Heaven, Hell, Purgatory...None of the above (Open)

[Free]

I struggled against the rope. It rubbed into my skin, chaffing my wrist raw. Thrashing with my legs, I hear a sickly thud as my feet hit their target. "Umph!" I smile spreads over my lips, sweat drips down my face, adding to the redness as I gasp to catch my breath. " Your getting better. But they still would have killed you by now. You need to be faster." I rub my wrist, now freed from the binding. I had been 'training' for the past three hours. Today we practiced with escaping. This didn't make sense to me, they would not hold me captive, they would kill me. Stupid. Nonetheless, I had no choice. " I can't be faster." I spit , " I am tied." My mentor snorts, a gross annoying laugh, " That's the point, Doll."

I trudge home. Or whatever you call it. I pass the tall, endless buildings, avoiding the thoughts of the riches passing through them only to land in the hands of the capital. I have never stepped in one of those buildings, I never will. I will spend my life training. I will be strong, wise, fast, deadly. I will be a killer, they made sure of that. Then I will go to the games and either win to come back to this empty life, or die. I haven't decided which is better. People mill around. Doing normal people do at this time. Clocking out, buying dinners, happily waltzing home to there families awaiting around the table. A pit forms in my stomach. I used to be at that table. Sitting joyfully gripping the seat of my little wooden chair and swaying with excitement as daddy flew through the door and scooped me up into his arms. My mother would smile, her huge loving eyes laughing. And we would sit to a modest meal, jabbering about the days happenings. It was during one of these suppers that that sickening knock came to our door. " I bet its the boogieman! " Bellowed my father, as he marched up to the door. I squealed and ducked under the table with my mother smiles over our faces. We were expecting Netelie, our friend who often joined us for a meal. But it wasn't, not at all. It was the boogieman. And instead of taking me, like in my fathers scary stories, he took them. And I was taken into a new home. This one is better, they said. You will bring greatness, they said. Forget your mommy and daddy, they said. They would want you to be a good little girl and cooperate. They lied.

I found myself on the ground, tears streaming down my face. Another past attack. They get me, every time. I sat up, gripping my stomach, and pulled myself off the path. I am 16, I am a career. I need to get a grip. But mostly, I need to forget.

[wanderer]

Sapphire Carruthers

<sup>Sapphire was never usually without her sister. She felt cold without the endless presence of her other half, her left arm longed to be looped with Ruby's.

She wandered past the endless buildings, each with a different business or Capitol personnel within their depths. It was the Career Training Building she was headed for, she remembered coming here as a small child, watching her brothers learn to fight for the Hunger Games.

Today was exactly four years since her eldest brother had died. Four years had been a long time to Sapphire. This place hadn't changed, it still had the same dull grey tower blocks and large red bricked buildings. Four and a half years ago, her brother would have roamed this place, heading off to his next lesson on how to fight, hide, kill.

Sapphire could still see him running to the building in front of her- 16 and carefree. If only he hadn't have been so confident, so eager to win. He may still be here now.

She stopped, noticing a girl crying on the ground. Tears ran freely down her face. She was older than Sapphire, 16 maybe, just like her brother was. Sapphire approached the girl.</sup>