Oh yes, it's back! This is awesome And once again, with a new and very interesting PoV. While I deeply root for my Aura, I have to say that I like Marten too. This was a great part and I'm looking forward for new parts of this story. And it's also great that Blood is going to return, of course
As for this choice, I chose to fight back. Considering that he's going to be the D4 tribute either way, I even hope he kills that bastard Ronn.
Chapter 3: Blood in the Water
Marten Lewis
Marten threw the spear into the midst of the creek with the brutish strength of an ox. When… more he saw the bladed end had pierced its target, he grabbed it from the water and observed the wound. It was straight through the skull of the fish, leaving the meat fully intact. He placed the perfect catch in his satchel. It felt like home. He never wanted to leave this river.
"Nice catch, small fry." Spoke his older sister, Willy. She wiped her blonde bangs from her eyes, and sighed. She held up her own spear, presenting a fish of better size and quality. She laughed. "Mine's better, but hey, your fish was farther away."
Willy was three years older than him, and was a giant compared to other girls. She stood a bit above six feet and could bench more than most body builders, and Marten was no different. Their family was not known for being particularly pretty, but for being tough. As long as he coul… [view original content]
Oh yes, it's back! This is awesome And once again, with a new and very interesting PoV. While I deeply root for my Aura, I have to say that… more I like Marten too. This was a great part and I'm looking forward for new parts of this story. And it's also great that Blood is going to return, of course
As for this choice, I chose to fight back. Considering that he's going to be the D4 tribute either way, I even hope he kills that bastard Ronn.
Chapter 3: Blood in the Water
Marten Lewis
Marten threw the spear into the midst of the creek with the brutish strength of an ox. When… more he saw the bladed end had pierced its target, he grabbed it from the water and observed the wound. It was straight through the skull of the fish, leaving the meat fully intact. He placed the perfect catch in his satchel. It felt like home. He never wanted to leave this river.
"Nice catch, small fry." Spoke his older sister, Willy. She wiped her blonde bangs from her eyes, and sighed. She held up her own spear, presenting a fish of better size and quality. She laughed. "Mine's better, but hey, your fish was farther away."
Willy was three years older than him, and was a giant compared to other girls. She stood a bit above six feet and could bench more than most body builders, and Marten was no different. Their family was not known for being particularly pretty, but for being tough. As long as he coul… [view original content]
It was at this moment that Marten knew he was a monster. He grabbed the boy by the neck and shoved him underneath the water in a swift motion. He held him there until he began to gasp for breath. "YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING!"
The more the boy attempted to come up for air and fought against Marten's strength, the more he refused. He bashed his head against the floor once... And then twice... It didn't take long until the river flower with the boy's blood. Of the two on the shore, one fled back into town and the smaller one came out to try and free his friend. It didn't take much of Marten's rage to throw him off his arm.
"What are you doing?" He shouted. "You're drowning him! Get off! GET OFF!" Before he finished the last sentence, Marten let his hands go to find them soaking in muddy water and blood. Ronn didn't rise to breathe, and he knew without a doubt, that the boy lay dead at the bottom of the river.
As his body began to gently float back to the surface, the second boy, now sitting in the water, looked up at Marten with a mix of anger and fear. "He's... dead... You killed him..." He stuttered. He began to get up and run away from the scene of the crime. "You're fucking dead for this, Lewis! You hear me?"
After the short man disappeared past the treeline, Marten still kneeled in the stream, shocked by his own actions. The creek flowed red and it was only him to blame. Yet, somehow, it was not this that upset him the most. It was something he said... "You're going in that arena..." The way he said that... He didn't mean the Hunger Games... Could he? How could he have known Marten would be the one reaped? He pondered the thought more and more, and after an indeterminable amount of time had past by, there was a shriek from behind him. He shot around to find Willy sprinting toward him in haste.
"Marten! What the hell happened?!" She didn't bother to take off her sandals and simply rushed into the water to her brother. "You're covered in blood man!" She looked down and saw Ronn's body floating in the creek and her eyes went wide before welling up with tears. "Tell me you didn't..."
