District 1 Reapings

Scarlett Huxtable

I'm beautiful, I know I am. Everyone always tells me, "Wow, you're stunning". They even turn their heads in the street to catch a second glimpse. Plain and simple I'm gorgeous.

I stand in my room staring at my reflection in the floor length mirror, inspecting my glittery red dress. Mummy bought it especially for the reaping today; she did tell me that I would have to wear it again for my eighteenth party in three months but that won't be necessary. Once I volunteer for the Hunger Games today and win it, which I will, I won't ever have to wear the same outfit twice again.

"Scarlett, hunny, I've made you some breakfast" my mother calls from downstairs, "It's your favourite"

Like I'm going to be putting any sugars into this body today? Shaking back my mane of blonde hair, I skipped down the stairs of our large house. Daddy's one of the richest men in the District and Uncle Onix is the Mayor of District 1. Mummy was the daughter of the last Mayor and apparently she looked just as beautiful as me, although I can't believe that, so Daddy snapped her up and married her. Now the three of us live in the best house in the district, well apart from the ones in Victor's Village but I'm glad I didn't have any brats for siblings. I love being an only child, just makes them spoil me even more.

"I am not eating that Mother, you know I need to look my best today" I said, as I sat down and pushed the plate of bacon and eggs away from me.

"Oh sweetie you need to eat something and think of all those starving little peasants in District 12 that would love this" mother said as she checked herself in the mirror

"Why can't you just support me mother? I am about to become famous and you just want me to look fat! Don't you?" I screamed throwing the plate across the room

"No no precious, I wouldn't want that. Don't worry, mummy loves you and your going to look radiant today on that big screen" mummy said putting her arms around me

She always does this, I love mummy especially how she spoils me but god does she irritate me. Just because she didn't get to take part in something so amazing like the Hunger Games because she's too god damn old, she wants to try and sabotage me. As if I havn't got enough of it from all the other girls in this district already.

"Obviously I'm going to be radiant mother, look at me! I'm going to the reaping to meet Sapphire, tell Daddy I said bye" as I stood up, swishing my hair back and skipping off out the door noticing my reflection in the mirror. I am so beautiful!

I have to push my way past all the young brats to reach the section cautioned off for the seventeen year old girls. I heard two twelve year olds commenting on my dress, I have such amazing taste everyone can see. I notice my arch enemies Zahra Hills and Precious Ryde already waiting; they notice me and start whispering. What loser's, Zahra's brother died in the game's three years ago and now her mum's banned her from volunteering, she's not even allowed to train anymore and Precious well, she's too much of a wimp to sleep in the dark let alone volunteer to kill someone. I can't wait to come back and rub their ugly little noses in my triumph.

"Scar over here, get your sexy butt here now" snapping out of my fantasy, my best friend (loose term of course) Sapphire Huxtable stands waiting for me shoving another girl out her way to make room for me. She's Uncle Onix's daughter, so technically were cousins unfortunately. Having another girl in the family takes the shine of me.

Standing next to Sapphire, I notice the stage that has been set up in front. Sapphire's older brother and my cousin, Jax is standing up on stage talking to a Green haired, green suited man obviously from the Capitol. Jax won the games three years ago; killing half of the tributes in the games, this year there would be two winners in the family. The other District 1 winner, Kann Xyro, stood to the side of the stage rocking back and forth. He won the 3rd Hunger Games becoming our District's first ever winner but apparently he'd gone insane from the death's he'd witnessed in the games. I seriously hope I didn't end up with him as a mentor; I need one with a bit of guts.

"Look over there Scar, Justice Green's giving you the eyes" whispered Sapphire nudging me as I looked over at the stunning eighteen year old looking over at me. Justice had been chasing her for month, the blonde mop-haired idiot was attractive she gave him that but having a boyfriend would seriously hurt her strategy in the games.

"I've told him he volunteers I'll cut off his-" I started

"Welcome to the District 1 Reapings" shouted the Green haired man, "I am glad to introduce you to the first steps towards the 11th Hunger Games"

Sapphire leant towards me, "He's changed his speech abit"

"I know, must be changing it all around, shush I'm going to miss my que"

The same old video is played about how we were such a bad people and we were horrible to the Capitol blah blah blah. God I wished they would just let me volunteer now, so everyone can cheer me on.

"Lets get down to business and pick those two lucky individuals and remember Let the Odd's be ever in your favour" declared Green Hair, "Ladies first!"

He reached into a large glass ball to the left of him, shifting his hands through the mounds of paper slips.

"Prittie Sands!" shouted green hair down the microphone

"I Volunteer!" I screamed, "Get out of my way you dirty little commoners"

I didn't even know who that girl was, everyone is staring at me. Their cheering me on as I walk past them all, well push past them. People are still so rude, don't they know who I am. Don't they know who I'm going to become. Scarlett Huxtable. Victor of the 11th Hunger Games….

