District 2 Reapings

Trigger Warnings: mention of sexual assault, abuse, DID in 3rd POV

Spoilers to the 8th movienof Star Wars (not really, but does have some events in there)

~When you see my face

Hope it gives you hell

Hope it gives you hell

When you walk my way

Hope it gives you hell~

Pandora Justice (18), District 2

Pandora tried to smile at the people, it was naturally fake, but all her smiles were fake anyways. It wasn't like she was depressed, her smiles were fake, and she didn't feel numbness every day. She was completely fine. It was torture for Pandora to smile this constantly, and force herself to be outgoing, bubbly and all so terribly happy, just like that scrawny nerd who always wanted to help and didn't even have a backbone when people mocked her, including Pandora. Pandora found it fun mocking others, and besides, it was to weed out the weaker ones. She soon located a woman stoic with her black hair barely reaching her ears, and her two silver eyes were glazed over with tears.

"Hi! How are you?" Pandora asked cheerfully. The words didn't mean anything to her, but to someone that might seem that she actually cared about people, and have lots of friends. Pandora didn't have friends, just merely servants in a way, only Opal seemed the one close to her, but which Pandora didn't really seem to mind. "You look really sad. Did something happen to you?" Her voice tried to sound concern, but Pandora didn't care about her or the woman's problems.

The woman smiled grimly before she responded back, her voice cracking while she spoke, "N-No… My daughter-in-law had a miscarriage and at the same time my wife, got shot and now she's not doing so good. Apparently, there was a robbery at the bank-a female robber, that had blonde hair, but my wife has dirty-blonde hair, so I don't get how they could mix it up... " She stopped trying to remain her composure before she continued on, "I'm sorry if I dumped you with this information."

Pandora tried to give her a reassuring look, but she knew it would look like a grim look. She really wanted to shout that she should die, and that she was purposely trying to embarrass herself with sharing this kind of information, but Pandora wouldn't say that aloud as it would probably ruin her cover for not being a psychopath. People didn't react well when Pandora stopped acting, and she doubted that those who stopped hiding from being their true selves, kept everything they knew. Pandora didn't, but she didn't like talking about the past.

"It's okay." her voice was even and probably didn't voice well with the situation. She couldn't relate to the situation, nor could she comprehend of what the woman was feeling.

"Thanks for listening!" the woman cried, already walking towards someone who was standing right next to a pine tree.

Pandora looked at Opal, who had been trailing her since Pandora's interaction with the woman. Her dark brown hair in two braids with her semi tanned complexion already getting red from the burning sun.

"I'm surprised that you actually got to her, usually you try your best, but it's easy to tell you're simply acting with the forced optimistic tone that you take," said Opal candidly. "Even I could tell that it's fake, but I honestly don't really care if you're a psychopath, since it's a part of you." her dark blue eyes staring at Pandora's tall figure, while Opal was simply average height.

"Any ideas?" Pandora asked, as she stared towards the distant. She was hoping that she can find Joy, a residential nerd who was anything, but a joy in her life. Pandora could usually identify the nerd for simply her outrageous fashion sense and how she tried to please everyone with often helping out everyone even when they didn't need the help. Pandora looked down at her right wrist where her golden watch was on her. The time read a minute past noon, with the reaping starting in like an hour or so. That meant less than an hour to find the nerd and kick her ass once more.

"Just keep practicing, even though, I already know you're not going to fool me since I've been your friend longer than when you basically stopped being in society's terms 'normal', but no one wants to be normal. Though, you could try to be optimistic just try not to go crazy in the arena," said Opal, already changing the subject to what was going to take place in less than hour: Pandora was going to volunteer-for one, murder the weaklings since the weaklings are just wasting oxygen, and two, she was told that she was going to be a volunteer this year which Pandora was super excited about.

Pandora always loved the thought about the Hunger Games, just killing others without her going to jail was actually exciting to her. Pandora thought she had a considerable amount of chance to win, if not higher with all the wrestling she done when she was only four years old. Wrestling was one of her hobbies that she considered apart from her life, and she wouldn't quit for anything. Pandora loved being violent, though her coaches said she always got a little too carried away- often giving her opponents and coaches countless bruises, a broken limb and often a black eye. It was simply because she got to carried away.

Pandora looked at the already too occupied Opal who was busy sighing and possibly making googly eyes towards her crush: Brandon West. Opal was sometimes too occupied with him, that Pandora doubted that Opal didn't really care for her and that she was simply acting, but Pandora was wrong about that. Opal was her only friend still when Pandora decided to stop acting that all she was a simply spoiled girl, who was popular and everyone almost got along with her. She was tired of acting like that, and Pandora knew she was taking a huge risk with letting her true colors shown, but she didn't care much. If they can't accept her for what she is, then they didn't deserve to be her friend.

"Earth to Opal," said Pandora, already trying to shake her best friend from whatever fantasy Opal was dreaming about, which often time Pandora was curious about, but she didn't pry. She respected her friend's privacy and weird daydreaming especially when her crush was around.

"What? Oh-sorry, I spaced out didn't I?" asked Opal before she continued on, "I thought you were looking for that girl-Joy Withins or whatever her name is, or did you finally change your mind about it?"

Pandora didn't reply, only looked at her watch that read a quarter until twelve thirty. She frowned, but didn't say anything until she finally saw the familiar blonde Afro hair with burgundy ribbons in her hair. Joy Withers had on her signature pink dress covered with frilly laces all over it which made Pandora disgusted, but Pandora wouldn't let the girl leave her sight not until she paid.

She approached the jubilant, optimistic girl who was playing with roses by the garden filled with fresh flowers-roses, daisies, violets, celosia, etc, just planted perhaps a few days ago or so.

"Well, well, well... Playing with fresh flowers just to seem that you were somebody else? I must say, it didn't have me fool not for one second, especially with your tendencies to dress up as a ridiculous doll with hideous ribbons." Pandora grabbed a burgundy ribbon and pulled it out, not taking note that the girl was whimpering in pain. She smirked as she saw the terror in Joy's green eyes. "Honestly, if I thought that these were for toddlers than you must be one, what a pathetic sight to see."

