Mad World

All around me are familiar faces;
Worn out places, worn out faces;
Bright and early for their daily races;
Going nowhere, going nowhere.


District Seven Reapings


Eden Naricho, 17 years old


He snatches my satchel from the table before I can get my hand round the strap.

"Too slow." Andri sticks his tongue out and ducks just as my nails rake the air above his head. I can feel my cheeks warming up and if this was some kind of story I'm sure steam would be billowing out of my ears right now, but this isn't a story, this is my bastard brother doing what he loves to do.

Pissing me off.

"Look you little shit."

"Language Eden." He bursts out laughing as I dive round the table and barely manage to get a grip on his shoulder before Alec tackles into my side. They're both only ten years old so compared to me they can't do a lot of damage but their size has its advantages. When I stand up they've both vanished from sight. Their laughter however is still as loud as ever.

I hate them, I hate them, I HATE THEM! My family is the worst family in the history of this district I can assure you of that. First of all I have two parents who lied about our past and then two little twin brothers who are just as bad as I am. Ok. Fair enough I love to prank them and make their lives a living hell but I obviously do not exactly gain some form of excitement from me being the target.

"GIVE ME IT BACK RIGHT NOW I AM SUPPOSED TO BE GOING OUT WTIH MY FRIENDS!" I'm good at shouting. One of my many talents but it does nothing except eliciting more shriek-like giggling from my immature siblings. I don't want to waste my energy chasing a pair of squirrel like ten year olds around the house but time spent moping around after a bag full of my stuff is time not spent outside with my mates causing a bit of... fun.

I try not to spend too much of my time thinking about what we've got planned for today. It ruins the surprise. Instead I sprint up the staircase, each step creaking under my weight, and charge into the nearest room. Andri is swinging my bag around his head giggling with Alec lying down next to him with his head in his hands.

"Andri... please... can I have my bag back." Manners are like acid to me but Andri teases me on my impoliteness. Maybe sweet talking will get my ten year old devil brother to give me it back. I have some pranks to perform.

"Oh Andri pleasssssseeeeee can I have my bag back. Pleaseeee Andri." The girly pitch to his pretend voice does exactly what I'm sure he intended. I lunge forwards only just registering out the corner of my eye that the window is wide open and scream at him when the strap is released from his tiny fingers and my bag goes flying out the window.

I hear the glass smash upon impact and feel the plan within my mind shatter alongside it. Fuck fuck FUCK!

I grab Andri's collar and pull him forwards. Spit flies out across his face and for only a split second fear crosses his eyes but then Alec swings over onto my shoulders and pulls me away from his twin. Never will either of these two defend me. I've always been like their number one enemy simply because I'm not their real sister. It hurts, a part of me wants to be accepted but another part hates them all. Hates everything. This house. This District. This entire damn planet.

"Eden?" Alec's voice is gentle and that's when I feel that a tear has slipped down my cheek and landed on the straw mattress.

"Fuck off." I wipe it away and run as fast as I can down the stairs, knocking a vase over, and out the front door slamming it so hard the fragile glass fitted within the wood shatters. I don't get upset. I do not cry. Ever.

Yet I'm still crying as I scoop up the glass fragments that held what was needed for today's prank. Everybody except my gang has always hated me or always judged me simply because of my parents' mistakes and now I've let down my friends because they trusted me with this.

People wonder why I'm so bitter. So angry. So furious with everything and nearly everyone. It's because of people like my shitty little brothers.

A little kid is crying when I finally wipe away the last few tears from my eyes. A piece of glass is lying bloody on the concrete and his mum is cradling his hand in her own trying to stem the flow. I should help. I should step forward and apologise and do something to comfort the poor boy. But his features slowly twist into Andri's, his crying mouth turning into one open with laughter and I scream.

I leave the satchel covered with glass lying on the concrete and run as fast as I can away from them all. Away from all their eyes and more importantly away from my house. If I had somewhere else to live I would but I don't. My mother and father pretend to love me, everytime I've always gone missing they gather a few people to help locate me and they always do. But they do not love me. So I don't love them or anyone else back because everyone has something bad within them, whether it's obvious or not.

