Taylor Nettle POV

My mother spread a sheet of cotton in front of me. She was teaching me how to put a dart in for a dress. I pinched the fabric together like she showed me and put in a pin. My mother checked it over and added another next to it. That's when I started crying.

"Taylor, what's wrong?" my mother asked.

"They're going to pick me!" I wailed. My mother gathered me up in her arms and held me.

"They won't pick you. You're only thirteen. They'll pick someone big and strong," she said. There was a knock on the door.

"Taylor, time to go!" my best friend Nikki called. She saw me and my mother and her eyes widened. She ducked to the side and waited while I collected myself. I dabbed my eyes and my mother gave me a kiss. Nikki grabbed my hand as I came out and we walked toward to the Reaping Center.

"Think Kitty will give up and just wear a sack this year?" Nikki whispered as we waited for our escort. I smiled a little at that. She got dumber looking every year.

Nikki's hand flew to her mouth and stifled a laugh when Kitty actually appeared. She was wearing a mousy brown felt tube dress. It really did look like a sack.

"Does she even have a stylist?" I whispered to Nikki.

"First, the females," Kitty droned. She dipped her hand in the bowl.

It's going to be me, I thought. Nikki squeezed my hand.

"It's not you," she whispered. Kitty unfolded the paper.

"Taylor Nettle."

No, no, no, no, no…

I heard a gasp, and I saw Nikki staring at me in horror. She shook her head.

"It must be a mistake," she said quietly. She started to cry. Everything seemed to float far away after that. Someone took my arm and marched me to the stage. My breath was so quick my I thought I might throw up. I saw Kitty's arm move, and then everything stopped and I was lying backstage. I stared at the ceiling, trying to remember where I was, and then I heard the doorknob rustle. My parents walked in, along with my big brother Surge. My mother ran to my side and felt my forehead. I just lay there and cried.

"Why'd they pick me, Mom?" I asked. She didn't answer. My father slammed his hand into the wall so hard I heard a crack, and my brother glared at the door daring a Peacekeeper to come in and tell him to go.

"If anyone gives you trouble I'll tear them apart," he said. "Even if I'm not in the Games I'll tear him apart."

He smacked himself on the forehead.

"We didn't bring a token!" he said. The three of them searched their pockets for anything that would work. Finally, my mother slipped off her wedding ring and slid it onto my middle finger. It was a plain metal band without any jewels. I tried to take it off and give it back, but she took my hand.

"It's all right. I'll get it back," she said. That just made me cry harder, and I curled up on her lap like a little girl. My dad came and sat beside her so I was sandwiched between them, and Surge wrapped his arms around us all.

"Time to go," a Peacekeeper said from the door. When nobody moved, he took my mother's arm and tugged at her.

"Let go of her!" my father said. The Peacekeeper backed away and brushed his weapon.

"No, Chaim," my mother said. She loosened her grip on me and stood up.

"Mom? Don't go, Mom!" I said. I jumped up, but another Peacekeeper nudged me back down and held me as I reached out for them. A cluster of them escorted my family out as I screamed.

"Mom! Mom, no! Don't go! Mom!" I screamed after them. They were all shaking with sobs and Surge was pale with fury. I thrashed and scratched at the Peacekeeper, but he held me still. They slammed the door after my family. When the Peacekeeper holding me got up to leave, I was sobbing too hard to notice.

Torchy Conden POV

I wasn't at my best. My mark turned and glared at me as he felt his coat pocket. Then he saw how far up he had to glare. His face paled and he scurried away. I snickered and added his wallet to the rest of my loot: two other wallets and a gold necklace. Of course, it didn't have to be valuable. I'd take anything I could get my hands on. There was just something so enticing about things that weren't mine.

Maybe I wasn't on my best since I was on my way to the Reaping. I knew I had a target on my back. Aside from the whole stealing thing, I might possibly have killed a few people. The Capitol might possibly have gotten involved. I considered myself very lucky that no one like the bitter old morphling buzzard anyway.

I didn't exactly mean to kill the guy. When you're almost seven feet tall and strong as an ox, things get out of hand quick. They just didn't want me around because they were scared of me. Well, if they did throw me into the Games, they'd be even sorrier when I came back a Victor.

I stood in the back row at the Reaping Center. It was all the same to giant old me anyway. Our escort pulled the girl Tribute's name, and for a minute nothing happened. Then a Peacekeeper hauled a tiny little fluff to the stage. He more or less dropped her there, since she never moved and didn't seem to know where she was. She stared out at the audience like a statue.

Kitty reached into the other bowl.

"Torchy Conden," she said. What a surprise.

I stomped to the stage a little harder than I needed to and loomed over the girl without even trying. Then she just fainted dead away. It wasn't even me- she didn't take one look at me before she pitched.

It wasn't me! I thought as I looked around.

Kitty heard the noise and turned around. When she saw what had happened, she didn't bat an eye. A Peacekeeper stepped forward to help, but she held up a hand. She raised my hand over my head and announced us anyway.

"Let's have a big round of applause for Taylor Nettle and Torchy Conden," she said with Taylor still splatted behind her. There wasn't much applause. More confused silence.

Dang, Kitty, you a cold snake, I thought.

After Kitty announced us, she let the Peacekeeper come and scoop Taylor up. I took care of myself and saw myself backstage. I live on my own, so I didn't have anyone to come visit me. I sat kicking my feet and waiting for the show to start. As I waited, I went over my advantages. I was practically a bear, and I could also steal stuff. That seemed like enough for me.

Speaking of stealing stuff… I took out the wallets and rifled through them for a token. I wasn't wearing a ladies' necklace. There was nothing in the wallets but a few bills, so I took one of them and left the rest of my stuff underneath the bench. If I couldn't have it, neither could they.

Oh, dear. I don't know how Kitty ever got hired as an escort. She probably won't stick around long. I shall have to relocate her.

Oops, I misread my own fic! Remus Colander and Kitty Leek have inexplicably switched Districts from last year. The Capitol is sorry for the mixup and they have both been roundly scolded.