuer the distances from the arrows to the bulleyes. "Mariah wins!" More claps are her from the crowd, which have gotten quite large near the end. I look up and June sends me a smile. "Win. I want the victor to beat me." She tells me. "I will try."

Me and Clementine walks up to the final dual. Instead of the usual one arrow, we are now given three. We shoot three times and they will calculate our score. Clementine stands forth, arrogantly, and raise her bow, with her arrow already ready to shoot. She sends it flying hitting second circle, almost bullseye. I get my own bow ready, aim and send my arrow off. Second circle for me too. Clementine get out yet another arrow, and apparently can't help but sending me a glare saying: ''"I am gonna win this." ''Then she sends her arrow and most people gasp seeing as it has third circle. She looks down in shame and step back allowing me to send another arrow. I know I have to take my time, instead of rushing it like Clementine. I focus, and send my arrow off. Second circle yet again, meaning I am in the lead. Clementine steps up angrily, takes to bow and with amazing speed and aim she fires, hitting bullseye, again. I take a deep breath. If I hit bullseye, I win. I have to do this, Clementine has won every single year she has been in. I notch my last arrow and put in on the string ready to fire. I set the aim. 1...2...3... I let go of the bowstring and the arrow hits dead center. "MARIAH IS THE WINNER!" The judge yells.

"Clank!" Clementine throws the bow to the ground and march out of there. The judge walks over to me and lift my hair in the air, while the people around me clap. The ceremony is held after the reaping and I smile a bit thinking of the nice golden trophy that will look quite awesome on my bed table... or even better, my father may actually smile to me when he sees it... hopefully...

Strong hands are laid on my shoulder and I am turned around to look into Xavier's blue eyes that matches his hair. He leans forward and kiss me, just slightly. Some people stare at us and I can't help but blush a bit. "I knew it." He says confidently, as if he just won himself. "Aw, stop it." I tell him giggling. Xavier makes me do the most stupid, silly things, and he know it. I feel so silly, and yet... so happy. He leans towards me yet again and I see him smile slightly as I blush before he kisses me again.

"Guys if you don't mind, there's a reaping you sorta has to attend to." June's collected voice breaks our kiss and we look up and see her standing with her arms crossed. "Or you can stay and get in trouble with the peacekeepers... Your choice." An awkward silence spread between all of us but June seem as if she couldn't care less. Xavier takes my hand and begin to head to the square.

I kiss Xavier on the cheek one last time before parting for the reaping, after getting our blood taken. I shiver a bit and he grins. "You're afraid I will be reaped, right?" I stare at the ground, cause Xavier pretty much just read my mind. "I will be all right." He tell me as he embrace me. "But one day... you will volunteer..." I mutter, with my head  pressed against his chest. "Yeah. And I will win. Win for you." I try and smile, but really... I would rather just have him here rather than having him volunteering. I wish I could would not have to take that risk, but I know that nothing can convience him to not volunteer. I will just have to hope that he comes back... I finally break the embrace and rush to the girls section without saying anything. As I run, I bite the inside up my lip to hold back the tears.

"Welcome everyone, I hope you are all feeling great today" Our escort, Ava Dayson, says. Does she seriously think that we that we will feel great today? Even with my training, I am scared to death by the thought of being tribute... being forced to murder someone else. The escort just smiles, as if she was happy that she had to end two people's lifes today. Or one at least, in the unlikely event that one of us win. She draws a slip. "MARIAH KAYLEA!" The escort yells. I lock out with boyfriend as I walk to the stage and I shake my head silently. I know he wanted to volunteer to protect me, but if he loves me, then he won't and he know that too. If he loves me, he will live a happy life even if I die. "DARBY SAWARD!" A smally blonde boy with bright blue eyes walks to the stage, and first I think there's a problem, that htey must have made a mistake and entered an 8-year-old, but then it occure to me that The Hunger Games don't allow mistakes. The poor boy walks to the stage, with a blank expression on his face, as if to try and show strength. Why? He could cry all he want, as he most likely will be the weakest tribute in the entire arena... "District 13 and the Capitol here you see your tributes, Mariah Kaylea and Darby Saward!"

Clover's POV:
My clock takes me out of the light sleep. The pillows and covers feels like clouds softly embracing my body. I look at the clock. 10:00 am, quite early. Because it's a speical day today. My first reaping. The entire Capitol's first reaping. It's scary. After the third rebellion, after Rose Ana took over, I thought we were safe. We all thought we were safe. But no one is safe... are they really?

I get out of the bed. My legs are already kinda shaking a bit as I place my feet in two green silk slippers, with wool on the inside. You never freeze your feet with these on and then I take off my green silk nightgown, and change into my reaping dress. I may have overdone the whole "green-theme" as all the walls and bedsheets are green... and the curtains... and the pillows... not to mention all my make-up. The only thing that covers my green wall, is all of the artworks and pictures of different victors from the past games. Since Rose Ana killed most of them, these have gotte quite rare. But my father told me to take down my picture of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. I watched their game a long time ago, but I still remember it so clearly. They defied the Capitol... and look at the mess it let to. It is probably the biggest aspect of Panem's entire story. The worst traitors, as Rose Ana says. And I don't dare to defy Rose Ana, that's why I took them down.

I look up at my most recent posters. The ones from the 100th Hunger Games. One on of them is Alice Williams, the female tribute from District 3. In most victor posters, the victors has their weapon in their hand, but Alice's hand are weaponless, although her lightblue eyes, almost glaring at the camera make her seem a bit intemidating. They added lightblue lightning, that matches her eyecolor on the black background, to remind of when she killed a tribute using an electricity trap. This poster was ordered specially, and you can see that because in the corner, Alice Williams with swung letters. Her signature. I remember having to beg my father for hours to pay double the price to get him to order the special editions posters with her signature on them. Next to the poster there's is another one. Asuka from District 10. She stands with her sword in front of her, almost as if she was about to make a quick but deadly move. Her blonde hair is hanging losely, and you would almost believe she was direct combat, if it wasn't for the black background. Her signature is also on the corner of the poster. I remember cheering for her during her games. Asuka is an orphan, and I kinda connected felt connected to her. I actually don't miss my mother, but I can't imagine a life without parents, which Asuka lived. Yet, she lived. Lived through her life as an orphan and lived through The Hunger Games. And the last poster is of Layla Cypress. Her short dark brown hair looks a bit messy and her grey eyes stare directly at the camera. In her hands, she holds a knife tightly, eventhough everyone knows that Layla's big talent is hand to hand combat, because she brawled with her siblings. Yeah, I did my research.

