Brielle Taryn

I have always hated harvest day.

For a district eleven girl, hating harvest day is practically unheard off. Harvest day is when the farmers and their help begin to gather the ripe fruits, vegetables and anything else they grew from last spring.

When I was young, I hated it because my dad will always look at us; me and my sisters as if we're the biggest burden on earth. I wasn't exactly a disrespectful child so I never got the satisfaction of yelling at him that it's isn't exactly our fault that we all turned out to be girls. My dad didn't exactly grasp the idea that the child's gender is determined by the father.

Now, I hated it because it reminded me of the fact that it has been two years since I was thrown out of home for being pregnant out of wedlock.

I guess you could say that my parents, or well, my father is a tad bit strict and old fashioned. Women, he says, are born to serve. By being pregnant, I was labelled a whore who slept with anything that walks on two hind legs. My father decided that I was a disgrace and threw me out. My mother could only obey and was forced to watch me being thrown out of the house. My sisters weren't much of help, my older sister Dakota is the only family member I keep in contact with. The rest either hate me or take after my father, or are too scared to contact me.

Two years ago I was thrown out in the streets on harvest day. And nine months later, I was blessed with my pride and joy; Savannah Taryn.

From that day on, I decided to live for her and only her. If my family wanted to denounce me, then I really didn't give a shit. I took up a job as a barmaid, taking the night shift and leaving Savannah with my neighbour and good friend Pakuna Timmons who has three children of her own and who gets what I'm going through; having been disowned by her family for marrying her then husband. I enjoyed the independence, and I loved the fact that I was no longer forced to work in the fields. For a district 11 citizen, the smell of soil made me want to puke.

I'll admit though, the pay of being a barmaid wasn't great, but for someone who dropped out of school, I guess beggars can't really be choosers. I resigned myself that this is probably for the best and I have no better option than this.

It was also on Harvest day when I found the thing that's going to change my life forever.

I was walking down the town's square enjoying the sun of the first few days of spring. It was my favourite weather of the year; not too cold but not too hot. I enjoyed being in this weather and I sighed as I held Savannah in my arms who giggled happily and smiled at everyone who passed by.

District 11 people are mostly friendly, a little bit closed minded but friendly nonetheless. It was a known fact that district 11 citizens where the hard workers of the nation. The ones who spend their days in the sun. Also, the ones who are least likely to win the hunger games.

I shivered despite the warn weather. Ever since I was thrown out of the house, the idea of the hunger games never really left my mind. What if I was reaped? What would be of Savannah? My family will never take her in.

I came to a stop when I found a huge gathering around the wall of the Mayor's mansion. Curious, I came closer trying to keep Savannah Steady in my arms. People made way to me and I smiled in thanks. I was met with a huge poster that was written in big bold letters. I gasped as I read it and I reread it again just to make sure.

"Want to soak in to the glory of the Capitol?"

"Prepared to end the life of poverty you might be living in?"

"Win the competition and leave your whole life in the district for a much grander life at the capitol with a huge mansion all at your disposal."

"Winning this competition will give you the opportunity of being a game maker for the upcoming games and a pardon of the games for you and your family. Winning these games will make you gain statuses of being regular capitol Citizens."

"Apply now and submit all your ideas by the upcoming week. Winners will be chosen and contacted three days after the submissions."

That's it? I could actually make it out of here and escape a predetermined death? I could actually have a chance of making a better future for my daughter?

Could I do it though? Could I help the capitol in the massacre they do each year? Could I invest the time in figuring out ways to kill innocent people just so I could get a better life?

I looked down at my daughter's smiling face and she lifted her little fingers and placed then on my cheeks. I smiled back at her and she buried her face in my arms.

Yes, I would do it, anything for her. I would do what my parents didn't do for me; I would fight for my daughter, even if it meant that I would lose a part of me when I contribute to the massacre that happens.

I straightened myself and I grabbed a form from the wall without hesitating. I walked towards my place and I hastily knocked on my neighbour's door and she opened smiling at me.

