Last year

Necton Algeus (16)- Citizen of District 4

A starry night has fallen over District 4. Another Reaping has gone, and none of our company has been affected. As usual, we celebrate by having a sea water bath. Our lives in Four are already wonderful, why should we risk them in the Games just to become richer? Our families are well-off enough, and here in Four we have something that even Capitolites envy us: the sea. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, neither for a luxurious life in the Capitol.

"Necton! Hurry up! The water is wonderful!" shouts Tamara.

She's my girlfriend, or at least she's supposed to be so. The truth is that our parents are good friends, and they would certainly approve a union between our two families. Tamara is not bad, she's just a bit naïve… but she's only fourteen after all, I'm sure she'll grow. We have known each other since childhood, and I've always felt the need to protect her.

I join Tamara and kiss her gently on her salty lips. Our friends are used to such public affection and see nothing wrong with that. Why should we hide, after all? We're part of the wealthiest youth of District 4, people are just envious of us… like Hector, the old fisher, who loses no opportunity to call me and my company Taugenichts- a word that means slackers, apparently. But we couldn't care the less about his comments. If he was born in a poor family, it's not our fault.

"We could swim till the caves," I offer.

"Great idea, Necton!" replies Tamara.

Some years ago, we discovered a series of caves in a promontory. We haven't explored them all, because some are partially submerged. Given that the promontory is at the edge of the sea, reaching it from the land is difficult, so we always swim to it. It's such an isolated place, perfect to spend some time with your friends. There's also a nice shore nearby. We couldn't ask for more. We get into the outer cave. There, we have hidden some wood, so that we can start a fire. Around its beautiful, roaring flames, no secret should be kept. In fact, we have agreed not to hide anything from one another, and when something important must be revealed, we all meet at the caves. But tonight, we're here only to celebrate our luck. We sit around the fire while Liam- the storyteller of our company- starts telling a scary story about mermaids, who use their melodious voices to lure sailors to their deaths by making their ships smash into the rocks.

"And then they eat the eyes of those poor sailors… human eyes are said to be delicious to them, especially blue ones," says Liam, approaching Tamara.

"What!?" she shouts, frightened.

"Liam is just joking, Tamara. Mermaids don't eat human eyes, they don't even exist," I say, laughing.

"Are you sure they don't exist, Necton?" he asks me.

"Yes, I am, Liam. You're not going to tell me that you've met a real mermaid, are you?"

"Well, I haven't met a mermaid yet, but I saw one swim in the Great Depth some days ago," he replies.

The Great Depth is a pool that is located in one of the caves. We've nicknamed it so because, despite being all expert swimmers, nobody has been able to reach its bottom. We have only assumed that it must be linked to sea somehow, since the water is salty.

"Oh, really? Why are you still alive, then?" I continue, teasing him.

Everyone knows that Liam loves inventing stories, so we usually play along.

"I'm telling the truth, Necton. I saw a long fishtail that was green like an emerald!" he rebuts.

He sounds sincere.

"It was just a fish, Liam, give it a rest," I say, bored.

Now, he's exaggerating. Inventing a story is one thing, but believing that fantastic beings like mermaids truly exist is insane.

"Why don't you go and check yourself? Or maybe you're afraid…" he says, defiant.

"Do you wanna bet, Liam?"

"Sure! The loser will have his head completely shaved!"

The rest of the company says "uhhh". Everyone knows how much I'm proud of my flowing, brown hair. We move to the edge of the Great Depth.

We're all staring in its dark waters, when Tamara shouts: "There!" and points the water with her trembling hand.

I look in that direction and… I can't believe it! There's something moving in the water! I can't figure out what it is because of the darkness, but Liam was right, he really saw something that day!

"See?" he says.

"It doesn't prove anything. Now, I want to find out what that thing is!" I reply.

"Maybe you shouldn't do it, Necton, it might be dangerous…" says Tamara, holding my arm.

But it's too late. I'm too curious to give up. I jump in the water, which is colder than I expected. I chase the thing. At some point, it gets in a sort of tunnel, from which a feeble light comes. My vision starts to blur, and I can feel my lungs tightening in desperate need of oxygen, but I continue the chase, nonetheless. Eventually, I reemerge in a little cave, panting and with burning cheeks. The light comes from a hole in the rock that looks into the night sky. While I'm still trying to recover, I realize that I'm not alone. In the half-light of the cave, I spot a beautiful girl with tanned skin, auburn hair, and stunning, green eyes… and she has a fishtail like a mermaid! She's sitting on the edge of the pool. She saw me as well, but my presence doesn't seem to bother her.

