Brutis Glaze’s POV:

‘’ Brutis! Wake up honey! Breakfast is ready.’’ Calls my mother from downstairs, the smell of my favourite food wafts up the stairs and into my room.

‘’ Pancakes with blueberries and cream, mother you’ve made my day.’’ I mutter to myself with a grin as I climb from my four poster bed.

I descend to the kitchen and my mother greets me with a peck on the cheek and a hug.

‘’ Today’s the big day sweetheart!’’ She chimes.

‘’ Today’s the big day.’’ I repeat with a smile. ‘’ The day a man becomes a tribute.’’

‘’ That’s my boy!’’ Says my father proudly as he enters the kitchen, a long smoking pipe in his mouth and the newspaper under his arm.

‘’ How many kills do you think I will get in the bloodbath?’’ I question as I take a seat and begin to horse down the pancakes. ‘’ I’m hoping at least five.’’

‘’ Is that all? Come on Brutis, you’re much more capable than that!’’ Says my father coldly. ‘’ I’ll be accepting no less than ten!’’

‘’ Yes father!’’ I reply and I finish off the rest of my food silently.

I quickly finish my breakfast and head back up to my room to prepare for the Reapings. My mother has lain out my fancy clothes that I only see at this time of year. I wash and then pull the clothes on. My mother then comes in and combs my hair and fixes my bowtie for me.

‘’ You look lovely.’’ Beams my mother proudly. ‘’ Doesn’t he Charles?’’

My father’s eyes barely leave the paper he is reading, they glance at me for the slightest of seconds. ‘’ Is ‘lovely’ really the impression you want to be giving?’’

‘’ Oh stop that Charles! You know exactly what I meant.’’ Scolds my mother and my father returns to his pipe and paper.

From outside, the voice of District One’s Mayor begins to sound through the speakers located on every corner.

‘’ I will now ask that all of those who are up for today’s Reaping to head to the town square, we will be beginning in just thirty nine minutes!’’

‘’ I better go mother.’’ I say, moving towards the door.

‘’ Do us proud my boy! We’ll see you later.’’ Chimes my mother happily and I exit the house.

I walk down the small pathway from my house and I exit through the garden gate, glistening a bright green colour in the sunshine. As I get to the gate, I am met by two friends.

‘’ Yo Brutis! Wait up!’’ Calls Marvin from behind me. He and Gretchen, one of my other friends jogs to catch up to me.

‘’ Today’s the day.’’ I smile.

‘’ You’re gonna do us proud!’’ Smiles Marvin.

‘’ I can’t wait!’’ I beam excitedly in response.

‘’ I wish I could go in! My parent’s said I can’t volunteer until next year when I’m eighteen. I would have loved to take part in a Quell. My parents will be paying my trainer double next year so I will be unstoppable when the time comes to enter the arena. At least I can watch my best friend win it though.’’ Smiles Gretchen.

‘’ I wonder who I’ll be paired with.’’ I wonder aloud. ‘’ It better be another career, that way I can have some fun!’’

‘’ Ah you will, the Capitol will want to make an interesting Games, so they’ll probably rig the draw so there is two pairs of careers, the Capitol citizens would love that!’’ Explains Marvin.

We continue chatting about the weaklings I will have fun slaying as we approach the town square. The place is buzzing with excited people, all eager to get the Games started – as I am – and everyone is chatting happily as they await the arrival of the Mayor and District One’s escort. Our District’s escort is Lorelli Lovecott, who has been our escort for as long as I can remember!

‘’ Oh this is so exciting!’’ Yells Gretchen happily, unable to control her emotions. ‘’ I will see you guys later!’’

I split from Marvin and Gretchen, they both head for the queue that leads to the seventeen year old section whereas I head to the eighteen year old section.

‘’ Brutis! Good luck today man! You’re gonna kill ‘em dead!’’ Smiles Samuel – another friend – as he pats me on the back with his ape sized hands.

‘’ Thanks.’’ I laugh.

