Unstoppable
District Three
Jean Adric, 16
I am tugged on my arm as I begin to panic by all the strange looking people surrounding me and chirping word by word until I can't handle it. I have always tried so hard to make friends and get people to talk to me and now I can't even handle it. I just mumble word-by-word replies to all their questions as my style team tugs me through a hallway where I can see the girl from District Two in a bathrobe. Our eyes connect and she just stares as me as I am pushed behind a curtain and it is closed tightly shut behind me with three people in the room.
They surround me closing in as the push me back to sit on a cold metal table. I look back and forth as the one in the middle with rainbow hair begins to talk again with instructions.
"We are going to clean you up before your stylist comes and gets you ready for the Chariots Ride." He says and then their hands push down on me so I lay down on the metal table. I can't even respond in time.
"Uhhh," I say feeling rather uncomfortable. Back home I have three people I would always bother. It wasn't exactly they were okay with that it is just I found them interesting so I would follow them around once and a while awkwardly talking.
"How could you do this to your arm!" I hear one of them say as they hold my arm harshly in the air looking at all the writings on my arm. I panic and pull my arm back. It is ideas for poems; things I wanted remembered. Fragments of thoughts and ideas. I wasn't so sure I wanted these strangers reading all these personal things.
"Please it is nothing just wash it off, no need to read." I stumble with. I like when people like my mother read and love my work but I guess I can just be shy about it, even though everyone back home knows me as the guy who writes poetry.
"Whatever you say," The woman who first discovered the writing on my arms says with a shrug before getting a sponge and pouring some strong smelling soap onto it and scrubbing it all over my arm turning the blue ink into smudges of blue. They start touching my skin making my skin tingle and one of them take out metal tweezers. Things people in Three use once and a while for moving small little machine and wires parts easily. Now I am the one being picked apart as she holds it close to my eye flinching as she presses the tips to the eyebrow puling little on one of the hairs and she yanks it back with a strong pinch. I gasp and she chuckles.
"They always do that." She says as the other woman and the man continue to scrub at my arm. All of the blue ink from my arm gone and the man standing back giving me a once over.
"Shirt needs to come off." He tells me flipping his colorful hair. I blush my cheeks a vibrant red. The other two backing off so I can sit up and remove my shirt. I tremble uncomfortably. I am awkward enough without being bare. "And your pants, you can keep your underwear on for now." He says again and I am speechless, is this really happening.
Yup it is, this is all happening.
Just great.
I shift in my costume. It is different I admit, but I feel like an idiot in it. There are various robot parts with my pale thin arms exposed but covered in paint to look like the inside of a machine. A halo around my hair flashes with bright colored lights. I am ushered down a hall unto I see Mae being pushed out of the room.
"Hey sweetie." She smirks sarcastically as we walk next to each other down the hallway before reaching a door.
"Hello," I say looking to the floor just hoping I don't say anything too stupid.
"This is it!" Someone says as they press their hands firmly on my back making me squirm. The door open all on its own and the loading station is revealed. It is stunning; it leaves me in an awe as I admire the room's pure beauty. I see twelve chariots each with stern looking horses ready to pull along their cargo. And I see people running around all of them desperate to put some organization into this chaos. Tributes fill the room all dressed up in eccentric costumes, I can barely recognize any of them. Everyone is cleaned up to the Capitol's liking.
I have to say, for such a destructive and disgusting event they sure do dress it up all nice and pretty.
"I want you to go and stay by your Chariot." My stylist orders Mae and I before letting go of my back and releasing me. I follow Mae trying my best to keep up, she has a fast pace strut as she walks with her nose in the air. She seems much less whiny than she did before. I guess she has gotten over being reaped.
"You doing okay?" I ask nervously as we reach the Chariot that is naturally dressed up in machine parts.
Mae shrugs, "Yeah I get through this week then I become Victor. It really isn't that difficult"
I am a little taken back I must admit, "Huh?" I mumble.
She turns to me with a plastic smile, "Oh don't worry Jean baby if I have to be the one to kill you I will make it painless and quick. But lets admit you don't honestly expect you will get far do you?" She says with a pitiful look.
My mouth is frozen in an O position as I stare speechless at her a few mumbled words coming from my mouth.
"Jean I would help you I would, but I am going to win and some bloodbath, mumbling, awkward idiot isn't going to get in my way." She gives another smile before spinning around and using her long legs to get herself up onto the Chariot.
I rarely dislike people, and I never hate people. But man I don't think I am going to like this girl. I lean against a giant cogwheel on the Chariot shaking my head before taking a deep breath and get past my anxiety.
