Heidi Dell, age 15
District Three Female
Heidi made sure to keep her head up as she marched towards the fifteen year old girls already signed in. She knew the atmosphere on Reaping Day was tense and thick with fear. So she conducted herself the opposite, hoping to appear confident, aloof. But, deep down, she was just as scared as everyone else. Although Heidi knew if it came down to it, there was a good chance she could handle the Games.
She didn't want to be cocky. Heidi simply analyzed herself, her flaws and her strengths, and came to the conclusion that she would be a decent fit to be a tribute. So, if Jasmine drew her name today, Heidi would be alright.
She just hoped that didn't need to happen.
Soon, the entirety of District Three filed into the square, wearing their best clothes and sweating in the summer heat. Silence permeated the air, only broken by the sound of footsteps on the stage. Three's two mentors, Data Wire and Collins Sed, took the stage, along with the mayor and Jasmine, the district escort. Heidi watched them all carefully.
Collis sat with his back hunched, shoulders curled in, eyes to the ground. As if it pained him to be here, as if he was physically holding all the trepidation flowing freely through the square and it slowly crushed him. Heidi had been too young when Collis won to remember his Games, but she had seen him deteriorate over the years. Data didn't look much better. She had won after Collis, but Heidi could tell that small spark of hope hadn't helped either mentor. Both looked defeated, with tired expressions and, in Data's case, a bouncing leg, either from anxiety or withdrawal from the morphling she turned to in order to forget the horrors of the Games.
Heidi's eyes flickered over the mayor, wearing the same weary expression as Data and Collis, but trying to hold himself upright, to give his district some form of stability and confidence.
It didn't come across as he had probably hoped.
Jasmine skipped to the microphone after the mayor gave his speech, and Heidi glanced towards the boys' section where her twin brother, Cyrus, stood. He wrung his hands, visibly nervous. Heidi just frowned. If Cyrus was reaped, he would most likely be a bloodbath fatality. He just didn't have the resolve to kill, didn't have the foresight to anticipate what someone was going to do.
"Happy Hunger Games, District Three!" Jasmine crooned into the microphone. "Are you ready to choose this year's tributes?" No response. Heidi could have laughed at Jasmine's crestfallen expression. She should have known what would happen. Jasmine recovered quickly though. "Ladies first!"
Heidi closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart. She would be okay. Regardless of what happened, she would be fine. She knew that at least.
"Your female tribute is Miss Heidi Dell!" Jasmine announced, and Heidi's eyes snapped open. Slowly, she picked her way through her section towards the aisle. You're a contender. Show that.
Heidi mounted the stage, a slight, fake smile on her face, a tribute in the Hunger Games.
Drexel Axis, age 13
District Three Male
You're gonna get picked. The next name will be yours. He had no logical reason to think this, but his brain kept throwing the words at him. Drexel tried, unsuccessfully, to steady his breathing, as he watched the girl take the stage. Heidi. She was pretty, with choppy blonde hair, brown eyes, and a simple black dress. She didn't look scared. Drexel wanted to be more like that.
It's gonna be you.
Drexel drummed his fingers against his leg, trying to get out some of his nervous energy. Once this whole thing finished, he could go back home and finally relax. He could calm down, let all this pent up anxiety flow out. But the reaping had to end first. One more name had to be called.
One more disposable life to be thrown away.
Please don't be me. Please don't be me.
"And now, let's choose the boy," Jasmine said, and waltzed her way over to the glass ball with the boy's names. Drexel's heart rate surged as Jasmine swirled her hand around in the paper slips, trying to select one. The small, rational part of his brain told him that he only had two slips. He would be fine. But the larger part of him was screaming, frantic, panicky.
"Here we are." Jasmine unfolded the paper. Tremors wracked Drexel's body, his breathing shaky. Don't be me.
It's gonna be you.
"The young man representing District Three this year is Mister Drexel Axis!" Everything tightened. Drexel's throat constricted, his lungs squeezed, air whooshing out. He couldn't move. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe. The tremors increased, until Drexel thought he was going to fall flat on his face because his legs were shaking so badly.
When the Peacekeeper grabbed his arm, tears began to spring into his eyes. His vision blurry, Drexel just allowed the Peacekeeper to take him, one halting step at a time, towards the stage. Towards his death. The thought caused a sob to escape his lips. I'm going to die.
