Anglis Rudar-Stvo
Being a poor kid was never fun. Except that you get to hang around, helping at home everyday. You know, since I cannot go to school and stuff. And after my mom died of sickness, it was even less fun. Her death changed everyone in the household.
For example, dad got depressed, very depressed. He forgot to smile and spent his day and life working to keep up the family. Peter, well, I think it affected him the most.
Before her death, Peter was confident of himself, so sure about everything he did. He was a heartthrob, every girl wanted him. He was in four sports, he was popular. He was everything I wanted to be. He was my idol.
He still is…but he is so different know.
He is very jumpy, nervous all the time. He lost all confidence, and his self esteem is hitting the bottom. He is anti-social, and fails at everything he starts because he is constantly telling himself how much he fails in life.
He is a typical representation of a Rudar male according to my grandmother, while she was living. He is tall, bulky, handsome, dark blond hair and dark blue eyes with long fingers and a robust look. Everyone said he was a typical Rudar.
I'm a typical Stvo. I'm middle height, not buff but a little chubby and strong but a bit slow.
We usually study together. He likes studying and the fine arts.
And bakeries.
I consider ourselves lucky because we are friends with the Mellarks.
They are the victors of the 74th Hunger Games, and for some reason, I'm friends with Emilly and Pieter, their children. Mrs. Mellark usually brings us some pastry, like pretzels and waffles, or sometimes a whole bread, and Mr. Mellark allows us to work at his shop, or paint with him.
He started a painting class. That man has a way of dealing with the canvas. He doesn't use brushes or sponges or anything, but his hands and fingers.
He conveys emotion, movement, depth and foreshadowing. Mostly he uses the inspiration from the Seventies, the 74th, 75th and 76th Hunger Games.
Peter usually draws the happy-goes-sad paintings. He draws something positive, and adds negative things foreshadowing the coming badness; but I cannot draw or paint to save my life, so I just do the basic frosting on some donuts as painting.
Then there is a lady who gives us food. She just comes, rings the bell, and gives me the food and leaves. She doesn't tell her name, doesn't accept anything, she just comes and leaves.
It is because of her we were not starving on numerous days.
I just thought of something. Wouldn't it be ironic if Pieter and Emilly would be reaped? It would be horrible, but also very ironic.
Hm…would they survive as well as their parents? Or would they play the lovers game?
Nah, they wouldn't be Reaped, though then the Capitol's eyes would be watching them.
"Hey Anglis," Peter murmurs. Weird, it sounded like a purr. He is cooking … something. But it's food.
"Next try putting some potatoes in," I say, looking up from the book of recipes. I have collected a lot of recipes from all over the place, or at least, the ones I can excess, and put them in this one book. I'm sure if I'd sell it, it would bring some money to the house, but…I don't want to. I guess I got attached to it.
Peter grabs two potatoes with shaky hands, and plops them in the pot when I notice he put the wrong ones.
"No not those ones!" I suddenly yell, making Peter jump and flinch. "I'm sorry for shouting," I quickly apologize and take the potatoes out of the hot water with quick movement.
"I'm so sorry," he says, almost tearing up. "I'm good for nothing."
I make a near hissing sound as I lick my hand, and then I put it to my neck. For some reason, my neck is always cool.
"It's fine, don't fret it. The water looks clean, so nothing bad happened. Shall I continue?" I ask him after inspecting the water.
"Yes…please."
I slice up the cleaned potatoes and put them in the water, than cut up some carrots, mash garlic and the soup is done.
He is playing with his fingers in the corner.
"Come on, it's okay. Nothing bad happened. No food went bad, no limbs were lost." 'No food went bad, no limbs were lost' is, nowadays, a common saying here in 12 that basically means 'everything's fine.'
"Yeah, but I messed up again."
"Oh shut it, so what? Like other people don't mess up."
"But I mess up all the time."
I sigh. "Look, you can't be blamed of Mom. She died. Not your fault, not my fault, not anyone's fault. You can't change it, so live with it. Life has a lot more of these kinds of surprises for us, and you can't blame yourself for them, or live like that. You just can't. Let other people worry for you for you worry. Look, if I get reaped, you can't blame yourself, because not like you cheated and decided to have my name in there a bazillion times, did you? No. So come on and enjoy life!" I said cheerfully. "Or at least try to pretend you find pleasure living," I pat him on the shoulder. "Let's take a walk before the said event."
Alia O'Larr
They say that appearance is everything? That is so true, if you ask me. I mean, look at my friends. They are all pretty. They are clean, even though you are talking about District 12, they are cleaner than most people. But. They are the most evil creatures I have ever seen. They are snobby, pathetic, and too smart to be kind. Just like snakes, or jackals, but snakes and jackals are too adorable to be compared to those…things.
And there comes my mom, wanting me to be popular and socialize with them, I mean, come on! Let me live for once in my life! I had to spend my childhood with them, and now I am fifteen. Let me pick my friends, but no. It's like, she wants good for me, but then she doesn't see the detail only the big picture.
