Cleveland "Cleve" Garfield, 13
District 9 Male

The day before the Reaping

It was one of those rare moments where his family left him alone.

Cleve was out with his friends, lying at the top of a grassy hill, watching the clouds pass over the electric fence that cut them off from the rest of the world. Sometimes, Cleve wondered if he could just climb over it and escape into the uncharted land the Capitol was hiding from him.

But then, he'd be leaving everyone behind. And he wasn't entirely ready to do that.

"This is kinda boring," Ridge sighed. "You guys wanna do something?"
Zinnia sat up and kicked her brother's arm. "You're disturbing the peace. I, for one, was enjoying myself."

Crocus sat up too. "I could push you down the hill. That would be fun!"
"Boys," Florencia scoffed, shoving her hands under her head. Her hair was all spread out in the grass; Cleve thought she looked kinda cute.

"Do you think that if the fence was off, you'd climb it?" Ridge asked.
Florencia shook her head. "Oh, no way. I don't want to leave my daddy all alone."

"I wouldn't leave my family either," Cleve agreed. "But it's not fair. It's their way of keeping us confined and pressed under their thumb. After all, Capitol trumps everything else, doesn't it?"
Florencia pressed a hand to her mouth. "Cleve, that kind of talk could get you killed!"

"I know," Cleve sighed, cheeks burning slightly. "But...you guys won't tell anyone, right?"
Crocus pretended to zip his lips together. "Your secret is safe with us."

"Do you ever wish you just had no responsibilities?" Ridge prodded, kicking a leg up to the sky. "Like, nothing to do?"
"No homework?"
"No chores?"
"No babysitting!"

Cleve groaned. "Huh, that last one would be nice."
"Indeed," Ridge laughed as Zinnia kicked him again. "Brothers," she muttered under her breath.

"It must be nice to have someone to hang out with all the time," Florencia mused and Cleve's cheeks flared up again. He liked how calm and peaceful her voice sounded. "Sometimes, I get a little lonely and I wish I had a brother or sister to play with."
Zinnia shoved Ridge off her. "You don't want a brother. Trust me."

"Ah shit guys," Crocus interrupted; Florencia covered up her ears at such obscene language. "It's gonna rain."
Cleve glanced up at the greying clouds overhead. "I think you're right."

Ridge was about to brush them all off, when a large raindrop landed on his forehead with a plop. None of the kids seemed too bothered, however. Rainfall in 9 wasn't that common anyways and in the humid air, it was downright refreshing. Cleve didn't feel the least bit chilly, but Florencia was shivering a little, wrapping her arms around her body.

"Are you okay?" Cleve asked her.
"Oh, I'm fine. I probably should've dressed for this weather."
"Do you want me to walk you home?"

Florencia giggled, her eyes briefly drifting to Ridge. Right. Cleve studied Ridge's face, but he couldn't tell whether or not the older boy noticed Florencia's not-so-subtle display of attraction. But to Cleve, a tornado could fling Ridge halfway across Panem and he wouldn't notice until it was too late.

"We should be getting home," Zinnia mused as her older brother pulled her to her feet. "See you guys tomorrow."
"I'll go with you!" Florencia suddenly blurted out. "I mean...my house is a bit closer to yours, so..."
Cleve and Crocus gave each other a side glance, before they both dissolved into a quiet laughing fit.

Once Cleve got home, the noise from inside could be clearly heard before he even reached the door. The second he did, he was nearly knocked to the ground by at least three tiny bodies. "Ow! Hey guys! What a warm welcome!"

"Cleveeeeeeeee!" Lonis grabbed his arm and began to tug. She had to shove her younger brother Cedric out of the way to do so. "Pick me up please!"
"You're a big girl, Lonis! You can walk!" Cleve turned his attention to his other siblings. "Are Mom and Dad home?"

"Not yet," Oaker said, with little Sunny peeking out from behind him. "Will they be home soon?"
"Probably. But I bet you're all starving! Who wants to help me make dinner?"

Cleve led the ragtag parade of tiny Garfields to the kitchen. Someone had put little Skimmia in her high chair while two of the triplets were arguing...again. The third one, Nastur, was pouting on the couch. Sedum, the second-eldest after Cleve, was missing, as usual. Probably off frolicking with his friends somewhere.

"Can I help?" Oaker asked, grabbing the handle of an old pan full of water and dragging it off the counter. Cleve quickly grabbed the handle and pulled it back before water could come splashing down all over his feet. Oaker pouted as Cleve gently pushed him out of the way with his leg, Lonis and Cedric still close behind.

"If you want to help, then maybe you can feed Skimmia for me. There should be some leftover mush for her in the cupboard. Lonis, Cedric, please, I need some space...oh, would you two stop fighting!? There's so much noise I can barely think! What's even the problem anyways!?"

Phlox gave his sister a shove. "She was the one who started it!"
Canna shoved him back. "No I didn't!"

