Hey guys! I'd like to apologize for the bagillions of mistakes this chapter probably has I'm sorry! I'm just so excited! I'm skipping D9 and just putting them as bloodbaths so we can get on with the story! I hope you guys like this chapter as much as I do! If you like, leave a review! I love each and every one of you! If it weren't for the PM's and reviews, we wouldn't have even gotten this far! Thanks!

Blake Daley

I do my best to stop the stream of blood that is now pouring out of my finger. I sigh and gently pull the sewing needle out of my thin index finger, wincing in pain as it comes. This is the third time today, but I'm used to it. I work in one of the largest textile factories in district 8, so needle sticks are more common than blinking. I suck my finger for a second but don't bother wrapping it, it'll clot soon. In the mean time I insert a new, sterile needle into the high-tech machine. I press down on the steel peddle and maneuver the high end fabric through the sewing machine quickly. Today I'm embroidering a swirling pattern on dresses soon to be shipped to the capitol. Dresses are some of my favorite things to make because of all the attention you have to pay to them. It sure takes time, but the best things in life are worth working for. The loud alarm that signals we can go home rings and I delicately remove the dress from the machine and turn out my station light. The entire factory is growing darker from the station lights being shut off. I look down the row and see the harsh lights disappearing into blackness almost like a Christmas tree being shut off. I put my card through the puncher and grab my jacket on the way out. I'm practically blinded by the intense sunlight as I step outside but I quickly put on my sunglasses. District 8 for some reason is the brightest district so sunglasses are a must for everyone. My house is really close to the square and the factory so I have tons of time to get ready for the reapings.

After a short 5 minute walk I push through the French doors of my house. My father is an official at one of the nicest factories in the district so we have things pretty good. A big difference between my family and most others is that we get to keep pretty much any fabric we want, so our house is dripping in the finest fabrics the capitol can provide. The second my feet hit the handwoven carpet in the foyer my father has charged into view. He looks angry, as per usual, and appears to be sweating. My dad is pretty much always mad at me, I've always done something wrong and I'm just a disgrace. Yeah, I try to keep my distance from my dad.

"You Imbecile!" Here we go I think to myself. I raise my palms up to him in surrender and prepare myself for a verbal beating. "How many times do I have to tell you to TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF BEFORE YOU ENTER THE HOUSE?" His thin face is growing red and I roll eyes because my black tennis shoes are in my hands. This doesn't go over well with my father who continues to shout a few more profanities at me before stomping off in a huff. Whatever, typical Tuesday afternoon. I sprint up the carpeted stairs to my bedroom and gently close the door behind me. Finally alone, I let the tears spill over. I don't usually cry, and I hate to admit it but it really gets to me when my dad treats me like that. He wasn't always this way, but after my brother died from being stillborn two years ago he just kinda went off the deep end. I guess I wasn't a good consolation prize. I'm now only child and I don't have any family members to talk to, so I'm kind of on my own. I wipe a lone tear drop from my eye and remove my white work cloths. In place of them, I put on a black polo with khaki pants and white tennis shoes, my signature look. I run a brush through my medium length brown hair and wash my face until I know I've sloughed off all the dead skin.

I avoid my dad when I leave, not wanting any more confrontation. I get to the square in the last couple moments where I don't even have to get my finger pricked hard because my fresh skin breaks at the touch. I join the impatient crowd and look for my best friend Hugh. I break into a smile when I see him because he is sporting a true capitol get up. He's wearing a shining blue suit with matching shoes and its making me totally crack up. Hugh is grinning widely as we greet each other with a fist bump. His normally wild blond hair is gelled back, his look is total perfection. We don't get a chance to say hi before the speech and video start.

I immediately notice we have a new escort this year. Our old scarlet has been replaced by Moira. Wonder what happened. Moira doesn't leave much to the imagination dressed in a foggy plastic dress. I turn my head in disgust, not wanting to look at THAT. Moira walks daintily over to the female bowl and pulls out a name. "Margarita Saiden!" Moira reads in a suspenseful voice. I don't recognize the girl at all but I recognize who I assume is her mother when she begins to scream. The girl doesn't look overly scared and mounts the stage quickly. The girl is pretty; she has wavy blonde hair that seems to flow over her dress. I'm so busy thinking about the amount of work the intricate dress must've taken, I almost miss them call my name. I turn to look at Hugh who is pale. Neither of us took any tesserae so it's really strange that I was called. I feel a little nervous but at the same time, I mostly angry. I'm so angry at the capitol for doing this to us! The rebellion was our ancestors, not us, why should we be punished. How can those capitol socialites sit in their glamorous and watch kids kill each other for entertainment. I push the angry thoughts from my head and try to focus on what I'm going to do about you know, the probability of my imminent death.

Meg Saiden

I'm sprayed with a cool mist of water as my brother jumps into the pond right in front of me. I squeal in fake irritation and attempt to jump right on top of him. I miss so I splash him instead. The cool fresh water refreshes me and I let myself forget all my worries for a moment. I live for days like this when I can just spend time with my younger sisters and brother. I'm a second mom to them and I'm always looking out for them. This pond we're at is one of my best kept secrets. Its hidden away inside the forest at the edge of the district so we get it all to ourselves. I almost choke on a mouthful of water as the loud reaping siren goes off. I jump out of the water and pull my two sisters and brother out after me and wrap towels around all of them. I join hands with them as we sprint back to our house, laughing along the way.

The first thing that I notice when we enter is the stockpile of tesserae in the corner of our meager kitchen. I feel proud and terrified at the same time. I entered my name 50 times to earn this much excess. I need to take care of my family and this is one way to do that. On top of the tesserae I've been working in a factory since I was nine. I feel like it's my duty to help out in any way I possibly can, I mean, you take care of family. I get my siblings situated because my mom will already be on a train to the square since her work is on the complete opposite side of the district One of my sisters and my brother are eligible this year and I'm in charge of making them look suitable.

My bedroom is in the attic of our wooden house and is almost always burning hot. I laid out my dress earlier; it's a pale pink dress with a sash that goes around the waist. I slip on a pair of black flats on brush my wavy blonde hair out. As a final detail, I put on my favorite gold necklace with a gold star that is in the center of a white rose. I step back at take a look at myself in the mirror. I think that something's missing so I delicately draw on a light layer of gold eyeliner and draw small stars. I step back again and I can't help thinking that I actually look like a star. Happy, I get my siblings and begin the walk to the square.

At the square I meet up with my best friends Honna and Reiga as we wait for the speeches to begin. Our unfamiliar escort is wearing a horrendous plastic dress, and she doesn't seem to know she's sparking laughter in all of district 8. My hearts starts to race as she pulls the female name. I join hands with my friends and pray that I don't get picked. "Magarita Saiden!"

It's a vision straight out my nightmares. Everyone's looking at me; even my friends are gaping in shock. I feel lightheaded but Honna squeezes my hand gently. I hug her tightly one last time and I can feel her teardrops on my back. It takes everyone bit of my strength not to burst into tears on the spot. Instead, I pretend to be brave as I hop up the stairs just wanting for this to be over and to be alone so I can let my real emotions show. "So Magarita, are you excited?" I evade her question and answer instead,

"It's Meg…" My voice is trembling but Moira doesn't seem to even notice, she's already picking a boy's name. I don't notice the boy until he's shaking my hand. He's cute I think, and he looks sweet, maybe everyone will be nice this year, maybe I'll come home.