My name is Auden Kwell, and I am one of the contestants for this years Hunger Games. This year it's even more of a wonderful honor!

And by that I mean a terrible, horrible, disasterous situation.

Let me explain. I live in district twelve...you know, known for coal mining and all that. And this year is another Quarter Quell...

Another Hunger Game will begin soon, and this year I will indeed partake. One of the more unfortunate parts of this particular Hunger Game is that all of the competitors were volunteered by their own districts. This hasn't been done for many years, but was revived this year. I guess the Capitol felt like going retro. This is the reason why I'm in it this year, but not for the reason you might be thinking.

Can you imagine volunteering your own neighbors to die? Your friends? What would you do?

Simply do the best thing you can do, and vote for the weakest link...the one who will be missed the least. And these people in our community happen to be Eli Leone and Thisbe Krankon.

Eli is just plain inverted. He doesn't talk to anyone at school, and he to be perfectly honest he seems like a deadbeat to me. Of course, I don't really know Eli, but the fact he doesn't make an effort irritates me. I admit that I nominated him.

Thisbe is a cripple, considered an outcast. But then again, so am I. We both are considered outcasts, but for different reasons. Thisbe because she's a cripple and me because of my family name. The Kwell family has always been known for being a little strange, and despite me not following in my relatives foot steps it still affects my reputation. Right now you might be thinking "Wow, how unfair!" but you're guilty of doing this exact same thing. You know the kid at school with the father in jail or the mother who doesn't have a job? Don't you generalize about the kid because of his parents? Well, that's my life in a nutshell.

My parents are very, extremely anti-capitol. The problem with this is that everybody knows this, which is really not such a great thing. The Capitol has been known to punish rebels such as my parents, which makes you think that everyone would turn anti-capitol because of that right? Wrong. So dead wrong. It makes people avoid us like the plague. Luckily, our Peacekeepers don't pay much attention to us in the Seam, but it doesn't mean we're inconspicuous. Not that I'm not anti-capitol, because I am, but I'm not very verbal about it. Unlike my parents, I'm no rebel. Full of sarcasm, yes. Full of rebellion? Not so much. Kind of suprising considering they brought me up.

So, as you now see, I'm not too popular with the locals. When I started going to school, I was lonely. The other kids wouldn't even consider befriending me, and this is where Thisbe comes in.

She's really the best friend you could ever wish for, seriously. She's got a great sense of humor and a heart of gold. I've never heard her say a bad thing about anyone even though everyone else has no problem making fun of her leg. Oh yeah, her leg is the crippled part of her. It's really sad, because she's completely the opposite of crippled. If her leg was normal, she'd be popular. She has the most beautiful blue eyes and long, blonde hair. Her jokes make me laugh for days, and her smile is so contagious I can't imagine ever being angry with her for long. Unfortunately, she was born with a shriveled, stumpy right leg. It's a miracle her parents didn't strike her dead on the spot. It's that contagious smile I mentioned that saved her life. Right as the docter was going to do her in, she flashed that contagious smile. Or atleast that's the way her mom tells it. Anyways, the docter was so stunned at her sudden grin, he decided she was an advanced child and might prove useful to our society. It's actually kind of fascinating how she managed to smile a day after she was born. All that I know is that most babies don't do that. So anyways, she did actually end up being more advanced, in science that is. She's really good at chemistry and loves inventing stuff. She's going to be famous in medicine I swear, she makes the best cold more importanly, she has made a truly irreplaceable sister to me. Which is why when they announced her name, I thought I might pass out.

We both were standing in the crowd as nervous as anyone. There wasn't any true blue way to figure out who would be chosen even though it was done by vote. As we clutched eachother's hands nervously, me standing and Thisbe in her wheelchair, I had a terrible feeling in my gut.

"And our female tribute is...Thisbe Krankton!" Lily Penelope says excitedly. She's always fakely excited, it's quite annoying...especially in this dreadful moment. As Thisbe realizes her name has been called, she nods as if she knew it was coming. There's a forced applause throughout the plaza, but I don't join in.

