District Nine

Tybal Marran (17) D9M

"Come on Tybal! Grab him!"

"You can do it!"

The crowd roared its support for him and his opponent in equal measure, unable to decide who to support. These people were considerably rich, and didn't mind spending a few bucks on entertainment and the satisfaction of listening to the small creak! as the bones of the fighters were broken. There were around twenty people present there, a smaller amount compared to the other days. However, it was understandable, as the Reapings would take place the next day.

A white boy stood in the middle of the ring, provoking the opponent. The boy was around seventeen, with a fit physique. Blood and sweat dripped from his forehead, and threatened to enter his green eyes. A long scar ran across the back of his head, and the shirtless boy had many scars on his torso; the proof of all the battles he had fought.

Tybal watched his opponent, who appeared to be hesitating in approaching him. That was good. At least his aggressive demeanour was useful in scaring the opponents right before the match. The other boy, a strong boy of around twenty, finally decided to attack. With a roar, he ran forward and launched himself at Tybal in a leap.

The younger boy had anticipated this move. Crouching, he shot his arms, grabbing the other boy around the waist, and then lifted him bodily before slamming him on the ground. The crowd cheered, thumping their fists, crying out Tybal's name. They booed at the elder boy and screamed in Tybal's support as the other boy got to his knees to stand up. Tybal swung his foot which went crashing into his jaw. The crowd cheered when the satisfying crunch sounded. Another bone broken.

The other boy was, however, determined. Despite his pain, he raged at the dark-haired boy before headbutting him straight into his chest. The force was enough to knock Tybal off his feet, when the elder boy punched his jaw hard. The only bad thing about this, as far as the crowd was concerned, that his jaw wasn't broken as well. Loud gasps of 'Aww' erupted among the audience which soon turned to cheering as once again the younger boy had his opponent in his grasp. This time he hit him hard on the torso before flinging him out of the ring.

"And the winner of this match is Tybal Marran!"

The younger boy smirked at the crowd as they cheered. Asher, the referee of the match, winked at him. In spite of a small crows, they had managed to make big money from the show. Sure, a jaw had been broken, and both the fighters were bleeding, but at least they'd be given somewhat better food, Tybal more so than his competitor.

The two boys helped Tropius up on his feet. He wasn't young like the other two, who were bound here by slavery. No, Tropius had been bought as a slave by the 'family'. And although slavery wasn't supposed to exist in Panem, Tropius knew very well that he couldn't escape as the family had paid for him.

The three friends, exhausted from the day's work, dragged themselves to the hellhole they called home. All the three were slaves to the family who owned one of the biggest enterprising companies in the District. Tybal and Asher were orphans, and had been 'adopted' by the family, or so they said. Where reality was concerned, the boys found themselves living in quarters that weren't fit for human habitation. They were required to work for more than twelve hours a day at grain mills and fields. Or, some lucky people were allowed to fight in the fight rings that were organised by the family. These children were basically slaves till they were adults. Food was given twice a day, a meagre bowl full of gruel, not a spoon more. Any requests for more food, or water, or sleep, was awarded with lashings and a day without any food. The members of the fight ring, however, added extra income for the family, and hence were allowed a little more of everything. Tybal had signed up for this only for the food. No, he wasn't interested in having his bones broken by other adopted 'children' of the family, but this was the only way for him to survive, even if his left shoulder had been dislocated twice already. He was just waiting to turn eighteen, and adult, after which he would be free to finally leave.

Or so he thought.

Looking at Tropius though, he wasn't so sure. His friend was an adult, and the family had basically bought him. Would they do the same to him? After all, he was pretty popular in this ring fights. People often bet their money on Tybal Marran winning the match. And he worked a lot on the fields as well. He hoped he wouldn't be bought like Tropius. There would be nothing to his life if that were to happen, and he was fed up of living like a slave.

"What are you thinking, Tybal?" Asher asked gently.

Now, Tybal usually wasn't a person who'd talk to others openly. Nor was he very friendly. But there were people in the family that he liked, that he was friends with, and with them he behaved without any mental or physical restrictions.

"Just tired, Asher."

