Author's Note: Hey guys! Thanks for clicking on the story! My friends and I have been writing this story together, and we each write a different character. We have a pretty cool story planned out if I do say so myself. Just a quick background before we get started. This story is basically the 74th Hunger Games we all know and love, in different perspectives. There will be a twist more towards the middle of the games. This story will be in Eleanor's (District 4 Girl Tributes) POV, Athena's (Foxface) POV, Clove's POV, and eventually Katniss' POV. Katniss won't be in the first few chapters because it will be the same as the book, but I promise she will be in future chapters! Well, I think that's it. Without further adieu, I present to you A Whole New Game.
Eleanor's POV
I bury my bare feet in the warm sand as I gaze off into the horizon. I love the ocean. Aside from the training center, the beach is where I spend most of my time. I simply love the atmosphere here. Everything is so peaceful, which is quite the contrast from the chaos in the training center. Not that I don't love the training center, in fact I probably spend more time in the training center than any other person in District 4. I have every right to. After all, I was training to be a tribute in the Hunger Games.
I smile knowing that today is the day I was going to volunteer. This is the year I am going to become a victor. I stand up and brush the sand off my clothes and begin to walk home, which is not a long walk at all. My father is the mayor of District 4, and our house stands right along the beach. I run up the stairs and into my room. As I walk into my room, I immediately notice a gorgeous dress the color of the ocean lying on my bed. The same dress I had seen in a Capitol fashion magazine just a few weeks beforehand. It is without a doubt a gift from my father. I think he feels bad being busy all the time, so he buys me gifts a lot. It is his way of trying to tell me he loves me. Quite frankly I don't care if he loves me or not. Relationships got in the way of training, and that is simply unacceptable. Training always comes first.
I quickly shower and slip on my reaping dress. I walk up to my mirror to examine the result. My golden blonde hair falls in soft waves around my face, and the dress makes my grayish blue eyes pop. Some boys might consider me beautiful, but I mainly hope it would get the attention of sponsors on the recaps of the reapings tonight. I look quickly around my room for something I can use as a district token, but I can't find anything. I walk out of my house and head to the reapings.
The town square is packed full of people like sardines in a can. I walk over to the seventeen year old section and survey the crowd. Friends stand together and talk amongst themselves. Mothers hug their children before walking over to where the other adults stand. I tap my foot impatiently, anxious for the reapings to begin. I practice volunteering in my head over and over again until I am sure I can volunteer in my sleep. Finally our escort walks onto the stage.
I can't even listen to my father read the annual speech because I am too distracted by our escort, Domina Pullus . Everything about her is completely ridiculous. Her hair is died a hideous shade of red, her dress is made up of white feathers, and her gigantic heels are a neon yellow. She looks like she is trying to dress up like a chicken. I can't believe she thinks she looks good. Finally, the speech is over and Domina walks over to the reaping balls.
"Welcome, welcome," Domina trills in her Capitol accent, "the time has come to select our tributes for District 4, may the odds be ever in your favor."
I take a deep breath as she sticks her hand into the girls bowl. I get ready to volunteer, I know if I have even a half second delay someone else might volunteer instead of me.
She takes out a piece of paper and unfolds it, preparing to read the name. I interrupt her before she can even read the name.
"I volunteer!" I yell, while striding up to the stage.
The look on Domina's face is priceless. She is obviously offended that I interrupted her.
"Well, come on up," she says.
I don't need any further encouragement as I stride up onto the stage full of confidence.
"And what is your name?" She asks.
"Eleanor Ruehler." I reply.
Domina walks up to the boy's bowl as I smirk at crowd just like I had practiced. I have to intimidate from the start. A boy named Josh volunteers, and we both shake hands. I stare at him and try to determine his worth. He is handsome, and could probably acquire some sponsors, but other than that he doesn't look like a threat. He smiles at me and winks. I roll my eyes. He won't be smiling when I rip his throat out in the arena.
Athena aka Foxface's POV
"Athena? Can you watch Samantha tonight? Your father and I are going to a meeting for a new design for the power plants."
"Yeah, sure mom." I reply.
I know she is not really going to a meeting about the new power plant design, that's just some sort of cover up. My parents are part of a secret organization who's goal is to overthrow the Capitol. What my parents do is dangerous and we would be killed immediately if anyone were to find out.
I sigh as I turn toward my little sister in her cradle. She is only two months old and I would do anything for her.
