Midas, District 1, Male, Age 18

"You're a disgrace to our District!" I swiftly dodged out of the way of the incoming garbage flung in my direction. I was just sitting there, against the wall, minding my own business. But people were throwing garbage at me.

Why? You might ask. Well here's your answer.

I'm a rebel... in District 1.

Practically my whole District had been Loyalist, but I said practically.

A few days ago some of my buds had been publicly executed. Jaron, Tony and Septer had all been murdered for standing up for what they believe in. It was sick and twisted. The whole District was forced to come and watch, although mot had come by choice. Like I said we were mostly Loyalist. I remember standing there, watching them get executed. Trying to pretend I enjoyed seeing my mates die, gruesomely murdered in front of me.

I wanted to puke when I saw a girl in the front row, clutching on to her father smile as Septer's head was shot. I pained me to see her smile, we had a rough past. Nobody but me knew it was Septer under that mask. How? A mask was also put over my head. So why was I standing sitting here now? Still living and still living a literal Hell.

Personally I'd rather have died then to be stuck here. Pelted with garbage and called names like 'bastard' and dickhead'. Why didn't I die? Simple. My parents.

When I first decided I believed in the Rebel cause I had bailed on my parents beliefs and enforced my own. In secret of course.

I had persuaded it, my beliefs, by telling my family I was helping the loyalist side. They believed me of course, they're strong, only-child, finally grown up. it made me sad yes, but I couldn't fight for something I thought was wrong. Every night me and my buds would go to 'rallies' and battlefields. My family had decided to not take part in the shooting or fights, instead like all the other spoiled rich, powerful families, they stayed in the comfort of their own home.

They were cowards, I was disgusted to even be related.

I stayed fighting in District 1 for a few more weeks, those were the best of my life. I was free, killing people was not good, but I firmly believed in what I as doing, and so did they. whenever I shot someone down I would offer them a little prayer before moving on.

So with all the confusion of the war, I was crossed over to District 2, we had no knowledge of the outside Districts. Well I didn't anyways. My parents wouldn't let me watch the news, said I was 'too young'. Yeah right. I was more mature at fourteen then they were at forty.

So we crossed, we thought District 2 was Rebel. Boy were we wrong. They were even more loyal to the Capitol then District 1. We didn't realize it at first, then everything went downhill.

One of the Loyalist shooters saw me, she was the same girl who'd smiled at Septer's Death. She looked to be my age, maybe younger... perhaps thirteen when I first saw her. Well, I didn't exactly know it was a her. She had a mask on. The Capitol side of The Rebellion was a lot more organized. They wore mask and armor, I wore makeshift hats and sweaters.

She stiffened when she saw me, even behind her mask I could fee anger.

She hissed when she saw me and shot at my face, I dodged but the bullet had skimmed my ear. The blood started flowing, the pain was unbearable. I stumbled a bit before she pulled out a long silver dagger. She rammed it into my body. I screeched as I fell. My body went numb ad the last thing I could remember was black.

ooooOoooo

I remember waking up in my room, there she stood proudly like she had just captured or killed a rare prize. My parents stood there, my mother looked dissapointed, my father looked like steam was going to come out of his ears.

My father scolded me until I was crying, the girl stood there looking smug as the tears trickled down. my mother gave me a lecture. I was still crying, though it wasn't as bad. It wasn't until the very end 'til I got the girls name.

Maya.

The name felt hideous on my tongue, even now as I'm simply recalling the memory, it still had a foul taste to it.

She then left. Telling me to prepare for executions.

Three days she had said. Three days.

I remember my parents leaving and crying myself to sleep. Because I stood up for what I believed in I was gong to die. I cried some more in the morning before wiping my tears away. I couldn't go outside anymore, my parents didn't trust me. Scared that I would alert my Rebel friends and have them killed.

I remember thinking how little they knew about me. I would never kill my own flesh and blood. I wasn't the monster they thought I was.

