The 100th Hunger Games, the 4th Quarter Quell
Nov 21, 2015 15:43:28 GMT -5
Post by Candida Floe ~ District 7 on Nov 21, 2015 15:43:28 GMT -5
This is a story I wrote several months ago. No spell check or anything, so sorry if there are errors. Basically, this is in a world where Katniss didn't volunteer for Prim. Prim and Peeta died in the 74th Hunger Games, and District 13 attacked the Capitol prematurely, leading to the true destruction of District 13. Now the 4th Quarter Quell, the 100th Hunger Games, is here.
(I've written the whole thing, and there is no chapters, but I will break it up so it's not one giant 20,000 word post.
Here are the Reapings (this take place in 12 POVs, one POV for a tribute in every District.)
District 1. Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Lukas Doone’s POV.
I stand in the pen with the other 15 year old boys. I had to get up early for this, as always. It never bothers me, being here, because my father’s usually mayor and I’m granted secret immunity from being picked, as Snow favors my father. But he’s fallen from grace, and was murdered by rebels on a train back from the Capitol. So now I’m a regular kid, waiting in the pen.
The escort for District 1, a plump, fuchsia skinned lady named Lorelei Lavaliere, stands on the stage and goes over the rules of this Quarter Quell.
“For the 100th Quarter Quell, teams of 10 from each district, 5 girls, 5 boys, will be selected to compete in a special arena. Each team must try to defeat every other team. When only tributes from 1 district remain, those tributes are the victor/victors of the 100th Quarter Quell. If all 10 of a team survive and kill off all the others, those 10 will all be announced victors. Whichever District wins will have immunity from the 101st Hunger Games, and their tributes will be granted special presents every year until the 125th Hunger Games. Besides these new rules, it is the same as the other Games.”
I’m scared. 10 kids picked instead of 2. I know more Careers will be trying out this year because if our District wins, they’ll not be able to play in the next hunger Games. A few even younger Careers will also try out, just because they want to win a Quarter Quell. Lorelei flips a coin, calling heads. If it’s head,s girl’s go first. Tails, it is boys.
“Tails!” she shouts happily. Boys first then. Let’s get it over with.
“Da-“ Lorelei begins, but she is cut off by a voice in the eighteen year old pen.
“I volunteer!” a boy says, stepping forward. He walks up to the stage smartly.
“What’s your name, lucky volunteer?” she asks bashfully.
“Grand Matthews,” he announces fiercely. “18 years young.”
Lorelei laughs, and picks another slip.
“Ro-“ She is interrupted yet again. “I volunteer!”
A boy walks forward to the stage. “Amaze Dee,” he says. “17.”
She dips her hand back into the ball, pulling out another slip.
“Sterling Grafe!” she says. No one volunteers. A boy trudges forward.
“How old are you dear?” Lorelei asks.
“13,” he mumbles.
Lorelei fishes out another slip.
“Lukas Doone!”
I find myself walking forward involuntarily. I shuffle on stage and speak my age quickly.
“15,” I hiss before stepping back.
She calls another boy’s name. Iron Mendes, a tough looking sixteen year old, probably a Career in training.
“Girls!” Lorelei proclaims, fishing for a slip.
“Ne-“ she begins, but is interrupted. “I volunteer!”
A girl walks forward.
“My name is Lucia Gulborne, and I am 16.”
Lucia steps back and stands next to Iron. Lorelei picks another slip.
“Tr-“ she begins. “I volunteer!”
A girl walks forward, pronouncing her name and age loudly into the mic. “Deity Schwartz, 17!”
Lorelei laughs halfheartedly and picks another slip.
“De-“ she says, pausing after the first syllable, waiting for the volunteer. “I volunteer!”
A girl swishes onto the stage, waltzing over to the mic. “Aphrodite Moon, 17.”
Aphrodite steps back, and Lorelei reads another slip.
“Od-“
“I volunteer!”
A girl I know walks onto the stage, smiling. Goldie Matthews, my neighbor and my once best friend and girlfriend. She’s a Career?! How couldn’t she tell me?!
“Goldie Matthews, 15,” Goldie murmurs into the mic with a devilish smile that makes my heart soar. I know that smile all too well.
Goldie steps back and smiles at me. I blink rapidly back. She winks.
Lorelei pulls the fifth strip of paper, reading it all the way through, no volunteers this time.
“Nadia Mayweather!”
Nadia stumbled on stage, stating that she was 16. Then she backed away to stand with the rest of us.
“That’s it folks!” Lorelei announced happily. “Here we have our tributes from District 1: Grand, Amaze, Sterling, Lukas, Iron, Lucia, Deity, Aphrodite, Goldie, and Nadia!”
I walk backstage, and into one of the rooms. My mom waits inside. We hug and weep for a little bit, then we part. No one else knows me well enough to visit me.
I hug my mom again, and then I am escorted to the train, where the other 9 tributes and our mentor, Cashmere, are getting on. We climb on the train, and it shoot away, away towards the Capitol, a place I’ve only ever dreamed of in my best fantasies and my worst nightmares.
District 2, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Proserpina Woods’s POV.
I wait in anticipation, ready to call out my name. I wait with the other 16 year old girls. I am only 16. but I am ready. I will win, we will win.
Our escort, a beanpole lady with hair and skin dyed color of coffee beans, is named Hema. She has little black tattoos all over her body.
Hema, like most escorts, does ladies first. I shake with excitement and anticipation.
“Ha-“ she begins, but my voiced rings out loudly, covering up two other shouting voices. “I volunteer!”
I walk forward, then sprinting quickly, up the stage and to the mic. I shout my name exuberantly.
