District Four

Lance Alcott

Standing at the dock over a beautiful lake, I smile as I gaze at the sun above the trees. I close my eyes and breathe in the warm, moist air. I wish I could do this all day. I wish I could fish and be near the water whenever I want. It doesn't happen though. I have my responsibilities.

Besides, it's the time of year again that I fear the most. The Hunger Games.

Do you want to know why I'm afraid of the Games? Do you want to know why I hate them with a very strong passion? It's easy. The Games killed my sister last year, and I am not ready to forgive them for that.

I can remember watching her death almost as if it was twelve minutes ago. I was sitting at home on the couch in our family room. My dad was watching the Games with me. My mom didn't watch the Games. She couldn't watch her oldest child, her only daughter, fight for her life. As her brother, I found it hard to watch certain moments of the Games myself.

She was running through the forest. The Games just started. My sister and I are very much alike. She was shy and quiet. She didn't talk to anyone. She didn't have any friends or boyfriends. She was very smart and studied all the time. She loved going to school to learn. She was weak and an easy target for everyone in the Games.

She ran throughout the forest. She was searching for a way out of the Games. She didn't like the Games. She wanted to get out of there fast, but it was too late. Out of nowhere, a big man from District Seven ran out of a nearby tree. He grabbed his knife and stabbed her in the heart.

I can remember her screams. They still haunt me to this day. Then, my mother's screams came next.

"She's…dead? What? NO! Not my baby! PLEASE! NO!"

I turn around and run away from the dock. I grab my fishing pole and run away from the lake. I have to stop thinking about this. I am not going to be reaped this year. They wouldn't do this. They wouldn't do this to my family. Or, would they?

I arrive in the time square and shake my head. This is it. This is the moment I have been waiting for. Being fourteen years old, I know that I will have many more years of experiencing this frightful feeling.

I see Zain walking over to the microphone. I shake my head and look at the strangers around me. Like my sister, I don't have any friends. I'm all alone.

"Well, welcome to another year of The Hunger Games! This year is going to be quite exciting, if I do say so myself. I can't give out any details about the Games, but it will be a memorable year for everyone. Let's get to the name drawing. May the odds be ever in your favor!" Zain says into the microphone.

She turns and walks over to the girls' name bowl. She digs through the bowl and carefully snatches a slip of paper. She smiles and walks over to the microphone. She looks down at the slip of paper and looks back up at us.

"Vertigo Wilson."

I search through the crowd, and instantly see a girl who appears to be twelve years old stepping out of the crowd. She tries to smile, but I can see the tears rolling down her cheek.

"Wait! I volunteer!"

Everyone in the crowd gasps and turns to find a girl who appears to be around my age stepping out of the crowd. She has white blond hair that flows down to her waist. She has light tanned skin with a little beauty mark above her upper lip. She's fairly tall, and sort of pretty. No, I take it back. She's really pretty. Have I seen her before? I don't think I have.

"Come on up here, honey!"

The girl walks up the steps with no smile on her face. She stares blankly at the crowd.

"What is your name?" Zain asks her. The girl turns to Zain and shakes her head.

"That's my information," she says coldly. Zain laughs and pats her back.

"Honey, you can tell us. We don't bite."

The girl stares at the crowd and shakes her head.

"My name is Indigo Nightshade, if you must know," she says. I smile and look at the people around me. I'm rooting for this girl. She seems to know how to fight.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Indigo. Why did you volunteer?" Zain asks. Indigo's eyes search for someone in the audience. When she spots the person, she shakes her head.

"He made me," she whispers. I turn around and look for the person she is looking at.

"Who made you, darling?" Zain asks. Indigo raises her arm and points to a middle-aged man.

"He did. My father. My father made me volunteer for the Games," she says. I turn and glare at her father. Who would want their daughter to volunteer for The Hunger Games? Doesn't he know she might possibly die? Or, does he not care?

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Indigo," Zain says. Indigo nods her head and slightly catches my eye. She looks away and stares straight ahead.

"Can you just pick my teammate?" she asks. Zain smiles and walks over to the boys' glass bowl. I close my eyes and pray to God that she doesn't say my name.

"Lance Alcott."

My eyes fly open, and I stare at the surroundings before me. Did I hear her correctly? Did she just say my name?

"Lance Alcott? Come on! Don't be shy!" she shouts in the microphone. I move out from the crowd and look at Zain. This is it. They picked me. And just like my sister, I am going to die.

Indigo Nightshade

Standing here in front of the crowd of people from my district, I feel alone and shattered. I must not show my fear and pain. I must be strong. If I show my weakness, I will never win the Games.

I find my father's face in the crowd again and glare at him. This is his entire fault. My father has always been cruel and snobby to me. He doesn't like it when people follow orders. I used to be a very good girl. I used to follow orders, and he quickly told me to stop doing that. He turned me into the cold person I am today. It's not my fault though. I just need to find the right person who will discover my true identity. Though, something deep inside me feels like that isn't going to happen.

Though, why did my father force me to volunteer for the Games? Well, he never got the chance to be in the Games. He always wanted to be in them to kill people. He wanted to murder people and be crowned the victor for our district. He never had that opportunity. So, he is forcing me to join the Hunger Games and become a victor. I don't think he quite understands that I might not survive this. Yes, I am strong. I'm not a weak little princess. I've been training ever since I learned how to walk. I'm ready for the Games, but I'm not ready to fight. I'm not ready to kill people. I'm just not…I'm not…not…

"Umm…you two are supposed to shake hands," Zain says. I snap out of my thoughts and finally realize that my partner in the Games is standing next to me. His name is Lance Alcott. He looks like he's around my age, but I can't trust him. He might be cute, but I can't trust his words and his actions. I can't trust anyone. My father taught me that a long time ago.

Lance extends his hand out to mine. I stare at him with a glare. I grab his hand and give it a hard squeeze. He jumps away from me and looks away. What a wimp!

"Indigo, I guess you don't know your own strength," Zain says with a laugh. I roll my eyes and step away from the podium.

"Can we just leave now? The reapings are done now. Let's go now," I say. I turn around and walk away from the two people on the stage. A guard grabs me and guides me over to a dark building. I stop walking and shake my head.

"Is this the place where I have to say good-bye to my family and stuff?" I ask. The guard nods his head.

"Yes," he mutters. I turn away from the building.

"I don't need to go there," I say.

"Don't you want to say good-bye to your mother and father?" he asks.

I think of my mother. I love my mom more than anything. She may be a ditz, but she cares about her family more than anything else in the world. I can't say good-bye to her. I can't see her tears. I must get away from this place. I must go now before I crumble down and show my true feelings.

"No. If you see my mother, tell her that I love her. I couldn't say good-bye to her because I would cry too much. Also, I don't want to see my dad. He ruined my life. He's ruining my future, and you can quote me on that," I say. I turn around and walk away from the guard. I turn around and face him.

"You can show me the train now. I'm ready to leave."

He doesn't move. He just stares at me with a blank expression on his face. I sigh and snap my fingers in his face.

"Now!"

He snaps out of his thoughts and glares at me. He grabs my hand and drags me away from the site. Good-bye District Four, hello The Hunger Games.