Tristan Card, 14
My eyes flutter open before the sun has fully risen, briefly allowing some relief to radiate my skin. At this hour, I'm guaranteed to be awake before any of my siblings. They never get to sleep in, and not due to lack of trying. Between school and the noise pollution contaminating the district, once the sun rises, so do the workers. But on the day of the reapings, for once, everything is still.
Despite this peace, I eagerly get out of bed and quietly get dressed, doing my best not to wake up Levi or August, who are asleep in small, single beds besides mine. Levi's tuff of brown hair sticks out from his sheets that cover his face, reminding me of the time we were closer. It worries me, how he's beginning to drift away. At only ten, it's somewhat suspected I guess, but I worry he'll pull away too far, like Arianwen. He avoids basic questions, and sometimes he comes home with things I know he didn't leave the house with.
And August, little August, I've noticed how comfortable he's becoming around kids his age. He's so young, only 5, but he has a bright future ahead of him. Even though he's the youngest, he's the one I'm the least anxious about. That's not to say it doesn't happen, but compared to the rest of my siblings, I can relax at least a little around him.
I quietly make my way into the kitchen and begin preparing breakfast for my family. Just like my siblings, my parents take advantage of the reapings by sleeping in, and I don't blame them. They both work long hours at the same clothing factory to provide for the five of us, and that's no easy task. I remember a few years ago, my first reaping, and the first reaping they've had to experience with an eligible child, they didn't sleep a wink. But they've learned to hold in their anxieties enough to get a little bit of sleep at least, which I'm thankful for. When they worry about me, I worry about them more. They already have enough to keep their thoughts occupied, and I always make an effort to remove myself from the equation. I even do my best to support my siblings to reduce the load off of them, to various degrees of success.
After quick work, I finish cooking a small meal for everyone. Ivory is the first to come out of her room and join me. She skips gleefully into the kitchen and takes a seat at the table.
"Good morning, Ivory!" I slide a plate down in front of her and she doesn't hesitate before diving in.
"Did you hear about the bird that flew into school yesterday?" She talks with her mouth full, so her words are almost a garbled mess.
"I did not. Don't talk with your mouth full." She takes another bite and waits before continuing her story.
"We were in history class, and Mr. Grant was going on and on about the history of the textile industry, and I had practically fallen asleep, but then out of nowhere a bird flew into his classroom. And he started freaking out. I guess he has a thing against birds. Anyway-" She takes another bite of her food and doesn't hesitate to start her story up again.
"And some kids started freaking out because he was freaking out, but some of us were laughing and pointing at the bird, and then-" I hold my hand out.
"Slow down, Ivory. I don't want you to choke." She nods and takes a minute to finish her last bite. Right before she starts speaking up again, I see Arianwen come out from their room out of the corner of my eye. She doesn't even make eye contact with me before sitting down and starting her meal.
"Good morning, Arianwen." I say. She glances up at me and gives me a slight nod of her head. I hold back an eye roll.
"Is Ivory going on and on about her bird story?" Arianwen gives Ivory a gentle shove and laughs. Ivory's face turns red.
"Tristan didn't know about it! I had to tell him." Ivory's voice softens and focuses on her meal. As the two girls get older, I notice Ivory has become Arianwen's shadow. She's started talking and dressing like her older sister more, and I've even caught the two of them sneaking back into the house together. I'm conflicted, I know trying to convince Ivory her older sister isn't the best role model will just cause more divide between us, but I don't want them both to continue down that path. They both could have such bright futures, as soon as they get out of this rebellious rut they've gotten themselves into.
Without too many other options, I just make sure to keep a close eye on them. I'm there to help them out of any trouble they get into, even if they don't realize it. A slight distraction of a Peacekeeper when one of them takes something from a shopkeeper. A white lie to my parents when they ask where my sisters are. I know this can't last forever, but I sometimes feel as if I have no other choice.
The girls eat the rest of their meal whispering to each other and by the time our brothers join us, they disappear into their rooms to change for the games. I feed Levi and August.
