A/N Everything is cleared up, so updates should be quicker for this week, unless I get too bogged down in packing for my trip to Asia. I promise that I will NOT leave this story unfineshed, so just keep in mind that no matter what, this story will be completed one way or another (unless I die, but let's not go there).

Ellery Hollis (M), 14

I wake up, get out of bed, and look out of the dirty windows. The sun is already fully up, so I guess I overslept. I go to the bathroom sink and wash my face. I look up and stare at my reflection in the mirror.

I look like an average District Seven citizen, well, I almost do, but my light blue eyes set me apart. I've heard that I have a few distant ancestors from District One, but I really don't know. Whatever the reason, I only share, err, I used to share with one other person in my family, my older brother Allon. I grab the small pebble-sized piece of wood from the shelf , and I run my fingers over the word "Hollis," which is engraved into the wood. I squeeze it in my hand, and I close my eyes, remembering Allon. His bright blue eyes, his hearty laugh, his kind smile...

...His dead, bloody body lying beside the Cornucopia on the desert that was the arena two years ago.

My mind inevitably wanders to the reaping two years ago, reliving it.

I hug him as hard as I can, not wanting to let go.

"Don't worry," he says, trying to comfort me, "Nothing will happen to you. I promise."

"Really promise?" I ask, my eyes still wet with tears.

"Really promise," he says, reassuring me, "I've been safe so far. Don't worry."

We split ways and go to our own sections. Maximilian, our escort, walks to the boys bowl, as I expect. He pulls out a name, as I expect. He reads the name, but the name is not expected.

"Ellery Hollis."

I freeze in shock. Someone pushes me from behind, and I slowly make my way to the front. Suddenly, someone cries out.

"I volunteer," he says. I see my brother rush up to the stage. "I volunteer as tribute," he repeats, desperation showing through his voice. I grab him and latch on, refusing to let go. Tears are streaming down my face, and a peacekeeper has to tear me away.

"Don't worry," he says to me , "Don't worry "

I did have a reason to worry, and an ally baskstabbed him at the bloodbath. He kept his promise to me, but he paid with his life. A few tears manage to slip out of my eyes, and I wash my face again, trying to cover up the fact that I've been crying. Making everyone else worry won't help.

Magnolia Dale (F), 15

I finish eating and cleaning up breakfast as fast as I can, the events of the book I was reading imprinted in my head. It still takes a while, though, because it's a lot harder to work when two of the fingers on your left hand are missing. I guess that's what life is, and all you have to do is take what ever life throws at you and move on.

I run upstairs (Our family is prettt rich), into my own bedroom, and pick up the book. It's History - Ancient Civilizations Before the Dark Days. I know, it's a forbidden book, but I'll just say that my mother's father was the previous mayor of the district, and a girl with access to secret information won't leave that information untouched.

I've read the book many, many times, but I won't stop reading it until every bit of information is firmly stuck in my brain. As I read more about the civilizations before Panem, I get angrier and angrier because I see how the free ones were more prosperous. There's the ancient United States of America, which only fell a few thousand years ago because their president became a dictator and ruined the nation. Then after that came the Federation of Western Districts and the Federation of Eastern Districts, which both fell apart because the rulers of both nations tore each other down.

Then came Panem, supposedly the epitome of human greatness. But really, we in the districts live like slaves serving a cruel master, and the Hunger Games are always turning us against each other. It really isn't that bad, I guess, and we've all adapted to this world and moved on from the rebellion. However, the similarities between our nation and its predecessors always scares me, and I wonder how we will end up.

I sigh.

Things definitely don't look good for us.

Ellery Hollis, 14

I silently go to the kitchen, wave "good morning" to my mom, cut a slice of bread, and lean against the wall, nibbling at the coarse dry bread. We're saving the good stuff for tonight, when we have to celebrate. It's hard to do that, though, when memories of a dead older brother are hanging in your mind.

My younger sister Lorella saunters in and sits at the table, and my mom cuts her a slice of bread. Lucky her, she isn't eligible for the reaping. Even if she was, she'd probably whine her way out of it. I inadvertently chuckle at the thought, and both my mom and my sister give me strange looks. I laugh even harder.

Then again, maybe this isn't the right time to laugh at these things. She'll have to enter the reaping in three years. I shut up, and my mom just shakes her head.

"You know you're really weird, right?" Lorella asks.

"Yeah," I reply, "I guess I am." She takes her first bite at the bread.

"Yuck!" she says, "Not this again!" I sigh.

"We have this every day! Can't we have something different?"

"The good stuff is for tonight," I say, even though I know that I'm doing this in vain, "Just wa-"

My mother gets a small slice of the better bread and gives it to Lorella. I just sigh, because this happens almost every morning. Lorella doesn't want what she gets, I try to reason with her, my mother does what she wants anyway. When my mother doesn't do that, Lorella whines until she gets what she wants. I tilt my head against the wall, knowing that today is another long day.

Magnolia Dale, 15

"This time of year again?" a voice says.

"Linden!" I exclaim and jump up, "Wait, don't you have the day off?"

He's kind of like our housekeeper, but he also works in the forests.

"Yes, but I didn't have anything better to do," he replies.

I know what you're thinking, but I can assure you, there is no romance between us. He's 20! Besides, he's dating someone else right now.

I give him a hug. "Yeah, it's this time of year again."

Every year around this time, I become extremely interested in history. I have no idea why, but it happens.

"So," he says, "Are you ready for the reaping?"

