Tobias Sandler

I bet you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, right? The one about the sweet little girl, the grandma, the woodcutter and the big bad wolf? It is full of lies.

First of all, wolves do not have human characteristics. They can't talk, walk on two legs, but pretend it can. Pretend it talked to the girl, went to the granny's house and at her. False. One cannot eat a person in whole without cutting them up to tiny pieces. Pretend they can. Then the wolf's stomach should burst open because the granny is larger than the wolf's stomach. Pretend that's possible. Red Riding Hood comes around, and the wolf eats her too. They wouldn't survive, because of the lack of oxygen and the acid. Let's pretend they won't die. Here comes a random woodcutter, kills the wolf and saves the two ladies. Not. He cannot cut up a wolf's stomach with an axe without hurting the insides.

So the whole story is illogical and stupid.

But the parents of District 7 tell the story in a different version.

They say that the Big Bad Wolf will come if you misbehave and eat you.

Now I'm good, because I know that is impossible, but then I did not know.

I had a rather evil brother, and with his friend he loved terrorizing me in my young years.

For example, this one day when he was tasked to babysit me, he told me this story about a curse that turns people into werewolves and all that. He talked about it like a subject in school, and I was young, of course I believed him. Note on the side, around that time, three or four Lupus Supreme were on the loose, killing people. Lupus Supreme are giant, I mean, giant wolves. About the size of lions.

So his friend went outside to get something from his car, and these sounds I heard. Snarls and howls, shrieks and tearing of flesh. My brother didn't allow me to go the window and see, instead he was shocked at whatever he saw. He told me to run upstairs, and told me to never come out. He told me about the Lupus Gigantus, the werewolf story, and how that is one of them. He gave me a book about them and told me to read it, in case of emergency. So I ran up the stairs, hearing the windows break and my brother scream as animal noises of rage were heard by my ears. I ran upstairs, locked the door and got under my bed. I started reading the book, the hows and whys of lycanthropes and how to defeat them. Iron. I didn't have iron, but I surrounded myself with plushes and anything I thought was magical and could protect me. The steps creaked, heavy breathing was heard. Sniffing and growling. If I wasn't scared enough, now I was terrified for life. My door opened and I only saw the legs. Feet with long, bloody and fleshy claws, long bushy tail tainted with blood and saliva dripping. I managed to shut myself up, not making a sound. The monster howled and left the house. I didn't come out. I locked myself, wondering how he opened my door, put all the heaviest things I can before the door, and didn't come out for three days.

Three days without food or bathroom or anything. Three fucking days.

And then came a forest fire and killed my family. I survived because of a school project.

Well, that sums up my family history, my current state, and the reason why I am twisted.

I got orphaned, lived in an orphanage for six years, until I got adopted by this woman who is only eleven years older than me.

My relationship with Michelle is more like an older sister to younger brother, than mother to son.

Then there is Aileen, my bimbo friend.

She and I are opposite, but we just…click, I guess.

Maybe because she is dark too.

She is tall and blonde, happy and hyper. I don't really know why we are friends, guess that's life.

"Hey Tobi, do you know where I put my paperwork?" Michelle asks me as she searches for her work like a maniac.

"You already gave it to your boss yesterday, remember? He even gave you a little raise because you finished early."

She stopped.

"Oh, are you sure?"

"Yes Michelle, I am sure."

She snaps her fingers. "That's right, okay, I remember now."

Michelle sits down next to me. "Would it kill you if you'd call me mom sometimes?"

"No, but it could be arranged," I tell her. "I'm meeting up with Aileen, do you need anything from anywhere?"

"Dinner would be nice."

"But it's Reaping day, remember?"

"So?"

"I have a bad feeling, but oh well. Would pizza satisfy your hunger?"

"Perfect," she says.

"Okay then, I'm out," I say and hug her.

I should be meeting up with Aileen to go the Reapings. I don't understand something, the age old question. Why does the Capitol do this? Sending kids for their ancestor's faults. I mean, if that would go for ten years and then stop, that's fine. But for a century? No no. Send their kids in or something, but not us kids.

"Hey Tobias," Madame Bimbo, aka, Aileen greets me.

"Aileen," I say and nod as a sign of greeting. "You look ravishing."

