Hello! BlackBeltBookWorm and I are partnering up to write the hunger games from Clove and Glimmer's POV. I write Clove, and BBBookworm writes Glimmer. Please read, then press that shiny review button!
Glimmer Brantstone
Beep. Beep. Beep.
I pick up my alarm clock in order to stop the unbearable beeping. Really, is it so hard to by a music playing alarm clock? It's not like we can't afford it. The freaks from District 12 can cover the bill. Anyway, back to the main issue. This beeping.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Argh! Shut up already! I'm about to throw it at what I think is my wall, when I hear my step-mother's high pitched voice.
"Glimmer, dear. It's reaping day. Try to get some training in before you head to the square."
I groan and try to wake myself up. I stand up groggily and turn on the water for my shower. While waiting for the water to warm up, I start to pack my training bag. Reaping clothes, sweat towel, brush, mascara, lip gloss… what am I missing? Right… my lucky ruby ring. I need my ruby ring. It's the only way I'll be able to volunteer. See, there's this tradition that you can't volunteer without a token here. And that's my only token. Meh… I'll look after my shower.
Ten minutes till training and I still can't find my ring. Crap. Crap, crap, crap.
"Looking for something?" says a voice at my door. My brother. Oh, yay.
"Topaz. Give. Me. My. Ring." I say in my calmest voice.
"Nah, I don't think I will. Maybe I'll give it to that boy you like. What was his name? Was it Marvel?"
"Let me say this in a way you can understand. I no like Marvel. Marvel no like me. "
"Rigghhtt."
"Just give me my ring." I sigh
"No"
"Really? Well, if you don't, I think I'm gonna go talk to Opal and tell her-"
"No!" He yelped. "Take your ring"
He threw my ring towards my head and bolted out the door. Smirking, I go to the training center.
"Right, so that ends our training today! Good luck at the reaping!" Says the female instructor, Helen. She walks out the door with her husband, Paris, behind her.
Everyone goes to the locker rooms to change into their reaping outfits. Mine is a purple dress with black and silver accents, paired with black jewelry, leggings and high heels.
"Really Brantstone? That? Honestly, can't you be a little more classy?" Came a snotty voice. I turn to find Jade, my archenemy standing behind me.
"Jade". I say in a flat voice. "Can I help you with something?"
"Just wondering if you've seen my boyfriend."
"Which one?" I say as sweetly as I can. "Marvel, Garnet, or Onyx?"
"My actual boyfriend. Duh."
"Yeah. I know. So which one?"
"Never mind. But remember, this year is my year to volunteer. So don't interfere."
I smirk. Does she really think that she can stop me from volunteering? "Of course darling Jade" I say in a sarcastic voice.
She simply scowls at me and stands there.
"Well? Why are you still here?" i respond. "Shoo." She huffs and walks toward the door leading to the square
I hear clicking footsteps behind me and turn to find my best friends Emi (Emerald) and Amy (Amethyst) behind me, both wearing extravagant dresses.
"You ready Glim?" asked Amy. "Whoa, angry face. What happened?
"Jade." They both made 'oh' sounds "Let's just go"
We walk to the square to find the reaping bowls set out, thousands of names inside. 9 of them say Glimmer Brantstone. 3 of them say Topaz Brantstone. Absolutely no chance of me being picked. It would be so much easier If I were picked! I wouldn't have to run to the stage like a pathetic freak! Emi and I go to join the other 15 year olds, while Amy is shoved towards the 16 year olds. Emi nudges me and points to a boy in the 16 section. Marvel.
"How many times do I have to say this?" I hiss. "I don't like Marvel! I like-"
Who I like she never found out, because at that moment the mayor for District One, Argentum Aurum, came out and gave his speech about the Dark Days, the Shining city, blah, blah, blah. And as he ended his speech the District One escort, Glitz Shawtay, came and wishes us a Happy Hunger Games.
"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be in your favor!" She says cheerfully, with half the teens quoting her under their breaths.
"Ladies first!" She walks toward the bowl on the right and reaches into the bowl, her arm in there for a second, she plucks out a name. A name that will change my life forever.
"Glimmer Brantstone!" She announces. Emi squeaks and squeezes my arm. O was actually picked! In a trance I walk onto the stage, almost tripping on the stairs. This brings me back to my senses, and I send a threatening glare into the crowd, daring anyone to volunteer. Thankfully, no one does. Cowards. I would have, if I haven't been reaped. I notice Jade keeps opening her mouth to speak, but Alexandrite, her best friend, jabbed her in the ribs, and whispered something in her ear. A smirk spreads across her face, which is not good news. I direct my glare in their direction.
While I glare, Glitz has already reached into the bowl with boy's name, and calls out a name that turns my world upside down.
"Topaz Brantstone!" My mouth was dry. There had to be a rule against this. It's not possible. This has to be illegal. I noticed Jade's and Alexandrite's smirks had widened. And then the crowd seemed to understand that were related, and muttering went across where the boys sat. Finally, a brave boy steps out of the 16 section and shouts
"I volunteer!"
And I begin to consider chucking my 'lucky' ring at the crowd, because the odds are so not in my favor.
Because the boy is Marvel Benedict.
Clove Vazquez
"And the female tribute for District Two is..."
"Clove Vazquez!"