She starts crying and I pick her up and hold her. She quiets down. I hum her a little song our mother taught me when I was little. I don't remember all the words, but I do remember the melody.
I lay her back down and watch her sleep.
Suddenly, I hear a noise. I peer out the window. I see my parents get out of the car. Something is wrong. I see a Peacekeeper come out of the car holding a gun up to my are arguing. I know I should move, do something, but I am frozen. He pulls the trigger once, twice, and they are dead.
They are are are-he sees me. He starts towards the house. I run and grab our money jar, scoop up Samantha, and run toward the alleyway.
I run and never look back...
I jolt up from my bed. I look around frantically, but find Samantha sleeping peaceful in her , it's more like a cardboard box filled with a blanket. I look around the muggy storage room, shaking myself awake.
This place used to be a power plant, but now it is abandoned. District 5 had closed down many of the power plants because they had come up with new efficient ways of creating power. Many people lost their jobs, and my parents were lucky. Huh, lucky.
I remember the day I found this place. It wasn't too long after that night. I was searching for a place to stay. I couldn't go back to the house, at least, not until I was old enough to get a job. I'm still not old enough. I spend much of my time pick-pocketing other people. I'm not proud of it, but I don't have a choice. I don't steal from the poor anyway, mainly the rich snobs who's family owns the power plants. I do have a small "job"-if you can call it that-collecting old newspapers and selling them to the recycling plant. I make a small amount of money, but it is just enough to buy little jars of baby food for Samantha.
I pick up Samantha and put her in a sling across my shoulder, and head out to make my rounds, only to realize that today is the day everyone always day where the pick unlucky children to fight to the death on live TV.
This is what my parents fought against. Look where they ended up... Now, don't get me wrong, I hate the Hunger Games. Every part of it makes me sick. I want to do something, but what can I do? I have to take care of an eighteen month-old baby while hiding from peacekeepers. No one has ever caught me, though. I'm too quick, too stealthy, and no one suspects me. Still, what I do and where I live is illegal, and dangerous.
I stop by one of the stores and buy a small roll and a jar of baby food. I feed Samantha as the food dribbles down her face. She smiles at me, so carefree and happy. I will hate the day I have to tell her about our parents, the day that blissful child has to see the bad in the world.
I look at the clock and see that it is almost time.
I sigh and I begin to make my way to Town Square. I don't have a choice, no one does. Even if the whole population of District 5 doesn't know I exist, the government knows, and so I sign in and make my way to the sixteen-year-old section.
I don't even pay attention to the speech, I am to busy thinking about how in three months I will finally be able to work and earn more money.
Our escort, Maple, begins the part where they call out the names.
"May the 74th annual Hunger Games begin! Are you excited to find out you new District 5 champion? Because I am!" she trills. She is completely lying of course, we hardly ever have anyone who wins the games who come from District 5...
"Now let's let the ladies be chosen first, shall we?" she squeaks. She reminds me of an excessively excited squirrel, dressed in pink. For her it seems announcing the tributes is like finding a bunch of acorns in a-
"Athena Raze!"
-tree. . .Wait what?. . . No, No, No! She can't call my name!
I numbly walk on stage, forgetting that Samantha still in her sling.
"Aww who is that?" Maple asks.
"Oh. M-my sister." I stutter. I have to keep it together. "Her name is Samantha." I say, my voice stronger.
"Well, you can't take her into the Hunger Games now can you? Do you have any parents to take care of her?" her voice had an edge of sympathy.
"No," and then it hit me. . .Who is gonna take care of her? Where is she gonna stay? Why did this happen to me of all people? Didn't I have enough on my plate?
A tear escapes my eye.
", you can hold onto her until the train and we will figure something out" she says encouragingly.
I just nod.
"And now for the boy tribute... Michael Powers!"
I don't even know who he is, and I don't care. I have to get back. I shake his hand and we make our way to the Justice Building where friends and family can say goodbye.
I sit in the room. I have no only family I have is Samantha. She is still asleep. She is still unaware. She is still so innocent. Tears flow freely from my face now.
The door creaks open, and I am is visiting me? Suddenly, Maple comes in with a kind looking woman behind her.
"Hello my dear, I am in charge of the community home for orphaned children," she says softly. "We are willing to take her in so that she has a place to stay."
I hold her closer to me.
"She will be safe my dear. No harm will come to her."
