Allela Bucker, 12, District 7 (Lumber)
I still can't believe I'm here. I hope my mom and dad would have been proud of me; they aren't here anymore. They were killed. Until I volunteered for Blina, the only family I really had was the Love family. They were the ones who really took me in after my parents died, and they cared for me. I don't know who I would be without Mr. and Mrs. Love, or how I would have survived. Those people at the orphanage were so mean!
Right now, I'm remembering the first time I met the twins. It was about two weeks after my parents died, and the girls in my dorm at the community home had been especially mean that day. I was crying in a more deserted hallway of our school during the brief recess we had, and Belle had found me. Instead of laughing at me and saying my parents were worthless pieces of trash, she sat down next to me and wrapped her arm around me, tucking me under her shoulder.
"It's okay," she had told me, "You can cry. Those other girls just don't understand."
After I had finished crying, she invited me to her house after school for dinner. Her family wasn't rich, but they had money and food to spare. And soon going to her house for dinner once turned into twice, and twice into a week, and a week into a month. When I couldn't go to their house, Blina or Belle would come find me after school as I went to the orphanage and hand me a package or basket of food, but more often than not something I could hide under my baggy, oversized clothing.
Jack Roader, 15, District 7
I still cannot believe that I am here. Mostly, I can't believe that nobody volunteered for me. Those district people really are stupid. Don't they know my father and I would have rewarded them for someone taking my place? Now, instead, when I get home, I'm going to punish each and every one of them!
On the bright side, these people know how to treat a VIP. My prep team took good care of me, waxing me and making me look good. They even put me in this fantastic suit – it's a black velvet suit! I make this thing look good, and I wonder if they'll let me take it home when I win.
Mazella Bancroft, 12, District 8 (Textiles)
I'm so scared. I don't have any skills, I'm one of the smallest tributes, and nobody remembers anybody from District 8! I'm really not that pretty, and that means no sponsors. The thing that worries me the most, though, is my family and my boyfriend. I didn't really get to spend much time with Ben, my boyfriend. I think I took him for granted. If it weren't for my district partner, Tanner, I don't think I'd be able to last through the first day! Thankfully Tanner swore to me he'd help me stay safe, at least as safe as possible in the games. He's so much older, and I really think he'll be able to help! Not to mention he's so strong. He's so much like the older brother I never had. He says we shouldn't talk about it, though, because we don't want the other tributes to know what our strategy is. We even stayed away from each other in the Training Center, though I did see him yelling at the District 3 boy who came over when I was working at the plant station and started insulting me. It's so nice to have someone to look out for me.
Tanner Craven, 18, District 8
My experience in the political circles has given me an edge that I don't believe most of these idiots around me have – I know how to properly kiss ass. I can suck up to the best of them and those idiots wouldn't even expect it, much less know it. I already set the idea in that idiot Blake's head about how I would be a fantastic member of the Career pack, but not in the normal sense. I cannot wait until the Games – my ability to charm people is going to make it so easy to win. I talked down the Head Peacekeeper once – boy, was I proud of that one. He had tried to arrest me for stealing something from some fruit vender in the market. I grabbed a pear, smiled at the lady, and kept walking, and she knew to keep her mouth shut. She'd just gained favor with the mayor. That stupid peacekeeper, though... He grabbed me and hustled me to the Town Square. Halfway there, though, I was able to pull him into a side alley and calm him down. I convinced him that I had already paid her, and he just didn't see it. He believed me, finally, and that was that. My district partner was so easy to win, and this crowd will be no exception.
"Sunny" Ticia, 17, District 9 (Grain)
I hope Mom and River are okay. All I saw at the Reapings was Rain getting held and hit by those Peacekeepers, and they didn't let her or mom come see me after when they were supposed to be able to say goodbye. I had a problem with that. At least I won't have a problem with this interview; before he died Dad always said I had the gift of gab. That word, gab, always confused me. Then one day I asked Dad what gab meant, and he said it meant I talked a lot. That's not a bad thing, though, because it means that I am good at keeping people entertained. And that's what I need to do in this interview – keep the audience entertained. I was always very good at keeping conversations going with my friends Dasha and Sophie. Melody was the comedian, but I was very good at making sure there was room for her to make jokes, or I could lead up to an entrance for her to make jokes. We got along so well. All three of my girls came in and said goodbye to me; at least the Peacekeepers let them in. I don't think I could have handled it if I didn't get to see anyone before I left. Sophie promised to tell my mom and sister that I loved them, and she said she'd tell them goodbye for me if I didn't get back.
