The first Hunger Games
Teddy Johnson – District 1 male
It's reaping day.
Groaning, I roll out of bed and begin to change into my formal clothes. I heard that in poorer districts, the children eligible for reaping (12 to 18) take tesserae rations. However if they do then their name will be put in the reaping bowls multiple times, that's what the Capitol told us. Sometimes I thank my lucky stars that I was born into the wealthiest district.
Dragging my feet along the plush carpet, the delicious smell of sizzling sausages, bacon, juicy tomatoes and mushrooms fills my nostrils, managing to get all the way down to my stomach, which hasn't tasted food for the last eight hours. "Teddy, breakfast's ready!" My mother calls, in her sing-songy voice. I run quickly down the stairs and am greeted by my six younger siblings: Dolly, Sapphire, Shimmer, Ruby, Summer and Rupert. Out of all seven of us, five of us will be eligible for reaping, Dolly, Sapphire, Shimmer, Ruby and me. We each are a year apart, I'm sixteen, Dolly's 15 etc. all the way down to Ruby who just turned 12 a day before the cut off for this year's reaping. I position myself at the dining table besides Shimmer and Ruby. Both girls are usually pale, as are the rest of us Johnsons; however these two managed to take pale to the next level. Their skin was sallow and whiter than the snow that falls in winter. Their eyes seemed indented in their skulls, and dark, heavy bags sat under them. They were trembling uncontrollably, and they flinched at every sound. The two older sisters seemed more collected, but even Dolly and Sapphire seemed paler than usual. As she passed me my breakfast, my mum whispered into my ear that all four of them had had very restless nights. Well that explains the frantic whispers I heard from all directions last night.
The town square was frantic, people everywhere. Anxious parents and jittery kids everywhere the eye could see. As we were all different ages, we had to stand in different sections of the square, so we didn't even have the comfort of each other. My fingers still hurt from when they took a small sample of my blood for registration. I gently squeeze my finger in hope that the pain subsides, but it doesn't. Grimacing, I turn to face the raised stand where a peculiar woman has just walked on. Her skin is a light shade of pink, while her hair is a very bright purple, and long to. She introduces herself as Petty Blanche, District 1's escort for the games. Suddenly it all makes sense; she must be from the Capitol. That explains the abnormal skin and bright hair.
"Welcome, potential tributes, to the reaping of the very first annual Hunger Games, isn't this exciting!" Her voice sounds strange, and I realise it is because she is speaking with the Capitol accent. "Without further ado, let's get down to reaping!" She places her pink hand into a very large, glass spherical bowl. "And the female tribute representing district 1 is…" I cross every part of me that I can cross in hope that it is not one of my four eligible sisters. "Opal Hart!" I breathe out; it feels like a huge strain has been taken off me. However I realise that the males are next. Now I'm sweating, you see, I don't like fighting, so I'd be hopeless in the Capitol's games. Too late to fret now, as Petty's baby pink hands are reaching into the other glass bowl… "Teddy Johnson!"It takes a while to sink in. I feel like my stomach has dropped suddenly from a great height. I feel sick, like I'm going to faint. Slowly, with shaking footsteps, I walk towards the platform. Once on it, I can see the looks of horror upon my mother's and sister's faces. Gulping, I look sideways in the direction of Opal. Despite her name and age of 15, Opal looks tough and battle ready, while I look more like some little kid from district 11 or twelve, as even though I've always had plenty to eat, all of my family is rather petite, which could be both a blessing and a disadvantage in the arena. Petty Blanche is grinning like an idiot towards the crowd. "The families of each of these two tributes will be allowed one hour to comfort them, before they have to take the train to the Capitol." She says, before ushering me and Opal towards the Justice Building.
