WARNING: ATTEMPTED SELF-HARM

One more note: I neglected to mention that Karyssa's and Angelo's POVs took place years before their volunteering. Angelo got better as he trained and was selected mostly because of his cunning and eclectic skills. Misa will still miss Karyssa, but she's not a kitten anymore.

Addy Child POV

"Attention passengers. Pan-Em Zeppelin 24601 has reached cruising altitude. You may now remove your seatbelts and move about the cabin. We'll be arriving at the Capitol in approximately two hours."

Old-fashioned airships like this one weren't necessary anymore, of course. We had hovercrafts and supersonic jets that could have gotten us across Panem in half an hour. But Capitolites were as spoiled as they were rich, and they liked to travel in style. We were basically an airborne cruise ship, and it was my job to make sure everyone on board got the maximum luxury experience.

Of course, that's not why I signed on. I took the job as a cabin girl and generally gofer because it gave me a chance to pull some of the craziest stunts I could imagine. Which lead to the other reason I took this job: I got fired from my last one for stealing a parachute and skydiving.

This time, my stunt was legitimate. Capitolites weren't happy just to float through the air in a lighter-than-aircraft filled with luxury food and top of the line accommodations. Two hours was far too long to entertain themselves, and that's where I came in.

Attention passengers. Please look to your left for a look at our newest in-flight entertainment. I could only hear the voice faintly, since I wasn't near the microphone. I wasn't near the main microphone at all, actually. I was near an auxiliary one placed on the outer shell of the airship so I knew when to start my show.

It took a lot of sweet-talking to get the pilot to sign off on everything, but it was worth it. I was studying for history class when I saw old planes used to have "barnstorming" shows, and people would run around on the wings and do all sorts of crazy stuff. It wasn't quite as dangerous on an airship, since we were going about twenty miles an hour, but I planned to make up for it. I saw the passengers look out the window and I could hear them gasp through the expressions on their faces. I was standing on a thin stabilizing beam that ran all around the zeppelin, about the width of a gymnastics bar. Without further ado, I launched into my routine.

I didn't do gymnastics on a regular basis, so most of my tricks were simpler than the passengers would have guessed. I waved at my audience and spun in a circle. I walked right up to the window and started to back out onto the bar, which ended without warning after about fifteen feet. I watched the passengers jam in closer and didn't look over my shoulder as I got closer to the edge. They grew more frantic and started pounding at the window and shouting warnings I couldn't hear. At the very edge of the bar, I stopped with one foot in open air, like I wasn't sure whether or nt to go on. I stepped back onto the bar and watched the passengers collapse in relief. I did a cartwheel down the bar and stopped in a handstand. I pretended to wobble as I got down, just to keep things interesting. I sat down and wrapped my legs around the bar, flipping myself underneath it and pulling myself back on top. I jumped up and stuck my hands in the air in a grand finale. As everyone clapped, I jumped off.

The thin wire attached to the harness underneath my clothes jerked like a bungee cord as I reached the end. My stomach fluttered as I dangled suspended in midair watching the reactions of the people above me. I pushed a button on my harness and the wire started to reel itself in. As I went up, I enjoyed the view. It was the craziest place in the world, and there was nowhere I'd rather be.

Titus Gein POV

No one ever wanted to think about Reaping Day. As I walked with my big brother Saul to the Reaping, we passed by two Morphlings. They were lying against a wall in a puddle. They were covered in sores and their skin was ashen and cracked. They had angelic smiles as they stared off at nothing. For the first time, I understood them. I'd always been afraid that one day I'm be an idiot and try morphling, and then I'd be hooked and I'd end up like the pale zombies that crawled the streets at night. But that was better than the Reaping. I'd do anything to stop thinking about that- even morphling.

Saul and I didn't say anything as we filed past the inspector and got into our groups. He was a year older than me, and as I saw him walking toward the last row, I hated him. I hated how he was only one year from freedom. It wasn't fair that he was the oldest. I wanted to push him out of the back row and take his place in line.

We still had the same escort. Something big must have happened in the Capitol, aside from Galba dying. One leader was the same as the next, and dead was dead no matter who killed me. I wasn't paying any attention to Otho as he said whatever he said. I was looking at my shoes trying not to throw up. The only thing I heard was my name splitting the air.

My legs went slack under me when I heard it. I tipped sideways and only the boy beside me kept me from falling. My face seized and I couldn't control the whimpers that came out of me. A Peacekeeper took my arm and dragged me onstage. I didn't resist- I was just paralyzed. My body shook like I was freezing to death. I stood weakly on the stage and searched the crowd for anything that would save me. My eyes fell on my brother.

"Saul," I whispered. It was like those dreams where something horrible chased me and no matter how I tried, I couldn't scream for help. "Saul." I held out my arms imploringly. Come up here so I don't go. I'd rather watch you die. His face was lined with tears, but he just looked away.

He didn't come to see me in the Justice Hall. I wouldn't have been able to tell, but only two people were there. They said some things and hugged me. It was very loud when they left, and for a while there were more people. Then I was alone.

Morpling was better than the Arena. The gutters were better than the Arena. There was nothing, nothing in the world worse than the Arena. After everyone left, I found my way out. I took my shirt off and twisted it like I was going to snap it at someone. I tied it around my neck and looked for something to tie the other end to. The door flew open and two Peacekeepers pinned me to the ground. I strained to reach their guns, hoping I'd be a big enough threat that they'd use them. Anything but the Arena.