The 139th Hunger Games

Chapter 9: Demitrius and Alina

                                                                               Demitrius

My life is boring. Every day, I wake up starving and head to work. I work all day and head back home to eat a meagar supper. I can't live like this. If only there was some way to escape my boring and exhausting life...

The idea hits me. What if I volunteered as tribute? I could have a week of doing whatever I wanted, and then excitement in the games. I know it now. In a few hours, I will be on a train heading to the Capitol.

In the Reaping, I sit with the other sixteen-year-olds. When the announcer is just about to call the girl's name, a Peacekeeper thrusts a girl forward. She has dark hair and brown eyes. "Caught her trying to escape the Reaping," he grunts. He whispers something in the announcer's ear. The announcer picks a piece of paper. It has the girl's name, Alina.

                                                                              Alina

I had been trying to run away, hide from the Reaping. I was desperate, afraid of what would happed if I was picked. I should have known someone would catch me. A young man heading to the Reaping saw me and turned me in. The Peacekeeper gives him a small bag of coins as thanks and drags me over to the City Square.

There is a fleeting hope in my chest as I think that maybe I've gotten away with it. The Peacekeeper announces who I am and whispers something in the announcer's ear. She proceeds to choose the name. It's my own.

I have a suspicion that the Reaping was rigged. That the Peacekeeper asked the announcer to call out my name. I had been trying to prevent my death. Now I made things worse, I think as I head to the stage, and watch a boy, Demitius, volunter.