Audrey Carpenter
"Oliver did you get them?" I whisper to my best friend who is currently trying to maneuver through the dense forest in the dark.
My voice startles him and I watch as he barely misses losing his head to a thick tree limb.
"Sorry," I whisper.
He throws his backpack off his shoulder and kneels down next to me.
"No problem, I should've figured you were already here."
I grab at the bag and pull the zipper open. "I couldn't contain my excitement."
Inside the bag hold new knives, a small gun, and a bow and arrow. I am impressed.
"I got lucky tonight," he pulls out the gun and tries to examine it by tilting it towards the moonlight. "The Peacekeepers were having some kind of party or something, but they were too busy drinking to notice me stealing them from the barracks."
"Wow," is all I can say.
"What do you say we test them out?"
I nod eagerly and remove a few knives and the bow and arrow.
Oliver has been smuggling weapons since the announcement of the Games began. Since he delivers the uniforms from the factory he gets clearance into the Peacekeepers living area, which is convenient for us especially in District 8, where weapons are hard to come by. At first it had been for training purposes in case either of us were reaped. We had no other ways of preparation here, unless we could learn how to kill with sewing machines and needles. I'm not saying those machines aren't dangerous, I've seen how lethal working in the factories are, but nothing quite does the job like a knife.
Our late night training sessions then turned into an activity that allowed me to vent my frustrations of life. Between the training, and talking to Oliver late into the night I felt more grounded than I was before the Games were ever announced.
"I smuggled something else from the barracks," Oliver tells me later after we have finished training.
"What is it?"
He opens another pocket on his backpack and pulls out something large and round. I squint my eyes to identify the package.
"You got sweet rolls?" My mouth begins watering at the mention, and Oliver unwraps the plastic around them. He breaks off a piece and hands it to me and I devour it.
At the bakery, these would go for more money than I see in a week of working at the factory. I can't help but throw my arms around Oliver.
"Thank you Oliver! I don't just mean thank you for the rolls either. Thank you for coming out here and training with me, and just being a wonderful friend."
Oliver returns my hug with eagerness, "It's no big deal. You know I'd do anything for you."
His words are sweeter than the rolls and I can't help but break into a smile.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," I say as I lean my head against his shoulder and munch on another roll.
Oliver sighs, "The feeling is mutual."
Orion Kelsey
I can just picture it now, finally being able to wring my hands around another's neck and squeeze the life from their flesh. I can hardly contain my excitement at the thought. I will finally be able to release the violence that I've been forced to hold back for so long.
Panem has looked at the Hunger Games with such disgust, but I believe they are a blessing. Yes, today is the day that I, Orion Kelsey, volunteer as a tribute for the first annual Hunger Games.
"Kelsey! You're up!" It's my coach and he's pointing towards the ring. I look over at my competition, he's about 200 pounds, and built similar to me. His grin gives me the impression that he is self-assured that he's going to beat me, but I'd beg to differ.
I get to the ring and the coach yells that we may begin. My new enemy immediately goes into the offense and tries to plow me over, but I am just as strong, and we grapple in equilibrium for some time. I look over to my opponent as beads of sweat drip from his forehead, and I realize that I will win this battle. I put in some extra effort, and his strength seems to buckle as I throw him to the ground.
I quickly throw my arm around his neck in a chock-hold. I'm disappointed because I thought I was going to have more competition than this.
He struggles to free himself, and I grip more tightly around his feeble neck. His struggle then turns into to a panic as he desperately tries to free himself from suffocation. I can't help but grip tighter as a smile creeps on my face.
"Kelsey!" My coach is yelling at me again. "Get off of him, you're suffocating the poor fellow."
I do not wish to stop, but I loosen my arm and walk away anyways. I will have my time I think to myself. It won't be too long now.
Audrey Carpenter
I wipe the sweat that runs down my forehead, as I run the cloth through the sewing machine. Working in the factory is tedious work, and if I make one slip either the clothing will have to be completely re-done or I'll lose a finger.
"Want some water?"
