Cactus Cleo- District Seven male (18)

There was a lot people didn't know about me. There was the stuff Leo and I did, which wasn't going to get out anytime soon, or ever. It probably wouldn't be the most surprising thing for most people. They would have been a lot more surprised to know a far more intimate secret. I had read Pretty Pretty Sparkle Sparkle. And I loved it. Why? Because I LOVED HORSES.

"This one's mine," I announced, pointing at the horse that was black like Bucephalus. I hustled over and took the helmet the assistant was holding out. I hopped into its back and waited impatiently as the other assistant helped Lana up.

Horses horses yeah horses. Everyone knew animals were better than people. They were so much easier. People acted different every time you saw them. A horse was a horse was a horse. People said they were unpredictable but that was only if you didn't pay attention. They just didn't like loud sudden noises or suddenly finding someone in their space. People after like that was so much to ask for.

"I can go by myself," I said to the assistant who was drawing her horse up next to mine. She saw I knew how to ride and dropped behind in case we needed her later, while Lana's assistant stayed alongside her. I was happy to see Lana wasn't going to be super noisy, since she was sort of silently glowing in awe. It was the reception a horse deserved.

Horses had such lovely gaits. Bucephalus II swayed under me as we loped toward the cliffs on the other side of the island. We were passing through the woods first, so I took the opportunity for some education.

"That's a beech tree." I pointed it out. "Their wood is very good for furniture and decorative purposes."

"Cool!" Lana said. She pointed. "What about that one?"

I hadn't expected a response. Most people either wandered away or ignored me when I talked about things I liked.

"That's an ash tree. They're important in a lot of myths, like fairies like them," I said.

"In Denmark there's the Askefrue. She's the guardian of ash trees," Lana's assistant contributed.

"I bet she's nice," Lana said.

The assistant smiled. "Actually she's pretty mean- more of a "stay away from my tree" kind of fairy than a "pixie dust and flowers* kind of fairy."

"We don't have any of this in Six," Lana said. "We just have the dandelions that grow through the cement. They're kind of our District flower."

Something about it stuck with me. What a silly thing to think about, but it lay inside me. I couldn't imagine living in a District with no plants and no space for horses. Just a sea of cement and bright city lights all the time, but the people there still loved plants. And they thought of dandelions as flowers, not weeds, which was correct. Just because a flower isn't wanted doesn't mean it's not a flower.

"That's hawkweed," I said about a cluster of orange flowers low on the ground. "It's poisonous, but only to other plants so they can't crowd it. We have some in our garden."

"That's cool," Lana said again, but not in a rote way. She clearly thought all these plants really were cool. I hadn't really crossed paths with Lana much since I'd gotten here. It was hard to connect with anyone when there were so many of us together. Being with just one person, it was easier to see what they were like. Lana liked horses, which was a plus. She didn't get mad when I shared what I knew about my favorite things. She was happy pretty much all the time and didn't complain about everything like some of us. She seemed to be confused about all the tribal politics and was mostly ignoring it, like I was. It was almost as fun being out here with her as it would have been alone.

Leo said most of the people in the world were more or less ciphers- just cogs in society without much real substance. He said special people like us were rare and the only ones who deserved appreciation. It had always seemed obvious to me, but now I was thinking again. I'd thought people like Lana weren't worth my time, but here I was enjoying a horse ride with her. If I was going to get poetic, I'd say maybe it was like dandelions- just because Leo thought people didn't matter, that didn't mean they didn't.

Lana's interview, unedited: This is the best day of my life.

Enzo's interview: I'm so bummed. Horses are so cool. But I bet Cactus didn't pick me because he doesn't like me. He doesn't like anyone, to be fair.

Enzo's edited interview: It's not fair Cactus didn't pick me. No one likes him.

Kallik's interview, unedited: Those two must have had a really good time. Of course Lana told us everything, but so did Cactus. Usually he just ignores us but now he's actually hanging out with us.

Dorian's interview, unedited: I found a turtle under a log. I'm going to let him go but first I wanted to show you so everyone at home could see him.

Octavia Jacobs- District Two female (18)

Shep sat on a stump as he worked over a little piece of wood with one of our cooking knives- which was fine, since we also had a sharpener. He looked so at peace, just slowly bringing out whatever form he was working toward. Looking at what he had so far, I'd guess an animal. Maybe a bear, from its blocky shape. Dorian was strumming his ukulele as he and Enzo made up a tribe song for us. Kallik and Lana were splashing in the river. It was a beautiful day to relax and just be, and I stood outside all of that.

It must be nice, I thought. I didn't only think it. I knew it. I looked with envy on my tribemates enjoying life and the island. Since the moment I got here, I couldn't remember a time I wasn't worried and stressed. I'd been scrambling for my spot here since we landed and I'd won it at the cost of exploring the island, or sitting by the beach and watching the waves, or finding out which of my tribe might be a lifelong friend. All I'd thought about was strategy and what would keep me here another day, because that was all I could afford.

I could remember a time I was like the others. It sounded so old and pretentious even in my head. I was eighteen- no older than Dorian or Kallik or Cactus. The number rang so false in my head. What eighteen-year old has a son, and has weathered an abusive marriage, and runs in crowds with diplomats and politicians? I felt more like I was thirty. Sometimes when I looked in the mirror I expected to see gray hairs. I loved Drusus. Everything I'd given up wasn't worth half of him. It did seem so viscerally real at the moment, though, that the start of his childhood was the end of mine. The moment he was in my life, it wasn't just my life anymore. So many freedoms turned in an instant to responsibilities. My freedom to enjoy this experience was blotted by my responsibility to stay as long as possible so I would have more to bring home to him. Even more, all of this was dampened by how much I missed him.

There would always be a part of me that missed what I'd given up. The others had their own worries and problems, but from what I saw, every one of them was getting more out of this than I had. Val was having a blast. He always was a people person. Even after this was done I thought he and Kallik would still be friends. The laid-back ones like Leo and Lana were living their best lives. I didn't think they even cared how long they lasted. They were here for a good time, not a long time. They were making friends and making memories. I was only making money. It had occurred to me in the last few days that I should have spoken to Persi more. We were a lot alike, except that she had even more responsibility than I did, at an age when you should have none at all.

Every good mother hopes her child has a better life than she does. What mattered most of all was getting Drusus away from Cassius. Once we were free, oh, the life we would have. I would hold him on my knee and I would sing as loud as I wanted, without Cassius telling me to shut up and Drusus to stop crying. My boy would grow up knowing what real love is and that people should never, ever treat him like that. He wouldn't remember the bad times. There would only be good times for him. I hoped his life was nothing like mine. If something like this ever happened to him, he would be able to enjoy it. I hoped he played in the river and sang silly songs. I hoped he got the friendship bracelet I never did. I hoped he sang silly songs and played silly children's games and climbed trees and found turtles. I would give anything for him to have a childhood. I would even give my own.

Make sure to get your votes in! I currently have enough to move forward but it's not so much it can't be changed. I'll probably be writing the tribal council in two days at work so make your voice heard!

SECOND IDOL CLUE: On this ground has stood both Santa Claus and The Rock