District 11
Malika Valencia raised her arm to strike a particularly thick piece of lumber, the small compartment couldn't handle thick would, so it would jam... But when the 'choppers' break down, people die- shot.
Malika could remember when they had taken her parents and strung them up, but before they had even lost consciousness they were shot in the center of the head. Malika was sobbing, she was only ten when it happened but it still felt So-Incredibly-Real. Tears stung at her eyes, but then she realised why. She had dropped her hunting dagger on her foot. Point down.
"Ohmygod! Malika what the heck are you doing!" Screamed Sam, she looked so girly, with her strawberry blonde hair and sky blue eyes. She was jumping up and down, pounding buttons into her bright pink cellular.
"It's ok, barely grazed my skin, you can put that down" Malika says, calming down the other girl, she bent down and retrieved her knife, showing it to the shorter girl.
"Look, no blood." She said soothingly, patting her on the back before walking out of the stuffy mill. Once they got into the sun, Malika began to boil in the thick leather jacket all workers had to wear, she slipped it off and stuffed it in her bag, it was payday- all $10... Malika would rather not take chances with somebody stealing her hard-earned cash.
The girls parted ways to file into they're section, she went to the 16 year-olds section and Sam went into the 14 year-olds section. Malika looked around glumly before spotting a bright green wig, bobbing up to the stage, she was surprisingly pretty. Most capitol people were altered too much to tell if they were formerly beautiful. The woman hoped up to the stage with a wide grin, showing her pearly white teeth.
"Velcommen, velcommen. Shai vould like to velcommen you with a video!" She grinned wider, and then a holographic video sprung up behind her, explaining about the hunger games and the uprising. Old.
The woman began to fix her wig once the hologram faded away she began to speak in her strange accent: "Now, let me pick Vun courageous young boy and girl to go and fight!"
She began to clap then stopped when nobody else made a noise; she cleared her throat and walked to the girls bowl. Shai's manicured hand dipped into the sea of papers, Malika's name was only in there three times. Nobody ever got chosen if it was only in there three times. Malika squeezed her eyes shut and blocked out all sounds until she heard, "Malika Valencia!"
Malika's eyes spring open, and she chokes up. Everyone was staring at her, she had suddenly wished she hadn't worn the plain white floral dress her grandmother had given her. She straightened her back and put on a brave face and willed away tears that were burning in the backs of her eyes.
The green-haired lady smiled and put her hand out to help her onto the stage, Malika gratefully took it and stood on stage, watching her smile and speed-walk over to the boys bowl, clearly labeled with boys.
Levine Gerven pushed his jet-black hair out of his dark eyes, he was uncomfortable in this heat, he remembered reading a tattered, outdated map that this was once called 'Arizona'. What a dumb name for a country. The girl named Malika was standing straight and rigid, like a drill sergeant.
Levi slid off his leather jacket, exposing his muscular, olive arms. He noticed the short, Capitol woman drew out a slip of white paper, she smiled and, with her heavy accent, recited the paper "Levine Gerven!" Shai chirped, seemingly oblivious to his world crashing down around him.
Levi looked down at his sketchpad with a half-drawn child, holding something to a larger man's neck.
He sighed and stuffed it in his jacket, and he leapt to his feet, quickly stuffing the small, blue sketchbook in his pocket.
Levi, walked the rest of the way up quietly, the only sounds were Levi's black tennis shoes scuffing against the dusty ground.
"Brilliant!" Shai trilled and inclined her head to the seven or so peacekeepers waiting behind everyone.
Then Canai burst in.
"Am I late? Am I late?" Canai- the latest victor had devoted her heart and soul into consuming alcohol.
Levine looked at her nutmeg eyes and noticed that they were not glazed over, and she didn't reek of alcohol, she was obviously sober.
"Yes, Hun, you missed the whole thing..." Canai hung her head then stumbled off, her comically red head bobbing away.
Malika made her way over to Levi and looked at him thoughtfully then continued onwards to the large building where most tributes say goodbye- Forever.