"You… you're a mermaid!" I manage to say, still bewildered.

She bursts out laughing. "Do you really think I'm a real mermaid!?" she replies, still laughing.

She takes off the fishtail. "Look! Two legs!" she continues, amused.

I feel so stupid!

"Why do you dress up like a mermaid?" I ask her.

She stares at me, as if deciding whether I deserve an answer or not. "I love diving and feeling like I'm part of the underwater world. And what about you? Why do you like chasing mermaids?"

"I was just curious," I answer, annoyed.

"But you could have died."

"I'm an expert swimmer."

"How have you found these caves? By "you", I mean you and your friends…"

"You ask too many questions, little mermaid, and I don't even know who you are," I point out.

"Vivian… Vivi for short," she replies with a smirk.

"I'm Necton. Well, Vivi, I've found out this place with my friends, we're a company and… oh, my goodness! My friends are still waiting for me in the other cave!"

I'm about to dive again, but Vivian gets into the water again and stops me. "Not so soon, man! You need to catch your breath. The first rule for a good dive is making your heartbeat decrease. You're still too agitated," she says, touching my chest with her gentle hands.

"But they're certainly worried, especially Tamara!" I reply.

"Who's Tamara?" asks Vivian with a frown.

"She's my girlfriend… she's only fourteen, I don't want to scare her to death!"

"I'm sure she'll understand, Necton. If we take our time, it's only for our own sake," she says, watching me right in the eye.

Her eyes are so wonderfully deep that I could get lost in them.

…...

Some weeks before the Reaping

Thalas Marsh (26)- Victor of the 91st Hunger Games

I look at my reflection in the mirror. I must check if I've put on the blue hair dye well. Apparently yes. I have it sent right from the Capitol, because in District 4 blue hair dyes don't exist. Actually, everybody knows my passion for this colour, especially Capitolite hairdressers. I wear only blue clothes, my house in Victor's Village is all blue, my eyes are naturally blue like the ocean, luckily. Everything in order to forget the scorching canyon of the arena. It's a miracle that a boy from Four could survive in that inferno. Sometimes, my slumber is still haunted by horrible nightmares. I see myself try to drink water from a pond, but then I find out that the pond is made of blood… and I wake up, panting and dripping with sweat. The sight of the turquois walls of my room with their sea-like patterns soothes me. The colour blue reminds me that I'm safe, that I'm at home in District 4, the district surrounded by the endless sea.

I hear someone knock at the front door and go open it. It's Oliver, the mayor's son. He's panting, his eyes are widened and reddish. Clearly, he has wept.

"Ollie! What's up?" I ask him, worried.

"May I come in?"

"Of course!" I say and step aside to let him in.

We sit down in my living room, where I offer him a glass of fresh lemonade, which he drinks in only one shot.

"What has happened?" I ask him.

"I've been adopted. My father was scolding me and said that I'm not his son," he answers, without looking at me.

"What else did he say?"

"He didn't want to talk, at first, but I begged him. I needed to know the truth! So, he told me the whole story. My parents were two rebels. Fifteen years ago, they tried to fuel a new rebellion but were executed. I was adopted by the mayor, who passed me off as his son, because he wanted to hide the shame of having a barren wife," he explains, teary.

I approach Oliver, trying to comfort him. "Ollie, your parents love you and…" I say, but he interrupts me: "They are not my parents!"

"They're your parents, because they've looked after you regardless of your origins! Otherwise, you could have ended up in one of those dreadful community homes, or worse, you could have died! No one knew that your real parents had children!" I rebut, raising my voice.

I lost my parents during the war and, since they were close friends with the mayor's family, he and his wife decided to look after me… until I won the Games and had to move to Victor's Village alone, because I'm not related to the mayor. In any case, his family gave me everything I needed- love and shelter, so I don't like it when their kindness is questioned, especially by Oliver, who I consider as a brother.

"You knew that I wasn't their son, then! What else have you all hidden from me?" rebuts Oliver, unbelieving.

I bite my lip. "Your parents didn't want to tell you the truth to protect you," I say.

"Answer my question, Thalas! What else have you all hidden from me?"

"It's not up to me…"

"Speak, Thalas! I'll find it out, anyway!"

"Very well, then. You have a twin sister, Oliver," I say, sighing.

At first, he doesn't react. He just gazes at me, unable to speak. "Where… where is she?" he manages to ask, eventually.