"I killed him..." Marten sighed. He'd never been one to avert himself away from the truth. However, the one thing he did hide was that when people considered him a gentle soul, he knew what was really true. He was a monster. He didn't even try to hide it from himself. "I killed him with my bare hands..."
"Get up, man..." She said, pulling him away from the place he knelt. Tears were pouring down her cheeks. "We have to get you out of here, now!"
"I'm not leaving..."
"The Peacekeepers will find you if you stay here!" Willy wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in her direction. He didn't budge. "They'll kill you! Or worse! And it'll be my fault... I left you here..."
"It's my fault." Marten stated plainly. He looked up into his sister's wet eyes with ones of genuine fear. He fought to overcome this fear though, because to Marten, nothing was worse than betraying your own word. "Leave me here. I deserve whatever comes my way."
She fell backwards into the water. "C'mon! I'm not going to leave you here!"
Marten turned back to the body and stared down at it. There wasn't a thing he could do now. The damage was done. He wouldn't lie to the force and tell them he didn't know, or that he didn't mean to, because he did. Every single strike he threw against the boy was done with every fiber of himself behind it. He deserved to die for what he did. He knew it...
"Marten?" She asked one last time. "Get up..."
"I love you, sis..." He told her, and for the first time in a long while, his eyes became wet with tears. "Tell Mom not to worry about me, and tell Jill... She can have my spear..."
"No..." There was a loud rushing sound coming from to the left of the man and he turned to watch a giant white-plated truck barrel through the forest road. It halted in the gravel and three or four of the men inside got out and rushed to the scene accompanied by the tall boy who had run away. Will shook him one last time. "They're coming, Marten! Come on!"
"Leave..." He whispered in a semi-threatening way. He knew it was the only way to get through to his sister. And it was. Willy took his warning and fled through the tree line. But, it was not before she managed to plant a kiss on her hand and touch it to his forehead.
"Trois and Fender, Go after her!" The Peacekeeper in front, and the only one not wearing a black visor, shouted at two in the back. They followed his order and ran into the tree line and into the darkness. Marten knew they wouldn't catch her. She was too fast for them. The Peacekeeper stepped up in front of Marten and turned Ronn's body over on its side. He then pressed two fingers to his eyelids and closed them. "You piece of shit..." He scowled.
The last Peacekeeper stood behind him and locked a pair of binders on Marten's wrists. If he wanted to, he could have broken them, but he had decided before the force even showed up he would go willingly. "Look at me!" The man shouted in Marten's face. He ignored him. The Peacekeeper grabbed Marten by the jaw and yanked his head to meet his eye contact. He could only barely see through the wet blonde hair hanging in his face. "It's assholes like you that make this District hell. I want you to take a good long look at my face, because it's the last you'll ever fucking see."
The man had short gray hair, and wrinkles around his cheekbones. His facial structure was neither wide nor thin, but his massive jawline made up for it. The man's hazel eyes stared down at Marten for a few seconds in rage before striking him on the forehead with the butt of his gun and effectively knocked him unconscious.
In a way, Marten reminded himself of his grandfather. He was the kind of person who took his spear in one hand and life in the other. Marten had done that too. Only the life that he took was not his own. And he accepted the words that had been told to him only a half hour ago, and fell into them.
75% of readers chose to [A. Fight back.]
It was at this moment that Marten knew he was a monster. He grabbed the boy by the neck and sh… moreoved him underneath the water in a swift motion. He held him there until he began to gasp for breath. "YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING!"
The more the boy attempted to come up for air and fought against Marten's strength, the more he refused. He bashed his head against the floor once... And then twice... It didn't take long until the river flower with the boy's blood. Of the two on the shore, one fled back into town and the smaller one came out to try and free his friend. It didn't take much of Marten's rage to throw him off his arm.
