Nya Von Neumann
17 years old
~My life lies in the products of my imagination, which will live on regardless~
We don't have to get loud to lose it
All we need is just me and you
We don't have to scream loud to prove it
We could keep it all on acoustic
Ooh hm, keep it all on acoustic
Ooh hm, keep it all on
"Lux, stop it!" I screech, as he continues his almost perfect impression of our teacher, but I can't stop the laughter in my voice. To his credit, he attempts to look sheepish, but the turned up corners of his mouth make that impossible.
"Seriously," I whine, "the toy's already faulty, do you want make it worse?"
Lux, my best friend Dayta and I are crowded round the wooden table in the classroom, trying to ignore the sweltering heat. Air conditioning is a lot of money, so they only keep it on during school hours.
Our families all make enough money to have food on the table, but we all pretty much scrape by, so when the offer to try and fix up some malfunctions before we send the toy off to the Capitol to be sold to a greedy child who'll break it in days, came up, we took it.
If it was a more complicated job, they wouldn't outsource it to students. After all, even silly things like this can earn real workers money, but a children's toy is considered easy enough to give to students. If it goes well and we fix the glitches, we'll all get spending money, and if it doesn't, we get experience.
Me and Dayta jumped at the opportunity, but Lux, who's never cared about these sorts of things was more reluctant. We don't let him do no work when he's getting equal money, but I'm pretty sure both me and Dayta can tell he'd rather be anywhere but here.
I try not to let myself believe that there's really any wide difference between girls and boys, but if Lux isn't a shining example for guys maturing slower, I don't know what is. He's a full two years older than us, yet the task of getting him to stop talking and help us is similar to when we had to clean up Dayta's younger sister after she spilt bleach on her hand.
We don't even work with chemicals often, Three being the District of mostly metal and wires, and things like bleach being extremely expensive and quite difficult to obtain. But the one time we were: I think we may have been cleaning something that wasn't tech related, Dayta was being forced to babysit her sister Hux, and in minutes, she'd already tipped over what was thankfully diluted, bleach onto her hand and refused to let us wash it off.
We'd spilled it into our clothes before, but we would just quickly take of the affected article and wash our hands before changing into spare clothes and continuing. None of us knew what to do and we ended up sending Lux running round the District to find Dayta's mom.
It's been almost four years now, and the skin on her hand is still slightly discoloured and she sometimes struggles to move it. Dayta wasn't allowed in a lab for a year, and I'm pretty sure Hux will never be allowed to so much as step foot in one.
"We've only got 3 hours before the reaping and I was hoping to check out the market first, which closes in two hours, how much more have we got to do?" Lux asks and I resist the urge to strangle him.
"Maybe if you help, we can spend another half an hour on it, then come back after the reaping?" I suggest. "We want it done in three days remember,"
No one complains, so we continue, and with Lux's help, we finish in 25 minutes. Even if he doesn't enjoy it, he's good at what he does, although in Three, it's rare for a kid not to be good with tech. It happens of course, but there's sadly a high chance they won't make it to adulthood. The suicide rate in Three, according to statistics is higher than any more poverty stricken District, although lower than Career districts or the Capitol. I've not known anyone to actually have killed their self, but I know of attempts.
"What do you need from the market?" Dayta asks Lux, half jolting me out of my thoughts.
He pulled out a small list from his pocket and consulted it, frowning, "Just some hair ribbons and my mom wanted some bread if there is any," He replies.
Dayta scoffs, "No chance getting any bread at this time. You should have gone before you went into school you idiot."
Bread isn't sold much in Three. It doesn't last very long and whilst Three isn't rich, most people have enough money to refuse stale bread, but not enough to buy a loaf a day. We get most of our carbohydrate from rice so if you want bread it's both expensive and comparitavely rare against foods such as apples or pasta. It's hard to get any that isn't almost rock hard after 12 o'clock.
