Ryder

District 5

I brace myself, pushing my feet against the floor, my trainers trying but failing to grip the smooth metal. I should've worn boots. Sliding back slightly, I press hard on the metal ground to avoid slipping over. My hands push upwards on the ceiling and I bend my arms so my elbows are in line with my jaw. Sufficiently positioned, I nod through the window in front of me. Gritting my teeth, I close my eyes and wait until the first sound.

Beep.

"Fifty Pounds." A voice echoes through the intercom in the bottom corner of the room.

The ceiling starts to lower but I can keep it up easily without any effort. I just nod back towards the window for more weight.

Beep.

"One hundred pounds."

Still no effort. I just look through the window again. We've gone through this weight before.

"It's just protocol, Ryder." The man on the intercom says in answer to my look.

Beep.

"Two hundred pounds."

I can notice the weight increase but I still don't have to strain to keep the ceiling from dropping. The ceiling can go up to one thousand pounds - although obviously I can't hold that much up. That's for when they want to test the strength of materials. 'They' being the men in white coats sitting on the other side of the window, clipboards in hands, pens scribbling. They are like clones; balding, wire-rimmed glasses, blue eyes and short.

Beep.

"Three hundred pounds."

I drop my shoulders slightly to adjust to the weight but I can tell I can hang in much longer than the last time I tried this test.

"Okay, Ryder, this is the amount you could hold last week."

Beep.

"Three hundred and thirty-five pounds."

I smile. I can still hold it up with ease. I could probably stay like this for half a day with this weight. I mouth to the man at the microphone standing behind the men on the chairs, Jerry, someone I work with often. 'Four-hundred.'

"You sure?"

'I can handle it.'

Beep.

"Four hundred pounds."

The ceiling comes down and now I'm forced to push upwards rather than just carrying the weight. I adjust my fingers and stare at my arms. I can handle more. I know I can.

'Give it another hundred.'

Jerry is obviously surprised. "Really?"

I nod.

"Remember to fall on your back if it is too much. But you're doing great."

Beep.

"Five hundred pounds."

The weight increases and I can feel my leg and arm muscles tense. I grit my teeth, forcing myself to hold the ceiling up. Five seconds. I feel the blood pulse in my head but I ignore it. Ten seconds. Then I feel that familiar feeling which I've had before. If I hold on any longer, I'm gonna tear my muscles from the bone. It's happened before. Accepting my limit, I drop to my back. The ceiling plummets towards me but stops just short of my nose. With a whirring sound it slowly ascends back to its normal slot. I stand up and stretch, cracking my knuckles. A door to my left lights up green, allowing me access into the room with the men in white. Jerry approaches me and shakes my hand.

"Good job. That's a new record."

"Mmm-hmm." I just nod and lean on the wall as Jerry heads to the front of the room.

"So, as you just saw, using the formulae you see on that form, this steroid -" Jerry lifts a syringe, "can increase the strength of a seventeen-year-old male almost twice the amount of his original power. The only side-effect currently known is a lack of sweating, but there is no addiction involved in this steroid, nor massive muscle increase. I truly believe this is perfect for a number of things; military can use it for their soldiers, or perhaps workers to help them lift more loads. There can be any number of applications using this product."

"What do you call it?"

"Hm?" Jerry looks to the man who asked the question.

"What is the steroids name?"

"Well… For now we're dubbing it 'Dynami', named after the Greek word for Strength. This is subject for change, of course."

"Hmm… Well, we'll be in touch." Just like that, each of them filter out of the room. Jerry sighs and smiles wearily at me.

"I wish they'd send people with just a little bit of personality."

"It's either bland like them or far too over the top. Trust me, those guys are better to deal with, unless you want high-pitched voices in your ears." I say, crossing my arms. "So, what's next?"

"Next?" Jerry shakes his head. "Ryder, that's it for today. We can't risk anything combining with the Dynami."

"Well, is there anything else that doesn't involve drugs?" I ask.

Jerry sees that I actually want to do something else. He taps his chin in thought before nodding. "Alright, well, we'll try and see if we can make you sweat. I'll make you run some laps, hit a punching bag, lift some weights. Is that okay?"

"Anything's fine." I just say. "I don't care as long as I get paid."

Jerry looks at me with a look which says 'you probably should care'.

"Look, my mind can handle anything you throw at me." I tap my chest. "My body can last pretty much the same. Without me, how many subjects would just die of exhaustion, hm?"

"That's only because people with your body-type don't usually volunteer to be experimented on. Usually the only people who need money are weak kids who are desperate."

"Not every desperate child is weak." I simply say and walk out of the room into a pristine white corridor. Jerry walks at my side.

"I guess." Jerry bites his bottom lip. "How's Kyle doing?"

"No change. It's not good news, but it's not bad news either."