"What are you doing?" He shouted. "You're drowning him! Get off! GET OFF!" Before he finished the last sentence, Marten let his hands go to find them soaking in muddy water and blood. Ronn didn't rise to breathe, and he knew without a doubt, that the boy l… [view original content]
75% of readers chose to [A. Fight back.]
It was at this moment that Marten knew he was a monster. He grabbed the boy by the neck and sh… moreoved him underneath the water in a swift motion. He held him there until he began to gasp for breath. "YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING!"
The more the boy attempted to come up for air and fought against Marten's strength, the more he refused. He bashed his head against the floor once... And then twice... It didn't take long until the river flower with the boy's blood. Of the two on the shore, one fled back into town and the smaller one came out to try and free his friend. It didn't take much of Marten's rage to throw him off his arm.
"What are you doing?" He shouted. "You're drowning him! Get off! GET OFF!" Before he finished the last sentence, Marten let his hands go to find them soaking in muddy water and blood. Ronn didn't rise to breathe, and he knew without a doubt, that the boy l… [view original content]
It was dark... It was dark, and that was all Penn could remember. She knew her own name... She knew she was eighteen... She didn't know a single thing about where she came from, and her eyes were closed to the world. She wasn't sure what kind of a world she would open her eyes to, or whether she would enjoy a life in it. The worst part by far out of all this is she had not a clue why.
When Penn opened her eyes, she found herself in a kind of hospital ward, with a white ceiling above her and blinking lights in every direction. Above her loomed a tall man with thick brown hair and a surgical mask over his lower face. His eyes stared deep into hers and he seemed to know her. Yet, she didn't seem to know a single thing about the man.
"Thank God..." The doctor whispered before he turned off the bright light shining in Penn's eyes and they fluttered open. He sat up, and so did she. She pressed her lower back against the pillow her head had rested on and knocked a strand of dark blonde hair from her face. "We weren't entirely sure you'd wake up again..."
The room was very small. It was no larger than the average bedroom, and as a result, it felt claustrophobic. Penn felt the need to bring her knees in close to her chest and hug them. The tightness of the room scared her. Around the room were only a few objects. There was the bed she lay on, a wooden table with a set of doctor's supplies, and a dusty mirror with an auburn frame on the side of the wall.
"What... happened?" She spoke, still struggling to comprehend the situation. "Where am I? Who are you?"
The doctor took his hand to his mask and hung it around his neck. He wore a name tag on his breast pocket with the name Dr. Terriet Prince and a picture of himself. With the rugged cheekbones and impressive jawline he had, the man was easily attractive, but way too old for her. One more reason she wanted to grow up... Did she want to grow up? Now that she thought about it she wasn't quite sure.
"All of your questions will be answered in due time, mam." Dr. Prince responded, flipping through a check board he held in his hand. "I understand you must be scared, but I'm going to ask you to be calm...collected... So we can provide an accurate treatment, alright?"
"Alright?" Penn felt a twinge of anger. "How can it be fucking alright? I don't know who I am!"
Dr. Prince ignored her. He clicked a pen on and hovered over the paper as he began to write down his observations. "What is your name?"
"Penn... Penn Cassidy." She replied, calming down.
"Do you remember anything about yourself? Age? Family members, perhaps?"
"Eighteen..." She replied softly, digging back to remember any sign of her parents. There was nothing... But the harder she thought about it, the more she recollected. There was someone... "I remember my father... Nothing about him. Only that he was my father."
"Was?" He raised a brown-colored eyebrow. "Is he no longer with us?"
She shook her head. She didn't remember anything about her father, but she could feel an emotional connection to him. Only thinking about him being dead unsettled her. "I...I don't know."
"I see..." He began to scribble down on the page. He reached over to his right and flipped a switch. The light above her switched onto a very bright light. Penn felt as though she was being interrogated. "Is there...anyone else? A boyfriend? Maybe the family dog?"
She cringed when he said dog. She wasn't sure why, because thinking of dogs made her happy, yet she still involuntarily thought otherwise. "I don't know of anyone else. Listen, why are you asking me all these questions? Can you just go get my father?"
