24th place - Cleo Jackson's POV:
Standing at the back of this line is the most thrilling experience I've ever had. Those last few games I played at the arcade were pretty brutal but I still remember the look of pride on Sandy's face when I told her I'd hit number twenty four, moments before the cut off point. Hard luck to Jacobin Quinn of course, who was shoved to twenty five, but he's only young, he can always try next year.
I can't see the stage from back here; neither can I see the audience to know if Gran made it. I doubt it of course but the hope is still there. More importantly what I can see is that in the distance Maximus has just left the front of the line and with a little mock salute to those behind him has bounded onto the stage.
All twenty three of us remaining turn to face the large screen to our left where we watch as Maximus does a little jog onto stage as the crowds cheer he laughs with the audience and host for a while before the moment of truth comes. He hovers his hand over the bowl and takes a deep breath. Of course all of the tributes had been reaped that morning, but their identities are a closely guarded secret that only a select few know. So as Maximus dips his hand into the large glass ball and brings out a small slip of paper and winces, we feel his pain.
Looking up to the crowd Maximus regains control and with a small smile announces "District Three's Lanni Lane. Age Fifteen. Gender Female."
His face is replaced with a short clip from the reaping, a skinny little thing, with pale skin and a tear streaked face is almost dragged up to the stage by peacekeepers.
When the camera returns to Maximus, he's smiling again. "I've had worse he chuckles" though we all know that's not true, maybe his winning streak really is over.
Maximus leaves the stage and Invictus steps onto it, he again has a bit of a chat and a flirt with the crowd before drawing his own tribute. "District Five's Isiac Jones. Age Seventeen. Gender, Male." He looks quietly pleased with his tribute and as we cut to a shaking but slightly muscular boy walking on his own two feet to the stage I think he might be in with a chance of beating Maximus this year.
Of course I'll beat them all, I just really hope I get a tribute that willing to go the whole way with me.
1st Place - Maximus Impalia's POV:
District three female, I must admit I'm a little pissed off, Invictus strides of stage and begins to laugh in my face. That of course doesn't help.
"Well looks like its somebody else's year" he says poking me solidly in my chest,
"Screw off" I tell him "I can win the games with any tribute they throw at me and this year will be no exception." I'm already working on a plan of attack, I'll need to be sneakier, less physical than Kano last year. I'd not played a girl before though so that might work at a disadvantage to me.
"Yeah but District Three" he chortles "Come on!"
"District Five is no muscular beast either" I reply "You do realise it's not going to be you in that arena" I laugh poking one of his muscles.
"I could take you here and now" Invuctus threats,
"Is that a promise?" I ask with a flirtatious wink that infuriates him, he seems to almost glow red in his rage.
"Ahem" I hear one of those please don't ignore me coughs from behind us and notice Albus and Idum standing awkwardly behind us, the two sixteen year olds joined the top five only a few months ago and were often found joined at the hip in social situations.
"Good job boys" Invictus says, suddenly calm and composed after his almost outburst. "Who'd you get?" he adds, proving we weren't really paying attention to them.
"District eight female" says Albus barely hiding his disappointment, "she looks alright though but kinda skinny."
"They're all skinny" Idum adds with a sigh "We should feed them more and then we'd all have a better game on our hands"
"Who you get then?" I ask, hoping no-one heard his radical comment; surely he knows we can't send more food to the Districts or else who knows what could happen.
"District Ten female. Rough thing, looks little snappy though." He says with a little more confidence,
I nod "impressive" I say as I look up to the stage where Roxanna is dipping her hand into the glass bowl.
"District Five's Parfum Naj. Age Fourteen. Gender Female." She speaks clearly and calmly, hiding her obvious disappointment.
"Looks like we're partners" Invictus smiles as she comes off the stage "Maybe we should ally."
I fight the urge to slap the smug look from his face as Rox declines his offer "I prefer to work alone" she tells him with a sweet little smile. I smile towards her catching her eye for a moment, she looks good tonight, better than when she's wearing some tatty clothes to game in. I can't help but admire her curves in the long golden gown she's dressed in.
"So District Three Max" she laughs "that's a bit of bad luck right there." I scowl again. If only she'd have kept her mouth shut I could have fancied her for a bit longer.
