Chapter 4

Reapings

Payback Champions

Bianca Seabone, 18 years old. District 2.

Chloe starts combing my hair, which is a mess. I probably moved a lot while I slept. She wants to make it look fantastic and I let her, it reminds me of my mother and how she used to comb it when I was younger... Before my brother died, and everything went downhill. He was killed in the Games, and my parents haven't been able to accept the loss yet. I miss him so much it hurts, and today I'm volunteering. I've been training since I'm 5 years old. So, there's no fear in my mind, only excitement. I smile. Finally I'll get to go to the Hunger Games.

"Are you girls ready?" shouts Leo. Chloe giggles, and I roll my eyes.

"Yes, baby!" she answers. She hurries me to move, we walk down the stairs, and out of the house. Leo with his apparently permanent smirk and brown hair, grabs his girlfriend in his arms. And on his side stands Killian, with a black suit, looking at me with his gorgeous green eyes. I walk towards him, he cups my face in his hands and kisses me. I'm so thankful I have him. Not only is he the best boyfriend I could ask for: strong, handsome, nice and funny, he also excels at being my best friend. He copes with me, and knows me perfectly, even when I can be unpredictable. I'll miss him while I'm on the Games, but it will be worth it.

We start walking towards the town square, holding hands. As I move, I think about a thousand things. My strategy for the Games, how the Capitol will be, my parents… They'll come and see me before I go, but I don't really want them to. Before my brother's death, my father supported our training, he encouraged us to be the best, to be victors someday, like he was. But, after it, he started looking at me as if I was dead, or soon to be dead. While my mother, keeps trying to persuade me to not volunteer, to not risk my life, to stay with them. And, that's not going to happen. This attitude of them is what put the distance between us, the reason I prefer staying in Killian's house instead of my own, the reason why I spend everyday training at the Academy until late at night. My brother's death motivates me even more to do this, it was our dream ever since I have memory to become victors, and I'll do that for both of us.

We reach the town square, and Killian kisses me again, and walks away. He's twenty, so he will stay on the sides, with the rest of the people. He knows I'll volunteer, and he trusts me, he supports me, he knows I'll come back, and so do I.

I walk over to the eighteen years old section with Chloe and Leo by my side. She's telling a story, but I can't hear her. Right now I'm focused on the main stage. There she is, sitting like if she was a queen. The major's daughter, my future mentor… My brother's murderer... Mandy. I'll have my revenge someday, sooner or later. I want to see her die, in a slow and painful way. I want to kill her myself. I will kill her myself.

Zander Brooke, 18 years old. District 2.

I swing my sword down several times, until the dummy in front of me is nothing but trash. I grin. I enjoy feeling the weight of the sword against my palm, the ease it has to cut and rip everything in its path if given the right use and the power it gives. It's the perfect weapon. Milah's beautiful face appears in my mind. I smile. She differs in that, for her, the knives are the most practical and useful weapon, she's deadly with them. Damn! I'll miss her while I'm on the Games.

I leave the training room and head for the showers. I'm the only one in here, everybody is on their houses getting ready for the reapings, but I wasn't able to sleep due to the excitement, so I am here since midnight. The hours run when I train, and I figured out it will be the best way to spend my time.

I finish showering myself and put on my black tuxedo. I'm ready to go to the town's square, more than ready to volunteer. My mother will probably scowl me when she sees me for not having breakfast with them, but I know she understands. My parents are very supportive, they want to see their son on the big screen, making them proud, coming home as a victor. And, I can't wait for that to happen. I'll make my way to the victory with my sword, crushing whoever gets on my path. I'll get the glory that comes with the title, the fame, the money.

By the time I reach the town's square, the ceremony is about to begin. I walk towards the 18 years old section, seeing this year's female volunteer as I do. Sorry Bianca, but you are going to be as dead as your brother. There can only be one victor, and that's going to be me. I look over towards the seventeen years old, and there's Milah, already looking at me. I give her a wink, and she throws me a kiss. We both smile. Then the major starts speaking and I look towards the stage, thinking that soon I'll be on it, being declared officially a tribute. I'll be back in there later, as a victor.

Mandy Gneiss, District 2. Victor of the 61st Hunger Games.

