Unconventional

Chapter 2 It's Official, The World Hates Me and I Hate It.

I wake to the sound of fireworks and noise makers, the day of The Reaping has come. Each district reacts differently to The Reaping, poorer dictricts like Eleven and Twelve feel fear and dread, but richer districts like One and Two celebrate it with parades, and speeches written to our 'Great President Snow' telling him what a genius the Presidents were for coming up with something as barbaric and cruel as forcing twenty-four children to fight to the death as public entertainment. In my opinion districts Eleven and Twelve are being reasonable for dreading these things, my only consolation is that here in district One, it doesn't matter who's name is Reaped, everyone else will volunteer anyway in the hopes of winning and making their families proud.

So you can understand how totally unconcerned I am, as I pull my self out of my 'nest' and dress in the nicest clothes I own. I only wear this suit once a year for The Reaping so it's in fairly nice condition, of course I've been wearing it for five consecutive years so it doesn't really fit any more... I shrug as I pull myself out the hidden hatch that serves as my front door. Afterall this is the last year I'll be eligible for The Reaping so I'll never have to wear it again anyway. I can't wait until tonight, after The Reaping is over I'm going to hold a funeral for this suit, it's going to be so great watching it go up in flames.

I'm practically humming with excitement as I exit the semi-collapsed building and start making my way to The Reaping grounds, where I squeeze into place among the other seventeen year olds near the back, careful to place myself as far away from Cathal and his cronies. I don't think he'll try anything now, at least not until The Reaping ends, his parents would beat him hard and long if he did anything to disrupt this event. The excited whispering falls silent as a lady with dyed blue hair and a blue and white velvet dress climbs on stage. I recognize her from last year, although at the time her hair was yellow and she was wearing an orange lace dress. I think her name was Effie Trinket... I hate how happy she always seems when she says that cursed slogan, I guess it's required though since it's been said every year I can remember, even before Effie Trinket was The Reaping Organizer... is that what her positions called? Anyway all attention is now on the bubbly blue haired woman as she goes through the opening speeches, she goes on and on about how fierce the children look, and how district One will undoubtedly win again with such 'well trained little warriors'. I don't know if she's trying to be motherly or something but it's just getting on my nerves. I watch boredly as she reaches into the bowl filled with girls names, there's an anxious hush as Effie Trinket pulls out a thin slip of paper, and I watch as all the girls lean over expectantly, as though they are about to run the 100m dash, as Effie's lips part.

"SHINY ELFENWOOD!" Ellie shouts.

Even before the name is fully out of her mouth, the girl beside me throws up her hand and shouts "I volunteer as tribute!!" Seconds before every other girl shouts out the same words. Except for one who tried, and failed, to say she accepted her role as tribute, before anyone else could volunteer. The girl I assume to be Shiny Elfenwood turns her emaculatly styled blond head to glare murderously at the girl beside me. The girl simply smirks and whispers "you should be thanking me, if you fought in the games with a reaction speed that snail-like you would have died in the first five minutes!" Her friends all giggle cruelly at Shiny, who simply clenches her hands and turns to face the stage.

"Well, well! My dear do come up and tell us all the name of our newest tribute!!" Effie Trinket cheers melodiously into her microphone.

The girl beside me shoves past me rudely as she makes her way to the stage. I glare at her unfamiliar red hair as I rub my shoulder, I may not recognize most of the kids here, but they all know who I am, and they all hate me. She strides up the stairs, all elegance and poise, before she smiles up at Effie and says "my name is Amelia Glass."