A/N: Hey everyone. I am not copying Maddie Rose because I AM Maddie Rose. I am redoing my entire Hunger Games trilogy, starting with Blood Games. Please do review.

DISTRICT 1

Cassie Leigh Night

I'm so nervous that I'm nearly shaking, but I know I have to be strong. We don't stand in our age sections, because this year's different. This year, everything changes. They're voting for us. I can't explain the fear that holds me tight, tugging me deeper and deeper inside myself. Shane, my best friend, gives me an encouraging smile and squeezes my hand in an effort to reassure me. It doesn't work. He can see how scared I am. Who in their right mind wouldn't fear the Hunger Games?

Shane won't be picked, of that I'm sure. A lot of people like him, because of his kindness. I know what he's like because when my parents died in a house fire earlier on this year, he offered for me to stay with him and his family. First I didn't, as I was too proud, but then…then I came to realise that I was fourteen, and way too young to be living alone. I swallowed back everything I used to be and I changed, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. I emerged from my cocoon and I trusted in Shane, never once looking back.

Radiance Fair, the District 1 escort, moves silently to the podium and starts speaking in a bleak tone, lying through her teeth that it's great to be here. Behind her, the most recent District 1 victor, a young man in his twenties named Heath Fallicoat, watches with a grim expression. It's not reassuring when even the people who are supposed to be raising our spirits seem to be reluctant about the whole thing.

"I think we'll start with the girl," Radiance says, reaching into the glass bowl for the single slip of paper that lies there. It's always the girls first, like 'ladies first' is some kind of politeness, like it's doing us a favour. My stomach is tight with apprehension. There's every chance that it might be me. I'm not well known within the district. People know my name, my face – but they don't know me.

I tuck a strand of wavy black hair out of my face, brushing the stud in my nose as I do so. It's always like this, every year. The tension that seems to bring together a nation, because no one knows who is going into that arena, if they're going to come home. A lot of the time, one of our tributes comes home alive. We're trained to fight, to kill. Except last year, they didn't. Both of our tributes died. Someone from District 2 won the Games, a boy with a handsome face and a sour expression. This year I hope one of ours wins.

"Cassie Leigh Night."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. My bright blue eyes – which Shane often teases me about and calls them "baby blue" – widen in shock. My knees have turned to jelly. What? It can't be possible. I thought this was probably going to happen, but it's totally different to actually being picked; actually realising your district doesn't care if you die. Shane places a hand on my shoulder, looking upset, and steers me out.

I begin that walk of doom up to the podium. We're a Career district, one of the well-off districts that can afford good food and don't have starving people. Between us, District 2 and District 4, the other districts very rarely have a victory. The odds of having a victor from our district are quite high. The odds, as they say, are in our favour. The only problem is, I don't think they're in mine.

Jordan Falconhearst

Oh, great. Simply fantastic. I toss my sand-coloured hair out of my turquoise eyes as I continue to run down the streets, panting with exertion. I'm late for the Reaping and that's not a good thing. Not good at all. I know these Games are different, because Luka Marinette and I have talked about it a lot. Luka's my fiancé. We're going to get married soon. It's not that I don't have enough money – I have plenty, because although my parents are dead they were wealthy and left everything they had to me – it's that we want to wait until we're both old enough. I'm seventeen and Luka's a year younger. We'll wait until Luka's eighteen.

Everyone's in the Square now. I squeeze through the crowd to get to my friends. There's a lot of us, all different ages. It's a big group. Jerid McKartner turns and grins at me, beckoning me over. He's standing next to Kourtnie Everwater. I restrain a laugh. Everyone knows that Jerid adores Kourtnie.

"You're late," Luka accuses me as I stand next to her, but her eyes are glittering. I know that she's nervous. I place a hand on her shoulder. Luka has no need to worry. She won't be picked, that's for sure. This Game is a Quarter Quell. You see, because it's the 25th Games, the Capitol has decided that every 25 years the Games will be…special. So everyone from our district had to vote for who they wanted in the Games. It still left a horrible taste in my mouth.

"They've already picked the girl," another of my friends, Gray Ravenson, mutters.

I look up to the podium. The girl there is younger than me, probably fourteen. She's chewing on her lip and looks as if she's about to cry. I recognise her vaguely, but I can't put a name to her face. I frown and watch as our escort, a beautiful, solemn woman named Radiance Fair, pulls out the boy's name. For a moment, I catch my breath.

"Gabriel Fallstar."

Oh, no. I watch as Luka's eyes widen in horror. That's her twelve-year-old half-brother. Gabriel gulps and walks towards the podium and I look at him and remember just how small he is. He'd be lucky to pass for ten let alone twelve. I look at Luka and I think she sees it in my eyes, because she opens her mouth to say something…too late.