"Not until we are sure he is your father, miss Cassidy." He replied. "We must be careful about these things."
"Why am I here?" She asked.
"You are here because you were recovered at the bottom of a kind of ravine." He sounded emotionless when he said this. "We've restored your bone capacity mostly, yet you seem to be lacking your memory."
"No shit." She cursed. She had become annoyed the moment she woke up. This only worsened her feeling of emptiness. "Tell me something about me. Something I can go off of."
"I can tell you you have a boyfriend." He replied, setting the clipboard down on the table beside him. "Himself and your father have been sitting outside the compound for the last few days, waiting to see you. I can tell you we haven't been able to let them in the door. At least until we can confirm they are, in fact, related to you."
Something inside told Penn the man was right. She did remember something of her boyfriend. The only thing she seemed to remember firmly was his kiss... It must have fought its way through the void. "Can you send them in to see me?" She asked. She was very eager to meet the two of them. She felt as though she were meeting them for the first time, but she knew that wasn't true.
"I can't. I'm sorry."
"And why the hell not?"
"They found you at the bottom ravine on the outside of the fence. You were caught trying to escape District 1, Miss Cassidy." His face turned to a strange mixture of fear and anger. "This compound we've holed you in is not a hospital, but a prison. I suggest you get used to it."
The words hit Penn like a car. She didn't even know what she was attempting to escape from, but hearing the words from the doctor gave her something new to get away from. The way he said it was almost like a personal challenge to her. There was no way she was going to sit here willingly. "I don't remember trying to escape... What was I even trying to escape?
"Of course you don't remember trying to escape." He replied. "You have amnesia. And you were trying to escape the district... our home... I have no idea why you would want to leave. We're safe here."
"I'm not going to sit here and fucking rot for something I don't even recall doing in the first place, asshole!" She yelled at him. She tried to leap out of the bed, but was held down by a set of leather shackles on her ankles. The only thing the struggle managed to do was knock the sheet from her bed.
He breathed through his nose and rubbed his temple, as though trying to calm himself down. "Look, girl, I just want to know if you recognize Jomal Cassidy or Dray Kerrigan."
"Yes. I remember both those names." She replied. The names didn't help make the picture clearer, but it helped to know they were correct.
"Listen," He told her, clearly not happy to utter the words he was speaking. "You've been allowed to have one family member audience, but we could bend the rules to let in a relationship if that's what you'd like."
"Why can't I see them both, bitch?" She cried. "It's my dad, and my boyfriend. How can I pick one over the other?"
"It would help if you'd make this a bit easier on yourself." Prince shook his head. "And you're going to have to choose. You're lucky you get even that. Or you get no one. Your call."
Great part! I already like Penn, she's an interesting character. All of the characters so far have been interesting and I can't wait to meet the other tributes
As for this choice, I chose to ask for her father. Family should come first, in my opinion.
Chapter 4: Forgotten
Penn Cassidy
It was dark... It was dark, and that was all Penn could remember. She knew her own name... She knew … moreshe was eighteen... She didn't know a single thing about where she came from, and her eyes were closed to the world. She wasn't sure what kind of a world she would open her eyes to, or whether she would enjoy a life in it. The worst part by far out of all this is she had not a clue why.
When Penn opened her eyes, she found herself in a kind of hospital ward, with a white ceiling above her and blinking lights in every direction. Above her loomed a tall man with thick brown hair and a surgical mask over his lower face. His eyes stared deep into hers and he seemed to know her. Yet, she didn't seem to know a single thing about the man.
"Thank God..." The doctor whispered before he turned off the bright light shining in Penn's eyes and they fluttered open. He sat up, and so did she. She pressed her lower… [view original content]
Chapter 4: Forgotten
Penn Cassidy
It was dark... It was dark, and that was all Penn could remember. She knew her own name... She knew … moreshe was eighteen... She didn't know a single thing about where she came from, and her eyes were closed to the world. She wasn't sure what kind of a world she would open her eyes to, or whether she would enjoy a life in it. The worst part by far out of all this is she had not a clue why.
