Elsie Pengrove,14, District 9 female
I carefully aim my slingshot at a row of cans I lined up and focus as a night breeze sweeps by me, it feels great though, almost like I'm flying! I focus for a few seconds more before releasing the pellet i loaded into my slingshot and it knocks over the entire row of cans. I then congratulate myself under my breath before over dramatically throwing myself into a field of wheats and just laying there for a moment, looking up at the moon.
I'm technically supposed to be home getting ready to head to my sister's friend's baby shower, but after hearing that loser boyfriend of hers is going to be tagging along, I'm not really in much of a hurry.
"Elsie? Elsie where are you!?" I hear my sister Cassidy calling to me and I poke my head out of the wheat fields causing her to jump.
"Oh of course you'll be in there, anyways hurry up! I want us to be ready to go once Harlan shows up!" She exclaims and I cringe.
"Maybe I'd already be dressed if he wasn't coming along!" I spit and she only sighs.
"Come on Elsie knock it off please, I just want us all to get along!" she pleads and I grunt before grabbing my slingshot and storming back into the house before heading to my room and throwing on anything I can get my hands on.
Me and Cassidy, we used to be close, really close. She was literally the only person I talked to and that's when I can be happy and show what a goofball I actually am. Our bond started to deteriorate once she started dating Harlan though. We started spending less and less time together and it got to the point where I practically never saw her. She was either over at his place or in her room having "fun" with him.
That's why I couldn't stand him, taking my sister away from me, forcing me to branch off and make other friends and it's not just that, I just hate his damn guts, always so chill like he has no worry in the world. I know I'm just ranting now, but bear with me.
I hear knocking on the door and that must be Harlan as I can already hear Cassidy squealing in excitement and I take an extra amount of time just to frustrate them.
"Hey Elsie?" I hear Harlan knock on my door.
"What do you want!?" I hiss through the door.
"Whoa, just wanted to say hi and see how you were doing…" he responds .
"Why does it matter to you? Get lost!" I fire back.
"She'll be fine, just give her some space…" I hear Cassidy mumble.
"I don't know why she acts like that…I never did anything to her, it's ok though." he mumbles back before I hear them walk away.
If only you knew Harlan, but then again you're way to chill about everything anyways, it ll just fly right over your dumb, stupid and… too cool head!
Once I feel I delayed things for as long as possible, that's when I just throw on a random pair of jeans and a T shirt with an apple on it. I love apples with a passion, just too bad I can't get ahold of them often. I glance at myself in the mirror real quick though, i look pretty similar to Cassidy. My skin is lightly tanned, shoulder length brown hair with a middle part, a pretty round nose, a small slender body with dark brown eyes and a small mouth with thin lips.
My family is hardworking, but we still struggle at times. I was a "surprise" child and my mom had no clue she was pregnant until literally several weeks before she went into labor. From that point I became a stand out in my family due to how short I am. I'm only 4'11 and yeah it's annoying when people poke fun at me about it but they always "mysteriously" get shot in the head with a slingshot right after, no idea how that keeps happening, no idea at all.
I'm in a pretty grumpy mood honestly as I cross my arms and pout walking down the stairs slowly but Harlan only smiles at me, I just want to punch him in that stupid doll looking face of his!
"Hey Elsie, wearing your favorite shirt I see! Me and Harlan were just talking about baking an apple pie tomorrow!" She happily tells me.
"Don't want any!" I pout and Cassidy only lets out small sigh again.
"Alright, let me just run to the restroom real quick and we'll be out of here!" Harlan races up the stairs and that's when I do an evil grin.
"I left something in my room, be right back." I inform Cassidy as I head upstairs shortly after he does and head into my room, grabbing a bottle of lotion.
I then walk to the bathroom door and squirt some lotion on the floor and do a chuckle before running behind the corner of the wall peeking my head from the side to see the carnage!
I'm a playful person around my friends and like playing jokes and pranks on them but I mainly just do it to Harlan to spite him, just to remind him that he's not as cool as he thinks he is!
I hear the toilet flush and the faucet run afterwards as he washes his hands humming a tune to some terrible song before he casually walks out of the bathroom, but he quickly slips and gasps aloud before falling right on his behind.
"Oww what the!?" he exclaims.
"Harlan? Harlan you ok?" Cassidy panics running up the stairs.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, just fell into another one of Elsie's pranks, it was a good one though!" He tries to sound so cool but I can tell he's bothered and that's when Cassidy gives me an annoyed look.
"Elsie really? That was so uncalled for!" she scolds me.
