Zelda Ito

13 years old

~Nature is a way of finding out things we don't already know~

And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above

"Hey Marls," I say after I've taken a few deep breaths. I wait for her head to pop out of the water before continuing, "I think I've found something. I wanna go get it."

She grins at me. "It better not be another of your 'interesting rocks' Zelda, how many do you have now? 40?" I look away slightly, and she laughs. "More?"

I nod, blushing, "52 by my last count. They're just so pretty!"

Marly nods, adjusting her goggles. "Okay, where is it? How long do you estimate?"

I put my head in the water and look. "Two minutes but don't attempt rescue until I've been longer than Three,"

Even in Four, where you pretty much have to be a strong swimmer to survive, the currants can be dangerous and if you want to do something like hunt for treasure, you have to go with someone if something goes wrong. It shouldn't take longer than two minutes to fetch the thing I see, but if it does, Marly won't start trying to rescue me, either through diving herself, or getting an adult, until it's been another minute. I've only had to be rescued once, when I got so fixtated on wanting a rock of some sort, I lost track of how long I'd been.

Everyone in Four can hold their breath for a long time, but we aren't fish and we get a lot of deaths from overconfident idiots who decide to go swimming on their own. I don't like going with anyone but Marly. I don't trust that they would actually save me if I needed it, and even if they did they'd have to touch me, and touch makes me uncomfortable.

I look around the floor until I locate what I want and I pull it up. Sometimes they stick, but the odds are in my favour and it picks up. I swim to the top, careful not to let it weigh me down.

"Two minutes and four seconds," Marly announces when I've caught my breath and put the rock with my towel and clothes. The rock is a shiny black colour and almost perfectly smooth. If I skipped stones it would be the perfect rock. Sometimes I do, but I'm not very good and I get frustrated to easily. That's my problem with training as well. I'm good with daggers, but I'm not a prodigy, and I don't like the style we're taught.

Marly is better, but not by much and we both often skip training to go swimming. The first time we skipped, I got so anxious about getting caught, it ruined mine, and although she was too nice to say anything, Marly's day. Maybe it's not a good thing to get used to, but I have, and now we probably skip at least once a week. Neither of us are planning to go into the games, but we have to carry on training until we're fourteen.

Of course, on the Reaping day, there is no training and we have a free morning, so me and Marly packed up a small picnic and went to a small place in the ocean. It's busier than normal, but there's a small patch of beach that people don't like going to. The waterbed is full of sharp rocks and it's not a good place for a casual swim. Only treasure hunters come to this place and on reaping day, most of them are spending time with family, so there are only about five other people anywhere near us.

"You ready to get out Zelda?" Asks Marly, climbing out, " I'm hungry and I bought some of your favourite food along!"

I hurriedly climb out, "You made seaweed?"

Seaweed isn't exactly rare in Four, and it's often eaten dried but Marly's way of doing it is an old family way that tastes better than anything you can get in a store. She knows I have a weakness for it, more than anything. I'm a really fussy eater and sometimes I won't be able to manage other foods.

"I don't think a tsunami could have gotten you out of there any faster," Marly laughs and I stick my tounge out, "I didn't bring much, but I have more at home so you can have more when you come round later for dinner."

I throw my hands around her neck and give her a quick squeeze, "Did I mention that you're the best friend in the world?"

"One or twice. I think every time I feed you. A bit like a cat really." She hands me the seaweed and I break off a small piece and pop it into my mouth.

"I don't suppose you'll ever share the recipe with me," I joke, and she rolls her eyes.

"Not on your life. What's the time?"

I look in my bag of stuff until I find my watch. "Just over an hour before the reaping. You wanna go now?"

We walk along the wide cliff path together until we get to our house. When my dad's at sea, which is most of the time nowadays, Pearlie and I stay with her and her mom. Normally Pearlie would come swimming with us, but we left earlier than usual, so we would get a good amount of time before the reaping and Pearlie only wakes up early when she has school or early training.

Marly's house is quite small, so all three of us have to share a bedroom, but luckily Marly doesn't begrudge us this.

"Do you want to borrow my sandals Zelda?" Asks Pearlie as soon as we walk in to our room. "They would look really nice with your dress, the turquoise one."

"You say that as if I have more than one dress," I say, "But yeah, aren't your feet slightly smaller than mind though?"

She screws up her face as if to think, "No, they were but I my feet grew a few months ago. It's why I only have three pairs of shoes. But you need to look pretty, and your sandals are all scuffed."

"My sandals are lived in for your information," I say mock haughtily and both she and Marly laugh at me. "But yeah thanks, I will if you're sure."

"I'm gonna have a shower first," says Marly, but I'll only be ten minutes tops,"

Her hair is much shorter than mine and takes much less time to wash, so this makes sense so I nod my head, and set to work looking for my dress. I normally live in shorts and tank tops, with my swimming costume underneath, so Reaping day is the only occasion I get dressed up. If only it was a nicer occasion.