Sometimes, my friends tell me I am a bit obsessed with The Hunger Games and all... I may know a bit too much random trivia... Like, Peeta Mellark's favorite color. I guess I am but... I just like The Hunger Games! The grace of the tributes, when they ride in in their chariots. Watching the interviews, so that you almost "fall in love" with their different characters. And the excitement of the Games of course. Rooting for your favorites. It's kinda scary now, to imagine that one of us from the Capitol will have to experince the Gaes from a whole different angle...

I walk out to the kicthen. My father has already bought a whole meal of brunch for us. Scrambled eggs, toast, bread, pastries, bacon, and pancakes... with three different flavors of sirup, of course. We will probably have to save some of it for later, but who cares? My father is sitting on his chair, reading the newspaper. "The Capitol is excited for the upcomming Hunger Games!" It says in big letters as the heading. You would think that the people of the Capitol would be sad to send in their own children into the games. Nope. Even family bonds are destroyed by the Games. That's why I like my dad. I know he would never want me in the games. I know he loves me.

After breakfast, we finally head the reaping square. It's weird seeing so many kids walking through the streets all at once. After the third rebellion, the Capitol has been a bit... Empty. We just aren't that many people here, anymore. So seeing all of walking on one street, all heading towards the square. It somehow reminds that eventhough we aren't that many left, we are still some people and even more important...we are victors. We won. Won the rebellion. One of have to be reaped, and will mostlikely die, yet we are still victors. We all are.

After getting my blood taken, I silently head to the girl's section. Finally our escort, Molly Lavender, walks out. She looks astonishing in her tight, purple-glitter-covered dress and purple wig with lavenderflowers braided in her hair. "Hey, fellow Capitol citizens!" She says, happily. "I am so excited to be here, today! We are gonna have our very own two tributes into The Hunger Games, isn't that exciting, folks?" She asked. Some grown people over 18 cheer, as they will never have to fear getting reaped, but the rest of us just stare down at teh ground. "And.. The Capitol's very first female tribute is... CLOVER GREENGRASS!" She shrieks... But... That's me! What?! No! I remember that my father told me yesterday, that it was not gonna be me. I walk silently to the stage, but as soon as i get up there I take the microphone out of the escorts hands and say: "There must be some mistake made! It can't be me!" "Well dear," Molly takes the microphone out of my hand. "Look at this slip. It's your name, right?" I look and nodd, cause, of course, it says Clover Greengrass on it. "Then there is no mistake. Don't be sad, it's exciting!" She chants and walk over to the glass bowl with the boys names. "And our male tribute is... West Birdington!" A tall guy wearing a suit and a top hat walks up to the stage, gracefully, as if he was some kind of rich lord. Then he takes my hand and I just stand there, eyes open wide, as he takes my hand, kisses it, and says: "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Greengrass." I just stand a bit, staring and then our escort quicky moves on. "Citizens of the Capitol! Your very first tributes, Clover Greengrass and West Birdington!"

Careers
Isis Widow (1), Thyra Sarin (2), Raven Mockingjay (2), Twix Yellow (4), Muzzy Sparks (4), Drachma Dornus (9), Isaac Presko (10), Mariah Kaylea (13),  Jillian-Anne Forsythe (5)

District 1, 3, 6 and 12
Bruce Foster (1), Mauve Callahan (3), Isabel Wilson (6), Cedric Astra (12),  Michelangelo DeSantillo  (6),

District 12 and 13
Melanoi Jet (12), Darby Stewart (13).

District 7 and 8
Mallory Riversong (7) and Demi-Lee Seista (8),  Sagitarius Profane (5),

Confirmed Loners
Igraine Avena (9), Ella Mangolia (11)

Unconfirmed (loners until decided)
Cramo Cingleton (3),   Khristina Stewart (10), Rye Fletcher (11), Clover Greengrass (C), West Birdington (C).

Twix's POV:
"MUZZY! TWIX! Get up right now, your grouptraining is starting!" Our escort, Liaranda, yells out from the room outside my door. I get up and just try and get out of my bed. Probably the best bed I have ever slept in, although, even sheets as soft as these can't make you fall asleep when you know what is gonna happen real soon.

It's weird. As a career, I guess I should be bloodthirsthy and ready to get into the arena as fast as possible. And yet... I dread it. If I could, I would go home, but that would send my sister to the arena, and I can not let that happen. At least Muzzy is here... Shivers come down from my neck and the way down my spine, as I can't believe what I just thought. I should be sad! Sad that he volunteered. Only one of us will live through this... And yet, although I were sad... Although it felt like my heart dropped all the way down into my stomach when I heard him yell "I volunteer!". Although I felt like crying that moment. There were a little part of me, which was... happy... proud that he wanted to protect me. I never knew... Never knew that he liked me that much. His mood seemed to swing so often, and I often wondered if he hated me... Now, I know he never did.

I finally pull myself together and get up and out from the bed. I heard that in the previous Hunger Games, stylist was to make each outfit for each district. But now, all wear the same, tight black pants, and a T-shirt. Only difference is that the T-shirts from 4 are ocean blue, which is quite fitting. I head out of my room, and see that Muzzy and Liaranda are sitting by the taple, already started eating breakfast. We don't have mentor, since all the victors were killed... I remember how terrified I was finding that out, and also a little envious. I mean, District 3, 10 and 12 get a mentor but we don't! But then again... What can I do about it? I guess I will just have to go on my own, doing whatever I think is right for a career... But even that seem scary.

After breakfast, our escort almost pushes us into the elevator. "Good luck to you two!" She says with a big, almost scary smile and then the elevator door closes. The elevator is made of glass and turns out towards the Capitol so you can see the entire city from it. The buildings, so tall as they reach the clouds... quite different from the fishing huts in District 4.., It's beautiful but also... somewhat intemidating... Like the buildings were traps just waiting to fall. It's like decisions deciding life and death are made inside "important-looking-buildings" like the ones I can see from the elevator. I take my gaze of the building and look to Muzzy. He's looking at me, and has probably done so the entire time. The elevator reaches the button floor and let's out a little "PING!" Muzzy walks over to me. "It will be all right," He says and then take my hand and squeezes it lightly. Then we walk out of the elevator.

Ella's POV:
I watch as the last tributes, Muzzy and Twix from 4, comming running out of the elevator. A quick glimt of panic appears on Twix's face as she hurries to the empty spots in the circle of tribute. The guy, Muzzy walks like he owns this place, and silently place himself next to Muzzy. The way he looks at her... Like he would protect her from anything. I guess that's good for her, but also a weakness for him. If she was to die he would go a killing rampage... Good to know, I guess...

