Chapter 1 : The selection of the Eleventh District
The streets were crowded, the people packed together and facing the stage presented before them. A wave of anxiety had long since settled over the crowded square, the group of youths gathered wearing worried expressions.
Amongst the panic and the terror tittering through the young crowds', a slim girl stood. Her thin frame shook as she bent to see through the crowds in front of her. She seemed nearly translucent to those around her, her presence nearly undetected by the frightened masses.
A woman walked slowly up onto the stage, a large smile stretching across her abnormally pale face. Long strands of sickeningly dry hair sprang from her head, effectively giving her the look of a mad scientist. Her purple dress was shaped like a lampshade, the colorful satin fabric contrasting her skin in a way that only made her seem more eccentric. She smiled out at the crowds, oblivious to the unconcealed fear in their eyes.
"District eleven," She began in an overly excited voice, her grin unnerving in every definition of the word. "It's time for the annual hunger games, the eleventh to be exact!" She exclaimed, laughing loudly.
"Get it, you're district eleven and it is the eleventh..." She trailed off, making a few desperate gestures in an attempt to accent her point. When not a single smile resounded from the jittery crowd she quickly continued onto her next point.
"Anyways, as you all know, it is time for the selections. Let's start with the gentleman, alright?" Her thin, heavily-glossed lips twisted into a smile as she sashayed across the platform, dipping her hand into the bowl. She turned back to the microphone, enveloping it in her hands as she read the name on the paper before her.
"Shagold Wyvernjack." The name sounded dry as it echoed across the stage. The crowd turned, looking for the boy who's name had been called. All eyes were laid upon a tall, thin boy, his long face set in resolve. He was rather scraggly, looking as though he hadn't ate a real meal in his entire life. His features were sharp and stoic as he made his way to the stage, his eyes hard and hiding his fear.
"Welcome to the hunger games!" The woman said in an overly excited tone, grinning stupidly as the boy studied her with an uncaring gaze. His eyes flickered away from her, moving to the crowds where a short girl with wildly curly hair stood, tears running down her face. She bit her lip, however, fear coursing through her at the thought of volunteering for certain death.
"And now for our ladies!" The woman exclaimed, swaying her hips as she sauntered over once more to the bowls containing the names. She drew it gingerly, her eyes widening in shock at the name. A small smile tugged at her thin lips as she leaned back into the microphone.
"Miss Clara Wyvernjack?" All eyes turned towards the male tributes' sister, taking in the shaking girl, her dark, earthy eyes widened in unconcealed terror. When she didn't move the woman on the stage decided to encourage her along.
"Clara? Come on up." Her voice was honey-sweet, but the young girl didn't budge. A small whimper left her lips as someone roughly grabbed her arm, dragging her to the stage. Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at her tall, agile brother. His eyes were widened with shock at his sibling's presence on the stage.
"You two are related, aren't you?" The woman asked, smiling cluelessly at them. They turned to give her a skeptical look as the realizations sunk in: one of them was going to die, no matter what happened. Clara burst into a frenzied sob, her shoulders shaking. Her brother did his best to hide her from sight, but the damage was done. Clara was now going to be the number one target in the hunger games because, due to her sobbing, terrified trance, she was now viewed as weak. And that was one of the worst things to be seen as when you were going to enter the hunger games.