She really made herself look good, every girl can do that.

But now she was wearing a dark beige short skirt with white leggings and a flower in her long, platinum blonde hair. Haha, platinum blonde, fits her perfectly, because she can be very blonde at times.

"You too look good, "she said.

"I know I do," I smile. She elbows me.

"Shut up. Do you want to go before the Reapings?"

"Order pizza for dinner? I invite you over for dinner, accept it?"

"Well, I don't know…"

"Accept it."

"Okay, fine, thanks."

Madelyn Rosegold, District 7

Money spins the world. Money talks and bs walks. Money talks and dogs bark. They all mean the same thing. If you have money, you have power.

And my parents clearly know this. They are one of the richest families of District 7; the other two being the Aoks and Loselas. They are all the same, they are rich, but want to be richer.

But they failed.

They were having all their children trained hard for the Games, stupid greedy people, they wanted to win but their kids always died in the bloodbath. Pathetic.

Not like my family doesn't want to be richer, but we are actually smart. We have connections, people everywhere. Sort of like a mini mafia.

And in the middle, me.

Madelyn gets whatever she wants. If she needs a new computer, she gets one, if she wants a horse, she gets one, she needs a good looking butler? Can do.

It feels good being the boss here, thanks to my irresistible cuteness and my strong will, I haven't found one man on Earth who said no to me, and got away without permanently losing an ear…or at least an ear.

People fear me, good, they shall.

But my mom, dad, aunts and uncles, cousins and all that, they adore me. I'm their favourite.

Ha, well, either you are born to be a winner or not.

That is why I decided to go to the Games…or my mom said to my dad about how I am sure to win the Games and all that shit, but she really used psychology to implant the idea of doing the Games and becoming famous.

My parents are weird. I know they love me, but it seems like…they use me. And it bothers me, worries me…

They pamper me, talk to me like a baby, and I dislike that.

Well, not the pampering part, that I like.

I mean, now they are like 'Who's the cutest girl on the world?' and five minutes later they are like 'You get no lunch until you run ten miles!'

But I get everything I want, when I want, where I want, no matter how crazy that is, so that is good…I guess.

And then I'm homeschooled. I was good with that, people might get very envious of me, but then, as I grew, and I was feeling alone. And no matter how much money I had, money doesn't buy friends.

That I why I started 'disappearing' from view. I run away into the forest, where the wildos dwell, like bunnies, dears, frogs and other animals, and socialize. I grew to like them, their furry lives and squeaking noises when I tickle or play with them.

I tell my secrets to them, my problems. Haha, like they will understand or anything, but still…it feels good.

Then there are times when my mom arranges 'meetings' with other children. Every time it turns out it is a fight. I win, I get what I want; if I lose, I get locked in the basement as long as I finish the Training Course.

But then that doesn't work anymore, I figured out how to leave.

Then my mother would start yelling at me for whatever reason, and what do I do?

Talk back of course. She thinks just because she is my mother, she is a god compared to me? Bitch please. I am young, yes, but nonetheless I am a human just like her, so I want the same respect I give to her. Who does she think she is? You know, besides my mother? I mean, looking at who can do greater damaged, obvious I am the winner. Just by running away, I can cause a pandemonium.

Oh well, at least now she knows how to talk to me.

I feel rather alone right now, watching movies while my parents are away. They hired a babysitter to babysit me, but he left me with his other subjects to look after, so I am babysitting those two kids.

God I hate kids.

"Stop that," I tell one of them calmly.

The other ones running around with my old picture book from when I was young. "Hey, watch it! That's mine."

Then I see what he did to it.

He drew all over it. All over Puddlay, Morphica, and all the other fairies!

"You fucking ugly bitch!" I slam him to the ground, somehow gently. "Why did you do that?"

"But it's a drawing…"

"It's stupid, just like your ugly face is!" I roar at him.

"Bu-but mommy says I'm beautiful."

"Shut the fuck up kid, you are ugly as hell," with that, I grab him by the hair and carry him to the kitchen. For some reason, my mother has a cage inside a secret room in the kitchen. I get the cage out and put the kid in it.

I look at the other one, as he stares at her brother.

