Hey guys! I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in forever. I just started school and I've been really stressed out and stuff. Just know that I haven't forgotten you guys. :)

Here is District 3. Thanks to Jamez S for both tributes. Come read his story, by the way. It follows Gamble Braxton, a District One tribute, through the Hunger Games. It's not very long yet, but it's really good!

Chapter 3 – District 3 Reapings

Emily Dove (12)

The first thing I hear on the morning of reaping day is my older brother Charlie's voice. "Get up, Emily. You need to get ready for the reapings."

I yawn but obey. I slide out of bed and Charlie goes to the bed beside me to wake up my nine-year-old sister, Rachel. I grab my favorite (and only) dress and run into the bathroom to change before anyone else can.

Once I have the beautiful yellow sundress on (it's a little small, but oh well), I put my hair in its usual braid and smile at the mirror. I then walk out of the bathroom so Rachel can get dressed.

I bound downstairs to where my grandparents and Charlie already are. "Is breakfast ready yet?" I ask.

My grandmother shakes her head. "It will be ready in a couple minutes."

I do a couple pirouettes while I'm waiting because I can't be still. I love to dance when I can, but I'm not very good because no one in my family can afford to get me lessons. Once I'm older and I get a job, I'll try to pay for them.

I live with my grandparents on my dad's side because when I was six years old, my parents died in an explosion at the train repair shop where they worked. The business is shut down now. People sent Charlie, Rachel, and I to live with my grandparents. Elderly people are rare in District Three, so I'm lucky that both of my grandparents are still with us.

My grandfather puts breakfast (a couple of pieces of toast) on the table and I grin with excitement. I haven't had any bread or toast in a long time. Usually we just have bland oatmeal for breakfast.

Charlie and I eat quickly, and by the time Rachel is downstairs, we are wiping our mouths and telling our grandparents that we'll see them at the reapings.

Perfect timing, too, because at that moment there is a knock at the door. Charlie and I know who it is – Charlie's best friend, Ryan Lucas. He is Charlie's age (2 years older than me) and the three of us often do things together. We like to climb trees, walls, or basically anything we can find. We also like exploring the old abandoned buildings on this side of town.

We live right by the only woods District Three has, the woods that connect us to District Two. As soon as Charlie and I are out the door, we are racing Ryan to the woods. We get there, panting, and we each pick a tree. I begin to scale mine quickly because this is a race too. We need to see who will make it to the top of their tree first.

As soon as I reach the top, I glance around to see that I beat Charlie, and that Ryan has just reached the top of his tree. "It's a tie!" he yells to me, and I nod.

"Sorry, Charlie," I add, and Ryan laughs. I've always kind of liked Ryan as more than a friend, but I don't really want to tell him. I'm not exactly sure how I would.

When Charlie gets to the top, he says, "We should probably get down. We don't want to be late to the reapings."

We begin to lower ourselves down and once we jump down to the dirt ground, we start jogging to the reapings, which aren't too far away. We get our blood taken right away and I make my way to the twelve-year-old female section in the back while Charlie and Ryan go to the fourteen-year-old male section in the middle.

It's my first reaping. I'll admit, I'm nervous.

Kevin Lee (15)

I arrive at the reapings with my best (and only) friend, Michael. Not too many people like me because I'm more the studious, intelligent type, and besides, I'm Asian, which makes me different from everyone else. I don't really care, though – I'm happy with the person I am and the teasing doesn't really affect me. I'm proud to be different and smart.

My passion is gaming. I love inventing and playing games. The problem is, I'm kind of addicted to it. I like to gamble, and make bets as well. I'm really competitive, and often that makes me nervous and I mess up. Occasionally, though, my brains can control my nerves and I win some money to invent more games.

Michael doesn't exactly approve of my interests. He's more active, he enjoys fake sword fighting with sticks and he always pushes me to exercise more. I'm not overweight or anything, but I just prefer to do less tiring activities.

Michael and I walk to the fifteen-year-old male section and the reapings start almost right away.

