Phaedra Fox, 27

Head Gamemaker

The day had come again. The Hunger Games were truly beginning. My first several years as Head Gamemaker had been wildly successful and President Snow had been quite pleased. My job was as secure as it could be, and I intended to keep it that way.

But today was not about me. It was about the tributes. In just a few hours, our cast of characters would be revealed. Tomorrow, they'd be dressed up and presented to the world. But for now, they would be raw. They would be real.

I was alone in my office for the event. I gave the team permission to have the reapings on as background noise as they worked, but I needed to devote all my attention to our lucky future competitors. I had my notepad and a steaming cup of coffee ready as the Panem insignia lit up the television screen.

Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith appeared, and proceeded to banter back and forth for a few minutes. Claudius was a rather new addition to the Games team, but he was insanely popular. We'd spoken on quite a few occasions and I found him to be quite pleasant. He wasn't the most attractive man, but he had a sharp mind and a knack for showmanship.

Then the scene switched to District 1. The camera panned over the rolling hills and flourishing vineyards before showing off the decorated town square. Banners hung from every lamppost and flowers decorated the buildings. A marble fountain spouted glittering water into the air.

Twilight Starr, their purple-loving escort, was on the stage already. He made a grand welcoming speech before selecting a slip with a flourish.

"Kallik!"

"Wait, there's no surname written? Is this right? Was there a mistake?"

I leaned forward in my seat, suddenly worried. Two Peacekeepers came forward, a big register book in their grasp. Twilight held the microphone away from him as the three of them whispered to each other.

"Excuse me?" someone said, coming out of the crowd. It was an 18-year-old girl with tan skin and dark eyes. Her black hair hung just past her shoulders and she was wearing a simple gray dress.

"I'm Kallik," she said, beginning to climb the stairs. "I don't have a legal surname at the moment. I'm very sorry for the confusion."

"Oh! Well, that's alright then," Twilight said. He waved the Peacekeepers away and beckoned her over. "Come stand here," he instructed. Then he went to select a slip from the other bowl while I quickly jotted down a note to look into Kallik's birth records.

"Diamond Jensen!" Twilight called.

There was some movement amongst the 12-year-olds, but then a tall boy with curly golden hair and blue eyes stepped forward. He was dressed in a crisp blue dress shirt that brought out his eyes and had a pleasant smile on his face as he spoke.

"I volunteer as tribute!" he called out.

When he joined Twilight on the stage, the escort shook his hand warmly.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said. "What is your name?"

"I'm Kendall Delancy," the boy said.

"There you have it," Twilight announced. "Your tributes; Kallik and Kendall!"

I smiled. Kendall seemed proper and composed. He was the type of tribute I expected to see District 1 provide. But I'd have to keep an eye on Kallik…

But I had no further time to contemplate the pair from 1 because District 2 was now being featured. Mountains towered in the background, making the buildings look small in comparison. I'd had the privilege to travel to District 2. It was quite an impressive place.

As I watched, Vivi Garcia took the stage in a sparkly lavender jumpsuit. She tossed her hair dramatically before beginning her speech. As the crowd's applause died down, she went to select a slip.

"Octavia Jacobs!"

I watched the crowd carefully, waiting to see who would volunteer. District 2 was the most reliable for volunteers, and we'd already seen one reaped tribute from a Career district. Two would be a strange occurrence.

But no one came forward to volunteer, leaving Octavia to climb the stairs. She was a beautiful young woman with curly copper hair and large gray eyes. But she had a deep frown on her face. She stayed quiet as she went to stand beside Vivi.

"Valerius Vella!" Vivi called next. Octavia let out a gasp and I raised my eyebrows in surprise. The Vella name was familiar for some reason… another tribute to look into.

A boy with the same copper hair as Octavia came forward. His gray eyes were highlighted by golden eyeliner and he looked just as upset as Octavia. But he summoned a smile for the cameras and went to shake Octavia's hand as Vivi announced their names to all of Panem.

Siblings, I thought. Or at least relatives. They could prove to be a very interesting pair. I had to keep an eye on them as well. There was a juicy story waiting to be told; I was sure of it.

District 3 was sunny, but breezy. Lavinia's pink toga-like dress was flapping in the wind and she looked rather flustered. But her voice was cheerful as she welcomed the district to the exciting event.