“Proserpina Woods, 16!” I yell. Then I stand back.
Two mores volunteers follow me; a willowy 16 year old I’m close friends with named Blythe Worth, and an 18 year old girl with bunches of muscle named Micah Daynes. Then Hema reads two other names of girls not rescued by volunteers; Malia Sayre, 18, and Selia Forts, 15. Malia worked at my training center but was booted from the place last year when she accidentally killed one of her opponents in a match. Selia is willowy, hippie-ish, and very beautiful, but not athletic looking at all. Then the boys.
4 volunteers; Masen Fitzgerald, 17, Lionel Gothner, 16, Cameron Weiss, 16, and Cody Daniels, 18. Then one regular tribute; a short, skinny little 12 year old named Matteo Bayne that makes me want to “aw,” he’s so cute.
Hema announces all of our names. “Representing District 2 in the 4th Quarter Quell, Proserpina, Blythe, Micah, Malia, Selia, Masen, Lionel, Cameron, Cody, and Matteo!”
We are rushed into the back. I say a happy goodbye to my parents, my little 13 year old sister Demeter, and my trainer, and then I board the train, happy, with the 9 others and our Mentor, Cato.
District 3, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Linnea Pyre’s POV.
I stand there stoically with the other 16 year old girls. No one wants to be picked.
Our escort, a stocky woman with lion like embellishments, is named Freya. She, like most escorts, does ladies first.
“Anna Draper!”
“I volunteer!” the girl next to me shouts. No. Not Madison, my best friend. Of course she’s volunteering for her younger sister.
Madison walks onto he stage and says: “Madison Draper, 16.” She steps back.
Freya calls out the names of 2 more people; Delia Maine, 12, and Marceline Pie, 17. Delia is short and stocky, and Marceline is taller, a little bit chubby. Then Freya calls out the fourth tribute.
“Linnea Pyre!”
I stand there alone for a few seconds, Peacekeepers march over and reach for my arms. I shrug out of their grip and stomp onto the stage.
“16,” I spit into the microphone, standing next to the other three. Freya announces the final girl.
“Daniella Bone!” she booms. Daniella says she is 17, and she stands next to me. She is tall and muscular, one of the only truly athletic people in District 3.
Freya then announces the boys. Samuel Gates, 12. Eamon Shep, 15. Rueben Gaines, 17. Baxter Jones, 18. Corey Baker, 15. Samuel is taller for his age, but still small compared to everyone else. Eamon is a little pudgy and is average height. Rueben and Baxter are minimally muscled and are handsome. Corey is a beanpole, skinny and tall, taller than even Baxter.
“The tributes for District 3: Madison, Delia, Marceline, Linnea, Daniella, Samuel, Eamon, Rueben, Baxter, and Corey!”
We walk to the back of the stage, where our families wait. I hug my dad and my twin 12 year old brothers named Casey and Atticus. Then I board the train with the 9 others and our Mentor, Beetee.
District 4, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Thalia Moore’s POV.
I wait expectantly in the 18 year old girl’s pen. I’m a Career; I’m ready to call out the phrase “I volunteer!”
The escort is a woman of average height and weight named Ceres. She always wears ocean-styled costumes and has ocean blue skin and hair, plainly telling everyone that she was District 4’s escort. She tried to pretend that she knew District 4’s native lingo. She did not know it at all.
“Dudettes first!” she exclaimed after telling us the new rules of this year’s games. Then she picked names.
“He-“ she began. I cut her off.
“I volunteer!” I screamed, jumping onto the stage. “My name is Thalia Moore, and I’m 18!”
Ceres smiles wonderfully and then picks more names. 2 more volunteers followed me; Careers. They are Abalone Danya, 17, and Ariella Smith, 16. I know both of them from the training center. Then 2 more girls are called; Mimi Umlatt, 13, and Serena Flatts, 15. Mimi is willowy and tiny, and Serena has some muscle and is average height. Then the boys.
There are 2 volunteers; Adam Perez, 17, and Gregory Patch, 18. They are both muscled and tall and handsome. Then the three others; Jedediah Downing, 18, Carlisle Chukowski, 17, and Azarias Dean, 17. Jedediah is muscled and tall; Carlisle is skinny and average height. Azarias is a Career in training; he was probably trying to hold out until next year’s games in case our District didn’t win this year.
“Our dudes and dudettes that will be riding the train track waves to the Capitol to represent District 4, dudes: Thalia, Abalone, Ariella, Mimi, Serena, Adam, Gregory, Jedediah, Carlisle, and Azarias!”
We walk backstage. I say goodbye to my Aunt Sara, who raised me, and my cousins Gracie, 19, Daniel, 16, and Vivian, 13. Then I board the train to the Capital with the 9 others and our Mentor, Finnick.
District 5, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Dinah Grae’s POV.
I stand in the pen with the other 14 year old girls. I pray so hard that I won’t be sent into the Games; I’m the only person left to care for my ailing grandmother, and without me she will probably die.
The escort, Melisande, has black hair, gray skin spangled with golden stars, and gauges in her ears. She, like most escorts, does ladies first.
“Giacinta Carrier!” Melisande shouts. Giacinta states that she is 13.
“Dinah Grae!” Melisande says happily.
I stand there, and the peacekeepers grab me. I scream and kick.
“GRANDMOTHER! WHO WILL HELP MY GRANDMOTHER?!” I scream, thrashing. They restrain me, placing me on the stage. I whimper, sucking back tears. I see Grandmother in the back of the crowd, bent down in tears. Who will care for her?
