Will the odds be in your favour?

Amalia Ray Kokinos, 15

District Nine Female

The summer heat beats down on me as I sit at the base of one of the trees in the meadow. It's uncomfortable, horrible, hot and sweaty. Maisey and Kasha are making flower crowns for each other, and Lev is climbing trees again. None of us really care about reaping day, because we haven't taken out tesserae, and because Nine is a large district.

I run my hands through the grass, and find myself remembering last year. Reaping day was almost the same. The extra shift this morning was unexpected for me, Lev and Salvo. Working the fields on reaping day isn't a desirable

"I'm fine. Just tired from this morning." I reply. Salvo sits on the floor beside me and smiles.

"Yeah, extra shifts on reaping day suck." He says. My eyes flick back to my sisters, the two of them making their way over to the stream. As they reach the edge, Maisey gives Kasha a little push and she falls in, and then starts shrieking. We watch as Kasha scoops up a handful of water and throws it at her, and then both of them are in a water fight, both of them getting soaked.

I rush over to join in, and soon Lev and Salvo do as well. All of us slipping and sliding on bottom of the stream, falling over and getting dripping wet.

"Lia, stop it. We won't dry off before the reaping." Maisey shrieks. All of us stop as we remember that we forgot the reaping.

"Yeah, OK. Let's get dried off and get going." I turn to Salvo. "I guess I'll see you at the reaping."

"Sure." He says. Then the four of us head off home.

The district isn't very busy this morning. It's not surprising, really, especially as everyone is spending time at home for what could be the last morning with their children. I don't blame them.

Home is empty, and I wonder if Pa has been called for an extra shift, but it's an hour until the reaping so it's unlikely. I wonder where he is.

Maisey and Kasha look like twins, especially as they're wearing matching outfits. Maisey wearing dull sea green and Kasha in fuchsia. They look like they came right out of the Capitol. Lev doesn't look like he lives in the Capitol, rather that he drives a car for them or something. I'm not sure what I look like, but it isn't a Capitolite. A white blouse and black skirt isn't particularly "Capitol-like". As a group, we seem like some Capitolites and their entourage. Twin Capitolites and their twin entourage.

The door opens and Pa comes in, and the look on his face reads clear – extra shift. The Capitol's terrible about this, as reaping day is supposed to be a day off, and yet District Nine has half the population doing extra shifts and that stuff. You'd think that this year, at least, what with President Snow's sudden death they'd let us off. But they're still giving out extra shifts.

"I'll be ten minutes – you kids should head to the square." Pa tells us. "I'll catch you up."

"Sure. See you later." Maisey says, and then Kasha grabs her by the hand and pulls her out of the door. I chase after them, and Lev follows me.

The road is quiet as the four of us make our way along it, out of breath and smiling, but it doesn't last long. The closer we get to the square, the more the streets are filled with people, quiet and crying and nervous. I notice Maisey and Kasha holding hands, and Lev seems a little unnerved by the whole thing. It's not a good day for anyone.

The square is about half full when we get there, and the four of us make our way to the fifteen-year-old section. I scan the sixteen-year-old section, but Salvo isn't there. The square becomes fuller and fuller, and within a few minutes the crowd is too thick for me to see if anyone but my siblings are here or not. Maisey reaches out and grabs my hand, and Kasha reaches for Lev, and then we are a chain, all alone in the square full of people as the mayor stands at the front of the stage.

He begins his yearly speech, talking about the dark days and the formation of the districts. He talks about the hunger games and natural disasters, and then he talks about the recent passing of President Snow.

"Now, the names will be chosen." He says, and turns to our escort. She looks up from examining her nails and glances at the crowd.

"Yes, yes I suppose I should." Victricia makes her way over to the reaping bowl. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is an...honour...to be here. Now then, ladies first." She reaches for a slip. The paper slips hardly move as she slips her hand into the bowl and pulls out a slip. She reaches her arm in the air and unfolds the slip. She reads out the name with no enthusiasm. "Amalia Kokinos."