At that, Tropius let out a very loud sigh. It was followed by an even louder groan as he leaned against Asher, who looked as if he'd fall under the weight. Tybal reached out to his friend and slung his arm across his own shoulder, trying to lessen the weight on Asher's.

"Thanks man."

A silence threatened to consume the company after that. All of them knew what Tybal meant when he said that he was 'tired'. He never meant it in the physical sense, and of them were brave enough to address the real cause of their misery. The boys were tired of the Capitol's tyranny which gave the rich people to exploit the poor and the helpless to such an extent. They were tired of being called the 'sons' of the family wherever they went, and being treated like a dog bathed in slime. They were tired of their lives.

But what could they do? What could Tybal do? It was written in the luck of the poor to endure, and that's what he did; endure. The possible reason for this was that he looked forward to his life after slavery. But what if he spoke out? What would happen to him? Would he be allowed to live even as a slave? It was highly unlikely.

The three broken boys continued on their way home, knowing in their hearts that for now, there was no escaping this hell.

Tapicca Shrone (14) D9F

"Tapicca-"

"Just watch, Rihan!"

"Tapicca-"

"It's going to happen now!"

"Tapi-"

"Rihan! Silence. Just watch!"

Rihan was not entirely convinced of her friend's plan. Their record hadn't really been, how to say it? Tapicca was pretty reckless, and her plans were rather formidable for a fourteen-year-old girl. Add to it the fact that she knew how to carry out her plans, which often created hilarious situations- for Tapicca. The person on whom the plan had been enacted would differ from Tapicca's idea of fun.

The two girls were neatly concealed behind some bush. Now, usually in Nine, nobody had the time to find a bush and hide behind it. But these two girls weren't like the usual crowd. They stood out. But today, Rihan was feeling annoyed because of the prickly bush. They cut her skin and clothes and were despicable itchy, something that her friend didn't seem to notice.

"What are you up to, Tapicca?"

"Just wait for a little while Rihan!"

The short girl shushed her reasonable friend, before turning her attention to the scene before her. It was a deserted field, with a single basket of grains kept in the middle. Rihan couldn't understand what was going to happen, but one thing was clear; it was a prank. After all, there were often words who became synonymous to a person. And prank had the same relationship with Tapicca.

They waited for what felt like an eternity to both of them, Rihan urging her friend to leave now, and Tapicca being firm on her stand to stay. And then, finally, it felt as if their wait was going to give them their fruit. Tapicca shook violently as she tried to suppress her giggles. Now, if she were the only one to vibrate like an oscillator, it would have been fine, but the prickly bush vibrated along with her, and so Rihan, the ever sensible one, grabbed her friend to steady her. At her touch, Tapicca regained control over her thin body again, and then there was silence except for the footsteps that approached.

Rihan's eyes widened when she saw who was approaching. Or rather, who were approaching. The Reaping was scheduled the next day, and an eerie calm had descended on the entire District but their escort, Europa, was intent on taking a walk among the fields and 'be one with nature'. So here she was, along with the respected mayor, taking a stroll of the clearing, a great tourist attraction that nobody wanted to visit. And here stepped forward the beautiful Europa, her voice full of glee as she pointed at the basket of grains.

"Tapicca," Rihan whispered gravely as the situation dawned on her, "Please don't say you're going to do so."

"Just watch Rihan!"

"You can get in trouble!"

"We won't be found!"

"Tapic-"

What Rihan wanted to say was never found out. Her words died on her lips as the most atrocious event unfolded in front of her eyes, and she could do nothing about it. Where the basket of grain was present mere moments ago, there lay a large circular cavity. Europa and the respected mayor were nowhere to be seen, but their voices were clear enough to be heard. The source of the melodious cursing was apparently the cavity on the ground, the culprit that sat still innocently.

Tapicca held Rihan's wrist tightly before taking off. It was initially slow as the two friends tried to get the feeling back in their feet. Till then, they were content in near wobbling. But when they picked up pace, which was surprisingly quick considering how long they'd been sitting still.

