Helllooo, Chapter Five already! Pleased with it so far. Hope you like it too.

I have a lovely arena planned for you all. Something interesting and unique, but obviously I cannot reveal any details... You'll have to wait and see!

I think the pace of this story is right. I mean, who wants to read 24 different versions of the Reaping all after each other?

*WentToTheMoonToday

...

Emilia Jatos, District

The Peacekeeper ushers me into the sixteen year old section and I stand there for a moment. I am the only sixteen year old at the moment. All of the other girls are probably still bickering over their clothes and what to wear. I push up my glasses.

I have no friends and I like it that way. No one really understands me except from my parents. I lightly brush my finger over the charm bracelet which I wear all the time. It has three small copper charms dangling off it, which clink together when I move. There is a miniature ornate cross, a slender, sleek dove and a bible.

Sometimes they tease me for being so religious, but I just ignore them. What do they know? Nothing except the bubble they are living in. Speak of the devil. Five of the most detestable girls saunter into the cordoned off area. I internally groan.

I would wish them to be Reaped for the games, but that would be to harsh. Their heads barely reach my chin. That is a natural advantage and it makes it so much easier to ignore them. However, at that moment, sixteen year olds start pouring in and just as the five begin make towards me, they get washed away by the crowd.

Thanks everyone, you just indirectly prevented an extra half an hour of torture and teasing.

Rye Kuna, District One

I can't see the Peacekeeper's face, but I can tell that he's irritated. "Mr Kuna, will you please enter the fourteen year old boy's area?" His voice is laced with poison. Maybe I've pushed it too far.

I try to press against the furthest corner from the other boys. I'm not comfortable around other people. I'd rather be on my own, or with my sister Pepper. We have been through bad times together, and I would protect her with my life. I was born into a family where "father" was an unknown concept, and "mother" was something who hated you. Ever since her first breath in the world, Pepper has been sick with cancer.

At age eight, my biological mother threw us into the streets to starve. Barric, a friendly baker found us and eventually he, and Wendy, became our adoptive parents. They have one child of their own (Barley) and two other adoptive children called Crusten and Hallah. I only get on with my sister and Barley but I have finally accepted that Wendy and Barric are my parents now.

While I thought about my current situation, the District One escort flounders on the stage. She is a new recruit – I believe her name is Fantasia Delamonté. Her hair balloons out, not far from radioactive candyfloss, and is entwined with ivy. She dithers and prances about, but eventually reaches a conclusion.

She daintily dips her manicured hand into the bowl and withdraws a name.

"Rye Kuna!" She scans the crowd somewhat stressfully. "Rye? Can you hear me?"

My eyes are blank, but behind them, a large process of information is being digested. Why is no one volunteering? This is One for goodness sake, someone volunteer! How will Pepper survive without me? What if she dies?

I direct my line of vision onto a garland of flowers by the steps. I snap a stalk out of the fray and crush the flower head. It can be my token. It represents my life. Beautiful but broken.