Ryelie Sammons, 14 - District Nine Female

I wouldn't tell the directors at the orphanage, ever, but I like to sneak out and sit in the shadows when everyone else is asleep. It's quiet.

It's nice to be alone.

For instance, it's quite nice to sit in this patch of darkness, far away enough from the nearest lamp post to not be seen by others, but close enough to still see them. It's a fascinating thing to do - to just sit all alone and watch and watch until you see everything you want to.

I like knowing what other people are doing. It's easier to not be surprised by others.

I think I've made that mistake too many times.

I suppress a giggle when I see one of the older kids peers out of the gate, a handful of sesterces in his hand and a determined look that seems to hint at his need to drink. After determining that he's all alone - he's wrong - he walks out steadily, keeping to the shadows.

It's a pity that others aren't as good as me at keeping in the shadows - there would be a lot less trouble.

When he gets past the grounds of the orphanage - the lone security guard, half-drunk already with his haphazard flashlight beam and bottle of champagne, easily missing the older boy - he darts into an amber field of wheat, and I follow suit. It's a good thing that I have long sleeves and long pants on tonight. Besides the fact that it's easier to blend in when more of my skin is covered, I definitely don't want to get a tick attached to me and give me some sort of weird disease. There's another kid in the orphanage who did get bitten by one of the ticks in the fields when he tried to run away, and his arm swelled up like a balloon before it turned purple. Purple!

Hmm, if it wasn't for those pesky debilitating diseases that ticks brought with them, maybe I do want to get bit by one.
I'm quiet as I follow the boy - like a wraith in the night, I think to myself with another giggle - and I make it to the edge of the field to watch him walk into the town while tossing sesterces in the air. It's careless perhaps, but I understand the sentiment. He just earned himself a night out on the town! I wish I got an night out on the town.

But I suck in a sharp breath when I see two peacekeepers walk deliberately after him - when he reaches a shop, one calls to him and asks for identification documents. I suck in my breath when the boy pauses, unable to give them what he doesn't have. I close my eyes, yet I can see what'll happen next without looking - the snap of a whip, a pained cry, and the dragging of his limp body back to their headquarters for loitering and being out after curfew. He's just lost his night. He's lost his week, for that matter.

Although I don't know him, I cry. Just a little.

Then, slowly, carefully, without making a sound, I creep back to the orphanage, climb through my window without being seen by the drunken security guard - I think he's butchering karaoke songs at this point - and settle into my bed with a sigh.

I wish I wasn't so lonely sometimes.

But maybe… maybe it's safer to be lonely. No one can hurt me.

It's nice to be alone. Sometimes.

Keaton Huang, 12 - District Nine Male

"Mom, are we going to be doing anything this week?" I ask my mother, looking over at her small frame expectantly. She laughs, more than a little weary, and shakes her head as she continues to to make lunch. "We never do anything - do you think that the boys will get home sometime today?"

"I don't know, but their shift should be ending today - it depends on which sector of Nine they were working at this week," my mother replies. She blows on her sauce to cool it and pours the rich, creamy sauce over a slice of bread, making sure to get a few pieces of meat on it as well before folding it in half and pressing down. "I'm going to be eating on the go before heading to work - I think there'll be enough sauce left for you to do something with it, but you'll see. Don't eat too much - I'd like to save some of that for tomorrow!"

"Mom, you know I can cook as well as you!" I sigh, shaking my head mockingly. "You've taught me too well, perhaps. What's the furthest sector you've been to? Did you get close to the other districts? Was it exciting?"

"The longest journey? Well, I've worked on a construction site for a silo on the other edge of Nine - it was far away enough to count, I suppose." Mother pauses and strokes her chin, trying to recall what had happened. "It wasn't anything too exciting, but I do remember there being some fuss about a murder case when I left. Thank goodness that things like that don't happen in this sector - we're safe here."

"But wouldn't it be interesting?" I giggle, knowing that my mother will pale at the thought of a murder happening here. "Do you think someone would solve it?"

"I hope they would!" she replies, leaning over the couch to ruffle my hair - to my dismay. "Now, be good. We didn't let you dye your hair purple just to sit on the couch like that - why don't you play with the other kids today?"

"But - but -" I begin, but she grabs her sandwich and is gone before I can finish my sentence. I shrug and look out the window - no one's out there. No one ever is.

I'd tell her that I'm too shy to approach most of the other kids, that I feel embarrassed trying to reach out without knowing anyone, but she wouldn't listen. Adults never do when it comes to that sort of thing - they make up an excuse for you to do it anyway, then push you out the door while you protest.

No, I'd rather stay home and wait for my brothers to come home. They're much more fun than the other kids in the neighbourhood - they always have good stories, they play games with me that I win - most of the time - and they're always up for some fun. My sister is fun, too, but I like playing with them more - they always have the better games. And my sister is too bossy for her own good - she always tries to make sure I can't do what I want to do. No, I hope that they'll come home soon. It'll be more fun.

I shiver when I realize that they will be coming home soon - after all, this week is Reaping Week. No one ever misses the reapings. Ever. And this is my first year heading inside of the pens instead of waiting with my parents - this year, I'm at risk. This year, I could be going to the Capitol.

I'll see them sooner than I think.

We finally have all of our tributes and I could not be happier!

Ryelie: Ryelie has long, blond hair which is often put up in braids. Her eyes are a shocking ice blue. She's thin, and fairly small for her age. She's very pale as well, and has a dash of freckles along her thin nose. Her lips are thin and pale as well.

Keaton: Keaton is a small boy of mixed Asian descent. He has light tan skin and dark brown eyes. He has recently dyed dark purple hair.

And that is D9! I'll see you soon with D10, and we can finally begin to finish these reapings! Who's excited? I am! Have a great day, and enjoy! - JAJ