Previously on Journey to the Top:

With the author confused and at odds about how to handle a Capitol update he decided finally after long consideration to post pone the update until chapter 9. With Tora and Shay on their way to the Capitol, the brat pack from 5 are sure to make a splash in this years games. Tonight we travel to District 6 where we will meet two tributes that are anxiously awaiting to see if they can make the Journey to the Top.

*TRIGGER WARNING* Mention of cutting and or suicide in this chapter.


What's the perfect balance between yelling too much?

And not yelling enough?

So that people don't walk over you.

Is it a crime...just to want to be nice?

And avoid confrontation.

Show everyone a little respect.


Skyler Black, 16

District 6 Female

"Sweetie. It's time to get up." says Dad as he barges into my room at 6 AM in the morning.

My Dad is a little overbearing. A long time ago, when he was 13, he met a girl who was 16 years old. She thought he was 16, he thought she was his age. Anyways long story short, bump in the night and boom. Baby Skyler was born.

The 16 year old wanted nothing to do with me. Especially after finding out she was basically a cougar. So Dad and Gramma took me in, and 16 years later here I am.

"Dad. The sun isn't even up." I whine into my pillow as he flicks on the lights. My blue eyes wince as the sudden change hits them. "Why do you hate me."

"That wasn't asked like a question." state's Dad as he comes and sits on the corner of my bed.

"It wasn't a question. It was a statement."

Dad has become obsessed with being prepared ever since he initially wasn't. I can't tell you the number of times I've had the birds and the bees talk. It's not exactly a conversation you want to have once. Let alone a thousand times over.

"What would you do if you were at the cornucopia and the buzzer gonged?" ask Dad

So the questioning begins. Dad has been adamant about me being ready for the Games ever since I can remember. I know nothing of weapons, and I know a little bit about survival, but I'll tell you what. I'd really win the games if the whole thing was a question and answer based.

"I would run straight up to the Male from 2 and ask him to shove a sword into my heart. Because that's what I feel like doing right now. Dying." I say as I throw my blanket and pillow over my head.

"That isn't funny Sky." he says as I feel his disapproving look glaring through my blanket.

"Look, Dad." I say as I sit up in my bed. "If I'm going to get reaped today, no amount of questions and answers is going to get me out of that situation. Let me sleep. Please? The reapings aren't even for 5 hours."

He puts his head in his hands, and I can tell I'm about to be in for the "when I was your age I wasn't prepared and I had you." speech, and I'm just not emotionally stable enough at the moment to listen to this giant speech.

I roll my eyes and throw my feet over the bed and walk towards my bathroom. I turn on the hot water in the shower and see Dad smiling from my bed. "Are you going to watch me shower? Or can I do that on my own?" I say annoyed.

He rolls his eyes and crosses over to my door and smiles. "In my 29 years of experience I've never met a girl as awesome as you."

Yeah whatever.

I close the bathroom door and adjust the hot water to a temperature that suits my want. I step inside and let the water drizzle down my body. The warm water wakes me up, and the fact that I'm awake also makes me miss when I was asleep.

I don't think I would mind all the questions and answers that my Dad throws at me if it wasn't for the fact that he is kind of compulsive by it. I've never once been scared on reaping day. I've never ever had to take out any tesserae and not because we didn't need it. I just wasn't allowed. I'm one of the only kids in my classes who's never taken it out. So why would I be worried about my slip being drawn.

Dad on the other hand FLIPS. Every year I'm more fearful of his reactions rather than what the actual games would be if I ended up in them. I'll never forget when I was 14 years old and Skyler Samuels got reaped. She made it far...I think it was like 5th place?

Dad flipped after he heard the name Skyler. Screaming in the crowd. Running towards the stage. Peace keepers had to stop him. It was a huge debacle, and by the time he realized that it wasn't me. I was already 10 different shades of red.

Gramma tries to settle his compulsiveness down a little bit. She's old though, not by physicality, but by mindset. She raised a kid that was raising a kid.. She doesn't have it in her anymore to keep up with her young son, and her granddaughter young enough to be her daughter.