11th Place - Caliguia Atia's POV:
More weak tributes are chosen by those inside of the top ten, and by the time I'm on stage it looks like the odds are in my favour to get a strong district. As I reach the front of the line I watch as the District Eight male is chosen and smile, that's one less weak tribute gone. Sometimes when I watch the games I despair that we're no longer in the golden age of the mid hundreds games, where nearly half the districts were training their kids for the games. Now we just have to hope that the tribute you get landed with had a pretty physical job back home, something with coal or stone, not sewing buttons onto jackets.
Before I know it it's my turn to step onto the stage, checking the collar of my shirt is perfectly neat I stride onto stage and am greeted by a wary cheer. They don't really know me this crowd and though I can't pick out Father's face I know he's urging me to be the best. I can feel the pressure weighing heavy on my shoulders as I reach carefully into the bowl.
Strength, strength, strength.
"District Fours Kale Harper. Age Seventeen. Gender Male." I announce as a weight lifts from my shoulders, it couldn't have gone better I think as I watch a tanned male a couple of years my senior step up to stage and nod towards the crowd. He's calm and collected not a hint of the emotional failure that so many of the other tributes have shown. I think his mind will take to the software perfectly and District Four is a popular District round here so my team will have no trouble getting me sponsorships.
Stepping off the stage I'm lost in my own thoughts of how proud father will be of me when I'm approached by Maximus.
"Good tribute" he says, playing friendly in front of the others "Little jealous if I'm being honest."
"Well he's all mine, enjoy your District Three girl" I respond and to my utter shock he just turns away and ignores me, choosing instead to start talking to another of the top ten gamers. Ugh he probably thinks he's too good for me. Me!
12th Place - Constantinos Brakus' POV:
I roll on the balls of my feet nervously watching as gamers step up to the stage and pick their tributes. It's my last games so I can't waste this moment I have to make any second I'm in the spotlight count over the next few weeks.
That bratty kid who pushed me down to twelfth looks mightily pleased with himself as he pulls out the District Four male who seems to have a bit of muscle on him. I hope he's aware however that it's all down to him in that arena if he doesn't use that muscle properly it will be the end of him.
As I'm announced by our host, the always lovely Mycelia Jones I step up onto stage and kiss her hand.
"Always such a gentleman" Mycelia smiles "It's your last year on this stage isn't it Const?"
"It sure is" I sigh and the audience as predictable as ever 'Aww' along. "But fear not" I add "I'm not disappearing from your lives forever, I have big plans. Big big plans."
Mycelia laughs and gestures to the glass bowl that stands between us, "Well let's see who'll you be playing in your final year" she says.
I cross my fingers on both hands and hold them up to the crowd for a moment before reaching into the bowl. I dig down to the bottom of the bowl and swirl my hand around a moment, mixing up the slips inside after a moment I grip onto a single slip and pull it from the bowl.
Holding the slip up to my eyes I sneak another little smile at Mycelia before opening it to read the name.
"District Twelve's Ole Seam, Age fifteen, Gender Male." I smile at this tribute, he will have been working in the mines for a year at least and as I'm shown my first glimpse of an olive skinned boy five years my junior I'm pleased that he does seem to have some strength behind his skinny frame.
15th Place - Roman Ferling's POV:
Const leaves the stage all smiles and waves and I watch as Queenie Hatter and her brother Kingston climb onto the stage together. The two of them always seem to get consecutive places and they joke and smile with the crowd before pulling out the two tributes from District Seven. They act all shocked and happy but I'm not too sure that it's not set up that way. But how would they do that, it's not like the glass bowl can be tampered with between gamers. Maybe it could be the slips themselves, I've heard of paper that can be used and edited like screens.
I'm taken away from my ponderings by the voice of Mycelia our host calling my name. There is a smattering of applause as a few people must remember me from last year. I also hear the rather loud cheers of my Mom which is pretty cool of her.
"Welcome back to the games Roman" she says "How does it feel to be back up on this stage?"
"Exciting, I'm hoping for a good tribute to help me get much further this year." I reply before dipping my hand in the glass bowl. The paper feels normal but my suspicions are still there that this may not be as fair as it appears.
I pull out a slip, let's just hope somewhere someone likes me.