Melisande calls three other girls to the stage; Mitra Blaise, 18, Samantha Rowles, 13, and Azalea Graves, 13. Mitra is tall and imposing, Samantha is sickly looking, anf Azalea is shy and stubby.
Melisande calls the boys. Graham Cook, 13. Norman Hike, 13. JoJo Dillard, 14. Carson Trucker, 16. Jeremy Britcher, 17. Graham is average height and weight, Norman is pale and skinny, JoJo is very obese, Carson has some muscle, and Jeremy is a sack of bones. Our odds are slim.
“The tributes of District 5: Giacinta, Dinah, Mitra, Samantha, Azalea, Graham, Norman, JoJo, Carson, and Jeremy!”
I stumble backstage, where my grandmother and a Capitol official wait.
I cry into grandmother’s shoulder, and then the Capitol official tells me that they will take care of my grandmother as long as I’m alive in the Games. If I die, they will turn her into the streets to survive alone. If I win, she’ll be waiting for me.
I hug grandmother, then I board the train with the 9 others and our mentor, Jemima.
District 6, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Tristas Flamen’s POV.
The pen for 15 year old boys is sweltering. It stinks horribly of B.O.
Quayla, the escort for District 6, is tall, average weight, and has golden hair and ghostly white colored skin. She always insists on doing boys first.
“Tristas Flamen!” she calls out, and I stumble on stage.
“I’m 15,” I murmur into the mic, and then I step back.
The other boys are called up; Silas Brown, 18. Elijah Suave, a friend, 15. Garry True, 14. Tucker Cantes, 16. Silas is strong and muscled, but on the short side; Elijah is average height and weight. Garry is a little pudgy and is very short. Tucker is average height and weight.
Then the girls are called up. Nina Baye, my neighbor, 13. Laura Bauer, 18. Naomi Carver, 15. Willa Pier, 12. Sora McClaw, 14. Nina is short and has some muscle; she is a gymnast. Laura is tall and average weight; she looks imposing. Naomi has glasses and buck teeth and is on the taller and fatter sides. Willa is cute as a button, short and skinny. Sora is average height and on the skinnier side.
“The tributes for District 6: Tristas, Silas, Elijah, Garry, Tucker, Nina, Laura, Naomi, Willa, and Sora!”
Backstage, I say goodbye to my parents and my sisters: Flora, 13, and Bia, 12. Then I board the train with the 9 others and our mentor, Raphael.
District 7, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Dorian Saye’s POV.
I stand in the pen dedicated to 17 year old boys.
The escort for District 7, Deenah, was silvery hair and un-dyed peach skin, with at least ten large golden hoop earrings in each ear. She picks girl’s name’s first.
“Lilah Mintee,” she calls out. Lilah, tall and average weight, trudges on stage and declares the she is 16. Then Deenah calls out another name.
“Jacqueline Scayme!” Deenah shouts. A girl screams “I volunteer!”
A girl walks out, kisses who is probably Jacqueline on the cheek, and walks to the mic, proclaiming her name. “Kathleen Jacobs, 18. That was my best friend, Jacqueline, by the way.”
She steps back, and Deenah calls out the final 3 girls. Nikki Turnabout, 14. Birch Willows, 15. Gretna Mousey, 15. Nikki is average height and weight. Birch is just a little taller than average and is very skinny. Gretna is on the shorter side and is a little pudgy.
Then the boys. Louis Gree, 18, a friend, is called to the stage. I hoot in farewell. He is tall and muscled from work in the lumberyards, like me. Then a skinny little 13 year old boy named Johnny Capps walk on stage and states his name and age.
“Dorian Saye!” she calls out. I stand there, shocked, for a moment, and then I walk onto the stage.
“I’m 17,” I say plainly, then I stand next to Johnny, sharing a troubled look with Louis.
She calls the last 2 boys; Thomas Flores, 13, and Axel Johnson, 17, who I know pretty well. Thomas is tall and average weight. Axel is tall and skinny, except for his arms, which are thick and muscled from working an axe all day and night.
Deenah announces our names. “For District 7: Lilah, Kathleen, Nikki, Birch, Gretna, Louis, Johnny, Dorian, Thomas, and Axel!”
I say goodbye to my mother and my sister, Aspen, and then I board the train with the 9 others and our mentor, Blight.
District 8, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Rae Bedding’s POV.
I stand in the pen with the other 13 year old girls.
The escort, a purple and gold colored woman named Wynhompa, Wyn for short, does girls first.
“Rae Bedding!” she shouts out. I shuffle on stage
“I’m 13,” I gasp.
She calls out the others while I stand there, stunned.
Daisy Burke, 12. Gabrielle Santos, 18. Mandala Leave, 15. Lilith Shea, 16. Daisy is tiny. Gabrielle is short and wiry. Mandala is average height and weight. Lilith is a little short and muscled.
Then the boys. Shawn Board, a friend, 13. Timothy Saunders, 12. Leonard Bunkowski, 15. Benjamin Wilkes, 14. Castor Cunn, a friend, 13. Shawn is average height and has a little muscle. Timothy is short and skinny. Leonard is short and skinny as well. Benjamin is average height and weight. Castor is average height and has some muscle.
“The wonderful tributes for District 8: Rae, Daisy, Gabrielle, Mandala, Lilith, Shawn, Timothy, Leonard, Benjamin, and Castor!”
I go backstage and say goodbye to the orphanage Headmaster and to two friends. Then I board the train with the 9 other tributes and our mentor, Cecelia.
District 9, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Obadiah Foster’s POV.
I stand with the other boys in the 16 year old boy’s pen.
The escort, a woman colored all white, is named Winter. She does girls first.
