Kira Bronze, age 16
District 2 Female
First volunteer for District Two. After all those years training, I finally came out on top in the Academy. Of course, with lots of skill, sweat, threats, and an "accidental" broken wrist to my biggest competition, I finally won the spot. I could hardly keep myself from grinning.
The district escort, Themis, took the stage, along with the mayor. I cringed away from Themis's bright pink getup. It was frilly and large and just plain terrible. I couldn't express my disgust with it though. The Capitol needed to like me.
As the Dark Days video was being shown, I noticed another girl in my section looking at me kind of funny. I turned to look at her, ready to chew her face off, when she said, "You're one of the volunteers, right?"
"You know it," I said, starting to smile. "I guess I'm better than you are at training."
"I guess so," the girl said, completely immune to my usual tactics on putting people down. "I think I'll wait until I'm eighteen to volunteer."
"When I come home a victor," I whispered softly, getting close to her face. "I'll find a way, any way, to make sure you never get to volunteer. You don't want to mess with me." The girl looked surprised, and tears welled in her eyes. If she wanted me to feel sorry for her, it wasn't going to work. Her emotions were her problem now, not mine.
Themis walked to the microphone, and gave the usual introduction. "I am so excited to be back here for another year. Now lets not wait any longer." Themis skipped to the girl's reaping bowl, and picked six slips, all at the same time. She skipped back, and unfolded the first paper.
"The first female tribute is Theodora F—" Themis started, but I beat her to it.
"I volunteer!" I yelled, and shoved a girl out of my way. I had my drive to win, and I expected to come home as a victor.
Aeliana Macedon, age 18
District 2 Female
As I watched Kira run up to the stage, I couldn't help but wish that she held out until next year to volunteer. With both Alexios, my twin brother, and I going into the Games, my family doesn't need Kira going to, despite my differences with my half-sister. She wasn't my biggest fan, to put it delicately.
Themis rushed over to Kira, who just reached the stage. "A volunteer!" Themis exclaimed, faking surprise. District Two has volunteers every year. She must know that. "What is your name, dear?"
"Kira Bronze," Kira answered, her eyes finding me in the crowd and grinning viciously at me. For the past week, she had been spiting me that she got to volunteer before me. I didn't mind much. Not much bothers me, not even my vicious half-sister's ruthless bullying.
The secret? Be level headed. Be calm.
Themis was at the microphone again, holding another slip. "The second female tribute is Tia Stone!"
Immediately, I looked over to the boy's section to look for Alexios. Tia was one of his closest friends; he considered her a little sister to him. He looked panicked, and I saw Tia, tiny at thirteen, walk past me, and to the stage.
"Somebody do something!" Alexios yelled, panicked. He locked eyes with me. "Aeliana, please!"
Knowing I couldn't see my brother watch Tia in the Games, I stepped into the aisle, and shouted confidently, "I volunteer!" Tia scurried back to her section, and I walked to the stage. One of the Peacekeepers whispered to me on my way, "Good luck, Aeliana." I smiled. I had recently joined the Peacekeeper Training Force, and that, combined with my training in the Academy, would do me well in the Games.
I was ready.
Levanna Moonbeam, age 17
District 2 Female
Quickly, Themis unfolded another piece of paper. I stood, smug and confident, watching her. I'm next. I'm supposed to volunteer for this poor girl whose name is on this paper. And I can win these Games. Basically, the Games are about manipulating the sponsors to buy you things and nobody else.
I have experience in manipulation, and so much more.
On stage, Kira was glaring at Aeliana, who was just standing there stoically. Now there was a relationship that I would just tweak a little to get my way. All that I needed was a small bit of distaste on one side of a relationship and it was easy. Kira's personality would make my job so much easier if I had to do anything.
"The third female tribute in the Sixth Quarter Quell is," Themis said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Bellona Calvin!"
I let the Peacekeepers walk to the fourteen year old section, and pull the sobbing Bellona from the group. Nothing like letting fear settle into somebody before you save their life.
I stepped into the aisle, and said sweetly, "I volunteer!" I ushered the small girl back to her section, and walked up to the stage. When I passed the eighteen year olds, I heard them whispering among themselves.
"Isn't that Zanaya McAndrews?"
"She's supposed to be dead!"
I just grinned to myself. A few years ago, I faked my death and hid in the district as Zanaya McAndrews. Some people probably still believed that I was Zanaya.
But I'm not. I'm Levanna Moonbeam, future victor of the Sixth Quarter Quell.
Charlotte Axinburg, age 18
District 2 Female
I could still hear the reaped girl sobbing behind me. She must not attend the Academy. And she probably was a poor girl, terrified of everything that came at her. That may sound cold, but hey, I called them as I saw them.