"Thank you, Tristan!" August's wide smile melts my heart. I smile back to him and look over to Levi, whose eyes are glued to his plate. As he gets older, he's gotten more reserved. He used to confide in me about everything, but now I can barely have small talk with him. It's not like how Arianwen and Ivory are, this is different. He feels almost like a smaller version of himself. It breaks my heart to see him like this, but I can't press for details. The last thing I want is to scare him away.
"Eat up, and then go get dressed. We don't want to be late." I tell them as I begin cleaning up the kitchen. By the time I finish the pots and the girl's plates, August has finished his meal.
"Can you help me Tristan? I don't know what to wear." August asks me.
"I will. Let me finish cleaning first, and I'll be right there, okay?" I tell him. He nods and trots off back into our room. My eyes move from him to Levi, who's just moving his eggs around with his fork.
"Are you done?" I ask him. He nods and pushes his plate towards me. As he gets up, I'm tempted to stop him, to try and inquire about what's been bothering him recently. But instead I just watch as he disappears down the hallway and back into our room.
As I clean, my mind begins to drift into daydream of a happier time, when we were all younger and all much more open with one another. When I felt more like their friends than their guardian. I know it's not their fault nor mine, it's just a side effect of growing up, but this world already takes more than it gives. Life is too hard to do it alone, and I wish they could all see that as well.
After I clean up, I make good on my promise and help August pick out his reaping outfit, a simple white button down that used to be mine with black shorts. I put on a dark dress shirt and dress pants, and the nicest pair of dress shoes I own, which are just a clean pair of black boots. It's not much, but it'll do.
I'm pleased to see the rest of my family in the living room when August and I are finished, dressed and ready to go. Even my parents, who smile at me when we come out. I don't hesitate to return it.
"Everyone ready?" My dad asks. No one says otherwise, so the seven of us begin the long walk to the square. With every step, I can feel my anxiety building. Not just for me, but for Arianwen, who has to endure her first reaping as an eligible female. She hides it well, but I assume the thought of being reaped terrifies her. It terrifies me too, but I feel more nerve wrecked at the idea of her being reaped than me, even though the odds are pretty good in our favor.
My parents take the rest of my siblings to stand with the spectators and I guide Arianwen to the check in table. I keep glancing over at her to try and gauge how she's feeling, but she's remained perfectly stoic this entire time. Even when the Peacekeeper pricks her finger, she doesn't even flinch. Maybe I shouldn't be as nervous for her as I am.
"Aranwen." I get her attention before we have to separate into our respective age and gender clusters. She turns to face me, an eyebrow raised.
"I just wanted to wish you luck. I love you." She drops her emotionless face to give me a soft smile.
"You too, Tristan. Thanks for breakfast this morning." She surprises me by pulling me into a hug, but I don't hesitate to hug her back. After we pull away, we say goodbye and split off, her to the back of the girl's section and me only slightly ahead of her, but on the other side.
As I stand around kids my own age, I again let my mind wander to what we could do for our celebration tonight. Since this is Aranwen's first reaping, it will be a bigger relief and cause for a bigger celebration when we all come home tonight. I contemplate baking a cake, but I'm not sure we have the supplies for that. I think about the small bakery within the market, but I doubt we would be able to afford it.
I'm still daydreaming about cake when the escort is calling the name of the male tribute from District Eight for this year's Hunger Games. And my heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach when I register the name she says.
Aeliana Decima 18
Present day
The cold white floor of the justice building stares back at me as I'm perched silently in the empty building, my eyes fixed downwards. Unchanging. Sometimes I glance off towards the door, expecting someone to come in but I know no one will come except the peacekeepers when it is time. Even so, the glimmer of hope that my biological parents might even show up was there but of course, they never cared about me otherwise they would never have abandoned me in the first place. Apparently, they couldn't take having an albino daughter, well at least that's what Grelod at the orphanage told me. The thought that maybe my foster mum might come busting through the doors and hold me tightly in her arms is also here, maybe she is alive after all but would I really want her to watch me go through this?