Lena Josephine, 12. Alina Ree, 13. Clarisse Wallings, 17. Deborah Holmes, 14. Anais Runs, a friend. 16. Lena is tall and skinny. Alina is tall and average weight. Clarisse is tall and slimly muscled. Deborah is tall and skinny. Anais is also tall and skinny.
Then she picks boys. I pray I don’t get picked.
“Obadiah Foster!” she screeches.
I walk onto the stage slowly, murmuring into the mic. “I’m 16.” Then I step back, standing next to Anais. The others boys step on stage as they are called. Claude Grazzi, an enemy, 16. Jonathan Meyers, 18. Dallas Maverick, 12. Jessie Dioh, 13. Claude is, to my pleasure, short and very fat, but also very smart. Jonathan is tall and muscled. Dallas is scrawny and short. Jessie is average height and weight.
“The tributes from District 9: Lena, Alina, Clarisse, Deborah, Anais, Obadiah, Claude, Jonathan, Dallas, and Jessie!”
I say goodbye to my older sister, Reina, now 22, who raised me. Then I climb on the train with the 9 others and my mentor, Bedelia.
District 10, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Didi Teller’s POV.
I stand with the other girls in the 13 year old girls’ pen. I’m wedged between two beefy girls, and their sweat is getting all over me. I shiver.
The escort, a large pea colored woman named Berthania, Berth for short. She does gentlemen first. Unusual. I watch the boys take the stage.
Frank Truman, 15. Edison Loch, 15. Thad Bypa, 13. Zach Dorrance, 15. Soren Famkowski, 16. Frank is average height and is a little chubby. Edison is average height and very fat. Thad is tall and muscled for his age. Zach is average height and weight. Soren is tall and muscled. Then girls. I can see my mother in the crowd, wringing her hands. She’s only 30. My dad got her pregnant before he left for the Games. He died there. She can’t lose me too.
“Hyacinth Raye!” Berth calls out, and a girl stumbles forward onto her stage, stating that she is 15. Then Berth fishes out another slip.
“Didi Teller!” Berth shrieks. I hear my mom’s screams, and I see the Peacekeepers run to restrain her. I jog onto the stage, trying hard not to cry.
“13,” I whisper into the mic.
Berth calls forward three more. Bia Reynolds, an ex-friend, 13. Amalia Lordship, 16. Scylla Farmhouse, 16. Bia is average height and scrawny, like me. Amalia is tall and average weight. Scylla is average height and weight.
“The tributes for District 10: Frank, Edison, Thad, Zach, Soren, Hyacinth, Didi, Bia, Amalia, and Scylla!”
Just as she finishes, a gunshot goes off in the crowd. I watch my mom flop to the ground, dead, and I scream.
All the cameras are shut down immediately, and the crowds are funneled out as the Peacekeepers pick up my mother’s body. Two Peacekeepers restrain me and drag me backstage and onto the train. The others and our mentor, Sierra, follow soon after. Then we head off to the Capitol.
District 11, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Caspian Reyers's POV.
The pen for 15 year old boys is hot and stinky.
The escort, Forsythia, is a light blue haired woman with regular skin and several flashy eyebrow piercings. She does ladies first.
Zephyr Daley, 16. Norah Capone, 12. Tallulah Gregs, 16. Lana Tritch, 13. Maia Erks, 14. Zephyr is tall and skinny. Norah is short and skinny. Tallulah is tall and a little bit chubby. Lana is average height and weight. Maia is tall and average weight. Then time for the boys.
“Applebee Piedmont!” Applebee walks onto the stage and says he is 13. He is skinny and tall.
“Griffin Spimes!” A boy I know pretty well a few rows behind me walks onto the stage, saying he is 15. He is average height and weight.
“Caspian Reyer!” I stumble on stage and say that I am 15. Then I step back, standing next to Griffin. We share a depressed look. I watch the next 2 people come on stage.
Throne Gripes, 18, and Justin Biff, 12. Thorne is a tall hunk of muscle, and Justin is a tiny little boy with pale skin and a limp.
“The young men and women representing District 11 in the 100th Hunger Games: Zephyr, Norah, Tallulah, Lana, Maia, Applebee, Griffin, Caspian, Thorne, and Justin!”
I walk backstage, saying goodbye to my mom and my older sister Carmie, who’s 18. I also say goodbye to my girlfriend Nilla. Then I board the bus with the 9 others and our mentor, Seeder.
District 12, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Ravenna Mines’s POV.
I stand in the pen with the other 18 year old girls.
The escort, Effie, wears many colored wigs to disguise her naturally graying hair and much foundation to hide her wrinkles. She does, as always, ladies first. This is my last year, but I had to take out so much Tesserae…
“Ravenna Mines!” Effie exclaims. I stagger on stage. “I’m 18.”
“Wonderful!” Effie exclaims, then calling up the next 4 girls. Racquel Proctor, 13. Junie Spring, 12. Rheya Montauge, 16. Dahlia Fayce, 15. Racquel is average height and weight, Junie is tiny, Rheya is average height and is skinny, and Dahlia is average height and weight. Then the boys.
Damien Cliffe, 12. Oren Wu, 15. Jason Carmichael, 12. Andrew Ceakies, 14. Teodoro Diaz, 14. Damien is average height and weight. Oren is tall and skinny. Jason is short and skinny. Andrew is average height and is a little pudgy. Teodoro is skinny and tall.
“The tributes representing District 12 in the 4th Quarter Quell: Ravenna, Racquel, Junie, Rheya, Dahlia, Damien, Oren, Jason, Andrew, and Teodoro!”