The mayor's speech is exactly the same as always, though I told him that it was as boring as it could possibly be. It can't be helped, daddy has never minded about other's opinions, but neither do I. I scan through the crowd of children in front of me, they are all… flawed. He's too fat, the girl over there is too skinny, and that one has glasses. I frown. I just remembered last year's volunteers, I'm grateful that those two weaklings got killed. After all, if the girl got hurt by a 13 years old and the boy started crying when he broke his arm, they don't deserve being victors. They deserved getting burned alive by the other careers. But, this year will be different. I made sure of it, I went to the Academy almost on a daily basis for the last month. I watched them, their skill and their resistance. Seeing who was up to my standards. I had to talk and persuade the director of the Academy of increasing the level of the Try Outs. I can't accept the shame of coming back without a victor again, its just unacceptable. I hate loosing, and I hate it even more if its for the incompetence of two bastards that can't win a simple Game.

Mason is sitting by my side, his eyes fixed on the crowd. He's wearing a black tuxedo, sitting on his chair as if he owned the place. I like that. We have the same goal in common, which is having one of our tributes as the victor for this upcoming Games, no matter what. That and some occasional late hour meetings in his or my house, make us be somewhat close.

Finally father decided to end up with his speech, and now the escort stands up and walks towards the center of the stage. I look away in disgust. How's that woman allowed to look like that in public. Her dress is like a canvas with dripping painting, the same with her make up. I've never liked Capitol's fashion, it isn't functional nor appealing. She says some words, and later puts her hand in the bowl to pick the female tribute of this year. This is such an useless action. We are on district two! We have people fighting to volunteer ever since the Hunger Games started. I understand that it's a formality though, and as such it needs to be done. Like it or not.

"Rosalie Elmm!" says the escort through the microphone. Everybody looks bored, I bet they cant wait to go back to whatever they were doing, except the students of the Academy who didn't won in the Try Outs which are giving angry glares to those who did. The girl makes her way out of the fourteen years old section with a frown. She's from the Academy, and scored 4th in the Try Outs. Such a looser... Unprepared children shouldn't participate on them, they just make a fool out of themselves. At the same time, there's movement in the eighteen years old section. A few seconds later, the brat reaches the stage.

"Is there any volunteer?" The escort asks as if she didn't know. I roll my eyes, this formalities really get on my nerves.

"I volunteer!" Says Bianca, a tall brunette girl with a muscular body build. I nod. She seems to have what it takes, not only the normal traits of a good career, but also her skills at knife throwing are superb and she have enough charisma, with some tips she'll get the sponsors on the palm of her hand. She walks towards the stage, her shoulder clashing on the other girl who was on her way down. She smirks, while the other one puts a pained expression. I like her attitude. On top of that, she's a victor's daughter. However, her brother… He was a fool, a disgrace to that family. I remember how he doubted killing the girl from District 6, I took the knife out of his hand and killed her myself, but not before I killed him. I have no tolerance for weaklings. Hopefully, she wont be like Chris. I'm sure she hates me, and I couldn't care less. I'm not here to make friends, all I want is for one of this two to come home as a victor, so I can cover up last year's mess.

"What's your name sweetie?" asks Toya, the escort.

"Bianca Seabone", she answers firmly.

"All right then, here's your female tribute: Bianca Seabone! Now, on to the boys…" the escort says as she reaches back to the bowl and grabs another name.

"Oliver Linney!" announces Toya. Oh well, Mason's less successful scum-for-a-brother got reaped. I glance towards Mason, who stares at his brother with disgust as he makes his way up, looking at the floor with his fist clenched down his sides. Toya asks if someone wants to volunteer.

"I volunteer!" shouts Zander Brooke. I've got high hopes on him. He walks confidently towards the stage. His tall and muscular body inside that suit looks handsome, I bet the sponsors love him already. I saw him at the Academy, and his ability with the sword is outstanding, the only one who I've seen handling one better is Mason. He rips the dummies apart as if they were nothing. Definitely victor material. But, of course he is. I refuse to take anyone but the best to this Games.

A/N: I'm missing two tributes! The males from District 5 and 12!

Sorry for the shortness of some of the POV's, they'll be longer