Shadows

So I decided to do two districts in one chapter, enjoy
District one
Soleil 'Cirque' Sullivan 17

My eyes blink open to the sound of people moving about in the dorm. It is early but late enough that people are beginning to get ready for the day. This year, there were surprisingly no volunteers selected, perhaps the reaping was rigged so that we didn't have to select them. I sit up and stretch my arms above my head, listening to the crack of my joints as they were stretched out. I smile, my blue eyes looking around my room. I have lived here since I was five. Before that age, I have no memory of my life, it's as if I was truly born at five years of age.

Standing, I grab a towel off my dresser and head into the shower, my blonde hair feeling like it desperately needs a wash. The warm water rushes over my skin and I luxuriate in the fact that I don't have to share bathrooms like everyone else in the dorms.

Getting out of the shower, I find Glitch waiting for me and a shriek of surprise escapes my lips. "Glitch, don't scare me like that" he smiles and stands, wrapping his arms around me. We have been dating for a long time now, almost 4 years. A blush still colors my cheeks as I remember that the only thing covering me is my towel.

"Get dressed babe, it's 8:45." he says in my ear and I nod, wriggling free and walking to my closet. I rifle through my clothes before pulling out a lovely sky blue dress with darker blue accents. I slip it over my head and allow the towel to fall to the ground, my hands smoothing the fabric gently. Glitch appears bahind me as I fix my hair and he smiles, running his hands through my golden locks. I lean against him, smiling as he drops a kiss on my hair before I turn and kiss him quickly.

The toll of bell seperates us and I finish fishtail braiding my hair before he takes my hand and leads me out of the dorms towards the square. People are already gathering and I can feel the excitement in the air. Who will get the honor of representing district one. /Don't let it be me/ I pray silently as we check in with the stern looking peace keeper. I wince as she pricks my finger, pushes it onto a piece of cardboard, and scans it before allowing me through. I let go of Glitches hand, promosing to see him after the reaping, and make my way over to the seventeen year olds section. A few of the girls there I recognize from gymnastics and whatnot but most of them, I don't. I am not a big part of district life, I just don't really get out much unless I am performing with my group, during which time we usually leave the district and go to the capitol. It's usually quite enjoyable but today, I hope I won't be making a trip there.

"Good morning lovely people of district one. Isn't this just a beautiful day?" the escort, Feria, chirped. I have known Feria since I began gymnastics and she has always been like a mother to me. She escorts my gymnastics group to the Capitol usually. I smile up at her as she clacks over to the girls reaping ball and draws a name. The look on her face as she looks at the name makes my stomach drop before she reads out the name. "Soleil Sullivan." she says and I plaster on a smile, knowing that no one will volunteer for me. Feria meets my gaze with a sad expression and I smile encouragingly.

"Please, call me Cirque. Bienvenue au Cirque du Soleil, welcome to the circus of the sun" I say, putting on my most charming smile. The sponsors will love it. Feria gives me a weak smile before wandering over to the boys reaping ball and drawing a name.
"Tybalt Capulet." she says and I sigh in relief, thankful that it wasn't Glitchs name called. I watch as a boy with dark hair and eyes steps out of the crowd from the eighteen year olds section and I can tell he really doesn't want to be here. /You and me both./ I think as we shake hands before being escorted into the justice building.

Tybalt Capulet 18

I open my eyes to the sound of Juliet singing echoing through the house. She certainly has a lovely voice for someone so small and delicate, like a flower. I hope she's never reaped, she'd never survive. I sit up, stretching my arms above my head and get out of bed, the singing filling my mind as I got ready for the day.

"Ty, you almost done" mt eyes flickered to the door and I see Juliet standing there, looking lovely like usual. /If only I weren't your cousin/ I think before smiling.

"Almost,Jules, how are you this lovely morning?" she smiles. Ripred, I love her smile, it's so cheerful.

"I am wonderful, you?"

"great thanks" I slide on a pair of runners before heading out the door, Juliet tucking herself under my arm. We've always been close, almost like brother and sister but not quite. When we were younger, she used to tell me everything but lately, I've noticed that she's stopped telling me things. "Ty, I'm scared." she says, looking up at me.

"I know Jules, they're not gonna pick you and plus, if they do, someone will volunteer. There are always volunteers." I say, reassuring her. She nods and we walk in amiable silence towards the square.

We break apart once we check in and I head over to the eighteen year olds section as Juliet heads to the sixten year olds section in the girls section. I look up at the stag as the escort, Feria, begins her usual spiel but I don't really pay attention to it. Once she clacks over to the girls reaping ball, I hold my breath, praying it is not Juliets name called. When Feria opens the paper, even from back here, I can tell that she is not happy.

"Soleil Sullivan." a blond haired girl makes her way up to the front, a winning smile on her face and she takes the microphone.

"Please, call me Cirque. Bienvenue au cirque du soleil, welcome to the circus of the sun." she says, her eyes shining. I suddenly remember her as one of those girls from the gymnastics groups and know right away that she will give the Capitol a good show.