It's like I don't even have a life anymore, just being a puppet having its strings yanked in all directions. Oh let's go to a party with Letta, oh let's have a tea party with Kaylee, oh let's go to the movies Ashlyn, or maybe go to a football game with the twins and 'marvel' over all the shirtless guys playing in mud for a ball? Then it comes to the point when everyone wants me, and I cannot say 'For crying out loud leave me alone' but I have to gladly accept the invitations, and then change them into a group activity or something.
Then there is the crap we do. Let's talk about boys; ooh, isn't insert name here hot? Oh my god, who did your nails? They are absolutely stupendous. Gosh, some stupid Barbie dolls they are. The worst of all, they are always, always mean to everyone who doesn't follow them, and if I don't copy them, they will throw me out and there is bye bye normal life in District 12. Ha, normal. Normal would be being poor and having little food…
The whole rich kid started when I signed into the talent show with the Hanging Tree, and I won. Before that, I was a dust on the rich man's foot, now, I am the one wearing the rich clothing because those brats fuel us with cash.
So in a way, I am the one working here.
Sometimes I just want to stab them with the high heels I am wearing just for the fun of it, or as a sign of revenge from the not-rich-and-snobby-people.
"He-ey Alia," Opal chirps with her very annoying, forced accent.
"Hey Opal," I say after a sigh.
"What's wrong girl? What was that with the sigh?"
"Oh nothing, the usual."
"I know how it feels, I wanted to buy this shoe, but it was not in my favourite colour."
Really? You didn't buy something because of its colour? Some people would do anything for disgusting clothing, just so they will have some clothing.
And considering the fact that my dad is a cobbler…
I so want to slap her...once, only once!
"I need to ghost Opal," I say.
"Ghost?" She repeats the word awkwardly.
"Yes, ghost, means to go away in a hurry without being noticed."
"Alia, what did we tell you? Don't you those words!" 'Those' words are anything slang and not posh.
"Anyways, toodles."
Home sweet home. Mom is baking strawberry pies.
Even at home I'm forced for the posh crap, as I mentioned earlier with my mom.
Harris, my dad is the only cobbler here in 12, so you can imagine how much work he has. He is kind, and digs me, but since he leaves early and returns late, it is really no use.
Then there is my cousin, Noel, who surprisingly hangs around some times with us. She is my role model. She is gorgeous yet strong, kind but serious, funny yet also mean at times. She has style, she has grace. She is everything I want to be, but more importantly, she gets my situation and we can talk about it.
But since she is twenty-one, she often just does her work and doesn't have time for me. And that's okay, because then I help her with some stuff, like organizing and moving things around. She is designing things, from clothing to buildings and other plans.
"Hey Noel," I say as I walk into her room.
"Hey sugar-pie." I never really understood why she is calling me sugar-pie, but better than mud-muffin.
"What are you up to?"
"Drawing the schematics of some new type of gun that doesn't hurt the body or the mind, but it causes you to black-out."
"Sounds fun. How's it going?" I plop down on her large, pie looking beanie. She designed this one.
"Well, some bullets are made in District 2 that causes some nerves to block down. It is really a big thing now. Those will be utilized for Peacekeepers so you know, they won't actually put holes in us," she explains.
I smell something in the air, something…good.
"Is that mushroom and cheese instant soup?"
"Yes, yes it is."
Even though we can have fairly normal food, I still eat the poor food. Instant soups, dry food, bread and berries, raw food, apples, oh I love apples and cheese. Cheese is my life, I cannot live without it. Usually when my mom gives me food, this really big food like…meat, lots of meat, I usually give it to the ones that aren't lucky as me. Especially to this sad kid. His mom died, and his family just fell apart.
Now that I think about it, I never eat meat. Looks like I'm vegetarian.
Oh well, it is about time to go to the Reapings. Blech, with my 'friends.' Jesus, I would a bit like it, maybe, if I would get Reaped. Just maybe…
Anglis Rudar-Stvo
I find it funny that on the Reaping day, the weather is so cheerful. Our Escort, Effie Trinket didn't change a bit. Nothing. She didn't get older, and her fine taste of fashion didn't break. She is punctual about everything, ordering some kids around to be in perfect squares standing, not sitting.
"Hello hello District 12! What a fine day we have here, don't you agree?" Somehow, she manages to make my brother and I smile. She too has visited the Mellarks once or twice. Especially when Haymitch got into hospital, poor drunkard; though I never really met her. "It is time once again to have a young man and woman filled with valor and pride to represent District 12 in the Hunger Games!" After telling us that our friends and family will be in the Games though, one tiny image zooms through my mind; and that is Peter dying.
I smile to myself, as if.
"The male tribute is Pete-"
"I volunteer!" I shriek like I am tortured.
Heh, she didn't even finish the name and I volunteered. There are so many people with the prefix Pete, sure my Peter wasn't Reaped. Walking up, I see Peter crying, great. As she reads the girl's name, I look at the other paper, Pete Cropperfield.
Just my luck.
Alia O'Larr
For some untold reason, Mrs. Trinket irritates me. Maybe because the fact she is just like my 'friends.'
