DISTRICT 1
The sun is up.
Eli Woods opened his eyes, rolling over to glance at the clock. It was eleven fifteen, he observed right before his younger brother pounces on him.
"Taylor!" he groaned, easily scooping him up and sitting up.
"Get up, lazybones! We have to be ready in two hours."
"Alright." He brushed Taylor off, and told him to go brush his teeth.
He strolled into the kitchen, where his dad sat. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"
"You need your sleep, son."
"I told you to wake me up at nine."
His parents silently looked at him. Eli coldly lifted his eyebrows at them.
"You're welcome." His dad said.
"Whatever."
He stomped to his room, making sure to slam his door. He quickly dressed in a white tux with a blue shirt. Then left without telling anyone goodbye.
He jogged to the neighboring house. The Daltons.
He hung out with his two best friends, Sphinx and Shinx, until reaping time. On their way to the square, Shinx cornered Eli. "Are you still thinking about volunteering?"
"No! I guess. I don't know."
"Well, I think it's time you better figure it out."
Eli stalked past him, to pick up Taylor. Scratch that, to say goodbye to Taylor.
He knew, he just knew, that a simple glimpse from his dad in that old, all too familiar hard gaze that he used to use every time Eli was anywhere near him, that he was going to volunteer.
There was nothing left for him to do.
"Tay, I have something to tell you."
The little happy boy clapped his hands. "A secret?"
"Yeah, a secret." Eli glanced around him. "I'm going to go to the Capitol."
Taylor's eyes grew so round it was almost comical. "Take me with you!"
"I can't. I'm sorry. But I guess this is goodbye."
"Will you come back?"
Eli paused. "Yeah, I will. Pretty soon."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Tay gave him a hug and went to join his mother and father, but not before turning back to him. "Will you keep in touch?"
"Oh yeah. Everyday."
The boy showed his perfect white teeth and then wrapped his arms around their father.
Around that time, Albert Romano took the stage, plunged his hand deep inside the scrap of papers. In a rush of adrenaline, Eli rushed up the stairs.
"I volunteer!"
DISTRICT 2
The sun is up.
Lorelei Fields is at the school gym, throwing another round of spears for practice. She wasn't very good at it, but she noticed that when she went to the sword station that everyone cleared out. It might've done something with the fact that she accidentally killed someone a month ago. It really was an accident.
One whizzed past her shoulder, and hit the bull's eye on the target. Casey Dean stepped forward to receive it. "I have a question." She said, her voice ringing clear in the silence that always followed someone hitting something square on the mark.
Voices bubbled up again. "If, say, a thirteen year old who can barely handle a knife is reaped. Would you volunteer for them?"
"I guess." Lorelei mused, as she and Casey jumped down from the spear station, going to the water station in the middle of the training area. "But not to save them. So as that District 2 doesn't get a bad reputation."
"What if it happened today?"
"The same answer applies." Silence. "Why?"
"Ever since Katniss Everdeen won, the Capitol is starting to favor a lot of the poorer districts. Like 11 and 12."
"So?"
"So if you were a tribute, I'd think that they'd start paying more attention to us. With you being you and all."
"Thanks?"
"You're welcome."
They both laughed. And bid farewell until two. "See ya later."
Four hours later all of the girls are roped off in an area, while Cydney Heartwell picks out a name.
"Katherine Holloway?"
A girl from the fourteen year old section stands up, her tan skin lighter than her snow white hair. Lorelei knew her from gym. The whole time she hung out with the hippies who were obsessed with edible plants and knots.
Casey glanced at Lorelei. What were they going to do?
Lorelei sighed. "I volunteer!"
DISTRICT 3
The sun is up.
River and Cage Thorne are asleep.
The sun's been up awhile.
Their father throws a pillow at each of them. "Get up! You have approximately forty-five minutes to be in the square presentable and ready to possibly be shipped off to the Capitol."
"Gee, no pressure there, Dad." Cage groans.
River and his father laughed and Marke left. Cage rolled over to try to catch a few more minutes of sleep. River bent down to whisper gently in Cage's ear. "Oh Cage, do I have to help you brush your teeth again?"
Cage rolled over and aggressively eyed River. "No!"
River laughed after he thumped Cage over the head. In a spur of the moment accident, two older boys had jumped Cage one day. It was the day that River was home sick with some kind of food poisoning. They had stolen Cage's watch that he got from his grandfather, and a bit of pocket money, breaking Cage's arm in the process. They couldn't afford a cast, so he was going to be in pain for awhile.