I'd volunteer if I had the courage. I'm not a wimp or anything but no one volunteers unless they want to die or believe they can win. I hate everyone around me but I'm not suicidal and want to give that all up. Winning would be good I guess, having my own house and money away from society's eye but I do not have a death wish. I've been on the brink of death once after a prank went wrong and it was the scariest moment of my entire life. I don't wish to relive that again. So after the reaping I'll be back in that damn house with my damn parents and my damn brothers. Life goes on and unfortunately my life is forever attached to that of my family's.


Alain Bierwith, 17 years old


The entire lumberjack community is split into different groups every year. The forests are split into sections and each group allocated one of these sections to work on, the day ends when you've fulfilled your quota. Our group unfortunately has drawn the short straw. We have a section that needs work on during reaping day so we don't get a day off like everyone else does.

When I'm working, the sun seems even worse, it always has done. Each time I look up my eyes water and I can practically feel my skin burning and turning red as I continue hacking away. I don't mind working on reaping day, I mean it's much better than sitting at home with my family and worrying about whether or not I'll be sent off to the Capitol to die.

"Hey Alain, come on chop faster. Do you really want to come back after the reaping to continue?" The boss guy of our little group is a great laugh but takes his work seriously at the same time. He's a bit like me in a way. With my friends I'm up for anything, around them I'm much more open and confident and there for a great laugh but I take responsibility if anything ever gets out of control and will do what I can to stop my friends from getting into something much worse than they can handle.

I prefer a level headed and mature approach to everything but still living life to the max and just relaxing. In Panem where I'm forced if I want any kind of money to cut trees all day, it's better to try and have some fun instead of moping about life.

"Sorry sir." He nods at me, turns away, and begins walking off to go and make sure the rest of the group further away are working up to speed.

"Sorry sir. Oooo sir I'm so very sorry." Aiden teases. I turn to him and give him the angriest look I can but he just bursts out laughing and I do the same. The best kind of friends insult and make fun of each other, who wants to be boring? Even when we're working under the blistering sun with our hands going sore and our legs cramping we can still afford to have a few laughs. As long as we work of course. Otherwise I'll be back here straight after four of our own have been shipped off to die and I'd rather not have to do that.

The next tree comes down at an angle that sends it falling away from the rest of us. I don't like it when people make fun of those who cut down trees, calling us apes or something else derogatory. It takes a lot of skill to cut down these trees, if someone cut it too far down or too far high the angle of its descent would change and it would be goodbye lumberjacks. I like my job. I hate those who sit around all day and insult us. Unfortunately those rich enough to have a job in a little shop or something do exactly that.

"How have you already got one down?" Calico says as he continues hacking away at the tree trunk. Bits of bark fly out everywhere and he moans when some gets into his eyes. He's new to all this and I've done what I can to help him learn the basics but at the end of the day there's only so much I can do before I myself end up not fulfilling my quota for the day.

"With a bit of skill and determination anything is possible."

"Bullshit. You're just lucky." He sighs and continues cutting away at the tree. Aiden is nearly finished his first so I walk a few trees down and begin cutting away into the bark of another. If I can get this one down then I'm okay for today. Normally it's much more than two but the reaping is early afternoon and normally we have the entire day to cut down the trees.

Now that I'm too far away to carry on talking to the other two I just continue cutting away at the tree. It's nothing exciting really. If I could I'd leave and go off and have some fun in the District with my friends but we're all stuck out here so we'll do what we have to do.

The axe cuts another slither of bark away just as I see a tree start to shake out the corner of my eye. When I turn my head to get a better look it starts shaking even more, an axe has been left on the ground next to a half cut tree trunk, the entire thing starting to lean to the side.

Oh no. Oh shit.

If I cut it down will it kill someone? But if I leave it will it kill someone anyway? I don't know what to do... what do I do? All of a sudden it's gotten even more hot. Normally I'm level headed and calm but sometimes thinks just get too much. Safety for my friends and others is important and this tree could damage that. My eyes go a bit funny and I feel slightly dizzy when I start walking towards the tree. It shudders again, bark snapping and I drop my own axe and run towards the tree.

My own tree isn't cut as much so it's fine. This one could kill Aiden, Calico and the others.