"Waiting on you." Mae says twirling a strand of hair as I pick myself up to stand next to her on the Chariot.
District Six
Cara Meridius, 18
I pop my lips together to spread out the bright red lipstick. I look like a freak, District Six is so uncreative and as soon as they have a girl who is at least average looking and above fourteen they dress them up as a slutty nurses. They did it to Dawn two years ago and she was actually pretty. Me? I am not too unfortunate but I am not this. Neither is poor Elian,
He is dressed up as a patient which in my opinion is a little bit rude but I wasn't the one who made him look truly sickly. Of course he obviously comes from wealth so while his eyes were already dark and his under eye shadows well defined he still didn't have the thin hollowed out look. Well they gave it to him.
I sympathize him, I really do. That is why I will keep my distance as much as possible. When I have a black out I become a monster in human skin. I don't want to hurt him, he doesn't deserve whatever I would do if he had to be around me when I blackout.
"We should probably get on the Chariot now." I tell him and he just nods. I try my best to move in my skimpy nurse outfit. I feel so exposed. It is repulsive. What kind of nurse would work in an outfit like this? I can barely move my legs and when I do I have trouble trying to balance myself with these heels.
I am so going to be falling off this Chariot.
Elian gets onto his Chariot adjusting his hospital robe as I pull out the fake needle I will use to pretend to give him a shot. What a creative idea….
I see District One covered in glittering jewels reflect all sorts of beautiful colors as the try to pull off a good strong warrior look. District Two follows shortly after as I feel my heart skip a beat knowing soon enough we will be moving.
Three goes after and as soon as they leave the loading area their costume morph with the machine parts moving as if some sort of machine was being built on their bodies.
Four goes, then Five, and then soon enough I find Elian and I both instinctively grabbing each other's hand. I guess it will do the helpful nurse look good, even if it is just because I don't want to fall off.
I wish I could say we ate smiling as brightly as we and and wave and are putting on a good show for all the Capitol residents, but we didn't. I slumped over grasping on so tightly desperate not to fall off I just turned my head forward ignoring any cat calls people thrown my way. Elian just looks around with a sad looking face.
In a strange way, it fills me with a small amount of pride we aren't giving them what they want. Even if in the end it will just get us zero sponsors.
We come to a stop in the middle of the line of Chariots all in front of President Snow who stands at his podium looking down at us all.
"Let the 62nd Hunger Games Begin!"
XXXXX
I step off the Chariot with my bright red heels in hand. I don't even care if my feet get dirty I am tired of wearing these things.
Elian steps down besides me scratching his head before rubbing his hand across his face and smudging the makeup on his face.
I stretch my arms exhausted and just wanting to get to wherever I will have to be spending my time, get this junk off my face, and get to bed.
I turn around right away to feel a pair of eyes bearing into my skull. I spot two Chariots down the District Eight male staring at me with curiosity. Not in the way most of the other males do like they are harvesting me with their eyes, just curiosity.
"They don't look happy." Elian says from behind me as I break the stare with the boy and turn around to follow Elian's line of vision right to a very disappointed looking group of people.
"He was looking at you." Elian says.
I don't respond just glance to Elian who is staring up at me. Man his makeup really does make him look sick.
"You know you pulled the sick patient off well." I say.
"Thanks." He says before looking back to the ground. I don't want to go and get yelled at by our style team, but they are already making their way here.
"You just threw the opportunity I gave you two!" My stylist says looking ready to cry.
I feel myself get angry, does he honestly think this will give either of us any of the opportunities we wanted? This isn't me. I can't pull this off. I am that quiet girl everyone ignores that is just trying not to become a murderer.
"What opportunity?" I growl, I begin to count in my head. I can't freak out here. I can't.
"You acted so depressed and weird. You were supposed to act beautiful and happy." My stylist wins.
"Why would I be happy? And I want to look nice but I can't be the person you want to be. I am not some drop dead gorgeous girl who can put on a nice smile for the camera!" I yell back distraughtly.
"Then you are just going to give up?" He asks.
I am silent for a few moments before I speak. "No, I am going to try but I am doing it how I see fit, how my mentors see fit. Not what some dumb spoiled Capitol boy sees fit." I say before marching away.
I feel my heartbeat fasten; I am a mess, falling apart at the hinges.
I am collapsing.
District Eleven
Harsh Greene, 17
At home I had constant problems with fighting. I never back down, my mother told me I was always so defensive and one day it was going to get me killed. I love my mother, yet I never did listen to her advice to calm down. I guess I regret that now. Now that I am being all dressed up with makeup and bright colors. I'm wearing a cape. A cape. Made out of plants! It doesn't even go with the overall!Everything about this reeks of a bad nightmare that makes me want to explode.