I walk backstage to say goodbye to my parents and my siblings: Lilias, 21, Fiametta, 20, Finula, 19, Thayer, 17, Aquilo, 15, and Thessaly, 13. My brother Tristram was 14 when he was picked 2 years ago. He died in the Games, killed in the bloodbath.
After goodbyes, I step onto the train with the 9 others and our mentor, Haymitch.
(I've written the whole thing, and there is no chapters, but I will break it up so it's not one giant 20,000 word post.
Here are the Reapings (this take place in 12 POVs, one POV for a tribute in every District.)
District 1. Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Lukas Doone’s POV.
I stand in the pen with the other 15 year old boys. I had to get up early for this, as always. It never bothers me, being here, because my father’s usually mayor and I’m granted secret immunity from being picked, as Snow favors my father. But he’s fallen from grace, and was murdered by rebels on a train back from the Capitol. So now I’m a regular kid, waiting in the pen.
The escort for District 1, a plump, fuchsia skinned lady named Lorelei Lavaliere, stands on the stage and goes over the rules of this Quarter Quell.
“For the 100th Quarter Quell, teams of 10 from each district, 5 girls, 5 boys, will be selected to compete in a special arena. Each team must try to defeat every other team. When only tributes from 1 district remain, those tributes are the victor/victors of the 100th Quarter Quell. If all 10 of a team survive and kill off all the others, those 10 will all be announced victors. Whichever District wins will have immunity from the 101st Hunger Games, and their tributes will be granted special presents every year until the 125th Hunger Games. Besides these new rules, it is the same as the other Games.”
I’m scared. 10 kids picked instead of 2. I know more Careers will be trying out this year because if our District wins, they’ll not be able to play in the next hunger Games. A few even younger Careers will also try out, just because they want to win a Quarter Quell. Lorelei flips a coin, calling heads. If it’s head,s girl’s go first. Tails, it is boys.
“Tails!” she shouts happily. Boys first then. Let’s get it over with.
“Da-“ Lorelei begins, but she is cut off by a voice in the eighteen year old pen.
“I volunteer!” a boy says, stepping forward. He walks up to the stage smartly.
“What’s your name, lucky volunteer?” she asks bashfully.
“Grand Matthews,” he announces fiercely. “18 years young.”
Lorelei laughs, and picks another slip.
“Ro-“ She is interrupted yet again. “I volunteer!”
A boy walks forward to the stage. “Amaze Dee,” he says. “17.”
She dips her hand back into the ball, pulling out another slip.
“Sterling Grafe!” she says. No one volunteers. A boy trudges forward.
“How old are you dear?” Lorelei asks.
“13,” he mumbles.
Lorelei fishes out another slip.
“Lukas Doone!”
I find myself walking forward involuntarily. I shuffle on stage and speak my age quickly.
“15,” I hiss before stepping back.
She calls another boy’s name. Iron Mendes, a tough looking sixteen year old, probably a Career in training.
“Girls!” Lorelei proclaims, fishing for a slip.
“Ne-“ she begins, but is interrupted. “I volunteer!”
A girl walks forward.
“My name is Lucia Gulborne, and I am 16.”
Lucia steps back and stands next to Iron. Lorelei picks another slip.
“Tr-“ she begins. “I volunteer!”
A girl walks forward, pronouncing her name and age loudly into the mic. “Deity Schwartz, 17!”
Lorelei laughs halfheartedly and picks another slip.
“De-“ she says, pausing after the first syllable, waiting for the volunteer. “I volunteer!”
A girl swishes onto the stage, waltzing over to the mic. “Aphrodite Moon, 17.”
Aphrodite steps back, and Lorelei reads another slip.
“Od-“
“I volunteer!”
A girl I know walks onto the stage, smiling. Goldie Matthews, my neighbor and my once best friend and girlfriend. She’s a Career?! How couldn’t she tell me?!
“Goldie Matthews, 15,” Goldie murmurs into the mic with a devilish smile that makes my heart soar. I know that smile all too well.
Goldie steps back and smiles at me. I blink rapidly back. She winks.
Lorelei pulls the fifth strip of paper, reading it all the way through, no volunteers this time.
“Nadia Mayweather!”
Nadia stumbled on stage, stating that she was 16. Then she backed away to stand with the rest of us.
“That’s it folks!” Lorelei announced happily. “Here we have our tributes from District 1: Grand, Amaze, Sterling, Lukas, Iron, Lucia, Deity, Aphrodite, Goldie, and Nadia!”
I walk backstage, and into one of the rooms. My mom waits inside. We hug and weep for a little bit, then we part. No one else knows me well enough to visit me.
I hug my mom again, and then I am escorted to the train, where the other 9 tributes and our mentor, Cashmere, are getting on. We climb on the train, and it shoot away, away towards the Capitol, a place I’ve only ever dreamed of in my best fantasies and my worst nightmares.
District 2, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Proserpina Woods’s POV.
I wait in anticipation, ready to call out my name. I wait with the other 16 year old girls. I am only 16. but I am ready. I will win, we will win.
Our escort, a beanpole lady with hair and skin dyed color of coffee beans, is named Hema. She has little black tattoos all over her body.
Hema, like most escorts, does ladies first. I shake with excitement and anticipation.
“Ha-“ she begins, but my voiced rings out loudly, covering up two other shouting voices. “I volunteer!”
I walk forward, then sprinting quickly, up the stage and to the mic. I shout my name exuberantly.
“Proserpina Woods, 16!” I yell. Then I stand back.
Two mores volunteers follow me; a willowy 16 year old I’m close friends with named Blythe Worth, and an 18 year old girl with bunches of muscle named Micah Daynes. Then Hema reads two other names of girls not rescued by volunteers; Malia Sayre, 18, and Selia Forts, 15. Malia worked at my training center but was booted from the place last year when she accidentally killed one of her opponents in a match. Selia is willowy, hippie-ish, and very beautiful, but not athletic looking at all. Then the boys.