"After the war, President Smith launched the so-called Repopulation Project. It consists of sending people to the districts where the population rate plunged the most due to the war. It involved mainly homeless people and orphans. Actually, it's still in force… because of this project, your sister lives in District 12, now," I explain.

"What? Why? Why wasn't she adopted with me? Why did they separate us?"

"Your sister… your sister suffers from asthma… your parents didn't want…" I stammer.

"They didn't want a sick daughter, did they? And they sent her to the mining district!? With her asthma!? Do you approve their decision even in this case, Thalas?" he shouts, beside himself.

"Calm down, Oliver. I do not approve their decision. But, believe me, they made sure a wealthy family adopted her, so that her asthma could be kept at bay."

"And do you know the name of this family? Do you know how my sister was named?"

"Yes, I do, but knowing it won't help you, she lives in another district!"

"Thalas…"

I sigh, resigned. "Yolanda Underwood."

…...

Present day

Vivian "Vivi" Tide (18)- Citizen of District 4

The sunlight that penetrates through the old, wooden planks of the shack wakes me up. I stretch a bit. I'll never get used to sleeping on this uncomfortable, dusty floor. I look around. This old shack has been my house for years, since the fishing boat of my family sunk during a seaquake, dragging my parents down with it. I had to run away from home, otherwise I'd have ended up in a community home. Once, this shack was a tool shed, but now it is abandoned. Here, I found the mermaid tail I'm used to putting on when diving. I wonder how long those planks will withstand before bringing the whole building down on me. But it won't happen today. In any case, I can't think about that now. Today, there's my last Reaping, my last chance to change things.

I start a little fire outside my shack to cook the fish I managed to catch last night. I've let it soak in salty water to preserve it. It gonna be my breakfast. After I finish eating, I wear the short, light blue dress and flats that Necton bought me. We got engaged last year, but I've never told him about my predicament. After all, he's rich, while I haven't got anything. He would certainly think that I'm an opportunist and split up with me. But if things turn out right for me, I won't need his charity any longer. I've been able to survive on the streets even without his help. I'm afraid of nothing!

I take a moment to watch the sea before heading town. The noise of the undertow relaxes me. It's like the sea was calling me with its deep voice. In the distance, I can see the promontory where my cave stands. Suddenly, I feel a knot in my throat. Whatever happens, I'll miss that place.

The main square is slowly filling with people. Someone stares at me. Dressed like that, I'm unrecognizable. In any case, only few people know who I am, the girl who lives in a shack on the beach. Above all, I'm notorious for being a skilled thief. When you end up in a situation like mine, you've got limited options to survive… one worse than another, so you choose the least bad. I could have become a prostitute, but sincerely I prefer stealing to live rather than selling my body. I head to the front row and wait for the Reaping to start. I spot Necton in the seventeen-year-old section. He smiles and waves to me. I smile back. He had to cut his hair because of a bet with one of his friends… or, rather, ex-friends. His company hasn't accepted the fact that he has chosen me over Tamara. Anyway, his hair has grown, but they aren't as long and flowing as when I met him for the first time... to his great disappointment.

The crowd is murmuring about the possible tributes of this year. Even when the mayor mounts the stage, there's still someone who's speaking. But I'm not surprised. Mayor Litore is a spineless man, who is certainly neither feared nor respected. Everyone in Four knows that the true authority is his brother, Leif Litore, the Head Peacekeeper, who is now scanning the crowd with his cold, grey eyes from above the stage, where he's sitting right beside Thalas Marsh, one of the victors of District 4. In the meantime, the mayor is making a useless speech about how much our district is important for the livelihood of Panem. The crowd falls finally silent only when the escort from the Capitol makes his appearance, meaning that the most important part of the Reaping is about to begin. The escort is wearing one of the most ridiculous costumes I've ever seen. It's a blue gown with a sort of fishing net over it. There are also some fish puppets trapped in the net. If it wasn't for the Reaping, I would burst out laughing.

The escort pulls out a slip of paper from the girls' ball. "Tamara Rivers!"

Necton's ex-girlfriend! I watch her while she's mounting the stage. She's crying, her body is shaking like a leaf. What did Necton find in her?

"Any volunteer?" asks the escort.

"I volunteer!" I shout.

"Lovely! What's your name?"

"Vivian Tide, Vivi for friends," I answer with a wide smile as soon as I'm onstage.

"Nice to meet you, Vivi. Now, let's call your district partner! The lucky one is… Oliver Litore!"