"And now, when we are all here," says Atala. Yes, they got to be the head trainer yet again. It's nice to see something familiar from the clips of the previous Hunger Games. "Now first of, I advice you guys to..." I close her speech out and begin to look around. I have seen at least 10 pre-games shows role by so I know her whole speech. "Don't ignore survival and don't do something stupid blah blah blah." That's pretty much it. I am not gonna be stupid and listen to something I know so well. Instead this is the perfect oppertunety to look around and my fellow tributes and analyze them a bit. See what they are made of.

I look around and find the pair from District 1. As careers, they should be these tall, musuclar, intemidating sizes and I almost feel a bit dissapointed. The boy seems... quite puny. He has this, this special sort of happyness in his eyes. He would be a nice friend... and a weak career. Chances are he's not gonna go with them. Maybe he can make it far, with a good alliance, but I doubt he could make it on his own. Then there's the girl. She stands with a unimpressed scrowl on her face, clearly bored by Atala. Spoiled probably. She seems stronger than her district partner and around the standard as far as careers go, nothing special though.

My gaze then fall to the pair from 2, both standing, almost frowning, tall and intemidating. The boy has pale skin and black hair with an almost crazy look in his eyes as if he wanted to kill someone right away. Dangerous... but he seems a bit stupid too... Then there's girl. I look at her and she catches my gaze. She glares at me, her eyes filled with such coldness that you almost feel the shivers down your spine. Her tall figure, her fire-red hair and that arrogant smile...those cold eyes. Tough one. 2 seem to have a good year...

Then I look at the ones from 3 and I almost begin to laugh. After looking at the fierce careers from 2, this is almost pathetic! The boy is a freckle faced guy with a permanent smile and braces and glasses. Uuuh, how intemidating. The girl isn't much better. She looks like a 12-year-old although I remember from reading her tribute profile that she's 15. I know not to just deem the weak before I see their skills, but how dangerous can they really be?

I skip to the tributes from 5, which is probably the most different pair. The boy, quite handsom and sweet, looks a bit confident but not arrogant and is listening to Atala... But the girl. Her eyes flies around the room never staying the same place for more than a second. She has a huge grin on her face, so big that is it creepy. Like she likes this whole idea of getting sent to arena. I doubt she will act rationel in the arena, but probably she will take lifes...

From 6, there are two more normal tributes. The boy, quite young and cute has shining grey eyes. He seems nice... maybe too nice for his own good. Same thing goes for the girl. And then I notice it. Long scars across her bare wrist. I look up and see that she caught me staring. I lock eyes with her and keep eyecontact until her gaze hits the floor, defeated. I smile knowing I just creept that girl out... although I feel sligtly guilty from looking at her scars...

I continiue to look around and find myself eying the tributes from District 7. The girl has a bit... almost strange feeling about her. As if she was not from here, and as if she didn't belong. Her eyes flies around the room, taking in her surroundings. She seems calm, and so does her district partner. Beside him is a boy with sparkling green eyes. He cathes eyecontact with and then he smiles a little bit before returning to focus at Atala. Like 6, he seems nice, but maybe too soft...

I then move on to District 8. I look at the girls and she meets my eyes, confidently. I can tell she's doing the same thing I do. Analyzing her competetors... Hmm... I wonder what she thinks of me. She seems smart and confident, she could make it far. The boy, stands with a serious look on his face and stare at Atala. He seems... I don't know... different. There is something about him... no idea what, though... He seems strong. District 8 could have good year too.

And as for 9, I am kinda mixed about the District chances. The girl is weak, defernetly. Her body but also her mind seem sorta frail. She looks really uncomfortable standing around so many people which leads me to the conclution that she's probably not a threat. But for the boy, it's completely different. Although he has this "dead" shade in his eyes, he stand tall and strong. Intemidating, actually. His face express no emotions, and it's easy to tell that this guy wouldn't mind killing. I don't know what is with him... he's just... creepy almost. He could go far...

The tributes from 10 are downright scary. The boy, strong and tall, is staring at the careers. He's gonna join them, defernetly. He has this aggression in his eyes, just like the boy from 2. As if he wants to kill someone, right here, right now. The girl is not much different. She has angry scowl on her face, as if she's so just in a permanent state of "I am pissed off". She looks... slightly unhealthy... like mentally... I wanna say that this District will have a good year but something tell me they won't.

As for my District partner, I am quite impressed. He seems confident but not arrogant, strong minded but not stubborn. He saved me from those girls at the day of the reaping. My hand almost unintentionally flies up and touches my scars, and I quickly take it away, fearing other noticed it. Rye probably did notice. I own him one. The best thing about him is that he haven't even like... expected anything from me after what happened. It's nice... He's a nice person I guess... I hope he makes it far.

And then we have the ones from 12. The boy has a big grin on his face, and doesnt really seem to take this serious or pay any attention to Atala. What an attitude when you are going into a game of death... Yet, I envy him. It must be nice to not take all of this serious... But I doubt he will make it far. And as for the girl, she's a hard one. Her whole aura just have this mystical feeling about her. I want to analyze her but... It's like I can't see through her. Her expression is blank, as if she knows she's being observed... now that's creepy.

Then there's 13. The girl has long blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. She's no less than beautiful, She smiles as she listens closely to Atala. Her beauty... It can mean two things. I somewhere read a quote saying: "The prettiest things are the most useless." But... She doesn't seem untalented, and her looks could easily be used for seduction. And as for the boy, I almost feel bad. He looks like an 8-year-old, and just by looking at him, you feel he doesnt belong in the games. Poor guy.

And there is at last the Capitol. It must be hard for them. They are gonna present an entire new district and they haven't been doing very well so far, compared all the looks they get from their fellow tributes. I can easily see on the careers, that they have deemed them as easy pray from when they walked in. I guess it will be hard after living in hte luxury of the Capitol. They deserve it. The boy is tall but that's about all impressive about him. He has a moustache, for goodness sake! And the girl, with her green hair and lipstick looks like a underdressed clown or something like that. They will easy victims, that's easy to tell. "Good luck in the bloodbath," I Whisper.

"And now, with all that said, let's just spread out to the different posts." Atala says and I smile, knowing my competetors. I don't know if I can win but... my intelligence. I should make it far.

Isis' POV:
"CAREERS!" Raven, the guy from two shouts from all the way across the room, like an idiot. ''We already know we are gonna meet up before we head anywhere, dumass! ''I almost feel like shouting back at him, but decide against it, as it would make us look even more foolish. I look to my side and see that my district partner, Bruce, is looking at the ground not signalising any will in moving towards our self procraimed leader, Raven.

"Aren't you comming?" I ask, curiously, but I already know the answer.