"It doesn't hurt to have hope," joked Lux and I laughed at their easy banter. They continued this way for the entire journey, me occasionally intersecting when the insults got too personal as they sometimes could. Lux and Dayta never used to argue this much, but I'm pretty sure they developed some sort of odd attraction to each other in the past year. I don't understand it, but I guess they could be good for each other if they could actually speak for five minutes without an insult war breaking out.
Like predicted, there was no bread, but Lux managed to pick out a length of ribbon that was a reasonable price.
"See you guys tomorrow. We still meeting up at 10?" I asked and after they both responded in the affirmative, I crossed over and walked down the alleyway to my house.
I walked through the door and down the corridor to my bedroom. I waved at Grandma who was standing in the kitchen, before opening my bedroom door and walking in.
My bedroom was never really meant to be used as a bedroom. It's small and slightly cramped, and it gets too hot. When my grandparents chose the house, it was to save money when they couldn't work anymore.
Then my mother died and I had to move in with them. They were as accommodating as they could be, and made the room as suitable as possible, but we've never been able to afford to move out.
I should miss my mother, but I don't. It sounds horrible, but she died when I was two and from the stories- and the still noticeable scar on my collarbone, she wasn't a very good mother. I wish she hadn't died of course, but I simply never knew her.
It's better than my father though. I don't even know his name. Only that I take after him and in Three, I look like pretty much everyone- except my grandparents. With my dark skin, and their pale, we scarcely look related.
"Do you want me to put your hair in a bun Nya?" Grandma asks, "It would look so pretty with that dress!"
I'm wearing a simple white dress and my hair is loose and tumbling over my shoulders. I think about it for a second before deciding. "No thanks. I think it looks okay like this, though maybe an Alice band would work?"
I pull out a white Alice band and put my hair through it. I adjust it slightly to get it to sit straight before smiling. We look at our reflection in my mirror, her skin milky white next to my caramel.
"You look so beautiful. You'll be a woman soon," Grandma smiles, but we can both see the hint of sadness. We both have tears in our eyes.
"See you later Nya. I love you,"
"Love you too," I say, and we have a quick hug before leaving my bedroom. She goes back to the kitchen, preparing our meal for later, and I leave.
Nikola Romanov
Eighteen years old
~My brain is a weapon I will always have~
Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
Ready, set, go!" I say and Jozef pumps his legs as fast as he can go. I go slower on purpose to let him win and I'm rewarded by him grinning at me.
"I win!" he says, holding his hand up for a high five. I go to slap his palm, but he moves it away, laughing hysterically as if he just told the funniest joke in the world. I guess for his four year old humour, it probably was.
"Well done bro," Tamas says slapping my back, although carefully avoiding the scars, "You just got bested by a four year old."
I roll my eyes at him before mock glaring at a still laughing Jozef. "You know," I say, grinning at him, "That was rude. And do you know what rude people get?"
Jozef widens his eyes in terror. "No!" He giggles as Tamas and I advance on him.
"Tickle torture!" Jozef squirms and kicked fruitlessly, begging us to stop. We don't go on for too long, but from experience with Tamas when I was really young and he was 10 years older than me, any time in tickle torture feels like an eternity.
Jozef runs to Electra, his mother and Tamas' wife, and Tamas smiles, but there's something else in it.
'He's lucky, isn't he? That the worst kind of torture he'll ever get from family is tickle torture. He's never meeting his grandparents."
I swallow, and the scars on my back prickle. It's been nine years since I saw them, nine years since I got the beating that almost killed me, but my heart still races when I even think of them.
Our parents, to put it lightly were incredibly abusive. For Tamas it was more mental, and for me it was more physical, but we both had more than our fair share of either. When Tamas turned eighteen and had his last reaping, we made plans for us to leave and for me to stay with him, but Dad couldn't let us leave without a reminder of my previous life.
When Tamas found me in the garden after a day of work, I was barely conscious. My blood had stuck my shirt to my back so tightly, it took them over an hour to get it off. Then, I caught an infection and almost died. I was bedridden for almost four months and Tamas had to dip in to his savings to be able to afford a doctor, medication and a tiny flat on the other side of the District where we could avoid our parents. There were fears I would end up paralysed, but I pulled through, and we were finally free.