"Can I… can I ask something?"

"Sure. Whether I'll answer is another thing." I smile down at Jerry. "What is it?"

"Your father… how did… why is he in a coma?"

I stop walking and stare ahead of me. I hear an echo of a conversation long past.

"Don't worry about me, deal with him, he's going to die!"

"He's not even from this District, dad, you-"

"He is the patient, I am the doctor. He needs to be dealt with first!"

I narrow my eyes and breathe deeply. "He was trying to save a life." I didn't say anymore. I walk towards the gym, leaving Jerry behind to watch my back.

Tilly

District 5

One leading the flock. Three more in line. Two rows of seven with an eighth trailing behind. The birds fly overhead, two feathers falling from the one at the back which seems to have some kind of lame wing. As the birds pass, I hear the sound of a door opening. Looking at the source of the noise I notice that once again, the odd loner boy Ryder comes out first. He doesn't even glance at me as he passes by with those dark, brooding eyes of his. No one talks to him and I actually think he prefers it that way. He is always the first one out so it comes as no surprise. It is common knowledge that for seemingly no reason he has volunteered at the testing division that dominates half of the school. I've seen the type of people that go in there - thin, frail, injured. But Ryder is none of those things. He's sturdily built with that short cropped hair of his and those fine, toned muscles. He has a number of needle marks on his neck - where they inject him with god knows what. Some say that's he only a loner because all humanity has been sucked out of him. I know that's not true. Those eyes are filled with more than the majority of the school combined. He disappears into the distance and I turn back to the school doors.

Exactly one hundred and thirty seven people exit the school before my sister arrives. I like to count crowds… well, I like to count anything really. I find it helps my perception and intelligence. I'll be honest, it doesn't really need to be boosted, but it's something I do every day. My sister always arrives before the crowd reaches 200.

Her name is Lily and she is five years younger than me at thirteen. She admires me to the point that she dresses in the same type of dress - albeit a different colour - than me, as well as ties her hair in pigtails just like mine. Her hair is much darker than my blonde, however. As she approaches, her green eyes beam at me. "Heya Tila." She says, hugging me around the waist. She had not gotten the family growth spurt yet and only came up to my chest.

The name Tila comes from Lily being unable to say my name when she first started to talk. The name stuck and now that is all she calls me. I smile down at her. "Hey Lily. How was school?"

"It was brilliant! Arthur accidently burnt himself with acid and his skin was bubbling and everything! It was so cool!" She gestured widely with her arms with that ever present exuberant smile of hers.

"Is it serious?" I ask without concern. I know that the chemical they would have used will only burn through skin, nothing else on the human body short of clothes.

"Oh, he's fine. Mr. Fisk merely sprayed him with something and it made this blob of white stuff appear. What is it?"

"It's a type of gel which stops any chemical reaction. It's useful for chemical accidents in laboratories."

"Oh." She nodded with that smile and we started to walk back home.

With her as young as she is, it might seem peculiar to others why our mother doesn't pick her up. No, she isn't dead or injured or even horrible. Cherie works hard - not only cleaning and making our own house pristine - but working without pay at other houses. She doesn't mind as cleaning is sort of a hobby for her. My dad, Roome, brings in all the money.

"Remember, Lily, dad wants us to meet him, remember?"

"Oh yeah… where is he?" Lily's face fell. This was only because she despised long walks which is why she often steals piggy back rides off of me or my mother.

"Don't worry, he's only at his lab a few blocks away.

Lily looks up at me with what could only be called puppy dog eyes and I know what that means. I don't bother to deny her request and hoist her up to my shoulders, where she giggles with glee. Thank god she hasn't grown in size yet. Hopefully she'll grow out of the piggyback stage soon.

"Right, hang on. This time preferably with something other than my hair."

My dad brought us straight into his office. Just from that I can tell something is wrong. His office walls were covered in achievements that his lab had made in the name of science, with a trophy cabinet of his school days. However he didn't even glance at them as he sat at his desk and looked at us with his quiet eyes.

"Dad…" I say, pulling Lily in close.

"Sit." Dad says, motioning towards two chairs. We both sit, wondering what is wrong. Dad is usually happy. It's where Lily gets her energy from. When he doesn't say anything, I lean forward.

"You wanted to speak with us?"

"Yes." For a moment he shut his eyes before opening them again. I could see the corner of his eyes glistening slightly. "I won't beat around the bush. Your mother has cancer. It's terminal. She has two months at best to live. We… we just found out about it recently. I've been too busy to… we've both been too busy to notice."

I blink. It takes a few seconds to register what he says. When I do, I feel weight crushing down on my shoulders. Cherie? Cancer? "Wh-what? What are you…" I choke out, finding my throat constricting. Lily shakes beside me, her bottom lip quivering, all that happiness stricken away with that simple phrase.