Themis lifted another slip in the air, and unfolded it. I bounced up and down a little, getting ready to volunteer, but my left leg buckled, and I just barely straightened out before I hit the ground. I cursed under my breath, and rubbed my knee. A few years ago I dislocated it during my dance lessons, causing me to quit dance. It never quite healed correctly.
"The fourth female tribute representing District Two is," Themis said, squinting at the paper. "Emilia Spangle."
Seriousness took over, with a little jealousy, too. This Emilia girl... she probably had a real family with real siblings. I was grateful for my adoptive parents, Sean and Bobby, and their other two daughters, Yasmin and Agatha - of course I was - but sometimes I wished that I knew my birth parents.
"I volunteer!" I shouted, walking briskly through the horde of girls in my section, glaring at any who dared to look at me. But I gave my friend Vianney a warm smile when I passed her. Anybody who deserved kindness would get it, in my eyes, and everybody else would have to deal with it.
My way or the highway, that was how I rolled.
Evelyn Thaw, age 15
District 2 Female
All of the other girls surrounding me were leaning away from me, leaving me in the center of a circle. I know why, and I don't really blame them. One of them whispered to her friend, "She's such a creep." I just widened the twisted grin on my face. Maybe I was a creep, but oh, well.
Hearing the terrified whimpers of the girls in the fourteen year old section reminded me of the agonized screams of my mother two years ago as I straddled her around the waist and hacked her to pieces. She was stupid, really - first she sold herself to one of the Peacekeepers when she was eighteen, then she never took the warning signs of my twisted nature: the injured animals that I brought in every day to kill in my bedroom, everyday increasing in size, until the day when there was a dead cow in our backyard. I had killed countless animals, but never a human until I murdered my mother when I was thirteen. After I did her, I killed my two little brothers, Matthew and Mason, then my little sister, Iris, before setting my old house on fire.
I've never been the same since. Bloody hands, a sharp knife, and pained screams was all I needed to survive.
Themis held up the fifth piece of paper. I tensed, getting ready to run to the stage. I wasn't a trained Career, but I wanted in on these Games. A chance to legally kill people? Count me in!
"The fifth female is Ingrid Garner!" Themis announced. I shoved through the crowd, everybody backing way from me, all the while proclaiming myself as a tribute.
As I walked past all of the other age groups, I looked into the faces of some of the other people, digging up all of the information I could about them. Bailey Vinti was cheating on her boyfriend. Justin Harmon's little sister was sick and dying. Carson Wales was the mayor's son, and was dangerously close to flunking out of school.
Knowledge was power. You just had to know how to use it.
Totsuki "Celestial" Shimada, age 16
District 2 Female
Only one more name to go. Oh, well. I always had next year to be a tribute. My only chance was that I was reaped and nobody volunteered...
"Totsuki Shimada, our final female tribute!" Themis said. I perked up immediately.
"Nobody move!" I screamed. "Don't volunteer!"
I began to move through the crowd of girls. One of them grabbed my arm, and pulled me to face her. "Don't be stupid, Celestial," she warned. I yanked my arm away from her, and discreetly kneed her in the stomach. I knew what I was doing. I was supposed the go into the Games. I didn't need some random girl telling me not to!
But then it happens. A girl from the seventeen year old stepped into the aisle, her hand raised to volunteer. In my mind, I quickly conjured up a plan to make sure that I go into the arena, not this girl. I ran up to her, and kicked her in the back of the knee. She crumpled, and I wrapped my forearm around her throat. When I started to squeeze, I was cautious. I just wanted her to pass out, not die. Using just the right amount of pressure, I choked the girl until she fell, limp, from my arms. Then I continued to walk to the stage.
I climbed the steps with ease, thinking of other ways I could have stopped the girl still laying in the aisle. I could have gagged her with my scarf, gotten inside of her mind and made her think that she shouldn't be volunteering. It would have been easy, and hilarious. She was the last volunteer, after all. Almost too easy. And isn't getting inside people's minds so fun?
I snatched the microphone right from Themis's hands. "My name is Celestial," I said, staring into one of the cameras. "Not Totsuki." I handed the microphone back to Themis, and stood with the five other girls, a tribute at last.
And there are the first tributes for District Two! Thank you to:
Golden Moon Huntress for Kira and Aeliana,
Fire'sCatching for Levanna and Charlotte,
maddyodair for Evelyn,
and i-really-hope-not for Celestial.
I had a lot of fun writing all six of these tributes, so thank you to all of their submitters! Today's song is Galway Girl by Ed Sheeran.
Be sure to review! Which tribute so far is your favorite? Least favorite? I'm working on adding up everybody's sponsor points. When I finish, I'll post them on my profile, underneath the tribute list. See you next time, with the males for District Two.