Back to Normal: The 35th Hunger Games

Chapter 2

Troy Cahill- 18

The Games were all I knew. I was raised in the most dedicated District by two of the most dedicated citizens. Everyone knew Crag Steiner, of course. He won one of the most brutal Games in Panem's history with his ferocity and his mace. My mother, Venus Cahill, was set to go into the Games as well, but the instructors felt that her drive and discipline were better suited to preparing future Tributes, and they requested that she become an instructor instead. She served as the Academy's drill instructor, pushing the students farther than they thought possible. She was the only one most of us were afraid of.

With parents like that, I was hardly ever out of the Academy. My father was determined to have the first "Victor family". He started training me when I was six and the Academy was my second home. It would have been harder for me not to qualify after all the work he poured into me, and I was sixteen when the council selected me as a volunteer. For the next two years they intensified my training and it got so extensive I dropped out of school. I lost any friends of mine that weren't training, and even out of the remnant, the only one I had any time to be with was Zac. It was his idea to go to the party the night before the Reaping.

"I'm not worried you'll die, of course," he said when he was trying to convince me. "When you win, you're going to be busy. You'll be in the Capitol all the time and you'll have tons of fans. This is our last chance to go crazy together." I hadn't gone crazy since I was six. I wanted to make my father proud and I thought about it all the time, but surely he'd be proud when I volunteered tomorrow. I could have fun just once.

Everything in Two is larger than life, especially the parties. A Two party usually consists of at least ten Academy students, and they're competitive enough before the alcohol comes out. Around here, a party's not over until someone's bleeding. When we arrived, two boys were already doing keg stands with a crowd around them taking bets. Other partiers were wrestling or practicing their weapons. The non-students were either cheering or looking terrified.

"Hey, Zac!" someone yelled as we came in. "Who's your friend?"

"Xavier?" I asked when I recognized the face. He didn't train, but we used to be in the same history class. "It's me, Troy."

"Troy? I haven't seen you in forever! We thought you were dead or something," Xavier said. "What's up, man?"

"Just training," I said. I wondered what they'd been doing while I was buried in the Academy. Did they have parties like this all the time? Maybe I was missing out.

Zac tried to get me to show off and enter all the competitions, but for once I just wanted to goof off. I caught up with some of my old friends and I felt like a little kid again. We drank, jumped in the pool with our clothes on, played laser tag, and trashed the place like a couple of hooligans. It was more fun than I'd had in ages.

At the night of the night, we were both barely upright. I staggered home in the small hours of the morning and fell into bed. Already I was excited to volunteer in a few hours, but I felt my plans shift slightly. I was still going to fight and make my father proud. That would never change. When I was a Victor, though, I was going to take it a little easier. Instead of spending all my time teaching Academy students, I was going to live a little and goof off more. There was more to life than fighting. Duty came first, but after that, friends were nice too.

Cierra Daline- 16

The words were barely out of my mouth before I regretted them. It wasn't that I wasn't capable. I was well-trained even though I didn't go to the Academy. I was probably the only one other than the actual Academy pick, Helen Gaulle, who could volunteer without the entire District hating her. That was a long story. It was also part of the reason why I volunteered.

My sister Savannah was the coolest person I knew. I never realized her late night meetings and secrets were part of the rebellion. I always thought she was a spy for the Capitol, and I was mystified when they executed her. After that, the Daline name was mud, and nobody would mind if I "took care of myself." My brother Cealan and I trained ourselves so we could show we weren't all rebels. I never wanted to use my skills to hurt people. I just wanted to be like everyone else. I thought if I was strong and fierce like they were, they'd like me.

I made one friend from the Academy, and when I wasn't with Cealan I spent most of my time with her. I wondered if I was an afterthought to her. Hattie was only an average student at the Academy, but her life was so much more glamorous than mine. She didn't have to deal with people whispering whenever she walked by.

"Ugh, I can't believe they chose Helen," Hattie said as we walked to the Reaping.

"Yeah, me neither," I said. "Maybe someone else will volunteer. Then they'll be mad."

"That would be so awesome. I can just see the look on her stupid face," Hattie said. I imitated a crushed and furious Helen and Hattie laughed. I was so happy to be with a friend that life didn't seem so hard anymore.

Our last names meant that we were split up in line, and I didn't get back to Hattie until right before the Reaping. I found her with some of the other Academy girls and started to walk over.

"She's such a suckup," one of the other girls said.

"I can't help it. She's like a puppy," Hattie said.

"You're a real angel," the other girl said. The girl on Hattie's other side saw me and waved.

"Cierra! Come on!" Hattie said when she noticed. She waved me over and I took my place silently. I knew they were talking about me, but I pretended I hadn't heard. I tried not to cry as Hattie and the others started talking about Helen and how stupid she was.

What did I do wrong? I was nice. I was a good friend, I thought. I encouraged Hattie and told her how much better she was than Helen. I helped her practice. I helped with her homework when she was busy training. What did I do? Was it because of my sister? Was I so disgusting no one would ever really be my friend?

When Ijolite called for volunteers, I didn't even think before I spoke. I just wanted to do something that would make people proud of me. Hattie looked more surprised than impressed, but it was something. Helen scowled and looked over at two of the Academy instructors, who shook their heads. She was only seventeen, though, and she stayed quiet. She'd wait until next year just to get rid of me.

I regretted everything when I got up onto the stage. I had a good chance, and maybe dying was better than having people hate me or pity me. I just wished I hadn't been so rash. I cared so much about what Hattie thought that I risked my entire life. I should have thought of the important people, like Cealan. He didn't volunteer, but I could see how worried he was. He loved me no matter what, even if I was the weakest girl in Two. I got carried away, and I had the feeling I made a big mistake.

Troy is massive and muscular. He's six and a half feet tall and had brown hair and blue eyes. Cierra is average height with pale skin and dirty blonde hair. Her eyes are hazel.

Troy's form was evidently from a different Games originally. That's fine, but his parents were supposed to have won the 95th and 97th Games. I modified that to fit my other stories.