I sit on the crimson velvet sofa awaiting the arrival of my family. My mother had divorced my father when she found out that he had actually been feeding information to the Capitol. So I'm pretty sure that other families will not be too sad to see me being slaughtered in the arena. The door opens and in walks my family, all seven of them. Eleven year old Summer and ten year old Rupert. At least if I win these games then all of us will be spared from the games after on, however I'm not sure if the Capitol just told us that to make us feel better. All 5 of my sisters, plus Rupert and my mother throw themselves round me. We don't say anything, we just stay like that. When all of us break apart, my mum hands me a badge. It's the emblem of district one, however instead of saying 'luxury' like it does on the actual crest, it says simply in small writing: 'Teddy Johnson, loved dearly.' Suddenly, tears are streaming down my face, I can't stop them, but they don't mind. My mother whispers in my ear, "You are loved, and we are with you every day that you are in that awful arena. Good luck and we love you Teddy, you'll do us proud." She has to stop because tears are running uncontrollably down her face to. I look up and see that all my siblings' faces are streaked with tears. Just then the door bursts open and a peacekeeper strides in. "Times up, get out!" they all give me one last quick hug and are ushered, or rather shoved, out the room. Even though I want to see them again, something deep down tells me that I'm not going to see them again.
I and Opal are directed to a waiting train. It's one of those high speed Capitol ones. Its interior reminds me of the Justice building, all velvety and crimson. As I stare out of the window I realise that I am never going to see my family or my home again.
Opal Hart – District 1 female
My father makes the best pancakes that Panem has ever seen. Trust me; until you have tasted these, you have not eaten anything. Only one thing stops this morning from the being the usual cheery atmosphere in the Hart household and that is the looming threat of the reaping. Amber sits next to me happily spooning plentiful amounts of sugar, lemon and maple syrup onto her pancake. On My right are my two brothers, Jet and Topaz, twins and both 10; and my mother. I am the only one who will have to face the reaping, obviously Jet and Topaz will have to in two years, and Amber will have to next year, as she is only 11, but for now they're safe. Well, as safe as anyone can be now.
Dressed in my best formal clothes, I stand with the other 15 year old girls. I stand out quite a bit, with my stocky build and shimmering, almost white hair. We all anxiously wait, and already my palms are getting sticky. A woman walks onto the stage. If you can even classify her as a human woman, that is. Her skin is dyed a baby pink and her hair is a bright shade of purple. She speaks with that iconic, Capitol accent, another clue to where she is from. "Welcome, potential tributes, to the reaping of the very first annual Hunger Games, isn't this exciting. Without further ado, let's get down to reaping!" I pray to whichever God is out there that I am not picked, and I manage to almost make myself believe that my name is one in almost half a million when she says the fateful words: "And the female tribute representing district one is… Opal Hart!" I feel faint. Almost staggering, I walk without looking back to the raised platform, where this Petty Blanche (she introduced herself earlier) is standing. I feel almost sick to look at her. How can she enjoy this? Before I know it, she has called out the male tribute, a boy called Teddy Johnson. I almost smile. How fitting for the Capitol to send to his death the boy of one of their best double spies. About three years ago, his mother, Madge Johnson, divorced Lukah Johnson because she and the rest of the district had discovered that instead of spying on the Capitol, he had been feeding them information about the district's plans. At least Teddy will be an easy kill to make. I don't really want to kill anyone, but I know it's either kill or be killed so what can I do? And I am determined to come out of that arena and see Amber, Jet and Topaz again. Petty give another fake and Capitol laugh before announcing that the families of the two tributes will be allowed precisely one hour to say their goodbyes.
"Oh darling" my mother cries as she rushes into the velvet clad room. Amber is sobbing loudly, and even the 'brave' Jet and Topaz are sniffling. My father holds out his hand to me, and in it is a beautiful pair of opal earrings. "We are allowed to give you a token to take into the arena. We thought you'd like this." I can't speak so I just nod my head instead, but he understands. All of us seem pretty choked up. But I try to compose myself as I know that there will be plenty of cameras at the station where we are due to get our train. For the final part of the remaining hour we just sit there, trying not to show each other how sad we are. A peacekeeper comes in and states that Opal Hart's family better get out as the hours up. "I love you!" I shout frantically at my family, but all I hear is Amber's quiet sobs.
Petty leads me and Teddy towards the station. I was right in thinking that there was going to be cameras, and I can barely see through all the flashing. I was also right in thinking that Teddy wasn't much competition, as his face is red and blotchy, and quite frankly looks like a hose has been set loose on him.
The train is one of those sleek Capitol models, and I realise that our journey to the hub of Panem will take just over ten minutes. Trying to make sense of all the emotions running through my head I sit down on one of the plush sofas and close my eyes.