Ririi Akimine P.O.V
I've been sitting for over four hours, high in the trees. I wish I could stay here forever. But I can't, I have to get out of here soon, the reaping's starting in just over an hour.
All my life I've hunted in the woods of District 12, If I didn't I'd have starved to death a long time ago. Am I'm any good? I don't know. Maybe... I twist my favourite bronze cuff bracelet around my wrist, it's engraved with a beautiful flower pattern. I don't go anywhere without it.
I've been stalking a deer for the past hour and still haven't attempted to shoot it. I'm surprised it hasn't noticed me. Maybe I am as quiet as people say. In a good five-seconds that deer's life could end and I could be a lot richer and a lot less hungry. Then why won't I kill it? It is hard to kill something so sweet and innocent.
I decide to stop with the deer and check my snares. I'm not exactly an expert, but when I'm too busy to hunt it's a quick way to get some food. I am lucky. My snares award me with two rabbits. They should make a good meal for me and my sisters. I toss the rabbits into my game bag and hide my bow under a large, hollow log.
My home is very close to the woods. Over the years our "high tech" capitol fence has turned from something dangerous and intimidating to something you can crawl under. The fence is still fully electrified, but probably isn't half as high as fences in other districts. I solved that problem pretty quickly. I found a good-sized tree and swiftly hopped over the fence. I do the same thing on the way back.
Like the fence, my home is anything but grand. Here in District 12 houses are more liked three room shacks with a main room, kitchen, and bathroom. It can barely hold my small family of three. My family means the world to me, but I've never grown up with much love. My parents died sometime a bit after my twelve-year-old sister Roseiana was born, though weren't around much to begin with. My family now includes me, my bossy older sister Naomi who's twenty-seven and runs our household, Roseiana, and me.
I open the front door that's in serious need of repair, otherwise it's probably gonna fall off its hinges. Before I can remind Naomi to call in someone to fix it she stops me.
"Get ready! The reaping starts in fifteen minutes!"
"I am ready!"
"You are NOT wearing that!" She says looking at my favourite black nylon jacket and grey sweat pants. Ok, fine I could probably get in trouble for not wearing my best clothes to the reaping.
"Then what am I gonna wear? I don't have many outfits to choose from you know!" I say.
"Ugh, just wear mine." She says pulling out her reaping dress that she wore for her last reaping, which was nine years ago. The material is a sea blue and is quite faded. Still, it's better then digging out my old skirt and white blouse the I've worn to every reaping since I was twelve. It always looks horrible since it's way too small.
"Thanks." I say, throwing it over my head and adjusting my bracelet.
"Take Rosy down there." Roseiana slowly follows me. It's her first reaping this year and she's probably scared out her mind. I'll make sure she's ok.
We arrive just as our escort Brin Tomlin is reading out the list of District 12's previous victors. Lets just say we don't have many from the mining district. I direct Roseiana to the roped off twelve-year-old section at the back of the square. While I head towards the front into the seventeen-year-old section. A few of my classmates wish me good luck. I nod my head with a straight face. Lets get this reaping done with so I can continue hunting.
"Now lets pick our lucky lady!" Brin says. Her voice isn't as, how will I say, Capitolish as most. Maybe she grew up in one of the districts. She seems generally sweet, as far as I can tell.
"Ririi Akimine!"
Maddox Pine P.O.V
"Ririi Akimine!"
I twist my favourite ring around my finger. I seriously want to volunteer but I'm pretty sure my parents would be pretty pissed off if I did. They've always spoiled me and given me the best of the best. Back when we lived in District 7 I received great Hunger Games training. It was my fault that we were re-located to District 12. Late one afternoon my trainer and I were whipping axes and practising our accuracy. Some Peacekeeper's caught us and said it was forbidden to train for the Games, which is dumb, considering the Careers do it all the time. Still, we were sent to District 12.
Our escort Brin Tomlin is randomly asking the girl questions. I'm guessing she's new at this. I fiddle with the buttons of my new white collared shirt. My family is one of the few in District 12 that isn't starving and actually has quite the stack of cash. I'd perfer to be standing here shirtless, to show of my impressive muscles. Sadly, even that would get me in trouble.
"Now for our boys!" Brin shouts happily into her micophone. Damn she's annoying.
"Maddox Pine!"
Well, looks like I got my wish.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ririi Akimine P.O.V
As soon as we enter the Justice Building I collapse onto a sofa. Seconds later a women in a fancy green suit and a man in a white shirt and black dress pants come in for Maddox. Rich people for sure. Maddox looks strong. He's very muscular. I remember hearing a couple girls in my class say that he came here earlier this year from District 7. He probably knows how to kill with an axe. Still, I've never really paid him much attention. Sure, I've seen him, I see most things. I wipe the emotions off my face and wait for my sisters. I'm positive they'll come.
"Ririi!" Roseiana screams. She's upset. Very. Naomi follows with a pained look on her face. I hug both of them, though I don't cry. I don't want to be picked as a weakling on day one.
"I'll miss you guys so much!" I say. I will. I don't want to leave them but it will be pretty hard for me to come back.
Maddox Pine P.O.V
"So are you happy?" My mother says. She's writing down something in her pocket book. She probably means how when I lived in 7 I've always wanted to go into the Games.
"Sure, I guess. I know I'm better then all of them. I can win this with one hand tied behind my back. My father nods. I've never really felt a real connection with my parents. Sure they're always buying me stuff, but our relationship is more executive to client then to parents and son. It doesn't bother me. While they're counting money, re-decorating the house, or planning out big events, I'm training.
"Good luck." My father says.
"You won't need it." My mother says in her sharp voice. They know I'm coming back too.
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{When Nightmares Become Reality} The 1,999 Hunger Games
FanfictionIt's been over a thousand years since Katniss Everdeen and the rebels took control of the Capitol. About a hundred years later after Katniss and Peeta lived long happy lives the Capitol once again took over. This time it was almost too easy, the war...
