District 13 Male - BROOKE STEEL
The moon rises slowly tonight, as if it knows what’s coming. Tomorrow’s the reaping. It’s only my second one, so I have my name entered twice. Then, I have to survive six more of these Reapings.
I don’t want to sound optimistic, especially on a night like this, but I know that I can win if I’m Reaped. People often underestimate me, but a boy who’s lived in the Aether forest for his entire life knows about tricks and survival.
I used to always hear about the other districts, the ones where the Games are a big deal. They always held parties the night before. Sometimes, they would choose someone who was guaranteed to volunteer. I don’t understand why they would do that, but I know why they celebrate.
It’s the last day of peace for the next few weeks, and they want to preserve it while they can.
Tomorrow, they’ll round up all of the Hybrids. It’s the one time during the year that they actually notice us, and I guess that I should be happy. I’ve never been treated like such an important person before.
Tonight, I decide to pull a leaf out of the Districts’ book: I hold a party.
“Winter?” I say, listening for her soft, quiet voice. Seconds later, I hear a tiny giggle from behind a tree. Smiling, I sneak towards the pleasant sound.
“Winter? Are you there?” I make my voice sound hesitant and scared, and I hear the laughter die down. “Winter!” With a sigh, I jump behind the tree and leap past her. She laughs again, her eyes bright.
“Brooke, do something else!” She claps, giving a tiny giggle.
“I’ll do something else,” I say, “if you get me some berries for dinner! We’re having a party!”
At the mention of the word party, her body becomes still and her eyes widen. “A party?” she whispers. “Do you mean it?”
It’s sad to me that she only knows survival. Sure, she has fun, but it’s usually playing with sticks or hiding in trees. She’s never smelled the joys of a barbecue, heard music from the greatest bands, or seen all the colors of a birthday party.
Then again, neither have I.
“Yes!” I whisper. “Now go! The party can’t start without the food!”
As she runs off, I remember the days when I used to be that young and innocent. Everything seemed like a game, and joking was fun and unintentional. The forest was a shining castle, and I was a courtier, free to go anywhere that I pleased.
Somehow, even today, the thought of a party makes me forget about the Games for a while. I give a small smile as I go to get ready, for that is exactly what I need.
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District 13 Female - FINOLA CALENDULA PONCEAU [8]
For as long as I can remember, there have been three of us. Two fiery Ponceau sisters and one bitterly cold brother. We've been together for seventeen years, the three of us. Something feels wrong about the empty space between Carmine and I but I've been ignoring it and the silence that has occurred because of it. He's tapping his fingers on my knee like he used to when we were kids, spelling out words in the code that we made up back then.
"So, Finola, how does it feel to be the prettiest hybrid monster here?" A look of amusement flickers in my sister's patchwork eyes, her mouth twisting into an odd smile. She seems prepared for the misconceptions that will arise because of our hybrid blood. That makes one of us.
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Author Games: Return To Seasons
ActionAurōrae is a wild and ravenous world. Dynamic biomes dominate the landscape, and the oppressing government split their people into four different States, and under them, Districts. Author Games has visited this place before, but a lot has changed si...