That's impossible. I gag, because I'm going into the arena and there's nothing I can do, but there's nothing I can do so I start to walk forward towards the stage. I can hear Maisey and Kasha crying behind me. Someone grabs me from behind, sobbing, and I realise it's Lev. I want to hug back, but instead I give him a gentle shove, as a sort of instruction to let go. He doesn't let go, until the peacekeepers grab him and toss him on the floor behind me. They give me a shove towards the stage, and as I make my way to the stage I notice Salvo in the sixteen-year-old section, and Pa in the crowd around the square. I get to the stage and the look Victricia gives me is one of disgust. She turns back to the crowd and reaches into the other reaping bowl.

This is a day I wish never happened.

Control is key.

Juventia Ruso
Head Gamemaker

My high heels click on the stone floor as I enter the Gamemakers viewing area. My seat is empty, as it should be. The whole place is full of Gamemakers, but there's one person I'm looking for. Allora Stavriades. She smiles at me, and I'm gladl.

"Head Gamemaker Ruso, are you excited?" She asks.

"Yes, Allora. I'm...excited." I tell her. "Are you ready?"

She nods in response. The whole team is watching and laid back, but from now until the games begin, observing the tributes is key to a successful year. I open my notebook for somewhere to take notes, and I reach for my favourite pen.

My seat is comfortable, and I can see the whole room from here. I glance around and see Kinnick and Titus arguing, and Curtia Silus entering and sitting in the corner. I'm not sure what to think about Curtia, the head trainer. Officially she's part of the Gamemaking team, but she doesn't act like a Gamemaker.

Everyone files into their seats, and then the screen lights up with the Capitol seal, and the reapings start. I don't listen to the speeches made by the various mayors of each district. I scan the crowds in each square, and think about the savannah arena and my interview.

Never judge a book by it's cover. I would say I'm a book that everyone judges by it's cover. But right now I'm glad that they're shallow enough to judge. I'm not ready to tell anyone yet.

District Five, a twelve year old with quiet confidence. She'll be an interesting character, but she's young. A sixteen year old who doesn't seem to stand out, but I remember his sister. She was definitely a good player. I make sure to write down my predictions.

District Seven, a fifteen year old who looks like she's after revenge. Maybe he could be a victor? An eighteen year old who I'm pretty sure lost a total of four siblings. Definitely seems like he'll be someone who really plays the game. But maybe not by the set rules.

My fellow Gamemakers are all laughing and smiling at each other, the whole place seems like a party. Probably because they're turning it into a party, but I'm not bothered today. Let them party, in tow days training starts, and I'm going to make sure they pay attention. We're all going to be paying lots of attention so that we can make these games fun. A few seem to be drinking one of the thousands of forms of alcohol we have on offer, and one or two seem to be drunk already.

District Nine comes around, and the square is full of people. The cameras scan the square, the Mayor talks about whatever, I look over my notes once more before their escort starts.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is an...honour...to be here. Now then, ladies first." She extends a tattooed arm into the reaping bowl, and I can't help being annoyed at her disinterest in her district. Couldn't she show a little enthusiasm? "Victricia always thought she was better than the district she was assigned.

She opens the slip and reads the name. "Amalia Kokinos."

The camera pans across the crowd, searching for Amalia, and it can't find her until someone starts crying and it flicks to the sound. It's a girl in the fifteen-year-old section, but she's not the one who's crying. It's her siblings. Two sisters and a brother, and probably some parents somewhere else.

She starts towards the stage, but she's stopped by someone hugging her from behind her. It's her brother. She tries to push him away but he won't let go until the peacekeepers pull him away. The cameras flick back to Victricia as she reaches for a second slip.
"Salvo Singara." She says, and the cameras search for Salvo. They stop at a crying boy, sixteen years old, making his way to the stage. Amalia is sobbing too, and I get the idea that they know each other. He makes his way up to the stage, and the escort asks them to shake hands, and they do. As they do, he pulls her into a hug, and she hugs back.

Victricia looks pretty unimpressed, but there's nothing she can do but turn to the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes of District Nine."

Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes of District Nine! So, we have another POV from Juventia, and one from Amalia. I would like to thank Curiousclove who submitted both Amalia and Salvo, and all the people who have subbed tributes and reviewed so far.