Sooo sorry for the long update. Hopefully you authors are happy with your tributes and how they're portrayed. Also remember to submit a mentor!
Brigid Perrilloux, 15
"You call this acid?" chimes Dad.
He swivels the conical flask in his beefy hands and the green liquid swirls around. He gives me a cocky smirk and I rush over and snatch the flask from him.
"What are you going to do?" asks Dad concerned.
"This." I snap and grab a test mouse from the cage to my left.
Radical squeaks pierce my ears and I dump the mouse in a steel container before pouring the acid over its white body. Tortured cries echo throughout the room and I cover my ears, hoping to block out the sound. I'm not heartless or anything, it's all in the name of science and besides, District 3 has way too many vermin.
Within a minute the white fur has shrivelled and dissolved, leaving exposed tissue and tiny bones.
"Now was that necessary?" concludes Dad.
"All in the name of science." I replied.
Dad ruffles his ash-blonde hair and scrunches up his nose.
"Quite a mess you made there." Notifies Dad and points at the mice carcass.
The flesh continues to peel away and I dispose of the body. The stench reaches my nose and I crinkle my freckled noise in disgust.
"But at least it worked." I nagged.
I untie my ash-blonde hair and wrap the elastic band around my thin wrist.
"No it didn't!" He protested.
"Yes it did. The skin dissolved and it ripped through a rat. I think that counts as 'working.'" I argued.
"Yeah but that wouldn't stop a career lumbering towards you with an axe." Reasoned Dad.
"It did work!" I sassed. "Did you see what it did to that rat? It ripped him apart!"
"Well I guess it did work." Agreed Dad, our hazel eyes meet and I give him a slight smirk before running out of our basement and into my room to get ready. I grab my reaping clothes which is a white dress that used to be Mums and a pair of snow white flats. I then make my way to our bathroom and press my ear to the frail, oak door.
"For crying out loud Rina! Some of us have a reaping to attend." I piped.
"Wait, wait...Done!" She shouts and the door flies open and narrowly misses my scrawny figure. She strides past me and her wet, brown hair sends droplets of water splashing down on me.
"Sorry sis, I'm meeting up with everyone before the reaping." She babbles happily.
I stare her down while she's telling me. Of course. Pretty Rina. Smart Rina. Social Rina. "You should be more like Rina." I imagine Mum telling me. "Rina, Rina, Rina!" I say the last word whilst slamming my balled hands into the wall. I continue to huff as I step into the shower. I turn the tap and water begins to stream out of the shower head. I flinch and shoot out the shower as the water continues to pound the shower floor.
"Rina! You took all the hot water!" I wailed.
I watch the shower and imagine the droplets mocking me. "We prefer Rina. Everyone prefers Rina." They mock. I twist the cold tap and the water stops but their voices live on in my head, continuing to mock me.
I grab a black comb and run it through my shoulder-length ash-blonde hair and tie it back in the usual ponytail. I slip the dress on and it goes to my knees. The once white has taken on a creamy colour and is stained with various marks. I then slide on the shoes that constrict my feet.
I walk into the kitchen and sit next Genevie, my 9yr old sister. She is the only person in this family that I can actually have a conversation with.
"Are you scared?" she asks me. Her naive blue eyes look at me carefully. "I would be if I were you. Mikkie in my class, her sister was taken last year by the funny people and we saw her play soldiers on TV except when she came home, her body was in a box and she wasn't moving."
I think back to last year. The male tribute was a small, 13yr old boy who was instantly branded a bloodbath, but the girl was something special. Her name was Tristen Ranniford and she was my age. At her reaping she didn't cry, didn't look scared but instead just stared the capitol down through the cameras. The chariot costumes were the same as usual; a mad scientist. Tristen earned an 8 for her training score which was considered impossible for someone with a District 3 background. Her interview was unforgettable. She didn't utter a single word; she just sat there in her black nightgown. The boy died in the bloodbath. He was decapitated by the District 1 boy but Tristen snagged a backpack, a coil of wire and a chemistry kit. The arena that year was an abandoned city. Tristen created deadly toxins using her kit and dipped her dagger that she had in it. She would then tie snares to entangle tributes and killed 2 including the District 1 boy. But she was rapidly running out of food. The feast was where everything fell apart. She ran second and got their along with the District 1 girl who tortured her. Tristen had killed her District partner and the love of her life so she was eager to get back at Tristen. Over 3 hours Tristen was cut apart and ripped open before a pack of mutated vultures scared the District 1 girl away and devoured Tristen. She came home in a plastic bag.
"You remind me of her." Babbled Genevie. I look at her and smile.
Mum then walks over to me and presents a bowl of porridge.
"Thanks mum." I declaimed.
I look up at mum and notice her giving me a look of concern.
"I didn't like the way you were treating Rina."
I let out a deep breath and continue eating my porridge.
"You should be more like her. Nice, happy, social-"
"Oh my god! I don't want to be like Rina! She's so...Perfect!" I stammer and sprint out the door.
I have just started walking to the square when a voice pipes up from the shadows.
"Brigie! Wait Brigie." Shouts Genevie. Brigie is her little nickname for me while hers is Evie.
I open my arms and she flies into them. She pulls away and smiles at me.