When they had put a considerable distance between themselves and the cavity, with the two amazing people inside it, Tapicca burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that she was forced to shut her sharp, hazel eyes, tears squeezing out. Her dark red curls veiled her face as she doubled over laughing, her voice too loud for Rihan's comfort. Sure, she was her partner-in-crime, but this was actually too much. Even when Tapicca had tricked a Peacekeeper into falling and making people believe that she had spoilt them, Rihan hadn't been this worried.

But this time it wasn't about a Peacekeeper. It was about their escort and their mayor. Although Rihan had to admit that they were foolish for walking alone in a clearing without any security. Who did that? The girls had definitely expected better from the mayor, if nothing else.

"You shouldn't have had done that," she said sternly, looking at Tapicca in the eye. The other girl laughed at her friend's serious face and then clapped her on the back.

"Relax! It was all good fun! Plus, which escort and mayor walk in a clearing in a district like Nine and actually walk to a stray basket? It was once in a lifetime event!"

Rihan groaned at that. Tapicca sure was not only a prankster, but also had a good range of words that made the situation funnier. And she was right. This stupidity wasn't on display every day. It had been a one in a lifetime event.

"But Tapicca, you must realise that it's dangerous. If anyone finds out… do you have any idea what will happen?"

"Nobody will find out Rihan! I've never been caught. Just chill."

"It's hard to 'just chill' with you being this way. Pranking a few boys and teachers is a different thing. It doesn't involve risk on your life! You need to understand this!"

Tapicca sighed, her shoulders slumping. She was afraid the sensible Rihan would object to her idea of fun, and Tapicca admitted her reasoning was solid. However, her skills in pranking were no small feat either, and she was sure she would get away with all the pranks if she did them right. But right now, the priority was to pacify her friend. And so, she smiled at Rihan and gave her a bear hug.

"Fine madam," she said with a goofy grin, "No more pranks on important people."

Rihan smiled back at her although she was convinced that Tapicca was goofing around. She knew her friend like the back of her hand. But still, like the good friend she was, she nodded and let the subject drop.

Hopefully, they would get away from this mess…

District Ten

Lily Angler (17) D10F

It was a common incident in District Ten for children to be orphaned at a young age. Many such deaths happened due to the dangers of working, many due to the harsh punishments and there were some cowardly souls who delighted in taking their own lives out of free will.

Such was the father of Lily Angler. His wife had passed some time ago and he, in his grief, had opted to commit suicide. Not once thinking about his fourteen-year-old daughter, who was orphaned. Who had no siblings. Who had no guardians. Late Mr. Angler didn't anticipate the harsh life at the orphanage, at least that was what it seemed like. Why else would he condemn his only daughter to such a fate?

The orphanage was slightly worse than a prison and slightly better than hell. The officials didn't mind assaulting children to 'keep them in line' from time to time. They didn't mind tearing off their outfits in case something went missing. After all, it wasn't uncommon to hide valuable objects like disposable spoons, cups and a slice of bread in the clothing. These were luxuries.

In such a situation, it would do one good to be on good terms with the authorities. Yes, despite it appearing to be a mammoth task, there were children who actually managed to achieve this feat, along with the bragging rights it brought. The orphanage was nothing less of a jungle, where the fittest and the strongest survived and the weak died of their own humiliation.

A particular lass of seventeen had acquired the skills needed to survive this wonderful place. She got along well with the warden, the staff, the children, the security, everyone. And it wasn't as if she didn't take her chance to steal. In fact, she was often in her room, munching on that extra slice of bread and cheese that was forbidden to all the issues in that orphanage. But she got away with it, and never once had she been assaulted. Politeness and cunningness were at forefront of all her out of the world abilities. Who, after all, could report a child's misdoings and yet get along with the said child? Wasn't it not the power of the extraordinary? Wasn't Lily Angler a special child, blessed with the virtues of shrewdness and an ability to put on a good show?

And now, supposedly after an entire decade, the orphanage was planning a trip to the neighbouring town. There would be ranches there, and people, and fresh green grass whistling in the wind. There would be clear skies and birds flying overhead, singing their melodious songs. There would be bakeries and different kinds of food, and there would be candy too! Now extending this type of kindness was not in the nature of the officials running the orphanage, but the authorities reasoned that good conduct was to be rewarded once in a while. And hence, the issues with good conduct were to be taken to the next town in a bus! None of the children knew what buses were like, having been here in the dark for almost all their life, and hence none of them wanted to miss out on the opportunity.

