"Ladies and gentlemen, let the 72nd annual Hunger Games begin"
Chapter 1
"Wake up May" my mother calls. I yawn and sit up. The sun shining through my window announces that I have slept way to late. Today is the day of the reaping. In District 8, the reaping is early, at 9AM. I glance at my alarm clock. 8:15. shoot. I scramble out of bed and throw on the red knee-length skirt, glittery silver top, and black heels I had picked out last night and trot downstairs as fast as I can without twisting my ankle. "Ready to go sweetie" my mom asks. I nod. Heading toward the center of town, I start to feel nauseous. I am roped off into a group where I am forced to stand with other 13 years old. Our districts escort, Lila, steps up onto the platform. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor. First, lets choose our girl tribute." Lila digs her hand deep into the ball that has precisely 2 slips that have May Jessica Bali written on them in my careful penmanship. Please not me, not me not me. Because if I am chosen, who would take care of my little brother, Jan, 2, and 6 year old June? My mother's salary at the factory is scarcely enough for one person, let alone four. So I learned to steal. I would wait until I saw my neighbors leave for work, or school, or where ever they went, and then I creep up into their houses and steal only extremely necessary food items that I am positive wont be missed. If I get caught, I would be shot in the head in front of the entire district. But I have come to the decision that a bullet in the head would be a lot quicker than starving to death. "And the lucky winner is...May Jessica Bali" Lila announces. Slowly, I make my way to the stage. My vision is blurring. Once on the stage, Lila stares at me for a moment, then says: "Oh, would you just look at these tears of joy, I mean, May looks ecstatic. Lets give her a big round of applause." With everyone clapping, I start to shake, these people, their anticipating my murder. Suddenly, the world goes fuzzy and black and I pitch forwards and pass out. When I wake up, I am in the justice building with my family surrounding me. My mom has her arms around me, little Jan has his face buried in my neck, and June is curled up beside me. I start to sob afresh. "I love you, all of you, more than anything in the whole world. So no matter what you see on the screen, you have to promise me that you'll fight through it. Mom, keep your factory job, Jan and June promise me that you'll stay in school. June, I want you to help out mom by playing with Jan while I'm gone, OK?" I ask "Where are you going" asks June. Mom has never allowed her to watch the Hunger games, trying to protect her as long as possible. "I am going to go play a game, and I might be gone for a long time." I explain carefully "But I will come home, I promise you, I will" My voice has risen to a shout, and new tears flow down my face. And suddenly there's a Peacekeeper at the door saying that time is up, an I'm shouting "Love you" and "I WILL come home" and then their gone. The next people to walk in are my best friends, Audra, Melissa, and Laurel. "your allowed one token from your district, right?" Laurel asks. "Yes" I respond. "Then will you wear this?" asks Melissa. Audra hands me a silver locket. In it, on one side is a picture of Jan, June, and my mother. On the other side there is a picture of me and all my friends at our elementary school graduation party. "Yes, I will, this is wonderful, I love you guys, thank you so much." I gush. Audra takes my hand, " Hide in the arena, steal from the careers, outsmart everyone and come home" She orders sternly. "Yeah, please come home, May, I couldn't take it if you died." Laurel adds. "One thing, please keep my family alive" I plead "It's a deal" Melissa responds "we keep Jan, June, and your mom alive, and you come home alive" I allow myself a small smile. "I'll see you in a few weeks then." We all hug, then the peacekeeper is there and forces them out. Another peacekeeper escorts me to the train station, where hundreds of cameras are pointed at me and millions of microphones are shoved in my face by thousands for people all asking me different questions. The peacekeeper shoves them away from me as I enter the train. Waiting for me is Lila, my escort, Woof and Cecelia, my mentors and the boy tribute from my district. At first, all I can see is the back of his head. As he turns, the effect of who he is hits me. I know him, and I hate him
Chapter 2
Riley Certix. Thats his name. He's evil. You see, I used to have a father and 2 more siblings. April and March. Riley is the Mayor's son. 3 years ago, My dad had taken April and March, 5 year old twins to the river to teach them to swim. Riley saw them, and told his father that they were fishing. Fishing is illegal because it's considered poaching off the Capital's lands. Riley convinced his father to hang them. I can still remember April's last scream, the fear in March's eyes, the guilt in my fathers. June somewhat remembers, but my mother didn't even know that she was pregnant with Jan yet. "Hello, May Jessica, this is Riley, and I'm Cecelia" Cecelia introduced smoothly "May I please talk to you privately" I nod, and she leads me into the dining area. "Please, feel free to eat while I talk, OK?" She waits while I fill up a plate with pasta, fruit, steak, rolls, soup, and a lot of stuff that I don't even know what it's called. "First off, I love the fact that your trying to play up "weak". Also, now that I've seen you, I think that you can totally pull off "sexy" too. Do you have any special skills you want to tell me about, or a plan for the games?" Cecelia asks. "I can use knives and spears well, and tie knots. Also, I can feed my self. My plan for the games is to act weak, and apparently sexy, and hide and steal from the careers when they aren't at their camp. Then, with only a few people left, when I've hopefully been forgotten about, I'll show up and kill anyone left, go home, and live a long sand happy life." I answer, slightly smug. "At training, I want you to appear mediocre, and try new things. Shoot some arrows, swing a sword, throw an ax. Try for a score so Low that people will automatically know that it was on purpose." Cecelia stands up to leave, but calls over her shoulder, "And when you get to the Capitol, don't object to what your prep team and stylists do, OK, you wont like it, but don't object." I nod, finish my brunch and go to my quarters. Once there, I plan on showering, but there are so man y buttons. Finally I just slam my hands down, pressing 13 random buttons. The water that sprays down on me is lukewarm, and I am washed with this fruity, citrusy smelling concoction. When I step out, all I have to do flip a switch and a current goes through my scalp, drying, untangling, and fluffing my hair. I search the drawers in my room and find thick, warm, pants and a matching pajama top. Despite the fact that it's only 3PM, I crawl into bed and embrace a blissful unconsciousness.
