Big thank you to d11olive-13 for Tinder and 2oo92 for Beck. I hope I did your tributes justice :)

Tinder Kailiv, 12

I follow father and imitate his heavy footsteps. He told me I could come with him to the woods and I eagerly got dressed and ready to go. We can't be out too long seeing its reaping day; mother said to be home by 11o'clock.

"Stay close." Advises father.

I grip his hand tightly as we approach Loony Pete's shack. He's been known to stalk children and warn them of things that prowl the woods in search of victims. He usually hides in his run-down shack and hollers at the lumberjacks and anyone who goes into the woods.

"Oooh wee!" Cries a shrill voice.

Father pulls me into his warm body and I notice Pete staring at us from his porch. His black eyes bore into us and father continues walking.

"Ya'll better watch out now. Slender be lookin' for some new friends!" He cackles.

Slender. A man of unimaginable length and no face. Every child in District 7 has heard the stories. People going into the woods and never returning. People recounting stories of a being they see in the woods. A being that silently stalks them.

"It's just a story." Father tells me as we approach the tree line. He strokes my ebony hair and I block out Pete's demonic laughter.

Father and I trudge through the woods, with only the birds and the occasional THUD of an axe as accompany. I have my eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary, as in anything 7 feet tall with no face.

"Just about there." Father tells me. I let his hand slip out of mine and run ahead of him.

"Don't go too far!" Father warns.

I skip past rows of trees and lay my nimble body down on a bed of grass. I rub the green bedding and I notice something out of the corner of my eye. A flash of black and white crosses my vision but it's gone before I can make it out. I close my eyes and embrace the warm air radiating from the sun.

"Tinder!" Cries a strangled voice.

I jump up and scan my surroundings. Just trees.

Hiss

I turn and face a person of impossible height. A person with arms that drape to the floor and a chalk white face.

"Oh my-"

I wake up screaming

"Tinder dear, are you okay?" Calls mother from the kitchen.

I take some deep breaths to calm myself. My ebony hair is stuck to my forehead with sweat and my pale hands continue to shake.

"Yes. Just a bad dream." I answer shakily. I hear footsteps pound the wooden floor and my older sister Poppy appears in the doorway.

"Another nightmare?" She asks. She's the only one I tell my nightmares to. Mother and Father just think I'm overreacting and acting childish.

I rapidly nod my head. "They're getting worse and worse. This time he nearly got me." I divulge.

Poppy pats my head and I lean into her thin body.

"They'll pass." She says soothingly. Her hand strokes my hair and I listen to the sound of her steady heartbeat.

"Get dressed then get some breakfast OK? We'll then walk to the reaping." Poppy offers.

"Sounds like a plan." I jest.

Poppy gets up, kisses my forehead and leaves. I sigh and hop out of bed. I walk over to my chest with all my clothes and select a pink a green dress. The dress stops at my knees and feels itchy against my pale skin. Mother bought it for me last month and I vowed to wear it for my first reaping.

I walk out of my bedroom and into the kitchen. Mother stands at the stove and mixes a pot.

"What's for breakfast?" I chime.

Mother turns and looks at me. "Pine needle soup."

Of course. We're too poor to afford anything decent. We live in the poorest region of District 7 and we practically survive on pine needle soup. However, all this could change. Poppy won the opportunity to become the mayors secretary and she was told that it is a good paying job.

I pull up a stool and sit at our crowded table. Glade, Talon and Kye are all mucking around whilst Poppy sits quietly at the table feeding my 2yr old sister Ava.

Mum lays a bowl of soup before me and I play around with it a bit before dipping my spoon in lifting it above my bowl to cool.

"Oh my! The reaping!" Cries mum. Glade, Talon and Kye all jump out their seats and race to see who can get there first. Poppy helps Ava out of her high-chair and mum grabs my hand, causing me to spill my soup all over my dress

"Mum!" I shriek whilst being yanked out the door. Mum continues to pull me and I struggle to keep afoot. My small feet constantly trip over small pebbles but I manage to find my footing.

"Mum! Let go!" I demand. She finally releases her grip on my throbbing hand and observes my dress.

"How did that happen!" She questions.

"When you pulled me I spilt my soup!" I counter. My voice gets louder with every remark and mum accepts defeat and hugs me.

"I'm sorry." She whispers in my ear.

No point in staying mad at one another. We've always been a close family, especially on a day like today.

"But now for the fun part!" Trills a voice. Mother and I both turn and see our escort stride towards the glass reaping bowl. Mothers grip tightens and I squeeze back.

"Tinder Kailiv!"

No. No! I run into mothers arms and she hugs me close to her body.

"No! Don't let me go!" I sob in mum's ear

Peacekeepers swarm us and ply me from mothers grip.

I try hard not to cry but a few tears manage to escape my brown eyes when I see mother crying.

Poppy. Please don't volunteer.

As the peacekeepers escort me down the strip of gravel I catch Poppys eye. I shake my head slightly and she bows her head.

The peacekeepers abandon me when I begin to climb the stairs and our escort Polly Etolio grabs me with her green claws and brings me up on stage.

"Round of applause for our first tribute, Tinder Kailiv!"

The small round of applause that bounces off the walls of the town square is enough to tell me what I already know; she's got no chance.