"Thisbe, you can't even walk! You have to be excused!" I say, begging God to drop an answer from the sky. No such luck.

"Audy, it's ok. I'll be strong," Thisbe says, squeezing my hand one more time before letting go. Then, with a determined look in her eye and her head held high, she wheels herself up to the top of the podium. I can't let her do this, I'll never live past seeing her thrown into an arena and certainly killed on the spot. She's the best person I know, she deserves better.

"By tradition, now is the point where we ask for any volunteers. So, anyone inspired?" she asks in a whimsical tone. Now I'm really annoyed.

But also inspired.

"I'd like to volunteer," I say before I can rethink my idea. My fear starts to build, but as soon I see the relief in her mother's eyes I know I've done the right thing. My angel will be saved. When I get to the top of the podium, I look out into the crowd and see Thisbe in her mother's tight embrace. Thisbe turns around and I look in her eyes to see what she thinks of my actions. I can tell she doesn't like it, but her gratitude shows through as well. That is, behind the tears I see welling in her eyes. She'll forgive me eventually.

"Well isn't this just exciting! Hopefully our male tribute will be just as interesting!" Lily Penelope chirps. Ugh, how am I going to get along with this woman?

"The lucky man is...Eli Leone! Come on up here!" she says. I can see Eli as the crowd parts to let him through. I can't tell from looking at him, but I'm sure he's not suprised. He doesn't have any friends to not vote for him quite frankly. He doesn't even have a family to stand up for him since he's an orphan.

"Well, would anyone like to volunteer to be our male tribute?" Lily Penelope asks the crowd. The response is one of those silences when you can hear a pin drop.

"Ok then, we seem to have our tributes!" she says, sounding very peppy. My gosh, does she even know what she's talking about? There's more forced applause, and then Eli and I are led away to seperate rooms. Our family and friends will soon be coming to say their goodbyes, most likely their last.

"Oh honey, why did you do that?" my mom says, biting her lip. I knew she'd react this way, and I've prepared an answer.

"Thisbe didn't stand a chance, and she's more useful here than me anyways," I say. my mom sighs.

"You're so brave to fight the capitol by volunteering! It's such a show of heroism!" my dad says cheerfully, but it's mock cheer. I can tell he's sad.

"Thanks dad. Don't worry about me, it'll be ok," I said to cheer them up. I can see hope in both of their eyes.

"If anyone can do it, you can. Auden, you're a fighter," my dad said while lovingly ruffling my long, brown hair. It's naturally wavy, so this doesn't really make much of a difference.

"Don't fret, ok. I'll do my best for you guys," I tell them solemnly. It brings my mom to tears.

"Your time is up," a guard comes in to say. My mom starts sobbing.

"Come on Fresa, put on your rebel face," my dad says, grasping her hand. She half smiles at him, and then they both embrace me.

"We love you sweetheart," my dad says. I can see my mom nod through the tears.

"I love you guys too," I say as they leave. As they exit, Thisbe and he mom enter.

"Oh Auden, this is awful!" her mom says, hugging me. Thisbe wheels up beside us.

"You're right mom, this is awful. How could you?" she asks me, but not with malice.

"Thisy, I love you. I couldn't let them take you. Besides, you have to stay here and make breakthrough medical discoveries for me, okay?" I explain to her, almost smiling. She nods.

"I will, I promise," she says. I'm satisfied.

"I know you will. Mrs. Krankon, you make sure she does," I insist. I see a flash of pride in her eyes.

"I will Auden, I will."

"Well then, this is it," Thisbe says. She doesn't tear up, it's not in her nature, but I see she's very unsettled.

"Bye, dear," Mrs. Krankon says, leaning in and hugging me. Then she leaves, and I know she's crying. Unlike Thisbe, it's very in her nature to cry at pretty much anything slightly emotional.

"You've been the best sister ever," I tell her.

"No, you have been the best sister. I couldn't have asked for better," she says, holding out her arms for a hug. I close the gap and hold her close. For a moment, everything is fine again. But then she's wisked away, and I'm alone. So starts the end of my life.