"No... I am not gonna join the careers." He mutters, his eyes glued to the floorboards. I had honestly seen it comming. I knew he was weak from the moment he walked up on that stage. Just his looks tell me he could never be a career, not a real one anyway. We just stand there a bit, looking down at the floorboards. My district partner... What an idiot. I mean, yes, he's nice but that's not gonna help him win the games! How dare he dishonering our district like that?! I look up at him, not even gonna bother hiding the anger in my eyes.

"I will kill you first, then." I hiss at him. He just stand there.

"Sorry..." He mutters. Wha? First he doesn't join the careers, and now he says sorry cause I threatned him? What is up with this guy? He turns around and walk over to the camueflage station where the girl from 3 already has turned herself into a muddy forest floor using the paint colors on the table.

"Isis? You comming?" Thyra yells with her cold and commanding voice. Raven may think he is our leader, but I personally think that Thyra would be a better choice, not counting myself of course. "Yeah!" I yell back and begin to run through the room, over to the others. Joining us is the last careers, Twix and Muzzy from 4. Muzzy seems strong but Twix would probably be the weakest of us not counting Bruce.

"Where's your district partner?" Raven almost hisses at me.

"He won't join us, but it doesn't matter anyway. He is weak. You should have seen him on the trainride over here. He helps the avoxes. He won't stand ten minuets in the bloodbath so let's leave him for now." I tell them all "Fine." Raven says. "But if we find him, I want to kill." He tells me, probably mad that a trained career would choose some allies from the poorer districts over us. "Let's just head over to the weapon station." Twix says with a slight awkward feel in her voice. "Not if I beat you to it." I whisper to Raven's back as we walk over to the station.

Michelangelo's POV
I just stand there, where we heard Atala's speech, and try to take in my surroundings. This place is huge! With all sorts of stations, I would never be able to reach trying them all. I am not the only one not knowing where to go. Most of the tributes, still linger around looking at the different options. Maybe I should try the gauntlet, I mean I am fast and-

"Hey. Having trouble deciding where to go too?" My District partner, Isabel asks with a bit of smiley.

"Em... Yeah, I mean," I try and find right words, not really sure what the rights words really are. I mean I could tell I have no clue which priorities we should take on the station, because of District 6's lack of mentor, but would that come of as insecurity?

"Me too." She says, "We could try the fire making station out, I mean it could be a good skill to learn." Wait... She added a "we"...?

"You wanna... ally?" I ask her, not really sure what to do. "I thought I made that clear with the "we" that I added, but yeah. You are nice enough and seem trustable, and it is gonna be hard to make it without an ally in these games. SO yeah, why not?"

"Sure!" I say, trying to hinder the huge smile that is about to appear on my face. I gotta admit if there's anyone in these games whom I would ally with, it would be her, but it was hard pulling myself together to ask her. We stand there smiling at each other, slighthy awkward, because we are both trying to figure out what do next.

"You said you wanted to go to the fire station?" I ask her. "Yeah we can go if you want." She answers. "No, no, let's go to fire!" I say. I really don't care about fire, but she wants to go there, and I don't have idea where else to go. And with that, we head over to the fire station.

Sagitarius' POV
I stand a bit around not really sure where to go. The careers are dominating the weapon station already, and I just stand there in the middle of the training center, like an idiot, to watch their impressive performance. Both the beautiful girl from one with long blonde hair and the fierce-looking girl from two with her hair red like fire are deadly accurate with their bows. The tall guy from two, is tearing up a dummy with his scythe. The girl from 4 sends her axes through the air so fast I can't even comprehend how she doesn't slice her arm off in the rush. The guy from four stands ready to throw his trident, as he runs forward. He send his arm backwards, ready to throw, and hten lets the trident fly right through the air and I just stand there staring as it hits dead center. And to top if off, the guy from 4 just shrug to signalise that that was what he expected. They all seem so strong... It's not fair. How could they expect someone like me to stand a chance against one of them?

Trying to focus on something but the careers, I look around to the different stations. So many choices, all could mean difference between life and death. I look to left and see the climbing station. The fake tree stands in a small formation just like a forest. A girl is standing there being instructed by a tall Capitol man with light green skin on how to climb a three foot tall tree. From the looks on him, he has probably never climbed himself before. How could he? Well I guess if the fancy Capitol had some sort of "climbing facility" but he could never try the real thing with actual trees. I guess I shouldn't be too negative, as I being from 5, haven't tried much climbing either. The instructor finishes whatever he said to the girl -she's the girl from 8, I think- and then walks away, completely ignoring... Thank you so much for the help, I guess.

"What did he tell you?" I ask the girl, hoping she could tell the instructions to me

"Nothing usefull. "Hold onto the branches and hold tight" She copied the silly Capitol accent making it sound even more foolish. I smiled a bit.

"Guess we just try?" I ask.

"Well, you try first, then!" She says with a confident smile. "Or are you gonna let a girl do it?"

"That doesn't work on me, but you are obvious scared of climbing, so I will." I tell her, lightly teasing her. "Nice comeback." She just replies. It's weird... I usually don't answer back when people tell me stuff like. I usually just stay quiet. I guess that's the effect this girl has on people. I wonder if that's good or bad for her...

I get over a tree and let my hands find two knots on the tree that I can use. Then I pull my body up by the hands and find room for my feet on tree trunk. This isn't that hard.... ”BUMP!” Pain shoots up from my spine all the way through body so I only just manage to held in the scream that was about to fly out. I looked over at the girl from 8, who were trying to hide a tiny smile.

“Nice try!” The boy from 12 yells over at the trap station, and some of the other tributes around him laugh a bit. I am not really sure what to yell back at him. I could easily stand up to the girl from 8 –her aura of confidence just makes you feel confident yourself- but in this situation, it’s different. I was never really the loud fierce guy.

“Oh yeah, like you would have done any better?!” The girl from 8 shouts right back at him. That shut him up, and he quietly returned to his trap.

“You were actually quite good, but you need to practice on your technique. You should never move your hands before both feet are in place.” A third voice appears from behind, and both me and the girl from 8 spin around. It’s Mallory, the girl from 7. She is looking directly, looking almost concern for me, as if she was scared I took any damage from the fall.

“You okay?” She asks. “Yeah… I am fine.” I answer. I get up and move around a bit, making sure nothing is broken.

“I am Mallory, and you guys are?”

“I am Demi-Lee from District 8, and that is Sagitarius, from District 5.” Demi-Lee answers, apparently remembering my name and district from the reaping. “If you want, I could teach you guys how to climb better. That guy,” Mallory makes a slight hand gesture to the instructor who is too busy eating chocolate covered strawberries to even notice the people at his station. “Is not gonna be much help to you anyway.”

“Sure!” I say excited and Demi-Lee nods too. Mallory smiles and walks over to one of the taller trees. In less than ten seconds she has gracefully climbed all the way to the top branches, never once being even close to fall.