"What's wrong Alain?" Aiden shouts as I speed past. I ignore him and pick up the axe, I begin cutting away a few centimetres above where the cut has already been made. If it's higher it should change direction as it falls.

"What the hell are you doing cutting my tree. Trying to steal my hard work?" I turn to face Hatcher, a big brute of a guy that no one gets along with. He's holding a tiny cup of water. He gulps the rest down and pushes me aside.

"Y-You can't... you'll kill-" I don't know what else to say except watch as he swings again at the tree and makes a clean cut right through the rest of the bark where his original cut was made. It doesn't collapse on us. It collapses the other side and lands with a crash on the forest floor.

Oh.

I feel warmth rising to my cheeks and turn away from Hatcher who is glaring at me, and Aiden and Calico who are staring wide-eyed.

I pick up my axe again and through teary eyes start swinging again at the tree. I always get like this. Normal Alain takes a step back when I think something is going to go wrong and crazy Alain takes a step forward. The second tree falls down just as we're called to the reaping. I don't bother waiting for anyone. This is a walk I want to make alone.


Rhoena Selfridge, 14 years old


The tree outside looks pretty. Standing in its solitude with little flowers blooming around it. A few pink petals are mixed with yellow, it complements the sunlight and the little bright bees flitting around looking for nectar. It's all such a beautiful scene outside my window. I could watch the world go by from my little perch and melt away at the sights of the district changing. But life demands everything from me. I wish I was those little bees.

"Rhoena. R-Rhoena?"

My eyelashes flutter as I blink a few times. My ears register the sound of fingers clicking and I can make out Shelby waving a hand and clicking her fingers in front of my eyes. I want to smile but I can't. I don't know the last time that I ever did smile at something.

"Are you okay?"

I nod and swing my legs around to stand up. I'm tiny compared to Shelby. She's a giant for her age but I'm happy she's always with me. The only person who has really stuck by. I don't blame the others for leaving me because I know I'm difficult. It's not my fault everything is awful, it's not my fault that life is worse than anything I could imagine.

"Do you want to talk about it."

I shake my head and start walking forwards. It's the reaping and I can hear the hustle and bustle from outside my window as people start congregating towards where it all goes on. I hate it out there. Everyone looking at me and wondering why I am who I am. I want to change for them. To be what they expect from their fellow citizens. I can't. It's not simple and easy like I wish it was.

My eyes are threatening to let the tears come but I try to push them down. For Shelby if not myself. I don't like her seeing me cry because she's been ever so kind to me over the years. I can't control myself most of the time though.

"Rhoena. Please. Talk to me."

We've made it just outside the front door when she gently places her fingers on my shoulder. My blood runs cold. My eyes widen and I flinch and dive forwards. No. No contact. No please. Not again... not again.

I can feel the hot tears spilling down my cheeks and nothing I do can stop them from falling. Through the watery blur I can make out eyes hovering over me full of judgement. Make them go away. Go away. Leave me alone! Please... please.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to... I didn't."

I hug myself, my arms wrapped tightly around my stomach as I start to run. The crowd parts to let a little crying girl make her way through and I'm glad for once. They'll leave me alone. Shelby shouldn't have touched me but she doesn't know... no one knows... no one but me and... him.

The back of my hand comes away wet when I wipe away the tears. My stomach hurts and my lungs are burning but by the time I make it to the Square I've calmed down somewhat. No one really pays much attention to me thankfully because I'm not a spluttering mess. They ignore the little girl who pushes in the queue just to get away from them all.

Past the tables I'll be surrounded on all sides. Bodies closing in on me. Previous reapings have never gone well for me or the people around me. Nails raking skin of those who I think are trying to attack me. I can't control the way I act. I want to. I can't though, my emotions are just... they're everywhere.

"Next." The strict man behind the table orders me forwards. I close my eyes when I push my arm ever so slowly towards him. If I don't see what he looks like. If it's over quickly. Yeah. I'll be okay. I'm fine.

The needle punctures my skin and a tiny squeal passes my lips without me being able to hold it back. He sighs and I hurry forwards on my tiny legs before another Peacekeeper tries to grab me to escort me to my section. Already I feel claustrophobic. It's a never ending sea of people shouting and talking over the noise of the older citizens trying to calm things down. It's all too much. I want to run away but a Peacekeeper will grab me. He'll hurt me and I don't want to be hurt. I want to be left alone to grow old by myself. Shelby can stay and so can my mother and sister. Not him. Never him.

