Acer Randell, District 7

I guess some people would call me pretty, I mean, as far as I'm concerned there's no way, but according to my brother "any boy is blind to not want to be with me!" Isn't that what all relatives say though? I have long chestnut brown hair that falls in neat lines down to around my mid-back, occasionally spiralling off into the brink of wavy if it's a particularly humid day outside and they match perfectly with the dull brown orbs (I believe normal people call them eyes?) that I was given by my Dad. The last time I measured myself was about three weeks ago (with the help of my Mother) and I think then I was 5'7", which is pretty much the height of most of the girls in my class - it's nice to fit in for once if I'm being honest.

Every day after school for the past eight years I've spent an hour or two watching my Dad cut down trees in the woods, so from that, although there is a lack of warmth in District 7 (the humble abode) I've got what I like to refer to as a 'cloud tan'. A tan, of course, which was received not through the sun's rays immediately like I assume happens in places like Districts 4 and 10 as they are closer to the equator. A lot of people get confused with my explanation though, because the part of District 7 that my family lives in is much further North than other parts where that explanation may work. I don't get it either.

Based on the average weights of people from District 7 I'd say that I am quite normal, maybe leaning more towards the lankier side of the District. I weigh in at around 105 lbs and am unusually thin boned, but that particular trait runs through my Mother's side of the family - much to my Dad's dismay - and so from most perspectives I am skinny, although my arms protrude lower down my sides than I appreciate and I'm almost 100% sure that one of my legs is shorter than the other one... I toddle a lot.

Personally for myself, I could find endless faults in my behaviour, friendships, family life. For a starters, I'm cynical to the extreme in most cases, I mean - it's obvious, isn't it? In my whole life I've probably only met around two people who were generally nice to everybody around them without needing something from said people, and one of those got hit by a falling tree a couple of years back. So I confirm, nothing good happens to people who don't use others to get there. Just think of the people in the Capital for a starters! The main thing they get their entertainment from is taking kids from their home Districts and making them kill each other, it's as pleasant as sugar humbugs, is it not? And yes, although my brother is all focused on the part of the future where the Hunger Games will be ceased and everyone will be as happy as they could possibly be, me on the other hand? Well let's just say I don't think that is going to be happening any time soon.

Which leads me to my second criticism of myself. Sarcastic. To extremities, apparently. (I think that's why the "any boy" mentioned earlier doesn't exist...) I mean, I actually don't think that being sarcastic is a bad thing, because it manages to break through awkward conversations extremely easily and it's quite funny when people are trying to figure out if you're being serious or not. Although, there is the major downside to this being that I get... Told off, a lot by my Mother, the punishments are mentally and physically exhausting, but once something has been tuned into my brain it's pretty hard to stop. (The 'touch wood' superstitions are the easiest to fulfil)

So I'm being quite a downer on myself (although I do have mainly negative traits) so I'll just say the one trait in myself that other people actually find appealing. I could be classed as one of the smartest people in my year. For myself I believe that I was born into the wrong District, because I truly believe that in no way I belong in District 7. My dream District is District 3, Technology; the job that I would like to work in so much more than being a Lumberjack or Carpenter or Lead climber (although I am now unfortunately pretty handy with an axe or two - but who in District 7 isn't?) I'd just love to be given the chance to be a Technician or an Assembly Operator. It probably doesn't help that I have no experience with technology apart from the one or two lessons we do in school every year when we learn about District 3, but it's my dream... It's my destiny, if I can muster up enough courage in the future to escape my hell, unfortunately bravery isn't one of my few positive traits.

I, Acer Randell, was born to my parents Lukail Randell: the Lumberjack, and Penelope Randell: the housewife in District 7 on the 16th of November in the year of the 46th Hunger Games, two years after my brother Oscar was born. My family isn't the richest of families in our District, and our fund situation is made quite a bit worse by my calcium deficiency, meaning that we have to spend an extra small sum of money each week to buy extra milk from the market. This does mean that my Dad spends an extra two or three hours working each week, but no matter how much I apologise he always just tells me it's alright and then pats me on the head. If anything my Mother seems more annoyed because I'm taking her husband away from her for an extra eighth of a day spread over a week. (Sometimes I do have to suppress the urge to scream at her for being so pathetic, but that would result in being told off... so no thank you.)

My relationship with my brother, Oscar, is definitely the best out of my family, I think the years of almost being sent to our deaths with each other really bonded us together in that way. (I apologise... sarcasm; comes out when I get defensive or attempt to mock something.) I do feel like my brother has my back the days I need him desperately, and even when I don't - and I like to think it's the same for him. Like when he broke up with his first girlfriend last year and just sat slumped in his bed for two days - mainly due to the fact it was a weekend - whilst I continued to insult her until it made him crack a smile. I am not entirely sure what kind of state I'm going to be in after next year's reaping, when I know that I'll be completely by myself (if I even get through them), but the best way to get through it is to just think about the present. Thinking about the future is a luxury preserved only for Districts 1, 2, 4 and the Capitol.

My life in school so far has been pretty consistent to the idea that my Mother and Teachers have of me being one of the smartest students in my year; every week I'm given one or two books to read by my Teacher to 'further my education' - all I can say is it's a good thing we make paper - whilst my Mother brags to anyone she meets that she believes I'll be the next 'Scientific Genius'. I just need her to understand my dreams of leaving and living in District 3. Out of school I only have one or two friends, and I don't consider them to be close, primarily because of the extra work that keeps me occupied. But also because I don't want to become friends with people in case they're lost to the Games, I've seen people lose loved ones, and it doesn't look pretty. The only thing I can do is pray that Oscar isn't chosen, but quite frankly I've never really believed in God.