A boy emerges from the fifteen-year-old section. Curly, red hair, blue eyes, freckled cheeks… but I recognize him by his name. He's the mayor's son!

"Does anyone want to volunteer?" asks the escort, but no one answers.

No one would ever volunteer for the mayor's son. I look behind my back out of the corner of my eye: Mayor Litore and his wife look desperate. They're scanning the crowd with pleading eyes, looking for a last-minute volunteer, but no one dares to meet their gazes.

"Very well, then! These are the tributes of District 4: Vivian Tide and Oliver Litore! Shake hands, you two! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!"

I shake hands with Oliver. By his resigned expression, I can tell that he's already waiting for death. He won't be a good ally. We get inside the Justice Building, then we're assigned a separate room for visitors. I've never be here before. The walls of the waiting room are full of drawings of different species of aquatic animals, mainly fishes. But for the rest, it's almost devoid of furniture, except for a couple of dark blue couches.

I'm visited by Necton. He immediately hugs me.

"Thank you for saving Tamara," he says.

I break his embrace abruptly. "Do you really think I did it to save her?" I reply.

He watches me with a frown. "What should I think otherwise?" he asks.

"I volunteered because I want to be in the Games," I answer.

"You never told me that! You know what I think of the Hunger Games!"

"I don't care, Necton. That's what I want."

"And do you care about me… about my feelings? I wanted a life with you, Vivian!" he angrily rebuts.

"Are you already giving up on me, Necton? The Games aren't over yet," I say, shaking my head in fake disappointment.

"Why do you want to risk your life? For fame? For money? The money of the Capitol won't make you happier!"

"It's easy to talk like that when you're rich. Your only concern is thinking about how to spend your time before going to bed," I reply, starting to get bored of this conversation.

"If you have money problems, you could have told me! You know I would have helped you!" says Necton.

"No, you wouldn't. I can see how you look at poor people, you dislike them. Besides, I don't need your charity, I've survived on my own this long," I retort, watching him right in the eye.

"But you've accepted my gifts," he replies, pointing to my dress and shoes.

"Just to be polite."

"You don't love me, do you?"

I remain silent. I don't know what to say. I love you would sound like a lie to him, I don't love you would sound cruel to me.

"Okay, your silence is eloquent," he states, eventually.

"Necton…" I say, but he has already left the room.

…...

Oliver "Ollie" Litore (15)- District 4 male tribute

Before being left alone in the waiting room, I tell the peacekeeper at the door that I don't want to get any visits. Listening to stupid discourses about how unfair the Reaping is would be useless. I don't want to see anyone cry for my fate. I've got only one regret… that I couldn't get to know my sister Yolanda. Probably, she doesn't even know of my existence… but she will, I'll tell the truth in front of the whole Panem! Besides, she's the only person with whom I'd like to have anything to do. The others I used to trust, Thalas and my parents… no, not my parents, the mayor and his wife… they have all proved to be cowards and traitors. As for friends, people say I'm too rebellious to have any. But my true parents were two rebels too, the apple never rots far from the tree, I suppose.

I clench my fists. Being forced to wait here is nerve-racking. I want to get on that train right now! I need to blow off some steam, I'm about to explode! I start kicking the couches of the waiting room with growing violence. I'm too angry to feel pain. At some point, two peacekeepers followed by my uncle intervene to hold me.

"No! Let me go! I hate you! I hate you all!" I shout, beside myself.

My uncle stares at me with his cold, grey eyes… there's contempt in his gaze, he has never been able to stand me, and now I understand why. The son of two rebels raised as a privileged boy… it must have been an unbearable idea to him.

"You'd better hold your tongue about your past," he says.

"Is that a threat?" I reply, defiant.

He slaps me. "Don't say a word! You're like your parents, a mindless reactionary!"

"I'll take that as a compliment, then."

"If you do something stupid, I'll tell my friends in the Capitol…"

I burst out laughing. "Your friends in the Capitol!? How would they react, if they knew you dared to hit me, one of their beloved tributes? I'm a tribute now, you cannot touch me!"

"You…"

But he doesn't get the chance of finishing his sentence, because another peacekeeper enters the room to inform me that the train is about to leave. My uncle orders his men to release me, so that I can leave the Justice Building with a satisfied smirk on my face.


So, the tributes of District 4 are Vivian Tide and Oliver Litore. They're not typical Careers and have both a complicated story behind them, so do you think they should join the pack? Let me know what you think in your reviews! Thank you for reading :)

I'm a bit busy this week and also the next one, so I don't know when I can update again. Sorry, bear with me.