Amalia Ray Kokinos, 15
District Nine Female
After my prep team has finished doing...whatever it is they're doing to me, they tell me to wait for my Stylist to arrive, and she'll show me my outfit. I hope it's something nice, maybe it'll help to convince my siblings that I'm fine. My poor family. They have no say over what happens to me now. It's me and Salvo. Me and Salvo. In the Hunger Games. Together. I haven't really though about it before now, I've been thinking about my family, but now I have to think about the fact that Salvo and I will be in the Games together. And that means one of us has to die. One of us has to die.
I feel something run down my cheek, and realise that I'm crying. I try to wipe away my tears, and then I'm interrupted by a woman waling into the room.
"Oh sweetie. Are you alright?" She asks. She sounds...kind. I didn't expect any of the Capitolites to be kind. She helps me calm down, and then introduces herself as Vasia, my Stylist. She's definitely nicer than my prep team. "I don't often get people crying until right before the launch. So why you?"
"Because- because. I don't want us to die."
"Is this about Salvo? I saw you two at the Reaping." Of course she saw us on TV. It was broadcast live to all of Panem.
"Yes."
"Are you two friends?"
"Yeah. Since we were kids." I tell her. She doesn't reply for a minute, instead pressing some buttons on a tablet. Within half a minute, some food has been delivered to the table where we're sitting. It's some kind of sea food, and as we begin to eat she gets me to tell her more about Nine. About my family. About my friendship with Salvo. Occasionally I'll mention something and she'll interrupt me to talk about how a tribute from two or three or four years ago also lived in that area or had the same teacher. She's definitely not as bad as I thought my Stylist would be, and she's certainly not as bad as my Escort. It's odd, seeing how different Capitolites view Nine. Victricia sees it as a District that isn't worth mentioning. Vasia sees it as a place that she feels like she knows, because of all the tributes she's worked with.
"Shall I show you your outfit?" Vasia asks. I nod, and she stands up and asks me to follow her.
Ten minutes later, I find myself surrounded by my prep team, along with Vasia, all of whom appear very excited to show me my costume. Vasia instructs me to turn around, and then after two minutes she tells me I can look again.
"So, do you like it?" Asks Jupiter. He and the others look at me expectantly.
"It's very...sparkly." I say. And it is. It's a short, beige dress with elbow length sleeves and it's completely covered in sequins. It doesn't look that bad, compared to a lot of other chariot costumes I've seen.
"Well now you need to try it on, don't you?" Says Xenia, and from that moment onwards I'm stuck in the dress. It's not that bad at first, but then I notice how itchy it is. Xenia, Jupiter and Thalis make me sit whilst they place my hair into a fancy updo. I wish I knew what they were doing, so that I could copy it by myself, because when I'm shown what it looks like in a mirror, it does look really nice.
I can hear them chatting the whole time. I can't quite work out what they're talking about for a while, and then I realise they're discussing the tributes. They're making estimations on how long we'll last based on their first impressions, and how we reacted at the Reaping. That's when I decide not to listen, before I hear something I don't want to hear.
Eventually, they tell me it's time for us to go down to where they keep the chariots. Salvo is already there, as well as his Stylist. He's wearing a suit, with a blazer that matches my dress. Apparently our Stylists were working together.
"Amalia." Salvo says. "You look great."
"Thanks. You too." I reply.
"Are you nervous?"
"I," I take a deep breath. "I don't think so."
"I am."
I laugh. "Really?"
"Really."
"You know, Adelaide will be watching. And your mother."
He pauses for a second, as if thinking about them. "Yeah. So will Lev. And Kasha, and Maisey and your dad."
My siblings. They'll be watching. I wonder how they feel. At least they're all safe at home. At least they have each other.
"Think they'll be okay?"
"They're better off than we are."
"Yeah." I say, before we both go silent.
"Amalia, sweetie, let me introduce you to Sokratis. He's Salvo's stylist." Vasia says brightly, apparently completely unaware of our sombre silence. And then she introduces herself to Salvo, and I notice that almost all of the other tributes have got onto their chariots for the parade, so I climb on, quickly followed by Salvo. Vasia and Sokratis wish us luck and tell us that they'll see us after the parade, a the training centre. I can see the first chariot leaving now, District One leading the parade like they always have.
The crowd outside grows louder each time a new pair of tributes exits the stable, and soon we're watching the tributes from Seven leave.
"Are you two ready?" Asks Sokratis.
"I think so." Salvo replies. The two from District Eight leave.
"Amalia?"