When Penn opened her eyes, she found herself in a kind of hospital ward, with a white ceiling above her and blinking lights in every direction. Above her loomed a tall man with thick brown hair and a surgical mask over his lower face. His eyes stared deep into hers and he seemed to know her. Yet, she didn't seem to know a single thing about the man.
"Thank God..." The doctor whispered before he turned off the bright light shining in Penn's eyes and they fluttered open. He sat up, and so did she. She pressed her lower… [view original content]
Great part! I already like Penn, she's an interesting character. All of the characters so far have been interesting and I can't wait to meet… more the other tributes
As for this choice, I chose to ask for her father. Family should come first, in my opinion.
Thanks. Unfortunately, most of the other tributes up there won't be joining us until Part 2: The Hand, so it'll be a while. That's when everyone heads off to the Capital.
As liquid said, family should always come first.
I also really like the way you're writing out the characters, the bunch you've posted so far are so interesting and well written. Keep it up
Chapter 4: Forgotten
Penn Cassidy
It was dark... It was dark, and that was all Penn could remember. She knew her own name... She knew … moreshe was eighteen... She didn't know a single thing about where she came from, and her eyes were closed to the world. She wasn't sure what kind of a world she would open her eyes to, or whether she would enjoy a life in it. The worst part by far out of all this is she had not a clue why.
When Penn opened her eyes, she found herself in a kind of hospital ward, with a white ceiling above her and blinking lights in every direction. Above her loomed a tall man with thick brown hair and a surgical mask over his lower face. His eyes stared deep into hers and he seemed to know her. Yet, she didn't seem to know a single thing about the man.
"Thank God..." The doctor whispered before he turned off the bright light shining in Penn's eyes and they fluttered open. He sat up, and so did she. She pressed her lower… [view original content]
Oh no I missed the last choice! but yay this is back
I really like the way you are going over the back story of the POV's. Very important before others are established.
That's a surprisingly easy choice for me, even though all the PoV's are interesting. But the one I like the most is definitely Aura. Of course, I am a bit biased towards her, but I absolutely love her part. I got major feels from the interaction between her and her family, so that makes her my favourite. My second favourite at the moment is either Saul or Penn. While I'm at it, Theo and Marten are interesting PoV's without a doubt, but far behind the other three when it comes to my favourites. I am just not the biggest fan of gamemakers, no matter how relatable they seem, while I see the possibility for Marten to become a complete psychopath, so they are definitely behind Saul and Penn and far behind Aura for me.
Chapter 4: Forgotten
Penn Cassidy
It was dark... It was dark, and that was all Penn could remember. She knew her own name... She knew … moreshe was eighteen... She didn't know a single thing about where she came from, and her eyes were closed to the world. She wasn't sure what kind of a world she would open her eyes to, or whether she would enjoy a life in it. The worst part by far out of all this is she had not a clue why.
When Penn opened her eyes, she found herself in a kind of hospital ward, with a white ceiling above her and blinking lights in every direction. Above her loomed a tall man with thick brown hair and a surgical mask over his lower face. His eyes stared deep into hers and he seemed to know her. Yet, she didn't seem to know a single thing about the man.
"Thank God..." The doctor whispered before he turned off the bright light shining in Penn's eyes and they fluttered open. He sat up, and so did she. She pressed her lower… [view original content]
That's a surprisingly easy choice for me, even though all the PoV's are interesting. But the one I like the most is definitely Aura. Of cour… morese, I am a bit biased towards her, but I absolutely love her part. I got major feels from the interaction between her and her family, so that makes her my favourite. My second favourite at the moment is either Saul or Penn. While I'm at it, Theo and Marten are interesting PoV's without a doubt, but far behind the other three when it comes to my favourites. I am just not the biggest fan of gamemakers, no matter how relatable they seem, while I see the possibility for Marten to become a complete psychopath, so they are definitely behind Saul and Penn and far behind Aura for me.