Chapter 3
"Wake up, up, up, because it's going to be a big, big, day" Lila calls. I slowly redress myself in my outfit from yesterday. Then I meander towards the dining area. "Eat quickly, because we are almost at the Capitol." Woof orders. I stuff my face with as much food as I possibly can and in 5 minutes the train stops. "OK, just take the elevators up to level 8. Riley, your stylist will be Marie, May Jessica, Alec. Don't object to what they do, and I'll see you guys tonight." Cecelia says. I follow her instructions and am greeted by 3 people, 2 female, 1 male, on floor 8. "Come here, dearie, that's right, in here. You can sit down over there. I'm Mage, this is Dyna, and that's Sapphire." He introduces. "Now tell us about yourself and undress" I stare at him. "You're kidding, right? Like I'd actually undress in front of you." "Have it your way then," Dyna says, and lunges forward and rips off my clothes. Despite my objections, my prep team bathes me, rids my entire body of all hair, and leaves. The second they do I wrap myself in a towel. Alec struts in. "Take off the towel" he growls. Alec looks about 35 and has an evil glint in his eye. I slowly unwrap myself. The second I do, Alec studies me. "Hm." he muses. "Well, if your going to play up "sexy" as you mentor wants, then you need a lot of work. Full body polish, I think." I stare at him in horror. "What if I refuse?" I challenge. "Then I tie you down and proceed." Alec snarls. Three hours later, my elbow-length chestnut colored hair cascades down my back in ringlets. I have on a purple wrap dress. The neckline is way too low, and it stops just barely below my waistline. Riley is in a tux of the same color as my dress. I feel exposed, I mean, how could I not! Suddenly, our chariot jerks forward. I smile at the crowd, wave, blow kisses. The crowd screams my name. I know that I'll need to get these people to love me, if I am to return home in anything other than a wooden box. So until our chariot stops outside of the city circle, I kiss, catch flowers, smile, wave, and scream "I love you" and "Thank you." By the time I reach my floor, I've lost my voice, my lips have gone numb, my arms are about to fall off, and I am holding more flowers than I have ever seen in my life.
I trudge off to my room, were I crawl under the covers of my bed and fall asleep instantly.
Chapter 4
I slowly stand up and stretch. The clock across the room reads 9AM. In the closet, I find an out fit that Alec must have layed out. It consists of insanely short green shorts, white-and-green sneakers, and a tight, strapless, white bra. I storm out to the dining area. "OK, Alec, where's my shirt!" I demand. At the sight of my rage, Alec, Woof, and Riley burst out laughing. "You're wearing it." he answers. "Now come and eat something before training." I sigh, defeated. Later, in the elevator, Riley turns to me and grins. "You know, we would get more sponsors if we were in love." "And I would have 2 more siblings and a father to come home to if you hadn't killed them." I retort angrily. "Ooh, still sore about that?" he teases "Because I think you look hot." as he said this, his hands encircle my waist. I try to break out but he's too strong. "Meet me in my room after dinner. Or else." to emphasize this, Riley digs his nails deep into my side. I gasp in pain. Riley takes my hand and leads me over to a table where a someone pins a number 8 on my "shirt". "Act like you love me" Riley orders. I oblige quickly by smiling up at him and leaning my head on his chest. Some lady reads the list of stations, and tells us that under no circumstances whatsoever are we to engage in any thing physical with another tribute, and assistants will be on hand if we would like to try something. Riley leads me over to the bow and arrow station. After that, we stay at the camofladge for an hour. After lunch, we make fires and throw spears. Dinner goes by quickly, and all too soon, I'm standing at Riley's door, knocking. The second I'm inside, he pins me on his bed. "What are you doing, get off of me, right now" I screetch. "Calm down, I have a plan. In my interview, I'm going to tell the audience that you're pregnant." He soothes. "Are you freaking kidding me, no No NO! Never and if you try anything I swear, I Will kill you!" "Except for the fact that I'm stonger than you, have you pinned down, and am armed. What have you got?" He asks. "With one scream I can bring people here who would stop you." I tried to state this superiorly, but it came out more like a question. "Why would you do that, I know you like this" Riley begins to rub his hands over my stomach. Suddenly, I am scared. Is Riley really armed? And does he really plan as presenting me as his weak, hot, pregnant girlfriend?