Forty-five minutes later all of the boys in District 3 were sitting together. Marigold Mayser read out a name. "Cage Thorne."
Cage's eyes grew round and River clasped onto his twin's sleeve. Cage, unable to fight back, grunted through the pain and drug River up on the stage with him.
Marke followed them up, prepared to rip River off of him.
River saw Marke ready to separate them. He let go of Cage and stood in front of him, stopping the traffic. "I volunteer!"
DISTRICT 4
The sun is up.
And so are Holly and her sister Mist.
They are fighting each other for the mirror.
Holly is curling her hair while Mist is straightening hers.
Holly looked at Mist in the mirror until Mist met her eyes. "Please don't get in my way today."
Mist played dumb. "Of what?"
"Of volunteering."
"Oh, why would I?"
"Because you think you would make a better tribute than me."
"Why would I think that?" She replied slyly.
"Why wouldn't you?"
"Well… it can't be about looks. Or athleticism. We have the same DNA. Or brains. We make the same grades. We've done everything together. Hat differs from us?" Mist asked, but she already knew the answer.
Holly put the curling iron down. "Our parents love you. You're more optimistic. You have more friends. You have a boyfriend. It's your personality, Mist."
"You have a good personality, too. You're… profound. Most of the time I feel like a mindless idiot."
"Thanks."
Mist walked out of the bathroom and laid out two matching outfits on each of their bunk beds. "You're welcome."
"That was sarcasm."
Mist paused. "Right."
She stopped in the doorway. "Look, you want to volunteer because you're suicidal or something. I want to volunteer so you can't. We both know it. Might as well come out and say it."
"Good. But I'm not suicidal or anything! You're likeable. Me? I'm forgettable. When I come home, I won't be. We'll live in the Victor's Village."
"You can't guarantee that."
"That we'll live in the Victor's Village?"
"NO, that you'll come home."
"You think you will?"
"I know I will. What are these Hunger Games about? Romance and drama. No one wants all of the violence anymore. And who can do drama better than me?"
"Me." Holly insists as she walks into the living room, halting the conversation.
At two, everyone has met up in the square; Mist and Holly are the closest to the stage, Mist having somehow gotten the closest chair.
Right when Livia Baldwin comes on stage, Mist closed her eyes. "Please Holly, don't do this." But that just triggered Holly's nerve.
She bolted up so fast that most of the audience turned their heads to them.
Mist stood up to block her. "No!"
Holly shoved her into her chair and slapped her. "Let me be!"
She stepped over the rope and partway onto the stairs. "I volunteer!"
DISTRICT 5
The sun is up.
And so is West.
And unfortunately so is Lyra.
He glared at her as both of his parents gloat over how pretty Lyra's hair is curled.
West grudgingly eats breakfast.
Then gets dressed. As he is doing so, his friend Rosh sneaks in his window.
"Happy belated birthday!"
"My birthday was three months ago."
"Which was why I inserted 'belated' into that statement. Also, I honestly forgot to give this to you and I figured, 'Well, the kid could be on every television in Panem today. I may never see him again.' And so in honor of the possibly of that prophecy coming true, I am giving you this snazzy necklace."
He handed it over and West observed that it was a shark-tooth necklace.
"Thanks, Rosh."
"No problem. Should we go to the square?"
"I'm supposed to go with my family."
"They already left."
West crashed onto his bed. "They left without me."
"Welcome to the life of every outshined teenager in Panem. Come on, West!"
They walked to the square, and it wasn't long before Marco Mayweather took the stage.
He fumbled with the slip of paper, reading close to see it right.
"Weston Carver."
DISTRICT 6
The sun is up.
And Scarlett Avalon beat it to the punch.
She's contemplating the possibility that she might be forced to spend her birthday in the Capitol.
And the box in front of her only forges that concept to the front of her mind.
It reads, "To our daughter on her fifteenth birthday. Love, Mother, Father, Hunter and Jade."
In careful letters at the bottom it reads: DO NOT OPEN UNTIL YOU'RE BIRTHDAY. NO MATTER WHAT.
NO MATTER WHAT, as in "If you're selected as tribute. If there's a major possibility that you might die in a couple of days. If you're chosen to take part in the Hunger Games."
Scarlett sighed, and she went back to trying to brush out her inky ringlets. And it resulted in a tumbleweed.
She tied her strongest rubber band around her curly ponytail. It didn't hold. She sighed again.