"Totally worth it though!" I cackle before racing down stairs and getting a head start on them as I head over to the baby shower. Cassidy's friend only lives a few houses down from us and I can already see Cassidy and Harlan walking behind me talking about something but I can't make out what they're saying.
Their relationship still seems so perfect though, I always try and come between them, to break them up and then I'll have my sister back but nope, doesn't look like they'll be leaving each other anytime soon. I even heard them talking about having a baby the other day, he just has her wrapped all around him, it's sickening!
I reach the shower before Cassidy and Harlan and there's already quite a few people here but i ignore most of them for the most part and try looking for my two best friends who told me they'll be here.
"Hey Elsie! Where's your sister and her boyfriend?" one of Cassidy's classmates greet me.
"Don't know, don't care." I nonchalantly say before walking over to a bowl of punch and begin prepping a cup but my hand is suddenly grabbed and I gasp a bit as I was caught completely off guard. It's one of my bestfriends Weston, we're both the same age, he's notably taller though. I impressed him after showing him my skills with a slingshot and I guess we just hit it off from there.
"That punch is for the grown folks only, the punch for little brats like us is over there!" He grins pointing to another bowl on the other side of the table and let's just say it looks much less appetizing than the "grown up" version.
"Geez Weston, you almost gave me a heart attack!" I throw my arms around him and we hug each other.
"Ha sorry, was wondering when you'd show up though, where's Cassidy?" He looks around but the door flies open and her and Harlan who are now holding hands walk in together and I only roll my eyes.
"I swear Harlan is such a lucky guy, being able to get a dime like Cassidy!" He laments.
Weston just has the biggest crush on Cassidy, but he can keep dreaming.
"Oh shut up, I'm going to look way better than her, wait till I'm her age!" I tease him doing a twirl.
"I bet you'll still be brushing me away too then!" He laughs.
"I don't brush you away! You're just too much of a wuss to ask me out!" I joke punching him in the shoulder way harder than I meant and he winces in pain but laughs it off afterwards.
I think Weston is cute, we sometimes playfully flirt with each other but after a while it starts getting a little awkward, like we've been friends for too long to actually, you know go to that level.
"Anyways what's Nesta gotten herself into?" I question. Nesta is my other best friend, she transferred to my school and asked to sit next to me in the cafeteria, I ignored her but she sat next to me anyways and after only awkwardly glancing at each other for a while, we finally began conversing and I realized we shared a lot of common interests. The three of us has been stuck like glue ever since.
"Oh she's upstairs marveling the baby bump." He informs me and I suddenly jump into his arms but he manages to catch me.
"Well carry me up there, I don't feel like walking!" I playfully whine but I can see his face straining.
"Gosh you're heavier than you look!" he complains and manages to carry me up several stairs before gasping for air.
"You're so weak! Here let me carry you!" I joke and try putting him on my shoulders but I'm just way too small to make it happen and we laugh together at our ridiculousness before heading upstairs and see Mariah, Cassidy's friend sitting in her queen's chair as dozens of people are patting her belly and kissing it. Why do they always congratulate the female for getting pregnant? shouldn't they pat the guy on crotch too telling him he did a good job?
Cassidy and Harlan are already up here rubbing her belly and talking about how they want to have their own child soon but I can't help but notice Harlan keeps looking over at a female on the other side of the room giving him a seductive look. He tries to ignore her but he can't help but look over her way occasionally as he tries to to continue conversing with Mariah and her fiance Steven.
Once Nesta is done "talking" to the baby bump, that's when I grab her from behind and try to wrestle her to the floor but I'm just too small and she quickly overpowers me laughing.
"Elsie you slowpoke! Where were you my little baby!" She hugs me and picks me up before spinning me around.
They're a lot taller than me and like poking fun at my height but they always cool it after I threaten to shoot them with my slingshot!
"I wish you guys could've been there, got Harlan to fall right on his behind!" I brag and they laugh along with me.
They didn't like him either after I convinced them that hes just a way too chill prick!
"Really!? Wow I wish I could've seen that!" Nesta groans.
"There will be plenty more to come! Hey actually come over to my place tomorrow, we're going to absolutely ruin this apple pie Cassidy and him plan on making." I grin.
"Great idea, I'll be there with some popcorn!" Weston cheers.
"Ewww no, bring apples!" I playfully argue with them and we eventually settle on popcorn AND apples, that's one weird combo but I ain't complaining!
The shower starts to hit off after a little while after more people start coming in and that's when music is starting to be blasted and people start dirty dancing with each other, girls grinding their booty against guys they barley know and some are even making out, what kind of baby shower is this?