"All done," Marly walks back into our room already dressed and towel drying her hair.

I take my dress, a towel and underwear and head into the bathroom. The water is only lukewarm, but Four often gets too hot and it feels nice. I work the soap through my hair and rinse it out.

I squeeze the water out of my hair thoroughly and wrap it into a neat bun, securing it with several pins before drying myself and putting in the dress. Luckily it still fits me. If it was even a bit too small I wouldn't be able to wear it.

"You look nice," I tell Marly. Her sandy coloured hair is in two French plaits and her knee length green dress is different than what she wore for her first reaping. Everyone has had a growth spurt except me. It's not fair.

"Right back at you," she replies, "You ready to go?"

I nod and give a quick hug to Pearlie. "See you soon," she says.

"Bye mom!" Marley yells, going to open the door. Marina, envelopes us both in a hug, despite our jokey protests and gives us a kiss each on the forehead.

"See you later girls. I won't say have fun, but make sure you aren't in discomfort from being pushed Zelda. If one of you gets reaped, keep calm whilst the volunteer does her job. I love you both,"

"Bye!" Marly and I wave at her before getting out of the door.

"Don't worry too much Zelda," She bumps my hip gently with her's, "We're safe in Four."

Mako Sandy

Seventeen years old

~You can't trust anyone. I know firsthand. Don't make the same mistake I did~

If I bleed tonight If I am sad tonight I don't have a job to find Work tonight If I'm so tired tonight I'll fall asleep when I'm home When I'm home

"Nina, do you have to volunteer? The games are stupid, and you're stupid if you think the Capitol will ever care about you."

I watch as Nina's face goes a reddish colour and she pulls herself up, ready for an argument. Maybe the way I said it was harsh, but it's true and I couldn't change that even if I wanted to.

"Do you know what Mako, I'm sick of you acting like you're better than the games," Her words come out in an angry spiel, and she pokes me in the chest, "Until a few years ago we were training together and planning to go into the games, so shut up."

"Yeah, I was thinking of going into the games. And then I grew up." I push her hand off of me. "Why can't you do the same?"

"Some of us want a better life. I want to get out of the Community Home, but even once I've left there'll still be the stigma. Barely anyone from the Community home gets a good job. I don't care how the Capitol views me. It's not like they can't give me the house anyway."

"Just because you've been chosen doesn't mean you have to do it. Isn't dishonour less bad than death? Or are you that arrogant Nina?" I see that in the mood she's in means there's no arguing, but I have to try. I can't have more people I care about die.

"Savannah would have supported me."

I snap my head up. "Don't you dare use Savannah against me."

"It's true and you know it. You can't pretend it isn't."

"Well do you know what Nina?" I attempt to swallow back the lump in my throat and blink away the tears in my eyes. "Savannah is dead so it doesn't matter anyway. If you go into the games and somehow miraculously survive, our relationship will be dead."

"You're breaking up with me?" Her voice went high and shrill. "What the fuck Mako?"

I glare at her. "It's your choice." I turn, and walk away from her. When I turn a corner, I lean my head on the wall, feeling numb with rage and sadness. Nina and me have been together since we were fifteen. We knew each other as children and we've been through everything together. I was with her when she was nine and her mother died and her father couldn't cope so she and her younger brother had to go to the Community home and she's been with me for everything.

She stuck with me during The Incident, and then stayed with me months later when me sister died, not from the games, but from a gang related fight.

But if she decides to go into the games, I know that I won't be able to stick with her. She's endorsing unnecessary death and I can't stand it. I won't stand for it.

I punch the nearest wall and watch in fascination and an odd kind of horror as my hand begins to bleed. The wall still looks perfectly fine- except the smudge of blood on one of the bricks. Except from the grazing, my hand looks okay, but it hurts like hell. It's the only pain I can focus on and I welcome that as I walk back to my home.

"Ko, you okay?"

I lift my eyes from the ground to see my older brother Josh standing in front of me, green eyes that match mine looking concerned.

"I'm fine thanks," I say shortly, not wanting to speak. I need to be alone and even my brother is too much.

I walk into my large bedroom and lie on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Three years, completely gone in one argument. It's not fair. Why does she have to be so stubborn?

I pull myself up slowly and go into my bathroom to take a shower. I turn the water to almost scaldingly hot and stand underneath it and watch the droplets roll off my body.

Nina may be right. Savannah would have been happy to watch her go into the games. But Savannah was flawed and she could make rash desisions. If she had been smarter with her choices, maybe she would be alive.

She was the closest sibling in age to me and the only girl in our family. She was three years older than me, but she got into the wrong crowd. When she was eighteen she was part of a gang fight. They were better trained and she was one of eleven casualties, four of them just innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time.

My family refuses to admit it was her own fault, but it was and I hate her for it. But I also love her. I sometimes struggle to balance the two feelings.

I get out of the shower and find a clean red shirt. I wear it with a pair of jeans and a tag around my neck. I run my fingers through my blood red hour and spike it up with my gel.

