Chapter 7: Centuries

We've been here forever

And here's the frozen proof

I could scream forever

We are the poisoned youth

Centuries by FallOut Boy

Rowan Scorrus, 14, District 7 Tribute

Rowan sat straight in his chair, bouncing his knee as he waited nervously for whatever came next. He knew that the tributes always had a few minutes to say goodbye to anyone that came by, and that was sure to bring about lots of tension and worry. He remembered his older sister Avyanna's exclamation of, "Rowan!" as he called the fateful words through the silence of the square.

"I volunteer!"

No one had expected someone as seemingly young as him to volunteer, especially in the wake of the much older boy who was originally reaped. Rowan, however, had been firmly decided for several weeks now. He had managed to keep it from his family, even though he was very excited to tell them that he was going to do something that would make their lives so much better, but he knew they would dissuade him, and more importantly, try to go in his stead. He wanted to do something important that would help the family, and in the districts, winning the Games was just about the only way to do that.

The door creaked open, and admitted six people into the room. First in was his younger sister, Roisin. They were the closest of all their siblings, being only a year apart. She was promptly followed by his other three sisters, and his parents. They all surrounded him, giving Rowan a feeling of being on trial.

Avyanna started in first. "Rowan, what the hell were you thinking? Why did you volunteer for a slaughter?"

Rowan responded, "Ave, I'm going to do this to make things better for us. I'm going to win the Games."

His mother put a hand on his shoulder. "Rowan, you can't have thought this through, sweetheart. There are going to be many much older and better trained tributes in the Games, you'll never be able to survive them."

"Mom, I know that," Rowan said, excited to tell them his plan. "That's why I'm going to join them. I'm good with axes and good with survival, they can use me. Once we level down the playing field a bit, I'll kill them and then I can beat whoever might be left."

Roisin gave a grimace. "Rowan, you'd be okay just killing all those people?"

Rowan shrugged. "If it's them or me, I have to make the decision, right? I can definitely make that decision."

Rowan's father put his arm around his mother's shoulder, saying, "Rowan, it's admirable that you want to try to help us, but think about what might happen if we lose you. We lose the income you bring in from working, we have to find someone to stay home after school to look after Bernadette and Magnolia… where does that leave us, son?"

Rowan hadn't fully considered that, but dismissed it as negligible. Things would improve as soon as he won, even if there would be a temporary time of hardship for them while he was gone. "I've been saving some money, you can use that if something goes wrong." Not that it would.

His youngest sister, nine year old Bernadette, blinked up at him imploringly as she said, "Rowan, I just want you to come back, okay? Don't leave us forever."

Rowan stood, taking both her and eleven year old Magnolia into a big embrace. "I promise, Berns. I'll be back in a few weeks, tops, and then we'll have a much better life. I'm tougher than I look, y'know."

"Okay," Magnolia said, squeezing him briefly tighter. The girls released him, and Rowan observed his family standing around him. It no longer seemed like a trial, but some kind of ritual circle. Everyone was holding onto someone, and he noticed that Roisin had a few tears in her eyes.

"Rowan, please just think before you act," she finally said. "You can't trust anyone in the Games, remember that. Any alliance will be temporary."

Rowan nodded in agreement. "I know that. Not planning on letting my guard down."

A moment later, the Peacekeeper outside the door entered and said, "You're done, time to go."

Rowan was embraced once again, this time by his whole family. Everyone gave him very tight squeezes, and the Scorrus family was reluctant to let go. They left quickly after that, however, to avoid being dragged out by the Peacekeeper, and left Rowan standing in the middle of the room.

Returning to the chair, Rowan waited in the chair for the hour to pass, wondering if anyone else would come and see him. He sincerely doubted it. He had a few friends at school, but they weren't particularly close. For the most part, his friendships went only so far as working on projects and teaming up for sports. Beyond that, he didn't have a close friend (besides Roisin).

As he waited, he thought over the things his family had said. He didn't share many of their concerns, but he'd always been highly ambitious and tended to be a loner. He didn't form many attachments, and so he would definitely be fine when he had to kill the Careers when the time came, at least emotionally, and likely physically as well.

All he wanted was to make things better for them. As long as he kept his eyes on that goal, he knew he could make it through whatever the arena threw at him.

Bring it on, he thought. I'm ready for you, Arena.

Scarlett Atwood, 17, District 7 Tribute

As Scarlett waited to see who would come to say goodbye to her, she wondered- what had gotten into that kid's head? The boy who was reaped seemed like a safer bet to win, but he had simply surged forward and volunteered. She recognized him as a girl in her class' little brother, but didn't know much beyond that. She knew enough to not underestimate the boy, though. In the Games, anyone could turn out to be a formidable contender.

She thought of her own chances. As far as strength, she certainly wasn't a wimp, but didn't think she could measure up to any of the Careers she'd seen in the Games in previous years- not just physically, but in killer instinct. She didn't think she would be able to kill anyone unless her life was in immediate danger, and even then it would have to be when there was no other choice. No, she couldn't do that. If she were to win, she would have to hide and keep away from any unnecessary conflicts.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and admitting her parents.