"I-I d-d-don't k-know w-what y-you're t-talking a-a-about," Joy stammered, her pale face already turning into a shade of a tomato red. Tears started to fall from Joy's green eyes as she started to whimper, letting snot fall from her nose which Pandora tried not to grimace, but instead Pandora grabbed Joy's blonde hair and pulled it which Joy only cried harder and begging her to stop which she ignored. The bitch deserved it.

Pandora kicked her between her stomach once Pandora left Joy's hair alone after tying a ribbon in her hair, that she doubted no one would be able to free the ribbon, and meant publicly disgracing the girl with her soon-to-be bad haircut if no one got it out. Joy screamed and tried to block Pandora's kicks with her hands, but only screamed in pain as her hands came in contact with Pandora's harsh kicks, with Joy howled on with pain. She knew there was a crowd gathering, she could hear the murmurs and the small voices to see what was going on. No one was stupid enough to intervene with her.

"P-please s-s-stop," the girl whimpered as she tilted her head away from the smirking face belonging to Pandora. Pandora only grinned at the response and stopped what she was doing before she placed a kick directed to Joy's hook nose. Blood started gushing out, covering her face and hands with her blood.

"Stop!" Someone screamed who only looked like Joy's mother or something like that. The person had mousey hair cut short into a pixie cut. Her round eyes looking nearly identical with Joy's, but her green eyes was darker, and her pale skin had a bit of tan to it, but it was just light. Pandora looked up, her lip curling. "That's my daughter you bitch!"

Pandora smirked, but looked down at the bleeding Joy who hadn't really moved much. She would've mistaken her for dead if her chest rising and falling wasn't so obvious.

"Why should I?"

"Come on, Pandora," said Opal already looping her arm through Pandora's elbow, pulling her away from the fight scene slowly. Pandora frowned before she replaced it with a stoic look. At least she knew that she would most likely win the Hunger Games now. Pandora couldn't wait for the Hunger Games, especially volunteering in less than an hour.

~Did some things you can't speak of

But at night you'll live it all again

You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now

If only you had seen what you know now then~

Kairi "Kai" Oriol (18), District 2

Kai handed his mom another white cloth as she tried to apply pressure on the patient's bullet wound. The patient accidentally shot himself which made Kai curious since according to the person that brought him in, he accidentally shot himself in the shoulder, and he didn't know the gun was loaded which was extremely stupid of him.

"Do you need anything else?" Kai asked his Mum, once she passed him another drenched cloth that was a dark crimson from the patient's blood. He was surprised that the patient was still bleeding, and not dead from the .40 colber, as it has been like ten minutes and the guy was still bleeding out.

"Probably give me another cloth… He's losing way too much blood, and he probably shot himself at the Axillary Artery… Gosh, how is he not dead yet?" Mum said, her pale knuckles already turning paler, as she tightened her grip on the already stained cloth. Mum removed the cloth that was now stained crimson and threw it at Kai, he caught it with ease. She pressed her fingers onto his wrist, and started doing CPR on him. After a few minutes, all that there was left was just a few bloody clothes and a fresh corpse. "Kai, please help me clean up this mess especially with these bloody clothes. I don't really want to go and get more clean cloths today."

Kai knew exactly what she meant as he experienced it more. It bothered him considerably, but he knew the bullies had nothing else to do, but bid their time by bullying him, since they thought so lowly of themselves. Kai didn't really mind too much now as it was now part of life that he gladly trudged on, not paying anyone too much attention as all he knew, they could just be a snake in disguise just waiting to strike which was the reason why he didn't really socialize much with anyone. No one was exactly innocent.

"Of course," he responded, already taking a couple of drench cloths and put them in the washer that was right next door. He started the washer after throwing in the bloody clothes that would most likely, never be the same color again when Mom bought it a few days ago, but it was better than spending more money on medical supplies to help with Mom's job as a doctor, which probably really wasn't often, but luckily he knew how to entertain himself to pass time.

He came back into the room, and helped his mom clean up some of medical supplies which was now lying all over the place after frantically getting all the medical supplies for the now deceased victim.

"You know you don't have to do that," Mother commented, already closing the first aid kit and putting it back on the medicine shelf that she commonly referred to it as since she often put all the medical supplies that she may need up there.

"But I insist," He said stubbornly.

She let out a small laugh before she responded, "I really don't need you for the rest of the morning, but you could hang out with your friends or stay here with me and watch a movie. Hopefully there's a good movie we could find, and we could have some lunch at Frensica's Sandwich Shop and such." Kai knew what friends she was talking about, but they weren't really friends, but merely acquaintances as they were like the only people who weren't an ass towards him at least, because of how much one event can just be like a hurricane to the family.

"I'd like that," he said, smiling to her. "I have nothing else to do, and I really don't feel like looking through all our family photos once more, especially when Grandma and Dad died years ago."

Kai could still remember the frail, old woman who took care of him back when his parents were in the Capitol, aiding the Capitolites with their injuries and such, while Kai remained in the outskirts of Panem with his grandmother. He always had fun memories with her, especially with Mom and Dad not there especially during the first year, until she died of old age. He missed her alot though, but it was the memories that would keep her alive even if she wasn't physically there with them. She was the kind and patient one, always telling him stories about their family especially what it was like growing up in World War 3, and how frail America was before it basically collapsed afterwards. Kai tried to avoid the topic of his father, but it really wasn't something he really could avoid much as that was the reason why he and his Mom always tend to receive insults and lot, because of the shocking betrayal that happened, where he watched his own father die with blood pooling out of his body due to the fact that his father was aiding the rebels, and was shot to death because of it.

Kai followed his mom to the living room where he sat down on the brown couch, putting his feet on the coffee table as he leaned back and watched his mother as she tried to find a movie that they hadn't seen or hadn't seen it in a while which was low since they sometimes spent their time watching TV when there really wasn't nothing to do or when Kai didn't really feel like jogging which wasn't often as he loved jogging. It made him feel more relaxed and there really wasn't nothing better to do than watch the sunset over the grassy hills as it was particularly awe-inspiring, especially when the sky painted different colors in the sky.