"Well hello Bri, How's the little one doing?"

I smiled at Wheatly; Pakuna's husband. It wasn't much of a mystery why her family refused to give them their blessing when they got married. Pakuna was the daughter of the previous Mayor and when she married Wheatly, a simple farmer, they viewed it as a disgrace that she married well below her class. It wasn't a secret that her father wanted her to marry a peacekeeper from two.

"All good, Wheatly. I was wondering if Pakuna could watch Savannah for a while. I guess I have some things I need to do.

Wheatly smiled at me. "Well off course, come in, she's helping Citrus with her homework."

I smiled at him and went inside. I went straight to Citrus and her twin sister Lemon's bedroom. Pakuna was sitting patiently next to her 4 year old daughters trying not to smile at their attempt of learning the alphabet. Vaguely, I remember the poster on the wall, how it said that it is guaranteed that if chosen, you and your family would be safe from the games forever. You would live as capitol citizens and you wouldn't have to worry about a thing all your life. I smiled, as I thought about something that will definitely make winning this opportunity more than worthwhile.

"Hey Pakuna, Can you watch Savannah for a little bit? There's something I need to do…"

Marius Conway Clifford

If there was anything I love the most about District 4, it's the beach.

The feeling of the wind blowing hair out of eyes along with the scent of the sea foam makes me feel extremely relaxed. If it wasn't for my parents, I would have probably stayed here day and night.

The Ocean is the one thing that sets us apart from the other districts. I guess as far as location goes, I would always believe that our district got the best deal out of it.

"Marius!"

Without turning around, I sighed. I recognised my younger sister Nerissa's voice and I lifted myself up and turned around towards our house. Our house was another thing that I loved. It was on a cliff, opposite to the beach. You'd think it's worthy of being a summer house for rich capitol citizens. Then again, getting my house wasn't exactly an easy feet.

You see, my house lies at the edge of the victor Village. My grandmother won the games when she was 16. I've been living in this house since my birth. My Father was a victor as well, and we have our own house, but I've always preferred living with my grandparents then with my own old man. Ever since his win, my father decided that it's an honour that I would too, he decided that I should compete and win as well. It was also around that time when I decided I wasn't fond of being the Capitol's plaything.

I've seen what the games do to my grandmother. Till this day, she won't come near sand. According to my grandfather, her games were located in sand dunes, with Quick sand areas. Her own tribute partner was lost to quick sand himself. She only survived because of her quick thinking. She won't tell us what she did, but she will always have this haunted look on her face whenever she would talk about it. She won the 180th hunger games and till this day, the mere thought of the hunger games makes her face cloud over.

I love my grandmother too much to tell her that while the idea ofd the hunger games was morbid and pure animalistic and wrong, the concept of strategy and technicalities behind the hunger games were quiet entertaining. For me, the hunger games are simply and easy to win if you have a quick strategy that you follow through with. Life is all about strategy to me. Like a puzzle.

Growing up, I've always been fond of the games that require you to exercise your mind. Puzzles and logic games were the one thing that I could never ever get tired of. Anything that could stimulate my mind becomes a favorite. This is what led me to believe that all the hunger games need is a good strategy. Follow it, and you'll definitely be able to win. Stray away from it, and you'll die.

I've had plenty of examples to support my theory too. I noticed and wrote down which tributes I thought could win but because they deviated from their strategy, the met their downfall.

Watching the hunger games from afar and deciding on what strategy to use is quiet fun, but I never really wanted to experience it hands on. I'm not the type of person who would fight. I don't like fighting and I prefer to come up with a logical explanation and solution to things rather than fighting about it.

"You do realise you've been staring into the ocean for three hours, right?"

Nerissa says, smirking. Nerissa is my 15 year old sister. She has an identical twin sister too called Nerida. My family is one of the largest families in four. With five of us, and me being the eldest. I have another brother called Harbor and a little sister called Aquarius.