“Now, Demi-Lee try.” She tells us from the top of the tree. Demi-Lee walks carefully to the trunk of another tree and begins to climb, slowly and quite clumsy. “Don’t hold that much out on the branches. Here, the trees are solid, but in real life, you never know when a branch breaks.” She tells Demi-Lee, after she reaches the top. “And now you, Sagitarius!” I unintentionally scratch my back, which is still aching by the fall and decide with myself that I am gonna give up climbing if I fall again. I carefully find two knots on the trees with my hands, and begin the long way to the top. Mallory sits and cheers and come with good tips on the way but it is only when I sit in the actual treetop that I finally let myself breath. We all get down.

“Good job, guys!” Mallory says with a big smile on her.

“You do realize, that you just gave to competitors an advantage, right?” Demi-Lee tells her, in a confident tune, like always.

“Well… Maybe we three don’t have to be competetors? We could ally?” I ask, mostly to Demi-Lee, since I am quite sure that Mallory would want an alliance.

“Well… Hmmm… Yeah, I think I could…” Demi-Lee says, probably not wanting to ruin her image as this “cool girl” by getting overexcited.

“Then, that’s a deal!”

West's POV:
A loud bell begins to rung out into the room indicating that lunchtime has finally begone. That was about time. It's weird. I can't eat whenever I want like I am used to. In my house, I have this "cooking-button" that I bought. It's connected to an underground kitchen that cooks meals for the entire neighborhood. I just had to click once, and tell the little microphone which dish I wanted and then it would appear right in front of me, after less than two minuets. It was that easy. Now, I have to face the fact that I will only be eating after sedual. But I guess I am still lucky. Looking around, it's easy to see how many of these children are underfed. Most of them, you can count the ribs on. I look away when I eye the poor boy from 13, the 12-year-old. He seems so weak he could break in two if you tried.

I put down the fishingrod from the pool and says: "Thank you, sir," to the instructor to indicate my sencere thankfullness. I like this station. Unlike the others with a lot of hard physical work, this one is aboout patience and creativity to construct the right fishinghook. I never really was a big fan of physical work. Physical work... Hunger... I know I am going to have dificultsy in the arena, but I know that if I just try my best, then I can't do more. I look up and see that a career, the girl from 1, sends her throwing axe dead-center into the target. I will have to do my best... But will it be good enough?

I walk into the cafeteria. Most tribute has already sat down by tables. The careers, have taken the biggest table and are sitting at laughing at something, probably a sadistic joke. Another group, Sagitarius, Mallory and Demi-Lee, has formed and are sitting by a small table, away from the others, strongly signalising they don't want more allies. They're lucky.

The rest of us are chucked together one table for all of the loners, except a few who apparently are so shy that they don't even want to eat lunch with anyone. What a pity. I walk up to the cafeteria.

"Good day, Miss.  Do you have any lobster?" I ask the lady from the counter.

"Em... No tribute has ever asked for lobster... We could prepare some..." She answers, quite surprised.

"That would be absolutely wonderful. I can not wait to taste meal, which I am sure will be delightful." The lady at the counter just stand there a bit, staring at me like I was alien, "Well, at least you have manners..." She mutters, and head back into the kitchen.

About five minuets after the lady comes back out with a dark red lobster. "Here you go." She says. "Thank you, Miss." I answer and walk down to the table, where the loners sit. Most people haven't gotten into alliances yet, and none of them say anything as I walk over. and sit by the table. "How are you all this wonderful day?" I ask, excitedly. A few of them mutters a quiet "fine" but most doesn't even say anything. Fine. I decide to eat in silence. None of them probably have a correct raising with teachings of prober manners. The parents in the district should really pay more attention to that. I eat my lobster in silence and then the bell rings, indicating that it's again training time.

Raven's POV:
Finally, lunch is done. To me, I would personally go without lunch to get to use the weapons for an extra hour, but the other weaklings around probably need more energy. I don't. Actually, I don't really need anything. Just a scythe, or maybe some throwing knives. If the other tributes wouldn't run away from the cornucopia like cowards, then I could kill all right there, before the first day of the games was over.

We get out of the lunchroom and over to the weapon station again. And then I see it... or more specifically, him. THe boy from 9 is already by the training station, standing with a pair of sickles in his hands, ready to throw them.

"Hey you! Get out!" I yell at him, preparing to see him run off in terror like most tributes do if ordered by a career. Instead he just looks at me, completely cold with no emotions on his face. "Didn't you hear what I say?! Get the fuck out!" I yell at him, trying to keep my anger away. Not that I would have anything against just running up to him and hit him in the face, but I am sure that the annoying gamemakers would give me some sort of punishment in the arena if I did.

"I heard you." The boy just replies, with a emotionless voice.

I just stand there trying to decide what to do. He's breaking the formular. If a career tells you do something, you don't just ignore it. Does this booy have a deathwish or something? I decide to try again.

"Go away, or I swear I will kill you first." I hiss at him.

"No. I want to join you." He tells us all in a tune, completely emotionless. What? What is up with him? Well, there's no way he's getting in, not after embarressing me in front of the fellow careers. Not after defying me.

"We don't let scum like you from the poorer District into the careers," I tell him, smiling slightly. But to my surprise I get no reaction, just his death stare. I had expected... I don't know... something for insulting his District, but he just stands there, looking at me with that dead void in his eyes. I hate to admit it, but he's kinda creepy. Thyra, clearly tired of all this, walks up beside me. "He can join us."

"What?! No way!" I tell her. I am our leader. She shouldn't speak against me. The boy from 9 is smiling slightly amused by all of this. I really have no idea what to do now. If I back down I will be counted as weak. If I don't, this situation may get even worse than what it already is.

"He can." Thyra tells me, stubbornly. She stands beside me, almost as tall as me, trying to downstare me. I send her a glare, but unlike most, she doesn't look away. She's not scared.

"Fine. We see his skills and then vote." I tell him and Thyra, hissing at both. "Fine," Thyra hisses back at me.

The boy from 9 walks over to the targets with the two sickles he still has from when we first encountered him at the trainingstation. I snorted a bit. How can someone use a harvesting tool for fights? It isn't a real weapon, but probably the only thing the guy can wield. He stands around 15 meter away from the targets. He raise his hand, and send his sickle flying through the air. It hits the ring closest to the bullseye. He spins around and send his second sickle off, and this one hits directly on the bulleyes. He turns around to see us and his emotionless expression is replaced by a small, confident grin. I look at the other careers.

"He's out." I just say.

"Why? He did fine. He's in," Thyra retorts.

"I agree with Raven, he can't take orders. We can't use him." Muzzy says.

