District 10 Female - Rosalind Sable Stoddard (submitted by curiousclove)
Epona runs past me, her little feet clapping on the dirt road. Her long brown hair flows out behind her, bits of sun catching in it and flashing as it ripples in the wind.
"Hey, Rosalind."
I jump. Byron stands behind me, ginning. His blue eyes glisten as he laughs. Byron Warren York, 17 years old, 6'4", brown hair. We've been best friends since I was 11 and he was 12. He picks up Epona and spins her around. She laughs.
Epona seems to laugh a lot. She's only 7, so she doesn't worry about getting Reaped. I wish I was that young. She barely even watches the Hunger Games itself.
Byron grins at me, and I allow myself a small smile. Of course, I shouldn't. Tomorrow is Reaping day. I should be worried. I'm 16, still eligible for Reaping, probably even more likely to be Reaped than most other girls. I've taken out more Tesserae than anyone I know. It's all to help Epona. If I win, I'll be able to give her a better life.
I'm not trying to be selfish, or cocky. I know the chances of me winning are very slim. I also know that we're happy as we are. We sometimes go over to Byron's house for dinner. His family is really lovely. His dad works on the farm with us, but his mom and sister work in a butchery. Thankfully, that means he eats more than me, so he can work harder.
I hear a cry. Epona lies on the ground, blood dripping down her leg and arm.
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I should've been paying attention! What happened-"
"It wasn't your fault, Rose," Byron says, his eyes travelling over Epona's injuries. "Besides, she looks fine." Epona nods in confirmation. Tears track down her cheeks, but she's doing her best to hide it. I pull her to her feet and try to forget about it.
District 10 Male - Byron Warren York (submitted by curiousclove)
I walk home alone. Today is Reaping day, so, as my Reaping day tradition, I went down to the bakery and bought 6 of their best cookies. I always do this to cheer my family up. I also buy them for Rose and Epona.
The bag of cookies smacks against my leg as I walk down the road. Lowelle, Mom and Dad are taking a day off of work in the farm, like me.
I hear the sound of running water - a stream, I think. Actual running water is too good to be true, seeing as we're one of the poorest Districts.
Lowelle walks outside the house, stumbling around the corner and into the garden. She's never liked Reaping days, so often she just wanders around in her own world.
The Reaping is in 1 hour. In that time, I must get changed, finish eating, have my hair done (thanks, Mom) and get to the town square.
It's deadly silent when we get there.
Nobody is talking, and I can that over the heads of the other boys Rosalind is terrified. I can't see Epona anywhere. I never know where she goes during Reapings.
I wipe my hands on my pants; they've started sweating.
Our escort walks up onto the stage. I can never be bothered with his name, so I have no clue who he is.
He makes a speech - I miss it. The Hunger Games has never affected me; not me, or any of my family. He picks a name out of a bowl. I have nothing to worry about. He walks back to the microphone. Nobody I know will be picked. The paper opens. None of my friends are girls. Only Rose.
"The female Tribute from District 10 is."
Please, don't say Rose.
"Rosalind Sable Stoddard."
Oh God.
Her eyes are wide open. She looks so afraid.
Without batting an eye, the escort walks towards the male Tributes bowl. He picks a name, and walks to the microphone.
"Marc-"
"I volunteer!" I scream. We can win if we do it together. I know we can.
Rose finds my eyes. "Byron, don't-"
"No, Rose. I volunteer as Tribute."
District 10 Female - Rosalind Sable Stoddard
Byron volunteered. Why did he volunteer? He'll die, we both will. All he's doing is getting in your way. You can win. But not with him around. We'll both die. We'll die.
"Shut up!" I scream.
Epona stands in the doorway to the Justice Room. She's crying.
"No- Epona, I wasn't talking to you."
"I never… I never even said any- anything."
"I was just talking… to myself…"
She hugs me so hard I can't breathe then lets go of me. "Please don't die. You can't die. Not after mom and dad…"
My breath catches in my throat. I can't promise her that. Byron could help her if he wasn't coming with me.
I take a deep breath. "C'mon, Epona. You think I'll give up that easily? I'll come home, I swear."
No, I don't.
A muffled "Okay," coming from Epona's general direction, which is on the floor. Then she is taken away.
District 10 Male - Byron Warren York (submitted by curiousclove)
Lowelle, Mom and Dad walk into the Justice Room. Lowelle runs up to me.
"What the hell are you thinking?" she says.
"I'm gonna help Rose win. We're gonna win together."
"Oh," Mom says. "Byron, that's not how it works. There can only be one Victor."
I freeze. "What?"
"Yes, son, there can only be one. Even if you both make it, you'll have to kill her in the end." Dad's eyes are full of something, an emotion. Regret, maybe, for not telling me how the Games work? For letting me be so ignorant?
"I'm not going to kill her."
"Why not?" Lowelle says, her voice cracking, as though she knows what I'm gonna do.
"Because I'll-" I stop myself. They don't wanna hear this. "Because if she dies, I'll make it back. For both of us."
Everyone has tears in their eyes - though I didn't know Dad was capable of that - and by the time they have to leave, they have all been shed.
"Good luck," Mom says. "We'll be rooting for you." She stops. "Both of you."
A/N: And it's the end of another chapter! I hope I did your characters justice! Thanks to curiousclove for both Byron and Rosalind. Also, I've decided on a method to get the story moving: 3 Reapings, 3 train rides, 3 trainings, 3 interviews. That way everyone gets a chapter and I can get the story going! Tell me how you guys feel about that. Anyway, thanks again for reading.
-PopcornAndFanfiction.