There was just no way.
Her little sister, Jade barged into the bathroom. "I know what you're doing!"
"And that is…?"
"Trying to tame your hair."
"I'm always doing that."
"I know." Jade said, giving her the evil eye.
Scarlett giggled at her little sister. She was always striking up random and pointless conversations.
Scarlett's best friend, Roxy who was orphaned by the Capitol early on in life and who lived with them now came in.
"Are you ready yet?"
"Yup. You?"
"Yes ma'am. Let's go."
Roxy smiled, and ran ahead of the two sisters. Jade stuck her tongue out at her and laughed. Jade was just like Scarlett, only in miniature form, and blessed with only wavy hair, not the bushy tangle of spirals that Scarlett has.
They walked arm in arm to the square, where Hunter was waiting for them.
He hugged Jade, and swung her around, making her giggle. He turned to Scarlett and squeezed her hard. "Happy birthday, Scar."
Scarlett only swallowed, nodded, and looked away. Hunter's blazing blue eyes made her uncomfortable.
Roxy took her by the arm, to where Roxy's cousin waited for them. Rayne Fairchild, a devilishly handsome boy put his arm around Roxy. "Good luck, cuz."
Roxy shook it off. "I don't need it. If I'm chosen, the Capitol won't know what hit 'em." She laughed evilly and strutted away.
Scarlett glanced around to make sure no one heard her. Rayne pulled her chin up, and Scarlett's face warmed at the touch. It reminded her of that night, under the stars, where their lips met just for a moment before Scarlett ran away.
"Happy birthday, Starlett."
Scarlett pulled her face away, and dropped her arms furiously. "Why does everyone keep on doing that? My birthday is tomorrow!"
Rayne pulled her close to him. "I know, but with the reaping, you might not be around to tell it to."
Scarlett looked away, feeling the weight of her unopened birthday present in her pocket.
"Starlett-"He began.
"My name is Scarlett."
"Yeah, but you remind me of the stars."
"Right."
"Look, Starlett, there's something I need to tell -"
"No."
"Come again?"
"No. Don't tell me anything. I might not be around to respond. Don't. Just don't."
Scarlett walked away and waited while Maria Powerblossom pulled a scrap of paper from a bowl.
She felt Hunter's stare on her. It reminded her of the pact that they'd made. If Jade were ever reaped and Scarlett was still eligible she would volunteer for her.
But there's no need.
The name is Scarlett Avalon.
DISTRICT 7
The sun is up.
And Kydon Symmes is waiting.
Waiting for Filia to wake up.
Finally (oh! FINALLY!) , Filia's breathing quickened and her blue eyes slowly opened. Then, in the peaceful silence.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kydon roared until Filia's squeaks were louder than his. She hurled herself out of her bed. "Kydon!"
"Payback, Filia."
"That was mean."
"So was yesterday morning when you decided you wanted to sit on my stomach until I woke up."
"You're the adult."
"No, I'm not."
"You're eighteen."
"SO?"
"You're an adult."
"Not at heart."
"Does that mean that you're heart is small?"
"No, Filia, I don't have a heart."
Filia's eyes widened, and then filled with tears. She started bawling.
"Geez, Fil, what's the matter?"
"You're going to die!"
"What? NO."
"You're not going to die?"
"No."
"Never?"
"Well, no, but-"
Filia started crying again. Kydon simply walked out and closed the door behind him.
He stopped by his parent's bedroom. "Filia's having one of her fits again."
His mother sighed. "Why?"
Kydon looked away. "She thinks I'm going to die."
"Oh boy."
"Yeah."
His father walked to their shared bedroom, and shushed Filia with soothing words. His mother looked at him.
"Go get ready!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Kydon dressed and waited outside his best friend's house for her.
Aerona walked out in a pretty green dress that matched her eyes. "You look like hell." She greets him pleasantly.
"Good morning to you, too."
She just smiled wider at him.
"I pranked Filia this morning."
Aerona groaned. "And how did that go?"
"Not too well."
"Told you not to."
"Told you not to talk back to Mr. Crubbs either, but you still got detention."
"Nope, got out of it."
"Amazing."
By then they'd made it to the square. Aerona kissed him swiftly on the cheek. "Good luck, Ky."
It wasn't long before Tabor Storm crossed the stage and pulled out a name. He opened his mouth, and a name was voiced.
"Kydon Symmes!"
DISTRICT 8
The sun is up.
Felicity Campwell isn't, but her mother is.