I dropped out of school, but I didn't quit learning. Tamas hired me a tutor, Electra and I probably learnt faster with her than I ever did at school. I wentt back to school three years ago, for my final two years, and honestly, I found it boring and easy. I could have stayed on, but I decided not to. Tamas and me decided he'd train me to become an engineer when I was twelve and it's what I want to do with my life.
Electra and Tamas fell in sappy, beautiful, disgusting love, and with there combined income as a teacher and an engineer to start renting a small house. It's taking a long time, but in two years it will finally be theirs to own.
They married six years ago and four years ago Jozef was born. Electra's heavily pregnant now and Jozef is equal parts annoyed and excited to be having a younger sibling.
Both me and Tamas flinch at being yelled at and I can't stand being touched by strangers or people I don't trust, but we're getting better and having Jozef around has helped both of us.
The house is small, and Jozef and the baby will have to share a room, but both Electra and Tamas have reassured me that I can live here as long as I need to. I've started contributing to food and payment when I can afford it, so I don't feel like a leach. Both me and Tamas have severe problems with feeling useless, but we're trying to get over them. It's slow, but we're learning. Tamas especially struggled with trusting Electra with equal responsibilities with Jozef.
"Another race?" Jozef begs, giving me puppy eyes. I nod, so he grabs my hand.
"Ready, set-" and without saying go, he's off. I laugh, running behind him.
"Did you just cheat?" I ask mock sternly, and for a second he looks thoughtful, as if deciding how he'll go about this. Finally he shakes his head, and offers me cheesy grin.
"That's good," says Electra, "Because I don't think I'd be able to give a cheat this." She pulls out a red lollipop, and Jozef smiles, glee in his face. He doesn't get sugar much. An unnecessary cost which could go on healthier food. He quickly grabs it before remembering to say a quick "Thank you," and running off.
"Do you need to get changed?" Electra asks, " You've only got about half an hour before you need to go," my mood changes. She sees this and pats my hand. "You'll be okay," she tries to reassure me. "It's your last reaping and your name is only in 14 times. That's nothing compared to some."
Her words fail to reassure to me, but I smile.
"I'll go get changed now," I say, "See you in a minute," She gives me a quick wave, and turns back to Jozef. His lips are already coated in red.
I can't go too tight due to my back, and loose clothes make me uncomfortable so I just put on a dark green shirt and black slacks. It's not fancy, but it's better than the first few years of my reaping, when all I could wear were the same second hand clothes I always wore. I substitute my grey sneakers for my pair of black shoes and check my bracelet is securely on my wrist. Losing it would physically hurt me. It was a birthday present from the other three, and my most precious material item. I was never able to be a sentimental person before, Mom or Dad would destroy anything I loved, so now I collect little things.
"Bye Nicky!" Says Jozef, wrapping his hands around me and wiping his sticky mouth on my stomach. "See you soon!"
I wave at all three of them and kiss Jozef's forehead. "I'll see you guys later,"
One way or another.
Rakesh Polglace
Winner of the 99th
54 years old
61 years since the Hunger Games restarted and two victors. And one of them had a heart attack and died. Killed by his own body after surviving a death match.
That leaves me the sole mentors, and standing on Stage, waiting for our es fit to appear, I've never felt lonelier.
Then, our escort appears, and I've never felt more disgusted. Silver hayride, silver dress, silver skin. She's gone for the robot look. Maybe it's looking into things too deep, but the disrespect I feel she's giving us as district Three citizens finding out which two of us will be entering a death match is astonishing. Can't she just be content with looking ridiculous?
"Hello everyone! Before we start, I'll be showing you guys a quick video!"
She says it perkily, but as if she was reading from a script. She doesn't care about us. Why should she? We aren't from the Capitol so we aren't important.
The video was appalling, but sadly expected. If they wanted to explain why we were forced to die through the form of video wouldn't a bit of respect be helpful. Or maybe we just aren't worth it to them.