"Yes. I'm ready." I reply. Our horses start to move, and as we leave, I hear Vasia wishing us luck, and telling us to enjoy ourselves. Enjoy ourselves.
And with that, we're leaving the stable and moving towards the crowd.
Dominik Solandis, 16
District Eleven Male
They decided to dress me as a farmer, which basically meant they dressed me in plain, boring clothes. The sort of thing people wear back home. The kids from Seven got trees again, so I can't really complain. The girl from my District is the same. I wonder if the Capitolites will think it's a stupid costume. Boring, maybe. We climb onto our chariot, and soon after I'm watching the tributes from One exit the stable. There's a cheer from outside. Unsurprising. They dressed District One as... they aren't dressed as anything. They're just covered in jewels or glitter. Something like that. Some of the Districts have better costumes than other. The careers are alright, as always. So's Three, Five and Nine. I feel bad for Twelve, who always seem to be on fire these days. This year they appear to have set their hair on fire.
"Excited?" Asks my Stylist. She's alright, but she's also the one who chose to dress me as a farmer, so I'm not really sure how I feel about that. But I do want people to like me.
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it." I reply, smiling. Then I turn away, let my smile drop and watch as the tributes from Two leave.
"Really?" Asks my District partner. I turn to Eryn.
"No."
"She seems to believe you." She nods to Patience, who's talking with Eryn's Stylist now.
"That's the point."
District Four has just gone. The crowds outside cheer again. We're slowly moving closer to leaving.
"Scared?" She asks.
"No."
"You sure?"
"Definitely."
"I am."
"Why would you tell me that?" I ask. "We'll be trying to kill each other in a week."
"And being scared of crowds is going to stop me being useful in the Games how?"
"You never know. Maybe they'll have a mutt which looks like a Capitolite."
"If they have a mutt that looks like a Capitolite, I'll be busy wondering exactly how it's going to try and kill me."
"Maybe it'll cause you to die of boredom by chattering on about clothes." I say.
Eryn laughs, and then I do to, until it's silent.
"Us soon." Eryn says.
"Yeah."
Nine are gone now. One District left before we start moving.
"Dominik. Eryn. Good luck." Says Patience.
"Thank you." I say. And our horses start to walk slowly towards the door. Ten are just about gone now. Just us, then Twelve, and that's the end.
"Hey, Dominik." Eryn has turned to me.
"Yeah."
"Let's see who can spot the most ridiculous outfit."
It would be fun. Something to do. Better than just watching the crowd, I suppose.
"Okay." I reply. And then I'm hit by the night air. It's warm, since it's summer. As I look around, I find it hard to decide on which of them looks the most...odd. I can't decide.
There's a cheer, much louder than when we were inside the stables. I force myself to smile, raise a hand and wave. As we move and more people come into view, I scan the crowd, cheering loudly. I think I hear someone yelling my name. There's more yelling our District: District Eleven. I smile even wider, stand taller, anything to make myself popular. These are the richest of the Capitolites, and they only get richer the closer we get to the city circle. If even one of them will send me food or water in the Games, I might just get lucky and survive. These people could save my life. Or they could help those who want to kill me. Beside me Eryn is waving too, but her smile isn't as wide.
I think Eryn tries to tell me something, but I can't hear her over the roar of the crowd. We've been moving for five, maybe ten minutes now.
I hear someone yell her name too. And then I hear my name again. Twelve are behind us, and in front of us are all the rest. The screens behind us have turned on, showing that District One are approaching the city circle. Already? It doesn't seem like that long. I'm sure someone on this parade feels like they've been here forever. I wonder if Eryn spotted anyone who stood out as more absurd than the rest of them. I hope so. I couldn't really tell, and the crowd is still blending into one. I look straight ahead, and realise we're almost at the city circle. Soon this whole parade will be over, and I'll lose one opportunity to get sponsors to like me.
So I pull my smile as wide as I can, and force myself to perform for a little while longer.
Omega Vernus, 16
District Two Female
As we leave the stable, I can feel myself smiling. I push it down, my Stylist told me not to. Said it would make me more 'mysterious'. That sounds good. I assume Mason does the same, but I can't see him, and I don't particularly feel like looking over at him. He'd probably glare at me anyway. I'd never tell anyone, but he is sort of...scary. It's odd to think about even in my own mind. Luckily he'll ally with me. The kids from four might be able to get rid of him if they team up. So it may end up as us against them. I think back to the recap of the Reaping, and wonder which outer-district kids will put up a fight. Maybe the kids from Six or Seven. Eleven, maybe. The boy from Twelve would be strong, if he's wasn't so...underfed.
