THE 97th HUNGER GAMES HAVE BEGUN!
Aphira Norte's POV (District 1):
"You can't stop me, Mother! I'm going to Volunteer no matter what you say!" I snapped at my Mother as I walked up the stairs and into my room. I slammed the door behind me and went over to my wardrobe. What to where… I thought to myself, examining the large variety of brightly colored dresses. hmmm… no I wore that one last year… I thought after looking at a bright yellow dress.
I eventually pick out a lovely pink dress and silver shoes. I dress and pull my golden hair back into a ponytail, securing it with a pink ribbon. After applying makeup, I walk from my house, ignoring my Mother who tried to yell at me, and walked to the square where the others were gathering. I sign in and smile maniacally as I stand in the crowd of girls. "Welcome all of you brave young people, to the 97th annual Hunger Games!" says our escort, Davio. Davio has bright purple hair and a brilliant Green suit. Around his eyes is a thin line of Purple eye liner makes his Blue eyes pop almost literally…
" Let us pick our tribute! Ladies first as usual!" He says as he walks over to the bowl on the right labeled "Girls" and reaches far into it, grabbing a card with a name on it. He pulls it out and walks back to the microphone. " our Female Tribute is…" he begins as he opens the card. " Juliessa Dove!"
A small girl with red hair and huge blue eyes steps nervously to the stage. "Any Volunteers?" He says and I waste no time to reply. "I volunteer as tribute!" I yell and run proudly to the stage. Davio then proceeds to the bowl labeled "Boys" and takes a card back to the microphone, opens it, then reads it. " Collin Colton!" he calls and a 17 year old boy comes and joins next to me. we shake and are shoved off into the justice building… no one comes to say good bye and I don't care. I'm going to win and that I'm determined to do!
Lucinda Shine's POV (District 4):
I've grown up in a pretty subpar area of District 4. We live in land and fished in lakes… I worked, however, making the lines for the fishermen. My life was very neutral… that is until 4 years ago when my brother, Lucas, was picked for the Games. He died a very gruesome death on the 11th day. I'm 14 now and am scared my mother will have to lose another child. I should be proud, coming from a Career district, but I'm scared more than anything!
On the morning of the reaping, my mother is the one to wake me. I sit up and see my dress sitting on the end of my bed. My dress is an old dark blue dress with puffed short sleeves and a lace collar. I quickly dress myself and walk into my bathroom where I brush my hair and put on a matching blue headband, then walk into the hall and head for the door.
"Next… Next…" says a peacekeeper, a woman by the name of Holland Finna who used to be a Boat maker, grabbing at our hands and taking blood. The smell of the Ocean lingers in the cool summer air. Our justice building is located just on the coast and is also a lighthouse… I am pushed along and end up in the crowd of people. "hehem! Welcome all!" begins our Escort, Wiyana. "to the 97th Hunger Games!" she smiles out at the cameras which are apparently just behind me. my hair blows in the salty, cool, Ocean breeze and I feel light as a feather. "Ladies first then! as per usual!" Says Wiyana. She walks to the "Girls" bowl and quickly plucks a name card from the bunch, then walks back to the microphone and reads it. "Our female tribute for District 4 is… Lucinda Shine!" I stand there a second waiting for the girl to go up before I realize that everyone is staring at me… I am the tribute for district 4!
I walk out to the aisle and am lead to the stage by two Peacekeepers. "and now for our male tribute!" Says Wiyana as she moves to the "Boys" bowl and draws a name. "Our male tribute is… Santhe Jalor!" she says and a young boy slowly ascends the stairs to the stage.
"well then! shake hands"
and we do. we are lead into the Justice building and I am put in a room with a small museum display of life vests, lighthouse lights, boat oars, and other memorabilia. My mother comes into the room rather abruptly and hugs me tight. I don't act quickly enough to hug her back through my state of shock from many mixed emotions… "Luci! Oh Luci! why did I let you take a Tesserae?" she says pulling away from me. "Mom, Calm down! It's going to be ok! I did what I had to to keep you alive!"
My mother is taken from me quicker than she arrived and I am shooshed, again, from the room and onto the train. Probably never to see District 4 again...