I realize I was taking to long when Gramma knocks on my shower door and says that Dad insisted on her checking on me to make sure I didn't fall or I wasn't asleep in the bathtub.

"Gramma I honestly just don't have it in me to deal with this today." I say as I grab my towel all the while covering myself up.

"You know how your Father gets on days like these." she says as she grabs my robe off my bathroom door and hands it to me. I slide into it, and tie the string and follow her out into the kitchen. When I arrive the table is set up with multiple cards around the table, and the breakfast that I would really like to be eating is nowhere in sight.

"Oh good you're here." says Dad with a smile as he finishes setting out the last card. He walks over to a card labled "1" and sits down at the table indicating for me to follow.

"I'm going to ask you a series of questions, and you give me the best answers you can on what you'd do in the situation."

Kill me now.

I walk over to the seat as Gramma places a plate of pancakes in front of me.

"What do you do when you're standing on the platform and the timer is going down?"

I take a bite of my pancake and smile innocently. "Jump off and blow up."

This is going to be a long morning.


There's a place

That I know.

It's not pretty there and few have ever gone.

If I show it to you now...will it make you run away?

Or will you stay?

Even if it hurts?


Rehan Chase, 15

District 6 Male

There is exactly 366 ceiling tiles over the ceiling of this room. I know because I've counted 5 times. This is how all my sessions with Karen go. Me staring at a blank ceiling, and her periodically asking questions.

"Rehan, this is the same dance that we do every session. There has to be something you want to talk about?" she ask for the third time since I've entered into the room.

"No one believes me anyways." I say as I lay down with my head on the arm of the couch and still stare at the ceiling. "You have 366 ceiling tiles. Did you know that?" I ask

"I do know that. Only because you tell me every session."

"Yet every session I'm still surprised." I say with a smirk as I turn over on my stomach and put my forehead on the arm.

The bandage on my right wrist sticks up as I turn and I push the corner of it down again. I wince as putting pressure on my hands and arms hasn't been the same since the incident. A total misunderstanding blown out of freaking proportion, but none the less the incident.

"You're playing with your bandages Rehan." says Karen as she starts to write down notes.

"Dude, you're like the most observant person ever." I say with my mouth dropped open and a chuckle escapes from her end of the room. I turn my head back to face her and look at her curiously. She intrigues me more than I'd ever let her know, but I don't like the fact she can't take the truth for what it is.

"Let's play a game." she says

"Ok, I'm interested." I say as I stare at the clock. I still have one more hour until the awkward walk home with Mom and Dad.

"I'll ask you any question I want, and in return I'll answer yours." she says with a bright smile.

"Am I 7 again?" I ask with a laugh.

"I just figured that since you like playing games so much-"

"These aren't games Karen." I say interrupting her. "This is me telling you the truth, and you not wanting to listen."

"Rehan slitting your wrist because you're curious of what a near death experience is like does not add up-"

"Cut it out Karen. We both know the truth." I say finally sitting up and sitting cross legged on the couch. "The truth is you want me to admit that I tried to kill myself. You want me to admit that I'm depressed, and that I'm alone, and saw no way out. You're a psychologist, and all I've heard you talk about is the statistics of what the mind is and how it works. Are you seriously going to tell me that every mind works the same? Because curiosity overtook me and I made a bad call that you suddenly know what's eating at me?"

"Rehan the signs aren't textbook."

"Neither is life Karen. I'm 15 years old. That's not enough time to get every experience that I want. The truth is yes, I'm not always happy. Yes I look different than the other kids. Yes I'm brown. Yes America is still young enough, and people remember enough about it to know that the people I'm descended from had a branch of terrorist. Yes that is something I'm called, and yes it bothers me. But I'm 15. High school is temporary."

She begins writing down notes with an intensity that I've never seen her in. Her eyes are glowing with a fire, and her hands are moving at the pace of a lightning strike.

"Rehan, this is the most I've learned about you in the entire time we've been meeting."

I lay my head back down and put my hands over my face. Unbelievable.