"I wanted to come with you." She announces gleefully.
"And I'm so happy you did." I tell her.
She grips my hand and we walk towards the Town Square silently.
"There it is!" Cheered Evie after about 10 minutes. I squeeze her hand and she beams at me.
"We better wait for Mum and Dad though." I say and poke her stomach.
"Why?"
"So they can take you. I have to go to my area remember?"
"Oh yeah!" giggles Evie. I can't help but smile.
We wait for about 5 minutes before Mum and Dad arrives and takes Evie away. I then get my name marked off and go to my roped off area.
A flash of bright red hair gets my attention and I call out to it.
"Dania!"
Dania spins on the spot and her red hair spins with her. She quickly walks towards me.
We make small chit-chat before something grabs me in a headlock.
"Luriline! Leave her alone!"Cries Dania.
"Hey Frigid. Maybe you can see over the top of everyone and tell me, what-" "Enough with the height jokes!" I snap. I'm the tallest in my year, reaching 5'8 so Luriline uses this for more insults.
In the background our escort rattles on, nearing the part where they choose our female tribute.
"I don't even know why you train for the games. You suck at everything you do." She taunts.
"Ladies first!" trills our escort.
"You here that? They're about to choose a tribute, any would be a better tribute than you." She hisses.
In a fit of anger I do something unheard of in District 3.
I volunteer.
Rubin Heart, 13
"I volunteer!" Rings out a deranged cry.
Murmurs escape the mouths of every citizen of District 3. Strong hands push a girl into the aisle, her hands shakily cover her mouth and silent streams roll down her face.
"A volunteer? Here?" Snickered our escort, Fliti Panidon.
The girl cautiously walks towards the stage, each footstep sending a splash of teardrops on the gravel floor. She wanders directly past me and I hear her mutter under her breath.
"Dumb cow! I'm going to rip her throat apart and shove her body down a well to rot!"
Eventually the girl mounts the stage and is addressed by Fliti.
"Your name dear?" She offered. Even from hear you can see she's a nervous wreck. Her pompous, magenta hair is lopsided and her nails constantly fidget against the microphone.
"B-Brigid Perriloux." Sniffed Brigid.
"Well Brigid, congratulations on being our latest tribute."
Instead of answering Brigid aims her eyes on the ground, possibly avoiding family members.
"Well now let's see if our boy tribute can match Brigids...Determination?" Jested Fliti. I am liking this chick less and less.
She digs her hand in the enormous glass bowl and a paper slip emerges, grasped between her painted nails.
"Rubin Heart!"
The name echoes throughout the speakers and all eyes land on me. My surroundings start spinning and black dots cloud my vision...
oOo
"Rubin? Are you OK?" murmurs a familiar voice.
My best friend Sammy leans over me, his brown eyes register fear.
He helps me up and I shake my wavy, brown hair out of my blue eyes.
"Yeah, I just fell, that's all." I tell him.
I take a few steady steps and walk onto the path, leading on to the stage. My knees wobble and buckle beneath me, but Sammy's there to catch me.
"Dude, take it easy." He croaked. A tear lands on my shoulder and I look up at him. Tears threaten to spill over his puffy eyes. I give him a reassuring nod and walk to the stage. When I get up there I hear small chatter behind me.
"Poor kid." Whispers Cordin Jones.
Cordin is one of the mentors for this year. She won 9 years ago based on extreme luck.
"Yep, bloodbath for sure." Grumbles our other mentor, Cogg Palistin.
A sob catches in my throat at those words.
Bloodbath! I have only just been reaped and already I'm labelled a bloodbath!
"Well go one then, shake hands you two." Announces Fliti.
We both shake hands, hers wet with tears and mine, constantly shaking. Then the Justice Building doors are opened and we are each escorted into separate rooms for farewells.
The doors part and Sammy walks in, accompanied with his girlfriend Aparatus. He wipes his eyes and sits next to me and Aparatus is at his side, gripping his hand with immense ferocity.
"We'll miss you buddy." Chokes Sammy.
Ever since we were 5, we have been inseparable, doing everything together and never leaving each other's side.
"Yeah. I'll miss you to." I say.
"Rubin. In the arena you can have a token, promise us that this will be yours." Quavers Aparatus.
Aparatus and I have grown close since her and Sammy hooked up last Summer. She holds out a little microchip on a piece of string.
"If you attach it to a computer it comes up with a slideshow of us." She confides.
"Thank you." I whisper and she buries herself in my arms. Sammy hugs me to and then they both walk out the door, hand in hand.
The doors have only just closed when they part again and father rushes in. He grabs me and gives me the world's biggest kiss before setting me down.
"I love you son. Never forget that." He croaked.
"I love you to Dad." I answer and I hug him again.
We grew especially close since the death of our mother when I was 9. She was electrocuted by a faulty wire and died instantly. We found her body stone cold in the basement.
We both sit there silently. My head against his chest. I listen to the steady beat of his heart and imagine it being the countdown before the bloodbath.
He then gets up and leaves and I huddle in a ball on the sofa, letting the tears run free and my cries echo throughout the empty room.
Hope you liked it! Sorry for Rubins part being quite short :( R&R please!