Cleve just sighed. "Alright, can you two just...I don't care who started it, but I want you to stop. Now, can you help me set the table and herd everyone over here? Mom and Dad will be home soon, so maybe we can surprise them by having a nice meal ready?"

Despite the chaos that came with direction a room full of younger kids, Cleve didn't mind. It was nice to have someone look up to him, rather than down because of his age. Responsibility could be exhausting, but when his parents thanked him for taking charge, they really meant it.

And though there were days he wanted to run away from the Capitol's tyrannical hands, he could never bear to leave behind everything he already had.

Lily Baudilair, 15
District 9 Female

Reaping Day

The second the words came out of Sonya's mouth, her eyes shot up and she pressed her hands together, unable to tear her gaze from Lily's face. "Wait! I didn't mean it!"

Lily cackled. "No take-backs!"
"Lily, forget I said anything! That was just stupid of me."

"Well, it's too late now!" Lily chuckled, slapping her knee. "I suppose I have done worse dares, but this one...this one just takes the cake."
Olive sighed into her oatmeal. "Why are you two like this? That was incredibly stupid! And Lily, to think that any of this is even close to being considered a decent idea-"
"Dares aren't supposed to be good ideas!"

"But volunteering for the Hunger Games is the most idiotic thing anyone could ever do!"

Sonya panted a little, cheeks reddened by her sudden outburst. Lily scowled while Olive shrunk a little into her seat. Olive's mother was upstairs, completely oblivious to the row in her dining room. Lily didn't mind, because if the Mayor of District 9 told her off, then there really wasn't anything she could do.

"But the Games look so easy! Look at Paisley!"
"She's off her rocker," Olive fumed. "She's getting engaged to a guy she's been dating for three months. I've seen her finances and she spends way too much money on depressants, therapists and tea. Mom says she has constant nightmares too. The her Games were really-"

Lily calmly sipped her juice. "Yeah whatever. Sucks for her, but I'm different."
"Do you think this is a joke!?" Olive snapped, causing everyone to jump a little. "Some funny little game!?"

"It's in the title, isn't it?"
"Please don't do this, Lily," Sonya begged, eyes watering. "I'll take it back, alright? I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, it was a dumb joke and can we please go do something else?"

Well, she could always go along with her friends and agree to put this whole matter behind them. That could solve it all right then and there. But that was not the Lily Baudilair way of doing things. She always had two choices at hand; go big, or go home.

Lily was not a big fan of the latter.

"Neither of you need to worry about me, alright? I'll be fine! 9's already won before with Paisley and Mark Giblet was the same age as me, so it's not impossible! I'll just avoid everyone and they'll all die out. Honestly. Not hard."
"What if they try to kill you?" Sonya whispered fearfully.

"I know how to use knives, don't I?"
Olive whistled. "Again, none of this is a good idea!"

"I think you and I have different ideas of good!"

Olive stuttered a little. Sonya just glanced up at Lily with tears streaming down her face. "I'm Lily-fucking-Baudilair and I don't back down to challenges! Never! I can't believe neither of you have any faith in me! Well, I'll sure as hell as prove you wrong! I'm gonna volunteer, and I'm gonna come back, just you watch! Forget this, I'm done!"

"Lily, no..." Olive whimpered as Lily pushed her chair back against the hardwood, making a loud screeching noise that drowned her best friend out. She stomped through the house and right out the door, no time to say goodbye to anybody.

Once in the street, her anger subsided and she felt a pit in her stomach. She made Sonya cry! All over what, her slightly bruised pride? A silly dare, taken way too far!?

I should go back and apologize, Lily thought, staring up at the Mayor's giant house. But I'll see them at the Reaping. I can make it up there by volunteering. Once I win, this will all blow over and everything will be fine.

She decided to go back home. Everyone was out and about, but Lily kept to herself, hurrying through the streets. She kept her head down, as if everyone was staring into her, like they knew her plan. She felt a little shame, being so childish over a dare.

Lily giggled to herself. That was what made dares so fun! There were risks worth taking in this world that would never change the entire world, but provide her and her friends with some good entertainment for a few hours. She got to experience so many things too. Would she ever realize what worms tasted like if it hadn't been for Sonya's wicked ideas? Would she have learned the importance of not touching the fence around the district if Sonya hadn't come up with it?

She was still a kid of some sorts, after all. And she was going to have some fun while she was at it.

Once home, Lily quickly slipped up to her room. She decided to change into something a little more appropriate for the occasion, because she knew from watching Olive's mother that first impressions were beyond crucial. She ran a brush through her blonde hair to rid it of any tangles or knots. Her pride had fully repaired itself by then.

Lily giggled again, a little more hysterically than last time. This was going to be so much fun!

First TMH update of 2020! And we're almost done the Reapings too!

What do you think of Cleve and Lily? Are you excited, that we've now been introduced to almost all the tributes! One more Reaping left to go!

-Vr