Dad stands up and sighs, shaking his head. "There's nothing we can do here. We deal in science, not medicine. And even if we did… only the Capitol has the resources we would need. Cancer can be cured now but it's expensive… to get that much money in one go… you'd need to win the damn games at best…" He shakes his head and doesn't seem to realise what he said.

The Hunger Games…

"We have to… to deal with this somehow. That is why she hasn't been home too often, because she didn't want you guys to see how worn out she was getting."

Reward for the Games… Enough to last you and your family a lifetime...

"Tilly?" I look up at my dad's voice.

"What if I volunteer for the Hunger Games?" I say quietly. I barely realise what I said, my thoughts coming out of my mouth. Dad's eyes widen in a mix of surprise and horror. Lily squeaks and clasps my arm tightly.

"You can't!" She cries out, tears glistening down her cheeks. It must be too much for her to take in. I'm just numb. I'll probably get the full brunt of emotions later. "Tila, you can't volunteer! You…"

"Shh…" I place a finger on Lily's mouth and look to my father. He stares down at me.

"Don't be stupid…" He says quietly. "It requires more than intelligence to win the Games."

"But you know it can be done. I know you know that I could do it." I stand up and look at my father who can't help but nod. "I have the highest IQ in school. I don't need strength. I could make traps. I could trick them to make stupid mistakes. I know the body off by heart, where to stab them. I can do it, dad."

Roome doesn't speak but I can see that brain of his moving rapidly.

"Think of it." I pace back and forth, planning how it could go in my brain, growing on the idea. I know I can do it. "I'll volunteer. I can squeeze some tears out, I can say how I'm doing this for my mother to cure her cancer. I'll get the sympathy of the world. That means that I'll be given items to help me to survive. In the interviews I'll play it up more. That I have a sister who just wants to see her mother healthy again. They'll be eating out of my palms."

"But the bloodbath…" my father mutters.

"I'll get the hell out of there. I'm not going to learn how to fight in the three training days. I will find water and then I fill find one of those cornucopias. My intelligence can lead me to survive father. I'm small as well. If needs be, I can climb anything that happens to be there."

"I… I can't possibly suggest that you… do this…"

"You don't need to suggest it." I cross my arms. "I need to do this, for Cherie. She raised me and Lily. This is the least I can do."

"But… but if you don't come back… then we will lose you and Cherie."

"Yes." I say simply. "You will. But that is a risk we'll have to take. What's better, dad? No chance of curing Cherie? Or a one in twenty-four chance of healing her?" I look down at Lily who is pale and shaking. I lean down and look into her eyes. "I'll be fine, Lily. You know me." She just looks at me with large watery eyes. I sigh and place my hands over her ears so she won't hear what I'm going to say next. I look at dad. "I may die, dad. I know that. If I do… god forbid, if I do… make sure that your job doesn't come before Lily."

"I-"

"Make sure of it." I say firmly. "Lily needs to keep that happiness of hers, no matter what. It's a valuable trait."

"How can she be happy without you or your mother?"

"Because she'll have a father who'll go to the ends of the earth to make her happy. Doesn't she?"

Ryder

District 5

I walk slowly. I'm not in any kind of rush, so why should I go any faster than natural? Soon enough I arrive at my house, one of numerous white squares dominating the District. I press a button, allowing the door to slide up. I walk in and place my coat on the coat rack to the side. My dad once had a thing for antiques, so instead of smooth, plastic furniture it is all wood and fabric. However, beneath the antiques the house is like any other. The front branches off to the kitchen or the living room, before joining back together to form the stairs that head up to the bedrooms and the bathroom. I stop at the television for a moment and switch it on, still standing.

I want to see the reapings for the four districts so far. The official channel of the Hunger Games repeats the reapings on a loop. From District One are siblings. Amber and Jasper Waverly. Amber doesn't seem too happy with Jasper volunteering. They'll either go far - or not far at all. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Amber just killed Jasper in the bloodbath just to get it over with. That's what I'd do. Emotions just get in the way in the Games.

District 2 has another interesting pair - this time boyfriend and girlfriend. Sina Terra and Aron Nethers. Just from one phrase from a kid in the crowd, they are already playing up the Star-Crossed Lovers Part Two. I can't imagine Aron likes that all much, with what happened to Peeta twenty-five years ago.

Next up is District 3. The girl, Poppy Yussa, is thirteen years old with an innocent face speckled with tears that wet the front of her dress. The boy is called Tobias Joker. He is tall, gangly, and freckly. Broken glasses rest on his nose and both of his front teeth are missing. I can tell that they'll be killed straight away. Easy targets.

