Coming up with the ideas for Calvin and Fleur screwed with my mind so I wrote this one pretty much straight up. I might get District 4 done but I'm going away and I can take a laptop but I don't know about internet so I might not update for a while.

I fixed some of my cruelty to the common comma in previous chapters but I'll try doing some more such as getting rid of my habit of putting commas before the word 'but.'

If there are any more mistakes tell me, but I was writing this at midnight so there's probably a couple that I'll find and fix tomorrow. Ignore what tense it's in, it varies and I'm about to fall asleep.

District 3: Lucas Wre

Reaping Day was so stupid. Why did the Capitol get to tell us what to do about everything? I didn't want to be told what to do by the Capitol, then they made two kids every year go to the Capitol District and then they only let one come back after that weird TV show.

Mother and Father didn't let me watch much of it because they thought it was too scary for me and it went all night but I sometimes saw little bits. There were those people hiding in trees and sometimes they fought with huge spurts of fake blood.

Why didn't anyone stop the Capitol from doing whatever they wanted? All those Peacekeepers were annoying and they wouldn't let us go outside at night and they forced everyone to do whatever they wanted. They didn't let us have much food and everyone worked all day and then gave everything to the Capitol, but they didn't give us anything.

It was meant to be Sam's birthday but instead of going to his house we had to go stuck going to some stupid name drawing in our best clothes.

Hail got to stay at home like I did before this year. She was only 5 so she got to sit around watching television, not that I wanted her to have to listen to all the boring speeches but it was annoying that some of us had to get up and go to the Reapings.

Father was going to the pub to get a drink. Father never normally drinks but he did today while the Capitol forces all the kids to go ot the Reapings.

We had porridge for breakfast, it was pretty much tasteless and once again I blamed the Capitol. Every year they come in their stupid fancy cars and trains in those stupid costumes while we ate cold porridge even though we lived in the District that came up with the microwave.

At least it meant I got to spend the day with Sam, Nelly and Stacy without any school even though it was a week day.

They were meant to be waiting for me but I guessed they weren't up yet as I walked to Nelly's house seeing as she always got up first.

When I knocked on the door I could hear someone sprint down the stairs, I guessed it was Nelly. She yanked the door open to show her hair curled on top of her head with some type of shiny cream all through it.

"You excited for this fabulous experience?" I asked as she scowled, trying to take one of the clips out of her ridiculous hairstyle after yanking her fancy shoes off.

"Oh yeah Luke, gotta love my mother spending the last three hours ripping my hair out in a more 'attractive' fashion and forcing me into high heels," Nelly replies sarcastically but then again she always is sarcastic, "This is probably the only time you're every going to hear me say this Luke, so listen up: it makes me envy you being a guy."

"Whoa Nelly, did I just hear you say you envy guys? I should've brought a voice recorder, I think that's the only time I've ever heard you say that," Stacy grins as she skips to catch up with us. Unlike Nelly she's still in a fancy dress with her hair braided and shoes with heels.

"Maybe I should buy a voice recorder and record everything you say and play it to your mother," Nelly snaps as Stacy grins wildly.

"Maybe I should repay the favour," Stacy replies before glossing over Nelly's probably abusive and sarcastic reply as Sam leaps out of his doorway to join us on the way to the square.

"Come on guys, hurry up, before Mom tries to catch me," he says under his breath as we all hurry up until we turn a corner.

"I bet your Mom wouldn't have any trouble catching you, you're so much slower than me," I grinned as Sam tries to chase me down the street before I do a victory dance as he finally puffs and gives up, "I'm the best! I'm the best!"

I get scowled at by several teenagers in fancy clothes as they walk in groups towards the Reapings.

I don't get what's with the Reapings and dressing up, our parents use heaps of their money to buy fancy clothes when we could buy other stuff just because the Capitol tells us to.

Why doesn't anyone ever fight back?

District 3: Florence "Flo" Wren

I hate getting up for Reapings.