Well, if you mean the prologue, that was the beginning chapter with Theo and Roman. If you mean the end of Part 1, no. I have 28 chapters planned in Part 1.
Well, if you mean the prologue, that was the beginning chapter with Theo and Roman. If you mean the end of Part 1, no. I have 28 chapters planned in Part 1.
Well, if you mean the prologue, that was the beginning chapter with Theo and Roman. If you mean the end of Part 1, no. I have 28 chapters planned in Part 1.
Haha. I was actually trying really hard to condense everything that's going to happen because I have five POV characters. Each character actually will really get five to six chapters each.
Hey guys, so I wrote this one paragraph in the last chapter because I was really tired, and I go to some dark places in my mind when I'm tired. Luckily, I had the sense to take it out the first time around, but I think you guys will get a kick out of it.
Marten's eyes grew wide. He didn't even know Grandad took loans from anyone, much less forgot to pay them back. "How much money is it?"
"About enough to move to the damn capital."
Marten raised an eyebrow. "If your family has enough money to do that, why are you still here?"
Ronn's eyes went wide, as he fell face first into the water. As he rose, his face was not only sopping wet with fresh water, but also with his own tears. Marten leaned in towards him and brought his mouth towards his ear. "Get rekt. Ya scrub." He whispered, as a pair of godly sunglasses floated down onto the bridge of his nose. Ronn lifted his arms into the sky, as if praying for forgiveness; for he knew indeed that he had been rekt. Marten simply pointed his finger in Ronn's general direction and a crack arose in the earth beneath his feet. It widened farther and farther until a giant skeletal hand grabbed him by the torso. Marten took no effort to pull out his laser shotgun and, with the true power of MLG, criticalled that bitch with a 360 no-scope. The hand then dragged Ronn down deep into the pits of Tartarus, where he was swallowed whole by the hatred of the fandom. TeamKennyW00t then had a good old laugh at his own joke, which was quite depressing when you think about it. Then Ronn was thrown up back to the surface and Marten patted him on the head, removing the bullet as he did so. Ronn stood up and wiped his face dry from all tears. TeamKennyW00t then looked around at all his fans who had left the room, said sorry to them for interrupting the flow of the story, and continued writing.
Penn was upset by her lack of options, but figured telling him this in any way would result in no option at all. "Just bring my dad in here then." She pouted. "I'm telling you I didn't do anything."
Dr. Prince stood up in the center of the room and turned away from the patient. "You can't tell me that and expect me to believe it. I know you better than that."
He slammed the door behind himself, and once he was gone, Penn found herself not able to understand what he had said. If the man knew Penn personally like he seemed to, why would he need to ask her all those questions. This added one more fucking question onto her list of plenty. At least her father might be able to provide some answers.
After four to five minutes of Penn staring blankly at a wall, pondering what she was doing, there was a knock on the door, yet before she could answer, a smiling man wearing a red tunic entered the room. His face looked as though he was overjoyed and saddened to see her at the same time. She was sure she looked no different herself. The man's thick gray hair came down around his face into a scraggly beard. He looked rather poor, and she found herself hoping it wasn't true. "Penny..." He said, his eyes welling up. "I can't believe it... What they have told me. This can't be true... right? They found you outside the gate?"
"You have five minutes." Dr. Prince told her through the open door before closing it. "Use them wisely."
Penn didn't understand. She couldn't tear her eyes away from her father's. Slowly, memories began to rush back to her, but only from her younger years. She remembered leaping into his arms. His hair was black back then. "...Daddy?" She whimpered.
He began to laugh through the tears, his hands shaking slightly. "Yeah... It's me, honey. I can't believe it..."
"...I can't remember anything..." She began to tear up herself. "Where am I?"
"District 1, honey." He replied, taking his hand in hers. "It's where we live... District 1. Dray is really excited to see you. We all are, kiddo..."