"Yarrow Venus!"

She announced the name loudly after taking her time to choose a slip of paper. A thin girl with bright green eyes and stringy blonde hair was ushered out of the crowd of 17-year-olds. She glared at someone behind her before a smile settled onto her face. She waved at the cameras as she walked onstage.

"Ai Latier!" Lavinia called next. Gasps rippled through the crowd and Beetee Latier's face dropped. He removed his glasses and shut his eyes tightly. I leaned closer to my screen.

To my surprise, one of Beetee Latier's adopted children was coming out of the crowd. The boy was only 12, but he was stocky and had a decent amount of muscle. His dark brown hair was buzzed short and he had hazel eyes.

Ai and Yarrow hesitantly shook hands as Beetee trembled and Lavinia applauded. The camera briefly zoomed in on Beetee's distraught face before the setting switched to the sunny beaches of District 4.

Waves crashed on the distant shore and seagulls perched on the buildings all around the Justice Building. I found myself silently hoping for volunteers as Mignon Daerleen marched on stage.

Her hair, which was usually electric blue, was dyed a deep sea green this year. And she was wearing a baggy silver suit, chunky black boots, and a giant headdress made of white feathers. They swayed in the ocean breeze as Mignon began her speech.

She talked for a while, but finally selected a slip from one of the glass bowls.

"Alara Banks!"

Banks. Marina Banks. The Mayor of District 4, who had been elected several months ago. Alara was her daughter. Marina had spoken fondly of her two children when we'd met, saying she was inspired by them to make District 4 a better place. And now her daughter might be in the Hunger Games. What a cruel twist of fate.

To my annoyance, no one volunteered for Alara. The well-dressed blonde girl was forced to climb the stairs against her will, a stoic expression on her face. Mayor Banks was mirroring her daughter's look.

Mignon glided gracefully over to the boy's bowl. This was the last chance for a Career volunteer and I found myself hoping for one.

"Jack Mariner!"

For a moment, everything was silent. Then an 18-year-old with messy brown hair and the lightest green eyes I'd ever seen came out of the crowd.

"I volunteer!"

He climbed the stairs confidently, the ocean breeze making his unbuttoned henley flutter. He grinned at Mignon and Alara before leaning into the microphone to introduce him.

"Hey everyone! I'm Dorian Sargasso!"

Then he extended his hand to Alara, who shook it stiffly. Mignon called their names aloud and the crowd cheered. At least they had one volunteer.

District 5 was usually scorching in the summers, and today did not seem to be an exception. Cassius York was wise enough to wear a tanktop, but his usual colorful bird-themed clothing still made an appearance. His shirt was decorated with a blue feather pattern and his pants were feathered as well.

Cassius moved quickly through the introductions, likely due to the heat. But he remained personable and entertaining, which was a relief. I liked Cassius, and it would be a shame to have to reprimand him.

This year, Cassius chose to select the male tribute first.

"Trydan Briod!" he called.

The boy who came forward had a dark tan and curly black hair which was tied back in a ponytail. He was missing two fingers on his left hand and one on his right. His expression was fairly neutral, but as he got closer to the stage I could see the panic creeping into his eyes. He looked terrified by the time he was standing beside Cassius.

"Sunnaria Reyes!" Cassius called next.

A scream came from the crowd of 14-year-old girls and after a moment, a short girl with wild black curls tied up in a yellow scarf came forward.

"I volunteer!" she yelled.

The screaming got louder as another girl pushed through the crowd. She grabbed onto the volunteer and tried to pull her back, but the smaller girl broke away, leaving her sobbing friend behind.

The girl with the headscarf nervously came to stand beside Cassius and Trydan.

"Hello young lady," Cassius said. "What is your name?"

"Birdie Seguaro," the girl said. Then she clasped her hands behind her back and stood with tears in her eyes as Cassius announced her and Trydan as District 5's tributes.

District 6 looked gray and dull. Even the crowd was somber. Their escort, Fogey Fisher, had just celebrated his 90th birthday and was clearly too old for the job. But he refused to retire. I'd have to have a stern conversation with him. Nobody wanted to see an old man staggering around onstage.