Every year I hear more and stories about the people getting tortured in the Games. Lisa said her aunt had her fingers cut off one by one. Mark said his older cousin had his toenails cut out by the Careers after he allied with them. Jay said her grandfather had his eyes gouged out by his District partner but she died so he had to spend 3 days with no eyes before he was killed.

Mother wanted me to go and work in the factories to keep my mind off the Games and to stop me listening to my friends but the factories are even worse. Peter lost his right arm when he was 12 working in a factory and Gina got electrocuted when she was 14.

No way was I going to work in the factories.

Mother tried telling me to get out more, that maybe seeing more of the District would make me less nervous. I tried going out after school once and I got coughed on by a strange man in the street.

Even after using disinfectant I felt dirty for a week. I had to stay inside or I might get sick like that man.

I was woken up at 7am precisely for the Reapings to start at nine.

I ate breakfast at 7.05. I brushed my teeth at 7.12. I did my hair until 8.15. I got dressed in my Reaping outfit before going downstairs at 8.25.

I said good morning to father while he ate breakfast, Mother was getting ready for work.

When I put Gran's bread in the toaster I realised the chair at the kitchen bench was off by a centimetre.

I tried putting it back into place as Mother knocked it while she ran to work in the small grocery shop on the corner of our street. As soon as I moved it again there was a slight scuff mark on the floor.

I rubbed it off but then Gran's toast popped 3 seconds early. The butter wasn't quite soft enough to spread in one swipe and by the time I gave it to Gran I was running 27 seconds late.

Gran was still in her chair instead of eating breakfast but she'd been like that for days. She used to always get up at the same time and she always used to have porridge for breakfast at the same time every day.

Then she started getting sick like that man and she spent lots of time outdoors. Now she just sits in the chair all day. I want to move her to her bed but she was too frail.

I didn't want to get Reaped; I wanted to at least be there when Gran passed away.

Everything was going wrong for me, the toast, the chair and the Reapings were coming.

They'd probably go wrong too. The whole world was going wrong; it wasn't going the way it was supposed to. Maybe the world wanted me to get Reaped; maybe everything was a conspiracy for the Capitol to destroy me from within.

Maybe not.

No, 46 seconds late, it was definitely all going to go wrong.

Lucas:

Unlike the Career Districts on either side of us, Districts 1,2 and 4, we didn't have the volunteering bowl so we didn't have to go to the Reapings until later but we still needed to find Jordon.

Stacy said we should just knock on his door but considering his habit of getting himself into trouble asking his mother where he was probably wasn't a good idea.

After ten minutes of searching near our houses, Jordon's house and the square I decided we'd meet him in the age group section anyway, "Come on guys, he'll find us when we're in the square."

Sam looked less certain as he replied, "Yeah, but there's so many people there we won't be able to catch up with him until after everyone's cleared out."

Despite my advice always ending up well like avoiding the bullies at school and gaining us lollies, everyone still looked like they weren't sure whether they agreed with me.

Stacy was about to reply when Jordon appeared, grinning manically from the alleyway behind us.

"Looking for me?" he asked casually with an ear-to-ear grin as we started walking back towards the square.

"Where were you? We've been looking all over," Nelly asked, exasperated. She and Jordon had a… thing, not that they'd admit it.

"Let's just say the Peacekeepers won't be using that punishment record any time soon," Jordon replied as I realised there was a faint smell of smoke coming from the building down the alleyway he appeared from.

"That'll really help you get the Peacekeepers off your back Jordon," Nelly replied as we joined the queue before they had to be quiet as we're ushered into the square by most of the Peacekeeping squad.

Jordon and I were too busy playing chopsticks in the roped off section to notice our escort much while she blathers on about the Games. We were playing redskins before she was even approaching the Reaping bowl and that's saying something because Jordon and I take ages to play since we've known each other from the first day of school.