"I will get another cage and lock you up in the dark, where the Big Bad Wolf will eat you." I snarl at her.

I make popcorn for three, give one to the caged one, one sitting silently, playing with her dolls and one for me. It is movie night time.

I watch like…five, I guess, five movies. The last one being a horror movie with lycanthropes. Oh how I enjoyed their screams…both the movie and the little kids.

Anyways, my babysitter got back, I was pretending to sleep on the floor with the two kids outside the cage, the cage was hidden and everything was perfect.

I even left him a note about those two being wonderful and all.

That stupid bastard doesn't suspect a thing…

Tobias Sandler

Well, I ordered two pizzas, one for Michelle, she likes the pineapple ones, and one for Aileen wants the mushrooms and cheese one, but she never eats the whole thing, so I'm just going to eat her leftovers. After that, we go to a cafe and enjoy a nice little break. She is obsessed with coffee, but I'm satisfied with green tea.

Oh well, I guess whatever tickles her peaches.

"Tobias," she begins, and by the note of her voice I know she wants something.

"If it is money you desire, I am not a public bank."

"No, not that. It's just…at least a dozen girls asked you out."

"So?"

"And you didn't accept any of them."

"That is correct."

"But why?"

"Well," I say after a sigh, "you never asked." Her eyes brighten up. "Not like my answer would change or anything."

"Oh…"

"Come on, do you really want to date me? I mean, are you sure? I'm bipolar, sarcastic, sadistic, with no sense of moral whatsoever."

"Well no, but you are dashing."

"And you are gorgeous. Easy as that."

Our Escort, Taylor, dressed up as a douchebag, take offence.

Spray tan, short shorts, wife beater, sandals, gold thingies and all that.

"Yo District 7! What's up?" He yells, not even bothering to talk into the mic.

Ass.

He tells us the twist.

Fucking ass.

He reaps my name.

I will kill him.

I say, and walk up, holding the grudge to kick him so hard his balls that they will end up in his mouth.

Madelyn Rosegold

Even if I wasn't really assigned for babysitting, I got paid.

I mean, he got paid, but then I blackmailed him with dandy little things like pictures, videos and voice records. You know, all the fun stuff that tells that he is cheating on his girlfriend, buying drugs, all that goodness.

First he wanted to give me half, but he had to give me the whole thing, if he wanted to go without a gashing wound.

And now the Reapings! Yaay! Not.

Stupid Capitolians. Stupid Capitol. Stupid Escort and stupid Mentors. The whole thing is retarded and a waste of work. Instead of sending kids to death, why don't they make them work all day with minimal salary? Ah, stupid people are stupid.

Young little Taylor is his usual self. A complete idiot. I mean really, who wants to see him wearing a wife beater that doesn't even cover his stomach?

Ass.

Anyway.

He comes and dooms the friends of the tributes and reaps Tobias Sandler.

Sandler?

That was a famous family. Until a forest fire killed each and every one of them. Well, he is the last survivor.

But he too will die, because Taylor said my name.

Tobias Sandler

I would say that I am surprised, but I am not. I actually look forward to the Games, killing people and animals, coming back victorious. But then I have to save Michelle and Bimbolina too. And then kill Madelyn and other little boys and girls. Oh the fun.

Aileen rushes in, hugging me, but just the wrong way. She clings to my neck, basically choking me.

"Aileen, Aileen," I manage to say as I poke her sides.

She doesn't say anything but cry. Just cry endlessly.

After her, Michelle comes in; she was sobbing, but not crying.

"Well Michelle, looks like our dinner party is cancelled," I greet her cheekily, earning a slap.

"You will come back alive. No matter what. Cheat if you need to; and young man, do not talk to me like that," she scolds me, and collapses on the couch.

"I could do that, mom."

Madelyn Rosegold

Well that surprise. Looks like my parents do care about me a tiny bit. Mom is definitely sad, and dad is trying to suppress his depression.

"I'm proud of you," he finally says.

Thanks I guess. You are proud of me because I go into the Games and die? Great.

"Remember our training," he says. Our training? Please, he didn't do anything for me.

"Just shut up," I finally say. "You weren't there. You weren't helping me. It's like you weren't even my parents! And you know what? I am pretty sure you wanted me to be in the Games."