Lily, however, wasn't as enthusiastic as her peers. She'd been here for three years only, and knew what buses and candy were like. No, it wasn't as if she didn't want to experience something like pseudo freedom again, but she wasn't a person who could claim to be excited at this news. This behaviour was for the poor and the weak, and Lily refused to accept that she was either.

The bus had a capacity of forty people, and Lily wanted one seat for her. Currently though, her enemy Liliana was on the list, and she had to remove her from it. It wasn't going to be hard, only if she kept her acting real. And so, Lily walked down the corridor purposefully, the pearl necklace stowed away in the pocket of her navy blue dress. These were all that her parents had left her, and surprisingly the dress still fit. She carried the necklace only to fuel her rage further, which was really helpful for not making her feel guilty about what she did.

She turned to the right, facing a majestic looking oak wood door. Raising her thin tanned hand, the blonde knocked on the door smartly, her intense grey eyes fixed on it. Slowly, the girl lowered her hand, waiting for the response. It came.

"Come in!"

Grabbing the door handle, she pushed it open and walked into the warden's room.

The room was grand by the orphanage's standards. There was an actual sofa against the wall. The window gave way to the beautiful view outside and the warden himself was seated on the high chair behind a rosewood desk. A ceiling fan, a rarity everywhere, rotated swiftly overhead. Lily took a moment to enjoy the feeling of the swift air drying her sweat. But it was not a luxury to be indulging in for long, and hence she walked over to the warden and smiled.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning Lily!" he replied. Usually, he wasn't this cheerful, but Lily had managed to entrance him in such a way that he could never be mad at her. And hence, the fat man smiled at the girl in front of him, waiting politely for her to continue.

"Sir, I'm sorry for disturbing you but…"

"But what, Lily? Is something wrong? Do you have to…," the warden said and then lowered his voice, "report something?"

Lily nodded, her eyes miserable. It appeared as if she was grieving on the inside for her peer. This pretence was important, otherwise the warden would know she was playing him and everyone around. Slowly, in a broken voice, she spoke.

"Sir, Liliana has- she has stolen the knife from the kitchen."

The warden's tiny eyes widened at the news as he sprang to his feet. Never before… never before had a child dared to steal a weapon from the orphanage!

"What's she planning to do?!"

"Sir, Liliana doesn't get along well with many children. I'm afraid she might try to harm us."

"Well then, she and her room will be searched. Good job, Lily, for letting us know. I'll look into this at once!"

And with that, the angry warden stormed out, calling out for his staff.

Young Lily let out a sigh and then smirked. As she sat down on the sofa, she played in her mind the scene that was to be painted. The knife would be found in Liliana's room, just where Lily had panted it. The other girl would be punished, maybe even grounded into solitary confinement, and Lily would be going on the trip in her place. She didn't mind at all. Liliana was, after all, her enemy.

Grinning, she got to her feet. No, she didn't want to leave the room yet, but there were some luxuries that were to be enjoyed only for so long.

Wesley Elster (17) D10M

Two years ago…

The barn had finally been completed.

Wesley had been unsure of how long it would take for them to completely build the barn on their property. For as long as he could remember, they had been trying to build it. So, when it was finally completed, it took more than a couple of days for Wesley to digest it. That their family won't be talking about the completion progress anymore.

And now, father and son were already working on the barn.

It was a stormy night. Thunder roared in the distance, and the tall boy couldn't help but glance up at the sky every now and then. Lightning was approaching, and it would do them no good by staying around anymore. Staying in a barn during lightning wasn't a clever notion, and young Wesley, running his hand through his light brown hair, voiced his concerns to his father.

"You're right son, let's go back home."

These words acted like a trigger to the events that followed. It was almost mesmerising to watch for young Wesley, even as his father had already moved forward. The lightning tore open the very sky, and like a missile fell on the barn, impacting it with its full wrath.

It was a horrifying sight when the barn caught fire, and soon young Wesley was surrounded by flames. His father probably thought he had already escaped, but here he was, surrounded by flames gasping for breath, fighting off the smoke, running hard, calling out for his father. But he had left already, and Wesley was stranded in a burning barn with nowhere to go.