I turn to see little Pomona. She's only fourteen years old and barely stands five feet. Her curly blonde hair is pulled up into a bun that is piled on the top of her head.
I think Pomona is too young to be doing this work, but I know her family is poor and they need all the money they can get. She knows what she's doing here, don't get me wrong, but she seems so young and fragile with her porcelain skin and petite frame.
"How are you doing?" I ask as I take the bottle from her hand.
"Okay I guess." She looks uncertain.
"It's not the best of days."
She sighs, "No it's not."
I have a feeling her unease has something to do with the events that are about to unfold. "It's the reapings isn't it?"
She purses her lips and nods slowly. "I'm afraid of being reaped." She pauses and seems to be contemplating the idea of getting thrown into the arena. "I'm not afraid to die, but how will my mother and younger brothers survive if I'm not here?"
"Pomona, you're too young to be reaped." Although I can't be certain, I don't know what else to say to calm her fears.
The machines begin to pick up and Pomona has to yell so I can hear her.
"No, I'm not, my name is in there twice."
"Yes, but the odds are in your favor. Besides, I'll look out for you."
Her eyebrows crinkle together as though she is confused.
"I'll look out for you," I yell louder, so she knows she did not hear me wrong.
She shakes her head vigorously. "Don't you dare."
"My circumstances are better than yours."
"I don't care, fate will pick the name out of the bowl today, and if it's me then I'll accept that as my fate."
Her courage is admirable.
"Pomona, you are too wise to be fourteen."
She opens her mouth to say something, but the supervisor is suddenly coming down the aisle and she sprints off to get back to her station before we both get in trouble.
Orion Kelsey
I arrive home from wrestling practice to hear loud screaming from within the house. No surprises there. As soon as I walk in the door something comes pelting through the air towards me and immediately shatters against a wall just a few inches away from me.
"Nice to see you guys too!" I shout.
My parents disregard me and I watch my father grab my mom's hair and yank her to the ground for attempting to throw the glass item at him.
What can I say? Violence breeds violence. My family is so messed up it even disturbs me. I question how my mother and father were actually able to marry and have children when they were at each other's throats constantly. They didn't get a long, so why were they even together?
Then there's my twenty-six year old sister who ran off to District 6 when the rebellion started to acquire a more adequate supply of drugs to fuel her morphling addiction. Obviously she could not handle the stress of this house, so she succumbed herself to a pitiful drug.
I would never allow myself to become dependent on something so meager. How do you control yourself when you're under such an influence?
I hear the sound of palm on skin, and I peek out from my room to see my mother on the floor in tears. I want to tell her to get over it, and stop whining. If she didn't want to get slapped then she shouldn't have bothered with my father. She knew what was going to happen.
Today at the reaping, the tributes will know what's going to happen as well. They will die at the hand of another. I have familiarized myself with the fact that I may die as well. I, in fact, will receive death with open arms because I have no desire to return to this place. The wealth of being a victor means nothing to me. I have everything I ever needed here but yet I am not satisfied, and I will not be satisfied until my thirst to kill is quenched.
When I leave for the reapings my mother is crying silently on the couch and my father is nowhere to be found.
"Pull yourself together, you stupid woman," I yell. "I'm going to the reapings today and I'm going to volunteer. I hope you know you'll probably never see me again."
My mother looks up at me, her eyes glossy. She has nothing to say to her only son, and she only shakes her head and resumes weeping.
"Whatever," I mutter as I leave the house.
Audrey Carpenter
"Well somebody is all dressed up," my older brother, Dustin, comments as I emerge into the living room.
I look down at my pretty blue floral dress. I think it had once belonged to my mother. I received all her clothing when she passed away. Her death was not brought on by the rebellion, but instead she was taken victim to the machines whose only use was to sew clothing.
"Thanks Dustin."
I feel worn out as though the energy has been sapped from my body. If I am chosen, or Ponoma, or my brother, or Oliver, how will I be able to cope? I don't understand why we've been forced into such a punishment. I've thrown plenty of knives in the woods with Oliver, but how could I aim it towards another human? Somebody who has friends, and family, perhaps their family is counting on them to return because they have no other way to survive like Ponoma's.
