Back to Normal: The 35th Hunger Games

Chapter 3

Soleil Farran- 17

Bubbles looked prettier than she usually did. Her dress was lined with thousands of tiny LEDs that moved rhythmically, giving the impression that her dress was flowing over her. I could imagine how fun it would have been to design, and I mapped out a schematic in my head as I waited for her to pick a name. I went over every detail- every node, every ounce of materials, and the code I'd need to make them dance in that specific rhythm. I didn't hear Bubbles start the picking until she called a name.

"Soleil Farran!" she yelled. I was so surprised I hardly had time to be scared. I started thinking of strategy right away.

What do I do? I'm about to be in front of everyone. First thing- don't look scared. The first angle to pop into my head other than "terrified Bloodbath" was "mysterious". I didn't say anything and tried to look fierce as I took the stage. I pretended someone just said something terribly insulting and glared at the audience. With luck I looked far more competent than I was. I saw the cameraman filming me and kept the act up until I was safely backstage out of sight.

What's next? I need a weapon. It will be too hard to learn something long-range in a few days. Something easy is better. A sword is good because it will extend my reach. Once I get to the Capitol I'll talk to Acee. At least I have that going for me. Tributes from Three have the best mentor.

I'd never seen my mom so affectionate as when she came to see me. She had a rough past, and I was often a reminder of things better left unsaid. It always seemed to hang over her head that the Capitol could do anything, and this was one more reminder.

"Stay safe," she said. She gave me my token: a pair of dog tags etched onto microchips. I kept plotting after she was gone. It was the only thing stopping me from losing it.

I don't belong here. I'm an artist, not a fighter. I don't know anything about the Games. I was always a watcher before the Reaping, never a doer. I was one of the most boring people in Three and I was about to be the star of Panem's biggest show.

Star... that was one way to think of it. I was about to make my big debut. The people would expect me to be dynamic and stellar. If I didn't want the sponsors to completely forget about me, I needed an angle. Tortured artist? No, that type never won. Underdog? Boring. Feisty fighter? No way I could pull that off. I had to settle on "everyman"- an ordinary boy sucked into an extraordinary situation. The other Tributes would be more complicated. There was so much I would need to be that I wasn't. Every one of them would have different weaknesses. It wasn't enough to be me, and it wasn't enough to be someone else. I had to be everybody.

Elyssa Adverteese- 16

Pixelle, Keyanne and I stuck together on Reaping days. It was almost a superstition, like they couldn't call any of us because we were a group and they were looking for one Tribute. Normally we talked and joked around all the time, but we never had much to say on Reaping day. It was scary being so close to death. Most of the time I didn't even know the kids that got picked, but Celeste babysat me once. It was like she just vanished.

I was so scared at my first Reaping that I couldn't even talk. After four years, it seemed like it would never really happen to me, but it was still tense. I held out my hand and a man pricked my finger. I wondered how many of the eighteen-year-olds had bruises from getting pricked so many times. My name came first alphabetically, and I waited until Pixelle and Keyanne caught up.

The town was always so quiet on Reaping day. Other than the few scattered children crying or wailing for their parents, it was like a funeral. There were people stretched as far as I could see, but it was like all of us were alone.

I always liked seeing Bubbles. Her outfits were fun and fabulous. She seemed like a cool person to hang out with. It almost made up for the dying thing. She called the boys first, and she reaped Soleil Farran. He took it really well. I'd have been a mess. Talk about tempting fate...

"Alyssa Adverteese!" Bubbles called.

"That's Elyssa!" I yelled back. "Shoot, that's me!" I was so startled I froze up. Two Peacekeepers started toward me.

"No! No!" I yelled. The first one reached me and I grabbed on to his legs, almost knocking him over. He tried to peel me off and I grabbed on with one arm as soon as he shook the other one off. I kept yelling my refusal and the Peacekeeper waved one of the others off. He gave up and walked to the stage with me dragging underneath him. I hunkered down in the dirt, left a furrow behind me, hooked my legs around the steps, and generally made a nuisance of myself.

A lot of people came to see me before I went. It was almost like a party- the worst party in history. I almost wasn't scared anymore. Just like it seemed like the Reaping would never happen to me, it seemed like I wouldn't actually die. That would happen to all those other Tributes. It was going to be kind of exciting going to the Capitol. I'd get to wear makeup and ride on a train and all sorts of things. Whether or not I realized it, it was the adventure of a lifetime.

Soleil looks like Lucky Blue Smith, whoever that is. Elyssa is average height and weight with brown shoulder-length hair, pale skin, and freckles.

I wasn't planning to do a formal Reapings recap. I plan to use the train chapter to communicate how the Tributes reacted to getting Reaped.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: One of you submitters who submits a character every story didn't see this one until I filled all the slots. I try to hold off giving anyone two characters until everyone who wants to participate has one. I didn't know until too late this time. I'm not going to revoke any reservations, but if anyone who has two slots is willing to give up one, let me know.