Anyways me and my best friends are the youngest ones here so we're all on the sofa and I'm sitting on Nesta's lap as we're drinking "kid" punch and eating hot wings together as we just hope to continue staying invisible but Harlan suddenly exits the house and moments later, the same female that was eyeing him earlier follows behind, what is this sneaky little bastard up to?
"Excuse me for a moment besties, I'm going to get some fresh air!" I lick some buffalo sauce from my fingers and hop off Nesta's lap.
"Ok, don't have too much fun out there though!" Nesta tells me, her mouth full of chicken, yuck and I jump off the sofa and sneak out of the house, hugging the exterior of the house as I sneak my way over to the back where I can hear Harlan and this girl conversing.
"Fabiola you can't be doing that, not in front of my girlfriend!" he scolds her in s loud whisper.
"Oh please, like she'll ever notice anything with her pebble sized brain!" Fabiola insults her and I grit my teeth and consider rushing right at her but I want to see where this is going.
"Knock it off, don't talk about Cassidy like that!" He fires back.
"If you actually cared about her, you wouldn't be eyeing me like you always do!" she argues.
"Look, Fabiola, we're done ok? it happened one time, but it won't again!" He stands firm but she suddenly puts her lips against his and he resists for a moment, but he eventually puts his hands on her waist, they disappear into the bushes together and I can only hold my mouth open In shock.
That prick! That…that prick! I knew he was too perfect! I knew he was up to something and now I can finally expose him for the cheating bastard he is and get my sister back! Oh just you wait you sorry piece of...
Harlan Ryeson,17, District 9 male
"Hey Harlan wake up sleepy head!" I hear my sister shout as I'm still snoozing off.
"Come up get up, or we'll be late!" I can feel her shaking me but I only let out a low yawn.
"We can be a little late, nothing will happen." I yawn.
"What? We can get whooped or worse!" I hear her whining.
"Nothing will happen, they won't lay a finger on us, now let me sleep for a few more hours." I yawn.
"Ok that's it!" she states and a moment later I feel her slam onto my body elbow first and it knocks the air out of me as my eyes shoot open.
"Owwww!" I groan and she only giggles.
"Now get up lazy bum! Everyone is already up!" she orders me.
"Ok ok fine, but seriously loosen up a bit, look at the positives more often." I suggest to her but she throws a pillow in my face before walking out. Seriously though, people need to relax, it's no fun stressing over the negatives all the time.
I stretch my arms out and look out the window for a moment, wishing I could sleep for a little longer but it's reapings obviously and I don't want my 12 year old sister elbow dropping me again. It was a pretty…hectic night last night and Fabiola's face flashes in my head before I shake the thought away, dammit what have I done…
Once I get up, I go into my restroom and look myself in the mirror. Despite all the exposure to the sun, I have very light skin, wavy brown hair, blue eyes, stand at 5'9 and I guess I'm somewhat muscular from working so much.
I throw on my outfit for the day, a grey and white, two toned short sleeve dress shirt with a pair of khaki dress pants and matching shoes and remember I'm supposed to join Cassidy for breakfast. We met two years ago when I was 15 and we've been dating since. I know she's in love with me and things are moving pretty quickly between us, she's already talking about us buying a place together and starting a family and I agree with her on that but at the same time, maybe we should just slow down a bit, I mean I'm open to starting a family with her but I don't know. I love her but probably not as much as she loves me, there probably isn't a single thing she wouldn't do for me and I appreciate that but... I don't know if I'd be able to do the same.
Her little sister Elsie on the other hand has made it quite clear that she doesn't like me, and as a result I'm usually the victim of the many pranks she decides to play on me. I find her kind of annoying for the most part but for Cassidy's sake I just tolerate her. I would like to become closer to her, but yeah doesn't seem like she'll ever be ok with that.
I do a confident grin in the mirror and once I'm done, slide down my staircase banister and land on my feet to see my mom,dad, twin brothers and my sister at the table. I'm the second youngest of four children. My twin brothers Jordan and Jayden are 19 and I'm not really that close to them honestly. We usually have very awkward exchanges and I guess I'm just more comfortable not saying anything to them now.
Harley my 12 year old sister on the other hand, we're like two peas in pod. She's my bestfriend and is always sure to kick my ass if she see me slacking which I appreciate.
"You're up late Harlan, thought I told you about not doing this on reaping day." My father sternly tells me. My dad is strict, but he always shows that he loves his family and would do anything for us.
