The 175th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 1 - District 1

Anna Webb, age 18

"Lea, are you ready yet?" I called down the hall. She yelled a reply, but I didn't hear her. "Hurry up, or I'll leave without you!"

I heard footsteps running down the hall, and Lea rushed in, her long skirt swirling around her ankles. I looked her up and down, and saw that she wouldn't be too much of an embarrassment to me when I volunteered. Her long, blonde hair was tied up in a bun on her head, with curled strands hanging down around her face.

"Anna, you look beautiful!" Lea gushed. I nodded. I knew she was being truthful because I did look amazing. All the guys would be lining up for me when we arrived at the reaping. I was easily going to be the most gorgeous girl there.

I remembered an old family saying of ours. 'Win the game and win the family name.' Every member of my family had volunteered to go into the Hunger Games when they had turned 18. It was kind of a rite of passage now, a family tradition that had started when the first Hunger Games had.

We arrived at the Town Square 5 minutes before the district escort, Ruffella, was due to arrive. We hustled into the sign in line, where the Peacekeepers were pricking fingers with a thin, delicate needle to make sure everyone was here.

Lea was in front of me, so she got her finger pricked and scanned first. She was practically jumping up and down with excitement. I stepped forward when she was done, and shot the rather attractive male peacekeeper a flirtatious look. He blinked his eyes and a dumbfounded look came over his handsome features. He shook his head and gestured to the next person in line.

I stepped away from the line and went towards the 18 year old section. As I walked past the boys, I heard a lot of whistles and flirty comments. I looked down at my clothes and I could see why. I was wearing a silky light pink dress that ended well above my knees and white high heels. My hair fell down my back in smooth, golden waves and I had used some makeup to enhance my natural beauty.

I stepped into place in the 18 year old section, and exchanged friendly words and comments with most of the girls around me. They knew I was going to volunteer, and were pretty sure I'd do well. They had no idea that I planned to win the Games, five lots of games or not.

At that moment, Ruffella walked onstage. This year, she was all ruffles, no surprise. Last year it had been stripes, and the year before had been sparkles, and the year before that had been scales. Her white, frilly skirt fell down to her ankles, and her red silk, ruffled, long-sleeved top ended a little above her waist, showing a thin strip of light red skin. This year, her colour scheme was obviously red and white, and the white spikes on her shoulders made her figure look larger and scarier.

"Welcome! Welcome, welcome! Happy Hunger Games and, may the odds be ever in your favour!" Ruffella trilled. Some people rolled their eyes, other exchanged excited glances and a few stared straight ahead, willing everything to get over with as quickly as possible.

"As most of you know, this year we will be picking out 8 tributes, four young ladies and four young gentlemen. Now, as always, ladies first." Ruffella shrieked. She stomped over to the large bowl that held the girls' and boys' names in her ridiculously high spiky heels. She shoved her hand in and grabbed eight white slips.

"Lea..." she began.

"I volunteer!" I said calmly. I strode up to the stage and mounted the steps, all the while staring out over the audience with a huge smile on my face. I went to stand next to Ruffella, and stood with one hand on my hip.

"And you are?" she asked politely in the silly Capitol accent, even though she knew what family I would be from as she had been District 1's escort for roughly ten years and knew that my family volunteered almost every year.

"My name is Anna Webb, I'm 18 and I'm going to win the Games!" I said enthusiastically. She smiled at me, and gestured towards the seats. After blowing a kiss to the boys and one more quick wave to the audience, I sashayed to the eight seats and sat down in the first one.

"Alrighty, next tribute," Ruffella began. "Lucy..."

"I volunteer!" a female voice yelled from the 17 section. A rather plain looking girl with black hair in a pixie cut strode up. She walked straight to the microphone and said that her name was Irina Sharp, and that she was 17 years old. Ruffella nodded and gestured to the seats behind her. Irina came and sat next to me.

"Alright, Fiona..."

"I volunteer!" one of my best friends, Holly Abbott, volunteered from the 18 section. I shot a huge smile at her and clapped loudly, glad that one of my friends was going into the games with me. She said her name, and that she was 18, then came and sat next to Irina. We shot each other huge smiles and gave each other thumbs up.

"Our next tribute is Gemma... Gemma Williams!" Ruffella screeched, leaving a pause in case someone wanted to volunteer. But no one did. The only sound was someone from the parent section crying out 'NO'.

A little brunette walked out of the twelve year old section and began walking along the aisle. Ruffella plastered on a huge, cheesy smile and gestured with her fingers.

The person who had cried no was a boy who was about 19, too old to volunteer. They looked so similar they must've been siblings. He sprinted out and grabbed her, hugging her to him. Gemma pulled away and, surprisingly, no tears covered her face. This girl was made of pretty strong stuff.

The boy tried to volunteer, but everyone knew he was 19, and no one would let him. Gemma was doomed to enter the Hunger Games. Although, she didn't look like she'd do too badly. I'd seen her training, and she was rather good with a bow. Most of her arrows hit the target, and recently they'd been clustered around the inner circles. I decided that I wanted her in the Career alliance.

"Now, time to continue," Ruffella yelled. "Emmett..."

"I volunteer!" declared a strong, masculine voice. A handsome boy walked out of the 18 section and walked purposefully up to the microphone. "My name is Alex Banks, I'm 18 and I have the Hunger Games in the bag!"

Ruffella laughed flirtatiously and guided him with her hands to another seat. I could see why. He was very handsome, and his large biceps were pulling against the fabric of his white t-shirt. He looked at me and I winked at him.

"Wilfred..."

"I volunteer!" a boy yelled from the 17 section. He strode up to the stage, said his age and that name was Luke Thompson, before going and sitting next to Alex. They began whispering to each other.

"Nicholas..."

"I volunteer!" a boy yelled from the 15 section. A thin, wiry boy stepped forward, a confident smile on his face. If the boys were smart, they'd recruit him into their alliance. The boy said he was 15, and that his name was Hal Davis. He sat next to Luke, and joined in their conversation.

"And our final boy, Criss... Criss Mills." She continued when no one volunteered. Criss walked out of the 13 year old section, ignored the microphone and Ruffella, and came to sit beside Hal, then just sat staring out at the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to our tributes of District 1 for the 175th Annual Hunger Games!" Ruffella squealed. The audience gave us a standing ovation, cheering and clapping. I knew that a lot of them were cheering for me.

We all stood for the anthem, before we were ushered inside. I managed to stay next to Alex the whole time, and kept being flirty whenever he looked at me or said a word to me. These Games were turning out to be the best I had seen for a long time. My good mood withered and died when I saw Holly go to Alex's other side and latch onto his arm. That little, lying leech! She knew I had had a crush on Alex for ages, and yet she was still flirting with him. Well, I knew who would be my first target in the Games.