The 29th Hunger Games

District 4:Kevin Hale

This is it. The day we were waiting for. The day I was waiting for.

I stare down at my reaping clothes. A simple green-blue shirt,the colour of seaweed with yellow pants. I look at this simple choice of attire and imagine myself in the chariot costume, during the interview.......when I'm crowned the victor. A grin slips on my face as I walk towards the door. As soon as I open the door,my younger sister,Amber,who was hiding behind the door to scare me,jumps up and clings her hands on my shoulders. I pick her up and she starts giggling as I tickle her waist.

"No one can even try to wake you up before 10 on a normal day. I was going to jump on you to scare you in bed," Amber giggled.
I smiled. It was true. On any other day, you could have thrown salt water on my many wounds and that couldn't have woken me up. But,today,it was different. Today, the question should have been whether I slept at all last night.

"So....you really gonna do it?" she asks as she pretends to be really interested in my collar. I sigh as I put her down. She gives one of those pouts she is famous for. I have to admit, with her brown eyes,and her full lips tipped down,I am surprised I haven't already done what she wants me to.

"You know I am,Am," I say. "Its not even up for argument."
Of course its not. I'm eighteen,I'm from District 4 and I've been training my whole life.
I've been training at the Academy since I was six. In 4, its compulsory to enroll yourself for school at the age of 5. But here's the catch. Suppose you want to become a Career and are going to volunteer,or you are too good, you have to enroll at the Academy for training at the age of 6. The trainers will audition you and if you meet the standards, you can enroll willingly. Or,if you are excellent,then you are supposed to enter in the Academy,willingly or unwillingly. I happily agreed to join the Academy at the age of 6. You study in the school for three days and train for three. We study and train on Wednesdays, the only day we have both. And,if you don't enroll in the Academy, you study for five days straight.

I remember my last day at the Academy. I had just won another hand-to-hand combat match,when my trainer,Bane,called me. He said,in his low voice that sound terrifying when he shouts," You are going to do it. This reaping. Your last chance. You are the most promising fighter here. You'll bloody win this thing. You know you will. Do it."

"I will,Bane. I swear I will. And,yeah,I'm going there to win." And I'm going to.

I went with Amber as she led me to our mother,who was busy setting up the table with breakfast. Amber was skipping ahead of me. She was eight and she was in the Academy. According to Bane, she is pretty good in maces. She'll volunteer when the time comes. She has to. And I'll be there to coach her.

At the table my mother was cutting a loaf of bread.My mother has that satisfaction on her face that our district's parents have when their kids attend their last reaping. As we have breakfast, she asks,"So....what do you feel?"
"I'm on top of the world,mom," I answer grandly. Amber smirks in her toast.

We had a quick breakfast. As we walk to the square where the reaping takes place, I see many of the boys I train with. Brutal,cruel and can't-win-a-single-sponsor faced. I realize that one of the blonde boys, his face so brutal that it startled me, was a great swordsman and is also eighteen. I have to watch out for him.

The smell of the fish packing, the salty sea and the ocean seems really soothing. Might as well take in the smell now. I gave a deep sniff and it felt like rain during the scorching summers. Happy times. Like the times when I  used to play with Amber, picking her up and raising her above my head on her stomach, so that the air tickles her belly.

Before going over to the square to stand, Bane comes up to me and says," I know you're looking at Blondie. He's Dakana's fledgling. "

Dakana is the second trainer at the Academy. Bane hates him. They always make their students compete with each other for volunteering.

Bane continued,"He will volunteer as well. Start a fight. And win. Capitol people will trip over themselves to sponsor you. If he wins the fight and volunteers, District 4 will not have the victor. He is just a swordsman, but you are an all-rounder. You are a master of swords,knives,axes, tridents and hand-to-hand combat. Remember, the crown of the victor is yours. Pride for the district. Bring pride to the district." He pats my shoulder and sends me off.

As I glance at those boys, I started wondering. Do I look like that as well? That brutal,sadistic and cruel expression, was that on me as well? I hope not. It could totally kill my chances.

The stage is filled with chairs, for the mayor,the district escort, Diane and the victors. Diane looked pretty, but had a jade coloured wig and light blue skin with silver patters. People called her that 'Blue Woman', because of her obvious color choice and because she delivers blue news.
It fits her.

The latest victor,a strong looking woman, looks almost bored with the proceedings. Especially of all the cameras, which were all trained towards the stage.

The mayor reads the treaty about the Dark Days and the rebellion and the Capitol and the Hunger Games. Personally, I think we were damn idiots to challenge the Capitol. But I don't care about any of that when the reaping starts.

Diane pulls out the name of a twelve year old girl from the girls bowl and a vicious but pretty redhead who practises with maces in the Academy, volunteers for her. Now the boys.

Diane pulls out the name of a boy I've seen a couple of times at the academy,Justin Blake. He is good with a trident and can manage in the Games. But I volunteer for him just a second before the blonde swordsman does. I was waiting for this. To prove to the Capitol and the districts what I'm worth.

The cameras are trained towards us as the boy challenges me. He is a good swordsman but is slow and heavy and not good at combat. Before he raises his hands, I have thrown a powerful punch aiming at his jaw. My fingers sting as my punch finds its mark. The boy clutched his jaw, his lips covered with blood. I see his legs bend and realize that he is about to spring and get out of the way way just in time. The boy stumbles as I hit his neck with a chop and he collapses. I grab his hand and twist it behind his back. An animal-like scream left him and I realize that I have broken his hand. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Amber, a sad look on her face and decide leaving Blondie. But Blondie is smart. He throws me off his back and punches me. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth as I kick my opponent in the stomach and,on my knees,sweep his legs off the ground. A couple of Peacekeepers    drag me away from him as he lays there,groaning, blood spilling out his crevices. I don't attempt fighting off the Peacekeepers.As long as I get to volunteer, I don't care. The Peacekeepers take Blondie away as I face the stage,the cameras and a fearful Diane. The latest victor,Tiffany, smirked down on me as though she enjoyed the show. I wipe the blood off my chin ,mouth and teeth and smile at the stage.

Diane looks aghast at my state.
"I guess I'm volunteering," I say,pleasantly.