"What's wrong?" Dustin notes my silence, and I try to shake my feelings off. After all this nightmare will be over soon, no need to dwell on something I can't change."
"I'm fine." I glance at the clock. "Shall we?"
"Let's get this over with."
Oliver somehow finds me in the crowd as I'm making my way over to the over to the other sixteen year old females. He immediately grabs me and pulls me into a hug.
"Oliver," I laugh, "it's going to be okay."
He pulls away and starts digging into his pocket. He looks nice in his dress pants and collared shirt.
"I made something for you," he pulls out a small round object, and places it in my hand. It's a small knitted patch that has some kind of bird on it.
Before I can say anything Oliver takes my face into his hands. "I'll see you soon okay?"
I nod and he continues to stare at me like he's waiting for something. There is a moment of inner turmoil before he turns and runs off.
Orion Kelsey
I wait for the incessant babbling to end from the mayor, the video on the screen, and finally our freakishly dressed escort who has rainbow colored hair and pale pink skin. She looks like she's suffering some kind of disease.
"Alright, time for the male tribute then. Let's get this over with."
Before she can make it to the bowl I am shoving the other boys out of the way and walking towards the stage.
"Don't bother, I'm volunteering."
"Oh," she looks at me wide-eyed, "very interesting."
I give her a dirty look because I can tell she's criticizing me. So what if I'm from District 8? It doesn't mean I haven't got what it takes.
"We just need to pick the female tribute then." Her hand is lost in the slips of paper. I don't care who it is, there's no way they'll be stronger than me.
She leans towards the microphone. "Audrey Carpenter!"
The girl is familiar to me and I recognize her as one of the younger girls who pack the clothing before I take them and load them into the trains to be shipped out. The girl can certainly hold her own, but not against me.
Besides fear seems to radiate from every fabric of her being. I can tell she is trying to hide it, but nothing can hide it from me. Her jaw is set stern and I see the eyes of a woman who is about to shed pathetic tears, just as my mother often does.
I feel no connection with this weak girl, and I decide that she can be one of the first to die at my hands.
Audrey Carpenter
My brother and father come to say good-bye, but it is cut short when a Peacekeeper forced them out of the room after about five minutes. I don't know who decided that was an optimal amount of time to say good-bye to their family, but they did a terrible job.
Oliver appears in the door soon after they depart. I rush into him and breathe the familiar scent that kept me company those long nights in the woods.
"Audrey you can do it." He immediately goes into his pep talk. "You've been training, and you're ready for this. If anybody in this district could win, it's you."
"Oliver, who are you kidding? Did you see Rion? I've worked with him on the docks; he's the school's wrestling captain. He must weigh five times as much as me, and could easily snap me like a twig! I don't trust him either he doesn't seem like he'd hesitate before taking a life."
Oliver shakes his head and grips my shoulders. "No Audrey! You're smart and agile. Do you think he could climb a tree or run as fast as you? The answer is no. Brawn doesn't mean anything."
Frustrated tears leave my eyes. "Oliver, I know, but there's other tributes out there as well who probably have had better opportunities. I think it'd be best if you just say…" I can't finish with the good-bye because Oliver wants to hear nothing of it.
"No I can't! Don't you see Audrey? I'm in love with you! I don't know what I'm suppose to do without you here."
Love? That's such an objective word to use. "Oliver, I know I'm leaving, but that's no reason to stir up these feelings."
"Stir these feelings? I've been in love with you since the first day we met years ago! You were just too oblivious to notice, and now you're leaving and I've blown my chance."
"One minute!" The Peacekeeper yells.
"Oliver…" I have no words or time to say what I need to say to him now. He doesn't wait for a response though and hugs me again.
"I'll miss you Audrey," his voice cracks, "so very much."
I breathe in deeply in a feeble attempt to hold back my sobs.
"Time's up!"
He kisses the top of my head and runs his hands through my hair.
"Good-bye," I whisper, and he leaves without another word.
