Sam Hillgaze - District 7 Female - Age 18
"Unbelievable!" Sam shouted at her friend Sterling as she watched Micah Fairforge stab Jules Giorgio in the heart with a spear.
"And the Victor of The 24th Hunger Games is Micah Fairforge," Lucky Flickerman announced through the TV.
Sam couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed. She'd spent the past week closely following the Hunger Games, as she did every year, but she never expected it to all be over so quickly. Typically, the games would last ten days at the very least, but this was over in just eight. She wasn't surprised though. Micah was the clear winner from the beginning. He'd basically enchanted the entire Capitol from the minute he stepped off the train. He was strong, but he still had a good head on his shoulders. He had everything it took to be a Victor.
"I don't know why you're surprised," Sterling said, "You predict the winner every year, and then you go crazy analyzing their every move."
It was true. Sam was a bit of a Hunger Games fanatic. She had notebooks full of commentary on every year's Games for the past 4 years, ever since cousin Amber was reaped and she was forced to watch. Until then, all she knew about the games, besides the fact that they happened every year and were meant as a whole thing meant for paying their dues to the Capitol and all that, was that the most recent Victor, Diana Vera, was a girl from District 7, so clearly it was possible for Amber to win. That didn't exactly work out, as Amber was killed at the very beginning, an event Sam now knows is called the "bloodbath." But, she kept watching. She wrote down everything she saw, and she was determined to figure out what exactly it was that all the Victors had in common that made them able to win. She ultimately decided the Hunger Games was a competition of strategy and savagery, two things she happened to be very skilled at, and therefore it made her capable of winning, as long as she played her cards right. Sam had always planned to volunteer for the games when she was 18, as it would give her the best chance of victory, but the Quarter Quell twist put a dent in her plans.
"I can't believe you're doing this." Sterling said as he helped Sam put up yet another poster advertising her interest in being elected, "What does this mean for us?"
The two had gotten married a few months prior. They'd been close friends for a while, and she'd always been pinning for his affections. She assumed it would never amount to anything, and that Sterling saw her as nothing but a friend. That all changed one afternoon, while they were playing cards on their lunch break at work, he looked at her with a smile.
"If I win the next game, you have to marry me." He said.
"And if I win?" She said unable to stop blushing.
"I have to marry you."
"Sounds like solid deal Mr. Hillgaze."
"Forget the game then." He said, "Come here."
Sam's heart was practically beating out of her chest when his lips touched hers. Besides winning the Hunger Games, Sterling was all she'd ever wanted. She put her hand against the backside of his head and tugged at his hair. Kissing Sterling came naturally to her, just as winning seemingly came natural to the Victors she'd seen on TV. It was effortless, as love should be.
They got married exactly three weeks later. It was the best day of both of their lives. Or at least, the best day of Sam's life until she won the Hunger Games. Marriage had been a wonderful thing for the two of them, but Sterling had always secretly hoped their relationship would be an end to her hyperfixation on winning the Hunger Games, as he didn't want to lose her, but alas it did not.
"Dude," He said the night before the reaping before they went to bed, "I really wish you weren't doing this."
She laid down in bed besides him, "You know how badly I want this."
"More than you want me?"
Sam didn't know what to say. The answer was yes, but she couldn't exactly say that to her husband. As much as she truly did love Sterling, there was so much about him she didn't know, and she was certain she knew everything about the Hunger Games.
"It doesn't matter," She said, "I'll come back to you."
"What if you don't?" Sterling always asked that question, "What do I do then?"
"You're only twenty and you're very attractive. You could always marry somebody else."
"I don't want anybody but you."
"You don't have to worry about it." She pushed back a strand of his hair and kissed his forehead.
They sat in silence for a while.
"Can we do the thing?" Sam knew immediately what Sterling was referring too. They hadn't done it before, she'd always been too scared, but at this point she didn't have much to lose.
"I guess it's about time I stopped making you wait." She laughed and nudged his elbow.
"I was never in a rush," He smiled before starting to kiss her, "But there's no time like the present."
"Damn right!"
Cedar Ranthine - District 7 Male - Age 15
Unfortunately for Cedar, one of the most formative moments of his life came when he was eight years old, whilst he was on the primary school playground. Unlike his siblings, he wasn't particularly academic or athletic. Even his youngest sister, who died immediately after childbirth was more notable than he was. He often wondered about his sister Kona and what she would have been like. Maybe she would have been even less average than he was. That would've been nice. Regardless, the most interesting thing to happen to Cedar involved her. He was sitting on the bench and tying his shoes when Wilbur Connors, the school bully approached him.
"Why were you not at school last week?" He asked
"My sister passed away moments after she was born. I was quite upset."
"Really?" He laughed, "You didn't go to school for a whole week because somebody you barely knew died?"
"Yes." Cedar wasn't in the mood for talking.
"Well," Wilbur said, "Nobody missed you. In fact, we all wished you were dead instead."
That was fairly nasty verbage to come out of the mouth of an eight-year-old, and Cedar reacted accordingly. He honestly didn't know what circuit snapped in his brain that day, but before he could think twice, Wilbur was on the ground in a chokehold as Cedar punched him in the gut several times. Wilbur was fine physically, but mentally he held a grudge against Cedar, and rightfully so as the kid had attacked him. Sure, what Wilbur said was nasty, but he said that sort of crap to everybody, and didn't expect to be beat up for it.