"Sorry dad, I'll make it up to you guys later, we can watch a movie after I get back from Cassidy's place!" I smile at him before grabbing a pear from the fruit bowl in between them.
"Harlan where are you going sweety?" my mom asks.
"Told Cassidy I'd join her for breakfast this morning, so yeah see you guy's later!" I wave to them.
"But I want you to have breakfast here!" Harley pouts.
"Hey relax, no worries. I'll be over for lunch!" I do a thumbs up with a confident smile before heading out.
I walk past several females and they happily greet me while I smile and wave at them and this trend continues several times as I pass by more females. I guess you can say I'm popular in this district and I like it. Elsie is probably the only one here who doesn't like me but maybe we can get closer some day, I'm not stressing over it too much, life is too short for that.
I pass by a convenience store and see an elderly woman struggling to open the door so I quickly dash over to the door and open it for her.
"Here you go ma'am!" I smile.
"My what a gentleman! Thank you dear!" she thanks me before walking inside but my smile immediately fades when Fabiola exits the store with a cup of coffee in her hand, oh no.
"Oh speak of the devil, I was just thinking of you!" she seductively greets me but I take several steps back from her. I made a decision last night, I won't even call it a mistake, but I made a decision and I deeply regret it.
"Fabiola it's over, now I need you to leave me alone." I sternly tell her.
"Oh you always say that, but you just keep coming back for more!" she inches her face closer to mines but I continue backing up, dammit!
"Look, I have a girlfriend and I'm very happy with her!" I blurt out but I'm not even sure if I fully believe that...
"You're happy with her, and that's why you're continuing to go down on me huh?" She smirks and runs a finger across my torso but I push her hand away.
"Listen Fabiola, I don't want to see you again ok? Seriously just stay away from me!" I warn her.
"If you don't love Cassidy, then just let her know. You're going to break her heart some day when she learns the truth." She smirks some more.
"Goodbye Fabiola." I dismiss her, walking away and she tries calling me several times but I just ignore her and continue on towards Cassidy's house, what have I gotten myself into? It hurts so much keeping this tucked away from her but I don't know what to do...
I regain my composure and knock on Cassidy's door and Cassidy opens the door almost immediately and squeals in happiness before we kiss each other on the mouth.
"Sorry babe, I overslept a bit, smells great in here though!" I smile.
"Yeah I figured you must've slept a little longer than usual, I did work you pretty hard last night!" she winks at me and I laugh before we kiss again and hold hands before walking back into the house. I look over at the table and see her parents but Elsie isn't down here yet which is kind of cool but I know she'll be showing up soon enough.
"Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Pengrove, how are you lads this fine morning?" I greet them. Her parents love me and I like them too, but they really do want me and Cassidy to go far, they even push for us to get married.
"Good morning Harlan, how's family and work?" Mr. Pengrove takes a bit of his toast.
"The family is well, and work is great, I actually just got a raise!" I do a confident smile. I've pretty much been working in the fields my whole life, much more than the average person from here. Whenever I upset my father, he'd be sure to throw me out into the fields to work nonstop. I'm pretty skilled with a sickle as a result and like to show off my skills at work which prompted my supervisor to give me a promotion.
"That's wonderful Harlan, now you'll be even more secure when you marry Cassidy!" Mrs. Pengrove adds while laughing but I know she's serious. Cassidy she is just so devoted to me, When I see that kind of love she shows me, yeah I do consider settling down. I got a secure job though and with a loving wife, I'll be pretty set once I age out of these games.
"Anyways, let's sit down. The food is going to get cold!" Cassidy motions me to a chair and sits next to me before loading our plates with pancakes, eggs and bacon, wow these foods aren't cheap, she must've been saving for a while!
It seems once we start eating, that's when Elsie, whose glaring me intently storms towards the table.
"Good morning Elsie, how are you?" I happily greet her but she only continues glaring me without saying anything. Geez I know she doesn't like me but she seems even more uptight than usual.
"Elsie you ok?" Cassidy asks with some concern and Elsie looks over at her and looks like she's about to say something but glares me again before sitting at the table and putting some pancakes on her plate which ruthlessness.
"Honey what's wrong?" Mrs. Pengrove asks Elsie but she continues narrowing her eyes at me and it's honestly starting to make me a bit uncomfortable...
"Hey, maybe I should just go." I volunteer but Cassidy grabs my wrist.
"No! Now Elsie whether you like it or not, I love Harlan, he loves me and we're getting married someday, so you need to get your act together or you can just leave the table!" Cassidy scolds Elsie and even that surprises me, I never saw Cassidy this upset before.