But he wasn't a person who gave up in the face of adversities, and so he continued to try and find a way. continued persistence on his part enabled him to spot a gap from where he could escape, and without waiting he bolted towards it. A part of his brain was repenting about how the barn was gone, and fifteen years of hard work had been for nothing, but he was thankful that at least he could see a path ahead.

But maybe he had thought it too early. For as soon as he made it to the gap, a meatal beam fell on top of him, crushing him under its weight. He tried to shove it off himself, coughing and crying due to the smoke. The fire was approaching, his father was nowhere to be seen, and he was trapped underneath a metal beam, helpless to go anywhere.

Before the fire, it was the smoke that engulfed in. He tried not to breathe, but it was impossible for any human to do, and the smoke claimed him. After that, there was darkness.

Wesley Elster had not expected to open his eyes again. And especially not in his own bed, with his loving parents and the local healer looking at him. They were all smiling kindly, and it was looking at them that Wesley forgot about the searing pain in his body. Especially his left leg. The leg… there seemed to be something wrong with it…

"Son, it will be difficult for you to accept it," the healer said kindly, his voice heavy, "Your father managed to save you from the fire but the beam that had fallen on you had cut your leg. And now…"

He left the sentence hanging. None of them had the courage to tell the young boy of fifteen that his leg was gone, and that he couldn't possibly walk any more. The boy understood what had happened from the loud silence, and for a moment he too kept quiet. It was not easy, accepting that he couldn't walk anymore, but he had to. At least, he had to pretend for his parents. Wesley tried to look at the bright side of it all. At least he was alive, and living with his favourite people. There was nothing to mourn. That's what Wesley tried to convince himself of anyway. Forcing himself to smile, he looked at the three people. His mother was sobbing uncontrollably and his father… his father wasn't looking at anyone in the eye. He blamed himself…

"It's okay, sir," Wesley said bravely, "I-I'll try to manage."

"You can get a prosthetic leg," the healer suggested, "But-"

"I know they're expensive but I'll try my best to get it. And my family will help me. Right, dad?"

Mr Elster looked up at his son finally, and to Wesley it seemed as if he had been hit with a hammer. His father's eyes were bleak. His strong, confident dad was crying…

"Y-yes, son," he managed to whisper back, before averting his eyes again.

But Wesley was determined to earn the money to get himself a prosthetic leg. He couldn't look at his father killing himself with guilt. He was going to recover and planned to give it his all.

Present time…

Luck favours those who put in the efforts, and this saying was proven true by Wesley Elster. Today, two years hence the accident, Wesley was walking on his own two feet, his long trousers concealing his fake leg. That wasn't something he was comfortable in revealing to the world, but the boy had trained himself to a level that his fake leg worked as well as his real one. In fact, Wesley didn't mind running around much either, all thanks to his new limb.

His light eyes had a twinkle in them as he walked back home, tired from the day's work. The strong young man had also promised his mother that would go grocery shopping after returning, and as far as he was concerned, it was high time he went to the shop. But the evening air was cool but not hostile, and the beautiful sounds of animals were delightful. He didn't see anything wrong in going in a little late. After all, nature and its beauty had to be enjoyed, and sometimes one had to make time for it. So Wesley slowed down his pace, humming an old tune, thinking about the next day. He wasn't keen on the Reapings, and it was no surprise that he loathed the Games just like any other human. In fact, the Games might be one of the only things he hated, for hate was a strong word. But there was nothing Wesley could do about it and it was this feeling that he disliked. He knew helplessness first hand and thus was not an alien to the grief of the common district man.

But he was powerless, and had a family to think about. He didn't dare to put their life at risk and thus he bore it all.

And he was going to bear it till the end.

Hello ladies and gentlemen! Pretty fast update, eh? So, how are you all doing? Life's been hectic, but I didn't want to keep you all waiting for so long. Hopefully, the chapter was decent. So, what are your thoughts on all the tributes? Who's your favourite of the bunch? Anything that stood out to you? Hope to hear from you soon.

Have a nice day all!