‘’ I’m so jealous of you man. I would’ve loved to be going to the Hunger Games, especially for a Quell! The coaches loved you though from day one all those years ago, it was obvious they would nominate you to volunteer. The same goes for Belle. If you two are paired, you’ll win it for sure.’’ He says complimentarily.

Before I have a chance to reply, Lorelli Lovecott – our District’s escort – the Mayor and a few other town officials that I don’t really consider important enough to find out their names stride powerfully onto the stage. Lorelli and the other officials take a seat on the stage facing the crowd and the Mayor steps up onto the podium facing us.

‘’ Welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls to the event we have been waiting for all year!’’ Begins the Mayor, this alone gets a deafening scream of joy from the crowd. ‘’ As you all know, today is the day we elect our two tributes to go forward to represent District One in this year’s Hunger Games. We know our two tributes will do us proud.’’

The Mayor waits for the crowds to stop screaming and cheering enthusiastically and then he plays the short documentary on the Hunger Games we must all watch each year.

The short movie is played on a giant projector so everyone in the audience can see it clearly. It begins at the rebellion, detailing how the thirteen Districts of Panem staged an uprising and lost.

It then goes on to highlight the first ever Hunger Games and then it moves onto the Quells throughout the years. It then shows us multiple clips from the Ultimate Games that happened just twenty five years ago, in which a District Four cripple named Pod Pratchett took the gold.

How I would have loved to take part in the Ultimate Games, the bloodshed, the glory. It would have been exhilarating to take part and come out a lone Victor after seventy two others perished so pathetically.

It shows a clip of Florence Tempera from District Nine, the red-haired and sadistic psychopath that relished torturing and killing the other tributes. I would have put my money on her had I been alive at the time, it was a shock to see her fall.

The video then switches to a clip of the final few minutes in the Ultimate Games arena. I’ve watched the tapes so many times, I’ve listened to Pod and Phoenix argue at fifteen minutes to midnight over who deserves to win more. How pathetic! What I and everyone else wanted was a bloody and action packed finally. If Reina had lived instead of Phoenix, then the ending would have been magnificent and the victor would have been from District One. If only I had had the chance to enter, I would have brought home the gold. Phoenix Mayflower was a joke!

The clip ends with the Capitol’s anthem and then the Mayor welcomes Lorelli Lovecott back to the stage. She skips cheerfully over to where the podium is and takes a stance beside the two Reaping bowls.

‘’ Hello citizens of District One! You all know me very well by now, as this is my twenty fifth year as the escort for District One. Before we begin, I just want to tell you all that this will be my last year as escort.’’

As she says this, the whole crowd erupts into a symphony of playful booing. Along with a lot of sympathetic ‘Don’t leave, we love you!’ or ‘You’re the best escort we’ve ever had!’. Lorelli smiles at this and then she wipes a tear from her eye.

‘’ Oh you guys!’’ She smiles. ‘’ You guys are the best honestly! I loved being the escort for you all. I got to be a part of the first Ultimate Games and now I am getting a chance at a Quarter Quell so I will make the most of my last year!’’

She steps up to the Reaping bowl for the girls and smiles at us.

‘’ As always, we begin with the ladies.’’ She smiles and plunges her hand into the bowl full of names.

‘’ Tia Brimmington!’’

Belle Balentine’s POV:

‘’ I volunteer!’’ I yell happily from where I stand in the eighteen year old section.

As I say this, the other eighteen year old girls around me part from me so the cameras can get a clear shot. As I walk from the pen, the other girls pat me on the shoulder and congratulate me for my victory in being able to volunteer as District One’s female tribute.

‘’ Good luck Belle! You’ll do great! Win this thing for us.’’ Chimes Layla as she pats me gently on the shoulder as she passes.

‘’ I will!’’ I smile in response. ‘’ I hope I’m paired with someone from Two or Four. I can’t stand Brutis and his cocky attitude.’’

‘’ Yeah I agree. He’s a jerk. Especially towards women. I hope he’s paired with some wimp from Twelve or one of those Districts.’’ Replies Layla and we both laugh.

