District Two, Karina Verselis
I am not going to bore you with the details. It is the day of the reapings at last, and I, as usual, flipped my lighter and ignited it repetitively to see the wondrous flame dance around my hand as I weave my fingers around it up and down playfully. I tease the fire inside the device with my breath, so that it weaves in and out and around my fingers, dangerously close to the point were any normal person would flinch back and pull away in fear of being burned. Cowards, in my opinion, they have no idea what they are missing. The thrill and rush of the heat from the flame tantalizing close around your fingers is unlike any other experience in life. It is my life. The burn from the accident on my arm, when I had first discovered the wonders of a flame, is evidence enough of how much fire is my life. I burned anything I could get my hands on. Empty candy wrappers, dry sticks left out in the sun, even my hair is singed to the length I desired. I never cut my hair, burning it is so much more convenient, well, once you got over the smell.
I never once saw much need for companionship. At most, I would see someone who I found interesting, and then manipulate them until they decided my presence was not a thing to be desired anymore. That would probably be the reason why everyone wasn't remorseful in the least when I announced earlier in the week that I would be volunteering this year, and if anyone were to try to volunteer before me, then I would set them on fire. Most of the underlings in the orphanage would heed my words very obediently. Sure, someone would revolt against me, setting a small something or another on fire, but they never really reported me, and if they did, they were sure to not do it again. Well, after I burned down the other orphanage, nobody really questioned my actions. They simply did what I told them to, just the way I liked it. In a way, it is a bizarre harmony of some sort of a dictatorship. My train of thought is rudely and annoyingly interrupted as I hear the rest of the people in the orphanage begin to clear out to the reaping area. I suppose it's time. I reluctantly closed my lighter and put it in the side pocket of my pants. I saw no reason to dress up to commemorate the occasion, so I merely got up and dusted off myself as best I could, then calmly proceeded to follow the rest of them at a distance. Within a minute of no flames within my grasp, I began to feel agitated and forlorn. I always hate not having the peace and serenity of a flame. It is, in a way, my coping mechanism of dealing with the idiots that constantly bombard me on a daily basis. It is rather tedious to deal with them, to say the least.
I look at some of the faces of the people I have been forced to share my dwellings with for most of my life. As always, I will never understand why people feel the need to cower in fear, even when they have been assured that they are in no way going to be harmed. Pathetic. I sigh, and assume the predetermined place where they had assigned me to stand for the ceremony. I never really listened to what it was about though. The video was always the same, as was the boring speech. Why do we even need this anyway? We all know what's going to happen. I will win, then I'll burn down everything I can. Just like Nero did with the city of Rome, and yes, I am not stupid and uncultured like the rest of the citizens here. I know about the history of the world from an old book I found in the restricted section of a library I burned down a few years ago. I thought it was pretty fitting. I mean, it was scheduled for demolition in the first place, so naturally I decided to help them out a bit. No major damage was caused, I just got out with a burn or two across my forehead. Not that it was something to be ashamed of. I am already covered in them. They make people know that I am not someone to be trifled with, and that is something I take great pride in. I snapped out of my daze and listened in on where they were in the ceremony… hmm, still lecturing us about the greatness of the Capitol. Well, this is starting to become a bit annoying. In hindsight, I suppose a lot of things annoy me. Small children, people, animals, food. I should learn to work on that when I enter the arena. I am going to have to deal with my allies for at least a little while, before I kill them off. It would be unwise and unnecessary to kill them off too early in the game. I must learn to keep my temper down, at least for as long as I can. It will be annoying not having my matches and lighter with me at all times for the Games. I will have to find some way to keep myself occupied without it. Perhaps I should have trained myself to go for longer periods without it before the reapings. Oh well, I suppose what's done is done. No use in dwelling on the past anymore.
"...And now time for the girls!"
My attention quickly reverts back into reality as I calmly stand up from my place.
"Mr. Mayor I, Karina Verselis, volunteer. And I swear if you even think of putting your hand in that drawing I will burn it off your wrist."
I give everyone a sickly sweet, and obviously fake, slightly demented smile, and turn around on my heels over to the Justice building. I do not see the need to shake hands for the use of sportsmanship with my District partner. After all, it will all just be useless in the end. I will win, so that is it.