"Mom! Dad!" Scarlett leaped up and embraced them. "Where are Mary, Caleb, and Max?"

Her father gave her a warm smile. "Mary's going to bring the boys in after we leave, we figured by doing it this way, we'd have more time with you."

"Okay," Scarlett gave them a smile, and stepped back from them.

Scarlett's mother returned the smile, but it came out slightly anxious. Scarlett knew that this was unusual for her mother, who usually kept her emotions firmly in check. "Scarlett, are you okay? Are you holding up alright after all this?"

Scarlett took a big breath as she considered how to answer the question. "I'm really terrified, but I think I can at least make it a little way through the Games, and if the Careers get taken out somehow…"

Her father nodded in encouragement. "That's right, Scarlett. You honestly have a lot of basic knowledge that many won't have. Not telling you you'll have an easy time of it, but just keep yourself hidden as much as possible."

Scarlett nodded. "I know, Dad. You taught me all that, remember? I'm trying to manage my hope, but I know that I'm possibly way ahead of other tributes." Yes, in many ways, she had a big advantage over some. She might not have the killer instinct, but she had some basic survival knowledge that she hadn't really seen many of the previous tributes display, even the Careers.

For a few minutes, Scarlett's father drilled her on various things he'd shown her over the years. Finally, they were forced out by the Peacekeepers, and a minute after that, her older sister, Mary, and her two brothers, Caleb and Max, came in.

"Scarlett, please just come back!" Caleb was the first one to reach her, and the first to embrace her. Caleb always liked to mess with her, but was now showing worry and fear for her.

He was followed by Mary, who stroked her hair and murmured, "I have something for you."

Mary pulled a piece of paper out of her skirt pocket and handed it to her. Unfolding it, Scarlett saw that it was one of her sister's drawings. Mary loved to sketch things when she got a few moments of free time, but it rarely happened because, as the oldest sibling, she had to work the most of all of them. Scarlett knew that this drawing was special, as Mary treasured all of them. This one in particular was a simple garden scene, but it was so extremely detailed that Scarlett kept marveling at it, amazed at the detail.

"Mary, this is beautiful, thank you!" Turning to Max, Scarlett raised her eyebrows playfully at him. "And you, sir, must promise me something. Behave for everyone, okay? Everyone's going to be so stressed as it is."

Max, usually the least serious of them all, only eyed her uncertainly as he responded, "I'll try, I know I get a bit excited sometimes…"

"That's not what we're worried about when we tell you that," Scarlett reminded him. "You know the Peacekeepers might harm you if you get into some kind of trouble. And I'm not asking you to change immediately, but a little restraint, okay kiddo?"

Max nodded, giving her a small smirk. "I know, I promise I'll try to be good. But you have to promise me something too."

Scarlett gave him a questioning look. "What's that?"

"Come back."

Scarlett pursed her lips tightly, not wanting to let him down, but also intent on managing his expectations. "I'll absolutely try, Max, but there are a lot of tributes, and a lot of them will be better than me. I can do my best, though. Does that work for you?"

He nodded, seeming satisfied. Looking at all her siblings, Scarlett gave them a smile. "I love you all, you know that, right? That's for always."

Mary put an arm around Caleb and said, "We know you're strong and capable, Scarlett. With some lucky breaks, you can win."

Scarlett agreed. "Exactly." Everyone went quiet for a moment, before she said, "I don't want them to drag you away. I think we're almost out of time."

The three of them embraced her again, and then left. Scarlett was left, feeling quite alone. She knew that her friend Lucas would probably come in a bit, but until then, she was alone with her thoughts.

Scarlett quickly amended her thoughts. From now on, I'm completely alone. No one is going to help me win, not when it means they'll die.

She was a person who needed people, being very sociable. It would be easy to gain sponsors in the Capitol, but any potential alliance would be temporary, and would end in at least one of them dying.

I'll just have to learn to deal, She decided. Suck it up, Scarlett.

But she knew that her time in the arena would seem like a lifetime, regardless of the actual length, or her own time in it.

So…. hi to anyone still reading this (are there any of you out there)? I have no excuse for my delay of writing this, save for the fact that the world went insane when I did my last update, and I had to figure out what was happening with that. Otherwise, I have no excuse for myself. Will I be forgiven as long as I keep writing?

Let's go over the characters and their creators! The character of Rowan was created by my amazing friend x Hemlock x, aka Esme, a literal angel who is so awesome I don't have words! Thanks, Esme! Scarlett was created by the same creator as Gemma from District 1, so I must thank her for the double submission! I actually found a really soft spot for the Atwoods as I wrote this, especially Mary, and I am really going to hate myself when I put their sister through the insanity of the Games.

Time for the questions!

1: Who do you like best, Rowan or Scarlett?

2: Do you have any ideas of other tributes they might ally with?

3: Rowan made a rash choice- do you think he might have what it takes?

4: Scarlett has a lot of familial ties, do you think that will be enough motivation to get her home?

And that over, I bid all thou lovely readers goodbye, at least until we get on with District 8, which has my last pair of siblings!