I guess having a big family is what kept me sane a little bit because being the grandson and son of a victor isn't one of the greatest things ever. Sure I was sort of popular with girls at school, but guys hated my guts. They blame it on the fact that I'm a victor's child, but I knew that most of them were jealous of the fact that girls find me cute; which is weird really, because I've never been interested in any of those girls. You would too, when half of these girls only want to shack up with you because you're the son of the great "Tide Clifford" who famously managed to kill five people in the bloodbath and injure three. If you think about it, it isn't exactly the kind of reputation you'd want to uphold.

"Well Nerissa, you know how it is with the ocean. I never really seem to want to leave it."

Nerissa laughs, out of all my family members, I'm probably the closest to Nerissa, my grandmother and my youngest sister Aquarius. With Nerissa though, it was different. Nerissa was so close to my age that I always felt like I could tell her anything and she won't judge. For instance, she's the only one who knows about my fascination of the strategic part of the games. She doesn't judge me, but she hates the games herself, because one of her friend's brothers was reaped a few years back, and he came back in a box.

"Well, take care, Father wants to talk about something *Important* so be prepared to listen to yet another lecture about how Carson Bay is getting really good at training and how you're disappointing him by not attend the academy.

I rolled my eyes and placed an arm around Nerissa as we walked back to the house.

"Hey Mare? I've been meaning to tell you something…"

I looked at Nerissa and she smiled at me, "Remember when you told me about this thing you have for the games. The strategic part or whatever?"

I nodded at her and she placed her hand into her pocket and took out something.

"Well, this came in the mail today. I thought you would like to look at it."

She held out a small leaflet in her hands that had the Capitol's coat of arms on it. I looked at her questioningly and she shrugged.

I turned it around and read the words and my eyes widened.

"Want to soak in to the glory of the Capitol?"

"Prepared to end the life of poverty you might be living in?"

"Win the competition and leave your whole life in the district for a much grander life at the capitol with a huge mansion all at your disposal."

"Winning this competition will give you the opportunity of being a game maker for the upcoming games and a pardon of the games for you and your family. Winning these games will make you gain statuses of being regular capitol Citizens."

"Apply now and submit all your ideas by the upcoming week. Winners will be chosen and contacted three days after the submissions."

"Jeez, wow. This is something alright…"

Nerissa laughed, shaking her head. "I knew you would be interested. I guess I hate the games myself but I thought maybe this might be your calling. I mean dad always goes on and on about how the games bring glory and how it's such an honor to be chosen. How about you surprise him by being the one who's responsible for creating the games itself?"

I smiled thinking about it. It would definitely make my father lay off my back. But then I think about my grandmother, who still hasn't recovered from her own games. What would she say?

I looked up at Nerissa and smiled sadly. "What about Grandma though, what do you think she'll say when she finds out I'm signing up to be the creator of the one thing that she still has nightmares about?"

Nerissa didn't say anything. She just looked at the ocean for a few moments and then she sighed. "I guess you never know what she might do Marius. But if you really want it then I think you should go for it. An Opportunity like that won't come again you know. Grandma loves you enough to understand that…"

I look at her and she smiles at me softly and I find myself nodding at her.

"Alright then, I'll do it."

Nerissa smiled softly at me and nodded as well. I walk back to the house with her in my arms. All I'm thinking about is the line from the poster that said "Being a game maker for the would make you gain a pardon of the games for you and your family" and I smile to myself. Maybe entering this will me gain a lot more than I'm bargaining for. A happy life for Nerrisa, Nerida, Harbor and Aquarius.

And this is all what matters.


Brielle Taryn was submitted by: Golden Moon Huntress.

Marius Conway Clifford was submitted by: ThousandSplendidSuns

A.N: I'm trying to update as soon as I can but I have finals so these days I'm pretty busy. Thanks to everyone who submitted. I love all of your tributes. I really need a lot more though and only 8 slots are taken till now. So please submit.

Form is on my profile along with the spots available. Thank you so much already.

And thank you to my lovely reviewers!