"District One's Chastity Hope, Age seventeen, Gender Female."
We watch as a short girl with a rather plain face walks carefully up to stage, she's not as pretty as previous District One tributes who always seem to have the good genes but with a bit of work our stylists could make her much more sponsor-able.
"Exciting" I say as I wave to the crowd and join the other gamers in the wings. I've never been one for socialising at events so I turn my back to the small crowd who are still in awe at Queenie and Kingston's apparent luck and watch on the screen as the next player takes the stage.
20th Place - Bianihz Sinclair's POV:
I can't help but nibble the ends of my manicured nails as I wait to be called onto stage, I should be paying more attention to my competition but all I can think about is my large bump that is obvious to all those who look no matter how flowing my current emerald green dress is. Pan and Booster had been helping me all day so that I'm appropriate for this evening, which included a pretty expensive haircut and this dress both of which Pan paid for.
He's been so much more supportive than I had expected him to have been, I guess he didn't have the conservative values that his and my parents did. I begin to get emotional at the thought of him sat there looking forward to seeing me on the stage, all my love for him flowing out towards the crowd, before I know it I've started to cry.
"Are you okay" A young girl stood a few places behind me asks,
"Just getting a little worked up" I reply with a weak smile as the kid at the front of the line enters the stage and we all shuffle forwards a little. Two more people to go then it's me.
"When are you due?" she asks causing my heart to sink a little, everyone will be able to tell, I'll be a freak show.
"A couple of months" I reply "I shouldn't really be here."
"You worked for your place didn't you?" she asks
I nod as the next person enters the stage area, the three gamers between me and the girl begin to look frustrated as they try to watch the screens.
"Then you should be here" she says "You've gamed before haven't you?"
"Quite a few years ago yes, but I stopped after the accident."
"Yea that was tragic" she says "I'm glad you're healthy again and it's an honour to be gaming with you."
"Thanks" I reply bashfully.
Soon I'm at the front of the line and minutes later I'm being called onto stage and after being told how 'radiant' – read pregnant I look this evening. It's my turn to choose a tribute.
"District Two's Victoria Weats. Age Eighteen. Gender Female."
Victoria seems relatively calm as she steps up to stage, she's obviously worked with stone for a while as he hands appear rough and she has some muscles. She opens her mouth to speak to the crowd but the camera cuts out before we see what, I decide I'll ask her later, it might come in useful.
Stepping down I nod some polite hello's to other gamers and ignoring the grin Invictus is giving me watch the screen, I'd lost track of which tributes had been picked but the three boys who were stood between me and the girl get the District Twelve girl then the District Nine girl and the District Eleven boy.
Next it's the girls turn, I find out that she's called Cleo and as I suspected this is her first actual game. She keeps a neutral face as she reaches for the final slip.
"District Sixes Ellia Jonson. Age Fifteen. Gender Female" she calls out before leaving the stage. I want to wander over and congratulate her but I'm stopped in my tracks by Invictus.
"Oh Bianihz" he smiles "You look absolutely... radiant."
"Yeah I'm pregnant, what of it?" I snap, I'm not in the mood to play games with him, there will be plenty of time for that later.
"It suits you especially now..." he's interrupted by Booster who eyes wild shoves him out of the way to hug me.
"Excuse me" Invictus huffs but he's joined by his family before he can say anything else. I smile and joke with Booster as she leads me over to talk to Pan and my parents, but something digs at me, what was Invictus about to say and why didn't Booster want me to hear it?
As my parents gush over me and promise they don't judge me for keeping the baby, Mom is probably already planning for my wedding, I glimpse Invictus wink at me again.
That's when it happens, another flash back, the first one I've had not physically gaming. I'm sat in the back of a light blue car, Invictus' car and he's kissing me. Not lightly either, with more force and passion than Pan ever has. "You ready" he had whispered and I remembered nodding as he begins to remove my dress.
"Bian, what do you think about that?" Pan asks snapping me back to the present.
"Sorry I zoned out, what was the question?"
"We should all go out to eat tonight"
"That sounds lovely" I say with a nod. I never knew I had dated Invictus, why had it never come up when my parents and Booster had tried to return my memories to me after the accident. Why in all these years had none of them mentioned him?