"What do you want to watch? There're some Superheroes movies-Oh wow, I'm seriously surprised that Star Wars is on here seeing as those movies has one thing in common, and that always had a rebel subplot. I haven't seen these movies since I was a kid and I'm pretty sure that you will love them. They were a pretty popular franchise before the wars happened."

"Oh," he said as the movie blared on. He watched contently interested in why the old woman-Laia was still alive if there was no oxygen in space, which made no complete sense whatsoever, but it was fantasy, so he couldn't complain.

He found himself getting sucked into the movie and after a couple of hours passed without him ever realizing that it had been a few hours, the credits rolled in, and he found himself interested in why Kylo was just an emo kid who had a messed up past though, but he really loved the Kylo and Rey relationship, that part was fun to see though.

"That was really interesting," he said, once he looked at the wall clock that read a minute past noon. The reaping was in an hour, which Kai really wasn't worried about as it was the last year and there was a volunteer this year so it didn't really bother him too much. "I'm really curious to see what is going to happen next. We should watch the next movie tomorrow though. I need to know the ending," he voiced, he saw his mother smile from the corner of his eye.

"I told you would be interested, and I am too. I never seen the next movies, this was the last movie I watched from this franchise," she admitted before she turned off the TV. She stood up from where she was sitting, and she continued, "We have an hour to kill. You want to get lunch now?"

"Sure." Kai nodded as he got on his white tennis shoes and Mom grabbed the keys that was hanging on the key rack and headed towards Fransica's Sandwich Shop which was fortunately nearby so it really wasn't too much of a walk at least.

During the walk, he was surprised that no one was whispering behind their back or any other ridiculous names that the bullies had nothing to do to comprehend since they obviously thought so lowly of themselves. Kai didn't mind it though it often got really annoying since he knew no one would really listen to him besides his mom, as she faced the same problems as he did. Kai grew used to it as the words never really seemed to bother him anymore, they were simply being immature and acted like a toddler.

"How was your day?" he asked once he sat down at the table after getting their sandwiches made.

"Good," she said, taking a big bite into her quesadilla. "Just been a long day, I'm just not really looking forward to cleaning up those bloodstains from the deceased person as that's always a pain to get out of, and I really doubt that I could clean up that bloody mess that's on the operation table. Unless, you want to help me?"

"Of course," Kai said quickly, taking a sip out of his Dr. Pepper.

"Hey look there's that freak his poor rebel mom. I'm literally surprised that they haven't excuted you two yet, traitor," someone called out bitterely.

"First of all, my name isn't traitor and I really don't care what you call me. Second of all, did you make that one up or did your parents raise you up because you're ugly and so insecure about that?" Kai called out. "And leave my mother out of this, she had nothing to do it with it at all, jerk."

"All she did was married the guy, stupid," the bully pointed out as if he didn't have a life.

"Shut up." Kai did something irrational and punched the guy in the nose before he could comprehend what was happening, and blood started gushing out, and he started crying.

"Well look at that, I guess he learned his lesson," he said. He sat down and ate his sandwich in peace along having a small conversation with Mom.

~The pain and the truth

I wear like a battle wound

So ashamed, so confused

I was broken and bruised~

Sam Jenkins-District 2 Mentor

Sam never believed in fairy-tales or superheroes in that manner. They didn't exist, but Sam always thought that she was the bad guy, destined to die by the "heroes", who believed in those shitty things to sleep at night, but Sam found out that the world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows; it was a twisted world who would corporate children's heart twisting them to something else. It was her parents who done that.

Sam could remember the harsh words that were said to her when she was younger, and it just scared her, much like the dark. She was always scared of the dark even after nine years, where Father would often rape her always at three A.M. Sam was scared to see Father's figure, waiting until it was three A.M. to rape her continually. She always felt dirty like she took a swim in the sewers under the district, and she couldn't get the smell out, no matter how much she took showers and used her lavender soap on her brown skin. Nine years, she still felt dirty. Nine years, her virginity was taken away by the devil who was named Father. Nine years, when she shied away from touches from anyone, always bringing back memories from her childhood. Nine years, when she stopped using her full name Samantha and shorten it to Sam. Nine years since she ran away from home. It was all too much for her.

Sam looked at herself in the mirror, her ragged blonde hair somewhat clipped into a bunch, but all it did was to look like a nest in her hair. Sam wasn't in no mood to even straighten her hair, as she was supposed to meet with Alyssa than go to her grandparents, all before the reaping, which was certainly going to be a challenge. She didn't know how the volunteers would fare, but Sam wouldn't be a friend to them who would wrap a bandage every time they got hurt, she wanted one of her tributes to survive, even Gabriel wanted them to survive, but he wasn't strict about it.

Sam grimaced as she thought about old, bloodthirsty Gabriel, the first mentor of District 2, though perhaps old would not suit him. Gabriel was only four years older than her, and was almost to his mid-twenties. The only reason why Sam called him old, bloodthirsty was because he shot people in the rebellion, and had the highest killing rates in the Hunger Games so far. She knew that someone would break that record, but it probably won't be in her lifetime. Even though, her great grandma lived to be like 120, which in reality was only 105 years-old. Great Grandmother-Emika was probably one of the fondest memories Sam carried even though she had Alzheimer's disease- often forgetting who she was, what year it was etc.

Even during Sam's tragic childhood, her Mama and Father still brought her along with her older brothers-Samuel, and Kennedy, who would often throw punches and kicks her way. It was all because she was born a girl, which was perhaps a stupid reason to even get abused "because she was thought to be a weaker gender". Sam believed that she was strong as the men, because of all those pathetic stereotypes that happened from like the beginning of time or something like that, when women was not allowed to work. Sam hated those, she knew women could be strong and do everything men can't. Great Grandma-Emika was old, but she tried to do all the things she was able to do-walk, eat, exercise and do other things. She was really kind and helped a lot of cookies and told stories about what life was like back then, and her Mexican heritage where she often celebrated Día de Muertos on November 2. Sam always found it fascinating as she was ⅛ Mexican, and what the country was like before it happened: tornadoes, hurricanes, the third world war, and climate change happened and it caused Mexico to go underwater, without any hope of it resurfacing, leaving the citizens to go to Before Panem and the districts happened or to South America.

