Chapter 5

Lucretia Aurum, 18, District 1 female, week before the reaping

Statues and empires are all at your hands,
Water to wine and the finest of sands
When all that you have's turnin' stale and its cold,
Oh you'll no longer fear when your heart's turned to gold

~~ Gold by Imagine Dragons

When girls see blood, they faint. That, at least, was the rumor that was generally rumored. Well, there were also girls who were different.

Lucretia liked to watch the blood drop down on the wall. Slowly it flowed in tough dark red drops towards the ground. The artificial blood was just in the dummy's head and neck, and a minute later it landed on the wall thanks to Lucretia's clean blow. Today the training session was with the sword. She was able to deal with it but preferred the spear. From a distance, as well as from close, she could kill, with a sword she would have to practice for years to throw it properly. Lucretia did not have these years.

She had turned 18 less than two months ago and now had her last chance to volunteer. Since Lucretia could stand sensibly, she has been training in the academy.

The consequences if she refused to go to the games were fatal. Lucretia would be disinherited; her family would be a disgrace. Like her former sister Virginia. She had to call her a former one because Virginia did not go to the games as planned two years ago.

One could hardly speak of sibling love between the two, no, it was more of an alliance to push oneself to do more, to become even better. Throughout Lucretia's life, she had an ally who helped her to develop, but was also her strongest competitor. Now Virginia lived at the other end of District 1, as far away from her family as possible. All because she didn't want to lose her life in a grisly-looking hospital ruin. Lucretia didn't really understand her decision because she knew how good Virginia had been and that she could easily have defeated this Lyme, the victorious dog from District 2. Thanks to Virginia's renunciation of volunteering, Lucretia knew that her father would make his threats come true if she didn't go to the arena.

But Lucretia knew what she was capable of. She would not leave this world without a fight, which, incidentally, she did not plan to do. She would be the next shining winner from District 1, whose path was sprinkled with roses and smelled of perfume. Lucretia could already feel the hot spotlights that were all directed at her as she gave her winning interview.

"Was there a time when you were about to give up?"

Caesar Flickerman looked at her with the greatest admiration. Lucretia was a newly retired star in the Capitol, more popular than the previous winners. A bit of admiration was the least.

"If I had ever thought about it, I wouldn't be sitting here now," she said, brushing loose strands behind her ear with a loose hand movement. The audience cheered. This is how Lucretia imagined her life.

The gong for the lunch break rang out and the students of the academy laid down their weapons.

A door has been opened. So today they would eat outside. Lucretia placed the sword in the designated bracket and rushed outside with great steps.

As soon as she entered the backyard, which was more like a well-kept garden, she was already dazzled. It was pleasantly warm and if Lucretia didn't know it was summer, she would have thought it was early May.

She sat down at one of the longer tables and waited for her admirers to arrive. Yes, right, admirers. Lucretia didn't need friends. Friends would hardly help her win the games. Lucretia were more of a burden that she didn't need in addition to her father's pressure. Admirers were fine because they weren't competitors in the fight for volunteering and just wanted to look under the skirt. She could live with that.

"You look even better today, Lu," someone says behind her. Lucretia turns around.

Brandon, an idiot from her workout, placed his tray next to her. It was loaded with

breads and energy drinks, of which Lucretia didn't think much.

"Thank you. I didn't see you yesterday, were you sick?" she says, smiling at him charmingly. It was important not to make enemies in District 1 when trying to volunteer.

Brandon waved off. "My sister had a birthday. Are you already looking forward to the reaping?"

Lucretia was about to raise her eyebrows in amazement when she realized that Brandon, as the son of the vice mayor, certainly had a great influence. The only question was whether he was big enough to move into the games with 100 percent certainty. In District 1, there was not one volunteer, but several who were predestined to be allowed to register. The escort from the Capitol ultimately decided who was allowed to come.

"Everyone here is looking forward to the harvest. Will you volunteer?" asks Lucretia.

"Only next year. Although my father would prefer it if not me, but Lucien, goes to the arena. He just doesn't trust me. Just because Lucien has more muscles than me doesn't mean I wouldn't be able to win," Brandon gesticulated wildly.

Lucretia knew what it was like to be in the shadow of his siblings. Lucien might have been a muscle prod, but Brandon was right. He wouldn't last a week, but he just lacked the grip. Unlike Brandon, however, Lucretia would be able to prevail and use her brain to win. Yes, she would win.

