District 2

Ridley's Story

The Justice Building is amazing. Yes, District 2 is one of the wealthier districts but I've never seen as lovely furniture as this. Anyway, this is my time for visitors. Now, this will be depressing. Not only because my father will be in here and it will be the last time I'd see him, for a while or definitely, but I'll have no other visitors. That is guaranteed. I've never really had any friends. Actually, I have a friend - possibly seen as more of an acquaintance - named Evelyn back at the Academy. Maybe she'll visit, though I doubt that. So, I wait for what seems like an age, fiddling my thumbs nervously, until my parents enter. As soon as they step through the door, I launch myself at Father. He uses one hand to shut the door behind him and then returns it so he can hug me wholly and heartily.

"I guess I never expected this," He whispers softly in my ear. I understand him perfectly, even though his words don't seem to make any sense. He's known all his life that I was likely to volunteer as I was always top of my class at the Academy but now, it must be different to see his only daughter being shipped off to fight with 23 others to fight to the death. For both of us, I think, it almost seems surreal. I feel the same as he does too. I've always hoped to get selected to volunteer and now I finally have, it feels so weird and makes me queasy. Of course, no one else can know this, even my poor father, so I keep it to myself.

"Father, I will win for you. For everyone, I promise," Despite my overflowing amount of determination, I know that it will be harder than I first thought to come out of this alive. But I hope to keep my promise to Father, whatever it takes.

"Don't forget, that there are other Careers, so your chances of living are quite slim. Anyway, it's like preparing yourself for slaughter to go into the Games. Just enjoy the food at the Capitol while you can," Mother says, sending a dig right at me. I can tell that she is loving this, the way she can mock me about near-certain death. I feel the urge to slap her, right across the face, show her that I'm not weak and will win this to prove that she can't control my emotions but I don't. I stay back calmly and breathe heavily in and out to relax myself. "Of course, it is definite really that you won't taste that food again. I mean, it's not like you will live or anything. I hope that Ridley guy gets to do it, that'd be the most entertaining for the audience." She pauses before saying anything else."And for me." That's it! I walk over to her and slap her across the face, a red handprint forming almost immediately.

"How dare you talk to me like that! I will win, show you up, come back alive and tell everyone what you've said. They will all hate you then, as much as I always have. I don't know why Father asked for you to be his wife but its the biggest mistake he ever made. Watch out when I return. You may be my parent but you are certainly not my mother!"

And then, the Peacekeepers come. I kiss Father on the cheek and hug him one last time, savouring his loving embrace. The Peacekeepers have to pry my fingers off him and drag him from the room. Mother waddles out of the room, silently, caressing her cheek where I'd hit her. Her expression is unlike anything I've ever seen before from her. She is taken aback, shocked, surprised, utterly scared of me. Good. That's what I want and that's what she deserves. I hope I have that effect on all the other Tributes too, during the Reaping, otherwise I might as well be dead already. Actually, I won't be dead because I am Career and I know weapons. I just mean my appeal, the way I come across to the other Tributes. If I managed to look incredibly tough - even quite scary will do - then they won't come after me and I'll only be up against them at the end or the other Careers. They probably won't dare to come after me anyway, once they see me in training. I won't go down without a fight, especially against Ridley. He doesn't seem like he has a kind bone in his body, even when he smiled at me when he volunteered, it was fake. I roll my eyes to no one in particular and focus on other things, current things that aren't even important. Who will be my next visitor? Will there even be another? I wait and wait for ages until I decide that I won't be getting anymore family or friends coming to see me. I sigh and circle the room, taking in the designs everywhere. The soft paisley carpet underneath my feet, the velvet sofa at the far end. I take in all of these things that I'd never even sighted before when the door opens. It is Evelyn. I smile, originally thinking that no one else would come to see me before boarding the train.