Sunil Shimnon, District 9

Crap, crap, crap, it's interview time.

I adjust my little bowtie nervously as the tributes ahead of me file onto the stage.

Aah! I'm so nervous for this. I'm usually kind of jittery, but the lights, and the sponsors my life will rely on, and the interviewer, and—man, the audience is really huge!

I feel dangerously close to puking by the time I get to my seat. I'm already sweating—who knew those stage lights could get so hot—and I'm seriously tempted to take off the jacket of my little tux.

Oh, I shouldn't do that. The stylists would get mad at me. Because I know they spent all this time making sure everything looked perfect, and it'd be mean to change anything.

But I've pulled the seams of my shirt cuffs to shreds by the time the interviewer has called up the girl from 1, who looks really strong and scary.

I-I don't like the Careers. They're always so angry and tough, and hardly any tributes can stand up to them.

Let alone me. I-I'm still just twelve. I know I'm going to die.

Is the 1—Kyta—going to be the one to kill me? She looks like she'd make it really slow and painful.

I quickly turn my attention back to destroying my clothing hems. I really don't want to think about that stuff.

But it's hard not to. With Kyta's menacing voice booming around the stage, the words are practically impossible not to make out. But they're so scary I really just want to ignore them.

And, just before I've completely ripped out my jacket's right arm's hem, the bell finally buzzes, and Kyta returns to her seat.

But next up is another Career tribute. He's a little easier to ignore, since his voice isn't quite as loud, but he's still acting just as scary.

I-I really don't want to be here. I'm grateful I have some more time before entering the arena, but... I don't want to be here. With all of these scary people showing off, and all of these bright lights, and so many people in the audience! I-I just want to go home! I just want to run back to the house and hug my mom and my brother and my sister, and...

B-But I know I can't go home. The Capitol would never let me. But even if I couldn't go home... I want to go somewhere else, somewhere that's not full of a bunch of scary people who want to kill me. And it's not even just the Careers! The other kids—most of them will want to kill me, too. And so does the audience! If I die in some interesting way, they'll be cheering for whoever murders me!

S-Stop it! You're just making yourself freak out! It won't do you any good, even if it is all true.

...But it's impossible to ignore the situation.

I bite back worried tears as the hem on my sleeve comes completely loose.