Her mother is pondering the fact that this is the last year that she'll have to worry about her daughter.
Felicity wakes up at her mother's touch.
"What are you doing?"
"Just playing with your hair. It's so pretty."
"It's just like yours, Mom. What time is it?"
"One thirty."
"Mom!"
"What?"
"You were supposed to wake me up hours ago!"
"Sorry, you're just so cute when you sleep."
Felicity groaned and went to bathe quickly.
Her mom helped her dress quickly, and they met her best friend, Harper Reed, and her mom, Skylark Reed.
"You look surprisingly pretty." Felicity said to Harper.
"Gee, thanks."
"No, just you're wearing a dress!"
"My mom made me. It's so itchy!"
They giggled all of the way there.
"So, how are you?"
"Nervous. What about you?"
"Ahh, not that worried. If I get reaped, they'll turn me away because I'm mentally unstable."
Felicity purposely bumped into her best friend and they took their places at the very front of the closed off area.
Molly Renaldi primly took her place onstage. "Felicity Campwell."
DISTRICT 9
The sun is up.
So Damien's going home.
No need to hunt in the broad daylight with so much town activity, anyways.
He and his three friends, Cale, Benny, and Alex exited the forest together.
Cale's girlfriend, Miri, found them immediately.
"Cale! I'm so worried! My sister! She's twelve!"
Cale groaned quietly, and shooed them away.
"She's so dumb." Alex laughed as they walked away.
"I agree. Are you guys worried?"
"Well, my mom. She's like pestering me that if my little brother gets reaped, I should volunteer for him. I don't want to, though. He's just so annoying." He's obviously joking.
"You guys are dumb." Damien says. "See ya."
He met up with his parents in the square.
There's a bunch of commotion on stage. "What's going on?" Damien asked.
"One of the mentors just fainted."
"That's weird."
"Yes."
It isn't long before the mentor recovers, but it keeps them a little behind on schedule.
"Quickly, please!" Darren Bouldersmash insists, set on making the deadline on time.
"Damien Gareth!"
DISTRICT 10
The sun is up.
Lisbeth looks up, to find that she doesn't need her lamp on anymore to read her book.
Her father strolled into her room, completely not caring that he's just in his undershorts.
"Wake up, beautiful! It's a new day, another bright dear day to let your mind strive against the restraints of the Capitol."
"Great! You wanna put some pants on now?"
"Good morning, Lisbeth!" Her mother strolled in.
"Morning." Lisbeth groans. "At least you're full dressed,"
"Rolf, put your clothes on!"
"Yes, dear." He sighed, and kissed her on the cheek and left.
"Did you enjoy that book?"
"Yes Mom."
"Good. Now get up and get dressed."
Lisbeth has thought long and hard about what to wear. If she were to go to the Capitol, she wanted to make them feel like they were predators. To make them guilty.
That made her think. Something white.
As if she were a lamb, sweet and innocent. A cloud, unharming. A young bride, beautiful and tragic.
Lisbeth smiled at the possibilities.
When she was ready, they walked to the square, not really caring as if to whether they were early or late.
She looked for Eton, but he was nowhere in sight. Possibly finding somewhere to stash his illegal books before the Peacekeepers made their annual check to make sure no one was skipping out on the reaping.
Lisbeth happily took her seat in the front, happy to finally get the familiar worry over. No more reaping after today.
But Annabeth Shine was on stage, her impossibly long hair brushing the ground. It didn't take long before she was almost tripping on it. The mayor rushed on stage to help her.
A name has been chosen.
"Lisbeth Lindgren."
DISTRICT 11
The sun is up.
And Neil isn't.
Neil is dreaming.
Dreaming of going to the Capitol, of meeting the most beautiful girl there. She has dark hair, blue flames for eyes. Pale, moonlit skin. She doesn't think he's uncool. She likes him.
They win the Games. They're allowed to live.
She looks around. She whispers something in his ear. She's crying. He doesn't understand. Her hand is slipping out of his. He doesn't want to let go.
She's gone.
Neil opened his eyes.
For some unknown reason, he felt a tear roll down his face.
How stupid! To cry over this tragic fantasy. Over this non-existent girl. To cry over her absence.
But still, he couldn't get over the looming feeling of dread.
It was his last reaping. Finally!
He rose slowly, trying to clear his head.
The first thing he realized was that the house was quiet. With Brennan and her usual bouncy self, it's rare. He liked it.
The next: Food was cooking.