If I had been on the 'right' side then my parents would be happy, proud. Asking how many kills I had gotten or how I murdered that one rebel. It was disgusting.

Instead they now looked at me if I were some stranger. But when three days came I was preparing to die, but it never came. Apparently the war had reached District 1, we were already at war but it had just gotten worse, much worse. Districts 5 and 8 had come to attack us.

Other Districts had gone top 2 and 4. they were targeting the Loyalist Districts. My execution never came.

But a death did come, it just wasn't my own.

My friend Kenede had been gruesomely murdered by a loyalist. My beliefs were just enforced. I managed once again to slip away. Join the fight. It wasn't going great, even with our number being greater, we were still no match to their tech.

The rebellion lasted 5 years. I spent all 5 on the battlefield. Minus a few days of being locked away.

4 years passed until it finally ended, we had been beat.

My execution was planned for real this time.

The memory was so vivid, then again it had only happened a few days ago.

I was getting ready, or was being prepared. A black mask was tied around Jaron, Septer and Tony's mask had all been tied already. They had all exited the room as well. The mask had just touched the tip of my nose when it stopped.

I looked at the white Peacekeeper in front of me, he had his head turned.

There in the doorway stood my mother. She told me she would spare me. I was brought into the crowd and watched my three best friends get killed in front of my eyes. I blinked back tears.

Once the executions finally ended my mother turned to me, "Your father didn't come because he believes you were killed." I nodded my head wishing I had been. "I saved you, when I get home I will tell your father you are still living. You will never speak, look or even come near us."I nodded feebly once again. "You will keep your name, but will only address yourself to anyone as Midas."

I looked at her, "Why didn't you just let them kill me?"

She turned her head, her amber eyes blank as stones. Emotionless. they looked exactly like mine had when I found out I wasn't dying.

"I may be a monster, the war's done that to me, but I am still you mother." I watched her identical Amber eyes swell with tears, but she quickly pushed them down. She licked her lips and spoke once more, "I don't blame you for what you did, Midas, but I still don't agree with you." I could see her struggling to put out one more sentence, she opened and closed her mouth, liked she wanted to speak but wasn't sure if she should.

I gave her a reassuring smile.

"If you change your beliefs, Midas, you could-," her voice cracked in sadness,"-you could stay with us. me and your father"

I wanted to saw I would, but instead of nodding I shook my head. the action was out before I could take it back."I'm sorry." I croaked out.

"I know. Goodbye Midas." She caressed my cheek, a single tear finally penetrating her barrier.

With that she turned leaving me out in the open, no food no nothing. I watched her leave, golden hair identical to mine swishing gently in the wind. My hate for the capitol only grew stronger. They had torn my family away from me.

My beliefs just growing stronger. I remember that day so well, it's now permanently glued into my brain.

I shook my head, I wasn't going to cry in the middle of the street.

the words, Bastard Rebel, were throw in my direction, accompanied by a banana peel. Too caught up in the past, I didn't have time to dodge. It landed on my chest, slowing gliding down to my thigh. i didn't responded, just sat there. I held in the tears and hoped nobody noticed my pain.

That was my story, quite depressing wasn't it? I just sat there banana peel sliding off my knee. The people still treated me no better, even though the war had ended.

The banana peel slid off my knee and fell to the ground landing with a splosh.

I looked at the far end of District 1, I didn't refer to it as my own anymore, and at the peak of the very powerful families who owned the giant mansions. The ones cutting through the clouds. I used to live there. I sighed in Nostalgia.

I liked to live in the past, it's the only thing that now kept me sane. My friends, my past family. I looked around the market until my eyes found a certain brunette girl, she looked about my age.

I guess Maya still left a horrible taste in my mouth.

So Midas... He was so fun to write! I loved the interaction with Maya (D1F) who was submitted by the same person. So there's gonna be lots of Tension in D1 isn't there? Once last thing, the SYOT is almost full! I can't believe it. Thank you so much to everyone who submitted a tribute and may the odds be ever in your favor.