The crowds cheer behind me, probably for District Four. We travel through the city behind District One, the crowds yelling our names. Omega and Mason, District Two. I feel slightly bad for the boy from One. Mason's already said he doesn't want him in the alliance. I assume the two from Four will feel the same way. Sophie, I'm not so sure.
I guess I'll find out tomorrow. When I get to talk to the other tributes. In training.
Wow.
The chariot rides pass quickly, and we're soon at the city circle. When we arrive, all twelve chariots stop in front of where President Larcgrove watches us.
I'm here. With the President.
"Citizens of Panem. It is with great pleasure that I welcome our tributes to the Capitol. We thank them for the bravery, their sacrifice, and the sacrifice of their families." He says. The crowd cheers in response, to the speech we've heard a thousand times in different words. "Before we go," The crowd quietens, "Head Gamemaker Ruso has something she would like to share."
This is unheard of. The Head Gamemaker doesn't take part in the President's speech. And yet Head Gamemaker Ruso is being broadcast live from the control room. I can see her on the screens placed around the city.
"Citizens of Panem," She says, "The country has fallen on dark times. This Hunger Games, we remember the cruel and unjust death of our late President Snow. And, as we feel the pain of losing a loved leader, we remember those who feel this pain every year. And so," She pauses. By now the crowds around the Capitol are shocked, there's slight chaos. But this is so odd. "In honour of those whose loved ones have died bravely in the Hunger Games, all tributes reaped this year are given a chance to survive where their family members have not, and win for those of their relatives who were not so lucky. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour."
The screen I was watching cuts back to footage of the tributes, who are in various states of anger, shock, despair, and annoyance.
My family. Who in my family died in the Games? None of my siblings, and my parents weren't young enough to be Reaped. They weren't stupid. I'm not sure they even knew each other when they were that young. So maybe...my aunt! That's it. My mum's younger sister, Vesta, volunteered stupidly young. Fifteen, I think she was. Got herself killed, according to Grandpa. I think I remember watching her Games - she was good.
The excited crowd is chattering, and I look around to see how well my fellow tributes have taken the news. Mason looks rather... indifferent. I guess he's rather happy that he was Reaped, and that the chosen volunteer wouldn't take his place. The chosen volunteers in other Districts will be angry too. Various shocked faces, someone's crying. The boy from One just looks annoyed.
I look closer at Mason, to see if I can recognise his face as any tribute I've seen in the Games. Now I'm thinking about it, I think I have seen a sibling of his in the Games. A brother, I think. But I don't really remember. Which is odd, because I've watched every Hunger Games since the 13th, when they started filming them properly, several times to analyse it at the Academy. Apart from the 74th. The Capitol played it on replay once, after the 75th Hunger Games, as a reminder of Katniss's selfish tendencies, and then played a recording of her being killed by nerve gas in the 75th Hunger Games. I'm pretty sure no one's seen those Games since.
So his brother...
Oh.
That's what happened to his brother. Poor guy. He would have been six, watching the Games and that's how his brother dies. I'm equal parts horrified, and impressed that he's not angry. Or maybe he is angry, and he just isn't showing it. But if he's grown up with that memory, then he'll be used to it by now? Maybe.
The sobs of the girl from Ten are loud, and they distract me. She must have really loved whoever she lost. I feel sorry for her, but she has to die. Everyone else here has to die so that I can win. I'm sure their families will get over it eventually. Mine did. Which means they'll get over it if I die.
Nylon Wishart, 14
District Eight Male
Last night, I asked Theoni if I could watch the recap of last year's "Hunger Games". Cassie looked at me like I was crazy. Then she left. Theoni put on the recap for me, and I watched all of it. The first half an hour of it was actually rather nice. The costumes were pretty, and the Capitol people looked like they were wearing costumes too. It was so interesting to watch the interviews, and how the training scores were determined confused me a bit, but I thought I understood. The scores were how well the...tributes did in training.
Bu the Games were awful. When they started, there was so much fighting, and blood, and people were killing each other. People my age. I could barely watch. And then at the end, the girl who won was happy that she killed all those people. I know Father told me to watch as many recaps as I could, but I just couldn't. I couldn't watch any more death. And apparently, that's why it's called the Hunger Games. Because people can't eat enough to live.