I smirk when I hear my name called, and promptly push my way through the crowd to the stage. Even though I am barely five feet tall, and can't be more than 100 pounds, I having been training since I was 10, seven years ago, and am one of the best with weapons at the training academy, so it is not unexpected that I am reaped. While in other districts, the reaping is random, in District Two, the head of the training academy pays our escort a huge sum of money to ensure that the best trained woman at the training academy is reaped. It may seem unneeded, because the person in question could just volunteer, but if an academy kid isn't reaped, an overexcited 14 year old who can barely throw a knife may volunteer for the thrill, and shame the district in the games. Technically, people could still volunteer for me, but since the bribe isn't exactly classified information, anyone who publicly goes against the training center's decision will not be sponsored in the games, and will be shunned in the district if they return. So I am most definitely the female tribute for district two.
Next, the boy tribute will volunteer. Since the training center's budget is limited, it is understood that the girl is reaped, and the boy volunteers. My prediction turns to be true- a scared 13 year old boy is reaped, and one of the huge, brutish eighteen year olds, Cato Aristotle, volunteers.
The escort, Heilia Rareen, then stands up to make her official speech. She mostly prattles on about how she is so excited for us, and how she just knows that District two is going to have a victor this year and how she pities other districts, and more useless things similar to that. I tune out most of it. I want them to hurry up and send us off to the Capitol! Being the victor of the 74th games is my destiny; why should I stand here and listen to my ridiculous escort ramble on about useless things!
And after what feels like a thousand life times, Heilia gestures for Cato and I to shake hands,then follow the peacekeepers that lead us to the justice building, so we can say our "final" goodbyes to our families.
When we reach the justice building, my twelve year old sister Calla, my only family member who cares about me, bursts in to the room, in tears. "W-why d-d-did you v-v-volunteer s-sissy?" Calla sobs into my shirt. "N-now I'll b-b-be alone!" Reluctantly, I push Calla away from me, and say
"You know that I will be back soon Calla. Now be strong and don't cry." You will be fine."
"B-b-but wh-what if you don't come back!"
"You know I will, now stand up straight, be strong and act like the sister of a hunger games victor. "
"O-o-okay" Calla sniffs. She straightens her back, gives me a teary smile, and tells me that she knows that I will win, no matter what anyone says as she leaves the room.
This last remark nearly brings tears to my eyes. Even though I am a bloodthirsty career tribute, I love Calla with all my heart, and it pains me to leave her all alone in our tiny, rotting house with only my alcoholic mother for company. I am winning the hunger games for personal glory and fame, of course, but winning the games also gives me a way to make life better for Calla.
Not that I would admit that to anyone.
My next visitor is Rosemary Morgan. Rosemary is the victor of the 40th hunger games, and the head of the training center. She is also the one who assesses the tributes and decides which ones will get special training, which ones will become peacekeepers, and which ones will be killed. Almost everyone in District Two fears her and gives her utmost respect, because everyone knows defying Rosemary is certain death. And for that reason, I stand up incline my head in a gesture of respect when she walks in. Not that I respect her. When I win the hunger games, I will spit in her face, and Rosemary will have no right to do anything.
Because I will be the most powerful victor, not her.
"Sit down Clove" she barks.
"Do you know why I'm here?"
"To wish me luck ma'am?" I respond.
" I thought you would have more sense then that Clove Vazquez! Luck will take you no where in the arena!"
"But I could use some anyway!" I retort insolently.
Unfortunately, Rosemary detects the insolence and slaps me hard enough to knock out one of my teeth. It takes all of my self-control to remain upright, but I manage it. If I had fallen down, Rosemary would have just slapped me harder.
"Girl! You will not talk to me like that. Ever. Again."
"Of course Madam." I say back with a smile.
I half-expect another slap, but Rosemary just glares at me.
"Vazquez, do you know why I am here?"
'Well, apparently not for luck.' I think to myself. But I respond with a fairly docile "no ma'am"
"Well, I am here to tell you to win. You know that I always sponsor one female tribute." She says in a way that she expects me to know it.
"Of course" I say, wondering where Rosemary could be going with this speech. As far as I know, Rosemary never even talks to her chosen tribute until after they become victor.
"Well, not every victor on the academy staff supported choosing you. They would have much rather sponsored that dreadful Marianna girl."
I involuntarily hiss at hearing Marianna's name. Marianna is my arch-rival at the training center. She is mediocre at weaponry, but her gorgeous face and way with words make most people forget that. I have nothing against a beautiful face, but Marianna's enormous ego, and absolute stupidity make me look down on her. Marianna, of course, is driven insane with jealousy that the only girl in the whole training academy that hates her, is better at weapons than her.
Rosemary smiles evilly at my hiss, and says "Yes. Imagine that awful Marianna getting to go to the arena rather you!" "Well girl, I was one of the only ones who wanted you in the arena, not her. "I am here to tell you to win. "
I almost laugh at that! Does she seriously need to tell me to win?
"As you are a Career Tribute, winning is the first thing on your mind, is it not?"
"Yes...I am going in the games to win of course." I respond, still confused
" Well then. Good. Our goals are aligned, Clove Vazquez." But if you some fail...I will also fail. I will be the laughingstock of the district, going against most of the council of victors, letting a pathetic loser into the arena. " And that can't be. Someone must pay for that"
"So, Clove Vazquez, if you are not the victor of the 74th Hunger Games, Calla Vazquez shall pay. For your failure. With her life."
Calla's life
Calla's life?
CALLA'S LIFE?
Rosemary grins evilly at the look of shock that must be plainly written across my face.
"You understand, don't you."
"Actually," I say through my gritted teeth, "Actually, you better wish I don't come back. "
"And why not?" Rosemary says through her smirk
"Because I will kill you."
Rosemary just walks out of the room, laughing like a maniac, not even knowing that she will be dead in a few months.
Because I, Clove Vazquez, victor of 74th Hunger Games will kill Rosemary Morgan.
Slowly and Painfully.
For Calla.