"I... Em... He did good, I guess he could be in." Twix mutters haltingly, looking nervously at Muzzy, scared to disagree with him.

We all look to Isis for the final vote. "He's in." She just says, setteling the career recruits fate. "We can always kill if he doesn't listen." Thyra sends me a mocking smile, knowing she just won a battle of power. I am about to walk over to the boy from 9 and tell him that he's in, but am beat to it by Thyra.

"Hey, you, boy from 9! What is your name?!" Thyra yells at the boy from 9, who is still standing by the targets.

"Drachma!" He yells back at her.

"Welcome to the careers, Drachma!"

Cramo's POV:
The soft warm bed is almost impossible to get out of. Why do I have to go do some training? Can't I just stay in bed? A day in a warm, Capitol bed... Sounds good to me. But showing up for training is mandatory and our escort would probably kill me if I don't show up for it on time. I get out of bed and put on the black pants and yellow t-shirt that the tributes from 3 usually wears. Electricity. Yellow. How clever. I look at the alarmclock and discover that I am up at least an hour before our escort call us up. I may as well look a bit around

I get out and see that a male and female avox, both with blonde hair and green eyes, probably brother and sister. They  are putting dishes on the table for the upcomming breakfast. They are both... smiling. It's weird that they are happy, but I guess they are enjoying each other's company. But then again, they can't go around being sad all the time. This is their fate, they may as well smile. I guess I could learn from that a bit. There's no way to change my fate as a tribute but I can meet it with no regrets. But that's easier said than done. I wonder what's worst. Having all freedom -Well, as much as we have in Panem- taken from you, and having your power of speech removed, so that you can work until you die, or being send into a game where it's kill or be killed.... I am not really sure...

They notice me and look up, and their smiles fade from their faces. As if they weren't allowed to smile when other people was around. I look away, embarressed that I was caught staring, and just walk out on the balcony of District 3's floor. Even though, we aren't very tall raised compared to the apparentments of most of the other Districts, the view is still wonderful. All the great buidings are painted red, from the sunrise, as if they were bleeding.

I hear the escort, chanding her "Cramo! Mauve! Get up, there's a new day ahead!", not knowing that I am already awake. I walk inside and find the table ready and a big morning buffet. "Oh, you're early up!" Our escorts says, still halfly chanting. Another day of work for her. Preparing us before the slaughter. I walk to the buffet and take a big omelet with ham, cheese and tomato, in a colorful mix of yellow, pink and red. Mauve walks out five minuets after, still with slight bedhair. She takes a bun on her plate and sits down beside me and our escort. She never really eat much, which I think is partially why she looks so young. I look at her and then me, and feel bad for District 3. We are probably both gonna die in the bloodbath. None of us are strong, or fast or anything like that. We are pretty doomed. We get up for breakfast, and get into the elevator, ready for anoher day of preparing for slaugther.

Drachma's POV:
The puny tributes from District 3 almost stumble out the elevator. It's hard not to smile a bit looking at their surprised faces when they see that they're late. They rush over to Atala who then pointlessly announces that training can begin. It's stupid, but it was decided that training could only begin when everyone were present. I don't know why though, maybe to have even more control over us... their tributes... their mindless puppets who's only purpose now is to entertain the Capitol audience.

"Let's head to the weapon station right now." Raven says and is about to take a step when Thyra stops him.

"We spent all day there, yesterday. Whether we like it or not, a few skills around could be usefull and as the career group we need to know each other's strength and weaknesses." She says. Ha! It's easy to tell she just wants to know our weaknesses so that when the time comes, she can kill us all easily. I look around to see if the other's caught onto that but no one seems to. I guess this could work in my advantage.

"Thyra's right," says Isis. Twix shrugs as if she couldn't care less, and Muzzy follows her move. "I don't care either, let's just try something else." I tell them all.

"You're the recruit, you don't speak up." Raven speaks up. "I do what I want." I know it's stupid to answer Raven back but I have the feeling he won't last long in the games anyway. Yes, he's strong, but he does not seem to have the mind to back it up. We're just about to head to the obstecal nearby, when a voice interups us.

"Guys?" A feminine, voice ecchoes and we all turn around to the girl from 13 stand there, obviously nervous but trying to cover it up. "What do you want?" Thyra hisses at her. The girl shivers just a tiny bit, but doesn't back away.

"I want to join you."

"Why would we need you?" Muzzy asked, his voice taking a slightly arrogant tune.

"Well... I trained at the Career Academy Of District 13." She says, barely controlling her voice from revealing her nervousnes but it's there, in her eyes. Her fear is confusing. In one sense, the fact that she is made nervous just by words is bad and could mean she wouldn't be a very good career. On the other hand, she's not running away either, even though she's nervous, and a career needs bravery. Maybe it's just nerves, careers can be intemidating.

"Well... I guess that would technically make you a career, but for what I remember from your reaping, you didn't volunteer" Twix says, sounding almost as if she's trying to help the girl from 13.

"I can show what I can do! I am good with running, just let me show you on the obstecal course!" She says, excited.

"Fine." Thyra says and we all walk to the obstecal course.

We watch as the girl runs through the course, and I gotta say I am more impressed than I thought I would be. She's fast for her age. As the end of the obtical course nears, the girl has jump from different ledges while trainers swing bats to try and knock her down. She jumps gracefully between the bats, sometimes barely an inch from getting hit, but she never is. When she finishes she runs straight past us all and to the weapon stations. "Can't say she isn't determined." Someone whispers as she graps a knife and tears up a dummy hanging from the cealing. She turns around and I almost expect her to do a bow after her performance, seeiming so show-like. The careers go together.

"She's in." Muzzy says, surprising us all.

"Nah, she's weak, she's out." Raven says.

"I agree with Raven." Thyra says. Who would have known they could actually agree on something?

"I don't care" Isis states, shurging her shoulders.

"She's nice, she's in" Twix mutters. "We don't need nice careers." Thyra hisses at Twix, who looks down to the ground.

"I think she should be in" I just say. She was okay and it's gonna be nice to have some other recruits when we splidt up. The careers will go after their recruits before the actual careers, so it would be nice with some other prey for them than just me.

"You're in... Mariah" Isis yells at her, using a few seconds to actually remember her name.

Logan's POV:
The plastic insects are put in front of me by the trainer, a tall woman with pink skin and neon-yellow hair. She looks ill... how can anyone consider this fashionable? She looks sick to me. "The key is to look at the different colors, they usually reveal the most. At first, I will give you a paper with a list of edible insects, and as you advance, you will try if you can remember the insects without the list," she says and hands me a list with a lot of pictures of bugs that pretty much look all the same. Then she leaves and I sit down staring at the plastic insects with their small legs and multicolored wings.

