Kids Shouldn't Play With Knives

Jennifer Hale (District 1)

I sit on my bed, my favourite knives beside me. One by one I throw them into the target I pinned to my wall a number of years ago when I first started training for the Hunger Games. They hit the target every time, the first knife hitting the centre and the subsequent ones hitting the lines that mark the target circles, spinning out in a perfect spiral. '

Now that is talent.

I will definitely have an advantage in the arena because knives are the most common weapon and they are what I am strongest in. Usually the knife throwers come from District 2, so I am a rarity here.

It doesn't bother me thought.

I like to stand out.

"Jennifer?" My mother is knocking on the door. I ignore her, picking up another knife from my polished white bedside table, turning it over and over in my hands while I admire the glint that the polished silver throws in the light seeping through my open curtains. "Jennifer?"

My mother bursts into the room just as I deliberately let a knife fly from my fingers and into the door.

"If it wasn't illegal, that knife would've gone into your head, mother." I say casually, as if this was the most normal thing in the world and not a death threat. But then again, coming from a career district, death threats are pretty common and a popular way to express darker emotions towards a person.

"Jen, why are you like this towards me? I love you so much you know." My mother sounds so pathetic every time she opens her mouth, and that confession of love for me was no exception.

"What do you want?" I ask, ignoring what she had said.

"It's almost time for the Reaping. We need to leave soon." She tells me.

"Fine." I say, getting out of bed. "Now get out of my room."

"Jen..." She whispers but I ignore the sad expression on her face.

"Get out." I push her out, slamming the door in her face.

As soon as she is out of my sight, I relax, all the tension fading away and being replaced by the excitement I feel for today. The reaping day for the 82nd Hunger Games, and the day that I will become a tribute.

I will volunteer and I will win.

I grab the dress out of my closet that I decided on last night. It is a strapless blue bubble dress which goes amazingly with my slightly tanned skin and chocolate brown hair that falls just past the halfway mark of my back. At 5 ft, 1 inch, I am pretty small for a girl my age and even smaller for the average career but it won't matter because I am deadly enough.

I've only ever made a mistake once with my knives, cutting my left bicep deeply. A jagged scar remains but I don't ever bother to cover it up.

To hide it would be to hide who I am.

To show it tells everyone what kind of person I am. A person who is looking for the perfect opportunity to kill someone without getting arrested.

A few minutes later I hear the siren that calls us all to the square for the Reaping to take place. For those who live on the outskirts of District 1, they would have left earlier. But the wealthier families like mine who live closer to the main city can afford to leave now when the journey only takes a few short minutes. I pull on a small, blue ring that will be my token and that is it.

I am ready.

"Jen-" I shove past my mother and out of the house, not even bothering to wait for her. I have never directly said that I was going to volunteer today, but she knows and probably wants to take a last minute opportunity to talk me out of it.

Well, I don't want to be talked out of it.

I make it to the square in a few minutes and sign in, moving over to stand in the seventeen year old section as soon as I can. I get a position on the outskirts, right at the edge so it is easier for me to sprint to the stage.

I am not the only person planning on volunteering today. That goes without saying, which is why I am volunteering at seventeen so I still have a chance if I miss out today.

But I won't.

I will be the female tribute for District 1 and in a month or so I will return here as the newest victor.

A hush falls over the crowd as our escort steps onto the stage. The man from the Capitol, Erebus, begins by giving a speech that we all tune out of.

No one cares about anything that he says, except for announcing the tributes.

"Now for the tributes." He says which is what reawakens most of the crowd including myself. He moves first towards the female bowl, and I brace myself to begin running. "Hailee Stone."

Whoever Hailee Stone is, she is probably smart enough to know that she doesn't need to come forward because I, along with a number of other girls, begin the race to the stage.

"I volunteer!" I scream, running for dear life.

My emotions reach an all time high and I am filled with pride when I reach the stage first, and Erebus holds my hand up triumphantly to the crowd.

"What's your name?" He asks.

"Jennifer Hale." I say, filled with confidence because everyone in Panem is looking at their victor for the very first time.