Penn began to let one of the tears she had been holding inside fall down her face and her father did too. He stood up next to her and wrapped his bear-like arms around her. She found herself to hug him back. They sat there for about ten seconds before the man let go. "Have they treated you well in here?" He asked.
"I only woke up a couple minutes ago..." She muttered. "And no. They treated me like shit."
He laughed through the tears. "You still have your mother's mouth."
"Where is my mother?" She asked him. The fact that she was not here, nor outside the gate with her boyfriend frightened her. "Is she..."
"Dead?" He responded for her, sitting back in the chair Prince had sat in. "No. But she might as well be."
"What happened?" Jomal didn't respond. "Daddy? What the hell happened to her?"
"She's an avox..." Directly after he said this, he looked below him and to the right, biting his lip, as if he couldn't bear to say it. "They took her voice away from her... That darling voice... You would have loved to hear her sing..."
Penn didn't understand, but figured she shouldn't ask what an avox meant, since the man seemed so upset over having to talk about it at all. "Where is she? Is she not in District 1?"
"She's with some snot-nosed prick with bushy eyelashes in the Capital." He grunted angrily.
"Are they gonna let me out?" Penn asked her father, trying to divert the subject. "I hate this tiny room."
"They'll let you out." He responded. "They have to eventually. The Hunger Games is quickly approaching, and they'll need every hand..."
Penn had no idea what the Hunger Games was, yet just the word gave her a rush of excitement. There was another flash in her mind, like déjà vu, but it was real. She pictured herself throwing a very shiny looking knife at a building, and then... Her very first meal cooked over a fire... It was almost... happy. She didn't know what the Hunger Games were, or if they were even a game, yet she had a strong urge to play. She knew, at the very least, she wanted to before she hit her head.
"What is the Hunger Games?" Penn asked him.
"You really don't remember anything, do you?" Jomal answered her question with his own. As he opened his mouth to speak again, the metal door opened again and Dr. Prince walked in. "It's a-"
"You've had enough time in there, Mr. Cassidy." He said definitively. "Get out."
Jomal stood up slowly, and before turning around, pulled a small wooden case from his pocket. "I'm going to post bail for my daughter." He told him.
"We don't accept bail here." Dr. Prince looked slightly angry, yet remained calm. "I suggest you leave, or I will be forced to remove you myself."
Jomal spun around and opened the wooden box, so he and only he could see what was inside. Penn moved her head to the left side and attempted to peek past her father and see what was in the box, but it was futile. "I'm going to post bail for my daughter." He repeated.
Prince took one look at the box, and took it from the man, quickly hiding it away in his briefcase. As he hurriedly stashed it away he spoke. "Your bail is accepted. You may leave."
Penn slowly hopped out of bed, finding strangely as she removed the covers from her body, her left leg was entirely missing from the shin down. Replacing it was a small device that looked and acted like a peg leg, only it was metallic, and curved into four prongs at the end. Connecting it to her calf was a sort of pressure valve of black rubber. The worst thing is that she didn't know why.
She walked towards her father standing in the doorway and saw that Dr. Prince had left the room, and the cement hallway on the other side of it. The peg leg felt surprisingly smooth. Almost as though it were a real foot. It was a strange sensation; she didn't miss her leg. However, she didn't remember it ever being there in the first place.
"It's time to go, Penny." Her dad told her as she followed him at the door. He didn't bother to shut it behind her, as he began to speed walk through the halls.
"What was that?" She asked as she ran to catch up with him.
"Your bail." He answered. "Quick. We need to hurry. We don't have long before we get another chance."
"A chance for what?" Penn raised an eyebrow.
"Another chance to escape." Jomal turned the corner in the hall and spun around to whisper into his daughter's ear. "Another ticket to a better life."
Hey guys, so I wrote this one paragraph in the last chapter because I was really tired, and I go to some dark places in my mind when I'm tir… moreed. Luckily, I had the sense to take it out the first time around, but I think you guys will get a kick out of it.
Marten's eyes grew wide. He didn't even know Grandad took loans from anyone, much less forgot to pay them back. "How much money is it?"