‘’ See you!’’ I smile and step out onto the section for eighteen year old girls and onto the pathway leading up to the stage.

I stride powerfully up to the stage, Lorelli and the other officials on the stage watch me with broad smiles on their faces. The crowds cheer for me as I approach the stage and I smile enthusiastically back at them as I approach.

‘’ Hello! What’s your name?’’ Asks Lorelli as I climb the steps to the stage.

‘’ I’m Belle Balentine.’’ I chime happily with a smile painted across my face.

‘’ What a lovely name! And what age are you Ms. Balentine?’’

‘’ I am eighteen years old.’’ I smile.

‘’ And what word would you use to describe yourself? To give the other tributes a taste of what your really like as a person.’’ Asks Lorelli.

‘’ Hmm.’’ I say into the microphone, trying to think. ‘’ I think the word that best describes me is underestimated.’’

‘’ Ooh, interesting! I can’t wait to hear more about that in the interviews! Please, take a seat over there.’’ Smiles Lorelli. ‘’ Please everyone give it up for Belle Balentine!’’

The crowd cheer crazily as I retreat to the seat. They then silence as Lorelli approaches the Reaping bowl for males.

‘’ Now then! For the boys!’’ Begins Lorelli and she plunges her hand into the large bowl full of male names.

She spins her hand around the bowl for a moment, churning the names around and then plucks a random one out and lifts it to her eye level.

‘’ Brett-‘’ She begins, but as expected, she is cut off mid-sentence.

‘’ I volunteer as tribute!’’ Roars Brutis proudly from somewhere in the crowd.

The other eighteen year old boys scream happily as their friend strides from the eighteen year old male section, a broad grin on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

‘’ Ugh.’’ I sigh aloud, although not meaning to.

‘’ Hello! What is your name?’’ Questions Lorelli excitedly as Brutis makes his way up to the stage.

‘’ I’m Brutis, Brutis Glaze. You should get used to this pretty face Lorelli and all you ladies out there, single or not because in just a few months, I will have brought District One home the glory of a Quarter Quell victory!’’

As he says this, the crowd screams crazily however I do not entertain him. Lorelli claps him on the back.

‘’ That’s the spirit we love here in District One!’’ She screams and the crowd joins her.

Brutis laughs. ‘’ I’m serious. Me and doll-face over there are gonna do this District proud!’’

‘’ What word would you use to describe yourself?’’ Asks Lorelli, as she asked me.

‘’ Perfect.’’ He says and then smiles. A set of bright pearly whites are revealed and he winks at the crowd. Lorelli screams with laughter and the crowd do as well.

How the hell can they like this clown? I think to myself. Look at him!

‘’ Just take a seat there with Belle over there.’’ Instructs Lorelli and he joins me sitting facing the crowd of adoring District One citizens.

‘’ Hey Belle.’’ He smirks.

‘’ Ass.’’ I reply coldly.

‘’ What did I do?’’ He asks defensively.

‘’ Doll-face?’’ I say in disgust, he just smirks.

‘’ You better get used to it chick, because we’re gonna be a pair for this thing.’’ He explains.

‘’ What?’’ I ask in confusion.

‘’ We’re gonna be a pair.’’ He repeats.

‘’ You do realise that we might not be paired. They never said you get paired with the other person from your District.’’ I say demandingly, trying to make him feel inferior for once.

‘’ What?’’ He gasps, then coughs to clear his throat. ‘’ What?’’

‘’ I hope your paired with some weakling from one of the crappy Districts.’’ I laugh.

We sit in silence for the rest of the time Lorelli is speaking. Now that I am not talking to Brutis, I zone in to her words.

‘’ And finally, to our two tributes. We wish them luck in the upcoming events of the one hundred and twenty fifth Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in their favour!’’

With this, the crowd goes crazy, cheering and screaming and clapping. The roar our names and cheer for us – mostly for Brutis. Then Lorelli gives one last wave and leads us from the stage and the cheering crowds of District One citizens.