The Hunger Games (A Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

Jasper's P.O.V.

I look out the train window, watching my home, District 9, rush by, fading into the distance. The fields of wheat and corn waving in the wind, as if waving me goodbye. I try not to think of what just happened. I was chosen. Me. Out of the hundreds of people that lived in the district, I was chosen to be in this bloodbath. The Hunger Games. I shook my head and looked behind me at my compartment. The walls were three different shades of blue-gray, a silver woven couch sat in the corner with a small white desk right next to it that had a glass of water sitting on top of it. 'Just a basic compartment' is what Miss Trinket had told me, 'Nothing too fancy'. 'Nothing too fancy', and yet way nicer than any place I've been before. If this is 'basic' for the capital, then what is the standard? What is 'fancy' for them? I leave that thought in my head for a moment, until I hear a knocking on my door. A few seconds later, without any consent from me, the door swings open. It's Miss Trinket.

 "Jasper! How are you doing?" She asks in her overly sweet, energy filled voice. "I'm...fine." I lie. I don't like talking to her. She's too fake. "Well that's great! I want you to come to the dining lounge, there is a special program playing I want you to see!" I don't want to. I want to keep staring out the window, being depressed. But honestly, getting out and doing something that distracts me, might make me feel better. Emphasis on might. "Ok..." I say, getting up from my comfortable window seat, following Miss Trinket down the hall. We come to the dining lounge and I sit down in a couch identical to the one in my compartment. I look up at the flat-screen tv and see that she was right, a program is on. A Hunger Games program.

I watch the Capitol's symbol appear on the screen, flashing blue and gray. A voice starts speaking, the same voice that says the countdown for the Hunger Games. "Welcome ladies and gentleman from all districts and the Capitol, to the 65th annual hunger games! Tonight we will be showing the line-up of tributes this year. Isn't that exciting?! First, we have District 1, the jewelry district." The screen flashes, 'District 1' in shining gold letters. It is the Capitol's favorite. The screen fades to black, then, shows footage from District One's reaping.

 District 1 looked beautiful, as usual. The stage was glistening white, and above was a banner reading, 'The 65th Annual Hunger Games Reaping!'. It looked like it was woven with gold, silver and diamonds, which, I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Effie stood on the stage, right up to the microphone, smiling widely and said her usual spiel about the games, then, it was time for the name choosing. She walked up to a huge glass sphere, filled to about halfway or more, with names. She dipped her hand into the sea of names, fishing around for a bit, then she drew out a crisply folded piece of paper. She walked back over to the microphone and said, "Ella _____!" The crowd parted and through the gap came a medium height girl with shoulder length shimmery blond hair. She had river blue eyes and was wearing a strapless light pink dress. She was standing tall and confident, but I could almost see the anxiety rising up behind her eyes. She stood next to Effie, smiled wide and raised both her hands up in the air in triumph. The crowd cheered. Jeez, they really care about the Hunger Games... 

They went to District 2 which was even more enthusiastic about the tribute that was chosen. His name was Canyon, and when he got up on stage, he stuck his tongue out at the camera and flipped it off. That basically explains him. Then at District 3, a tall girl with a long golden brown braid cascading down her back was chosen. Her name was Leah. She definitely looked scared, but she had a sense of determination and intelligence about her. At District 4, a girl with curly black hair and a very confident look on her face was chosen. Her name was Sydney, and she wanted to make sure the cameras all around her knew that.

 District 5 had AavaA, who was tall, athletic and had flowing brown-blond hair. She looked terrified. District 6's tribute was very short, very laid back and self-assured of herself. Her name was Sasha. Sasha. I would definitely remember that name. District 7's tribute was Celia, who looked like a very stubborn person. She struggled from the peacekeeper's grasp and tried her best to get away, to run back to her parents. Even when she was on the stage, she had tried to run off. A girl named Myla was District 8's tribute. She had short and wavy blond hair, that had strands of pastel color glimmering through it. I'm guessing she stole some dye from the textile production lines in her district, and dyed her hair. 

