Camryn Marino
The bright noontime sun shone down on the city square of District 4 like every other day, but one thing had definitely changed for this day in history. Today the reapings for the eighty-eighth Hunger Games were to start. Earlier that week the gamemakers released that these games were not to be any more special than the others but there was going to be a certain surprise. But that surprise was not to be revealed before all the tributes were picked.
The whole District was dressed out in their best clothes to show off for the Capitol when they taped the reapings. The colors we wore were mostly bright neons and watery colors because after all District 4 was the fishing district; some of the younger kids just wore their swimsuits to the reapings though. And because our district was so close to the Capitol we were dubbed as one of the three Career districts because we cheated and trained kids to compete and volunteer themselves for the games; which apparently we aren't supposed to do. But it happens anyway.
Our families were split up at the city square entrances and the children were lead to each specific corner according to age and lined up by height. The rays of sunlight cast shadows down upon us from the high skyscraper like buildings that surrounded us like city hall and the work offices. Yes; offices because although our main export was fishing we had to do some negotiating with the Capitol to make sure we were getting everything done right and well.
Around one in the afternoon, the Capitol escort arrived and the ceremony started each way it did for every year and every district. A video from the Capitol showing the uprising and how they solved it in record time before Panem fell to the depths like other countries.
~X…x…X~
Camryn and Sora stood in the same section of District 4 as all the other sixteen year olds who had been waiting for this moment to prove themselves to Panem and to the rest of their families. Camryn Marino was one of the few boys who had been dubbed as a Career this year. His muddy brown hair almost blended into the background of the shady tree trunks, but what did stand out about him were his emerald green eyes. Beside him stood his long-time friend named Sora Trill. Her blonde hair shone in the noontime air like rays of brilliant morning sunshine. Camryn had always known she was special, he had a crush on her since at least first grade, but she was too good for him and he hoped that she would get reaped so that her could volunteer and be with her for at least a little while.
The man who had been assigned to District 4 as the escort wore his hair as a neon pink puff on the top of his head; not nearly as manly as it should be. Amazing how the people from the Capitol can be so easily changed and substituted as fake and almost mannequin-like. And despite the escort's appearance as a more feminine figure, his voice was deep and very intimidating. As the reaping's kept up, they showed various videos from the last few games and other times they showed clips of the rebellion. But why these people keep wanting to remind us that the rebellion was bad is unknown. Because District 1, 2, and 4 were always on the Capitol's side. The mayor of our District eventually came to the microphone and began to speak more about how what an honor it would be for two children from his District to compete in the games.
Eventually, the man with the pink hair who was assigned our escort, whose name happened to be Christo Fyre, came to the stand after pulling two names out of the two glass bowls. The first name he called was for the boys. That name just happened to be one of my friends from school.
"Pyro Flemming, please come up to the stage," Christo calls out with no emotion.
Before anyone could even move, I call out from my space in the crowd. "I volunteer!"
Cheers erupted around me and people clapped their hands on my back as I make my way up to the stage to stand tall next to Christo. But when I see Pyro I stop and nod to him, he nods back in silent thanks because he had been injured a few days ago during a training exercise.
As I turn to walk the rest of the way though, I feel Pyro's hand on my shoulder and he whispers in my ear, "be careful." Again, I nod and go take my place next to the pink haired escort.
Sora Trill
As I watched my best friend make his way up to the stage I look back at my family and sigh. Why did this have to happen every year? It's been eighty-eight years since the rebellion and if anyone did rise up against the Capitol an end would be put to it right away because of new technology that District 3 created.
The applause for Camryn went on for a long while before Mr. Christo stopped it with a wave of his hand. That only goes to show how much power the Capitol has over us though, with a wave of his hand he can silence part of a nation. I know that everyone else has had this thought at least once in their life; but the games are tearing families apart for no good reason and if this keeps going on then it will eventually tear Panem apart with it.
Just like my small family; my father, and my two younger siblings who happen to be twins. Their names are Susana and Marie and this year is the first time that they have had their names put in the large glass bowl that decides our fate.
Tension was building from the wait; you could almost feel everyone's anxiety hanging in the air to see which young girl would join Camryn on the journey down to the depths of primal life. Christo then continued and dipped his hand into the glass bowl and pulled out a small slip of paper. "Sora Trill, congratulations and please come up to the stage!"
My world dropped to the ground for a moment but then I took a deep breath and nodded. As I made my way up to the stage; I stopped in front of Susana and Marie. "Be good, and don't let daddy do anything stupid, ok?" They both nod then I go to stand next to Camryn. We shake hands and smile at each other before turning to face the cameras.
Christo proceeds and puts his arms around our shoulders, bringing the three of us closer before shouting at the cameras to be heard over the roar of the crowd. "Panem, these are your two tributes from District 4! They are on the road to victory!"