Ahron Ember, 15, District 9
I don't stand a chance. Not only am I on the younger end of the tributes this year, but I only weigh around 120 pounds! Most other tributes outweigh me. They're bigger than me, stronger than me, older than me. Then there's the Careers. I didn't really expect to get reaped, but I didn't not expect it either. I kept it together long enough for my parents and sister to say goodbye and to get past the cameras and then I lost it on the train. I didn't even show up for dinner or look at the Capitol as we came in; I didn't want my mentor or district partner to see me all blotchy-faced. And all this prepping is driving me crazy – my stylist, Flora Maroon, is crazy. She's loud, excited, and majorly over the top. Spiky bright red hair? Orange and yellow striped skin? Seriously, though – how do you expect to be taken seriously? It's not possible.
Annetta Sander, 18, District 10 (Livestock)
My escort reacted so well to my bloody overalls at the reaping. Once she got onto the train, she literally fainted. My mentor sent me to change, and I did, but Mataya still won't come nearer to me than an arms-length. My dad didn't mind so much when he said goodbye. He smiled at me and opened his arms for a bear hug. He's tall, and big, and most people have the impression that he's a scary murderer type because he's a butcher. It doesn't help that he doesn't say much to the customers either, but he's really a softy. If one of the lesser-income families in our half of town is really lacking for food, I know we'll be having cabbage soup with marrow broth for dinner for a few nights. The good thing about being a butcher, and owning your own shop, is that we can butcher privately owned animals and keep the better of the scraps from the well-off customers, which means we (and occasionally other people) eat well. I've never been hungry. Dad reminded me of this when he said goodbye, he told me it would be a disadvantage. And as the Peacekeepers came to the door, he hugged me again and told me he wished me well, he loved me, and come home soon.
Johny Harper, 18, District 10
I finally got to talk to the girl from 5. Her name is Roxy, and she's so much more in person than I saw onscreen. She needs me! And she's so empty. I already allied myself with her, and we have a strategy figured out. My district partner isn't in on it, she's so cold and standoffish. I honestly don't understand what her problem is.
I miss District 10. It's weird to say, because everything is so easy in the Capitol for me (at least until the Games) but I miss being the popular guy. I could charm anyone I wanted, but it wasn't until I met Roxy that I met someone I wanted. And to find out that her boyfriend dumped her? I'm going to enjoy rebuilding Roxy, and we may even make it to the end of the Games. If that happens, I'll let her win.
Cinnamon Spice, 18, District 11 (Agriculture)
Honestly, I'm surprised I've made it this far without incident. I know I'm not going to survive the Games; my shirt made that a fact set in stone. I'm just worried about Sugar. I haven't decided whether or not to continue defying the Capitol, because I've had plenty of chances to deface Capitol buildings and property without being seen. The benefit of having rebels for parents is that they teach you how to avoid things like security cameras and patrols, and how to dispose of whatever you use as paint in a manner that makes it impossible to find. But I'm the only person Sugar has left, and if my mentor is right, President Vetrios is going to want a word with me. Maybe if I can get Vetrios to agree to a deal where I don't do anything else "stupid" or "rebellious" and she guarantees not to reap or otherwise contribute to, directly or indirectly, Sugar's death. Hell, maybe I can even get her to send a little money to Sugar. It isn't likely, but there's a possibility, so why not try?
Coren Joss, 17, District 11
I think I may have pissed off the escort. She thinks I'm attractive, that much I know (she caught me in the hallway and basically glued herself to my front, saying I was "hot" and maybe we could spend some time in her room?) but my whole "no emotion" strategy is working for pretty much everyone (except my mentor, I let him in on it) and I think I pissed Vogue when I told her I wasn't interested. Truth be told she's kinda hot, but I do not need to be distracted with worrying about whether or not I pissed of my escort when I stopped shtupping her in the event of winning. The Victor of the Hunger Games cannot afford to have enemies in the Capitol.
Marian Hallchanser, 17, and Harrison Baleiv, 14, District 12 (Coal)
I hope Harrison and I are paired next to each other during the games. There's no way Harrison will be able to know when the gong goes off, and I know how he gets when he's disoriented. Thankfully, our mentor, escort, and stylists managed to get it through that we could do our interviews together. This means that we will spend six minutes on stage, and I will translate what Aradon says into gestures for Harrison, and they've provided me with a table to type our answers onto. It's a complicated process but it achieves what needs to be done.
Harrison is nervous. He's not ready to go on in front of all these people, but it's time. We know we are weak, but we need to make an impression. This is our chance.
