Hale Truman POV

I awaken from my slumber dripping in sweat from fear. It felt so real the explosion, everything. It was just a nightmare, luckily. It was a normal day and then all of a sudden it happen my father was blown to pieces, my dad, my idol.

I jump up the stairs and turn the shower on. The freezing liquid washes away the sticky feel of my sweat. I twist the taps off and dry myself off. I change into some tracksuits and an old singlet. I start to stretch. My dad always told me to stretch before training or you could hurt yourself badly. I make the simple decision in my head to volunteer. I can win The Hunger Games I have the talent and ability to do it.

I hang up the battered old dummy my father gave to me for my 7th birthday. I sneak up from the behind of it and throw my fist into the side with so much force that it would be sure to knock out a living human. I grab the sharpest foil I have and launch it to slit the throat of the giant stuffed thing. I throw the sword across the room. Pushing my body forward a grab the mannequin and strangle it. The weight becomes too much and the thick rope and it snaps. The stitching also breaks and the contents inside falls all over the floor my body underneath it all. Shit, dads going to kill me I have this for 11 years now. I walk upstairs to face the truth.

"Dad," I say, "can I talk to you?"

He sips his tea and then clears his throat, "Ahhem, yes son."

"The dummy you gave me has fallen apart and it can't be fixed this time," I blurt out.

"I taught you to be sneaky and stealth like but all I could he was a massive kafuffle," he tells me.

"I was dad!" I shout.

"Well you obviously weren't, just go down to the center," he objects.

I sigh and walk to the front door. I slip on my shoes and pick up my Training ID on the way. I jog down the road and line up to go in. It must be busy today because some idiots are trying to get in some last minute training being reaping day and all.

It becomes my turn and I scan my identification as I hear an unknown noise. I jolt, as the barrier doesn't give way.

"Sorry but you have to renew your ID you can't come in," the Peacekeeper on duty says.

"But I come here every day, like come on it's only for a couple of hours," I argue.

"I'm sorry young man but you must leave the premises immediately or I will have to contact security," the Peacekeeper replies.

I leave the line but I'm not leaving the building.

I run around the side of the Center and open up the unlocked window. I slide through and walk casually over to the swords section. Just as I'm selecting one that I will use I hear his voice. Oh shit I'm stuffed. I glance over at the window and see that it is still open. At the last minute when the officer dives for me I quickly side step him and jump out the window scraping my left leg on the corner. I hit the concrete hard grazing my hip but get up quickly and run home laughing. The last time I will as a young boy.

Pepper Stefinger POV

I pull aside the greenery and step aside the shrubs. I arrive at my little place I found a few years ago. It's still the same as always and no one knows about it but me. My own quarry. It was abandoned years ago when they could find any more rich minerals. I strip off my excess clothes all the way down to my bare skin. I take of my shoes and walk into the murky water. The temperature is cold but I'm used to it. I float peacefully on my back for a while and then go searching with my spear and hunting for fish. I stay still and quiet and then haul the spear over my shoulder into the fish's centre. I pull up the spear and see the animal struggle in pain, unable to escape. Lunch here I come I think.

As I walk out of the quarry carrying with me my family's feed I slip on the unstable underground surface, overbalancing and falling into the water. I feel an unwelcoming surge of pain running along my foot as I arise to the surface. I regain my balance and look down at my foot seeing the large cut of a monster growing on my foot. I limp to where my clothes are and put the on with much struggle as my foot because a big problem very quickly. I will have to get it bandaged up it will get infected. Making my way through the bush I find the markets and my best friend.

I walk up to Sala Ray's stall, she makes a living by selling off precious jewellery and stuff like that. She's almost four times my age, a true fighter of society, but still I love her as much as a best friend. She sees right through my pain almost reading my mind and brings out some plaster tape and iodine from her shelf below.

'Come around the back honey,' she whispers as she leads the way, 'how did this happen?'

'I slipped at the quarry,' my voice answers almost without thinking.

She dips a cotton bud in the iodine rubbing over the wound I groan and moan even though I know it helps it heal. Sala then rips off a strip of the tape wrapping it around my heel and foot in a certain pattern.

'Oh Sala thank you so much I will bring you some of this meat when I cook it up,' I say pointing to my spear that is leaning against the mesh backing of Sala's store.

'No no darling you keep it for when it is needed,' she replies shaking her head and I know I can't argue. I leave the markets heading home to cook up lunch for my parents and myself.

I trudge along the gravel paths which will lead me to my home when I run into my worst enemy, Deryck Jiss. Last year Deryck's sister beat me to volunteering and go to be the tribute. She was so stupid she didn't make it even to the feast. Ever since Deryck has been the biggest dick. But this year I will get their first and not let anyone get in my way.

