Daka's POV
I lay awake on top of my wool sheets. I listen to the crashing of the waves outside my window, it is the only thing calming me down. It is a silent night in District 4, but I can't seem to fall asleep. Our reaping is tomorrow, for the 3rd Annual Hunger Games. Three years already, three years since the rebellion failed. Now every district has to pay. I think about all the kids it could possibly be, I think of little Finnbar Merith, who just turned eleven. Just in time to be sent off to die I think bitterly. I think of my little cousin Embeilia and how fragile she is, she's only fourteen. A lump wells in my throat of the thought of her dead on the ground of an arena. Suddenly I think about the possibility of me getting picked. I think it would be some sort of a relief, if I got picked. Then I would know for sure no boy in my district would get hurt. I don't think I would be able to fight anyone though. I wouldn't be able to "bring pride to my district", I couldn't kill another life just for the pure enjoyment of the capitol. I just couldn't do it. I'd probably be the easiest kill, I wouldn't fight back, I wouldn't scream, I would just lay there and hope he or she kills me quick. I look up at my window, there is light just peeking above the trees. It will be daylight soon and everyone will be getting ready in their best clothes to see who gets the chance " to have the honor of representing District 4 in the 3rd annual Hunger Games, and May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!" I groan and roll over on my stomach. Minutes tick away like seconds and before I know it my mother is calling me down stairs to have breakfast.
"Good morning." My father mumbles, as he eats his porridge. I slide down next to him. We're okay for the lack of food that comes in and out of this district. Most of our neighbors just rely on their fish and maybe something edible they picked, but we do a little better than the rest of all the people we know. I'm not saying that in a mean way, but that's how it is.
"Morning", I say as I slide into a chair next to him. My mother is walking around the kitchen nervously, trying to keep herself busy I presume. No one is really thrilled about today. I'm their only child so my parents don't exactly want my name called during the reaping, unlike some parents who have started to actually train their kids to fight, so that they could be in the Games. What my parents don't know is, I put my names in more than necessary, I want to get picked. I don't want anyone else getting hurt.
"Daka, Sweetheart I put something out for you to wear."My mother says. I nod to her and walk into the back room to get dressed.
The moment has come, all the children between the ages of 11 and 18 have lined up by the peer for the reaping. I'm in front of my friend Cira, I've known her since we were three. I look back at her and she gives me a sad, strained smile. I pray that they don't pick her. The peacekeeper asks for my arm and draws blood from my finger, and then prints it on a paper. I then cascade throughout the crowd and land in the middle. I see a perky woman around the age of 30 from the capitol. She has a bright sea green, frilly skirt with a matching lacey top. She's also wearing a bright blue blazer, her lips are a deep purple, matching her eye shadow and her stilettos. Her hair is dark red with sea green streaks and her teeth are a bleached white. She smiles down to the crowd.
"HELLO DISTRICT 4!" she beams, "I'M MILLY CAMILY, I WILL BE ANNOUCNING THE TRIBUTES THAT GET THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING YOUR DISTRICT IN THE 3RD ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES! BEFORE THAT, I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO WATCH THIS FASCINATING VIDEO!" A big screen rolls down, and a video of the rebellion appears. I drown it out and savor the couple of seconds I have before she calls out the names of the tributes. I'm afraid of who she will pick. I stand there and look at the video, describing why children have to do this. It's basically a pissy way of telling us that we're the capitol's bitch. Once the video is done, Milly claps her hand wildly and almost jumps with excitement. "NOW TO OUR TRIBUTES!" , she bellows throughout the crowd. "LADIES FIRST!" , she smiles brightly and places her very long manicured fingertips inside of a large glass bowl containing little cards that hold names in every part of District 4. I hold my breath hoping I don't hear anyone that I'm friends with. She pulls out a small card, and opens it up wide so that she can get a good look at it.
"FLUTTER MERK!", Milly yelled and everyone turned to look at a very petite girl. She was wearing a long blue dress, she had brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was very average looking, nothing special about her. She gulped quickly and started to march up the stairs. Milly shook her hand and lead her to one side of the stage to stand. I turned to the back to look at the parents, her mother, or what I think is her mother, was silently sniffling to herself trying to hold back the tears. I looked at my mother she was gripping her shoulder gently, in a reassuring way.
"NEXT THE BOYS!" Milly said clapping her hands once more. I thought of all the boys standing before me, none of them deserved to be sent into that arena. It dawned on my then, that it didn't matter how many times I had placed my name in that bowl , there was still a chance it could be any of the other kids standing before me. As Milly ran her manicured fingers through the bowl of cards once more, I stood away from the crowd, so that I was alone in the middle.
"I VOLUNTEER!" I screamed. A large gasp ran throughout the entire crowd. Milly stood back in shock.
"Is that allowed?" She asked into the microphone to, I guess no one in particular. A peacekeeper nodded hesitantly, and grabbed me by my arm. He lugged me up the stairs of the stage and next to Milly.
"WELL THIS IS A FIRST!" She squealed enthusiastically. "IT'S THE HUNGER GAMES VERY FIRST VOLUNTEER TRIBUTE!" I looked over at everyone in the crowd, they just stared up at me in shock. They were probably wondering why anyone would volunteer to go into an arena where they had to fight to death with twenty-three other kids. I looked over at my mom, she was holding her hand up to her face. Now Mrs. Merk was holding her and my father was making his way next to her. I know that my death will hurt them, I realize that but, it's for the greater good.