The Peacekeepers shoved him towards the stairs, making Drexel trip as he mounted them. He was watching himself take his place on stage. The fear remained, if not heightened, when he took his place next to Heidi.
"Do we have any volunteers?" Jasmine asked. Drexel dared to hope someone would step forward to take his place. Tears streamed down his face, his chest heaved. Please. Somebody, please.
But the square remained silent.
Heidi Dell, age 15
District Three Female
Her district partner was pathetic. But maybe Heidi could use that to her advantage. And she would need advantages in the arena. A fifteen year old from District Three was almost always painted as a target.
A thirteen year old from Three even more so.
Heidi did feel bad for the boy, but she valued her own life over his.
The door seemed to burst open and Cyrus ran in, pulling Heidi into a crushing hug. Her twin's chest moved with the telltale shake of someone crying. "You have to win, Heidi. You can't die in there, you need to come back."
Cyrus rested his chin on top of Heidi's head, a move he had started to annoy Heidi once he grew far taller than her. She didn't want to push him away now like she often did.
"I'm smart," Heidi said, almost to herself. "I can plan."
"You can make people think what you want," Cyrus interjected. "That'll help you."
"Betraying allies won't make me look very favorable, Cy."
"I don't care. You have to." Cyrus's tears started again. "You need to do whatever you can to get back here."
Heidi knew her brother was right. She also knew that she had what it took to win. But staying in the Capitol's good graces would be a surefire way to stay alive for at least a short while. But the Games made even the most loyal person in the world into a backstabber. No one left the arena the same as they went in.
"I can use Drexel," Heidi said. "Make myself seem trustworthy, and then…." She trailed off.
"Kill him?" Cyrus supplied. "Do you think you can do that?"
"Maybe not directly," she admitted. "I'll have to figure something out. I don't exactly have a choice." She really didn't. If Heidi wanted to make it back to District Three, back to Cyrus, to her family, then Drexel and twenty two others would have to die.
That was just the reality of the Hunger Games.
Drexel Axis, age 13
District Three Male
Sobs still erupted out of him. Drexel had a feeling they wouldn't stop anytime soon.
He sat, shaking, crying, panicking, on the couch in the goodbye room, knees pulled up to his chest. Why him? His name was in there twice. He should have been safe!
It doesn't matter anymore. You're a tribute whether you like it or not.
The door flew open, and Drexel's parents and older sister, Alena, rushed in. His mother tugged Drexel into a hug and rocked him back and forth. Tears poured out of everybody in the room.
It was silent for a moment or two, then Drexel stuttered out, "I'm gonna die."
Alena wiped the tears from her face before saying, "Oh, Drex, you'll be okay. You can win, alright?"
"No I can't!" Drexel sobbed. "I'll be lucky if I make it through the first day. Thirteen year olds don't win the Games."
You're on borrowed time.
Images hurled themselves at Drexel, one after another. He laid in a field, blood soaking through his clothes. He dangled off a cliff while someone wearing the maroon of Two stepped on his fingers. The most horrifying: his mangled body was ripped in two, his head laying a good yard away from the rest of him. Drexel just squeezed his eyes shut.
It was only a matter of time before one of these became true. And the entire nation would be watching.
"My boy, listen to me," his father said, and Drexel opened his eyes to look at his father. "Get allies. They can help you, but they can also become a hindrance in the long run. Learn what you can about surviving alone."
"Please just try to come back to us," his mother whispered, still clinging to him.
"I'll try, I promise." And Drexel would try. He didn't plan on going down without a fight.
He just hoped he had a chance to fight before somebody cut him down.
The Peacekeeper barged into the room, saying their three minutes were up. Drexel's heart shot into his throat. Alena rushed to him and squeezed him before the Peacekeeper ripped them apart. "I love you," she got out. His parents managed to tell him the same and then they were shoved out of the room and the door slammed in Drexel's face.
He pounded on the door, screaming, "Don't take them! Please don't take them!" But it was no use.
He was alone.
District Three! Our first non-Career district. What did you all think of Drexel and Heidi? As always, reviews are appreciated. :)
See you next time in District Four! (one of my favorites)
-D9T