Anderson Zarbon (District 1)

When I see all the kids from Districts other than 1, 2 and 4, those kids who scream and cry when their names are called, I just don't understand. Being a tribute in the Hunger Games, and winning the Hunger Games is the greatest honour that anyone can have.

They sob and break down because they are certain they are going to their death and then a lot of them don't try. They start to sob and break down when the games start and they end up dead.

I don't understand why they cry when it only gets you killed. But something I am even more confused about is why these stupid kids are even in the games to begin with. Fine, maybe not everyone is like me and completely lives for the games, but wouldn't it make more sense for people who have a chance to volunteer over the stupid, snivelling kids who usually get Reaped?

That's just what I think anyway.

Normally I don't think this hard about everything but it is Reaping day for the 82nd Hunger Games and my mind can't help but be focused on everything to do with the Hunger Games. I'm on edge because I am so excited.

Thankfully I don't have to wait long because District 1 always has their Reapings early in the morning and I am very eager to see who my competition will be.

Not that anyone will be much competition for me.

"Brother." My nine year old sister Evelyn smiles at me as I walk out of the room. "Make sure you don't die because there is still heaps of stuff that I want you to teach me."

I'm not going to die.

I know that, and my sister who looks at me with her adorable, admiring eyes knows it as well.

Evelyn has always looked up to me because I'm somewhat of a prodigy with tactics and weapons so I'm always teaching her everything that I can.

"You know, I don't think mum likes this." She mutters before I walk out to the family room.

"It's not really her choice. Dad approves of it anyway." I tell her.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. She's going to worry about you a lot though." Evelyn says. I pull her aside.

"I'm sorry you're going to have to put up with her Ev, but you and I both know she has nothing to worry about." I give my little sister a wink and she smiles back.

Today I am going to volunteer for the 82nd Hunger Games, wether my mother likes it or not.

The next two or so hours fly in a complete blur and it seems like only a few minutes later that I am at the Reaping. I can't help but think about how much effort and training I put in to get to this point, a point where I am ready to volunteer.

In my mind, I can't see a way that I won't be going home.

When I look around the city square and justice building of District 1, I know that I will be back here within a few weeks.

Alive.

Everyone else will be dead.

But I will be alive.

"Now for the tributes." The escort says, and I snap back to reality. I didn't realise how much time had passed since I had retreated into my own glowing fantasies about the moment of my return to District 1. Thankfully, I'm not that only one. The beginning of the Reaping is pretty much the same every year and I am not the only one who is obviously re-awakening back to reality. The escort moves over to the female reaping bowl and pulls out a name.

"Hailee Stone."

Hailee Stone doesn't even get a chance to move before a bunch of girls start pushing their way out of their sections, battling to get to the stage. But just like the Hunger Games, only one person stands forward as the victor.

"I volunteer!" A girl screams, running up to the stage and making her way to stand beside the escort. He grabs her hand, holding it up in celebration.

"What's your name?" He asks.

"Jennifer Hale." The girls says with complete confidence. Her hazel eyes dart around, watching the crowd and she flips her chocolate brown hair over her shoulder with a smile. Then she carefully watches as the escort draws out another name, scanning the crowd for the first signs of movement and the appearance of the person who will be her District partner.

"Jake Ylonda." He says and I immediately make my move.

"I volunteeeer." I stride forward out of my section, only to be greeted with an intense mumbling from the crowd at my appearance.

I expected them to be a little shocked so I just ignore them as I take my place next to Jennifer Hale.

"What's your name?" The escort asks me.

"Anderson Zarbon." I say, just as confident as Jennifer. He re-introduces both of us and tells us to shake hands. As we shake hands, Jennifer leans a little closer.

"Hasn't anyone told you that children shouldn't play with knives?" Her voice is layered with sarcasm and I can tell by the look in her eyes that she thinks I will be quick to go.

Those hazel eyes had followed me the second I stepped out from the twelve year old section so I had been expecting it.

"Didn't anyone tell you that I play with swords?" I wink at her.

I may be only twelve years old, but I am ready for this.

Bring it on.