I can't figure this shit out! They all look the same even with a list. I threw the plastic bettle to the table in irritation after intensely looking at if for at least five minuets. I look over where the boy from 7 is sitting. "Found out anything?" I ask him. He looks up.

"No I can't figure this out."

"Then we are two." I look down and go back to checking the bugs when suddenly I hear someone screams. A big crash sounds and I am suddenly blinded by a lot of white sparks. I hear another loud sound and feel my body collide with the floor. Whatever happened must have turned over my chair. Small projectiles seems fired into my skin and then I realized that one of the lamps hanging from the cealing must have fallen right down at the table where me and the boy from 7 where sitting. It hard not to scream as hundreds of tiny pieces of glass, with sharp edges hits my body like rain. I open my eyes and find myself lying on the floor. The boy from 7 is lying there too, and has a lot of small wounds with drops of blood falling from them. Some Capitol people come running inside the room and lift me from the floor up on a stretcher which I find a bit dramatic as I think I am capable of a walking, but I guess it would be embarressing if I tried to walk and fell in front of all the tributes. The boy from 7 is lifted on a stretcher too and is escorted out of the room as well.

Darby's POV:
After seeing the boys getting carried out of the rooms, people begin to return to normal, slowly. Some careers laughs of their disfortune in the background. I also return to what I was doing. Being at the edible plants station, following the female from 12 around. I lean over at my chair by the desk to better be able to see what she's doing. "Do you need any help?" She turns around and see me standing a bit behind her at the station for edible plant station. I have been following most of the two days, trying to stay far behind. I guess you could call it sorta stalkerish, but I want an ally and something about her... Melanoi. It told me she would be a good ally. That she wouldn't betray me... but then again, what good would betraying a 12-year-old do anyone? People could easily kill me if we ended it the final 2... and yet, I don't think that Melanoi would do that.

So most of these days I have been following her around, looking at her skills and such. She's good with most stuff related to trees, nature and the forest. She has deadly accuration with shuirkens. Stalking someone may be weird, but it's a good way to find out about skills and if they're trustable. From how she reacts to other tributes, she seems to be a good person. I don't know if that would be a weakness in the arena but at least it tells me that she probably won't betray me. Probably.

"Some help?" I ask a bit confused.

"You have been following me around ever since training started, watching me at all the station. But I got no idea what you imagine to get from that. So, do you need any help or something else from me or are you just gonna keep on being shy?" She asks, sending a small smile.

"Em... I don't know..." Suddenly, all her stalking feels like a terrible idea. Apparently, I wasn't as decret as I wanted to be... Whoops.

"You don't know? Well their must be some reason you follow me around." She says, almost giggling as her smile grow bigger. At least she's not mad...

"I was sorta... Em... I w-w-was... I was kinda hoping to get an alliance." I mutter, to the floorboards. A long pause of silence rests between us but then she finally speaks.

"I would love to ally with you, Darby." She says, still smiling and then takes my hand and shakes it. I don't know if this went better or worse than expected...

Cedric's POV:
I walk up to the fake plastic stone to compare to the rock. The paint I have carefully mixed together on the skin of my wrist itches so horribly that it's almost unresistable to not just scratch it off. But I won't. I used at least 30 minuets on mixing different shades of color together to make something that just came close to the color of stone. I put my arm to rest on the side of the tree to see if the color blend in... It looks like crap... okay, not literally, but you get what I mean. Maybe if you would just barely look at the rock, you would not notice, but just staring at it fo more than a brief second makes it pretty obvious that it's a painted wrist, and not a real stone.

"Dammit," I mutter. "I can't make camueflage to safe my life."

"Well, then we're three!" I look up and see the tributes from District 6, Izzy and Michelangelo. Michelangelo is holding an arm towards a a tree, to see if it looks realistic, and Izzy is trying to hinder herself from giggling over just how bad the camueflage works.

"Yours aren't too bad." I tell Michelangelo who looks at me with a painful experission.

"Oh please, this is the best camueflage in the world. I don't even need any weapons in these games, if I got paint-brush." He tells me, his voice thickned by sarcasm. We all smile a bit at each other.

"It's actually not too bad." A fourth voice says from behind. We look up and see the young small girl from 3 standing with a brush in her hand and spots of paint all over her cloths. But it's her wrist that catches attention. Just by looking, you can see the artwork on her skin, greatly resembling muddy forest ground. It's like someone poured a bucket of dirt over her wrists, or as if her wrists were simply made of dirt, it's that great. It's clear she has tried camueflaging before.

"You have to paint with more colors though. A tree isn't just brown. Use many different shades of brown and you fill it much easier to make it look like bark. And also, look at that tree. The human mind has decided that all trees are apparently brown, but that bark looks more like a mix of grey and marron," she says, very fast and excited. I look at the tree... it really just looks brown to me but she's the expert... I guess.

The girl from 3, Mauve, takes the bowl that Michelangelo used to mix the paint and begin to mix a lot of light grey color into the mix. She adds a little dark brown which she refers to as "Marron" and then puts some "steel grey" and "charcoal grey" in it too. Then she begins to paint on her own wrist, and put it towards the rock. A perfect blend in. "Could you... teach us how do that?" Izzy asks.

"Well, I can't just teach you how to become good with paints in one day... I have used years to learn, but I can give you a couple of tricks to learn... and maybe..."

"What?" I ask her.

"If we all work together, you can just let me do the camueflaging of different objects if needed," she tells us with a little smile.

"I agree," I say quickly. I need an alliance.

"Well, more allies is always good." Izzy says and Michelangelo nods, setteling the alliance.

"Could I join too?" We all spin around to look at the new person who said that and our jaws drops to the floor when we see the career from District 1 standing, looking at us. A very awkward silence lingers.

"Well... em..." Izzy tries to break the silence. "Aren't you like... with the careers?" She asks  him, skeptically. Why would a district 1 tribute want to join with us? Is he playing a prank? And even if he quit the careers, why would he?

"No, I don't want to go with the careers, I don't want to be with them," the boy mutters. He doesn't seem strong and intemidating like the other careers... infact, he seems nice enough. But still, somewhere inside me, I feel a bit hatred towards him. I mean, he trained to murder me. To murder all of us. But teaming up with us it not out of cost for him either. The careers will go for him, and he won't have that "aura of intemidation" that many careers uses to avoid getting attacked. He's actually running quite a big risk to stick to what he believes.

"Well I guess you can be with us, right guys?" Izzy says enhaustiastic, apparently not intemidated by the "semi-career" at all.

"Yeah it's fine with me." Michelangelo says. Mauve just mutters a little: "Yeah". Either she's shy or just scared by him.

