In Your Hands: The Thirtieth Hunger Games SYOT

Chapter 7

Hadley Kinneth POV

I was born an accident. Things have improved since then. Even after Dad and Olivan left to work in the factory across town, we were still a family. Mom worked all day and I cooked and cleaned. We kept each other afloat. Sometimes the food was thin and sometimes my clothes wore ragged, but things could always be worse. I only wished I could contribute more.

In Six, the Hunger Games are nearly always a death sentence. Only Toby ever won, and that was a long time ago. Nearly everyone in the crowd looked terrified as the Anthem played. If they knew what I had planned, a good half of them could rest easy. If my mother knew what I had planned, she'd probably fall over dead. I wasn't sure how I came up with it myself. Maybe it was never getting to see my father and brother. Maybe it was how my mother grew paler every day. I never stopped dreaming of a better life, and the only place to live it was the Victor's Village. I was our only chance.

I didn't have any illusions about picking up a weapon and blazing through the Games. I could kill if I had to, but I had a different plan. Back when I was just nine years old, the girl from Ten won without killing a single Tribute. She just made the Arena work for her and didn't fight it or the others. I was going to be like her. I knew it wa a long shot, but if she did it, I could too.

Otho read the paper and called for Tikket Brown. I didn't know her, but she was plump and had brown hair. I waited until Otho called for volunteers.

"I volunteer as Tribute!" I cried. The girls beside me stepped aside like I was contagious. I felt a nervous smile form as I walked nonchalantly onto the stage. It was a little overwhelming to have all those people staring at me, but I was glad to see Tikket's tear-stained face light up as she darted into the crowd. The male Tribute, Lyte Anderson, was waiting beside me. His eyes were staring emptily and he was trembling. He didn't react when I took his hand.

Mom was alone when she came to see me. She was white as paint and her breath was irregular.

"Where's Dad and Olivan?" I asked. It took her a while to understand me. Her wide eyes seemed to look through me like I was a ghost.

"They couldn't come," she said flatly. My spirit sank a little, but I should have known.

"It's all right. I'll see them soon. Then we'll all be together," I said. Mom opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She turned to look behind her, but nobody was there.

"Are you all right?" I asked. "You need to get more sleep."

A Peacekeeper poked his head in. "One minute," he said. I hopped off the bench and hugged Mom. Her arms settled down around me. When I looked up, she was still looking at the wall.

"Bye, Mom. I love you," I said.

"Love you too," she said. Her voice was empty, like a wandering ghost. Maybe she was just worried, or maybe she was really tired. It was best for her to go home. She didn't leave me a token, but I had the chain bracelet Olivan gave me back when I was eight. I knew the Games were nothing to toy with, but they weren't impossible either. Every year one Tribute came back a Victor, and that Victor was going to be me.

Lyte Anderson POV

Every year, as soon as I shoved away the terror of the Games, it was time for another one. I was only thirteen, and I'd never taken tesserae, so my name was only in the bowl twice. I knew the odds were in my favor, but I was still afraid.

I tried to push the thoughts away and focus on my studies. Money was tight in my family. Me and my little sister Equua often went to bed hungry. I knew the only way out was the Capitol, and I knew the competition for Capitol jobs was fierce. Nearly all of them went to native Capitolites, with just a few pity slots left to show the Districts that anyone could succeed. Only the most valuable skills would give me a shot, and I studied night and day to make it happen. If I became a doctor, my family would never go without again. I pushed myself to the limit to get good marks and recommendations. It was my only chance.

When Otho appeared, I looked at my feet and squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe if I just made myself small enough, I'd slip right underneath him and he'd call someone else. He called a girl named Tikket. I'd seen her around school. She had lovely brown skin. I heard her crying even without looking at her. I heard Otho rustling around in the other bowl and squished myself down smaller.

"Lyte Anderson!" he called. Coldness rushed all over inside me. I felt my heart pumping spastically against my ribs. All the muscles in my face relaxed, like there wasn't an expression for how scared I was. My head emptied and I floated onto the stage. Everything drifted away.

Someone shook me, and I realized it was Equua. Mom and Dad were behind her, arguing with a Peacekeeper. Equua pressed a cardboard box into my hand. We used it as a pillbox when we played doctor's office together and she was my patient. She said words I didn't hear as my fingers tightened around the box.

Then they were gone. I remembered vague images. Dad was screaming and he grabbed the Peacekeeper's arm. Another Peacekeeper took out his baton, and Mom stepped between them. I looked at the doorway and saw a streak of blood. I wondered if I'd ever see them again. I was a healer, not a killer. Even if I came back, would they be here?

I did not egotistically thrust Cornflower into the chapter to puff myself up... this time. Hadley's profile mentioned that her strategy was to hide and make use of the Arena like Cornflower.

Some of the Tribute descriptions I get are Russian novel-level long. I like all the detail and the depth, but I can't always fit everything into the POVs, so that's why not every detail is in there. I use them all to write the characters, but I can't mention every one in the story.

UPDATE: Stellaslomp didn't actually make Lyte. I accidentally reserved two spots for her, so I filled Lyte in. That might tell you a little about his fate, but he's cool to ally with whoever wants him anyway.