4 volunteers; Masen Fitzgerald, 17, Lionel Gothner, 16, Cameron Weiss, 16, and Cody Daniels, 18. Then one regular tribute; a short, skinny little 12 year old named Matteo Bayne that makes me want to “aw,” he’s so cute.
Hema announces all of our names. “Representing District 2 in the 4th Quarter Quell, Proserpina, Blythe, Micah, Malia, Selia, Masen, Lionel, Cameron, Cody, and Matteo!”
We are rushed into the back. I say a happy goodbye to my parents, my little 13 year old sister Demeter, and my trainer, and then I board the train, happy, with the 9 others and our Mentor, Cato.
District 3, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Linnea Pyre’s POV.
I stand there stoically with the other 16 year old girls. No one wants to be picked.
Our escort, a stocky woman with lion like embellishments, is named Freya. She, like most escorts, does ladies first.
“Anna Draper!”
“I volunteer!” the girl next to me shouts. No. Not Madison, my best friend. Of course she’s volunteering for her younger sister.
Madison walks onto he stage and says: “Madison Draper, 16.” She steps back.
Freya calls out the names of 2 more people; Delia Maine, 12, and Marceline Pie, 17. Delia is short and stocky, and Marceline is taller, a little bit chubby. Then Freya calls out the fourth tribute.
“Linnea Pyre!”
I stand there alone for a few seconds, Peacekeepers march over and reach for my arms. I shrug out of their grip and stomp onto the stage.
“16,” I spit into the microphone, standing next to the other three. Freya announces the final girl.
“Daniella Bone!” she booms. Daniella says she is 17, and she stands next to me. She is tall and muscular, one of the only truly athletic people in District 3.
Freya then announces the boys. Samuel Gates, 12. Eamon Shep, 15. Rueben Gaines, 17. Baxter Jones, 18. Corey Baker, 15. Samuel is taller for his age, but still small compared to everyone else. Eamon is a little pudgy and is average height. Rueben and Baxter are minimally muscled and are handsome. Corey is a beanpole, skinny and tall, taller than even Baxter.
“The tributes for District 3: Madison, Delia, Marceline, Linnea, Daniella, Samuel, Eamon, Rueben, Baxter, and Corey!”
We walk to the back of the stage, where our families wait. I hug my dad and my twin 12 year old brothers named Casey and Atticus. Then I board the train with the 9 others and our Mentor, Beetee.
District 4, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Thalia Moore’s POV.
I wait expectantly in the 18 year old girl’s pen. I’m a Career; I’m ready to call out the phrase “I volunteer!”
The escort is a woman of average height and weight named Ceres. She always wears ocean-styled costumes and has ocean blue skin and hair, plainly telling everyone that she was District 4’s escort. She tried to pretend that she knew District 4’s native lingo. She did not know it at all.
“Dudettes first!” she exclaimed after telling us the new rules of this year’s games. Then she picked names.
“He-“ she began. I cut her off.
“I volunteer!” I screamed, jumping onto the stage. “My name is Thalia Moore, and I’m 18!”
Ceres smiles wonderfully and then picks more names. 2 more volunteers followed me; Careers. They are Abalone Danya, 17, and Ariella Smith, 16. I know both of them from the training center. Then 2 more girls are called; Mimi Umlatt, 13, and Serena Flatts, 15. Mimi is willowy and tiny, and Serena has some muscle and is average height. Then the boys.
There are 2 volunteers; Adam Perez, 17, and Gregory Patch, 18. They are both muscled and tall and handsome. Then the three others; Jedediah Downing, 18, Carlisle Chukowski, 17, and Azarias Dean, 17. Jedediah is muscled and tall; Carlisle is skinny and average height. Azarias is a Career in training; he was probably trying to hold out until next year’s games in case our District didn’t win this year.
“Our dudes and dudettes that will be riding the train track waves to the Capitol to represent District 4, dudes: Thalia, Abalone, Ariella, Mimi, Serena, Adam, Gregory, Jedediah, Carlisle, and Azarias!”
We walk backstage. I say goodbye to my Aunt Sara, who raised me, and my cousins Gracie, 19, Daniel, 16, and Vivian, 13. Then I board the train to the Capital with the 9 others and our Mentor, Finnick.
District 5, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Dinah Grae’s POV.
I stand in the pen with the other 14 year old girls. I pray so hard that I won’t be sent into the Games; I’m the only person left to care for my ailing grandmother, and without me she will probably die.
The escort, Melisande, has black hair, gray skin spangled with golden stars, and gauges in her ears. She, like most escorts, does ladies first.
“Giacinta Carrier!” Melisande shouts. Giacinta states that she is 13.
“Dinah Grae!” Melisande says happily.
I stand there, and the peacekeepers grab me. I scream and kick.
“GRANDMOTHER! WHO WILL HELP MY GRANDMOTHER?!” I scream, thrashing. They restrain me, placing me on the stage. I whimper, sucking back tears. I see Grandmother in the back of the crowd, bent down in tears. Who will care for her?
Melisande calls three other girls to the stage; Mitra Blaise, 18, Samantha Rowles, 13, and Azalea Graves, 13. Mitra is tall and imposing, Samantha is sickly looking, anf Azalea is shy and stubby.
Melisande calls the boys. Graham Cook, 13. Norman Hike, 13. JoJo Dillard, 14. Carson Trucker, 16. Jeremy Britcher, 17. Graham is average height and weight, Norman is pale and skinny, JoJo is very obese, Carson has some muscle, and Jeremy is a sack of bones. Our odds are slim.
