District 2

Arabella Runner – POV

My eyes flutter open, the smell of egg and toast drifts into my nose, a soft grin enters my face as I sit up, and I jump out of bed then pull my dark red hair into a high ponytail. I run down stairs and sprint into the kitchen, licking my lips, ready to stuff my face full of egg and hot toast, the smell gets thicker as I run closer to the kitchen. When I get into the kitchen I jump onto the stool, pick up my fork and shove a full egg into my mouth and chew until I can swallow.

"So, Bella? Todays a big day for you, huh?" my mother politely askes, I look around and everyone is staring at me, "Yeah" I say with my mouth still half full of egg "Very big day", I swallow. My aunt looks over at me and holds out her hand, closed, she then opens it and inside is a silver bracelet "Here, for good luck", I smile at her, she smiles back, I pick up the bracelet and slide it onto my wrist "well" I say happily "I have my token" and I hold up my wrist, just as I finish I reach over to my aunt and give her a hug "you better go and find a nice outfit to wear for the reaping" she says while gesturing her hands up the stairs.

I look through my closet and try on dresses in the mirror, none look good, well at least not good enough for a reaping, especially one I will volunteer in, I scream in frustration as I throw my last dress on the floor and stomp on it, I sit on my bed and put my face into my hands, as I look up I see a drawer under my closet, I jump to go and open it, my hands clamp the handle and I pull as hard as ever, not realizing it's not very tight, I spring back and slam into my bed and unluckily the drawer comes with me. As I regain my vision, I see a short, black, tight dress encrusted in golden jewels, with a matching leather jacket and some back pumps. I sigh out of relief, I'm glad they weren't heels, I hate heels, then I get dressed and trot downstairs.

As I come into view of my family, I hear gasps and wows, I walk into the living room and stand in front of the sofa, facing my family, I twirl and smile "oh, honey" my mom gasps "you look stunning" I look at her and give a cheeky smile "well, Bella" my dad says "you better get over there and make the family proud!" I grin and make my way to the door "see you there?" I turn my head to my family "of course" my mum says in a considerate way.

As I walk I catch the eye of a tall, blond, well-built boy, he's good looking, but not for me, I make my way over to the square and find my only friend Lenna and go line up with her, "So? Are you going to do it?" she says all exited "Yes!" I reply less exited "I'm going to do it" just as I finish she sentence she squeals at the top of her lungs, I hold my ears, she can go very high pitched. After we get our fingers pricked we wait for the escort. Albus walks on and introduces himself, he has bright orange hair with golden highlights and he is wearing a golden shining suit, which is pretty clam for Albus, then the video plays, 'war, terrible war…' belch its annoying at this point, but if I win I will never have to hear it again, another good thing about winning.

"Okay!" he squeals higher than Lenna, "Ladies First!" ouch, my ears. He dips his hand into the bowl and pulls out a slip he walks over to the mic and calls out "Lenn—" and before I know it my hand boosts up and I scream "I volunteer, I volunteer, me, me" Albus, looks at me and I walk up with a proud smile across my face, he holds the mic to my face "Arabella Runner" I say, trying to sound devious and sly.

He then walks over to the boys ball, he puts his hand in and pull out a slip, he walks back to the mic and says "Dax Roland" before I can think the blond boys hand shoots up and he shouts "I volunteer" I look at him in the eyes while he walks up, we shake hands and leave, I'm going to the capitol.

Julian Brooks – POV

I wake up the sound of Nat playing her trumpet, for school on Monday, she has a huge concert, too bad I will be in the Capitol preparing myself for the games, I can't wait until I volunteer, In District 2 it's an honour to volunteer, it's even an honour to die in the games, but more of a honour to win them. I stroll downstairs and jump onto the chair, I pick up my fork and, as my father says 'dig in' to my pancakes, in district two we rarely have pancakes, even though our district is quite rich pancakes are still a luxury to us.

"I'm going to volunteer today" I blurt out, my mother and father slowly grin but my sister Natalie just sits there looking at me "You're going away?" she asks, I look at her in pity "don't worry Nat" I give her a light smile "I will come back, and then we'll be rich" she takes a deep breath and says "okay" she pauses "but if you die, I will bring you back, and KILL you!" she says jokingly.

I walk into my room and think about what I will wear for the reaping, I don't really know what to wear, I finally find a decent outfit, a white t-shirt with a denim unbuttoned shirt over, some plain denim jeans and a pair of trainers, nothing special, I walk downstairs and watch the capitol news, it's just some jibber jab about the games this year, the tributes, the game maker 'Roman Leto' who says the games this year will be the 'most interesting' games, well, interesting huh?.

I hear the bell for the reaping, I didn't realize how long I was watching the Capitol news for, I jump out of the sofa and run out the door to find herds of 12 to 18 year olds and their families on their way to the reaping, some look scared, some exited and some, calm.

I see an older girl wearing a black dress with gold on it, she has long red hair, I wonder if she will be in the games with me? She has that look on her face, the look of 'todays the day' she seems like a good teammate, athletic, slim, because I will obviously be with the careers for the majority of the games, I need to analyse my possible fellow tributes, there is a girl with a short blonde bob, she looks very strong, winner material, but that's why I don't want her, she seems, too cunning and smart.

Before I can analyse everyone I realize I'm already in the square, I go stand with the rest of the 17 year olds, I wait for about ten minutes then Albus walks on stage with his orange and gold hair wearing a gold suit, he then introduces the mentor Craig Nero who won the games about 6 years ago, I remember his games, they were pretty gruesome, I don't like to think about them a lot, then he plays the video from the capitol 'in penance for their uprising…' I know this off by heart, "Okay!" he squeals "Ladies first", he trots over to the girls ball and pulls out a name, "Lenn—" before I know it the girl with the red hair puts her hand up in the air and shouts, "I volunteer, I volunteer, me, me!" she walks up and says her name "Arabella Runner" proud and sly.

Albus now walks over to the boys, he picks out a name and I feel a chill down my spine, he stands in front of the mic and opens the slip, he calls out "Dax Roland" before I know it my hand shoots up and I'm shouting "I Volunteer" I walk up to the stage as I look towards Arabella she is staring me right in my eyes, I get to the stage and look out at everyone, the peacekeepers take us to the train and before I know it, were off to the Capitol.