Feria clacks over to the boys reaping bowl and draws a name, hiding her sorrow. "Tybalt Capulet." My heart pounds as I push through to the front, my eyes searchig for Juliet who is gazing up with fear in her eyes. /Why'd it have to be you?/ her eyes ask. I shrug before turning to Cirque. "Happy hunger games and may the odds be ever in your favour." I shake the girls hand before we are escorted into the justice building.

District two
Allyssa Tornhell 17

Darkness greets me as my body clock wakes me up. It is just before four in the morning but I am wide awake, my body only really ever needing a few hours of sleep a night. I sit up and look around my space, my baby blue eyes growing used to the dimness quickly as I am used to being in dark places. My place is simple, functional, nothing special, just perfect for me. My uncle, leader of the notorious Tornhell gang, gave it to me so that I could have my own space away from the family, a place to wash up after an assignment and a place to relax where I wouldn't be bothered.

I get out of bed and put on a pot of decaf coffee, I don't need caffeine, it makes me lose my focus and that is exactly what I need today; focus. As its brewing, I make up a bowl of oatmeal and sprinkle some sugar on it for taste. I wash out the bowl and put it away because I do not intend on returning to this place after today, I plan on returning home of course but with a victors crown on my head and a house in the victors village. /Ally, you would make a terrible victor/ it is true, I would not make a good mentor for I am much too violent for anyones good. I smile and pour myself a cup of coffee, not bothering to add anything as I sip it. The scalding liquid burns wn my throat but I do not care.

Once the coffee is done I rinse out the cup and put it away before putting it away and looking at myself in the mirror on my wall. "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all." I chuckle to myself before fixing my waist length black hair. I pull it into a neat bun and pin it with bobby pins, smiling at my reflection in the mirror. I am tiny, barely 5' tall and have nice curves, most guys can't keep there eyes off me but only when I am wearing something to show off.

I rifle through my clothes before finding my hunting outfit; a black mid-thigh skirt and a black t-shirt. I look innocent but I am anything but and anyone who knows me knows this fact. I turn away from the mirror and check the time. 6:50am, another 3 ish hours till showtime. I pull on my clothes and grab Caido from my dresser. It gleams in th dim light of the sunrise and I tuck it in my belt. I have an assignment to complete before I volunteer.
- ---
Heading to the square, I meet up with Becca, a I guess you could call her a friend. I am training her to follow in my tiny footsteps. She smiles but we don't speak because she knows what is going to happen today. She is ready, I know she is, I'm just nervous as to how she'll get along with Nick and Noah. I check in wth the stern woman and head to the seventeen year olds section, my eyes becoming as cold as ice as I stare at the people around me.

The escort, Berry, a stupid woman with too much energy, takes the stage and wishes us a happy hunger games.

"Now for the ladies." she plucks a name and I hold my breath, anticipation filling me. "Rebecca Simons" she says. Rebecca meets my gaze and I nod.

"I volunteer" I yell and slip my way through the crowd, taking the stage with a sweet smile. Let them think me weak, they will see just how absolutely deadly I am.

"And who are you my dear?" Berry asks. I giggle.

"Allyssa Tornhell." I reply charmingly. She smiles at me and I look out over the crowd that is cheering for me, that is until she calls the guys name.

"Mason Redwood" my heart almost stops, thank ripred it wasn't my mason. The Mason that walks up does not look happy, in fact, he looks miserable. /Find out why/ I tell myself, shaking his hand. We smile at the crowd before being escorted into the justice building.

Mason Redwood 18

Stroking my girlfriends hair, I smile down at her as she opens her eyes. "Morning babe" I say, kissing her. She still blushes every single time I kiss her, it's rather adorable. She giggles and sits up, pushing me away. I try to grab hold of her but she wriggles away and stands, my eyes following her across the room. In my opinion, I am the luckiest guy on the planet. I get up and walk over to her as she looks at herself in the mirror. "You know you're gorgeous right?" I grin, loving the sound of her giggling as I wrap my strong arms around her waist and let her lean against me.

"Stop it, Mason, you're making me blush." she says, a smile playing over her lips. I release her and head to the bathroom, needing to freshen up before the reapings. Just one more year until she and I are both safe from the reaping.

The square by the time we arrive is packed. I give Gracie a quick kiss before heading over to my section and waiting for the escort to begin. She gives her usual spiel which I ignore before she calls out a name. "Rebecca Simons"

"I volunteer" a girl calls out and I watch as a tiny girl pad up onstage. She doesn't seem dangerous but since he volunteered, it would appear that there is more than meets the eye. She is small, maybe 5' tall and she is gorgeous for such a tiny thing.

"Allyssa Tornhell" she says giggling. Definitely playing up her innocent act. The escort then pads over to the boys reaping ball. I hold my breath, praying it wouldn't be my name but obviously, the odds are not in my favour.

"Mason Redwood" she reads. I push through the crowd, hearing Gracie cry out. It's not fair, I had on more year left and then we were free, I wasn't supposed to be reaped. The girl who is now my district partner looks me over, assessing me before we shook hands. She has a calculating look in her eyes that confirms my earlier assumption that she is not weak, in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she did well. We finish shaking hands before being escorted into the justice building for our good-byes.