Benji Wickham- District 1- aged 18

I brought my katana down repeatedly, slicing through the flesh of the now lifeless girl below me. Blood sprayed as the sword cut through veins and major arteries. After the cannon boomed, I looked at the body of my latest victim: a small twelve year old who was dumb enough to try and rebel. I quickly spat on the girl's face and collected the small dagger the weak child has managed to grab from the cornucopia. It was no match for my array of weapons. I then quickly turned and ran into the forest behind me, not wanting to stay in the open long. I didn't have any armour or shields so I could easily be picked off without the cover of trees to protect me.

I ducked into the undergrowth of the forest until I came to a tall, decaying tree enshrouded by vines. If I could climb to a fair height, it would be easy to pick off tributes from below with my bow and arrow's. Of course, I wouldn't stay up there for the whole of the Games, there was no fun in that. After all that is why I volunteered. Right?

"Criston Jinkens" Ariana called from the stage just in front me. I dug my hand into the expensive blazer pocket and crumpled the small slip of paper inside. I watched as a small, blonde fourteen year old started to make his way towards the stage with a smirk on his face. He knew someone was going to volunteer for him. We haven't had a reaped tribute in one for years.

I took one last look at the whispering crowd before making my way up to the stage, beating the boy by seconds. Ariana looked me with horror as I mounted the stage and took the spot next to her. Even Criston looked confused by my gesture.

"Are...you a volunteer?" Ariana asked shakily, her black eyes looking me up and down in confusion. I was nothing special, standing at only five foot eight with average mussels for someone of my District. However, what distinguished me from all the big headed freaks in my District was my shock of orangey-brown hair. I guess my dark, almost black, eyes helped with the killer look too.

I passed the slip of paper over to Ariana, a smile slipping onto my face, begging her to read the words on it.

My name is Benji Wickham and I volunteer as this years tribute.

Her eyes quickly looked up into mine as she raised her right brow as if mocking my form of volunteering. Not that I cared. I was the one who was putting my life on the line to bring her entertainment, even if it was for mine as well.

"Well, okay then" she coughed and turned back round to the crowd "This year's male tribute and volunteer, Benji Wickham" A large round of applause rang through the square making me lift my head up in pride. My District could burst into flames for all I cared and I didn't have any family left to care about. All that really mattered to me was staying loyal to The Capital and pleasing myself and I wasn't volunteering for The Capital.

The female volunteer was picked by the academy like me but that didn't mean she was expected. Clarity Salven was a quiet and friendly girl that everyone knew and liked, even if she would never speak to them. However, Clarity had always made it clear that wanted nothing to do with the Games so it was a shock for her volunteer. She was the best trained girl in this District and in my eyes, was the only girl who could hold a good fight with me. I just have trouble believing that she has the mental stability to win.

Clarity mounted the stage next to me, her strawberry blonde hair slightly covering her dark green eyes. She was only a few inches smaller than me and her slim build did not show her a once of skill that I knew she possessed. That was most likely why most of the District thought her kind and gentle personality was just an act. Even that thought comes to mind now and again.

As we shook hands I gave her the most genuine smile I have given someone in a few years. I didn't like the girl but I respected her and her skill. She really was a worthy volunteer like me but I still was going to have to watch my back. Out of the arena, she was the only one I could see killing me.

If I being honest, I didn't like The Games and I thought it was a sick processes. However, I needed to feel alive again. I needed to feel the rush that comes when I slice through someone's flesh like I did to that sick b*** who broke into my home when I was ten. Every child I kill in the arena will be revenge for that serial killer slicing my family's throats in their sleep.

This was going to be fun.

