District 5: Breaking Down

Breaking Down by Florence + The Machine

All alone

Even when I was a child

I've always known

There was something to be frightened of…

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games

Yarden Lyrus (13) POV

Pulling my honey blond hair back away from by blue- grey eyes, I stand in front of a small mirror and stare back. I wear a pale purple dress that goes to my knees and matching flats. I style my hair to one side in a fishtail braid. I glow under the faint sunlight that reaches out from my window. I feel beautiful and for once free. 2 years ago, I was adopted from the district's orphanage by two wonderful people, Rose and Lance Bunker. Along with my best friend, Elena. We've known each other for a long time and became inseparable. We were so excited when the Bunkers adopted both of us. Elena and I don't have to worry about starving to death or freezing to death which most orphans go through daily in the orphanage. The Bunkers own a very important power plant here and they make enough to provide for us. I'm very lucky and grateful to be living with them.

Elena comes in to our bedroom wearing an orange dress that flows down to her ankles. Her long brown hair is braided and her bright blue accented with a hint of eyeliner. She is my sister and we have always told people that we were twins, though we didn't look alike. Our birthdays are a few months apart, but I don't care. Elena has been the one always there for me and I couldn't have asked for anyone better.

"Yarden! Elena! Your friends are waiting outside! Mom, Dad, and I are heading to the reaping," says our brother, Leo.

"Okay," yell Elena and I.

We head out the door to our parents and Leo walking down the crowded streets and are two other best friends, Xander and Brice sitting on the front porch. Xander has dirty blonde hair and soft hazel eyes; he lives in the orphanage and helps out by taking a lot of tessarae for the younger children who can't. At only 13, his name is in 55 times and I worry for him. I hope he doesn't get reaped. Brice is a friend from school that Xander knows; his parents are very wealthy and live in the fancier part of the district. As we walk together towards the town square laughing and enjoying life, I didn't think it would be the last time.

Phoenix Callows (15) POV

I stand and wait impatiently at the front door as my family gets ready for the reaping. Though we all have different personalities, we all share the same fiery red hair and green eyes. We live in the poor side of the district, my parents work very long and tiring hours at the power plants here and we never get to see them much. Occasionally we see them in the mornings before school and late at night. We are a large family, I have 9 brothers and sisters, Chloe is 17, Avalon is 13, Eliss and Sarah are both 11, Ryan is 9, Caspian is 7, Ellie-May is 5, Jadice is 3, and Ian is 1. As you can tell there are a lot of mouths to feed and I take out a lot of tessarae to feed us. My older sister just tells me to get more and more, not caring if I get reaped because of it. She is extremely selfish and doesn't care for any of us. I'm the one who makes sure that they get enough to eat, wash them, and tuck them in bed at night. I read them stories and deal with their childish problems. I don't mind really because it is my responsibility as the oldest brother to help out. Chloe just goes out and parties with older guys and drinks till the early hours of the morning.

Snapping me out of my thoughts is my entire family, dressed up in our finest clothes ready for the reaping. I hold Avalon's hand and head towards the town square about a half mile away from our small and cramped home. The sun is unbearably hot today and I feel my white t-shirt cling to my unusually muscular frame. Beads of sweat drip into my eyes. I hate reaping day, especially on a hot morning like this. I worry that Chloe, Avalon, or I will be chosen and we will never get home. Who will take care of the younger ones? I don't want to leave it up to Avalon, but I know it would come down to it considering Chloe's behavior. We arrive at the large town square with the metal piped stage. We head to our sections and my parents and younger siblings go with the other families. I stand next to my best friend, Sparrow and await the escort's arrival. The mayor begins his long speech about the Dark Days and The Hunger Games, every year I hear this and I just want to kill myself. I sigh looking at Avalon's face as they head to the girl's reaping bowl, she is so scared. She sees me and waves, I wave back and look as the escort unfolds the single white slip of paper and reads the unlucky one's name.

"Avalon Callows."

Yarden Lyrus (13) POV

I stand shocked as I hear the female tribute's name. I hear her shrill cries only a few spots away from me. Her cries and screams are like nails to a chalkboard. I collapse to the floor and cover my ears the best I can, it doesn't help much. I watch as an older boy who looks just like her, emerge from his section and screams.

"I volunteer, I volunteer!"

His cries and screams pierce my heart and shatter my eardrums. He then screams for a girl named, Chloe to volunteer for her. She just laughs and watches as Phoenix suffers. He continues to scream at the escort volunteering for his 13 year old sister. So much chaos, my ears feel like they're about to explode. Everything slows as the escort scolds him saying he can't volunteer for his sister. I feel nauseous and dizzy as it continues; Avalon is then carried by peacekeepers up the stage. I then say something that I don't realize I've done before it's too late.

"I volunteer!"

What did I just do?! I just wanted the noise to stop, I couldn't take it. It hurt so much, I couldn't breathe. I was born with very sensitive hearing. It's only triggered badly in extreme cases such as today. My mind panics and I act on instinct, look where that got me. Slowly the peacekeepers put Avalon down and come towards me. I kick and scream saying I don't want to go, over and over again until they threaten me with a taser. I immediately stop and just let them carry me up the stage. I stand shaking and crying as the escort asks for name.

"Yarden Lyrus," I choke through bitter tears.

The escort then heads for the male's reaping bowl. The older boy hugs Avalon and cries with her as my family's and friend's screams block me from thinking of anything else. I turn to the escort who now stands at the microphone holding the slip; she unfolds it slowly and reads the name of the boy no one suspected.

"Phoenix Callows."

Avalon screams and cries intensify as she holds her brother, the peacekeepers stun her and her body goes limp, and a tall peacekeeper carries her to her family. Phoenix slowly makes his way up the stage with tears falling from his face. He stands next to me and thanks me for volunteering for his sister.

"Here are your District 5 tributes, Yarden Lyrus and Phoenix Callows!"

A/N: Finally, the District 5 tributes, Phoenix and Yarden. Review what you think of them!

Love Always, Domi