"Is anyone ever ready for the reaping?"

"Good point."

"It's just not fair! The Capitol ma-"

He puts his hand on my shoulder and looks me in the eyes.

"I get it," he says, and I don't continue. He's right, it is too risky to spew this stuff.

"Hey Maggie..." a girl's voice calls, and I inwardly groan. Linden must feel the same, because he says, "I'll take that as my cue to leave."

He walks out and passes Melanie-Silverbell in the hall, and she turns her nose up at him. She walks into my room, wearing a ridiculous dress and muttering something about the "lowly common-folk," and I just stare at her.

"What, Mel-bell," I say, pronouncing each syllable of my nickname for her.

"I was just wondering if you thought this dress was nice, and I thought I told you to call me Melanie-Silverbell."

"You did," I reply, "But it doesnt mean I have to do it. And get another dress; this one's so frilly you could suffocate in it." I mentally add "I wish you would suffocate in it."

"That means it's perfect. You know, Maggie, you should stop being normal and act rich sometimes. What else is money for? You always associate with those poor people, but the reason why we have money is so we can be better than them," she says, saying the last "them" with contempt.

"Or maybe you should stop being a snotty snob and be a person for once," I retort.

"Fine," she huffs, "If you want to be poor, I hope you end up in the slums." And she walks out.

Oh, Uncle Randy, why did you have to die and leave her with us?

Ellery Hollis, 14

Hours later, I feel the wood chunk jingle around inside my pocket as I walk to the reaping, my best friend Nash beside me. We sign in and wait in the 14-year-old section, which is close to the back. I know that each of us has only a tiny chance of being reaped, but the chance is there. It's interesting, how those tiny chances are enough to keep everyone in fear.

"Do you think Maximilian will look the same as last year?" Nash asks, trying to relieve the tension. I just shrug. We watch the huge screens above us, since we can't see the stage. The mayor reads the Treaty of Treason. I wonder if anyone actually listens to it. Maximilian take the stage with huge strides and begins.

"Welcome, everyone, to the reaping here in District Seven. It is my honor to pick one lovely lady and one gallant gentleman to participate in in this year's Hunger Games!"

We give the mandatory applause.

"First, the ladies."

We wait in trepidation as he picks out a name.

"Magnolia Dale."

Isn't she one of those snobby rich people?

Magnolia Dale, 15

It's like the whole world blacks out for a minute. Me? I've never taken a single tesserae in my life! I slowly walk to the stage, one step after another. I can just feel the gleeful eyes trained on me, hear the thoughts in their minds that say, "Let her see how we feel."

I walk more determinedly, refusing to cave in.

Maximilian picks out a boy's name and reads it.

"Ellery Hollis."

The name doesn't ring a bell, but there's something familiar about it. There's a moment of confusion and the crowd before the unlucky one parts, just like the Red Sea in one of those old stories, to reveal a stunned 14-year-old. That's when I remember. He's the one that got reaped two years ago, but his brother volunteered. Now he's reaped again. How painful it must be. I see him try to get himself under control and walk to the stage.

"District Seven, here are your tributes."

Ellery Hollis, 14

I study Magnolia as we are taken into the Justice Building, and she doesn't look that bad.

They leave me in a bland brown room, one that looks like it hasn't been used in a while. What do they use these rooms for anyway?

As hard as I try, I cannot distract myself from what just happened. I am going into the Hunger Games. It might be different if I were 18, but at 14 years old, I'm probably one of the youngest one. Just great.

I hear the sound of footsteps outside, and I look at the door. Lorella come speeding in, my parents on her heels. She slams into me, crying and sobbing, and for once I don't mind. I let her cry.

"Don't leave too," she chokes out, "Just like Allon."

I hug her back, and I wish I had appreciated her more. She eventually stands up, and my parents engulf me. Mom is crying, repeating the words "I love you" again and again, and even dad, who's always gruff and stern, has tears in his eyes. First Allon, then me. I only hold them tighter, and I feel gloved hands prying my fingers off of them. I look up to see a peacekeeper taking them away. Nash comes in, as do several of my other friends, but I'm not paying attention anymore. Boy was I right when I thought that it would be a long day.

Magnolia Dale, 15

"Magnolia!" my mom cries, her face still wet with tears. My father is behind her, wiping his eyes now and then. Tears start spilling out of my own, eyes and I chide myself for letting this happen. But after a long cry, hugs from both of my parents, and 47 or so "I love you"s, I feel better. My mom slips a piece of paper into my hand, and they're dragged out of my room. I look down and read the first line of words, and I know exactly what this is. I close my eyes and silently recite it.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Ms. Snobbybells is the next to come in.

"Mel-bell," I say.

"Magnolia," she replies. She probably came here just to keep up her image, since she just stands there. Five minutes haven't even passed before she's out of here.

I grow tense as the time passes, and one person still hasn't appeared. Finally, merely 5 minutes before time's up, Linden comes in, breathless and panting.

"Sorry," he pants, "Was watching at home. Got here as fast as I could."

I had forgotten that he lives quite far from the Justice Building. Doesn't matter, he's here now.

"Be strong, Maggie," he whispers, "We'll all be here waiting for you."

All too soon, five minutes is up, and I'm forced to leave. I suddenly get a rush of anger. This isn't right! This is unfair! I keep silent, but the blood inside me is boiling.

Ready or not, Capitol, here I come.

A/N So, what do you guys think? I also have a poll up on my profile about whether I should focus on this fanfic or post the next, so please vote!