"I volunteer!" I practically gasp, lunging towards Gabriel and gripping him by the shoulders, "I…I volunteer."

Radiance raises her eyebrows, looking surprised by this. I know why Gabriel was chosen. He's a quiet kid. He doesn't really associate with the others much, so they don't like him. But a twelve-year-old in the Games? I've watched the Games since I can remember. A twelve-year-old has never lived to become the victor. Gabriel would not survive.

I'm not doing this for Gabriel, though. I turn around and glance at Luka, who is watching me with her beautiful silver-blue eyes wide and her mouth open in a gape of horror. She can't believe what I've just done. Neither can I, for that matter.

DISTRICT 2

Aloe Templare

"Come on, girl, get UP!"

I feel the sheets ripped from my clutches and I shoot up, glaring at my adoptive father, Niel Dodson. He has an unimpressed look on his face. I remember what day it was with a thrill of apprehension and I jump out of bed as Niel leaves the room. Niel adopted me about three years ago. My parents died when I was really young and I was sent to the orphanage, where I didn't fit it. I fought with all the other kids, but Niel – a victor from the 5th Hunger Games – saw promise in me and trained me to be a Career in the Hunger Games.

I rush across to the mirror and although it sounds vain, I'm not too unhappy with what I see. I'm really tall, taller than most boys my age. My hair is platinum blonde and my eyes are dark blue. I'm a little disappointed with my figure though. I'm thin for a sixteen-year-old girl, and a little lacking in the curves department.

After a hurried breakfast, Niel and I head down to the Square. There is an almost excited buzz in the air today. District 2 is probably the district that looks forward to the Games the most. Our tributes, along with those of Districts 1 and 4, are notorious for being victors. In fact, looking up to the podium, I can see last year's victor, a seventeen-year-old boy called Praetor Lawson. I have to admit, he's pretty cute. As well as him is our escort, Shadow Gloom. He's just like his name – secretive. He doesn't ever smile really.

Shadow starts rattling off the usual speech about how good it is to be here, but I'm not even listening. I'm sizing up the competition, wondering if I'll be picked. The kids in other districts might shit a brick if they were chosen for the Games, but not me. I actually think it would be pretty cool. I've been fighting my entire life. So what's to stop me winning?

"The female tribute is…" Shadow reaches down and grabs out the sole piece of paper in the glass bowl. "Aloe Templare."

Wow. What a surprise – not. I know Niel's probably got a hand in this, not that I really care. I know why the district has voted for me. It's because I stand a chance. So I allow myself to smile as I walk towards the podium.

I'm going to win these Games. I'm sure of it. After all, who has fought like I have?

Dain Winters

Ah, the Hunger Games. I'm eighteen, so it's my last chance. They haven't called me up yet. It's always a snivelling little boy or some vicious brute who actually thinks that strength alone will have them win the Games. Idiots, the lot of them.

Well, I'll show them that I can actually win the Games. I've been trained for this my entire life. As well as that, I live in a district that specializes in weapons and medicine – so I know a lot more about foods in the arena than the other pathetic tributes will.

I watch as Aloe Templare makes her way up to the podium. I size her up and find myself smirking. Oh, yeah. I know Aloe a little – she was adopted by Niel Dodson, one of District 2's victors. Another victor, Praetor, sits up on-stage. He's a year younger than me, but I've seen him fight. He's good. It's no wonder he won the Games last year – because he was completely ruthless.

Aloe's about two years younger than me. I'll kill her if I have to, but I'd rather leave it up to someone else. Not because I care about her in any way, but because I don't want to waste my time with her while I could be gutting a District 4. She's a fighter, but she's nowhere near as good as me. Not even having been adopted by Niel.

I'm getting bored by this whole thing. Shadow goes to read out the boy's name and I roll my eyes and step forward, not out of any pity for the would-be outcast who'd be chosen, but because this is my last year. I'm going to give these people a show like they've never seen. They thought the Hunger Games was bloody and brutal? I'll show them violent. I'll show them cruel. I'll give them a spectacle they'll never forget.

"I volunteer."

Shadow looks down at the paper and then across at me, a little startled. I smirk then, because that's when I realise it's MY name on the paper. The district knows what I'm like. They know I have the ability to win these Games.

I swagger up to the podium and stand beside Aloe. She's sizing me up, trying to figure out what kind of opponent I'll be. I give her a disdainful glance and just shake my head.

"I hope you don't think you stand a chance, Templare. Against the other districts, maybe. Against me? No way."