I check my heavy watch for the time and smile faintly. Exactly on time. Maybe the one thing that went right today.

"See you later Ko," Joey, my other brother claps my shoulder. "Just one more year 'til you're free like us,"

I give him a small smile as I walk out the front door.

I walk to the square, about to get my blood taken when Nina runs up to me, her hair curled and wearing a red dress. "Mako," she starts, "I won't say you're right, but I'm delaying my volunteering for a year. I've talked to our trainer's and they say it's okay. They're trying to get a message to Cresta that she's been chosen."

I stare at her. She almost never comprises. It's one of the things I both love and hate. "Thank you, that means a lot to me,"

I can't breath for a moment so I walk towards the square, leaving Nina behind.

Syrene Waverlee

Winner of the 131st

23 years old

I stand backstage, ready to go on, when our escort Aquata walks behind, looking upset.

"Aquata, are you okay?" I ask concerned. We don't see each other much, her living in the Capitol and all, but she's barely three years older than me, my game's being her first time.

Marlin, my mentor was downright cruel. He made it clear that he despised Career tributes from our first meeting and refused to give us any help. Our other mentor, Julia was on some heavy drugs and was too spaced out to help us.

My district partner took himself to his room and refused to come out for the entire train ride and being a person unused to loneliness I had no idea how to react to feeling so alone.

Aquata helped me with those feelings and we struck up a strong bond. When I won she was my first visitor, and I've volunteered to be the District Four mentor every year to just so we can spend a few weeks together, catching up- even if the circumstances aren't great.

"I'm fine, I just broke my heel on my shoes. You know how clumsy I can be! Look at this," she shoes me a disk, "They want to start showing this at every reaping. I haven't seen it yet but it's meant to be the history of the genes condensed into a few minutes!"

I have my scepticalities about the quality of the video, but I don't voice them, instead just nodding before walking on stage to stand with Marlin. Seconds later Aquata follows.

"Welcome everyone and happy Hunger Games! Before we start, the Capitol has a special surprise for you to watch!"

When she's acting for a camera, her voice goes higher. I wish it wouldn't. She doesn't need to be fake.

She needs to delete the video though. The video needs to be deleted from excistance. No one should be forced through it.

No one should be forced through a lot of things.

"And now for the girls! Zelda Ito!"

A small girl, maybe thirteen years old walks up, looking terrified.

"Any volunteer?"

I wait expectantly, but no girl appears. Close up, I see Aquata swallow, but she keeps her smile. It's not fair. I want to scream but I can't.

"And now for our male! Mako Sandy!"

I vaguely reminisce the surname, but not the tall boy that walks onto the stage, head held high, chin stick out.

"Any volunteers?"

Again, no one says a word. It's terrible, but the injustice doesn't seem as strong. Somehow, in the few years between the two tributes, killing one isn't as bad as the other. It's not right, but it's true.

But that describes a lot of things.

Zelda Ito

"Zelda!" Pearlie runs in and we collapse into each other. "It's not fair," she repeats, again and again. "This shouldn't happen! You're thirteen! Why, Zelda? Why?"

"I don't know," I choke out. "I hate this. I'm gonna die Pearlie!"

"Don't die, please Zelda, You're my sister! You're my best friend. Don't die!" I can barely move, paralysed with fear, but we hug each other. Pearlie puts her hands behind her neck and fumbles with the clasp. "Keep this," she says, "This can be your token!"

"Pearlie, I can't take your necklace! It's yours!"

"I want you to have it, please Zelda,"

In non verbal consent, I bend my head and she secures the clasp and straightens it. "You look so pretty Zelda. You're the best sister in the world. I'm gonna miss you!"

We dissolve into tears again, and we stay, just hugging each other and crying.

All too soon, I'll have to go. But for now I can stay with my arms around Pearlie.

Maybe one day I'll be with her again.

Mako Sandy

"Thank you," Nina begins, "For convincing me not to volunteer."

I nod, refusing to show any emotion. Not volunteering, I'm already at a disadvantage, but if I can convince the Careers that I would have volunteered anyway, I'll hopefully be able to get in.

Having a kid as a partner could make things easier or harder. I have to depend on luck and being able to talkmy way out of this mess. I'm unconfident on either skill, but I have to try.

I sit, back straight, waiting for Nina to leave. If I speak to her, I could break down, and I need to stay strong.

One thing I've learnt in my hellhole of a life; through every bit of pain, through every betrayal, is that only the strong will survive.

I'm strong physically.

And now I need to be strong mentally.

This chapter is probably slightly too mentor heavy. I'm unsure on that.

What do you think of these two? Is the Career pack going to be strong this year? 1/3 of the way in to the reapings. If you have any complaints, please express them.

ALSO LOOK AT ME KEEPING ON AN INCREDIBLY EASY SCHEDULE!

(I literally did 90% of it today instead of spreading it evenly over the week like a normal person.)