Then came District 9. My District. Oh god. I see the dusty barn in the background, the early morning sun peaking over the edge of the stage. I see Effie literally dusting off her shoulder, looking quite disgusted with her surroundings. Then, she walks up to the mic, says her spiel and walks up to the bowl of names. She fishes out a small scrap of paper, walks back to the mic and reads out, "Jasper _____". I see in the corner of the screen, my brother's face lighting up with anger...or...fear? I couldn't tell then or now. I watch my short figure walk up the stairs of the stage, shaking with every step, my dark brown hair swishing in the wind. I wish I hadn't looked so scared. I wish I had hidden my fear, my anxiety. But it was all there, for all of Panem to see. I stood next to Effie, hunched over, not looking at anyone, because I knew that if had, I would have cried. It would've been too much. I watched myself getting ushered away by the peacekeepers in their pristine white suits and their coal black guns. I look back for a second, a strong look of terror in my eyes. Then, the screen goes to black. 

"Now for District 10, where..." I get up from my seat and start to walk back to my compartment. I couldn't stand this. Watching the choosing of possible killers. Watching their fear, sadness, anger, happiness and rage. It made them human. I can't kill a human. No one can. Except maybe for that District 2 tribute, he seems like he wouldn't care.

"Where are you going Jasper? You'll miss the last three tributes!" I hear Effie Trinket's neon green heeled boots clop down the hall behind me. I turn to face her pale pink skin, unnaturally high cheekbones and sharp crystal blue eyes. "I don't care. I'm going to bed." I turn back and walk into my compartment. "What about dinner?" She asks. "I don't need it." I say, then I slam the door behind me.

Myla's P.O.V.

I stare out into the deep color of the lake surrounding the Capital, it seemed to be dipped in silver and dark maroon. What is in this lake? I'm guessing not anything good. It almost looked like someone had dumped gallons and gallons of purple and metallic dye into the lake. Not that I'm used to seeing clear water, I haven't seen it in years. 

I live in the clothing district. The district that cleans, cuts, pulls, weaves, dyes and snips off the loose ends of the clothing that will soon be worn by peacemakers. Peacemakers are the authority figures in Panem, but they sure aren't peaceful. The name is very ironic. I've seen one...well...I try not to think about it. I am on the way to a battle zone of sorts, I'd rather not think of such things. At least not yet.

I break away my attention from the wasteful mess of a lake and onto my destination, the Capital. I could see from here, the crystal yellow lights, the diamond and spherical buildings that shine like reflections of starlight. But it seemed very artificial, it was crafted to look like that. There was no natural beauty about it. It almost made me feel anxious. I tried to push it down. It didn't work very well. 

"NOW ARRIVING, THE CAPITAL." The cold voice rang over the speakers. I watch the train slink into the bright, shiny Capital station. Unexpectedly, I am met with a crowd. A huge one. Full of bright colors, golden hair, beards and eyes and sharp shapes. A crowd of the Capital's people, both men, women, children and people of unknown gender were shoving and waiting, watching the train, looking for someone. Looking for me. A little girl with two shockingly blue pigtails and light purple eyes pointed at me and yelled, "There she is!" The entire crowd looked over at me, smiling, glaring, all excited at one level or the other. I didn't want to disappoint them in anyway, they gave off that feeling of guilt if you didn't do something, say something. So I waved. All the younger people waved back, especially the girl who had spotted me. But a lot of the older people glared at me. Especially at my hair. 

The train came out of view of the brightly colored crowd and onto a smaller platform with no people, except one teenage-looking boy, wearing red and gold servant's clothes. His face was blank. It scared me but I didn't know why. My neon yellow haired instructor walked me out of my cabin and off the train, leaving the boy to follow us. Then, we walked into the Capital.