I tuned in enough to realise that Nelly and Stacy hadn't been Reaped before tuning back out again as Jordon slapped my hand. I barely even noticed the girl being dragged onto the stage by Peacekeepers although Jordon snickers.

Once again I was vaguely listening to the Reapings when I realise what name has been called, "Lucas Wre."

Jordon looked terrified as he pushed me towards the stage. I know he'd watched the Games and I couldn't help but wonder what I didn't know as I stumbled up the stairs to stand next to our candy-coloured escort.

I know sometimes kids volunteer but everyone just stared and I could tell that some of them feel sorry for me and yet they just sat and stared. Jordon, my best friend, just bit his lip as I could see my friends biting back tears.

So what about the Games, I was braver than any of those other kids out there, I knew how to fight.

Yet I still didn't want to go to the stupid Games in the Capitol, I didn't want to have to stay there forever, I wanted to go home and visit my friends, get a job and grow old and get married. I didn't know about the Games, but I know almost no one comes back.

As I thought this I realised my friends aren't the only ones biting back tears.

Flo:

When I arrived at the Reapings I was 44 seconds late.

It meant that I'd caught up by 2 seconds but that meant I walked 2 seconds faster than I normally do.

I felt sick as the Reapings start 1.03 minutes late.

The escort droned as I tried and ease the headache I get whenever something isn't quite right combined with the certainty it was going to be my name drawn out of the Reaping bowl.

Mother didn't like the Reapings either which is why on Reaping Day I know she always goes to work an hour early and buys a nice dinner on the way home once it's over.

Her boyfriend Jax Gear died in the 24th Hunger Games when he was my age because he was eaten by sabre tooth tiger mutts.

I sat with the group I normally sit with at school as they talked under their breath while the escort droned, her rainbow wig remaining dead still in the faint breeze.

"You all right, Flo?" Meg asked, giving me a funny look as I clench my fists.

I just nodded as the escort plunged her hand into the bowl, drawing out the name of the female tribute from District 3 for the 54th Hunger Games.

"Florence Wren," she called, grinning, as I just sit there. Meg tries to push me towards the stage but to no avail as I clench onto the seat.

I couldn't go to the Games, I wouldn't be able to see Gran, I wouldn't be able to clean my room on Tuesday, I wouldn't be able to hand in my homework on Friday.

I had tried to convince myself I was being paranoid but I wasn't. I was going into the Hunger Games. I was going to see all that blood and the people dying. I was going to be tortured and die brutally.

I wasn't going.

If I sat here it would all be gone.

It would be a dream.

The Peacekeepers grab my arms as I try to curl into a ball before they pull me towards the stage.

I try clawing at them, I'm meant to be in the chair, I have to eat lunch at 12.14, I can't go to the Games. "No, don't make me go! You can't take me there; you can't force me to go!" I scream as they deposit me on the stage, one standing either side of me as the escort eyes me distastefully.

Finally, she digs the boy's name out while I'm still on the floor, sobbing and feeling like I'm going to puke.

"Lucas Wre," she calls as a twelve year old slowly stumbles towards the stage. He doesn't even look that scared, just angry as he looks out over the audience.

Maybe realisation sets in as he starts to look slightly sadder while the escort calls out our names.

Doesn't he care that he's not going to be home on time or eat at the right time?

Does he even realise he's going to his doom?

Lucas:

We get led into the Justice Building by Peacekeepers, or in Flo's case dragged, after the official proceedings are finished.

She gets thrown in one room while I get deposited in the room opposite. I can't believe how amazing this building looks considering how crummy and poor most houses in District 3 are.

Nelly, Stacy and Sam are led in together and I wondered if Jordon was out blowing up some more Peacekeeper's records in the Justice Building.

Stacy and Sam are bawling their eyes out while Nelly tries to keep a lid on herself.

"Come back, yeah Luke?" Nelly says as she clenches and unclenches her fists. I don't get it, why does everyone hate the stupid Games so much? I know they're annoying and the Capitol makes us send people to them but why is everyone so sad.

