24 Years, 24 Tributes

Chapter 11

Peppermint Wilson POV

I looked out the window and saw the sun blazing in the sky. Great. There are upsides and downsides to being one of the few milk-white kids in District 11. The boys love it, so as soon as I find one I fancy he's mine. The problem is that here in 11, we mostly work outside, under the sun. Since I seem to be incapable of tanning, I have to slather on sunscreen every five minutes or I peel like a banana. My mom and dad are both dark-skinned like most people around here. I don't know what happened with me.

My twin brother Apollo joined me as I sat down at the breakfast table. We weren't identical, since he was a boy and all, but he was pale like me.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Let's burn this place down," I replied.

We raced each other to the Reaping center. Apollo won, since his legs are way longer than mine, but I gave him a run for his money. We settled in identical rows across the center from each other.

Snapdragon Tinsel took the stage in a dress made entirely of glittery fringe with her signature flower tucked into her hair. She looked as bombastic as ever. It certainly was a showstopper, but she was wearing the same fringe-y necklace she wore three years ago. I suppose she thought we wouldn't notice. I always notice.

Snapdragon merrily reached into the bowl.

"Peppermint Wilson!" she announced with a grin.

My heart fluttered, but I shoved the fear aside and smiled. They want me to play a game? I love games. I never lose.

I stood next to Snapdragon as she reached into the other jar. I waved at the crowd as her back was turned.

"Drake Dern!" she called. Drake joined me on the stage. He was a bit of a jock, but things could be worse.

"Do we have any volunteers?" Snapdragon asked.

"I volunteer as tribute!" Apollo shouted.

"Apollo!" I scolded as he came onto the stage. "You didn't have to do that, you dummy!"

"C'mon, twins forever," Apollo said.

"All right. Let's show these losers how to win a game," I said. I high-fived him as Snapdragon called for applause.

Apollo started to lecture me as we sat backstage.

"Stick close to me, okay? Don't run into the Cornucopia. We don't need that stuff. We can alternate guarding at night," he said.

"Oh, shove off. You know I won't die. I'm too stubborn," I said.

Mom and Dad came in and fussed over us.

"Don't worry, Mom," I said. "I hate to lose. I'll take care of Apollo."

"Just take care, all right?" Dad said. Mom handed us each a bracelet with an apple broken in half.

"Remember, you're stronger together," Mom said.

"Together forever," I vowed. I took Apollo's hand and squeezed it.

"Together till the end."

Apollo POV

I sat next to Peppermint at the breakfast table. We are twins, after all. We're not exactly the same- she's a little quicker than I am, and I always want to let her win. Usually I don't have to, though. I have other talents. There's my angelic good looks, which the ladies love. It's hard to pinpoint, but I'm generally just sort of awesome.

I sprinted into the Reaping center just ahead of Peppermint. After the stupid speech and video Snapdragon reached into the girls' bowl.

"Peppermint Wilson!" she called.

I kept a straight face as my sister walked to the stage. Peppermint was tough. She could handle this. All the same, I didn't want to be apart from her that long. A thought started forming.

"Drake Dern!" Snapdragon continued.

Drake? That musclehead? He was fit enough, but I could run circles around him. I knew what I had to do.

"I volunteer as tribute!" I shouted. I stood next to Peppermint and grinned cheekily.

"You didn't have to do that, you dummy!" she said. It was true, but I wasn't leaving my sister alone in the Capitol. There were unscrupulous men there… and hot chicks.

"C'mon, twins forever!" I said. She smiled and high-fived me.

I started planning with her as we waited for Mom and Dad. I figured we'd stay out of the Bloodbath and pick off the weaker tributes as a team. The Careers would probably work themselves out.

Mom and Dad came in and we talked a little. Mom handed me and Peppermint matching bracelets. Really, bracelets are for girls, but what can you do? Moms are moms.

"Remember, you're stronger together," mom said.

"Together till the end," Peppermint said. And I knew she was right.

Apollo didn't get much, since he's pretty similar to Peppermint. Only one more reaping! I'm glad, since I'm running pretty low on names. I've been picking random words and looking around my room for last names. That's how Snapdragon Tinsel got her name. I think I've named about twenty bands in the process.