The truth is I did slit my wrist, and yes. Maybe that was a bad judgement call. Actually, I'll keep it real with you. That was a really bad judgement call. Like really bad. However, I didn't do it for the fact that I hated life. I did it because I wanted to EXPERIENCE life. I've heard so much about people having a near death experience, and how it changed their life for the better. Maybe I just wanted that.

"Keep talking Rehan." says Karen with a small urgency in her tone.

"I have no time to talk to people who don't listen. Especially people who claim it as their occupation." I say as I smooth out the corner of the bandage on my right wrist again.

"None the less Rehan, we still have an hour before your parents pick you up for the reapings." says Karen as she crosses her right leg over her left. Her clipboard nested on her lap as she twirls the pen in between her two fingers.

I've always been fascinated with people who do that. I've always wanted to, but everytime I try I'm not able to get it all the way around. Especially now that my motor skills are a little shotty.

"Rehan tell me your life story."

"1, 2, 3, 4" I say outloud as I point to the ceiling tile in the left corner of the room and work my way down the row.

"Rehan this isn't funny anymore. Your parents pay a lot of money for you to be here with me, and frankly it isn't fair to them."

"19, 20, 21, 22, 23"

She sighs as she leans back in her chair and rest her arm on the arm rest. This is going to be the longest 55 minutes of our lives.


No I was not built, to idly stand here.

Letting you make my decisions based upon your point of view.

You've never allowed me my own freedom.

So hear me now.


Skyler Black, 16

District 6 Female

When I was a little girl I used to imagine a life away from District 6. Someplace where I was free to go and do what I wanted. Someplace to go and just be careless for a little bit. Knowing that there had to be more than this chain iron fence and same old market places that they close us in with.

Unfortunately even if such a place existed I wouldn't be able to go to it with an upbringing like mine.

I probably sound ungrateful. The truth is I've had everything I've ever wanted. Even if it was something that was true, I've never heard the phrase "Skye we can't afford that.". I've never gone hungry, and I've never really had the chance to fail.

That's just it though. I haven't lived. Yeah, I'm breathing, and physically I'm here, but I'm so hungry for an adventure. I'm so hungry for a once in a lifetime opportunity. Something that's reckless. Something that is out of control. Something that is wild. Something that's chaotic.

Something that's free.

I look into the mirror at the girl with the black hair. My pale skin is basically glowing in comparison to the dark violet dress that I have on. I love this dress. So much. Mostly because I had to fight for it.

We were walking through the marketplace when Gramma and I spotted it in the window of a store. We aren't ones to buy clothes, as we usually make our own. However this was just so beautiful. She had me try it on, and I felt extravagant. Almost like a princess.

Dad walked by the store window right as I was looking at myself in the dressing room mirror. He threw a fit. Like yelling at the store clerk, and almost ripping the dress off of me kind of fit. Screaming about how he was irresponsible like that and it changed his life forever.

I'll never forget the way Gramma stepped in and set him in his place. Obviously we bought the dress that day. It means so much more than just a pretty clothing item though. This was a victory that I won. Something that I finally was able to take control of. Something that allowed me to explore a little bit more of who I was.

"Skye, the reapings are about to start!" says Dad with a slight panic in his voice.

"Coming Dad!" I say as I slide into my silver flats, and walk out of my room.


Like a diamond

From black dust.

It's hard to know what can become out if you give up.

So don't give up on me.

Please remind me who I really am.


Rehan Chase, 15

District 6 Male

Karen is a little snitch and told Mom and Dad I didn't talk again today. Now I have to listen to the speech that I get everytime I leave a session with Karen.

"Rehan, why don't you talk to the nice lady?" says Dad as he walks hand in hand with my mother.

"Yes baby," says Mom, "she's only trying to help you."

Can people not see that I don't need help? Sometimes I feel like my life is in a different language than everyone else's. Like closed captioning works on my end, and not on theirs.

"Guys I tell you every time we go to that horrid woman that I don't need to."

"Rehan you slit your wrist." says Mom bluntly.

"You know what?!" I say "I'm done."

I walk over to a building and find a latter on the side of it. I swiftly climb it as my parents follow me. They follow me up the latter and I walk over to the edge of the building and dip my toes over the edge.