This was weird, it was pretty early on in the morning, but it seemed that his dad woke early to keep that small worry from his Mom.
During each reaping since Max came of age, his mom was almost sick with worry. Fretting about the smallest things. Bursting into tears every time one of her children went out of their way for someone.
Brennan was still asleep, he saw. So he tip-toed to the kitchen to help his dad cook up some eggs.
It was a treat. Ever since the new leader, President Simone, took our, life has been easier. But not enough.
The closer it got to the reaping, the lower prices got in the market. Today, their father must've beaten everyone out for the small bit of coffee that he had in his mug.
"So, it's your last day of terrifying horror."
The heat from the frying pan was making him sweat. "Yep."
"You're growing up."
"Please don't cry on me."
"I'm not, I'm just asking. Do you have your eye on anyone in District 11?"
"No, Dad."
"A couple more months and you'll start working. Get married, get a house, have children."
"Dad! Please stop."
"Okay."
The eggs were done, so Neil left the kitchen.
He didn't want to think about it. Didn't want to leave his parents.
Didn't want to have children just so he'd be worried to death each day of the reaping like his mother.
He dressed and left.
His friend, Sert found him at the square, where they were prepping the town for reapings.
"You okay, man?"
"Yeah." He paused. "No. I just want it to be over with."
"Tell me about it."
At two, his whole family met each other in the square.
Neil was too worried. Worried about his dream.
"Guys, will you just hear me out? I might not get to say this after, but if I'm chosen-"
His mother opened her mouth. He continued over her. "If I'm chosen, I just want you all to know that I love you, and I'll try my best to get home."
Brennan and his mother stared at him with round eyes. Brennan's began tearing up.
His father shifted, uncomfortable. "Ugh, um…Thank you, Neil." He grunted.
Neil nodded slowly and took his seat.
It wasn't long before Millicent Whitehead was on stage, announcing this year's District 11 tribute.
"Neilson West!"
DISTRICT 12
The sun is up.
Ebony was hard at work, preparing her family like she always does on reaping day.
Cooking as much food that wouldn't spoil, washing as many clothes as she could without injuring her hands, and cleaning the living room until the layer of coal dust was absent at least for awhile.
Her foster mother walked in, and put her hands on Ebony's shoulders. "Ebony! Ebony!'
"Calm down!"
"Just let me help finish this," she said, spreading goat cheese on a sweet loaf of nutty bread. "Happy Reaping Day."
"Ebony, we're supposed to be taking a break today."
"I know, I just wanted to do as much as I could in case-"
"Thank you, Ebony. Let's eat."
"I've already eaten."
"Oh."
They stood there. "I'm going to meet up with Lacey."
"Okay. Don't forget! Two o'clock in the square!"
"How could I?" Ebony muttered under her breath as she walked out.
Lacey was a dainty little thing with soft curly hair, emerald green eyes and pale skin. So, naturally when Ebony saw two older boys standing toe-to-toe with her, Ebony came running to the rescue.
"Give it to me now, or I will tell the Head Peacekeeper!" Lacey ordered, her soprano voice not very threatening.
"Ooh, I'm scared! What's the old crag gonna do?"
"Actually boys, stealing is not something the Peacekeepers look over. Here's a newsflash: Stealing is punishable by death."
The boys backed up a bit as Ebony took her best friend's side.
"Just give back whatever it is and move. If you don't, we'll tell the mayor. And trust me, we're not afraid to. He's our best friend's father."
The bigger of the two boys huffed out an arrogant chuckle and handed over three black friendship bracelets. "We were just kidding. Don't be so dramatic." And they walked quickly away.
"Well, they ruined that surprise." Lacey mused as she held the bracelet up for ebony to observe, "Happy reaping."
Ebony smiled, flashing her dimple. "Thank you, my dear." And she shook one down onto her wrist.
Just then, Lukas decided to finally show up and received it with more beaming happiness than Ebony.
It made her feel like a bad friend.
She greeted her foster family in the square at two, and sat beside Lacey.
It wasn't too long of a time before Ellie Spearman was there yelling out, "Lacey Kerhoulas!"
Lacey shakily stood up, but not before Lukas bounded onto the stage. "I volunteer!"
Elli seemed frazzled. "I'm sorry, boy, but only girls between the ages of 12 and 18 are eligible to volunteer."
Lukas automatically turned to look at Ebony, who had become frozen at the sound of Lacey's name.
She swallowed, and stood up quickly.
"I volunteer!"