Syana Gracyn's POV (District 6):
I grew up making bicycles. I guess you could say I'm a tom boy. I never really liked dresses or makeup, and my worst fear isn't the Games, at least not directly that is. Its having to get my make up done for public Televisions. Early on the morning of the Reaping, my little sister, Holly, is up before me. She's 13, and very energetic. We used to joke that she's where District 5 gets the energy from! "Syana, I'm scared" she told me as I put her hair into a french braid. " I am too, but there isn't anything to be affraid of. You aren't going to get picked" I tell her. "its not me I'm affraid of, its you! what if you get picked? Grandma and Auntie will need you! And Uncle too!" she replied as she turns around to face me. "they'll have you." I say and turn and leave her room. "we best be going..." I say and Holly bounds from the room. "Hey, Holl? I have something for you..." I say pulling out two rubber bracelets from a drawer. Holly comes up next to me and I turn to her. "As long as you wear this, we will both be ok." I tell her and she nods in aggrement. "C'mon then. we musn't be late."
After leaving our house, I lead Holly to the square where others are gathering already. I help Holly sign in and tell her to go with the 13 year olds. I too sign in and find my spot between a tall blonde girl, her hair braided back, and a shorter girl with black hair in a bob. "Hello District 6! And welcome to another year of the Hunger Games! I presume you all know why you are here, so let us get right to it!" says our Escort, Trinnia. She, in her short puffy lemon yellow dress and matching pumps, marches over to the bowl labled "GIRLS" and stratigically pulls a name card from it. She marches back to the Microphone and reads the card off. "Our female tribute for the 97th Hunger Games is... Syana Gracyn!" My vision blures out for a minute then realize I am being carried to the stage. "Sy-na? are y-oo Ok?" a muffled voice says and I realize Trinnia is speaking to me. "S- ana? Are y-oo Ok?" she repeats, and I vaguely nod to her. I am put down and stand dizzily on stage. I miss the name of the Male tribute, and next thing I know I am sitting on the train, passing cow farms in which I assume is District 10.
Gabriel Role's POV (District 8)
My Father is dead... My mother is weak from illness and I could only have taken more and more Tesseraes for her. The reaping is what I fear most. If I was to be picked, my mother would die with me.
I must go anyway. I have worn the same gray shirt with the same black trousers. The pant legs are thread-bare, but its the best I have. After I change, I don't even tell my mother I'm leaving, but exit our appartment and climb the ladder to the hard pavement below. The Square is packed with people already and only 5 more people are in the sign in line; two girls, one with long blonde hair pulled into a pony tail and the other with Brown hair pulled into a bun. And three other guys, all taller and older than I.
I find my spot quickly and just in time too. "Welcome all to the 97th year of the Hunger Games!" our Escort, Davione says in his deep voice. His hair is shaved on one side and dyed teal, this matching his suit and eyebrows. "I shall first, as usual, pick our lucky lady!" he goes to the girl's bowl and draws a name, then returning to the mic, he opens it. "our Female tribute this year, is... Dylan Hall!" he says and I see a girl move out into the Aisle. She's the same girl I saw in the line! "and our male tribute is..." he begins and I notice he has already taken a guy's card. "Gabriel Roles!"He calls. No! I think mama! But I know I cannot do anything about it... I have to go into the Games...
Barker Pine's POV (District 12):
My parents and I are theives. I'v never gone hungry unlike most others in our districts. I've gotten good at what I do, though its gotten better now that my mom and dad are dead. They got themselves caught and Hanged a few years back. so far I've avoided questions, but things will change next year when I turn 19. This is the last year I'll be in the reapings and then I'm on my own... mostly.
Things have goten more strict lately. The guard number at the reapings have doubled and I think they've been watching me more. When I arrive at the square I notice some guards on a roof top, eyes peircing my chest. I quickly sign in and head to the 18 year old section. "Welcome everyone! this, as you know, is the reaping for the 97th year of Honor and sacrifice! It is the 97th year of the Hunger Games! and I am here to select which two of you are to go this year!" squeels a small woman who isn't our usual escort. "News has come through about your former escort, Tallianne. She just had her baby and asked me to fill in for her! I'm her neice, Rebekia Watt! now with out any more interuptions, let me pick your lucky men and women!" she says skipping over to the Girl's bowl and swiftly pulling out a name from it. "Our female tribute is..." she says figiting with the card and eventually forcing it open says "Elizabeth Mack!" And I see a girl with shiney black hair in curls, held back by a red ribbon. She stands there for a minute looking completely in shock then she slowly moves to the stage.
"And for our male tribute" she says walking back from the guy's bowl. "Nineva Harpers!" and I see a small, couring blonde kid get shoved into the Aisle. "I volunteer" I say without even thinking. what have I done! I think moving toward the stage. I shake hands with Elizabeth and I am lead into a small, dusty room where I sit in silence for 10 minutes until someone comes and drags me off to my death.