Marina Tripp, age 17
District 4 Female
Three. That's the number of female volunteers this year. District Four was falling further and further away from being Careers. We had more reaped tributes, less people willing to volunteer, and generally, less victors. My parents weren't thrilled when they heard the news that only three trained girls were volunteering for the Games this year, but they were happy that their only daughter was going in. They don't hate me or anything, they were just obsessed with bringing honor to the district.
The square was silent as the mayor, the victors, and the escort, Elba, walked onto the stage. As I watched Elba sit down daintily, cross her ands in her lap, and smile brightly, my mind drifted, wondering what the Capitol citizens were exposed to that the district citizens weren't that made them bright and cheerful all the time. I Haas seen enough of Elba over my seventeen years of life to know that it wasn't just an act for her. She was genuinely bubbly and ditzy all the time.
I had always tried my hardest not to hate anybody, always staying open-minded about everybody. But it was hard sometimes, with people like Elba, who worshipped the Games. I may not be a very spiteful person, but once I'm in that arena, I won't kill as much as the other Careers will. And no Career alliance, either. I wanted to show people that tributes from outer districts could be just as strong as Careers.
Elba pranced to the microphone, landing on her tiptoes everytime and gently fluttering back down to her heel. I tried to hide my distaste, but everybody around me was making faces, too, so I just became another face in the crowd. Then wondered why human nature caused us to want to blend in with a crowd once you reached a certain period of time in your life. Humans were extraordinary organisms, and I wanted to know every detail on how they worked.
"Welcome, District Four, to the reaping for the 150th Hunger Games!" Elba announced, and some people clapped, but some remained silent. I knew my parents were clapping, though, even if I remained still.
I was going to volunteer. I was going to become a Career. I wanted to win, but what would I do to win?
"Let's not wait any longer than we have to," Elba said, tiptoeing to the girl's Reaping ball and daintily choosing a slip. She walked back to the microphone, and unfolded the paper. I squeezed my eyes shut. I had to do this. Only three girls would be saved this year. This one had to be.
"Tiki Marsh!" Elba said, and my eyes flew open. Now or never.
I stepped out of my section and volunteered myself as the first tribute for District Four.
Rina Chinin, age 18
District 4 Female
I watched Marina take the stage with a huge smile on my face. I was so happy for her, and Luna, the other volunteer, and myself for making it this far. We were going to do great! With all of our training and weapon skills, these Games would be over before they even started.
Bouncing on my toes, I felt my smile grow even wider when I realized that it was my turn next. While I knew that I could barely do survival stations - I hadn't put forth a lot of effort while practicing that in the Academy - I could use a trident and was fine with killing. These Hunger Games would be a breeze. And I would be valuable to my allies. I would be able to cheer them up if anything happened. See? I would be fine!
Elba congratulated Marina on stage. Marina had a smile on her face, but it seemed forced. I knew she wasn't as excited to volunteer as me and Luna were, but she should have been happy! She was going to help bring honor to our district! That was more than somebody could ask for.
I tensed as Elba chose a second slip. With all of my excitement bubbling inside me, I could barely stand still. It was almost time. Almost my time to shine. I could hardly wait.
"The second female tribute is Arielle Fairmont!" Elba announced. I jumped up, my hand raised, a giant smile flashing on my face.
"I volunteer!" I screamed, and ran to the stage. I mounted the steps, and brushed my fingers through my black hair. When I was younger, people would make fun of me for my Japanese heritage. I looked different than everybody else, so they would make fun of me for it. Now that I was a tribute - and would return as a victor - nobody would make fun of my again.
I knew that I could do this. I knew how to use weapons, so did it really matter that I didn't care about the rest?
Luna Blackburn, age 17
District 4 Female
I didn't really care that I was the last female volunteer. Marina and Rina both didn't care, either, when the Academy told us to make our our volunteering order. I wasn't thrilled to be volunteering, but if it meant I could help my friends with their poverty, then I would do it. My family and friends meant the world to me.
Most kids in District Four dreamed of becoming a tribute, taking the arena by storm, then returning home a victor, a celebrity to the Capitol. Not me. I just wanted a quiet life with my family without the Games or the Academy. Had, most of the time, victors didn't live luxurious lives. They were scarred from the arena, distant from their family, I had even heard stories that some victors were forced into prostitution. So far, I knew that two of our victors were: Marina Pier, who won the 101st Games, and Zephyr Stillwater, who won the 138th. I'm sure there were countless others.
But I wasn't going to back out now. This last girl needed me to save her. She had a family who would miss her, and I don't think I could handle the shame.
Elba was back at the girl's reaping ball. She chose a slip right from the top, smiling softly to herself. I rolled my eyes at her. She's so fake. All Capitolites were.
Elba unfolded the third slip of paper, and I glanced back at the crowd to see my family. My father,, my stepmother, and stepsisters, Isabelle and Katrina. They were eleven, so the was their last year before they entered the reaping. I'm glad. I don't think I could handle seeing them in the Games this year, knowing that half of the girls who were reaped would go into the arena.
My real mother died when I was twelve. We don't know why. One day she was completely healthy, they next day she just didn't wake up. I had been devastated, but a year later, my father married my stepmother, and they had the twins together.
"The third female tribute is Miss Rebeca Cabot!" Elba's voice shook me out of my thoughts. When I looked back and saw the thirteen year old section part around a girl, anxiety to run to the stage took over.
I stepped forward and yelled, "I volunteer!"
Hayley River, age 17
District 4 Female
The reaping before you planned to volunteer was the worst. You had to sit through a reaping and watch two kids volunteer and not come back. Or in this year's case, twelve kids volunteer and not come back. I just wished that I was chosen to volunteer this year. All of the tributes in the arena would make for a great show to be in.
