NAYA GLADD, 16

A few days earlier…

That morning, I head to the Baird Canal in the district and decide to explore. Granted, I come here at least once a week to wander and think to myself, but every now and again, I find something new, like a relic from before the dark days. Once, I found a book on the country from before the war, a place called America. I go for a swim, and the coolness of the water relaxes me. In the water, the world around me is limitless, and I can go wherever my heart desires.

As much as I would like to bring my friends out here, no one else in District 6 really knows how to swim. I only know how to because of my parents. My dad builds and operates ferries for all of Panem, and my mom deals with boat shipments. I didn't have much of a choice. Sometimes, I feel like I understand water than people. After a nice swim, I walk back home before going to work with my dad. As he deals with his clients, I find some old materials, like tubes, wood planks, old ropes, and wire. I take these pieces and begin crafting my own raft. After about an hour, I take in my "masterpiece." I toss it into the lake, and not so surprisingly, it floats. I would probably need to add more to make sure it could stay there for a while, but I made it work.

My dad looks at it and gives me a smile. "Very creative. You've got quite a mind there. I can't wait for you to take over the business."

"But what if I get reaped?" I ask. We both laugh. Sure, most people worry about getting reaped, but I don't. Since my dad has some secret deals with the Capital, he has made sure that my name will never be in the bowl. I never have to worry about the games. I don't think I would do all that badly, but why should I even have to go? Haven't we learned our lesson already?

The reaping…

"Welcome everyone to this year's reapings!" Morel, the escort screams. "Now, we came so close to winning last year, maybe we can take home the crown now?" They ask.

I remember seeing Cooper around the district. He was beloved by everybody, and it seemed like he had a decent shot of winning the games. When he died with only four tributes left, a darkness fell over everything. Stores closed down for days, people barely spoke to one another, and no one went to work at the factories.

"Let's begin with the girls," Morel says, digging around for a name. I cover my hand and smirk to myself, but that quickly disappears when she screams "NAYA GLADD!"

I can't say anything for a few seconds. When I can talk again, I can only say one thing at the top of my lungs. "FUCK!" People around me start to laugh. My dad runs towards the mayor and tries to reason with him, but the mayor won't listen. I realize I haven't moved when Peacekeepers come and start dragging me to the stage.

"Can you get your hands off of me?" I can do this myself. They release me as I stomp up to Morel.

MOTOR RIGBY, 13

The thunderous sound of my own coughing wakes me up in the morning, just like it does every day. It wakes up my sibling Dora, since we share a bed, but she falls right back to sleep. I reach for the inhaler beside my bed and try to get something out of it, but I only have a few puffs left in there. It doesn't do much to stop the coughing fit.

As I stand up, everything in the room starts to spin, forcing me to hold onto my bed so I don't topple over. I hear my mother scream my name from one room down. I walk over to her, having to stop every few seconds to catch my breath, and I limp the rest of the way there.

We only have one small chicken for all 6 of us, and I take as much as I can stomach without feeling like everything will pour out of my stomach. Somedays, there are pills waiting for me right next to the plate, ones that help me, you know, live. But not today.

"I'm sorry Motor, honey," she says, kissing my cheek. "Even with all of the tesserae, we couldn't afford your medication for a little while longer. It was either that or feeding the family."

I cough a few more times. "Mom, it's okay. I understand."

"I knew you would. Such a sweet boy. I'll go wake up your siblings for the reaping!"

I put on a pair of dark brown pants that require a belt and a white button down shirt. Once everyone in the family is ready, we have to walk slowly to the town center so that I don't die on my way there. I can barely walk now, anyways. Even when I can, I pause just to look at the plants around us. There aren't many, but the ones I can find are beautiful. I see a cactus somehow, Venus flytraps, orchids, and roses. I pick one of the orchids and put it in my pocket. Maybe it will bring me luck.

I wasn't always sick, but around the age of 9, my body started to act up. It started with a tickle in my throat, and now, I can't stop the coughing fits. My legs are close to not functioning anymore. My head spins. It seems like everything that can be wrong with a body happened to me.

Eventually, I make it to the area, even if I can barely breathe. The reaping begins, and Morel yells out the name of a 16-year-old girl named Naya Gladd, and she has a strong reaction to getting reaped. Finally, she selects a boy with the name of "Motor Rigby." Wait a minute, that's me!

I gulp and feel everyone staring at me and whispering. I poke my way out of the line and start to walk to the stage. My leg begins to give out, so it definitely takes some time, and I continually gasp for air, sounding like a worn out pipe bag.

Is there any chance I can win these games?