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Post by james mcdaniels on Feb 7, 2011 14:23:41 GMT -5
James stood silently just like everyone else around him, waiting for the capitol lady to call of the first name to enter the Hunger Games. Males were always drawn first which added that bit of suspense to every non-female in the crowd. Perspiration began to form in my clammy hands as I squeezed my little sister, Annie's hand. She was only fourteen and James's greatest fear was if she were to enter the Hunger Games. If her name were called he wouldn't be able to step into her place as a volunteer. He doubted that any girl would step in for somebody that wasn't somehow related to them. It was odd how James wanted his name to be called so he could enter the Games. Yet, at the same time he dreaded the idea for the same thing to happen to his sister.
The Capitol lady dug her hands around in the box with all the names that lay inside of it. James currently had his name in there four times. Once for being a teenager and three other times for qualifying for the annual tesserae. She was taking an awful long time trying to find the right slip of paper that she felt contained the perfect name for the games. The lady's tiny and perfect fingers finally closed around a name and James felt his heart begin to quicken in its beats per minute.
'JAMES MCDANIELS!!!!! her voice echoed throughout the town square. James's eyes widened in surprise when he heard name called. Annie squeezed his hand tighter as James began walking up towards the stage. He could hear Annie crying out his name to not go, to refuse to fight for the Capitol.
When he arrived at the stage and faced the crowd, he could feel all the eyes staring him down. Very few were crying for him - Hardly anyone ever did cry for the tributes anymore. The people of District Nine had just grown accustomed to the fact that every year they were going to lose two people to the Games.
But while the people stared at James, he knew this wasn't quite the end. There was another name to be called, and he prayed to god that it wasn't his sister. If anyone would be called, he hoped it would be somebody he wouldn't know, but also somebody he could come to trust and consider an ally. But the truth was coming. His rival and ally from District Nine would soon be revealed.
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Post by aspen acacia hunter on Feb 7, 2011 14:44:18 GMT -5
Aspen stood with her peers in the crowd in the town square. She wore one of her mother's old reaping dresses, a high-waisted pearl-colored thing with gold accents, and her bright red hair was done up in elaborate curls. Her sister, Eliza, stood who knows how far behind her, wearing a dress their mother had sewed herself.
Aspen Hunter found the whole thing a bit boring...a little nerve-wracking, but overall, boring. The Capitol escort was as annoying as ever, so she'd tuned her out until the girl's name was about to be drawn. Which meant hearing who the boy was. The odds were not in her favor that day. She herself had taken eight tesserae to keep her family fed. Her mother didn't make much money and couldn't hunt worth anything, so Aspen had dropped out of school to be the main bread-winner.
"JAMES MCDANIELS!"
The name sounded familiar. Maybe he was in her year at school...yes. Yes he was, he was leaving from her age section. He seemed the type who would be able to survive, at least past the Cornucopia. Maybe he would even befriend his fellow District Nine tribute. But she couldn't tell, nor did she care. She wasn't going to be reaped this year. At least, she thought so. There were people who had taken more tesserae than her, so it only made sense that her odds were not as bad as one of the girls around her. And even if she was reaped, she would be happy. She knew she was likely to die, but she would not hesitate to treat each of the other tributes like one of the people who had cut out her father's tongue or beaten her only years earlier in this very square.
"ASPEN HUNTER!" the voice cut through her thoughts. At first she thought it was her imagining. But then it registered. She, yes, SHE would be the female tribute from District Nine in the Seventy-Second Hunger Games. She ran up to the stage and looked at James McDaniels. It was at that moment that she began to think about if she should become his ally in the Games or turn against him as soon as they were in the arena. Both seemed good options...but she would have to discover his skills in training before too much happened in the Capitol. Maybe even on the train there...
Aspen held out her hand to James, face set in a small smile.
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Post by james mcdaniels on Feb 7, 2011 23:43:36 GMT -5
Aspen Hunter...Hadn't he heard that name somewhere before? Yes..She was in his grade at the school he went to. He didn't really know her all that well, seeing as he didn't talk to exactly all the girls in his grade. In fact, he was only in contact with about two or three of them. Not knowing his fellow tribute would put him at a disadvantage to the Games...Then again, it would also put her at one - Unless she had some secret obsession over him that only she knew about it.
The Crowd cheered as Aspen walked up towards the stage. The Capitol Lady was clapping wildly, but somehow, James knew it was fake. Everything about the Capitol people seemed to fake, not real. James searched the crowd for people who were feeling any sympathy for her, any at all. He was coming up blank, he didn't even see any of her family members! It wasn't that nobody was there with Aspen, in fact there probably was. James just couldn't spot them.
Aspen extended a hand out towards James as James looked her up and down. James put his hand in hers and shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you. I'm sure we'll become quite acquainted on our journey to the end of the Games." Turning around James strode towards the Mayors building after everybody else.
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Post by aspen acacia hunter on Feb 10, 2011 13:28:15 GMT -5
Aspen gave James a critical look-over as he did what looked like the same. She was still inwardly seething about the amount of applause being given at her reaping. Were they all just really good at acting, or were they all happy to see her get sent off to die? The Capitol escort was obviously faking it. Capitol residents never really cared. Tributes were just shiny new toys to use and break until they found one to play with until the next year.
His handshake was firm. At least that was a good sign. What he said, however, made Aspen smile wryly. The odds of them both journeying to the end were slim. Unless, however, the competition was scrawny and weak. Then maybe they'd have the honor of having to fight each other for the title of Victor. Once the handshake was broken, the ceremony now over and done with, she watched him turn around and start toward the Justice Building.
She waited for a few moments, turning to look over her shoulder at her brothers, sisters, and mother. What would they do without her? Eliza would have to take the tesserae instead and start hunting like the rest of the district. She'd have to drop out of school…
And it was all the Capitol's fault.
Aspen would have to try her hardest to avoid having this happen to her family. If she won, her family would move to the Victor's Village and never be hungry or cold again. Everything would be fine and dandy if she won. Except for the whole mentoring the tributes next year thing. She could deal with that though. Being the shiny new Capitol toy…she'd try to resist. Try to stay defiant and resistant to their orders. Allying would help her do that. With the Careers, especially. And James, if he'd want to get in with them as well.
Aspen looked back after James and walked as quickly as she dared toward the Justice Building. If she worked quick enough and without too many cameras watching…she could set up the alliance right then and there. She ran to catch up with her fellow tribute and reached out to touch his shoulder, saying softly, "James. Can I ask you something really quick?"
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