I looked up at all of Four's victors. In the past fifty years, we have had six. I envied them, mainly because they have experienced all of the thrills and adrenaline rushes that being in the arena comes with, and refused to talk about it. Why would you not want to talk about the greatest event in your lifetime? I just didn't understand.
When he was eighteen, my father was going to volunteer for the Games, but he chickened out at the last minute. Since then, he had taught me and my sisters, Coral and Anabelle, to never back out of anything. I guessed that was where I got my competitive edge from, my endless search for adventure and adrenaline. I absolutely loved daring dares and going potentially dangerous things, just to feel that rush of adrenaline that came with it.
"And, now, for the fourth female tribute," Elba said, and plucked another slip from the bowl. The three girls on stage exchanged nervous looks as Elba unfolded the piece of paper. I frowned. Why were they nervous? Was this next volunteer not reliable, or something?
"Hayley River!" Elba announced. I blinked, and stood still, momentarily stunned. I had taken out tesserae to help support my family - and to boost my chances of being chosen - but I had never thought that it would actually happen. But, I was going to volunteer next year anyways, so what's one year of a difference?
I walked out of my section, smiling, excitement beginning to form inside of me. A tribute. I was a tribute in the largest Hunger Games Panem would ever see. And when I mounted the steps, I accepted this challenge.
Cailey Molinari, age 16
District 4 Female
One girl was reaped. So, what? That didn't mean anything. Maybe that one volunteer chickened out. It didn't matter.
Some girls near me were talking to each other. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I listened anyways. One of them was saying, "Didn't you hear? The Academy only picked three girls to volunteer this year! The next few girls picked are going into the Games."
The other girl whispered back, "Really? I just thought that other girl was a volunteer!"
"Nope," the first girl said. "You better hope you don't get chosen." I furrowed my eyebrows. Only three volunteers? I knew that District Four's Career status had been declining, but I didn't think it was that bad. And if there were only three volunteers, that meant the net few girls who were reaped were tributes...
I whipped around, looking for Laney in the thirteen year old section. My little sister was white as a sheet, but when she saw me, her face brightened. I held up three fingers for her, trying to tell her. She shrugged, and I mouthed, "Three volunteers" to her. She nodded frantically, and I looked back at the stage, my face solemn.
Three volunteers. Doubt and fear planted themselves inside my gut. What if I was reaped? I had heard of people being rigged into the Games because of illegal activity. I had to steal sometimes to help out my family. What if I was reaped as a punishment?
Elba picked the fifth slip. I wasn't going to get picked. I couldn't. My family needed me. Laney, my two other siblings, Jaya and Ray, my father, and my sick mother. They needed me. I couldn't go.
"Cailey Molinari!" Elba said, and my world shattered. I felt tears slip down my cheeks, as I stepped into the aisle. My foot caught on a loose cobblestone, and I pitched forward, but caught myself before I fell.
I had been reaped, and I was a tribute in the Sixth Quarter Quell.
Fiorentina D'Aquarelle, age 18
District 4 Female
The reaping was a waste of time. For a businesswoman like myself, all time was needed, and this useless reaping was below me. All of these trembling kids around me weren't worthy of my attention. I mean, look at me! One of the most famous business people in the entire distrct.
What was my business, you asked? Well, a few years ago, I came up with the idea of a mermaid tail that would help somebody swim faster in water. But I didn't have the time to create it, so I "convinced" some smart kids to make them for me, and just like that, I was famous across the entire district. It was just meant to be.
I wound a piece of my blonde hair around my finger, checking my nails. I knew they were perfect already, I just wanted to see them again. One of the girls next to me shifted uncomfortably, holding several of my mermaid tails. After the reaping, everybody was always in a good mood - because their children weren't reaped - so it was a prime time to do some selling. I could sell these anywhere.
"Um, Miss D'Aquarelle?" the girl next to me said. I turned to her, forcing a smile at her hideous form. She's poor, but she gets paid by me just enough to buy some nice clothes, even though she - and none of my other employees - doesn't spend the money on clothes. They have to "help out their families" and "get food." People always say that true beauty is within. Wrong. If you're ugly, you're ugly.
"I was wondering if I could just go home after the reaping today? I'll start early tomorrow," she quickly added. I smiled.
"Of course," I said, faking kindness. The girl quickly thanked me, and I turned back to the stage, where Elba was back at the microphone, a slip of paper in her hand. She unfolded it and announced the name, "Fiorentina D'Aquarelle!"
I narrowed my eyes. How dare she reap me? Me! I was must too important to be reaped! And where was the volunteer? Somebody had to save me. I couldn't go into the Games!
A Peacekeeper grabbed my arm. I yanked it away, screaming, "Don't touch me! I'll go by myself!" I huffed, and marched out of my section, and straight onto the stage, anger fueling me. This was not happening.
And there are the females for District Four! Thanks to:
platypus27 for Marina,
Fire'sCatching for Rina and Luna,
Jolteon2404 for Hayley,
Jaylinne for Cailey,
and Winter's Writing for Fiorentina.
I hope I did them all justice! I had a ton of fun writing these girls. Today's song is River by Eminem and Ed Sheeran.
A few announcements. First off, new poll on my profile for your favorite District Two tribute. Be sure to vote! And second, I posted a list of victors on my profile under the timeline for my universe, so check that out to see your tribute's mentors. And thirdly, this doesn't have to do with the story, but, to all of those Jacksonville Jaguars fans reading this, you're going down this Sunday! (Yes I am a Patriots fan. Sue me.). Until next time!