Athena Dell, 15

District 3 Female


I don't even know why I agreed to this.

My friends see this day as a happy one. A celebration of Ella's life, and remembering the good times with her. Instead I just see Ella's corpse after getting killed by the boy from four last year.

But it would be weird for me not to go. Ella was my best friend since early childhood. Here in District 3, we have a sort of ritual on reaping day. Loved ones of the deceased tributes will go to the graveyard before the reaping to mourn, leave flowers, or just talk to their family members who perished in the Hunger Games. And that's where we're headed now.

As we reach the entrance to the cemetery, crowds of people walk the paths, some crying, others smiling, and some doing nothing at all but standing there quietly. As we reach the grave, we stop dead in our tracks.

"Let's give them some time." I say to my friends Alexia and Jake. At Ella's grave are her parents, both sitting down with their eyes closed. I know I should probably say hi, but it all feels so awkward to me now.

I take off, and run out of the cemetery. There's a small bench at the edge near the forest, and that's when I start crying. Soon enough, my friends come along and I feel their arms around me.

"Come on, you have to see her." Alexia says. "You have to let her know that you miss her."

"But she's dead, she can't hear me!" I snap. "If it weren't for the fucking Capitol, she would still be alive!"

"Don't say that." Jake says. "Please don't, it's reaping day and there's peacekeepers around-"

"No." I interrupt. "I don't care anymore, my best friend died because of the Capitol! I still remember the butterfly necklace She gave me after she was reaped. That's the only thing I have left of her."

"Okay, you know what, if you don't want to go, you can stay here. But we're going." Alexia says.

My friends walk off, and after a few minutes I wipe my tears. I take the necklace off of my neck and decide to put it on Ella's gravestone. I guess that's my way of letting go of it.


Tay Fuller, 15

District 8 Female


A few months before the reaping.

"Shit."

Shadows begin to seep through the cracked concrete, and I look up to see that the gray-sky is now painted a hazy yellow. That can only mean that the sun is setting and I have to sell this last batch soon.

Being a small girl dealing morphling in District 8 is already dangerous enough. At least in the daytime, you can see who is lurking in the alleyways or scream for help. Not that the peacekeepers would help me.

"Except for this one." I think to myself. The location directed on the box leads right to a peacekeeper checkpoint. I almost consider going home, as this could be a trap, and there will be a squad of peacekeepers there to arrest me on the spot.

But my fears are alleviated. I've done stops at the checkpoints before, it's no new to me. Plus, many of the peacekeepers here in 8 are crazy for the needle.

Soon enough, the sky is already dark. Helping me find my path is the illuminated yellow light of the peacekeeper checkpoint. I look around to see if anyone is walking on the street, and to my expectation I see nobody. On this side of town, nobody stays out after dark. Curfew is not mandatory unless we break the rules, but people still choose to follow it anyway.

Standing inside the small post is a young man, probably in his early twenties or late teens. For a peacekeeper, he is quite thin, and he has dark circles under his eyes, which makes me believe he's been doing this for a while.

He stumbles out of the post, and a weird smile creeps across his face. He walks up real close to me, but I step back a bit and wait for him to give me the cash. He doesn't do so.

"My, she's a pretty one, ain't she." His voice sounds slurred, and his breath reeks of liquor.

I've had these types of guys all the time before this.

"Where's my money?" I say, loud and clear.

"No, no, no." He says. He then gets closer to me and puts his arms around my bottom. I try to pull him away but realize his grip is too strong.

In all my time as a dealer, guys have been weird, but this has never happened before. I try to kick him away, and when that doesn't work, I start screaming, hoping he would stop if I threaten to get somebody's attention.

But it doesn't happen. He drags me into the alleyway next to the post, and I continue kicking and screaming. Soon he is kissing me, and I can barely muster a sound.

I then remember something. I stop resisting, and he kisses me again.

"See, I know you like that." And then I realize his hands are free from me now. So in a quick motion I pull out the sharp piece of metal I keep in my pocket.

It happens fast. I don't know how, but I manage to slam his head into the wall, and then use the sharp metal to slit his throat. I see him fall to the ground, gasping for air. I take the box and run out of the alleyway.

I don't know how I'll get away with this, but now I know why it was a bad idea to stay out after dark.


Robbie Jute, 13

District 8 Male


"Kids, stop fooling around and get your reaping clothes on! We have an hour!" Mama yells from the front door.

Tills kicks the makeshift ball we found down the street, and we all run inside, knowing mama will need to bathe all three of us individually before we get our clothes on.

After we all have our baths, my mother lays out my reaping clothes. It is the white dress-shirt with gray seams that I stitched myself last year. It barely fits me and feels tight.

"Mama, do I have to wear this?" She runs into the room, and frowns.

"Yes, I'm sorry. It's all I could find for you. You can't wear that dirty shirt you have on now, it won't look presentable."

I look down. "Oh, okay. I just thought that I could have something new to wear for once."

Mama walks over and starts combing my hair with her fingers.

"I really am sorry, love. But we can't afford any new clothes this year."

Maybe if my dad was around, we'd have more money. Me and my twin sister Tills work in the peacekeeper uniform factory to try to support my mother as she works as a dressmaker. But children own about half as much as adults do, and even with the tesserae we take, it's still not enough.

My dad left when I was too young to remember. Mama never talks about him much, and I've never thought to ask her why he left. Maybe I'm old enough now to know, but the thought gets erased from my mind.

My little sister, Calico, gets blue ribbons in her hair, and Tills gets a rusty orange dress. But my outfit lacks color. Maybe it's fitting, considering our district also lacks color.

"Rob, race you to the justice building!" Tills says.

We rush out the door, and laugh as we run, knowing this could be one of our last moments together if the unthinkable happens today.


Athena Faceclaim: Lulu Valentine

Tay Faceclaim: Ruby Pedersen

Robbie Faceclaim: Felix Bossuet


Another chapter down, and guess what, after this I only have one more intro chapter left! Next we'll be introducing the females from District 6, 7, and 11! I hope you enjoyed this, and please leave a review. I just completed the death order and I cannot wait to write the rest of this story, it will be so fun. Thank you to GalaxyQueen500 for Athena, and 03ibradley for both Tay and Robbie!


1) Which of these three were your favorite?

2) If you were in the Hunger Games, would you want allies? If so, how many?


-xo, cassy