"WHAT'S YOUR NAME YOUNG MAN?" Milly asked handing the microphone to me for a brief moment.
"Uhh Daka Plimer." I stammer. She smiles brightly and throws the hand that isn't holding the microphone up in the air.
"OUR TRIBUTES!" She said giggling, everyone else in the crowd awkwardly clapped their hands. "You two shake hands now!" She said motioning towards me and Flutter. I held out my hand and she hesitantly shook it, she had hard, cold, dry hands. After that Milly and a couple of peacekeepers walked us off the stage.
Mediza's POV
I woke up in a jolt, my heart beating, and my forehead sweating. I clasped a hand on my head and used the other to hold my heart. It was the same dream I've been having since District 1's reaping. They picked me, I was the one who had to go into the arena. A tear rolled down my face as the last moment in the dream came rushing back. Me stone cold, in the arena with blood running down my neck. I had died. You had only placed your name in once, my mother had reassured me over and over again. They're going to pick someone who put their name in more than once. I reminded myself of these words, but no matter what my heartbeat wouldn't slow down. I pushed my light, ripped sheet off of me and climbed out of my cot, trying my hardest not to wake my little sister Kare. I lightly brushed a light brown curl away from her face, before walking slowly to the kitchen area of our house. I grabbed myself a glass of water, and downed it in a minute. Today wasn't my reaping, THANK GOD! But it was District 4's and it was mandatory to see the tributes. In a couple of hours one unlucky boy and girl would be picked to go inside that arena and fight. I was sorry for whom ever was picked, but as long as it wasn't me I don't think I'd be too broken up about it. I place my glass down on the counter and head back to bed. I lay down beside my sister, and hold her close to me, and I slowly drift back to sleep for a few more hours.
...
"Mediza!" Kare says shaking my gently, I wake up to her big hazel eyes staring down at me. "C'mon District 4's tributes are about to be announced." I groan, not wanting to leave the warmth of my bed, but after a few tugs from Kare I finally comply. I sit down next to my mother, and father in the living area. I accidentally sit on the broken chair and fall through a little bit.
"Ow!" I yelp, my butt now aches from the sudden pang, my dad looks over to me guiltily and shrugs. I nod in response and decide to just settle on the ground. We are listening to a rebellion video on why we have the Hunger Games. How it's a life lesson because we betrayed the ones who love us, the Capitol and blah, blah, blah , blah! It gets old after the first ten times you see it. My sister and I silently make fun of the announcer's outfit and how absolutely insane it actually was. I giggled, at the sight of her closed up. I hoped our announcer wasn't as comedic or else I'd probably die of laughter.
"LADIES FIRST!" She yelled. It pierced my ears to have such a high pitch voice like hers yell like that, and on a microphone too. I don't understand why she needed to do that. After taking ten minutes to pick a fricken card with her long, gross fingernails she finally announces "Flutter Merk!" Now the picture closes up on a short girl, she has big brown eyes and long brown hair. She's so pretty, I thought to myself. I wished that I was pretty. Of course, my parents and family members say that I am, but they're obligated. I guess I'm alright especially for District 10 standards but, I definitely didn't look like her. I had light brown, frizzy, outrageously curly hair, with gross green eyes and a weird shaped nose. I was freakishly short and way to scrawny. Even my mother would always tell me, I was nothing but, skin and bones. As the girl approached the stage she started to shake a little. Not too noticeable, unless you were staring at her like I was. For the most part though she seemed strong and very brave. I admired her for that. Being brave at a time like that is something I could never do.
"NEXT THE BOYS!", Milly felt compelled to yell, yet again. I groaned and started to rub my temples with my fingers. The sound of her voice was going to kill me before I even got in the damn arena. Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by a boy yelling.
"I VOLUNTEER!", My eyes opened wide and I gasped, so did my whole family, so did the entire crowd. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD VOLUNTEER TO BASICALLY DIE! I needed to get a better glimpse of this loon! I inched myself closer to the screen. Boy did I get a good look at him. He was beautiful! Dark, shaggy hair, with bright blue eyes, he also had a deep sun kissed tan. He was absolutely flawless. I think the moment I saw him my mouth dropped to the floor. He was grabbed by a couple of peacekeepers and dragged onto the stage. You could tell underneath his shirt he had hardcore muscles. They seemed perfect, underneath his blue button down shirt, that perfectly matched his eyes.
"WHAT'S YOUR NAME YOUNG MAN?" Milly asked, and for a split second I didn't care that she was puncturing my earlobes. I couldn't get my eyes of this beautiful boy. How could someone so perfect risk his life for entertainment. I shook my head in disbelief.
"Uhh Daka Plimer." Daka Plimer the most beautiful person alive. I smiled to myself and giggled a little. I would definitely be rooting for him to win, he was someone who had to go home. I couldn't watch if a face like that was beaten and bruised. Maybe I wouldn't watch it this year. Maybe I would only watch the end. My thoughts were interrupted by my sister.
"Well now it's only nine more days til our reaping, who do you think will have the honor of representing District 10?" She asked in a sarcastic manner. I shrugged and shook my head. The fear was bubbling back inside of me, I won't be picked I try to tell myself but, I don't believe me for a second.
Hey guys what do you think? This is my first Hunger Games fanfiction so please be gentle! I was some constructive criticism, but nothing too harsh. I hope you enjoyed reading! LEAVE ME A REVIEW LET ME KNOW!