I look at Samantha's sleeping face.
"I guess I have no other option." I kiss her on the forehead. "I love you Sammy, I promise I will come back." The woman takes her from me and walks out.
"Well, it's time to get on the train!" Maple says.
I walk out of the room, and onto the train, and never look back...
Clove's POV
As I sit and wait for them to start, my hands sweat. I am secretly praying that they will call his name. Maybe it would teach that son of a bitch a lesson. Then again, I feel that small twinge of doubt telling me that it was my fault he ended up the way he did. My hands begin to sweat even more. My fingers fiddle with the edge of my grey dress. They go over the outline of small the dark blue swirls near the bottom of it. Carver said this dress made my startling blue eyes look even more spectacular.
I wish Carver were here. If he were here I would feel a lot safer. I know that I have nothing to worry about though, I only trained to be a Career so that when I am old enough, I can leave District 2 and finally join Carver in his line of work.
And get away from him. For good.
The speaker takes their place on stage. He introduces himself as Hypna. He gives the same speech that they have to do every year. The Capitol film begins to play shortly after. I don't listen. I am too busy looking through the audience for familiar faces. I hope I might catch a glimpse of the familiar spiked blond hair of my best friend. I easily spot him. He sticks out from the others mainly because of his height. He towers over everyone at about 6'2. I try to get him to look at me by mouthing his name. As if he will notice. This is the day he has been waiting for his whole life. He needs complete focus. Even if he didn't, he'd be too ignorant and oblivious anyway. I guess that is one of my favorite things about him. He is so stubborn. He makes me feel like a genius. I wish I knew he wasn't going into the games this year.
"Cato," I whisper. As if it will help. "Cato."
Then the film ends and everything goes silent. I stop my useless attempt at getting his attention and look up at Hypna. He is speaking. His voice has that Capitol accent, but is also mousy and muffled by an orange and green mustache.
"Well, since everyone looks so anxious, I think we should get started. Let's find out who our lovely lady will be, shall we?"
As if we have any other options.
He walks over to the bowl with the names of every girl in our district in it. All the idiotic, spoiled girls. Oh, and myself of course. But I will not be chosen. My name is four times, but that is slim pickings compared to most. And there is no way I will be volunteering. This year, no girl in their right mind will be volunteering. Not even the Careers. Not when everyone knows the boy tribute who is volunteering.
Hypna selects a piece of paper, his orange painted nails brushing the names of all the people who no longer have to worry about a violent, televised death. He reads the name printed on the paper with his chipmunk voice. Somebody's death sentence has just been issued. I have no idea whose. I don't care. I just can't wait to get out of here.
It's not until I realize everyone is starting at me and my face is looking down at me from the screens that I know it is my name that has just been called.
I slowly make my way on stage. I can see him. His face is coated in disbelief. Cato, please. Don't volunteer. It is useless though. I know he will anyway. He has always known that this was his destiny. I have always known he would come back home safe and sound when he did go. Except now.
Maybe now, he won't volunteer. Maybe this will change his mind.
"Come on darling a bit quicker. Your holding everyone up."
I take my place on stage and look up and Hypna. I give him a "I could kill you here and now on this very stage" look. He gets the point.
"Let's give our District 2 tribute, Miss Clove Jourdaire, a round of applause!" I hate the sound of my name in his mouth. It's wrong and disgusting.
He claps, but no one else does. They have no reason to.
He notices the silence and ends it. "All right then, let's go to the boys."
It becomes silent, quiet enough that I feel I can hear other people's hearts beating. Maybe it's just the pounding in my own ears. Someone's name is called. As a shocked looking red-haired boy makes his way on stage, a delayed shout can be heard from the audience. Dammit.
The first boy looks relieved and makes his way back down to the audience. Another boy makes his way to the stage. He is taller everyone and his spiked blond hair can be seen sticking up over Hypna's green ponytail.
Hypna squeaks something else into the microphone and before I know it, Cato and I are shaking hands. We make eye contact for only a brief second. My heart breaks within that moment, looking my best friend in his baffled green eyes. Because one of us is going to die.
And it will be him.
A/N: I hope that all made sense! Carver and the mysterious him will be explained eventually. Please review and tell us what you think! Oh, and if any of you have a Deviantart this story is also on there. My friend will be drawing pictures that accompany the story and posting them there, so go check out crooked-letters . Thanks for reading and sorry for typos!