"Alley Parker!" Fogey said in a brittle voice.

A girl in an orange prison jumpsuit was guided forward by two Peacekeepers. She had short, nearly-buzzed black hair and a black eye that was just beginning to heal. Her jaw was clenched but her expression remained neutral.

The Peacekeepers stayed with Alley as Fogey hobbled over to the other bowl. He snatched a slip off the top, not bothering to draw out the suspense. I sighed. He really did have to be replaced.

"Trayne Treadwell-Lang!"

Another 17-year-old stumbled out of his section. He was tall and lanky and had thick black hair. He looked stunned, but summoned a grin as he climbed the stairs to the stage. He winked at the camera before shaking hands with Alley as Fogey repeated their names.

District 7 was one of the most beautiful districts in Panem and the camera team made sure to highlight it. They showed off the tall conifers and grassy meadows before zooming in on the Justice Building.

District 7's escort, Nero McCormack, was one of my favorites. He and Lavinia, the District 3 escort, had some will-they won't-they romance going on and the Gamemakers enjoyed betting on when they'd get together and who would make the first move.

Nero was wearing a deep green suit with copper accents that suited his background quite well. He looked as regal and kingly as ever, and managed to summon some excitement from the crowd.

"Juniper Leaf!" he called. I rolled my eyes. What was with the generic tree names? Didn't the parents of District 7 have any creativity?

But my attention was drawn back to the screen by a brunette girl that was covered in freckles. She grabbed Juniper's shoulder and pulled the girl back before coming to stand in front of her.

"I volunteer!" she yelled.

Nero's eyes widened and then a grin spread across his face.

"Wonderful!" he said. "Come on up and introduce yourself!" The girl did, a sour expression on her face.

"My name is Rowena Aspen," she said before stepping away from Nero. He nodded before going to select another name slip.

"Cactus Cleo!"

A boy in an old Victorian-style suit came forward. He had blonde hair and violet eyes, and waved to cameras as he joined Nero onstage. He had a confident smile on his face.

Cleo? I thought. As in Leonidas Cleo? Leonidas, or Leo, as he liked to be called, was a wealthy Capitol botanist with a large estate in the forests of District 7. Given Cactus's clothing style and unnatural eye color, it was possible he was a relation of Leo Cleo.

The sky was also gray in District 8, but it was because of the smog. I'd been there twice, and it was quite an unpleasant place. But textiles were an important import, so we had to make sure things were running smoothly.

Their escort Cleopatra was quite an interesting woman. She was smart as a whip and twice as brutal. She was always honest and excelled at sarcasm. But slip her a few drinks and she was a whole other woman.

She was dressed in her usual peacoat, which she wore over a tight white dress studded with diamonds. Her boots were also encrusted with the precious gem. She was the brightest thing in the square as she sauntered over to the big glass bowls.

"Taylor Treadle!"

Taylor turned out to be a 15-year-old with choppy black hair and grunge clothing. Her makeup was dark and dramatic, highlighting her blue-green eyes. She stomped up to the stage, her chunky combat boots thudding loudly against the pavement.

Cleopatra looked her up and down judgmentally before wrinkling her nose and walking over the other bowl. She took her time picking a slip, clearly hoping to draw out the suspense.

"Tommy Jute!"

A loud string of profanities rose in the air as a small 14-year-old with light brown skin and darker brown hair and eyes was herded forward. He was wearing a dirty white shirt and his jeans were torn. Tears sparkled in his eyes and his fists were tightly clenched.

Tommy and Taylor begrudgingly shook hands as Cleopatra turned on her heel and dramatically announced their names to the world.

Sunny District 9 was a nice contrast from foggy 7 and smoggy 8. Their escort, Destiny Aurald, was new to the job, but she was doing quite well. I had a feeling she'd be around for a long time.

Destiny's signature look consisted of a large purple tophat decorated with ribbons. Her short, puffy dress was a lavender color that matched with her hat quite well. Purple was clearly her favorite color, based on her altered eyes and purple-tipped braids.

"Amberlynn Hyde!" Destiny said, her voice soft. Nothing happened.

"Amberlynn?" Destiny called. "Amberlynn Hyde? Are you there?"