'Hey Pepper,' he says smirking noticing me and interrupting my thoughts, 'oh did you hurt your foot oh no.'

'Fuck off,' I reply not even looking at him.

'Oh sorry did you get up on the wrong side of the bed, oh what do you even have a bed, or a house no because your parents are weak stone masons that's right.'

That was it he pushed me too far I had had it. I swung around and thumped my foot into his groin area with anger. Deryck yelped and ran away as I heard the peacekeepers rounding up the kids to get to the reapings. I realize there isn't enough time to cook up the fish so I run by my "luxurious house" (totally not) and dump my weapons, quickly get changed and head off.

Hale Truman POV

I arrive to where the reapings are held annually signing myself in with the usual blood check. I am surprised as I notice my father sitting in the back has bothered to come and watch. I signal to him that I can see him and in return he shifts himself around. He is probably feeling uncomfortable after the little fight we had. We never have fights. The escort interrupts my thoughts as she practically jumps around the stage with excitement. Wow I must have been thinking for a while that I missed the mayor's speech luckily because the speeches are the worst. It's like torture. Twinkle, the escort, has her hair coloured black and curled like a big knot. She has way too much makeup on even I can see from over twenty metres away.

The girls are first like every other year and I'm not surprised as some girl from the older section runs up straight away pushing through other want-to-be volunteers but makes it first. Her hair brushes behind hair as she happily smiles being the one to make it.

'Now what is your name my dearest?' Twinkle questions with excitement and curiousness.

The girl manages to say her name, her name is Pepper Stefinger and I notice a few other kids look intimidated by her. I can leave anymore or someone else might get up there.

'I VOLUNTEER, I VOLUNTEER, I VOLUNTEER!' I shout at the top of my lungs making my way to the stage. Twinkle looks quite surprised that someone volunteered when she was in the middle of talking to the other tribute.

'Well um who are you young man?' she speaks into the microphone stunned.

'Hale Truman,' I say.

'Well there you go District 2 here are you tributes for the 150th Hunger Games,' Twinkle announces taking us side stage to the Justice Building, the waiting area.

I sit in the room tapping my feet on the floor waiting and hoping my father comes and gives me a last pep talk and goodbye. My father creaks open the door taking his time and makes his way to me. We hug for a bit and apologize to each other about our little argument.

'Any last tips?' I ask.

'Everything I taught you is all you need,' he says as the peacekeeper tells us our time is up and escort my father away.

Pepper Stefinger POV

I just make to the town meeting square as the mayor makes his way to speak to the crowd waiting. I squeeze through where the parents are and go under the barriers that keep the 17-year-old girls in place. I make my way to the front as our mayor sums up his speech speaking about these years tributes will be the 275th and the 276th of the Hunger Games and a couple more facts on the games and stuff like that.

The clicking of the heels worn of Twinkle Starshine gets me ready that this is real and I need to be ready. I cannot and will not make the same mistake I did last year. Twinkle's outfit doesn't surprise me with a Capitol made upside down tutu sort of dress. Her blue eyeliner and eye shadow and yellow mascara could have been seen from a kilometre away. She is way to happy to be coming to reapings choosing two kids for a death fight. She makes her way to the bowl when I feel and hear some of the girls around me moving to get there. I push them back and fight my way through many others. I am thrown back but I keep on fight till I make it to the steps. I smile, happy with my attempt.

'So darling what's your name now?' Twinkle asks me.

'Pepper Stefinger' I manage to reply within trying to get the oxygen into my lungs. I look down and see some of the other girls swearing, angry with themselves that they did make it.

Before Twinkle finishes speaking with me a well built masculine boy from around the back screams and rushes up to the stage. Twinkle asks the same question and his name is Hale Truman.

'Well there you go District 2 here are you tributes for the 150th Hunger Games,' Twinkle finishes and applauses us for our great courage and says she is interested to get to know us as we are taken inside the building.

My parents come the door both covered in dirty soot from working all day in the mines. I say a last goodbye to them and then we are off.

Q1. How many times was Gale's name in the reapings in the 75th Hunger Games? – 20 points

Q2. What was President Coin's first name in Mockingjay? – 30 points

Q3. What is Beetee's last name? – 40 points

So what do you think? I 3 reviews. To all those who submitted the more you review the longer your tribute lives. I hope you enjoy read my story. I would just like to say that heaps of people keep on asking why no one volunteered for Anastasia in District 1 and the answer is that is what the creator wanted. Also answer my poll because I will be taking into account what you readers think so GOOD LUCK AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR! I almost forgot a few people have been putting the answers to the questions in reviews. THAT IS A BIG NO NO. You have to what until all the reapings have been posted and then you PM me.

Signing out TeamCudgee ;D