Royce Triatho- District One male (17)

I was so glad I lived in One. The volunteers and Academy meant the only thing we would have had to worry about was all taken care of. Without the Games, I could enjoy life in the richest, prettiest District in Panem. We had enough money to eat and have a house and even have extras. Best of all, we had money to take care of Vera.

Vera wasn't always my sister, but that didn't change anything. She'd been my sister for two years, since my family adopted her. And boy, did she deserve it. I'd never imagined things like what she told me about her life. The world got a little colder that day. But knowing about all the sad things just made me determined to bring more happy things into the world, like convincing my parents to take Vera in.

Bubbles was getting older, but she was still nice-looking. It was amazing how ladies did that- they changed into a different pretty when they got older, but they were still pretty. She wore a yellow polka-dotted dress. Based on what my mother said about Capitolite jewelry orders of late, polka dots were in. It worked on dresses, but not so well in diamond rings, but my mother gave the customers what they asked for.

"Good morning, District One!" Bubbles said. "Are you ready to find out our lucky volunteers?"

LOL, she's not even trying to hide it anymore, I thought. Everyone knew we were trained, but usually we were supposed to at least try to keep it discreet. There were a fet hoots and cheers in response to her question.

"Ladies first this time!" she said. "Diaspora Glint! Do we have any volunteers?"

"I volunteer as Tribute!"

My brain couldn't compute what my ears just heard. My head snapped in the direction I knew Vera was standing and I saw her just closing her mouth after she volunteered.

What? No… No!

What was she doing? She wasn't even trained! Why would she do this? She knew it wasn't a good idea, too. She looked heartbroken. I willed her to look over at me, but she kept her eyes on the ground as she started walking.

"And now for the gentlemen," Bubbles said, as panic bubbled up and overwhelmed me until I couldn't think. "Masculinity Andros!"

"I volunteer as Tribute!" I blurted. And immediately I thought, what have I done?

I had done the only possible thing that could make this worse. Now Vera was going into the Arena and she had to worry about me. I had some training, but I'd only ever dabbled. I wasn't ready for this either!

I was so caught up in my troubles it took me a minute to hear the screams.

"No! I volunteer! Me!" Luster Eminence, the chosen volunteer, yelled. He shoved aside the boys around him and barreled toward the stage.

"I'm sorry, we can only have one volunteer," Bubbles said. Luster kept screaming, both at her and at me, and others joined in, jeering and attacking me. Peacekeepers had to drag him away and flank me as I walked to the stage.

Wow, I really did it this time. Vera was still too upset to look at me, and all of One hated me for stealing valor. Nowhere to go but up, right?

Vera Triatho- District One female (17, 7 at time of POV)

Nadia and I held hands as we walked home from our playdate at the neighbors. We didn't often get to walk home alone after dark, but it was only just after dark, and this was a safe part of a safe District.

"We're home!" Nadia yelled as I opened the screen door and we walked in. Leon and Ellie didn't come greet us, but that was fine. They were probably busy kissing or other stuff parents couldn't do when kids were around.

"Why are all the lights off?" I wondered as I flipped one on. The house wasn't messy or anything. The lights were just all off. Leon was never one of those dads that grumbled about electricity bills.

"Maybe they're watching IV," Nadia said. I didn't hear the TV, but they might be watching something quiet. Nadia ran into the living room. As I started to follow, I heard her scream.

"What's wrong?!" I yelled, and I ran after her. She was screaming like someone just died.

I started screaming too when I reached her. Leon hadn't come to the door because he was lying on the floor dead. Ellie hadn't come because the man behind her was holding her up by the arms. The woman next to him was holding Ellie's head up so the awful bug cut on her throat could bleed. Ellie was trying to tell us to go, but she couldn't make any noise other than tiny gasps.

"Mama!" I screamed. Nadia hadn't stopped screaming since the first, and she hadn't moved. I grabbed her hand and yanked her toward the front door. We had to run and get the police and the ambulance. They could fix Ellie.

The man dropped Ellie, and I heard her hit the floor. He ran after us and grabbed both of our arms with his. I scratched at him and tried to get away, but he was too big and strong. The woman came and helped him, picking up Nadia around the waist as the man picked me up. Ellie's blood was all over his hands, and it smeared on me and my dress when he picked me up. They carried us out of the house and threw us into a car, the woman sitting in the back with us so we couldn't jump out.

"What do you want?" I asked, crying so hard it came out all funny-sounding. Nadia clung to me and I shielded her with my arms.

"We want you," the woman said.

"Why? We didn't do anything," I said.

"Because we're your real parents," the woman said.

For the next four years, Nadia and I were slaves to the people who said they were our parents. We did their cooking and cleaning and when it wasn't right, we hurt for weeks. When I was twelve years old, Nadia and I came home from school to a home swarming with Peacekeepers, and a team of medics wheeling out two sheet-covered stretchers. From the Peacekeepers I learned two things. One, that Chia and Golden weren't lying about being our parents. Two, that they weren't lying when they said they were assassins and would kill us if we did anything wrong, either. When the Peacekeepers finally found them, they didn't send officers. They sent snipers.

I never told anyone about my past. When I was fifteen, I got a job in a bakery so Nadia and I could move out of the orphanage. That was where I met Royce. He was everything I never thought life could be. He was sweet, and gentle, and kind, and for the first time in my life, I felt safe telling someone. And when I did, I saw the world go a little colder in his eyes.

Royce: has large blue eyes that are tinted with flecks of green and short, choppy brown hair. He's on the taller side, around six feet in height, with a long scar down the edge of his face (from a cat). He's fairly pale. He also has a very sharp nose.

Vera: Appearance: Vera has light blond hair and hazel eyes. She has a scar on her left cheek and on her upper neck. Her skin tone is a fair peach color and she is average height. She is a bit underweight.

Shoutout to Ms. and Mr. Glint, who thought "diaspora" was a pretty luxury term and didn't know it meant the scattering of a people group.