One day, Sam had enough. It was only a few days after Tia's Lucretia died of her expected passing from pancreas cancer, somehow Sam blacked out and along the way, she managed to scratch Mama's left cheek with her somewhat long nails, but Sam had no knowledge of the event ever happening. It was like she had no control of what her body did, and she was just there for the ride. Sam hated not being in control with her body, she didn't want to be a passenger with a complete stranger controlling her body. She hated that feeling-of blacking out, simply forgetting things and it wasn't like she was going to ask anyone what happened, not much. Questions meant punishment, and Sam didn't want to get hit by simply asking a question. That was how she was raised, so she simply didn't bother asking for help too much.

It wasn't until Sam found the courage or well Caia did to run away. Caia was always the outgoing, exhilarating, basically everything Sam wasn't, and perhaps she shown up exactly when Sam needed someone to help her escape the hellhole of a house, where demons lied. She never knew a Caia before in her life, but it would explain why one day she woke up in a hospital wearing a hospital gown and the doctors said she jumped off a bridge, and someone found her half-submerged with barely even a pulse, that was only a day after she moved in to her grandparents.

Sam found happiness living with her grandparents. She never really had to hide, but she found struggles to be out in the open, with scars covering all over her body, and she never chose to wear a bikini while she gone swimming; mostly from all the nasty scars on her flat stomach. Sam was always insecure about them and was always jealous when girls showed up wearing bikinis, as if they had nothing to worry about; they were lucky.

As soon as Sam moved in with her grandparents or well ran away to them, they took her to a hospital to get her checked out which Sam visibly flinched every time someone touched her and went to the psychiatrist ward, where it was determined that she had Dissociative Identity Disorder-after telling about the incidents when she blacked out, how she scratched her mother's face without any memory and happening other times, and how she had courage to escape and jump off a bridge. It just made Sam feel more of a freak, even now.

Sam looked away from the mirror, a frown already formed on her lips. She hated thinking about the past, and it just made her feel worse even with her DID. All Sam wanted was to be normal, but normal wasn't a thing. She sighed as she tried to collect her wandering thoughts. She always had a habit of thinking too much, she hoped that she could get her shit together soon, and she doubted that Alyssa would appreciate the freakiness coming from her odd girlfriend. Sam would give her four more days to realize that Sam had demonios in her head, and probably would be useless.

Sam closed her hazel eyes for a few, trying to compose herself. She had a part to play, but every time it was harder and harder to simply conceal that she never suffered from anything and always hated her full name, Samantha Ryan Jenkins. Sam considered Samantha too girly and it only brought painful memories that she was different, maybe that was why she always refused to use her name. It would make her feel like a piece of property to her parents, something to tie her off.

"I could do this," Sam spoke, as she turned on her heel and walked out to meet Alyssa over by the fountain, plastered right in the middle of the Victor's Village where only two houses were currently lived in.

She found a dark skinned girl, her long dreadlocks were now cut short to her shoulders and had blue highlights in her hair, what Sam found most striking and perhaps unforgettable was how much she added eyeliner to her violet eyes making it pop her eyes out more. She considered her eyes beautiful and that Alyssa was lucky that she had memorable eyes. Alyssa wore a violet dress with spaghetti straps with her black bra strap noticeable, which Sam didn't care, it happened to her, and she didn't care and all those annoying cat calls and comments saying that her bra strap was showing. It was like it was taboo, thank goodness Sam could get away without wearing a sports bra some days, while Alyssa was stuck wearing one with her huge breasts.

"About time," said Alyssa impatiently, looking at her chipped neon pink nails, flicking off any dirt off of them. "I thought you abandoned me here alone-" she cut off when Sam interrupted her.

"We said ten…" Sam didn't have time to say anything else as she fell to the ground in pain, her vision already blacking, and she knew that one of her forms taken control of her body, and she was only a passenger. "What are you looking at, stupid?"

"Sam, you okay?" Alyssa inquired, as she stared wide eye as Sam got up from the dirt.

"I'm not Sam. My name is Morrighan and I'm not your stupid, pathetic Sam who apparently loves you as if she never told you that she lost her virginity to her father since she's a slut for losing it. Her family abused her, and the worst of it is that she's going to dump you for someone else. Your nothing." Those words weren't hers, and she felt herself returning, she looked up to see a horror-stricken face belonging to Alyssa.

"Ugh. Was it Morrighan or Caia?" Sam spoke which only Alyssa stared at her still.

"Er-Morrighan," Alyssa spoke softly. "What happened to you? One minute you're here and the next this girl-Morrighan shows up saying all these bitchy things, how I was nothing and you lost your virginity to your father?"

Sam grimaced, but she still couldn't remember what happened, but at least Alyssa told her what just happened. Though, from what she heard, Caia was perhaps better even if that meant that Caia would already trying to seduce her or would throw herself in the water fountain trying to see if she could find another world, or that's how she presumed and based off of what others told her.

"I have DID or Dissociative Identity Disorder, it's where two other personalities are present and for me I have Morrighan, who you just met and Caia, the other person," said Sam wearily. She didn't know how Alyssa would react, perhaps she would laugh it off and say there was no such thing?

Alyssa looked at her blankly before she spoke in her normal optimistic, friendly kind of voice, "Are you serious? That really sounds cool minus the memory loss and you fall to the ground, but I don't have a problem with you having it. It's part of your everyday life and you can't control that. I mean it's better than you just simply being a jerk all the time and just simply being lesbian like me! Now kiss me, you idiot."