As Wilbur was on the ground, he told Cedar to expect revenge for his actions, yet said revenge never occurred. Cedar was still afraid however, the longer he went on without anything happening, the more nervous he became. His fear mounted when the Quarter Quell twist was announced, as he realized it was perfectly feasible for Wilbur to tell everybody to vote for him. Cedar's mother was worried too:
"I really can't lose another child," She said the night before the reaping.
"I can't help it if they vote for me."
The problem was that it was his fault. Had he not attacked Wilbur, surely he'd have flown under the radar. The morning of the reaping was rather somber in the Rathine house, as Cedar's mother was in tears once again after again realizing the unfortunate future for the family. She could barely say goodbye to him. It was sort of sad that she had no faith in Cedar winning, but he didn't have much faith in himself winning either. When he arrived at the town square, he was still uncertain who to vote for, at least for the female spot, until he saw a sign advertising voting for a girl named Sam. He wrote her name down and for the male spot, he wrote Wilburs name. Even if he didn't get elected, at least he'd have stood up to him in some way. Cedar took his seat and tried to ignore the people staring at him, knowing damn well they had just sentenced him to death.
Sam Hillgaze - District 7 Female
Sam and Sterling had stayed up way too late the night before the reaping, and when she woke up in his arms, she could hardly keep her eyes open, even though she knew it was time for her to leave.
"Don't leave," Sterling reached out to her, "Can we just stay here and cuddle forever?"
Sam was a huge fan of mornings with Sterling where they could just lay in bed and hold each other, and while she would have loved another one of those mornings, their time together the previous night had been just as special.
When she arrived at the voting booth, it became apparent she had no idea what guy to put down, so she wrote Sterling's name. Even if he couldn't be reaped, as he was 20, it was the thought that counted. As she awaited the ceremony, she saw Diana, and couldn't stop smiling at the future involving her mentorship. Sam simply couldn't wait for her upcoming adventure.
Diana Vera - District 7 Mentor
As awful as it sounded, Diana Vera loved reaping day. She was barely in District 7 nowadays, as she was usually in the Capitol shooting her films, though that was a tasteful way to phrase the movies she typically starred in. She really didn't mind the nudity. It made her parents uncomfortable, but it was hard for them to complain since they did live in the biggest house in District 7, save for the mayors. People usually assumed that she was forced into making adult films by the Capitol, but honestly she really enjoyed them. She was confident as hell in her body, and didn't mind repeatedly being intimate with hot people of either sex and then getting paid. Most of the people in District 7, especially the men, were huge fans of her work and it made them proud to have somebody from their home famous on such a wide scale. She was always happy to greet them and sign autographs on reaping day. There were many adult film stars in the Capitol, and it was nice to be a hometown hero. While Diana hated it at first, being a mentor really grew on her. Typically her tributes were lovely kids, and they all admired her for either her victory or her career, though they would never say if it were the ladder. The kids this year seemed just as lovely. The girl was at least 17, and appeared to have a fighting chance, and the boy, though scrawny, definitely looked like he could have a heart. It was sure to be another good year.
Cedar Ranthine - District 7 Male
The train station visit was one of the few times the entire Ranthine family were gathered together. Cedar's parents were somehow able to get off work, and his siblings Aster and Hydrangea had taken a break from their successful lives to say their goodbyes.
"Try to have fun out there," Aster said, patting his back.
"Thanks?"
"Honestly I don't know what else I'm supposed to say."
"Fair."
The majority of the visit was awkward moments similar to that, but in the end, Cedar's mother figured she'd be sentimental one last time.
"I got you something." She said
"Oh?"
She pulled out a small wooden spoon on a chain from her purse.
"You ate with this when you were a baby." She put the necklace on him. It was a weird gift, but the thought was what counted.
"Thanks mom!" Cedar tried his best to be appreciative, "I love it!"
"I knew you would."
The Ranthine family shuffled out the station saying goodbyes and wishing good luck to Cedar. It was the best of what he could ask for.
Sam Hillgaze - District 7 Female
If someone had told Sam how hard it would be for her to say goodbye to Sterling, she never would have made such an effort to be reaped. Obviously she still wanted to go into the Games, but what could be her final moments with Sterling felt like she was already dying.
"I love you." He whispered it over and over into her ear while he hugged her.
"I love you back." She lightly kissed his chin. It was the highest she could reach when standing up if he didn't lift her. Feeling his hands detangle her curly hair always made her happy, though now the moment was bittersweet, as the next person to touch her hair would be a Capitol stylist. She was excited for what could possibly be a new look, but she'd miss feeling Sterling's delicate fingers.
"You have to go soon don't you?" Sterling was devastated,
"Yeah," Sam sighed, "But you know that I'll come back for you."
"You better," He lifted her up and pulled her closer to him. She knew what he wanted and obviously was not going to say no.
As their lips touched she cried a bit, not because she thought it would be the last time she'd kiss Sterling, but because she'd miss the constant reassurance he offered her. She began to open her mouth for his tongue when she heard a voice:
"You have to go now!" It was a Peacekeeper they'd completely forgotten was in the station, "You guys are adorable though."
She gave him one last peck and then headed onto the train, immediately sobbing when the doors shut. She had to see that boy again.
Thank you for reading Chapter 7! I had so much fun with Sam and Cedar so thank you so much MissBooklover and danamormag for giving them to me! Have a nice day everybody!