Mireya Terrell's Story

Mireya felt claustrophobic as she stood in the anxious crowd, thick tension evident in the air, despite the enthusiastic speaker and their attempt to get the crowd riled up. She listened closely to the speech, nodding along silently, though she wasn't sure why. Did she agree with what the speaker said, all the nonsense about how the games were valuable? Of course she didn't, not one bit, but after going through this for the past three years, she was already familiar with this process and all the words that were being said, it just reminded her that this really was happening again and would continue to happen until she was eighteen.
After what seemed like thousands of eternities, the time came for the names to be drawn. Mireya shifted her position and watched closely as the speaker made her way to the girls bowl, certainly taking her time, as it added to the drama, and drama was what the capitol was all about.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as the slip was selected from the bowl, and it wasn't just because the speaker was clearly in no rush to get this over with, but also because moments of dread just seem to last so much longer. Casually strolling back over to the microphone, Mireya bit the inside of her cheek so hard she could taste blood as the lady slowly unfolded the name.
She took a quick look at the slip before boldly staring out at the crowd, opening her mouth to speak. Mireya's heart pounded violently, but when she heard the name being called, her own name... her heart just fell right out of her chest and her blood ran cold. The others around her let out a small sigh of relief, but looked at her sympathetically at the same time. Her face turned a thousand shades paler and she could barely feel her feet hitting the ground as she slowly began to step through the crowd, all eyes on her. As she ascended the stairs, her knees trembled violently and she had to try her best to not fall over.
The speaker approached her, smiling ear to ear, and held out her hand. Mireya hesitantly accepted it, and was lead to the center of the stage for everyone to get a better look at her. She felt terrified standing in front of all these people, all this pressure, a crushing amount, all focused on her. The speaker looked at her closely and put a hand under her chin, tilting her head upwards, "My, well aren't you just a darling... We seem to have so many pretty young ladies for our games this year." Then the speaker laughed a sickening sort of laugh that made Mireya cringe. She just stared out at the crowd, looking dazed, and feeling like she was about to topple over because of the lightness in her head. The speaker dropped Mireya's hand and left her standing there, alone and exposed as she went to draw the male tribute.

(Whew, might as well get mine outta the way c:)

~Revy Cadaver~

Today was the day. Revy grinned. Her younger bratty sister, Tanya, stood beside her, looking smug as ever. Peon. She'd get what she deserved. But only if her name was called. If not, Tanya wouldn't be able to compete anyhow, unless she volunteered. Which Revy would make sure she would not. Either way, Revy would have her revenge. That would show Tanya. That would show her.

The speaker suspensefully waved her hand around the girl's bowl, brimming with names. Within those names were her own, of course, but Revy wasn't really worried. The rainbow-gloved hand swirled around, mixing up the names until at last, one was seized. The crowd fell silent. Not a breath was taken. Boots clacked on the wooden slats of the stage as the speaker meticulously made her way to the microphone. Then: the moment of truth.

"Ahem... Tanya Cadaver."

YES! Revy's eyes lit up as the crowd parted for her sister. She flipped her hair, as if she were superior. Revy waited for the right moment. Just as Tanya was about to step up onto the stage, Revy's hand shot up.

"I VOLUNTEER!" she exclaimed, a malicious grin upon her face. The citizens of District 2 turned to face her. Her sister's face paled and her eyes blazed as Revy ran past her and she was pulled back into the crowd. The speaker cleared her throat. "Ah, lovely. A volunteer!" She waved her hand to Revy, whose grin widened as she caught sight of her sister's fuming expression.

Revenge was sweet.

~Dale Harper~

The female was Mireya. Strange. Dale hadn't expected Mireya to be chosen. But then again, he had to learn to expect the unexpected. This was, after all, the Hunger Games. One's assumptions were not always correct. The speaker reached her hand into the male's bowl, swirling her hand around dramitically, when she in fact looked quite foolish. Dale rolled his eyes. He didn't have time for the damn Reaping. Maybe he'd go fishing with his little brother, Evan, after this whole boring ordeal was over-

"Dale Harper."