Sam rolled her eyes, but obliged to what Alyssa said. She tasted like peaches, it was probably the chapstick that Alyssa always applied to herself and Sam, whenever she noticed that her lips were chapped which was practically always, but Sam never really cared if she had chapped lips. Alyssa pulled away from the kiss and dug into her black purse. She pulled out a chapstick with a watermelon flavor, and handed it to Sam. She grabbed it while Alyssa spoke, "It's for your lips. Your lips are severely chapped, I'm surprised they aren't bleeding. You could keep it, I have extra in my purse." As a result, she pulled a pack of different flavored chapstick with many flavors. "See?"

Sam nodded, not knowing how to respond to that. She allowed Alyssa to speak.

"So should we go to your grandparents?" She asked, holding out her hand for Sam to take.

The couple had small talk, mostly about how life was doing, if Alyssa got a promotion yet or got an acceptance letter to the prestigious college in Panem, which both was a simple 'no' to Sam's dismay. Alyssa always wanted to get a promotion at the hairstylist that she worked at, near the Suburban neighborhood, where all the rich folk and the Victor Village lied, but she also wanted to get a degree to become a teacher. The hair styling job was okay, but Alyssa hoped that she could go somewhere else.

Eventually, the couple arrived to a somewhat prosperous house that was well taken care of, and the grass was cut short and reminded her of a summer green dress that Alyssa wore to their blind first date (both of their friends set them up). It was always a long walk so Sam tried not to visit too often, with her last visit being in February to celebrate Abuela's 71st birthday, and now it was the middle of June. A lot could happen in a few moments.

Sam knocked on the screen door where Abuela's wheeled over to her with her Abuelo sitting on the couch, dozing off and on. Abuelo seemed to be always tired, or perhaps old age was starting to get to him. Whatever it was, Sam just hoped that her grandparents didn't die soon since she knew her parents and brothers would probably come. They couldn't do anything since she was already an adult.

"Nicoklai, you should have told us you were comin'! Last time we checked you were off in District 3." said Abuela brightly. "How's your wife Genesis? And your sons?"

"Abuela…" said Sam wearily. "It's me-Sam. Those are my parents. I hope you're just saying that."

"Oh-sorry Sam. It won't happen again!" somehow, Sam doubted that, but maybe it was one-time thing, and wouldn't happen again. Only time would tell.

~I'll rise up like the day

I'll rise up

I'll rise unafraid~

Gabriel Wesley-District 2 Mentor

Gabriel hummed to himself as he added another sentence to his manuscript. He wanted to get his manuscript done before the Reaping actually started, but there was no way that would happen. He'd been uninspired especially with his wife's sudden death and all those secrets that happened during her funeral. He missed her, but life moved on. Gabriel couldn't dwell in the past. Yeah, Gabriel felt sad, but at least he knew what his wife was doing to him. She was always asking him for money for drinks and stuff, and often times she forgot which made him suspicious to what he was doing.

"Alright, Gabriel," He said to himself as he pressed the top of the black pen on the paper. "You could do this. It's just words on a page. Think of the lovely fans that would love the sequel." But those words didn't mean anything to him, and he couldn't think of anything. Ugh, Gabriel hated writer's block, it always sucks for him when he got writer's block. Writer's block never left him once it started, and it always lasted for months at a time, but he delayed in its publishing for already months, and it already frustrated him. He couldn't disappoint his fans, people who were counting on him-his friends, his now mentees-Pandora Justice and Felix O'Haras, both of them having potential to win, which Gabriel wouldn't mind, though he knew Sam would do endless training with them, and his family.

Gabriel groaned and put down his black pen, putting the manuscript in a drawer, hoping that he could not delay the publishing any longer, but who knows when inspiration would hit again? Gabriel wasn't sure, but he hoped the Hunger Games would bring him inspiration, as it undoubtedly will. He always loved the Hunger Games and his skills were put to the test in the Hunger Games, Gabriel could recall his games vividly, and to him, it was perhaps something exhilarating that would excite him and help future tributes win. He didn't mind mentoring, perhaps it gave him a break from all the depressing thoughts that he'd been having recently all starting from his supposed wife that "loved" him by cheating on him, yes that certainly brought a nice plot twist to his life that he really enjoyed.

A knock was heard on his study door which Gabriel frowned. He couldn't recall anyone who wanted to visit him especially on this day: his wife was dead, her secrets still in the grave, his brother was too busy with his barbering job to even say hi once in a while, like Gabriel really cared. Alex and him never really saw a lot of eye to eye things and were both constantly bickering with each other, besides he was a ridiculous spoiled brat who wanted to help people-rebels to be specific. Alex was lucky that Gabriel didn't shoot him up for being a rebel lover scum. No one in their right minds would want to be a rebel scum, especially in this district, where those who were related to those scum, were moved to a career district mainly one, two or four. Gabriel also hoped that it wasn't that crazy man with the missing eye, the man disturbed Gabriel greatly. There was something off about him almost like he had a secret to hide which made Gabriel puzzled about.

"Come in," he said, his fingers tapping on his mahogany desk.

The door opened to reveal Alex, his chin cleared of any stub that he'd acquired over the course of a few months. His dark blue eyes looking at him, his right arm was missing which greatly surprised him, and was covered in a white bandage. His other arm was behind a woman's back, who had her hands on his muscled chest. Her long blonde hair was put up into a high ponytail, with her makeup looking flawless against her pale skin. What surprised Gabriel the most besides that Alex was actually with someone since he always assumed he was gay as he never talked about girls, was her startling blue eyes. It almost looked like Lila's eyes.

"Gabe, good to see you," his brother said stiffly. "This is my girlfriend, Camellia. She was the sister of your wife."

Gabriel frowned, but he couldn't remember if Lila said that she had a sister. No, she couldn't, she never mentioned it to him. Or was she truly a lying bitch or maybe, she did that to only protect him or maybe her sister. Gabriel could recall when Lila said that she was originally from the Capitol, but moved away when the Capitol found out that her and her sister was being abused and moved to District 2, mostly since District 2 is still in its good graces with the Capitol, but that was all he knew.