"And now for the girl!" The ridiculous woman- Ayzinnica snaps me out of my angry thoughts. "Nya Von Neumann," a girl in the older range steps out. She walks up, stock still. Reactions vary from district to district and the still shock is very common in Three. The girl stands up on stage, eyes wide.
"Lovely, and now for the boys: Nikola Romanov! Come on up!" A boy, tall but thin walks to the stage. His reaction is similar.
The two stand adjacent from each other and shake hands, Nikola- the boy dropping her hand as if it was burning hot. Ayzinnica rambles in for a few more minutes before finally allowing them to leave to see their family, one last time.
Nya Von Neumann
My grandparents walk in and it takes all my power to not cry like a child, but I try and remain stoic.
"Nya," Grandad begins. I look up. "I won't be unrealistic and make you promise to win, but you're smart. You don't have the brute strength of some tributes, but don't just give up. People from Three have won before and your age gives an advantage. People may sponsor you if you play it smart."
I know this already, but him saying it clears my head slightly. "I won't promise, but I will try. If you sell my possessions if I die, keep what you need, but then think about donating the rest to science."
Thrust nod their heads, but then the two minutes are up, gone in a flash and they leave me.
Moving much quicker then my grandparents, Dayta and Lux come in. Dayta normally looks so stoic, but her hair is a mess and I see tears stains on her face. I allow myself the luxury of barrelling myself into Lux's sturdy arms and crying.
"Please Nya, don't become a throw away tribute. 3126 tributes have already died. Don't become a random face Nya. Promise!" Dayta pleads, and I nod my head. "I, I promise," I choke out, and I feel Lux patting my back. We sit in a strange place of silence, choked sobs, and whispered encouragement.
The two minutes are nearly over when I decide to speak up. "If I come back, I want to find that the two of you are together. Don't do it for me, but think about it."
They nod awkwardly, blushing and I smile, despite myself. "Thank you," I finally say and with one last hug, they leave me too.
Nikola Romanov
"Nicky! Don't leave!" Jozef cries. He doesn't really understand. But he understands enough. He understands he'll never see his uncle again.
Behind him, Electra is crying. "Tamas wanted to say goodbye alone," she answers the unasked question. I hug the two of them together.
"Have a safe birth. Don't be so upset you can't take care of him or her. And please make sure Tamas is okay. I'm worried for him," I tell her, making sure I'm too quiet for Jozef to hear.
"Be good for Mommy and Daddy, I'll be thinking about you," I give Jozef one last hug and then they have to leave.
"I'm so sorry Nikola, I'm such a fucking failure! I'm so stupid!" Tamas hugs me, both of us crying. "I promised myself I'd keep you safe and I couldn't not just once, but twice!"
I swallow, "Nothing was ever your fault Tamas. You're the best brother ever and an amazing father. You kept me safe to your best abilities and without you I'd already be dead!"
He frowns, "I just wish I could have done more. If we were the same age I could have done something." He takes his arms from around my and buries his face in his hands. "Sorry for making this all about me. You're the one going into the games."
I go to answer him, but then the Peacekeeper walks in. "Time's up, no more visitors."
"Maybe I'll see you soon," I say. The words are left unspoken but I know what we're both thinking. Probably not.
I'm really sorry if there are grammar errors. I checked it over but I'm not great and I was too impatient to wait for MoonlessGalaxy, who normally checks over my work. I'm not great with tenses so I apologise for the bits where it has slipped around from present to future.
If you have time, please drop a review, they really help my motivation and my friends are probably sick of my complaing.
Starters for reviews:
What did you think of Nikola and Nya? Who did you prefer?
Who's supporting characters did you prefer?
Are the chapter lengths and the style I have chosen okay?
Once I get my reservations in, I'll be completely full, which I'm excited about. Thank you to all thst have submitted. I really hope you enjoy this story.
I make no promises, but I will try to update weekly. After September that will get harder, as I have a job on Saturday, and if I do the plays I want to do, I'all be busy every day except Wednesdays and Fridays.