No way. No goddam way! He looked stunned for a second as he walked zombie-like up to the stage. The speaker shook his hand and said a few words, but he didn't hear them. He heard nothing. The edges of his vision blurred as he thought about his brother. There was no way he had been chosen. This was a dream. Soon, he'd be awake and laughing about the whole thing. But something deep within Dale knew that this was not a dream. This was real. He was going to kill people. Kill... his expression went dark, his eyes hardened and he grinned maliciously. He was going to kill, alright. He'd do whatever it took to get back home. No matter what.

He shook hands with Mireya and the crowd cheered like they did every year in career districts. Despite his fierce resolution, he couldn't help but feel a sense of hopelessness. There was nothing he could do. His fate was being decided for him. But, he reminded himself, nothing would keep him from coming back to his brother, who needed him. Nothing.

Mireya watched just as anxiously as the speaker went to draw the name of the male tribute, once again making it go by as slow and dreadful as possible. She watched closely as the woman swirled her hand over the collection of slips, and though this was a serious moment, she nearly laughed, this was all so ridiculous and outrageous. But of course, she kept it to herself and looked out at the crowd to see who her district partner would be, and how he would react to being chosen.
"Dale Harper." she speakers voice rang out through the silence.
Mireya knew who Dale was, well, not exactly, but she almost immediately connected the name to the face as her eyes landed on him, among the many others in the crowd. He looked stunned, even as he made his way up to the stage, he couldn't get the look of shock off of his face. As he came up next to her on the stage, she glanced sideways at him, but his mind seemed to be completely elsewhere, he didn't even appear to be focusing on what the speaker was telling him.
Her eyes got a glassy look to them as she returned her gaze to her feet, trying not to think about the fact that one, if not both of them would be dead by the time all this was over. The thought made her feel sick, and she swayed slightly, nearly falling to her feet once again, but just then, Dale went to shake her hand and she firmly grasped his, giving it a small shake, and then letting go once she had regained her balance.
All of a sudden, the speaker pushed her way between the two and took a hand from each, holding them up in the air, "District four, these are your tributes!"
As the audience let out a hearty cheer, Mireya nodded silently to herself, once again, not her way of agreeing with what was happening, but instead acknowledging it and accepting there was nothing she could do about it. However, her stomach lurched violently as the speaker turned the two of them away from the crowd and began to lead them to the justice building. Mireya desperately glanced over her shoulder one last time, realizing with a jolt of horror that this was probably her last time she'd ever see district four.
Suddenly, she just had this urge to resist, to not go along with this, but rather do everything in her power to get herself out of this situation. She firmly pulled her hand away from the speaker, who hadn't been holding onto her very well because she must not have expected that anyone would try to get away. Stopping in her tracks, the speaker looked at Mireya in a way that said 'Go ahead, try.' Mireya felt a bit scared now but she continued to back away, her steps getting bigger and quicker. She was just about to turn away, make a run for it perhaps, when she was forced forwards by some peacekeepers who had quickly taken their places. With each arm grasped firmly, she had no choice but to be dragged into the justice building. She bit down hard on her lip in frustration as she knew that she was helpless. The peacekeepers shoved her into a room where she waited a few minutes before being visited by her brothers. They shared a final moment, her brothers doing their best to try and assure her. When the peacekeepers came to take them away, it felt like her skin was being ripped off as she watched them until they were out of sight. She fell back against the wall, and lying defeated on the floor, broke into sobs. Only moments later, the peacekeepers approached her and just as they were about to help her to her feet, she quickly got up herself, glaring icily at them as they then proceeded to pull her along to the train.Once on the train, she found a spot by the window and sat with her head leaned against the glass, a few tears making their way down her cheeks. She looked out the window at her surroundings as they just flew by, and she was amazed at how things could go falling topsy turvy in such a short amount of time.