But I can forget that at the moment, as I watch the crowds in their bright clothes and makeup. They're so...fascinating. We arrive at what I think is the city circle, where he President makes a speech. Most of the other tributes look uninterested, but I listen to every word. They've heard this for their whole lives, but I've only ever heard it once.
Then he says that the "Head Gamemaker" is going to say something. I don't know who that it, but it must shock everyone. Cassie gasps. The screens no longer show the tributes, instead they show a woman with pale blonde hair and purple eyes.
"Citizens of Panem. The country has fallen on dark times. This Hunger Games, we remember the cruel and unjust death of our late President Snow. And, as we feel the pain of losing a loved leader, we remember those who feel this pain every year. And so," The crowd is cheering and yelling loudly, everyone excited. This can't be normal, right? "In honour of those whose loved ones have died bravely in the Hunger Games, all tributes reaped this year are given a chance to survive where their family members have not, and win for those of their relatives who were not so lucky. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour."
Died bravely in the Hunger Games. People die in the Hunger Games. I watched last year's Games. I'm a relative of someone who died in the Hunger Games. But I don't know anyone.
Who do I know? Mother, Father and Gavin.
And who do I know who is dead? Mother and Father are alive...
So Gavin is dead.
He died. In the Hunger Games.
Gavin died in the Hunger Games.
Why didn't they tell me?
Because they're always trying to protect me. Of course. But I still don't know how I feel about that. And because they didn't tell me, I didn't know what happened to Gavin. I don't know how to feel about that. Up until yesterday, they always looked after me, but then they left me with the people-in-white. I heard somebody call them "peacekeepers". So now I'm not so sure if they are trying to protect me. Whatever they're doing, I can't talk ask them unless I win. I can win, right? I'm not twelve. I'll be fine.
I'll be fine.
Our chariots leave the city circle, and enter a different building to the one we were in before the chariot rides. The tributes leave the chariots, and Cassie and I follow Theoni into a lift, and we travel up to the floor labelled "Eight".
We're greeted by our Stylists, Canutius and Aliki, and Sash. Our mentor. Apparently he won the Games a few years ago, and he's supposed to help us win too. Over dinner, Theoni, Sash, Aliki, Canutius and Cassie talk continuously about this new development - dead family members. Something tells me this isn't normal. The food is delicious, as every meal has been since I left home.
"So, Nylon, I've said which family member I lost. Your turn." Cassie says.
"Err..." I reply.
"You don't have to say if you don't want to, Nylon." Theoni says.
"My- my brother. Gavin."
"Oh. I remember him." Says Aliki. "He was a good kid. It's a shame you were both reaped, really."
"Oh. Him. I remember him. He didn't get very far, did he?" Cassie says. Then she looks at me for a second. "Sorry. I'm sure you'll do better."
"Thanks." I say. But now she's said it, I can't help but worry. Gavin was only two years younger than me when he died. I wonder how he felt when he found out about the Hunger Games. Sad, nervous, terrified? Betrayed?
I don't know.
I don't even know exactly how he died.
I should ask.
"Are you okay?" Aliki asks me. I don't answer. "Hello? Nylon, did you her me?"
"How did he die?" I ask. There's a shocked silence.
"Gavin? He..." Says Canutius.
"He what?"
"He was killed by the boy from One."
The boy from One. District One. They were covered in jewels in the chariots, I think.
"Surely you knew that already?" Cassie asks.
"No." I tell her.
"How? Weren't you watching the Games? Or is your memory terrible?"
"I- didn't...know."
"You... didn't know? That your brother was in the Hunger Games?"
I don't reply. It would seem that this is common knowledge, otherwise she wouldn't be so shocked.
Which means I'm not going to tell anyone that I don't know much about the Games.
Canutius switches on the television and we watch the parade in full. It's like the recap of last year's Games that I watched on the train: bright colours, cheering crowds. The crowds are as captivating as always. When I win, I might come and live here. Mother and Father could come too.
We watch the Head Gamemaker's speech again, but this time her face is easier to see than on the screens outside. Closer. As she makes her speech, she stares directly into the camera. I assume she's important in the Hunger Games, but I don't ask what her job is. I assume Theoni would know. Maybe I could ask her.
"Alright you two. Be here at eight tomorrow morning for breakfast and strategy."
It's the first time Sash has talked to either of us.
And the end of another chapter. So here we have Amalia, Dominik, Omega and Nylon with the chariot rides, and the tributes finally know about the twist! I've already got the first POV of the next chapter written, so that should be out in a few weeks. You know what, I'll do updates every three weeks from now on. So the next update should be the 11th of February. And I'll see you then.