"Rehan what are you doing?!" says Dad

'Giving you what you want to see!" I say "You want me to jump right?" I say with a smile. "Well here we go!"

"No!" screams mom as she grabs my shirt. She then realizes I didn't jump and stares at me angry.

"What are you doing!" says Dad

"Proving a point. If I wanted to kill myself I'd find a much easier way than slitting my wrist." I say as I stroll over to the edge of the latter and begin to climb down.

My parents follow me as I walk towards the registration for the reapings and get my finger pricked.

"You ok kid?" ask the peacekeeper as he grabs my finger and sticks the needle in. "I saw you over there on that roof."

"Yeah, I'm fine." I say mad. "I'm just tired of not being heard."

I stroll over to the 15 year old boy section, and applaud politely as I watch our District escort Godiva Eldridge walk onto the stage.


I'm too sexy for my shirt,

too sexy for my shirt.

So sexy it hurts.


Godiva Eldridge, 21

District 6 Escort

Oh my gosh. Why yes. It is the movie star Godiva Eldridge standing right in front of you.

Ok. It was a film festival, and the only reason I was in it was because I was the only extra willing to show her boobs. None the less though, I was hot, and rocked the hell out of that scene. If I do say so myself I stole that shot. I was pissed with the Panem Choice Awards came out and I wasn't on the list for best supporting role. I was honestly robbed.

I walk out into the stage and accept the applause as District 6 claps for my grand entrace.

"Hold the applause please." I say as I wave and bow to the crowd.

"Per usual we will start with ladies first."

I walk over to the bowl and dig my hand in it. Gosh I just love this feeling. You can cut the tension with a knife. It's a atmosphere of pressure that is almost ecstasy like.

"Skyler Black?" I say as I read into the microphone.

A man screams in the back and suddenly multiple people are on the ground and staring at him as he makes his way through the crowd. A girl from the 16 year old section is making her way to the stage. She looks at the man in horror as one taze shoots out and clips him in the leg. Surprisingly he keeps running as another shoots him in the arm. One more taze and he is down for the count.

"Sweet heart who is that." I ask as I see her wiping away tears as she covers her mouth in horror.

"M-my Dad." she chokes out.

"Dad?!" I say doing a double take as I stare at the man who looks like he can't be more than 30. What the hell does this guy put in his cereal in the morning?!

"Well." I say into the mic. "Ladies and Gentlemen why that is working out we will go ahead and move on to the males."

I walk over to the male bowl and pull a name out of the top half of the envelopes. I walk back over to the microphone and read the name allowed.

"Rehan Chase?" I say

Similar to when I called the girl there is a wail in the crowd. However no one interrupts as the 15 year old boy makes his way to the stage.

"DISTRICT 6 YOUR TRIBUTES! REHAND AND SKYLER!"

Next time on Journey to the Top:

We travel to the Capitol where we will catch up with Katherine and Clyde and the gang in the President's house. What has been going on while we've been away? What's going to happen next. We will also travel back out to the outer parts of Panem. The forgotten corners of America. Sadie makes a return in the next chapter. Where do these characters fit in on the fight for survival and Journey to the Top? Find out next chapter.

Who did you like more? Rehan or Skyler?

Predictions?

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter…

So, uh. Shout out times.

Reader Castellan has a story that's kicking serious butt right now called Glass Glades: The 70th Hunger Games. I'm in the story (Dove Savage) so you should go read. #TeamDove #SavageNation

CreativeAJL has Second Chance still. #TeamParvati. Need I say more?

ASimpleMind94 is writing a hella fantastic story called "The 86th Hunger Games: Welcome to Oblivion." #teamGwen

We're All Okay is also writing a SYOT that you should check out called "Haunted: The 20th Hunger Games" #TeamBriar #Die4Di

LASTLY WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper (yes I typed that all out) has a new SYOT that's OPEN. It's called Battles of History: the 58th Hunger Games. #SailintoVictory #TeamGraceland. Definitley go see if you can submit because this kid is awesome.

Keep it classy,

Caleb