Albert Hade, 16, D3

When one sets a standard, it's expected that you follow it to the best of your ability. When an impossible standard is set, all you can do is play a constant, exhausting game of keeping up to that standard. Especially when your own parents set it.

I keep telling myself that this is anything but unusual, especially for a child living in a big-brained place like District 3. Of course Mom and Dad want me to be perfect, to maintain straight As and keep my social interactions to a minimum. They think that it's for my own good, and it probably is. It doesn't make me any less bitter that most people just label me as an antisocial nerd.

Lying on my thin mattress like a corpse, I try to imagine a better future, one where all this tedious work will pay off. I could finally be in an environment where my knowledge is appreciated, my contributions making a difference for everyone. Becoming an architect doesn't just have to be a far-off, pleasant dream. It could truly be a reality soon. I'm only two years away from the age of majority.

…

Considering the sky is bright green with a strawberry-colored sun and peach clouds I'm pretty positive I'm dreaming. Before I could wonder the exact moment I drifted off to sleep, a far-off voice filled my ears.

"Al!"

That's strange. No one ever used a nickname for me, except-

"I see you, Al!" a soft female voice tells me. Soon I feel someone tapping on my shoulder. I turn to see Sophia grinning widely at me, her blue eyes sparkling. How did she go from so far away to right behind me?

"Oh, hi, Sophia," I say, a little disconcerted. "What are you doing in my dream?"

"What dream?" she inquires, twirling around in a bubblegum pink skirt that looks like it was made for a child. "This is the real world!"

She begins to prance down the street, giggling madly. Even in my dreams she acts like a wild and free spirit. I groan and take off to find her.

District 3 looks quite unlike itself. The streets are dazzling, with the buildings multicolored and almost bordering on psychedelic-looking. I see my name on one of the distant billboards, printed in bold red letters.

"City built by Albert Hade!"

I chuckle softly. Are dreams prophecies of the future? I hope so. I spot another billboard with my name on it, this one not so praising.

Albert Hade Has No Friends!

"Oh, come on now…" I utter, crossing my arms. Not even my dreams are willing to be kind to me for more than a moment. Go figure.

Without warning a massive explosion rings throughout the streets, with many roads and buildings crumbling to the ground as if they were made of shattered stone. I gasp at the sight, remembering that Sophia had run deep into the city. I chase after her, running faster than I've ever run before.

"Sophia?" I call out, trying to maneuver through all the rubble at my feet. Someone jogs up to me, their face in a scowl.

"You built this city? It's a dump! Look at this mess!" he complains, motioning to the destruction. "I'm never living in a city built by you again!"

Before I can apologize the man morphs into a black rat and scurries away. I continue to call for Sophia, nearly giving up before I spot her sitting atop a high pile of collapsed pillars. She's laughing uncontrollably now. I dash up to her, shouting up to her so she can hear me.

"What are you doing up there?!" I yell at her. She keeps cackling, then glances down at me with her blonde hair twirled around her fingers.

"Was that a funny prank, Al? Did you laugh?"

I become confused. "What prank?"

"I destroyed your city! It's funny, isn't it?" Sophia asks, acting as if it was the funniest thing she had ever seen.

"No, it's not funny! Do you know how hard I worked to make it? People think I did a shoddy job building because of you, Sophia!" I can barely contain the sorrow in my voice.

"Well, that sounds like a 'you' problem," Sophia says dismissively, hopping down all the rubble and landing right in front of me. She gives me a peck on the cheek before prancing off, her skirt dancing in the empty breeze.

Well, shoot. All my hard work, gone just like that. I guess it doesn't really matter how hard I've been studying and preparing for my career. It can get taken away in an instant. What a shame.

"Albert! Albert!"

I know that isn't the same person. Their voice is different and they aren't using the pet name Sophia gave me. They continue to call my name but never emerge.

"What?!" I demand, growing tiresome of the sound.

…

"Albert! Albert! Wake up!"

Mom's voice rings in my ears before I am able to even open my eyes, and I notice that she is shaking me.

"You're late! Your trigonometry exam is in forty-five minutes! You need to get dressed now!" Mom's voice is panicked, like there were meteors raining from the sky.

"Mom, don't worry, I'm up," I assure her in a groggy voice. I hop off the bed and head for the shower.

…

After the exam was finished Dad was there to pick me up from school. I wave goodbye to Sophia, who heads in the opposite direction. Dad always makes sure I head straight from school to home so I don't distract myself with 'light-minded' activities instead of studying. Walking in silence, I decide to break it.

"Dad, would I ever be able to design entire cities as an architect?" I question, my tone careful so I don't sound wistful.

"If you become an urban planner," Dad says, his tone neutral. "But getting that occupation would take lots of time and commitment, and at the moment I'm seeing you having more of a future in industrial architecture."

That was a relief, at least. If I did a bad job designing one building, it wouldn't cause as much damage as an entire city falling. Even though I was angry at the time it was happening in my dream, the thought of it puts a rare smile on my face. Whoever built a city that just falls to the ground would be in huge trouble. Though with my parents, that's a feeling I often face. I make a silent wish for the math gods to let me pass this exam so I can at least sleep easier.

I hope you like Albert, I certainly do. The next chapter will be the first double-POV chapter because both tributes are POV. Submissions are coming in fast and we are going to fill up soon! Keep them coming.

Thank you for reading and remember to review!

-Aemma