Elsie mumbles something under her breath though and storms away from the table and me and the rest of the family just awkwardly glance at each other for a moment.
"I'm sorry Harlan, she's sometimes cranky in the morning. I'm sure you're already aware of that though!" Cassidy paints a fake smile over her face.
"Hey it's ok, you're her sister, she just wants the best for you." I laugh and try playing it off but I never saw Elsie that upset before, I can't pinpoint it exactly but it's unnerving, the way she was just burning into my eyes…
We resume our breakfast and her parents of course bring up marriage again but I slyly change the subject and start talking about work but that seems to bother Cassidy a bit. We finish our breakfast though and that's when we start cleaning the table and I join Cassidy in the kitchen as we wash the dishes together.
"You changed the subject pretty quickly." She comments as she adds a newly washed plate to the dish basket.
"Hmm?" I question pretending I don't know what she's talking about, but I know very well.
"About our marriage, it was almost like you didn't want to talk about it…" she begins washing another plate as I add a clean glass to the dish basket.
"N-no it's not that Cassidy, I want a future with you-" I begin .
"You do? Cause I've been thinking, ever since last night, I really do want us to try for a baby!" she cuts me off.
"I was going to say, that I want a future with you, but at the same time maybe we should slow down a little. We're only 17, we got our whole lives ahead of us." I smile but she seems a bit down after hearing that.
"Yeah- yeah you're right i guess, yeah let's try that…" she agrees with me but I can tell she wasn't satisfied with my answer.
Anyways we leave the house shortly afterwards and Elsie walks way ahead of us with her two bestfriends as they're talking about stuff 14 year olds usually talk about, but every so often she'll turn around and give me a nasty look along with her two friends.
Me and Cassidy are oddly quiet but continue holding hands as we head to to the square and we reach it several moments later, a little late though as our escort violet just finished the intros and is "riling us up" before drawing a name.
I give Cassidy a quick kiss, get my blood drawn and join the other boys my age. Most of them know me, so we just engage in idle chat for a bit.
"Hmm, let's start with the females." Violet states and walks over to the female's bowl before pulling out a name.
"Elsie Pengrove!" Violet announces and my mouth drops, Elsie? No way!
I can hear her mom shriek out but everything else is so silent with no movement, eventually a peacekeeper starts heading over to the 14 year old female section and moments later I see Elsie hesitantly walking towards the stage, her legs are like jelly as she trembles and stares at the ground but she eventually gains a little more confidence and picks up her speed before reaching the stage, but still continues looking at the floor.
"Any volunteers?" Violet then asks but there's only dead silence, I half expected Cassidy to volunteer for her, but she doesn't want to leave me, that must be the only reason why. I just wish there was something I can do for Elsie, anything at all!
"Ok, off to the males then." She shrugs her shoulders and walks over to the male's bowl and Elsie only stands as still as a statue, still staring at the ground with balled fists. Elsie…just hang in there.
"Harlan Ryeson!" She announces and I blink several times as I can feel dozens of eyes on me, this is unreal, unreal!
I now hear Cassidy shriek out, the realization of losing two of her loved ones hitting her like a truck, and hearing her crying out like that, it hurts so much but I have to try and zone it out for now.
I try to keep my cool, walking towards the stage and I do a smile at the cameras afterwards, I might as well try and get on the capitol's good side as early as I can.
Once I reach the stage, Elsie looks up at me and I see a tear come down her eye but I give her an assuring nod.
"It'll be ok." I mumble to her but she looks down on the ground again.
"Any volunteers?" Victoria asks and as usual no one volunteers, so it's official now.
"Ok then, please welcome over two tributes for district 9! Shake hands you two!" Violet announces and I immediately extend my hand but she only gives me an angry look with her watery eyes and storms away. I try to play it off by using the same hand to slick my hair back and smile again to the cameras, wave them goodbye and that's when we're escorted towards the justice building.
Elsie is walking slightly ahead of me but I can hear her sniffing now. I consider saying something to her, but I just want to give her, her space for now. Still though, both of us getting reaped, what the hell were the odds of this? None the less I'll look after her though…
Here's our district 9 tributes and i had so much fun writing these two. I'm getting very attached to the characters I've introduced thus far and i know this is going to be an emotional roller coaster for me and probably you guys as well but yeah, thank you once again for your reviews guys, i really do appreciate it! Anyways I'll do another random draw and whatever number i get will be the next district. I'll see you guys soon, till next time!