Awe Hanson

"Awe! Hurry up we're going to be late. You know what they do to people that are late to the reapings" my mum shouted behind her as we ran down the cobbled streets towards the town centre.

Me and Mum, that's how it's always been. Dad walked out on us 8 years ago when he met another woman and we never heard from him since. I'm only 12 now but I can still remember the argument's they had, then he just got up and left and never came back. Ever since it's just been the two of us. That's why I was never allowed to train for the games; Mum was too frightened to even let me think about preparing myself. She tells me I look like my dad; I have the same auburn hair that he had. Whereas my mum has the same features that most of District 1 have, blonde hair and blue eyes.

We run down another street and turn left, the square is just ahead and we can hear the noise from the hundreds of teenagers gathered. I catch up to her finally as we reach the beginning of the square.

"Mum, I'm scared" I whimper, "I…I don't want to die"

Mum squats down on a wall staring at my face, "Darling look how many people are here, and your name is only in there twice. You're not going to get picked".

"Are you sure?" I whisper

"Yes…now go find a place with the other twelve's and come find me once it's finished"

I kiss her goodbye and weave my way past all the other kids; I'm so small I go unnoticed as I snake through them. As I reach my section, I stand alone on the edge, I don't have any one I'd call a 'friend', my mum's my best friend. I try to stifle a laugh as the Escort for District 1 steps up to the microphone all dressed in green even his hair! He goes on about the rebellion and how were paying for our crimes or something like that, I wasn't paying attention

He picks out a name who I recognise from my Maths class at school, she's quiet and friendly and I'm glad when another girl volunteers in her place, another very beautiful girl. What a kind thing to do of her and she's so pretty. I can't keep my eyes off her; she giggles down the microphone and swishes her hair. Her eyes are so blue…

"Awe Hanson!"

Wait? What? No it can't be! Not me, not little Awe. Mummy told me I'd be safe. Please. I hear a scream from the side of the square and I know it's my mum trying to find me. Two of the boys push me out and I stumble as I know a thousand eyes are on me. I fight back tears as I climb the steep steps towards the stage. The green haired man looks down on me like he wants to eat me and the girl; I think her name was Scarlett is standing swishing her hair in the sun. Green Hair asks for any volunteers from the crowd but there's complete silence throughout the square.

No one's volunteering, why is no one volunteering. Someone always volunteers, every year for the last five years they have! Why not today. All I want is my mum.

Scarlett

I'm furious; I can't believe I'm stuck with that snivelling mummy's boy. Now what am I going to do, I needed an ally from this stinking district at least to get me through to the top 8. I can't believe Justice didn't volunteer to protect me. Nothing goes my way and worse they've stuck me in this stupid room so that I can say my 'goodbyes'. I pace up and down the room until a peacekeeper opens the door and mummy runs in and hugs me, with a massive smiling.

"My Scar's done it; she's going to be famous. I knew you were set for great things" declared mummy congratulating me, I notice Daddy walking in behind her looking at the pictures on the wall.

I shrug her off me, "Obviously mother, although I'm going to have to kill that cry baby first, you can hear him from here"

"Make us proud dear, come on Darling" my Father says grabbing my mother's arm, "We must go, and you mustn't miss your hair appointment"

I smile sarcastically as they leave, god parents can be so patronising. I'll be glad when I'm rid of them. The peacekeeper comes in to tell me Sapphire and Justice are outside to see me but I tell them to turn them away. I don't need good lucks and I certainly don't need weak boys frightened to volunteer to protect me. I'm going to do this myself.

Awe

My mum's shaking as she holds on to me, we've both been crying for the last 3 minutes that she's been in here. Well I've been crying ever since I went on stage. One of the peacekeepers slam on the door and shouts that we only have two minutes left, two minutes to say my final goodbyes.

"You…You can win this Awe. I…I…know you can" stuttered my mum, "just run as fast as you can and keep hidden, you're small and a good hider"

"I can't mum…I can't"

"Yes you can Awe! You must! You must come back to me, don't ever give up" my mum demands, as the peacekeeper opens the door and tells her she must leave.

I try to hold onto her but they wrench her away and chuck her out the room before I can say anything. I'm left here, in the same place that my mum left me for what seems like hours. No one else will come; I have no one else that will miss me. Finally the peacekeepers escort me out and Scarlett the other tribute is already waiting, it's hardly surprising that she turns her nose up and ignores me. As the two of us are led to the trains, were told that Jax is mentoring Scarlett and I get Kann, great now I'm certainly going to die. He couldn't help anyone the state he's in.