Our escort, Mia, is one of the more subdued Capitol people, which is nice. Her hair is red, but it's natural, so she keeps it that way. She is wearing her red hair in bouncy curls instead of dyeing it or wearing a wig. She's wearing a sparkling navy blue dress with silver accents, and I'm just glad the dress isn't bright pink or something. I hate the Capitol ladies who dress in a thousand bright colors.

Another thing that's nice is that Mia doesn't have a super-annoying accent, which leads me to wonder if she's even from the Capitol. Maybe she's from District Eight; not many other districts have natural redheads. I bet Mia's a designer or something and that's how she got to the Capitol.

Anyway, Mia reads the slip she picks out of the bowl for the female tribute. "Emily Dove?" she calls out hesitantly. I can tell she doesn't love this job.

A tiny girl with a dirty blond braid timidly walks out from the twelve-year-old girl section. My heart instantly goes out to her. It's her first reaping, and she got picked. That's really bad luck.

Two boys from the fourteen-year-old section are calling out to her. "Emily! No!" they say. One looks as if he could be her brother, but the other doesn't.

"Now for the boys," Mia continues, trying to ignore the cries coming from that section. She picks a slip and walks back to the microphone. "Kevin Lee," she says.

What?

There must be a mistake. I can't be reaped. I can't go into the Hunger Games.

Before I know it, someone is shoving me forward and I'm on the stage and I'm shaking the little girl's hand and then I know my life is over.

But maybe I can try to make the best of the little time I have left.

Emily Dove (12)

Their cries echo in my head. "Emily! No!" I snap back to reality and see that I'm crying. Great.

It's no surprise that Charlie and Ryan are my first visitors. Charlie immediately wraps me in a hug, and then Ryan does the same. The hug with Ryan is a little awkward, but I can't think about that right now. All I can think is I'm going to die in there.

"I don't have a token for you, Em," Charlie says, "But please remember us in the arena and in the Capitol.

I nod tearfully. I'm going to miss them so much.

We talk for a couple minutes about how everything is going to be so different and how Charlie will take care of Rachel no matter what and how every time they climb a tree, they'll think of me.

Then the Peacekeepers come and take them away and I'm bawling.

I never told Ryan how I felt about him. And chances are, I never will.

My grandparents and Rachel come in next, and they do give me a token – a golden band that was my mother's wedding ring. The sight just makes me cry harder. I'm over my parents' death; it was a long time ago, but I still miss them more than anything.

Then they leave and I'm alone.

Kevin Lee (15)

My first visitor is Michael. No surprise there.

I can tell he's fighting back tears. "You can use your sword-fighting skills in the arena," he says with a small smile. I return it.

"You're really smart, too," he continues. "I'll bet you'll be the smartest one there. And you know lots about strategies. You know when to take risks and when not to. Maybe you haven't been completely wasting your time with all this gambling."

Despite all the sadness, I laugh.

"I brought a token for you," he says, and holds out his hand. In it is a pair of dice, red and white. They are my good luck charm, and I always lose when I forget them at home.

"Thank you," I say. I need them to bring me all the luck I can get in the Games.

The Peacekeepers escort him out the door, and then I have a halfhearted, emotionless conversation with my parents. I'm kind of distant with them because they're always working, and we aren't really close. Let's just say I'm not their first priority.

No tears are shed during that visit, and when they leave, I'm not expecting any more visitors, because I don't really have any more friends, but the door opens one more time.

The people that walk through the door are the two fourteen-year-olds that were calling out to my new district partner.

"Protect Emily," the one that looks like her brother says. "I'm not saying you have to ally with her or anything, but just please don't kill her. Please." His face is wet with tears.

I just nod. I know I could never kill someone like that anyway.

"Thank you," the other boy whispers, and they walk out.

And I will try. I will try to protect Emily. Why shouldn't I?

And that's District 3!

Questions:

1) Who did you like better, Emily or Kevin?

2) What did you like and dislike about each of the characters?

3) How do you think these two will do in the Games?

Thanks so much for getting me to 45 reviews. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it. :)

Ashley