Jak Brentlee's POV
I'm throwing my axe at the wall, again and again. It's the only thing I'm good at. It's what I've been doing since I've been able to walk, so that probably helps.
My father owns a lumber mill. We get good money from it, so we're one of the lucky families compared to the rest of District 7.
My mother died in childbirth, so I never knew her. If I am reaped today, I know that I'll fight for her. I have to win, because she will have died for nothing if I lose.
My father calls me inside and tells me to put my Reaping outfit on. It's a dark brown suit that fits me perfectly. I admire myself in the mirror, before my father calls for breakfast.
I have some oats and some apple juice, which fills me up. I go outside and throw my axe some more. I feel good every time I hear the thud of the axe crunching into the wood. Suddenly, the siren rings out, and I'm off in a flash.
As I make my way to the main square, I analyse the poorer people trying to survive. The ones with no food, the ones with no homes. It's a really sad thing to witness.
I get registered like the other boys do, and I go and line up with them, waiting anxiously for the proceedings to commence.
Juliet Ann Knightly's POV
I stand outside, watching District 7 go about their usual lives. Here at the Mayor's mansion, you can see everything, from the young men swinging axes into trees, to people going to the market to pick up some groceries.
My father, John, is the Mayor of District 7. So I'm quite a privileged girl. I get a lot of things others don't. But I'm not arrogant about it. I actually sneak some of it into town and I distribute it to the not so fortunate.
Although you think I'm close to my father, you're wrong. When I turned twelve, I became quite shy, so my father began to push me away. He cares about my older brothers, Henry and James.
But I love Henry and James. As they are both ineligible for the Hunger Games anymore, they have trained me hard incase I'm reaped. Along with the immense speed and hearing capabilities I was born with, I am quite good at hand-to-hand combat and wielding axes. They also pass on the support of my father, but that's not something I care about.
Although I am trained for the Games, I still wouldn't want to hurt anybody. It's not my style. I would try to reason with them. But I know this behavior would be irrational in the arena.
My big weakness is my blood cells and blood sugar. I have a lack of white blood cells, so any would I get could get easily infected. My low blood sugar requires me to eat a lot to make sure I don't get tired and go into shock.
My father calls me in for breakfast. I eat all the stuff that doesn't include meat. Because of my vegetarianism, meat is a no-no. That's something I would have to adapt to in the arena.
Suddenly, I hear the Reaping siren. I say goodbye to my brothers, but not my father. I doubt he would care if I was reaped or not. I walk out the door and make my way to the registration table. When I get there, they take some blood, and I line up with the other girls.
Our escort, Jane Kilworthy, materializes on the stage. She welcomes us to the Reaping and plays the horrid film that is compulsory to watch. After it has finished, he strolls over to the bowl filled with girls' names. He swirls his hand around in the bowl, and pulls a name to the surface. He tears the seal with the most careful touch, and reads the name.
"Juliet Ann Knightly."
I can deal with this. It's what my brothers have trained me for. I know they'll support me if they can. I walk up onto the stage and shake Jane's hand. Now it's time for the boys.
Jak Brentlee's POV
Juliet seems calm as she walks up onto the stage. I cannot believe that the Mayor's daughter is going into the Games.
Jane walks over to the boys bowl and sticks her hand in. She pulls it out a moment later, revealing a name in her hand. I wait for the name to be called.
"Jak Brentlee."
I knew it was coming. And there was no way of avoiding it. I know that I'm screwed. I saw the District 1 Reaping and that Theo boy scared the crap out of me. I hope it's not him that ends me.
I walk up onto the stage and uneasily smile at everybody. Then I shake hands with Juliet and Jane and get whisked off to my deathbed.