Beck Crow, 15

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Beck c'mon. Tell me!"

"I'll give you a hint."

"Really?"

"No."

I double over in a fit of laughter and my best friend J.D stares angrily at me. His calm, easy-going attitude went straight out the door when I mentioned the fact that some random chick in our year likes him.

"You can be an A grade asshole you realise that?" He scolds.

I cross my tanned arms and pull a stupid look. "You can be an A grade asshole you realise that?"

"You're unbelievable!" He cries.

"And don't you forget it!" I chortle.

We both file into the line to get marked off. J.D's trying his hardest to stay mad but cracks are starting to appear. His dimples occasionally show and he's turning bright red. We both look quite similar. Black hair, tanned body and soft brown eyes.

"Now for the reading of the Treaty of Treason." Drawls our escort. Polly Etolio rests her orange face on her hand and reads out the Treaty of Treason. Even she finds this part boring. Eventually she finishes and she perks back up.

"Finished! Just think of that as a little history lesson, although, I was never any good at it. But now for the fun part." She chatters.

She walks over to the reaping bowl and delicately selects a slip of paper. She walks back over to the microphone, clears her voice and says,

"Tinder Kailiv!"

A little girl is pulled away from her mother and peacekeepers surround her. Tears streak down her face and she tries to hide them but fails.

"Round of applause for our first tribute, Tinder Kailiv!" Announces our escort. Barely anyone claps because we know she won't be returning; 12yr olds usually don't.

"Now let's pick our boy!"

Polly zips over to the other reaping bowl and pulls out a random slip of paper. J.D and I quickly shoot into our section and act like we'd been there for ages.

"Beck Crow!"

I look around awkwardly as everyone stares at me. Think. Think!

"Well that's a bummer." I announce. My voice is shaky and I try to crack an awkward smile. A few people laugh.

"Nice one." Jokes J.D and half-heartedly slaps me on the back. I shakily walk up to the stage and avoid looking at anyone for fear of breaking down.

"Good boy, come along." Coons Polly. She escorts me like a pig to slaughter, begging for my blood to be spilt.

I reach the steps and tentatively walk up them. Polly motions for me to come forward and when I do she grips my shoulders and guides me to the front.

"District 7, I present your tributes for the 225th annual Hunger Games!"

Tinder and I turn and the doors behind us split. We both enter and go our separate ways. A set of peacekeepers walks me to my goodbye room and leave me at the front door. I push the turn the silver doorknob and walk into the room. Satin curtains drape the enormous windows and plush furniture is strewn around the room. I walk over to the window and stare at the place I call home. Dense woods frame the city and I try to spot the area where I live.

"You have 3 minutes."

I turn and see a peacekeeper open a door and my mother glides in.

"Oh Beck." Mother wails. I open my arms and she doesn't hesitate before diving into them.

"It's okay. It's okay." I soothe. "I can win it. I know a thing or two about survival skills." I continue.

"Just get your hands on an axe. Don't forget who you are."

"I won't"

The sound of an opening door shatters my time with mum and the same peacekeeper that brought her in comes to steal her away from me.

"Never forget!" She desperately cries.

The door slams and I mutter a silent, "I won't."

I don't have to wait long before J.D enters the room.

"Now this is unlucky." He mutters. I crack a needed smile and we both hug.

"Now can you tell me?" He asks.

"Jenaline McGragger." I tell him.

His jaw drops and he starts fist-pumping.

"Aha, oh yeah!" He starts singing. He does a little happy dance and then he remembers where he is. His dance slows and then stops completely.

"Good luck." He encourages.

"Boy, you're original." I joke.

"So um, good luck!" He says.

"And may the odds be ever in my favour!"

We both hug then J.D exits just as the peacekeeper comes to take him away. I spend the remainder of my time staring out the window, recounting many memories of my childhood.

"OK children, we're going to play a game. First one to make a friend wins." Declares my kindergarten teacher. My class scrambles around the tiny room in search of a friend. I spy a young boy resting in the corner of the room. His eyes are closed and his thumb's lodged in his mouth. I lean down and poke him.

"Excuse me." I ask.

The boy shoots up and examines me closely.

"Do you want to be friends?"

"Yeah sure. My names Jare but just call me J.D." He chatters.

I shoot my hand in the air.

"Miss! I win!"

I turn back around to tell me friend the good news but he has already resumed his nap.

The day I met J.D is the only happy memory I can think of at the moment. Thinking of my dead-beat dad is too painful and the miscarriage of my sister brings on another wave of pain. My mind wanders to last year's tributes. One had his head ripped off by the psychotic District 2 boy and the other was impaled with a spear.

"Oh god." I squeak.

"I'm screwed."

First off, I just want to apologize for how long this story is taking. I get very easily distracted and am trying to overcome a Minecraft addiction although these are crappy excuses. I know it's been 4 months since I started this story and I haven't even finished the reapings, although I would like to say a special thank you for those who have continued to review every chapter. A special thank you to:

2oo92

Wericdream

emmie113

d11olive-13

Dharma the Polar Bear

The Awesome Novice Writer

Miss Mockingjay

SeekerDraconis

You guys motivate me to update quicker so thank you :)