Finally for District 4, we have a raven-haired girl called Lacy Neem and a boy about my size who looks unwilling to kill anything called Jacob Dareet. Nothing special. Chances are they will join the careers like District 4 tends to do.

With the current reapings over and done with, I head upstairs and into my father's room. It has been converted into a sort of hospital room and he lies on the bed, thin, frail, and in his coma. I look at him and let out a breath.

"So… dad. I've been thinking about volunteering for the Games. I certainly could go far with this body of mine." I smile sadly. "I know… I know, you don't want me to. You don't have to worry, I won't. It's just a thought, is all. If I volunteer, who'll take care of you? Not the hospital, that's for sure. They would have pulled the plug if I wasn't here. I'm earning enough money with the testing. I was injected with this new steroid which has doubled my strength. I can't sweat anything out, but that's only a small side effect. That's really all that happened today." Staring at his motionless form, I shake my head and stand up. Soon, it'll be the reaping. Once that's over with, I can focus more on trying to find something that will make my father wake up.

I feel the brisk air brush over me and it is all I can do to blink. I don't move. I simply stare ahead at the stage in the middle of the square, where the bright escort stands. He turns his head left and right before leaning into the microphone again.

"Ryder… Is there a Ryder here?"

So I didn't hear wrong. It really was my name announced. I don't feel scared. I'm not sad or worried. The only feeling I have at this moment is anger. Anger that my father will be alone. I find myself squeezing my hands into fists and push through the crowd, striding up to the stage and standing beside the female Tribute.

Her name was Tilly, the same girl who seems to always stand outside the school every time I exit the testing facilities. She doesn't seem like the type to volunteer, although I'm sure she has some reason or other. I tower over her and I can see from the monitors that my face is dark and grim. I look dangerous - perhaps even downright murderous. As the escort talks into the microphone again, I start formulating a plan in my head. At no point do I consider that I will be killed. I cannot afford to be killed. My father needs me.

After the escort finishes talking, Tilly and I are bustled off into separate rooms of the Justice Building, to say goodbye to those we love. I don't expect anyone to arrive… after all, the only person that I care for is lying comatose in a bed in my house. I just sit on the chair, unmoving, figuring out the steps I need to take. I don't hear the door open.

"Ryder?"

I look up to see Jerry standing there with a sad look on his face. Honestly, I'm surprised he's even here. We just work together a lot, I wouldn't consider us friends. I don't have friends. I don't need them nor want them. "Jerry."

I can already tell he's holding something nervously in his pocket. Thankfully there are no peacekeepers in the room or cameras so that we can have a modicum of privacy with our families.

"What is it?" I ask, glancing at his pocket. "You may as well just hold whatever you are hiding in plain sight you're acting so strange."

"Well… yeah… I guess… it's just… this sort of thing'll get me killed, you know?" He scratches his chin before pulling a syringe out of his pocket filled with dark blue liquid. Dynami.

"You're going to risk your life for a drug that'll run out before the Games even start?" I ask, knowing what he was thinking. "I can't smuggle that in, either."

"No this is… an advanced version, so to speak. Well, all it does is increase the duration it stays in your body." Jerry looks at the liquid inside. "This will last for three weeks. Unless the Games last longer than usual, it should last you through them."

"Not that I care but isn't that technically cheating?" I stand up though and pull my collar down.

"Technically. But… you're a hell of a good kid, Ryder." Jerry says, looking into my eyes. "Your father is one of the brightest and best of our District. You're just like him y'know? You've got grit, Ryder. You got strength even without the Dynami. Consider this a little present is all."

I nod. The Dynami would be a great help, doubling my strength. I could snap bones with ease or catch a blunt weapon swinging at me. This certainly changes my plans. Crouching down , I allow Jerry to prepare the needle. He injects it straight into my neck and I feel that familiar trickling feeling as the drug goes into my body. After a few moments all of the Dynami is gone and Jerry pulls the syringe out. "Is it okay?"

I straighten up and crack my knuckles. "Perfect. I take it this won't interfere with the Dynami I've already got in my system from today?"

"Not at all."

"Great." I see the doors open and the peacekeepers come to take me to the train. "Well then, Jerry. Thank you. I'll see you in a few weeks, hmm?" I follow the peacekeepers out. The Hunger Games are no threat to me. I've had god knows how many chemicals enter my body - dull poisons, boosters, steroids, whatever they needed testing. I've taken a paralyzing drug which gave me all sorts of nightmares that I couldn't wake up from. I once took a drug which stopped my heart for ten seconds before starting it again. The Games are nothing compared to the chemical warfare my body has taken.

A/N: - Well, the original chapter was half-assed and I didn't like it at all. So I've up and improved Ryder and Tilly's storylines more so than the usual rewrites. Thanks to Yajuu Kikuishi and Ashbrie13 for the reviews!