Clarity Salven-District 1- aged 16:

My green eyes narrowed as I watched Benji take his place as this years volunteer after his odd display. The poor guy could speak but he did his best not to talk to anyone and it seemed he stuck to this, even when he was volunteering. The boy was of a silent deposition- a disposition that you just could not trust for fear of what murderous was being planned especially for you. When you hear his family's throats were slit in their sleep, including Benji's when he was only ten, you feel a bit sorry for him. However, Benji's cut wasn't deep enough to cause death and rumour has it that he picked up a dagger and killed the killer of his family. I was never sure if the last part was ever true but looking at how nut's Benji looked, I would be shocked. Other that that, I don't know much about the academy's top student. I was never into gossip.

Do you really think you can do this? You are a weakling, you wont last three seconds. The voice in my head said over and over again as Ariana walked over to the girls reaping bowl. The voice was right in a way, I wasn't overall confident that I could go into that arena and kill small children who, unlike me, didn't have a choice about being there or not. I could just ignore the fact that the academy chose me to be this years volunteer and go home to my brother and live a happy, carefree life. I would be shunned like my brother is but that's not what puts me off. I would be letting everyone down and everyone seemed to proud of me, I have got seventeen congratulations since I have been in the square alone. People loved me, not that I craved attention like most girls in my District, it was just nice.

"Sindy Boden!" Ariana shouted in joy. I glanced back at my brother who looked bored by everything until he noticed me staring. As if my eye's gave away my plan, Hudson's green eyes as he mouthed a "no" to me. Maybe he was right, there was no guarantee that I would even make it out.

I looked round at the reaped tribute, a small blonde girl from the twelve year old section who looked far younger than her years. Her small, blonde pigtails bobbed up and down in time with the rapid movement of her chest. He tear filled blue eyes looked at me like they was waiting for me. She was waiting for me to save her, she was waiting for me to save her life.

"Clarity, Clarity!" a few girls next to me started to chant, only to quickly be followed by what seemed like the whole District. I looked round at the mass of chanting people, some had never talked to me before. It felt like I had a thousand voices bouncing round in my head at the same time, each telling me to do something different. I looked back at Sindy who was now being dragged to the stage kicking and screaming.

She is going to die, and it's going to be all your fault. When you see her mangled body on the screen, it will be your fault. Everyone will blame yo-

"I volunteer as tribute!" I screamed before quickly running up to the stage hopping it didn't seem to weak. On the stage, I watched the little girl I volunteered for be pushed back into her line as she shouted her thanks to me.

The whole District was cheering my name, much to the hatred of Benji, but something was wrong. I looked over to my brother who looked angry but I knew he wasn't. He was sad, he just was trying to hold it in.

Jun 27At the goodbyes, I got a few people come in and congratulate me and tell me how well I was going to do in the arena. I wondered if Benji was getting this attention. No amount of people coming in could make me feel better, except for the last lot of people who came in.

"Clarity!" I shaky voice shouted only to quickly be followed by my crying brother Hudson bursting through the door. he was followed by a quite Melany and a crying Matt.

"Where is Nathen?" I croaked, trying my best not to cry. My friends Melany and Matt looked at each other before turning back to me.

"He wanted to come but his family wanted him back home" Melany finally said. It made sense I guess, he did come from a very strict family who hated The Games. They thought it was cruel and uncalled for, much like my brothers view on the death match. They wasn't about to let him come see his friend who just volunteered to kill children.

"I felt pressured Hudson, you know the academy, once you are chosen, you don't really have a choice" I said, the tears I had been holding back finally bursting free from my eyes and running down my flustered cheeks. "I want to go home" I screamed before my brother took my tightly into his large, muscular arms. He was the only person I felt safe with and I was leaving him.

Before the all left, Hudson gave me the small crystal butterfly charm that our parents had given me when I was born. I didn't get on with my parents but they was still my family and it was just so beautiful. After one more hug off everyone, I was left alone with the only bit of home I had left being this small butterfly and Benji and something told me that Benji was not going to be up to being more than allies.

I was all my brother had left, I had to get home.

Odds are Thejokker'scoming, evens are Ladycordeliastuart. The length should make it easy to tell.