A small 15-year-old with olive skin stumbled forward. Her eyes were wide and she looked dazed, but she summoned a smile and managed to wave at the cameras. She looked nice; she was dressed in a navy blouse and a black leather pencil skirt.

Destiny had a worried expression on her face as she stared at Amberlynn. Odd. She seemed to actually know the girl, which was impossible. It was another thing to look into.

"Robbie Emmer!" Destiny announced next.

Robbie turned out to be a handsome boy with tanned skin and smoldering brown eyes. He smirked at the cameras and winked at Destiny when he reached her. She smiled nervously. Then Robbie reached out to shake Amberlynn's hand as Destiny officially introduced them as District 9's tributes.

District 10 must have been another miserably hot district, but everything looked quaint and welcoming. A few horses were strategically placed near the stage and there were flower baskets hanging on the lampposts and surrounding buildings.

Barney McDonald was dressed in his usual ridiculous outfits. Last year it was cow print. This year it was zebra print. His long purple braid swayed in the slight breeze as he did his usual introductory spiel. Finally, he selected a slip from the boy's bowl.

"Shepard Howard!"

A lean boy with dark, messy hair and piercing eyes stepped out of the crowd of 17-year-olds. His expression was shockingly neutral and he walked with complete silence. Barney gaped at him for a little too long before scurrying off the girl's bowl.

"Virgo Charleston!"

Virgo was a sturdy girl with chestnut-brown hair which she wore in a thick braid. She had lots of freckles and had a forced smile on her face. She was clearly nervous, but held herself together well as Barney called out her and Shepard's names.

I sat up straight and stretched my neck as a commercial for some new perfume came on. My coffee had gone cold and my notebook was filled with scribbled notes and my back was sore… but I was excited. So far, all the tributes seemed like they'd make for an interesting cast who would really bring my Games to life. Hopefully Districts 11 and 12 would have tributes who were just as intriguing.

I refocused as District 11 appeared onscreen. It had to be the hottest district yet. I could practically see the lines of heat rippling on the ground. And Tiber Trott certainly looked miserable.

I didn't blame him, but I also didn't pity him. Tiber wasn't the most pleasant man. He seemed to think he was the greatest thing to bless Panem, when in reality he was a mean, spoiled grump. He was grumbling under his breath as he drew a slip.

"Persimmon Caraway!"

A dark-skinned girl with dark braids and golden-brown eyes stepped forward. Her brow was furrowed and she squared her shoulders before she began the long walk down the aisle. Somewhere in the crowd, someone was crying. But Persimmon kept her composure as she joined Tiber onstage.

Tiber didn't spare Persimmon a glance before he went to select the next tribute.

"Clover Nguyen!"

Clover turned out to be a thin but sturdy boy with short black hair and piercing brown eyes. There was fury in his gaze as he stormed up the stairs. He shook Persimmon's hand roughly as Tiber announced their names with a disgusted look on his face.

And finally, it was time for District 12's reaping. Their colorful escort, Meg, was wiggling with excitement. She rushed through her introductory speech and practically skipped over to the glass bowl full of name slips.

"Josie Stone!"

A small girl, one of the youngest this year, was pushed from the group of 12-year-olds. She had fiery red hair that stood out starkly against her pale skin, and her dark eyes were angry. She silently joined Meg on the stage and crossed her arms, glaring at the crowd.

"Enzo Charmont!" Meg called next.

The reaped boy was an interesting figure. His hands were covered in burn scars and his blonde hair was jagged as if it had been burned as well. He was tall and lanky and had a crooked smile on his face. I drew a little star next to his name. I had a feeling he would be someone to watch out for.

I waited for Meg to announce their names and for Josie and Enzo to shake hands before turning off my television. Then I sat alone in my quiet office for a few moments. We had quite a few intriguing tributes this year, and while I had some research to do, especially on the tributes from 1 and 2, I was confident my Games were going to be spectacular. And I couldn't wait to find out who would reign victorious.

Hi everyone! Here is Monday's update: the Reaping! I don't have much to say here except for thanks for reading, and please leave a review if you can! Next up will be the Goodbyes.

QUESTIONS

1) Were you surprised by how any of the tributes reacted to be reaped?

2) Were you surprised by any of the volunteers?

3) Whose POV do you want to see next?

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!

- Fiona