Standing in my section I am able to appreciate my height. Since I'm so small and thin my shoulders don't bump against anyone and I'm left to stand behind the tall girls and stare up at the stage. There's a gap big enough for me to see what is going on. The mayor is trying to calm everyone. It doesn't work until a big Peacekeeper sounds some kind of alarm, the mayor isn't the most intimidating person. He is to me. Most people are.

He's finally given some peace and quiet to read the treaty out. No one ever pays attention to his words except for me. If I'm focused on his words my mind will blot out everything else going on around me. If that happens I can try to forget. Last night was last night. I can forget about that night. I can try to forget about all nights.

He finishes and it all comes flooding back in one immense tidal wave of excruciating detail. Everything. I don't want to be here anymore. If I wasn't a coward I'd be long gone. Dead or in some forest running away.

The escort bounces on stage in a big explosion of orange and black. She looks like one of those bees around the flowers. In a weird way she looks beautiful but when she opens her mouth it betrays everything positive about her. It's like a scream. It hurts. Make her stop.

She picks the first girl who looks pretty shocked. I've seen her before from my little window causing trouble. She once destroyed the flowers. I don't like her. Once she's on stage she grins and I look away. She's an awful person. Like nearly everyone else.

The boy called forward doesn't seem familiar and he doesn't do anything stupid. He's someone that doesn't deserve this I guess. It's all wrong. I hate it here. I hate it everywhere.

I look down at the ground and kick a small pebble between my toes as she goes over to the girl's bowl again. There must be other ways of leaving everyone and their cruel eyes. Everyone who has ever done me harm. All the people who have abandoned me. All those who have touched me and made me scream and cast me aside as crazy. Him. I can leave him. There has to be a way.

A name is called. I see the way.

"I volunteer."

I raise my hand and someone next to me squeals. I don't look at her I just step forward. The crowd parts and a big bright light hits me right on the face.

Wait. No.

Everyone will see me. Everyone will be there to judge and point and hurt me. I've changed my mind. I don't want to go.

I step back but someone bumps up next to me and I scream. A hand grabs my shoulder and I try to bite it but I'm too small.

"Get off me. GET OFF ME. NO. NO. LEAVE ME ALONE. I DON'T WANT TO GO!" I cry and scream and kick and thrash around but his vice like grip doesn't loosen.

"Once you volunteer my dear, there's no going back," the bee says up on the stage. The bright light grows just as darkness creeps along the edge of my eyes.

I want to go back. I don't want this to be the way.

Everything goes all blurry as darkness replaces the sun. I hit the floor just as another name rings out across the Square.


Neelo Tomatak, 13 years old


My limbs loosen. My muscles relax. I manage to look to the left and then to the right as everything finally begins to feel a bit better.

I collapsed like that little girl.

How embarrassing.

My breath starts to strain again but I take as many deep breaths as I can. If I panic I'll collapse again and I can't have that. Not when this is my last time with my parents and friends.

The last time...

"Deep breaths Neelo. Deeeeeep breaths."

It does somewhat relax me but not to the point where I know I'll fall asleep. People naturally assume I'm a good for nothing lazy thirteen year old who doesn't carry his weight around. It's somewhat true in a sense. I don't believe in hard work and dedication in a life that sucks. The Capitol wants me to work hard and I couldn't be bothered. I'd much rather just take things as they come and chill out because sooner or later something bad will happen that cuts my life short.

I didn't think it would happen at thirteen though. Not this way.

I can't help all the times I'm lazy though. That's just my conditions and I'm fed up of being judged about them. My laziness is my fault at times but I can't help that sometimes I just randomly fall asleep and other times I just collapse out of the blue.

Like today.

I tried to remain calm when my name was called out. I did my very best but everything hit me so hard. All the images of my death swarming around my brain and I couldn't handle the emotions so my body took its approach to those sort of situations and I ended up on the concrete ground.

