A Collection of my Writer's Games Entries

Misfortune: Task 1 (Tessa Whitlens) D7

** Task - Let it Begin **

I gently nudged my sister, Clara, forward to get her finger pricked. It will be her first time this year.
"Clary, it doesn't hurt much. Just like getting a needle pin pricked into you," I said, 
"I don't want to leave you," she hugged onto me,
"Nothing will happen to you. I promise,". I knew I shouldn't have made that promise. I watched her go to the Peacekeeper then walk to the twelve year-old section. I held my finder out patiently then rushed to my own place. I quickly found my friend, Harley, amongst the other girls.
"You're never this late to a Reaping," she whispered as the Mayor and the escort started the introduction,
"Rohan, Dad and Clara didn't want to leave," I shrugged, they had kicked up a fuss earlier but I told them everything would be fine, and no one got picked on their first year.
"Clara is so little. She'll be fine though, right?" Harley said quietly,
"Right," I doubted she heard me because our full attention went to the escort who looked like a fluffed up squirrel,
"Gentlemen first this year," she announced, then walked to the boys' bowl, picked a slip and returned to the microphone. I thought that she would say Rohan's name but then reminded myself he isn't in the Reaping, not yet.
"Micheal - " she was cut off by a shout,
"I volunteer," the boy sounded very old. I turned my head, with everyone else's, to where the shout had come from. A tall boy with orangery-red hair stepped into the pathway. His skin was very pale, which made his hair look like fire. Mind you, his head was a funny shape too, almost a triangle. 
"What would your name be young man?" the escort said cheerily,
"Nile Echo," he said grumpily,
"Why did you volunteer?"
"Why not?" he shrugged like he hadn't signed up for immediate death sentence,
"Well," the escort said, a little off-put, "Now for the ladies,". She repeated the process that she had done with the boys'.
"Clara Whitlens," she announced. As soon as the name hit my ears, I fell to the ground. This couldn't happen. It wasn't meant to happen. Not to Clara. I made a promise to her that she would be fine. This is not fine. I wipe my tears away. Remembering something my Dad always used to say when I used to come home crying from the threats I would get at school. 'Losers make promises they often break. Winners make commitments they always keep.'. I saw Clara walking unsteadily to the pathway. I wanted to be a winner, I had promised she would be safe. I would not be a loser.
"No," I shouted desperately, "I volunteer," I broke through the crowd of thirteen year-olds,
"No, Tess!" Clara screamed, but I grabbed her fiercely, "Clare, go to Daddy and Rohan. Everything will be alright, remember. I promise,". She still screamed out my name. I walked up to the stage as quickly as I could so I could get this over before my tears poured out. I could see my father and Rohan hugging each other, their faces were wet with tears. I watched Clara run into their arms before it was too much. I looked away, to the horizon above the crowd of District 7.
"Hello, and who might you be?" the escort said brightly,
"Tessa Whitlens," I replied. Numbness was spreading through my body. I'm going to die.
"That must have been your sister,". I nodded my head, I'm going to die. "Please give a round of applause to our District 7 tributes," the escort cheered. We were taken away before the clapping had started, if there was any, for that matter.

I paced the room back and forth. If I didn't do this, Clara would die. That is why a volunteered. I suddenly noticed something on the table. I don't think it was there before. I unwrapped the thing and opened the box. Inside was a ring that I recognized. It had my mother's name on it. Rosa Whitlens. Who gave me this? I searched the box and found a piece of paper, a rarity that barely anyone can afford. It contained the initials W.I. I didn't know anyone with those initials. What freaked me out a little more is that I remember Dad throwing Mum's ring into the fire. It was meant to be gone forever. Who ever gave me this, must be a spy. I sat down on the velvet chair, deep in my own thoughts.

Dad was the first through the door. He crushed me into a bear hug. Rohan and Clara followed behind him.
"My little Tess," he was holding back tears. So was I.
"Dad. Not in front of the possums," I smiled. Possums was the nickname I gave Rohan and Clara, because they were like the possums in the trees. I pushed away from him and opened my arms so Rohan and Clara would give me a hug.
"I'm sorry Tess!" Clara cried, "I don't want you to leave! You promised everything would be fine and it isn't!"
"Clara, it's okay. I'll be okay, as long as you remember me in here," I pointed to her chest where her heart was,
"We don't want you to die," Rohan cried,
"I'm not going to die. I'll just be gone for a while," I whispered,
"Roe, Tessa will try her best, won't you sweetie," Dad patted me on the back.
"Of course," I quickly wiped away a tear that had escaped, "I'm going to do whatever it takes to come back,"
The Peacekeeper opened the door, "Out!" he ordered,
"If I don't, just remember I'll always love you!" the words rushed out in a shout and in a hurry. I paced the room. I ignored the soft velvet chairs. I ignored the cries I could hear outside. I blanked out my mind completely. I"m going to die. I'm going to die. It rang through my head no matter how hard I tried to stop it. Harley ran through the door.
"Tess!" she jumped on me, "You can't leave me. Not yet,". As young as we are, we both knew that going to the Hunger Games was death for anyone under the age of 16. No one my age had ever made it out alive.
"Don't forget me," I whispered to her,
"Never,"
"Take care of Clara and Rohan for me,"
"I promise. But only if you try to make it back. Please," she added. The Peacekeeper burst in again.
"We're leaving early. Get out." I was dragged out. Leaving a wet-faced Harley on her own. 

I was sitting a chair next to my District partner. We had been sitting this way for a while. No mentor came in. Not even the escort. We sat in silence and it was killing me - not literally of course - but it pained me to waste my life like this when it was ending in a week.
"Hi," my voice was crackly, 
"Hi," he replied gruffly,
"Why did you volunteer?" I asked,
He shrugged.
"Well no need to be so rude," I scowled. I hate it when people are ignorant.
"Well maybe you should just leave me alone!" he almost shouted.
"Stop being mean. I would at least like to have one friend in that arena and I want it to be you!" I shouted. We sat in silence for a very long time. My breathing was heavy. I was so mad at him. Why be so rude when you could have an ally in there?
"You want to be my friend," his voice was barely audible,
"Yes, stupid," I sighed and leant my elbow on the ledge of the window,
"Why?"
"Because, even though you are rude, I think we would get along if we knew each other. We have the whole train ride,"
"Do you want to kill anyone?" he asked. Well, don't be subtle about that, will you?
"Umm.." I hesitated,
"Well," he sounded angry so I gave him the first answer.
"No,"
"Well, I'll make you a deal. Do you know how to find food?" he turned to face me more,
"Sort of," 
"Do you know how to use a weapon?"
"Sort of,"
"Well, you're useless," he threw his hands up,
"I can climb good. And I could scout for you. And I'm sneaky."
"Fine," he huffed, "You do the scouting and the food. I'll do the killing," he held out his hand.
"Deal?" he asked,
"Deal," I nodded and shook his hand. I knew then and there that I was one step closer to making it back alive.