"Huh, Lila never mentioned that she had a sister," Gabriel said, his voice filled with bewilderment. "If she did then it must have been drunk me than sober me, because I forget shit like that."

Alex snorted at Gabriel's comment, which Gabriel didn't know why. It was true, he liked getting drunk every night, and he supposed that women told him things, and he forgot shitty information that probably had no relevance to his life whatsoever and that was why he was often told that he had a short term memory problem, which wasn't true. Gabriel decided which information he wanted to memorize and information he almost wanted to forget and eventually he did. It wasn't his fault that he chose what to memorize. It only made his life better and forget all his middle school drama he had back with his was best friends to now merely acquaintances who was pretty shallow and bitchy if Gabriel had to sum up two words for his "acquaintances". Fighting over because he simply was being a bitch to them which Gabriel didn't mind. Honestly, there were worse to be called and words didn't impact him.

"What's so funny?" Gabriel questioned.

"You being drunk. Honestly, you were a perfect child growing up always getting good grades and all that. A perfect child simply, but you always hated me while you had a better bond with Morgan than me, and she was thirteen years younger than you. It's not fair!" Alex stomped his foot, acting as if no one should do that to him because it would be seen as treason in his made-up fantasy world which Gabriel had to laugh at that. "Especially when you knew I had a bad case of Autism, yet you kept on bullying me."

"How about you quit acting like a melodramatic child that throws a tantrum every time you don't get your way?" Gabriel pointed out, rolling his eyes at Alex's stupid comment. Gabriel perhaps knew almost a lot more things about him especially of their six year difference: Alex did every bad thing his parents taught him not to, hoping to keep a pure, innocent child instead of Gabriel who was still slightly bloodthirsty even at the age of 24, Alex smoked, drank quite a lot, perhaps also done drugs and perhaps impregnate women, which Gabriel wouldn't put it past him. Alex was always a troubled child. "Cat got your tongue? Or you simply have no words because it's the damn truth?"

"Oh shut up both of you. You're both adults so start acting like one, or I could both hang you up and cut off your balls," Camilla interrupted before Alex could shoot up a stupid, pathetic, word that would possibly do no harm. Alex looked at Camilla with shock shown clearly on his face which possibly surprised Gabriel a tiny bit, Alex never acted scared nor did he really show his emotions often. At least he didn't wear his heart on his sleeves as some of his friends did. It always bugged him when one of his best friends, Kara, cried because she couldn't deal with people criticizing her because she was simply herself and that she cried too easily. Though that said was perhaps one of his depressed, supporting friends who tried to keep everyone happy while she remained in a depressive stage. "Well damn. I was hoping that things would escalate than this pure reticent. Excuse me for being so damn predictable, but both of you are acting like children, not independent adults… Now, if you excuse me I must change my pad since it's oddly a heavy one this month, and I really don't want another pair of my undies to go to waste. Also do you have any chocolate and ibuprofen for my back since It's killing me? Of course, I have to have lower back pain instead of cramps though rarely I get some. "

"Um…" Gabriel was finally at a loss for words especially of how easily she changed the topic so damn easily. First, they were bickering about stupid shit and now, they were talking about periods and pads and all that. Luckily, him forced of getting lectures about girls period paid off even when he thought he wasn't going to need it since it didn't really concern him. Gabriel always brought chocolate, pads and tampons since he never knew when a person might need it. "Yeah, there in the cupboard underneath the sink. I always have some available in case someone needs it, mostly it was used by Lila especially during her cramps and her period, but I still buy some since you never know."

Camilla looked back, her blush colored lips uplifted to a smile and responded, "Oh cool, I probably literally forgot to pack some pads today." And then she disappeared into the bathroom right next door.

"Well that's a surprise," said Alex as soon as Camilla disappeared from sight. "You buy women products when you're not a girl."

Gabriel blinked before he responded, "Don't you?"

"No."

"What were you hoping that what Momma taught us, was actually a big fat lie and that women didn't have blood coming out of their vagina? The period telling them that they aren't pregnant at least since I don't think I'm ready to have a responsibility as a father quite yet. I would like to actually live a little longer before finally settling down with someone who's more faithful than her, and I'm twenty-four. I still have some time left before I decide that I would like some kids in my life, for them to also be a complete gentlemen during the time of the month."

"Wow, I really had no idea."

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me."

"Well look at you two, having an actual civilized conversation between each other. Hell must have froze over then for you two to be doing this. Then what century am I then? I come back with a new pad, some Tylenol for my lower back as it was being a bitch and now I have some chocolate. So go on, talk, pretend I'm not here," said Camilla, holding a half wrapped chocolate bar in her hand before she took a huge bite out of the bar. "Mm. Thanks, Gabriel. You're a lifesaver. Well not really, but you know what I mean hopefully, right?"

"Yeah," said Gabriel, watching as Camilla sat down in his black office chair, her feet on his desk, looking relaxed while she ate a chocolate bar.

"Well thanks for doing that for you, I guess," said Alex after a few moments, his eyes still glued to what Camilla was doing. "I guess I should stock up on those supplies than." He turned to leave, his hand resting on the bronze doorknob.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"Did you finally quit with drugs and stuff?"

Alex's happy expression turned to a sad expression a second later. His eyes no longer looking at Gabriel, but merely focused on something else. He said, "Yes, but I've been diagnosed with Lung cancer stage three."

"How long do you have left?"

"Doctors say a few months, that was why I wanted to visit you. To say goodbye. It's too bad that we were fighting when we were younger, we probably would have bonded better."

"Yeah."

~'Cause they and drink

and laugh 'bout things

and fall in love in my backyard

I hide and cower in the corner

conversation's getting hard~

Theodore Avis-District 2 Escort

Theodore drew another heart on his scrap of paper that he managed to find. He was supposed to go on in a few minutes, but he already felt terrible. Butterflies were currently fluttering in his stomach, making him feel nauseous, but he didn't want to mess up the cake of makeup that was currently on his face. Theodore hated feeling like he was something for show, that he was just a puppet on a string, reciting words that meant nothing to anyone since it was a rehearsed speech that he managed to memorize the night prior before he stayed up until dawn which probably wasn't the case. Theodore had a terrible insomnia spell that lasted until one in the morning, mostly thinking about how much he could mess up tomorrow, and he knew he couldn't talk to anyone since Magnus was already sleeping, Celeste would probably be exercising like a manic and with Reyna, he didn't know. Reyna been reticent for a while which worried Theodore since she was prone on killing herself.

