Shirley Gravestone

District 9 female

Nelly

"Be your own kind of beautiful"

Normally, I don't have to work before the Reaping but we had a large order from the Capitol and we've had to work overtime to fufill it. On the bright side I've been getting paid more but I haven't seen my friends for a few weeks now.

I work in the factory while most of my friends are field workers. Factory pays better but it is a fairly elite job and the only reason I got it is because of my mother. She died of the plague when I was 15 but she was a hard worker and I was able to take her place.

I was just typing in a complicated code when my hair band snapped. My long, slightly frizzy hair burst all over my shoulders and I sighed. I had no spare band so I had to deal with my hair being in my face for until I could go home. Fun.

Finally it was time to leve so I grabbed my bottle of water and began the jog home. I only had an hour before the Reaping and it was 2 miles to the square if I wanted to get changed.

I walked into my house and went into my bedroom. Both me and my brother had a separate room, something we were lucky for. I pull on my special yellow sun dress, a birthday present from Neil, and a pair of red sandals.

I go over to the mirror and pull my hair into a ponytail. I do not have any makeup, that is a luxury very little can afford, but I take out a red pen and colour my lips.

I look alright.

My brother Chris comes barging into my room with a smile that I know from experience means trouble. I look at him suspiciously but he just smiles at me.

"See you later sis!" he says with a smirk.

"But... you just..." I gave up not even caring.

It was time for the Reaping.

Felix Catharty

District 9 Male

MoonlessGalaxy

"If you don't understand my silence how will you understand my words"

Like normal no one pays much attention to me.

Both my mother and father are well liked members of the district, brilliant at what they do and sometimes I think I am a disappointment to them.

When I was first able to get a job I was in the factory due to my parents but it quickly became apparent that I would never be good with computers. I was allowed to transfer to the fields but everyone there resented me for having the choice when they knew they'd be likely stuck in the fields until they died.

I should probably care more about my peers.

I don't.

Why should I? They don't care about me!

After a long ass wait (about 5 minutes) our escort steps on stage.

Like most Capitolites she's a freak. She appears not to be very bright either because she is wearing fake fire, something that turned almost taboo 75 years ago.

We have apparently had her for almost 20 years but most people haven't learned her name. Why should we?

After the video and speech she walks over to the bowls and shoves her long nails, making an unpleasant scraping sound. She pulls out a girl I recognise from the factory and I frown. She was one of the few never rude to me.

Mrs Freak goes over to the males box and pulls out a name.

"Felix Catharty."

Let me just say. Karma's a bitch.

Madhi Quick

District 10 female

Oh my godddddd

"And I became one with the cows!"

I crooned softly at my favourite cow Bessie. I named her when I was 6 so her name isn't the best. She has soft brown eyes and her fur is extremely soft. Really she's more like a dog than a cow.

My family is a long line of cow farmers, about 3 generations and it's going to be my profession unless my mother has a male child before I turn 18.

6 years to go I guess.

It's my job to feed and milk all 14 of the cows, a job that takes me at least two hours. Rumour has it the Capitol has devices that mean the can milk cows with machines but if they do they aren't giving it to us any time soon.

Nice people the Capitol.

Around 12, I finally finished all my jobs and I was able to go home. I walked into my family cottage and greeted my Grandma. She started living with us when Grandad died and her eyes stopped working. She smiled at the area around me and waved her hand. She didn't talk much nowadays.

I went into my room and looked through my box of clothes. I didn't really have much so I put on my school uniform of a black skirt and a white shirt. I grabbed a pair of white socks and put on my shoes. My hair wouldn't go right but it was short so it didn't really matter so I left it.

I went over to the mirror and made a face. Other than for school I lived in my dungarees and I felt too formal in anything resembling a skirt.

Soon was ready to leave. I said goodbye to my Grandad and began my walk to the Square.

Fun.

Bruce Tauron

District 10 Male

Yogy2404

"That's it folks!"

Every time I see our escort I shudder. She has had plastic surgery to remove all fat so she is almost all bone. Her skin has been dyed green and yellow and altered to look scaly. She wears tight wrap around dresses and her hair is short and seems to be glued to her head.

She looks almost exactly like a snake. To put it nicely, I'm terrified of her.

I look down at my hands, trying to distract myself from her speech but my nails are still coated in blood from the Slaughter house, the place where I work. Being an animal lover, except for snakes of course, I hate my line of work. It pays well though so I stick with it.

I want to get out of the orphanage as soon as I turn 18 after all. It isn't a bad place, just depressing.

Snake lady finishes her speech and goes over to the girl box. She pulls out a name and I instantly feel sympathy. A twelve year old.

I've seen her around the fields sometimes but her family owns a private farm so she doesn't really go round the district often. She is of average height and she has choppy dark hair.

When the next name is called out I instantly stop feeling sympathy.

It's me.

I walk up to the stage, self consciously covering my bad eye and take my place next to the girl. We shake hands and I give her a quick smile. She doesn't smile back.

If the Capitol wanted friendly tributes from 10 they're out of luck.

Carolyn Scotts

District 11 Female

DauntlessThreeRavens

"One of the hardest parts of life is deciding whether to walk away or try harder."

I smile at Liza softly. It is two things today, the Reaping and our anniversary. We got together in the afternoon, 2 years ago but we celebrate in the morning in case the unthinkable happened.