My head darts back up now facing the silent wall. I must become them, all those who abandoned me, all those who bullied me, and all those who left me. These are my last thoughts as the peacekeepers return and prepare to take me aboard the train…
2 years ago
CRASH
I am suddenly knocked off balance by a shoulder colliding with my own! My sketchbooks spiral violently to the ground along with myself, bruising my hands and arms as I attempt to brace my fall!
"Ouch!" I groan.
I hear the boys and girls of the orphanage snicking amongst themselves, calling me a "freak". The words sting me violently, like a sharp needle piercing my skin. I don't show any reaction to their words though, even if it does hurt me. I must become like them if I'm to overcome them.
I stretch my fingers out towards my sketch pad, it is just out of reach, my arm feels like a piece of elastic, unable to reach where it needs to be… always dragged back to the same place…just like me in a way.
I am not fast enough, my sketch pads are quickly kicked in the mud and ripped apart. My only pleasure, my only escape from this wretched hell of an orphanage is gone! I can feel all my organs and veins tense up inside me with frustration and rage and my fingers clamp around my pencil like a vice. To my left, above me is laughing boy number 1. He is my first target! My pencil moves swiftly towards his kneecap! Impaling under the bone! He yelps in agony, clutching his knee. I take a few more kicks to the body and face by his friends before I'm back on my feet! I can feel a new wave of vengeance crashing through my very bones as I stare down at my bullies! Laughing boy number 2 is next! I lunge at him and the pencil ends up in his eye! As his jaw drops in agony and he holds his wounded eye! I can't help but feel regret, what have I done? This isn't me! However my pitiful thoughts are interrupted by a sudden smack to the back of my head by a girl, my aggression returns to me and I slash out at her with the pencil, making her my last target.
Of course the next thing I know I am in the director of the orphanage office (Grelod), nursing my injuries. I was marched here like i'm some kind of criminal or lunatic. I know she is supposed to be mad at me but her face tells a different story under her wrinkled skin. I was expecting at least a telling-off for reacting so violently to the bullies but I got nothing. I was so absorbed in my dark space of just zoning in on the floor aimlessly that I didn't notice the other woman sitting beside Grelod. I allow my eyes to briefly meet hers, she has a beaming smile lighting up her face which I pretend to ignore and swiftly look down again.
"Oh, that reminds me," Grelod mentions.
"This is Cassidy… she is going to be your foster mother."
"Hi!" Cassidy exclaims in the voice of an excited puppy.
I pretend to ignore her enthusiasm by keeping my eyes firmly glued to the floor but deep down I can't help but feel joy inside of me! Joy that someone actually cares about me! That's never happened in my entire life.
And so there was a brief period in my life where I was actually happy. Where I was actually cared for. Where I was actually loved. It felt too good to be true like a dream that you are in the middle of that's all just too perfect. Maybe the world isn't hopeless after all? Maybe there is some good in humanity? Maybe good things do actually happen?
Present day
Of course, I was wrong on all three accounts. I think my period of happiness lasted over a year but like the dream, I eventually had to wake from it. My foster mom, the only person that cared about me in my entire life and my best and only friend died not one year ago and of course, now I am going to be forced to participate in a death game for the entertainment of the capitol. So no, there is no hope in humanity, and no, good things don't happen but all I know is if I'm to have any chance in the coming weeks I must become them, like those that bullied me. Because I know for a fact that that's what most of the other tributes will be and I will kill every last one if I have to! Most of them probably deserve it because there are few good humans in this world and I've only known one and her name was Cassidy.
The sound of the doors swinging open echoes through the room. My eyes shoot back up to see the Peacekeepers marching towards me.
"I must become like them," I whisper to myself again.
And we are back from the dead! Sorry about this delay but I'm going to really try to get into a more regular update schedule this year. Thanks to Evilpencilbox who created Tristan and Gomex who created Aeliana. Sorry if these intro chapters seem shorter. I just wanted to get this posted and get past the intros! See you all in District 9 soon I hope! Also the long delayed blog will be out with D9 I'm gonna say, yeah I know I'm just terrible at finishing things I start :D - Nautics