God I have been Reaped to go into a fight to the death and what I am wearing is what worries me most right now. The full affect of what lies ahead just hasn't settled in yet, every survival instinct taking over to take me through this allowing my mind to wander and worry about my outfit instead.
I wear overalls, which I don't remember every having to wear out in the field by the way, and my face and body is painted with all sorts of bright greens to depict all of nature's beauty. I am sure the Capitol will like it if they spend the time to look at it, but we won't stand out. I just really hope Akua's covers up a bit more because if we are wearing the same thing then she is going to have a certain area exposed.
"I have a wonderful idea!" My stylist tells me as she ushers me along the hallway trying to hold my hand to guide me, only for each and every time to have me shake myself loose of her grasp. Thank god she is a woman, I try not to be sexist but I just get less angry with woman than I do at man. Well at least I have not as short of a temper around them. Besides she thinks the fact I am half black is unique, and cool. Better than her judging me negatively for it I guess.
"What would that be?" I mumble not as excited as she probably was expecting.
"Well since Akua can't stand on her own in the Chariot…." I forgot about that, I didn't even think how she was going to manage that. Will I have to keep her wheelchair from falling out of the Chariot or something? "You are going to be holding her up! I mean you are strong and you might have difficulty but a strong tribute like you will pull through."
It might help with Sponsors… besides if it helps Akua then I don't care if it will be hard. It will make us get noticed and turn her disability into strength for just a short time. I nod in agreement, "Sounds fine." I reply and her coral red lips extend even further into a freaky serial killer smile.
"Oh perfect!" She jumps up clapping her hands before ripping my arm from my side making sure to grab the gloves so she doesn't smudge the paint on my arms and drags me along. I let out a sigh and just let the Capitol woman drag me along.
Everything moves in a fast paced blur like someone is skipping along until I find myself facing Akua ready to get out of her wheelchair and into my arms so we can get onto our Chariot. I already see District One on the move. I feel the pressure on as she reaches her arms to wrap around my neck and I can feel her tense up.
"I am sorry if this is awkward, I know this is a difficult situation but I don't want to be your enemy and I don't want you uncomfortable." I tell her and I can already feel her relax a little. I pick up her legs trying not to smudge any of the paint. But it has dried by now. She wears overalls like I do but hers are a little shorter, where mine go to my legs hers end a little higher. And she has a skinny piece of fabric to cover up her chest.
She manages a bright smile, she is so positive. I love it. Not in a creepy way of course, I can't imagine it that way.
I want her to be my ally.
I make that realization as I try to secure her in my arms and step onto the Chariot and grasp onto the front of the chariot with one hand balancing her on the upper part of my arm and hold onto her back with my other arm.
We begin to pull out from the Loading Area and I can hear the screams of the crowd outside. "Do you want to be allies?" I say suddenly as the surge of being in all of the cheering rushes over us.
"Huh?" She asks confused.
"Do you want to be my ally?" I ask as we enter the lane down to where I know the President is waiting for us all to arrive.
"Sure!" She says before putting on a smile her arms locked around my neck to secure herself from falling. I put on a strong face. I want to look tough. I raise my head above midpoint and stare ahead as I try my best to look confident as I hold Akua as she gets confident enough to release one hand to wave to the crowds. She catches a rose thrown her way handing it to me to hold in my teeth. I keep it there a thorn poking into my lip but I keep it there. The crowd seems to love it and that is all that matters.
They don't hate us.
I sure do hate them, but as much as I hate everything they stand for I want to help Akua for the sake of helping the underdog and because she is still so damn positive. But most of all I want to go down with a fight if I can't win, I refuse to give up.
I am going to give this all I got.
District Nine
Micah, 17
"Everything will be okay Rosie, you don't have to worry." I tell her as I place my hand on her shoulder as I see her nervously glancing back at the District behind us. She snaps back into focus playing with the bottom of her scarecrow looking dress. We both are dressed as scarecrows. It isn't too bad but I feel stupid with a black dot on my nose and straw coming out of the top of my shirt.
"Yeah you are right." She says with a smile. "I was just worried I would fall off." She says as she glancing to the ground that the Chariot has put us from a distance from.
She is naïve, even if she doesn't seem to naïve about her winning this thing she sure is about other things. It should stay that way. I just really doubt that will happen. I shake the thought- I have other things to worry about.
