Zest Shimmins – District 1
To think that after the war, the Capitol would do this to us. Of course, being favored by the Capitol, we were warned years in advanced, so we trained for it. I think about how the war ended 5 years ago, after 10 years of fighting. Now they decide to punish us. I stand alone, in my family's mansion, for my parents died of some unknown diseases years ago. I look outside a window, and see everyone getting ready for the day of the reaping. I go over to my wardrobe, and decide to start getting ready for the reaping.
I put on a dark blue outfit, the shirt has buttons up the sides. I look at my empty room, and decide what I would do if I was selected, I also decided what to do if I wasn't selected. The day was bright and beautiful on this sad day. I sigh at the sun shining out above me, for it seems to me that the sun is trying to cheer everyone up. I wonder where my sister is. Her name was Rose, and she left me when she was 16, for she ran out with a man who she had fallen in love with. She too would be eligible for the reaping. The front garden looks so peaceful, as I walk down the front steps. I go over and sit beside the fountain in the middle of the garden. Looking out over it, I think about what my parents would say if they were here. Would they like what my ideas are, or would they be upset.
Getting up, I head to the town square, to where it is surprisingly quiet. We, the children eligible for the reaping, are sorted off into age groups. A young woman walks up onto the stage that had been set up.
"Hello everyone" she said, " Welcome to the day that is the reaping for the first annual Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor".
After she said that, she started saying how the reaping would go. How a tribute could volunteered for another. That was the last thing I heard before I stopped paying attention. I think she said something about her choosing the boy tribute first.
She walked over to a bowl, from what she said, it was for the boys. There was no going back from my choice now.
"Are boy tribute shall be," she says, "Matthew—"
" I volunteer" I hear myself cry out.
For that had been the idea I came up with. No one was left for me to care about here. No one would care if I died.
Sequence Gold – District 1
"Get up!" my stepmother screeched at me.
I crawled out of bed and looked outside. Today was going to be an interesting day. Walking downstairs, I see that my breakfast is waiting for me. My baby brother Rich is sitting in his highchair happily. If he only understood what this day meant. The Capitol was going to have fun watching everyone suffer, but I wanted to bring home the gold. My father walked in just then, and he gave me a hug.
We sit down, and everyone is quite. I swear that you could hear a pin drop. No one seems to be wanting to talk, or eat very fast for that matter. I am angry at how silence it was. How no one was talking, and how my father wouldn't catch my eye. Annoyed at the silence so much that I can't stand it anymore, I slammed down my plate and left the room.
I go up to my room and mad that no one paid attention to me because of the fact that even if I died no one in this house would care. My father knocks on the door and comes in. He is carrying a long golden colored dress, and a pair of matching shoes. I look at the dress and smile. It was the dress that I had wanted ever since I saw it in the dress shop. He walks out silently, and I was and get dressed.
The dress glimmers beautifully. My stepmother comes in, and for once is nice to me, and she does my hair into gentle waves. I stand in front of my mirror, happy at my look. After I am ready, we walk down to the town square. I go line up with the rest of the kids my age, and watch as a young women walks up on stage.
"Hello everyone" she said, " Welcome to the day that is the reaping for the first annual Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor".
I listen to her, as she says that another person may volunteer for someone who's name was called. We already know this for we were told before this whole thing started. She then goes on to explain how if we are not reaped this year, our name will go in twice as many the next year. Walking over to a bowl, she says that she will start with the boy first.
"Are boy tribute shall be," she says, "Matthew—"
" I volunteer" a boy who was obviously older than me said.
"Well… Looks like we have a volunteer. What is your name young man?" She asks him.
"Zest Shimmins." He replied shortly.
"Ok… Now for our girl tribute…" she says.
She reaches into the bowl with all the girls names, as well as my own.
"Our girl tribute shall be…" she starts, "Sequence Gold".
She had called my name.
Zest Shimmins - District 1
A young girl walks up to the stage. Once she reached the stage, we shook hands, and were ushered into the Justice Building.
I didn't expect anyone to come to visit me, but my neighbors come up to see me. They told me that they would watch over my home for when I return. I noticed that they said when and not IF I return.
They truly believe that I will come back. I myself didn't know if I would return.
Sequence Gold – District 1
I wait around in the Justice building until my family comes up to visit me. My father walks up to me, and wraps me in a hug.
"You will come back, I know it," he whispers into my ear.
"I will," I replied.
I was going to try and win. My stepmother just sits there in the background holding Rich. I go over and hug her. She looks shocked for a moment, then hugs me back. She hands me Rich, and I am holding him until the Peacekeepers come in to say that they have to go.
"I promise you! I will come home", I call out after them.
I realize afterward, that the upside to this whole thing is that I am getting a lot of attention.
Sorry if Sequence got more time then Zest. Zest didn't have a family, so I did what I could to give him some things to do. Also, I apologize that it was kind of short.