I had been saving up for 3 months to get Liza her gift. A necklace with a grain charm. It wasn't the nicest thing but I knew she'd love it.

For Liza it was slightly more complicated. Her parents were some of the few religious people in 11 and Liza was afraid to come out to them. This meant she couldn't save her money like I did.

"Here!" I said, handing her the necklace.

"Oh Lyn! Thanks" She smiled "Can you help me put it on?" I oblige and she hands me hers. I look at it and I am lost for words. It is a simple leather bracelet with the district 11 symbol on it. I slip it onto my wrist and admire it.

"It's almost as beautiful as you!" I joke and she punches me softly. I catch her hand and hold look at each other, no sign of joking now and she leans forward and kisses me.

For a minute I forget every bad thing in the world and it's just me and Liza. I wish it would never end but all too soon it does. I giggle softly, and all of a sudden we are hugging.

"I love you!" I whisper, almost too quietly for her to hear but she does and she smiles.

All too soon we have to leave each other and I begin the walk back to my Aunts.

When I was 15 my parents died in a fire. For months I slipped into depression and of course it was Liza that saved me.

My Aunt has a large collection of old books, my favourite being 'The fault in our Stars' and every time I read one all I can think of is me and Liza.

Everyday I thank whoever is up there for her.

I go into my shared bedroom and pull on a plain white blouse and a pastel blue skirt. I adjust my overlarge glasses and smile at myself.

Not perfect. But okay.

Story of my life

Jacob Perkret

District 11 Male

MoonlessGalaxy

"FEAR MY SQUIRRELLY RATH! Fear it!"

My favourite thing about the Reaping is the escort. She looks almost exactly like my friend Nuts... except human of course!

I look at the Nut Nuts gave to me this morning and smile. He's so lucky. He'll never have to worry about the games, just another way he's superior to humans.

Mrs Nuts walks on stage in a manner that I can almost imagine a tail tucked between her legs and I smile and stand up straight. After a fairly long speech that I admittedly mostly zone out on the actual Reaping starts.

First she picks out a girl called Liza but to my surprise someone volunteers! I wonder if Nuts would ever volunteer for me... if he could talk I mean.

Them she pulls out the male name and all thoughts of my squirrel friend goes out of mind.

Because the name... belongs to me.

I walk onto the stage but get distracted by our Mrs Nuts. I look in fascination. She really does look like a squirrel!

I smile widely at my District partner to show that I'm friendly but she just stares back.

From certain angles she almost looks like a mouse. I decide to refrain from telling her this though.

Sonehow, I don't think she'd like it.

Shaft Grey

District 12 Male

LadyCordeliaStuart

"I've starved, I've been buried, I've frozen, I've suffocated. The world is running out of ways to kill me."

Let me tell you: there is no noise worse than listening your workmates basically cough their lungs out. We have vaccinations now but it is too late for some people. At 16, I shouldn't be in the mines but the peacekeepers are surprisingly easy to fool. Or perhaps they just want more victims.

At 13 my father died of black lung disease and my mother set both her and the house on fire. Some call this bad luck but I call this an uncareful father and a selfish mother.

You might be shocked at me talking about my 'beloved' parents in such a way but the Capitol developed a vaccination for any lung disease and in a rare show of 'kindness' gave it to the district. My father was just too overcome in his dislike of the Capitol to save himself.

After that I was carted off to the community home where they don't give a shit about us. It isn't really their fault, just lack of funding. It's every man for themselves and I wasn't profficient in self care. I nearly starved before I got my shit together.

At 15 I got my job in the mines and things got better. I mostly don't live in the community home, preferring to sleep in a shed by the mines. It's both bigger and warmer than my bedroom.

Like most days I don't have to work, I sleep in late before waking up. I have breakfast for once, a slightly squished apple.

After that I mostly mill around aimlessly, not really sure on what to do. I can't go back to sleep, lest I miss the Reaping and my shitty lifestyle means I don't really have enough energy to do much else.

Soon it's time for the Reaping, everyone's favourite event! I change into a slightly less tattered shirt and ripped jeans, not a style statment just worn out.

I walk to the Reaping, contemplating what would happen if I volunteered.

Wouldn't that go down well!

Annette Bourreau

District 12 female

ChillyIce

"I close my eyes and the world is beautiful. My parents are there smiling and the sun is shining, but then I open them and reality comes back. A dark reality without a shining sun"

I want to die. I don't know how. I don't care how. I just want to die.

My friends are telling me to stop being so ridiculous. That it's 'Just a phase' but I know my feelings. Others aren't so nice. Telling me to stop pretending to be edgy.

Imbeciles.

I stare off into the distance just wanting the Reaping to be over.

Then I get an idea.

I smile, not a real one of course, a twisted version.

Finally an escort steps onto the stage. All through her speech I am tapping my foot impatiently and finally she gets to the name drawing.

"Tarrilis Jains!"

I take a deep breath.

"I volunteer as a tribute!"

All around me I hear shocked gasps. One of my friends scream but I don't care.

Finally I'll get my wish.

Yayyyyy! I'm setting up both a blog and a poll. You'll find the link to the blog on my profile and the poll *gasp* also on my profile!

Who was your favourite of this lot. At a risk of sounding biased I loved writing Carolyn. Shhhh!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

OMG OUT BITCHES!