"I agree." I tell them too. Whether I actually agree or not, I am not really sure. I am not sure if I can trust him. But he could be a good ally and worrying about him isn't gonna help much anyway. If we don't ally with him, he's just gonna be our enemy, and I want as few as them as possible. "Welcome to our alliance."

Isaac's POV:
"BEEEEP" The big clock goes, indicating that lunch time has begone. This is my chance. I have been waiting around the weapons training stations that has pretty much been the home of the careers ever since training started. But they now finally leave the station for lunch and that is my chance.

As the last career recruit, the girl from 13, begins to walk away with the others, I quickly rush into the weapons station and go straight to get the spears lined up. After watching them for these couple of days, it seems like there isn't any spearthrowers in the group. It's a shame. A spear is a good weapon to wield. Unlike smaller projectiles, if you get a spear through your body, you're dead just righ there. And you can use it for close combat too. I remember when i first held a spear in my hands. I knew it was gonna be my main weapon. With it, (and a lot of pratice) taking lifes would be as easy as breathing.

I walk over to the targets and place myself ready to throw my spear. I look up to check if I have the attention from the careers. Most of them noticed how I grabbed a spear and is looking at me. Their glares makes it clear of their opinion: "You're nothing. Don't even try." Well, I am gonna surprise them. They're gonna let me into their alliance.

I stand far back and then throw the spear. It flies through the air and then lodges right through the dummy's chest and into the wall. I look back at the careers and see that most of the career stare with eyes widen. I know they saw my abilities. To finish off, I run to get a machete and then begin  to slice up a dummy. Remembering my part time job at the local butcher. This is easier. You don't have to try and avoid the blood splattering out on your cloth. I make a final stab, right through the dummy's chest and leave the machete in the chest while walking towards the door to the lunchroom. As I walk past the careers, I make an effort to look as casual as possible, giving the impression that that was just my casual performance (which it is). I walk in and sit down, taking eating a bacon sandwich. I watch as the careers walk in and sit down by a table in the middle. Now. It's now. I get up leaving my plate behind at the table and walk straight up to the careers. The last thing I will show is fear.

"I know you saw what I did with the weapons. I want to join you." I tell them. They all look at me pretty chocked. Even the careers from 2 seems pretty surprised that I just walked up to them. Only the recruit from 9 remains emotionless. "We'll vote and tell you what we think." Muzzy the boy from 4 says.

"No. I will stay here. I want to hear." I tell her.

"No. Leave. Now." Muzzy hisses and tries to downstare me. Doesn't work though. I stay there.

"Just let him be there so we can get on with it." The recruit from 9 says in an emotionless voice, matching his voice.

"I think we could use him." Isis says, looking at me, smiling a bit.

"Well, I don't think so. He can't take orders." The recruit from 9 says. I send him a glare but he just looks at me with those emotionless eyes. Seriously, what happened to this guy? Does he ever smile?

"I agree with Drachma." Muzzy states, which does not surprise me. I need more people to say yes. The others may join them.

"Well, he's strong. Better than the rest of the recruits we have." Raven says, not caring that both Drachma and Mariah can hear him.

"I agree with Isis, Raven and Twix." Mariah says quickly, not wanting to get dragged into a conflict.

"But I agree with Drachma. He can't take orders, and so, he's useless to us. And I think that Drachma is better than him, Raven." Thyra turns to Raven. I remember watching when Drachma got into the careers. It seemed more like a a game of power between Thyra and Raven. Drachma getting into the careers prooved that Thyra had a certain power. And now, I guess Raven wants to use me to get that lost power back. By getting me into the career without Thyra's accept would show he got just as much power as her. We are really just puzzled pieces for the original careers... but I will be more... when the time comes, I will kill the original careers.

I only one vote left to be taken. I look around and see the girl from 4 looking at the ground, avoiding people's gaze. I catch her eyes and glare at her as to intemidate her into voting me in. "What do you think?" I hiss at her.

"I... e-e-em... Yes." She just whispers. Muzzy sends me a glare that could kill someone. It's easy to tell he has something with Twix. That will only be a weakness for him though. Twix will die.

"You're in." Raven says. I take my food from the other table and sit down with them.

Kenneth's POV:
I lay in the comfortable white bed in the room next to the training center, where they carried me. Looking at the room with it's sterile white walls and science-fiction like machines everywhere, it's easy to tell that it's used as a hospital for the tributes, in case they get hurt before they go into the games. It's hard to describe whether the machines in the room scare me or comfort me... I guess they could be useful in extreme cases, but it's scary to think about what those machines can do. It is quite ironic... The Capitol is apparently very very careful about us getting hurt, and yet, in around two days they will send us all into an arena to brutally murder each other.

I turn in the bed and look to my left. Logan, the boy from 8 who also got hit by the lamp. Sterile bandages are covering his body, so that there's barely any parts of skin left. and white dressings where the wounds were too big for bandages. I assume I look in the same state, but I can't really tell. I should be feeling pain but the painkillers the nurse gave us works pretty effectively. It's funny. I barely felt anything when the lamp fell. I think I was just taken by the shock. But after they got me out of the training room... seeing the gigant piece of glass stuck in my calf... It was really hard not to scream my lungs out.

"Are you okay?" I ask Logan. He turns around and halfly glare at me.

"What do you think? My entire body is covered in stupid bandages and I just had a lamp dropped on me," he says, but his small grin takes the harshness away from the words. Some time passes. "I wonder what this place is...?" Logan says.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Look around you. They had way too many beds for the tributes in these games and if you look, most of the beds has plastic covering them, not madresses." He replies. I look around, and see that he's right. I think, just for a little while and then it suddenly occure to me where we are... It feels as if my stomach made a saumersault. I want to throw up but can't.

"I think...," I whisper. "I think I know."

"Where are we then?" He asks, courious. I am not sure if he wants to know, but I will tell him anyway.

"I think they use this place for injured tributes.... But I also think they use it.... for the bodies, to prepare them for the coffins... when a tribute dies..." His face turn grim and a long silence passes. "Please just talk about something else." Logan whispers.

"I am worried. We miss training time by spending our time lying here."

"I know... And the worst part about it that I won't get an alliance before the games start," He mutters.

"Well... I sorta want an alliance, but got no allies either... we could team up?" I ask.

"Well, I reallly just met but... I guess one ally is better than none.... why not?" The feeling of relief washes through my body knowing I won't have to go through the games alone. Even if I don't know him too well, it's nice to have at least one ally....

End of group training

Private training money bonusses
So some of you guys may know that I let a slight bit of your money be affected by your training score, to simulate how higher scores get more sponsors. Now, high score will give you more money while smaller scores will make you lose a bit of money, but it isn't too much you win/lose, so don't give up just because you may have lost a bit of money!