People will judge me for that. Those in the Square will know I'm just a little boy who will die in the bloodbath. Maybe they'll feel sympathy. The career districts will laugh at how pathetic I am and cast me aside to look at stronger tributes. I'm nothing to them and I'm nothing to the Capitol.

I've seen little kids get the sympathy vote but it's never enough to secure a vast amount of sponsors. No, I'm a source of sighs and aww's but not something to invest in.

If there was a way out I'd take it. I could kill myself but that would accomplish nothing. I could run away but how far would I get against the whole of the Capitol chasing after me? After all I'm just a lazy little chubby kid who can't do a simple chore let alone live life by myself in the wilderness.

That's what I'm going to have to do in the Arena though.

If it wasn't for my deep breaths I'm sure I'd have collapsed again. I can't let it overwhelm me. No matter how hard it is I must remain fully conscious to say these goodbyes. I mean who knows, maybe by some stroke of luck I can return home and see them all again. But just in case, just in case I do... die... I have to see them again. I can't do that from the floor.

"You have ten minutes," a gruff voice from outside announces. The door to my room slowly opens and in comes my sobbing mother accompanied by my father. He stays back like he always does. My mother is a very large and very outgoing person and my father is rather short and barely visible compared to his wife.

He gives me a weak smile from over my mother's shoulder just before she smacks into me and wraps her large arms around my neck. Her entire body is shaking with her sobs that fill the entire room. It's hard for me to pat her back and try to remain strong in the face of my crying mother. The woman who had always been so strong for me. If she's this bad do I really have any chance?

No. No Neelo do not think like that. Say your goodbyes and stay strong. For yourself and for your family.

She struggles against my father's hands when he finally gathers up the courage to try to pry her off of me. They love each other but now that I'm being sent off she barely registers him and sends him toppling backwards and slamming into the wall. He looks hurt and keeps his eyes rooted on the ground. My mother says nothing to me even when the ten minutes are up. She's pulled away by men stronger than my father and is shut off when the door closes. My father said something to me just as he left but I didn't catch it.

So much for a goodbye.

I bring my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them to keep them locked in tight. At least I'm not reacting like her. If that was the case I'd be on the ground right now, my body can't handle that kind of emotional stress. How a lazy kid like me is managing to remain this strong I have no idea but I'm grateful for it.

"Be quick about it."

This time it's my two best friends in the whole world who step through. Kimy is crying but she still manages to say a few words, going over previous memories of us three hanging out and how I can do this. It's all a blur in my mind as I try to take it all in. Tell remains still like my father did. He knows I'm going to die because he's always seen the worst out of everything. The complete opposite of Kimy. I guess that's why they say opposites attract. Those two are inseparable.

"I... we... we wanted you to have this." Kimy stretches out her hand and wraps a small woven bracelet round my wrist. It's a small token but it makes me smile for the first time since I reached this room and I pull the pair of them into a hug.

"I know I wasn't the best friend in the whole world. I rarely did a thing. But I love you guys and tell my parents I love them too. I didn't get a chance."

Kimy and Tell both nod and leave when the door is opened again. The Peacekeeper smirks when he catches my eye but I don't feel scared or intimidated by him. The man's a jerk and he only sees a bloodbath tribute in what he thinks is a pathetic lump of nothingness. Well I'll show him. I'll show everyone who thinks I'm going to die.

Everyone said I should stop my lazy ways and change. I guess now that I've been reaped this is the best time to do it. I'll show them all that there's a stronger side to Neelo Tomatak.


Mad World by Gary Jules


Author's Note: I hope Rhoena's reason for volunteering was okay, I loved what was given to me in the form so I hope it came across well in this chapter. I understand why people are a bit sceptical about outer district volunteers.

Anyway look at me not taking a month to update! I wish I wasn't so lazy that I would write during the week instead of rushing at the weekend to get a chapter written. That way I could possibly get two chapters out a week... maybe I will take my own advice and change xD

Some tributes I struggled with, others I didn't. (I won't name any names xD) I hope this was an alright chapter. Reapings get repetitive but I wanted to give every tribute a chance to have their own POV before the capitol so I'm committed to having a reaping for every district.

Anyway, question time ;)

Out of these four, who is your favourite and why?

Thanks for reading. If you can please leave a review ;D