Theodore itched behind his ear, not because he had an itch right there, but merely because that was his nervous habit. He hated it, but he knew it was better than biting his nails or doing some other things that was strangely common. He just didn't want to do this, not right now. Theodore didn't want to make a fool out of himself. What happened if he fell down on his face and everyone laughed about it? He really didn't want be mortified and wish that he didn't exist, which he knew he couldn't say especially around one of his suicidal friends, who tried to commit suicidal weekly. Theodore tried talking her out of it, but he knew he should be doing that himself since his anxiety had been really bad lately.

Theodore felt his heart rate picking up, and beads of sweat starting to form on his brow. He felt like the world was circling around him. Theodore closed his eyes, trying to focus on his breathing just like his therapist advised himself to do, to help prevent your anxiety attacks and how your anxiety shouldn't control your life as he often quoted, making Theodore feel more ashamed about himself, like he really shouldn't be battling with his anxiety. Maybe that was the reason why Theodore often hated asking for help especially when it was dealing with his anxiety.

Growing up, Theodore had bad anxiety attacks to where his childhood therapist and now, tried to help maintain it, but it wasn't like it could be fixed. Theodore probably missed out on a lot of things especially when he was still in high school, often having missing assignments since the voice inside his head kept saying that he was doing it wrong, he would never get something right, and that he was stupid and shouldn't even try, which was perhaps frustrating to him. Theodore eventually dropped out which he often regretted since he really couldn't get good jobs. He managed to snag a spot on Panem's swim team which didn't pay much and being a photographer to help out which again, didn't pay much because he didn't graduate high school. It wasn't like Theodore could contact his parents since they disowned him for simply having anxiety and not graduating from high school.

Theodore tried to focus more on his earlier conversation with Magnus, hoping to focus his mind on something else instead of having a full-blown anxiety attacks which he often hated since it just made him feel abnormal especially being from the Capitol as the Capitol was stereotyped as being filled with optimistic, fake, and ditsy people which Theodore knew that wasn't the case, especially with his somewhat fatty figure that he had food from mostly eating a lot, and not really doing much since he didn't go to the rec center like two times a week, mostly just for fun. It wasn't like he was muscler, he was his own person, and he was proud of who he was.

Theodore stood at the train station getting readied to board the District Two train, but he was hoping he could find Magnus or his long, auburn hair that was often in a high ponytail, since Magnus always said that Twilight's Guard always wore their hair up in a high ponytail. Twilight's Guard was a music group who always sang either metal or rap depending on what the tone was. Twilight's Guard consisted of five people that were either female non-binary, trans or gender-fluid, not male, but Theodore didn't say anything about it. He didn't like Twilight's Guard since he liked the less melodramatic, more guitar and drums like Lyrica Rae, a pop singer who always sang songs that he could relate to or his friends could. Alicia Irwins was another singer that Theodore loved, singing about stuff, and he always loved of what they could sing.

Sadly, there was no luck in finding Magnus. Theodore hoped that he didn't forget,and that Magnus would break the yearly tradition by seeing him go. He hoped not. Theodore didn't really like feeling that he was simply a mistake, and that Magnus truly left him. What about his penthouse? He couldn't afford the full 1500 dollar rent, and he didn't really want to room with Reyna or Celeste as they had enough problems of their own, and he doubted that neither of them wanted to hear Theodore's anxiety attacks, or snoring which he doubted since Magnus kept telling him that he did.

Theodore took a deep breath, as he watched other people aboard their trains, while he went and stood there, possibly already looking like an idiot as he waited for Magnus who was already taken forever. Theodore didn't want to stay here and be late all because that Magnus wouldn't show up. He turned around and stepped up to the train, and looked back, hoping that Magnus was simply playing hide and go seek which Theodore abhorred very much especially if he was the seeker. He caught sight of the long, auburn hair and Theodore smiled.

"Tea!" Magnus shouted, using his old nickname that Magnus used to use a lot of back when they first moved in and during their primary years. Theodore had an obsession with tea especially when it was either sweet tea, green tea or Jasmine tea, since those were his favorite tea flavors and was often seen drinking tea. Magnus stopped once he got in front of him, and panted loudly.

Once, Magnus finally regained his breath after a few minutes, he then spoke, "Sorry I'm late…"

"Let me guess, you were with Chase and lost track of time, right?" Theodore said icily.

Magnus chuckled and Theodore blushed. Theodore could see his crooked teeth from his smile, which he was still surprised that he still hadn't gotten it fixed especially during the accident involving the primary years when they gone to school together. He finally spoke after a few minutes, "No, I accidentally forgot to set the alarm, and when I couldn't hear your snoring. I assumed you were at coffee shop, but you never go there at this hour, so I decided to look here."

"I thought you would realize that the Hunger Games was starting which would explain how loud it is… And, I don't snore!" interjected Theodore.

Magnus smiled, showing his front crooked teeth. He said, "Chase and I heard it at two o'clock in the damn morning while we were still watching Superheroes and Villains series to remember what is going to happen in Admit One, the second to last finale of the series."

"Ugh, fine. I do."

"Also while you're gone can I have your bed?" Magnus asked, smirking. His emerald eyes staring at him dangerously. Theodore knew why Magnus wanted his bed, he always asked every year at the train station. Though, Theodore knew that Magnus wouldn't do that as he already done it once when Theodore was sleeping at the hospital because of what happened to Reyna's second suicide attempt that week, all because she refused to get therapy and help.

"Oh hell no. Go do it on your bed," said Theodore rather loudly. A lot of people stared at them with curiosity which Theodore paid no attention to them as he continued to stare at Magnus who now stuffed his hands into his black pant pockets.