“The tributes of District 5: Giacinta, Dinah, Mitra, Samantha, Azalea, Graham, Norman, JoJo, Carson, and Jeremy!”
I stumble backstage, where my grandmother and a Capitol official wait.
I cry into grandmother’s shoulder, and then the Capitol official tells me that they will take care of my grandmother as long as I’m alive in the Games. If I die, they will turn her into the streets to survive alone. If I win, she’ll be waiting for me.
I hug grandmother, then I board the train with the 9 others and our mentor, Jemima.
District 6, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Tristas Flamen’s POV.
The pen for 15 year old boys is sweltering. It stinks horribly of B.O.
Quayla, the escort for District 6, is tall, average weight, and has golden hair and ghostly white colored skin. She always insists on doing boys first.
“Tristas Flamen!” she calls out, and I stumble on stage.
“I’m 15,” I murmur into the mic, and then I step back.
The other boys are called up; Silas Brown, 18. Elijah Suave, a friend, 15. Garry True, 14. Tucker Cantes, 16. Silas is strong and muscled, but on the short side; Elijah is average height and weight. Garry is a little pudgy and is very short. Tucker is average height and weight.
Then the girls are called up. Nina Baye, my neighbor, 13. Laura Bauer, 18. Naomi Carver, 15. Willa Pier, 12. Sora McClaw, 14. Nina is short and has some muscle; she is a gymnast. Laura is tall and average weight; she looks imposing. Naomi has glasses and buck teeth and is on the taller and fatter sides. Willa is cute as a button, short and skinny. Sora is average height and on the skinnier side.
“The tributes for District 6: Tristas, Silas, Elijah, Garry, Tucker, Nina, Laura, Naomi, Willa, and Sora!”
Backstage, I say goodbye to my parents and my sisters: Flora, 13, and Bia, 12. Then I board the train with the 9 others and our mentor, Raphael.
District 7, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Dorian Saye’s POV.
I stand in the pen dedicated to 17 year old boys.
The escort for District 7, Deenah, was silvery hair and un-dyed peach skin, with at least ten large golden hoop earrings in each ear. She picks girl’s name’s first.
“Lilah Mintee,” she calls out. Lilah, tall and average weight, trudges on stage and declares the she is 16. Then Deenah calls out another name.
“Jacqueline Scayme!” Deenah shouts. A girl screams “I volunteer!”
A girl walks out, kisses who is probably Jacqueline on the cheek, and walks to the mic, proclaiming her name. “Kathleen Jacobs, 18. That was my best friend, Jacqueline, by the way.”
She steps back, and Deenah calls out the final 3 girls. Nikki Turnabout, 14. Birch Willows, 15. Gretna Mousey, 15. Nikki is average height and weight. Birch is just a little taller than average and is very skinny. Gretna is on the shorter side and is a little pudgy.
Then the boys. Louis Gree, 18, a friend, is called to the stage. I hoot in farewell. He is tall and muscled from work in the lumberyards, like me. Then a skinny little 13 year old boy named Johnny Capps walk on stage and states his name and age.
“Dorian Saye!” she calls out. I stand there, shocked, for a moment, and then I walk onto the stage.
“I’m 17,” I say plainly, then I stand next to Johnny, sharing a troubled look with Louis.
She calls the last 2 boys; Thomas Flores, 13, and Axel Johnson, 17, who I know pretty well. Thomas is tall and average weight. Axel is tall and skinny, except for his arms, which are thick and muscled from working an axe all day and night.
Deenah announces our names. “For District 7: Lilah, Kathleen, Nikki, Birch, Gretna, Louis, Johnny, Dorian, Thomas, and Axel!”
I say goodbye to my mother and my sister, Aspen, and then I board the train with the 9 others and our mentor, Blight.
District 8, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Rae Bedding’s POV.
I stand in the pen with the other 13 year old girls.
The escort, a purple and gold colored woman named Wynhompa, Wyn for short, does girls first.
“Rae Bedding!” she shouts out. I shuffle on stage
“I’m 13,” I gasp.
She calls out the others while I stand there, stunned.
Daisy Burke, 12. Gabrielle Santos, 18. Mandala Leave, 15. Lilith Shea, 16. Daisy is tiny. Gabrielle is short and wiry. Mandala is average height and weight. Lilith is a little short and muscled.
Then the boys. Shawn Board, a friend, 13. Timothy Saunders, 12. Leonard Bunkowski, 15. Benjamin Wilkes, 14. Castor Cunn, a friend, 13. Shawn is average height and has a little muscle. Timothy is short and skinny. Leonard is short and skinny as well. Benjamin is average height and weight. Castor is average height and has some muscle.
“The wonderful tributes for District 8: Rae, Daisy, Gabrielle, Mandala, Lilith, Shawn, Timothy, Leonard, Benjamin, and Castor!”
I go backstage and say goodbye to the orphanage Headmaster and to two friends. Then I board the train with the 9 other tributes and our mentor, Cecelia.
District 9, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Obadiah Foster’s POV.
I stand with the other boys in the 16 year old boy’s pen.
The escort, a woman colored all white, is named Winter. She does girls first.
Lena Josephine, 12. Alina Ree, 13. Clarisse Wallings, 17. Deborah Holmes, 14. Anais Runs, a friend. 16. Lena is tall and skinny. Alina is tall and average weight. Clarisse is tall and slimly muscled. Deborah is tall and skinny. Anais is also tall and skinny.
Then she picks boys. I pray I don’t get picked.