"What do you mean, come back?" I asked as Stacy and Sam join me in a forcible group hug.

"Do you know what the Games are, Luke?"

"I know they've got those stupid fights with the fake blood and that you only ever see one person sometimes come back," I replied, "It's the Capitol's stupid entertainment, like everything we make."

"Luke… everything you see is real; the blood, the death, it's all real. The 23 kids that don't come back, they're dead, Luke," Nelly replied, no sarcasm in her voice as I tried to see if she's joking.

"You mean I might die, for the Capitol?" I was in disbelief, why didn't anyone fight back if kids died every year?

"Yeah Luke, that's exactly what I mean," whispered Nelly as she finally gave into the tears and joined the group hug.

I felt like crying, like giving up hope but I'm braver than that, I can win these Games no matter what happens. There was no way anyone was going to stop Lucas Wre coming home to his family and friends.

The Peacekeepers cough as Nelly, Stacy and Sam disentangled themselves from the hug.

"Don't worry about me guys, I'll be home by next Thursday," I said as they're led out by Peacekeepers.

"Good luck… Luke," Nelly replied with a weak smile as Stacy and Sam start crying again.

Next is Jordon, I've known him since primary school so I shouldn't be surprised he's alone. "Hey, Luke," he said as he's led in. Normally he's hyper and excited but this had taken the edge off his personality.

"Hey Jordon, didn't find any more records in here?" I joked but he barely even smiled.

"Nah, they're locked down pretty tight. Nothing flammable I could see around here anyway, too much marble," he replied, but I can tell he was uneasy with joking.

"If I… don't come back," I began as Jordon looked away slightly, "Ask Nelly out, yeah? Make up for all the times I won't get to badger you about it when we're older."

Jordon smiled weakly, "It's that obvious, is it?"

"Only to me," I replied as he too was led out of the room to make way for my parents.

They were clearly trying to fake being happy and I wondered why until I saw Hail pop out from behind them.

"Hey Luke, you get to go in the big Games, you can win a pretty house in the Victor's Village and buy me lots of presents," Hail grinned as she hugged my leg.

Mother and Father both still look sombre as they each gave me a hug and Mother kissed me on the cheek. I could feel a single tear running down her face but she was clearly still trying to keep a lid on herself for Hail as they stood up again.

I knew it might be the last time we saw each other, but I couldn't think of anything to say.

"I'll win, don't worry, I'll get us a big house and buy lots of presents for Hail," I said, trying to keep my parents happy.

"That's my boy, always brave," Mother smiled weakly as Father patted me on the shoulder awkwardly.

"Good luck, son."

"Thanks, father."

A Peacekeeper opened the doors and Hail waved goodbye as they closed on my family, maybe forever.

No.

Not forever.

I was going to win for my family and to see Jordon and Nelly get married. I wasn't going to die. Not for the Capitol. Not for anyone.

I wasn't going to die.

Flo:

The Justice Building was all wrong.

The chairs weren't high enough, the clock was 20 seconds slow and the Peacekeeper had his shirt slightly untucked.

My family all came together, even Gran to say goodbye.

They didn't talk much, they just stood awkwardly as Gran came forward and hugged me and whether it's because of me or because of her, it was probably for the last time.

"You shouldn't have come," I whispered.

"If not now, when would I ever move again?" she asked, cackling slightly as she sat on the couch that was meant for me before the train arrived.

We all hugged as Mother and Father cried; Mother's sobs wracking and desperate as she clung onto me. I was an only child and if I died my parents were probably too old for more children.

The Peacekeepers dragged them out after five minutes and for once I found myself wishing they could have stayed for longer than they were meant to.

I was going to die.

I knew it.

The world had been against me since this morning with the chair.

I was probably going to be a bloodbath.

But I still didn't want to die.

I hope you liked it; the final tribute list should be up soon including tributes moved to other Districts.