Magnus chuckled once more before he responded, "I was just kidding though. We'll probably find something to do tonight for the premiere of Admit One though that's happening tomorrow, and we already watch the last movie last night." Theodore knew that Magnus was telling the truth as Magnus always told the truth to everything since it always went against his morals in lying since his family was full-on Christians, and he was raised to speak the truth.

"Good."

"Anyways you better find your seat," Magnus said, his eyes looking at the porcelain white train with black stripes. Steam was already coming out of the engine which Theodore grimaced, but nodded. Theodore went and found his seat before the train pulled out of the train station, and he watched Magnus silhouette getting smaller and smaller before he was no more.

"AVIS, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!" someone screamed in his ear loudly. Theodore flinched as the woman screamed in his ear, grateful that his right ear hadn't gone deaf at the high volume the woman screamed.

"What?"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME! YOU ARE LATE BY A FEW MINUTES THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON STAGE, AVIS! MAYBE BACK HOME, YOU COULD ARRIVE LATE, BUT NOT HERE! NOW GET YOUR FUCKING ASS ON STAGE NOW!" Before the woman could finish what she was saying, Theodore already bolted from his chair that he was sitting at, and paused at the black, heavy doors. He took a deep breath before he pushed the doors to reveal the citizens of District 2.

"Sorry about the wait. I had a malfunction which caused me being late!" Theodore exclaimed, simply telling half the truth, while he looked at the somewhat stoic and grinning crowd. He wanted to grin back, but he was afraid that he would probably look like someone who would murder someone, so he refrained himself from doing so. "But without further ado our female tribute is…" He dug his left hand into the left Reaping bowl until he selected a white piece of paper. Theodore opened it up and said, "Olivia Reque!"

"I volunteer!" someone called out before the reaped person had a chance to react. A girl stepped out grinning. "Pandora Justice age eighteen!" Theodore felt like there was something off about her, but he really couldn't place a finger on it. He was curious, but he had a feeling that he really didn't want to find out of what was off about her. Theodore had a bad feeling about her which he hoped that the poor tributes wouldn't get in the way. He was sure that she was going to be a wildcard, a force that shouldn't be reckoned with.

Theodore turned his attention to the piece of paper in his right hand and called out, "Kairi Oriol!" He was sure that he pronounced it wrong. He pronounced it like Kerry Oreo which was surely wrong, but he would learn the correct pronunciation later once he interacted with the male tribute more.

Theodore heard cheers coming from the eighteen-year-old section, once a raven haired boy stepped out, stoic. He assumed that Kairi was the select volunteer for this year since that's when most people would cheer about. He heard someone screaming "KAI! KAI!" over and over again, which Theodore knew that he was wrong about being the volunteer. The boy stepped onto the stage still stoic and walked over to where the microphone was at, and he said, almost distraughtly, "Someone please look after my mom!" He said before walking towards to where the female tribute-Pandora was standing at.

Theodore took a deep breath before he continued on, "Ladies and gentlemen, our tributes for this year's Hunger Games-Pandora Justice and Kairi Oriol!"

~Lost your balance on a tight rope, oh

It's never too late to get it back~

Kairi "Kai" Oriol (18), District 2

Kai was seething as he never really expected to get reaped. The freaking volunteer guy backed out so that he would go into the Hunger Games, which was no fair on him, since the freaking volunteer was so happy to want to volunteer. He just hoped that he would be able to come back alive, since he doubted that no one would want to take care of his Mom while he was away since they were basically been outcasts since they moved here a decade ago because of the actions his father did. There were times where he abhorred of what his father had done, to disgrace their family name and living in the Capitol, where he didn't really have to worry about this too much.

Kai liked being in the Capitol even though he spent most of his time being cooped up in the apartment since there really was no place for him to go, and he entertained himself with his action figures and such, most of them were broken at least once though.

He heard the door open and revealed his mother crying in her hands as she walked towards him. "I can't lose you either. It isn't that I'm losing my son over these games."

"I know-I know," he repeated taking her into his arms where she continued to sob into his shoulders. "I swear I'll come back, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too," she choked out, before the peacekeeper barged in and dragged her away even though a minute probably went by. He was determined to get home alive.

~Hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell~

Pandora Justice (18), District 2

Pandora smirked as she thought of how wonderful it would be to kill her District partner. She really wasn't expecting to see that the male volunteer would back out, but it sure would make an interesting Game this year though. She looked up and saw her friend, Opal and her Mom standing by the door, completely oblivious to what was happening, which she was usually since she was usually distracted by her boyfriend or whatever the hell she was doing.

"What came to say goodbye to me?" Pandora asked rudely.

"Pandora, you're my friend. Of course, I will, and I'll see you when you get home," Opal said optimistically.

"Damn right," She said. Pandora really wasn't scared as she knew that she would be a force to be reckoned with, and the games would most likely be easy, from what she could tell from memorizing the past Hunger Games. "I'll miss you too, Mom." She voiced, paying some attention to her mother.

"Miss you too, honey," said her Mom which Pandora smiled about. She was going to win these games.

Last chapter to updating within a week was because of muse, literally. Also reaping chapters vary in length so there is no bias, it just depends on how long I want it to be. School started up again where I was so depressed and I had anxiety attacks a lot, and was content about wanting to kill myself (which I find myself not in a dark place right now). Updates are basically going to be whenever I feel like it. Also, I have the District 9 spots still, so please submit to them so that I could officially close the SYOT. There will be a blog to this story so I'm going to have time creating that and my goal is to get it up before I'm onto the train rides. Some of this chapter literally involved my arm which on Friday, a yoga ball hit me outside of the elbow and been hurting ever since, so your welcome. I'm also going to be updating my other SYOT, so my hectic no idea when I'll update thing is now on.

This is the official order I'm doing the reapings for right now: 3,8,2,11,10,5,1,7,12,6,4,9 this is subject to change.

What did you think of the chapter and the tributes? Leave a review down below!