“Obadiah Foster!” she screeches.
I walk onto the stage slowly, murmuring into the mic. “I’m 16.” Then I step back, standing next to Anais. The others boys step on stage as they are called. Claude Grazzi, an enemy, 16. Jonathan Meyers, 18. Dallas Maverick, 12. Jessie Dioh, 13. Claude is, to my pleasure, short and very fat, but also very smart. Jonathan is tall and muscled. Dallas is scrawny and short. Jessie is average height and weight.
“The tributes from District 9: Lena, Alina, Clarisse, Deborah, Anais, Obadiah, Claude, Jonathan, Dallas, and Jessie!”
I say goodbye to my older sister, Reina, now 22, who raised me. Then I climb on the train with the 9 others and my mentor, Bedelia.
District 10, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Didi Teller’s POV.
I stand with the other girls in the 13 year old girls’ pen. I’m wedged between two beefy girls, and their sweat is getting all over me. I shiver.
The escort, a large pea colored woman named Berthania, Berth for short. She does gentlemen first. Unusual. I watch the boys take the stage.
Frank Truman, 15. Edison Loch, 15. Thad Bypa, 13. Zach Dorrance, 15. Soren Famkowski, 16. Frank is average height and is a little chubby. Edison is average height and very fat. Thad is tall and muscled for his age. Zach is average height and weight. Soren is tall and muscled. Then girls. I can see my mother in the crowd, wringing her hands. She’s only 30. My dad got her pregnant before he left for the Games. He died there. She can’t lose me too.
“Hyacinth Raye!” Berth calls out, and a girl stumbles forward onto her stage, stating that she is 15. Then Berth fishes out another slip.
“Didi Teller!” Berth shrieks. I hear my mom’s screams, and I see the Peacekeepers run to restrain her. I jog onto the stage, trying hard not to cry.
“13,” I whisper into the mic.
Berth calls forward three more. Bia Reynolds, an ex-friend, 13. Amalia Lordship, 16. Scylla Farmhouse, 16. Bia is average height and scrawny, like me. Amalia is tall and average weight. Scylla is average height and weight.
“The tributes for District 10: Frank, Edison, Thad, Zach, Soren, Hyacinth, Didi, Bia, Amalia, and Scylla!”
Just as she finishes, a gunshot goes off in the crowd. I watch my mom flop to the ground, dead, and I scream.
All the cameras are shut down immediately, and the crowds are funneled out as the Peacekeepers pick up my mother’s body. Two Peacekeepers restrain me and drag me backstage and onto the train. The others and our mentor, Sierra, follow soon after. Then we head off to the Capitol.
District 11, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Caspian Reyers's POV.
The pen for 15 year old boys is hot and stinky.
The escort, Forsythia, is a light blue haired woman with regular skin and several flashy eyebrow piercings. She does ladies first.
Zephyr Daley, 16. Norah Capone, 12. Tallulah Gregs, 16. Lana Tritch, 13. Maia Erks, 14. Zephyr is tall and skinny. Norah is short and skinny. Tallulah is tall and a little bit chubby. Lana is average height and weight. Maia is tall and average weight. Then time for the boys.
“Applebee Piedmont!” Applebee walks onto the stage and says he is 13. He is skinny and tall.
“Griffin Spimes!” A boy I know pretty well a few rows behind me walks onto the stage, saying he is 15. He is average height and weight.
“Caspian Reyer!” I stumble on stage and say that I am 15. Then I step back, standing next to Griffin. We share a depressed look. I watch the next 2 people come on stage.
Throne Gripes, 18, and Justin Biff, 12. Thorne is a tall hunk of muscle, and Justin is a tiny little boy with pale skin and a limp.
“The young men and women representing District 11 in the 100th Hunger Games: Zephyr, Norah, Tallulah, Lana, Maia, Applebee, Griffin, Caspian, Thorne, and Justin!”
I walk backstage, saying goodbye to my mom and my older sister Carmie, who’s 18. I also say goodbye to my girlfriend Nilla. Then I board the bus with the 9 others and our mentor, Seeder.
District 12, Year 100 of the New Panemian Era. Ravenna Mines’s POV.
I stand in the pen with the other 18 year old girls.
The escort, Effie, wears many colored wigs to disguise her naturally graying hair and much foundation to hide her wrinkles. She does, as always, ladies first. This is my last year, but I had to take out so much Tesserae…
“Ravenna Mines!” Effie exclaims. I stagger on stage. “I’m 18.”
“Wonderful!” Effie exclaims, then calling up the next 4 girls. Racquel Proctor, 13. Junie Spring, 12. Rheya Montauge, 16. Dahlia Fayce, 15. Racquel is average height and weight, Junie is tiny, Rheya is average height and is skinny, and Dahlia is average height and weight. Then the boys.
Damien Cliffe, 12. Oren Wu, 15. Jason Carmichael, 12. Andrew Ceakies, 14. Teodoro Diaz, 14. Damien is average height and weight. Oren is tall and skinny. Jason is short and skinny. Andrew is average height and is a little pudgy. Teodoro is skinny and tall.
“The tributes representing District 12 in the 4th Quarter Quell: Ravenna, Racquel, Junie, Rheya, Dahlia, Damien, Oren, Jason, Andrew, and Teodoro!”
I walk backstage to say goodbye to my parents and my siblings: Lilias, 21, Fiametta, 20, Finula, 19, Thayer, 17, Aquilo, 15, and Thessaly, 13. My brother Tristram was 14 when he was picked 2 years ago. He died in the Games, killed in the bloodbath.
After goodbyes, I step onto the train with the 9 others and our mentor, Haymitch.