I am not an ass, I just realize that as much as I do to help this kid there is so little I can really do. That makes me sad but in a way it is just something I need to use to prepare myself for the much worse things that are ahead.
I smile. I need to smile. I am a happy person. I do stunts are joke around constantly for attention, I do things look jump from roof to roofs as my peers cheer me. Now I am going to be killing my peers. And my peers are going to want to kill me.
Stunts are my things, I have always just loved preforming some risky act that makes everyone cheer and makes my heart rush. They love it. Maybe the Capitol will love it too. I just need to think of something to do.
I see District Eight be tugged out of the Loading Dock. They are dressed as factory workers I believe. Seven in front of them are dressed as tress… very original.
I feel the Chariot begin to move from under us and try to get a good feel of it under my feet as I put on my trademark goofy smile and think of what I can do. People call say I am a "pretty boy" but to be frank that always sounds so stupid to me. Especially since Micah can also be a girl's name too. As we enter the sight of all the Capitol Citizens I try to gently grab Rosie's hand and thrust our hands into the air and at first she is surprised but soon she starts laughing a little bit. By then I let go and risk jumping up stretching out my arms to the sky. I land back down too close to the end for my liking and move back to the front of the Chariot and once I regain comfort again I put one foot on the top of it.
I swear to god if I die before the Games even start…
No I have done this kind of thing before, this is what I do all the time. I can do this. This is what makes people idolize me while call me a complete idiot for putting myself out there so much. I lift myself up onto the edge of the Chariot balancing on my feet. As my heart races I make a small jump onto the back of one of the horses. As soon as I land on the horse I feel my heart beat slowly adjust back to normal. I wave to the roaring crowd who seems to have love my little stunt.
The horse doesn't seem too affected by the fact it is now carrying a teenage boy on its back and soon arrives in line with all the other Chariots. Almost by instinct I find my eyes landing on District Three. Jean.
What a coincidence. Such a large chance that the same year I am reaped a random boy I have never met has the same name as my best friend, the person I am closest too. He knows all of my secrets, even the ones I am not too proud of.
With the darkness acting as my guide and my speed and swift movement acquired from all the tricks and stunts I easily make it out of the home within ten minutes. They won't even notice the missing cash. It wasn't a lot, only some to buy some food until my father gets paid again. I work out in the fields but we needed the money to pay for a leaking pipe. We had no choice, not that he will know how I got this money. I will tell him a got a small bonus working in the grain fields.
I feel my heart racing as I slip off the property and onto the street running and running the only thing running through my head is the directions to the place I told Jean to meet me at. For once I don't enjoy this adrenaline rush, if anything it sends me into an even darker place.
How could I do this?
Oh but I know how I could do this. By having no mother to provide a second income and being as poor as dirt in a District that is so unforgiving. It is just my father and I and I won't let us starve. I rather feel this guilt.
They won't miss the money; it probably is like a penny to them.
"Micah?" I hear Jean's voice reach me as I walk into an alleyway in the edge of town. I am breathless from fear. "Micah are you okay?" He asks going forward to catch me if I am to faint or simply to just fall over.
I nod.
"Did they see you?" He asks?
I shake my head starting to regain myself as I stand up again. Jean doesn't have much emotion on his face but I know he is there for me. He isn't going to judge me, we will both forget this ever happened and go on to plan some other stunt for me to preform. This will be forgotten. It needs to be forgotten, and hopefully it will never happen again.
The memory poking at the edges of my brain makes my goofy smile waver as I try to make myself cheer up with no avail. I don't like to think about things like that, what I have to do to survive. It only happened once more, when I was near starving. Just twice. I am not criminal, I am not innocent either but I am not a thug.
I continue to wave to the crowd looking away from District Three Jean. It isn't my friend, they don't even look alike. They just have the same name.
I look to President Snow as he looks over us all, doing a double take on me before looking to the crowd.
"Let the 62nd Hunger Games begin!"
I know the schedule hasn't worked out exactly yet, but trust me I will get it working. It might end up just being Mondays and Fridays and Wednesdays once and a while but I will get into the schedule. I just need a little time to get use to it.
OK this is VERY IMPORTANT- One please vote on the poll on my profile for your favorite tribute. You can pick five people.
Two- I am sorry I can't explain the entire story of why (I will explain more later) but I really want to make a GIANT retcon… which means changing something earlier established in the story. Okay not exactly but I want to make a HUGE change that might really confuse a lot of you but I think most of you won't care. I want to change the Victor to the 60th Hunger Games. Does it sound seriously drastic? Well I am really considering it. I will explain more in the next chapter that will tie everything together.