Speaking about them, they are late. Or I am early. One of the two. Good. At least I don't have to put up with their talk and sobs and all the fake things.
Anyway, now I actually wear something I like. Sneakers, jeans, and shirt. Not a blouse, not high heels, no mini skirt, no make-up, fake-nails or anything.
The weather is so nice; I could do a lot of things besides coming for the Reapings. Question is, will I be stealthy enough so I won't be noticed? And will the weather stay?
I hope the answer is yes to both.
Or maybe if the weather turns bad, I just hang with Noel.
Mrs. Trinket gets on stage and greets us.
"To remind the Twelve Districts, that even those who knew about the Rebellion were considered as part of the Rebellion, the acquaintances of the tributes will be sent to the Games too," she reads of the yellow card. "The male tribute is Pete-" abruptly, the most horrifying "I volunteer" was heard. It was like a cat being skinned alive…
The boy who walks up, or runs, whichever sharpens your blade, is very much like the boy I give food to.
But when Mrs. Trinket asks his name, that voice…he is the boy I give food to!
"The lady tribute is Alia O'Larr!"
And look who's his partner?
Anglis Rudar-Stvo
Beside my father and Peter, I was surprised to see Peeta come to the goodbyes too. Needless to say, Peter was crying his heart out, talking about me giving the Reaping example and all. Dad was silent as always, no surprise, looking down on the floor, searching for things to say to his son that will never come back.
"Remember what mom said?" I say, and it catches Peter's and dad's attention. We don't really talk about mom anymore… "Darkness is everywhere. In the corner of your eyes, in the corner of your room, in the corners of he world. When you close your eyes it's dark, and when you sleep it's dark. Yet the sun always comes and banishes everything bad, and we have the luxury of having a piece of the sun…as a match." She used to say this when her sons were hitting rock bottom. It didn't help anything at all. I didn't get the darkness and sun and the matches, now I do. Or at least I think I do.
Maybe she had a different definition of it.
Depressing as it is, I knew this would happen. First mom, then the only normally insane guy, me, than dad, and then Peter is left alone.
Or something horrifically disturbing and heartbreaking like that.
I found it weird that Peeta came, since he is a mentor.
As it turns out his children will be in the Games because of some magical reason. More people to save for the win!
Anywho…if I wasn't insane enough, I am now.
Alia O'Larr
Lovely lovely. I'm in the Games. I have no chance but to rely on people for money.
Well, at least no more annoying stupid girls!
Guess that's good.
First my mom comes, surprisingly in tears.
"Oh darling…why does it have to be you? Why you?" She says between sobs.
I want to tell her that I'll be back in one piece, but I'd be lying. A District 12 girl against Careers? Please.
"Mom, mom," I gently shake her. "You can't change something that already happened."
"But…you're my little princess. I wanted you to have a perfect life. I didn't want you to have the life I lived. I thought that this way it will be better, with warm food and clothing, shelter…" she sobs.
That…opened my eyes.
"I was pushing you to have those friends so you will not have to suffer the things I did. I knew you didn't like it, heck you hated it, but at least you had food and everything I didn't…"
Oh mother…
Great, now I'm crying too, way to start my death sentence.
After her my dad came. He promised me to fight for me with everything he got…
Even better. He will use all of our money to save the sacrificial bunny.
After my parents, the three matriarchs, Letta, Kaylee and Ashyln.
I have to give it to them, they look ravishing.
Letta has her dark blonde hair up with a sand coloured bow, wearing an egg white dress.
Kaylee has her dark hair down on her shoulders in two long pigtails; she has a white circlet on her head.
Ashlyn wears a yellow knee length dress that looks as if it was bleached. It goes well with her pail-ish skin.
They are all shocked, first of all because of my appearance, then because I am reaped. Kaylee and Ashlyn keep talking about how horrible I look, and why am I not wearing a dress and makeup; the only normal person is Letta, who gives me a bracelet.
"So in times of need, you'll know we are there for you," she says reassuringly, yet seriously.
Irra and Iana come after them, they seem to ignore my looks, fortunately, and talk, almost recite, all our 'fun' times. Starting with me singing, then that one time I was laughing so hard that milk came out of my nose, and then how Irra's lover mixed the twins up, and still does. This time, my 'friends' actually acted human, making me feel a bit better.
Awkwardly Opal and Stella didn't come, and sadly Noel didn't come for my goodbyes.
I guess that it's better that it's me, I hardly have a personal life…
Author's Note: Now, because I am a horrible example of humans on Earth, tell me your favourite characters, and if you have a character, then tell me who you want to have a romance with your character(s) and alliances because they may just happen!
Finally…I'm done with the hardest part yet! I have my exams next week, so that will be a planning period, kind of. I have some parts of the games planned out, yes, the deaths, suicides, horrors and r o m a n c e s, and three person who can be the victors. I want apologize for the grammatical errors and the story line, and the lots of no updates in time…I hope you still like the story ;_;
But I still want you to R E V I E W… or else…