Satisfied, she bit off her sandwich.

Paul Barrows, 18, District 7 male, two days before the reaping

Turn your magic on, to me she'd say
Everything you want's a dream away
We are legends, every day
That's what she told him

~~Adventure of A Lifetime by Coldplay

The rabbit had no chance. On both hind legs it hung on the branch.

Paul pulled out his knife and cut through the wire. With a dull sound, the lifeless animal fell on the forest floor covered with leaves. Seeing the rabbit so lifeless was satisfying in a crazy way. Paul knew he was capable of his own survival and that made him proud. With a few clever touches, he set the trap again. He covered them with leaves that could not be seen immediately and made his way home with his dinner.

The forests of District 7 were beautiful. When Paul compared them to the rest of Panem, he knew how happy he should be to grow up here, not in one of District 6's stinky industrial districts.

Some would argue that Paul would live unwell and be left behind. They may be right, but frankly Paul didn't need anyone to survive. He had a roof over his head and enough to eat. Why would he complain about something? He was glad he didn't have to live in one of the orphanages. His parents had died of human-borne influenza. Here in the forest, Paul would never catch anything like that. Yesterday he had promised Sorrel to stop by. With great strides Paul marched to the hut of the old outdoorsman lady, who helped him with problems. He had the rabbit and would now pick up his clothes from Sorrel for the harvest.

The hut was rather inconspicuous and difficult to recognize from a distance. The roof had been covered with large leaves. If the wind was too strong, the hut would fall over, Paul was sure.

The old woman stood in front of the hut and washed clothes. She had heated water with hot stones.

"It took you a long time, boy," Sorrel said as she scrubbed a pair of pants on the washboard.

"The first traps were empty. I had to go deeper into the forest," I explain, laying the rabbit on a wooden table. "I brought you lunch," I add needlessly.

Sorrel hums to me. The woman was like a second mother to me and the other.

If there was a problem, I could come to her and she would help me as best I could.

"The traps were empty?" asks Sorrel skeptically. I nod, my neck is too dry to say anything. "The game is getting less. Not a good sign," she whispers. With her thin fingers, she knots a cloth into her hair.

"Why should this be a bad sign?"

She looks at me with disappointment in her eyes. How am I supposed to know?

"The less game there is, the more often we have to go back to the district. Avoiding this was actually the main reason why we live here." I form an oh. I didn't think about that.

"Can't you avoid that? I mean, the district?"

The woman shakes her head. "There would only be one option. And I'm sure you wouldn't like it," she says with a fear in her voice that i don't know. I look at them in question. Sorrel is afraid of nothing and no one. It was one of the few things I learned from her.

"Well, we would have to go even deeper into the forest. And there are animals lurking that you don't want to know about," she explains. Sorrel sits on a wooden stool. I just want to say something, but she interrupts me before I can say anything. "They are more monsters than animals. It is said that these are failed mutations from the Capitol. So, I wouldn't venture any further than the wire fence."

Admit, I was an adventurer. And that sounded like an adventure. In a week I would pack my stuff. I've always wanted to know what's behind the official district boundary anyway. My expedition could be a new discovery.

I watch Sorrel washing laundry again. She wouldn't notice anything as long as I was mindful and fast. The only thing left between me and the adventurer was the harvest in two days. After that I didn't have to participate anymore and would have more time for expeditions.

With the knife from my belt I cut the rabbit's throat. I can't be worse than a monster from the forest, can I?

Here are Lucretia and Paul!

Sorry that you had to what so long! Lucretia was easy to write because she reminded me of one of my own tributes (Rhea Goldstein in Empty Promises, go check it out! Submissions are still open!). Paul on the other side was so hard. I struggled with him a lot, which doesn't mean he's not a great character! Thanks to the submitters!

Next will probably be Diana and Rolan or Alisha and Wayne. I always write things I'm in mood for. By the way, all spots are filled now! It's amazing! I remember four weeks ago, when I had one submission and started to panic. But now I can write a Hunger Games story with so many different tributes! The complete tribute list will be published in two or three chapters.

Oof, that was a long announcement. So, just simply leave your thoughts on the chapters in the reviews and continue reading!

Love Athena