"About enough to move to the damn capital."
Marten raised an eyebrow. "If your family has enough money to do that, why are you still here?"
Ronn's eyes went wide, as he fell face first into the water. As he rose, his face was not only sopping wet with fresh water, but also with his own tears. Marten leaned in towards him and brought his mouth towards his ear. "Get rekt. Ya scrub." He whispered, as a pair of godly sunglasses floated down onto the bridge of his nose. Ronn lifted his arms into the sky, as if praying for forgiveness; for he knew ind… [view original content]
80% of readers chose to [A. Ask for your father.]
Penn was upset by her lack of options, but figured telling him this in any way would … moreresult in no option at all. "Just bring my dad in here then." She pouted. "I'm telling you I didn't do anything."
Dr. Prince stood up in the center of the room and turned away from the patient. "You can't tell me that and expect me to believe it. I know you better than that."
He slammed the door behind himself, and once he was gone, Penn found herself not able to understand what he had said. If the man knew Penn personally like he seemed to, why would he need to ask her all those questions. This added one more fucking question onto her list of plenty. At least her father might be able to provide some answers.
After four to five minutes of Penn staring blankly at a wall, pondering what she was doing, there was a knock on the door, yet before she could answer, a smiling man wearing a red tunic ente… [view original content]
Aura was rushed into the line of by a man wearing all white. The color was blinding next to the field of gray and black worn by many members of the crowd. There was not a cloud in the sky to match her mood. The sun was shining for once, yet it felt like its rays missed this part of the earth entirely. Today was the Reaping.
The girl had been dreading this day from the moment she was told what her destiny was. Until only a week ago, she believed she had one more year until she was forced into these Games. She had told her father she would volunteer though, and for the sake of her little brothers, she had every intention to honor it.
She wiped a bit of dust off of her skirt. It was the fanciest piece of clothing she owned, yet that wasn't saying much. At least she had a steady supply of makeup to apply that morning. It was sick, how the Reaping was treated like a wedding, but it was necessary to dress for the occasion.
"I'm scared, Aura..." The girl to the right of her spoke, nudging her on the arm. She would not let herself look over to see who it was, yet she already knew. It was her best friend, Cass Cannadine. They had met only when the two of them were twelve: young pups in a hunter's trap. Since their names were so close to each other in the alphabet, they stood next to each other year after year. And each one of them, Cass simply did not learn to keep her mouth shut. "I put my name in too many times... What if it's me? What will Garth say...?"
"Shut up." Aura whispered back to her, remaining focused on the stage in front of her, as it had been taught year after year. The Capital and their minions in white had told the kids to line up in two street-wide columns, boys on the left and girls on the right. This year, the seventeen-year-olds were placed just in front of the eighteens, who took up the rear. She used to be one year from escaping this... It was almost her turn.
Cass nudged her arm again with her own shorter one. "Come on, hon. The guards never catch us chatting here. Why do you insist on pushing me away when I only need a friend to be here with me?"
A tear slowly began to fall from her left cheek as Aura reached down and took Cass's hand in her own, gripping it with her own fear of death. Cass seemed to notice a fear in her, even though she was on the wrong side to notice the tear. The fear was one that she had not sensed any other year. With that, she reached over and used both hands to comfort her friend. It felt good to have the warmth of her friend with her.
Aura began to turn those four threatening words over and over in her head. "I volunteer as tribute... I volunteer as tribute... I volunteer as tribute..." What if someone else beat her to the punch? Would her father send Corvin into the training then? What if she stumbled with her words, pronounced it wrong and they didn't accept her? So many questions were floating in her head, and the only thing she could do was squeeze them into Cass's hand.
"How many times did you put your name in the reaping?" Cass asked, with relative calmness.
"...thirty." Aura replied, her voice shaking. She had given up this year, just as every other, on staying quiet next to her friend.
"Dear God..." Cass replied. "How can you live taking risks like that?"
"...I'm going to volunteer." Aura replied. At hearing the words, all girls in the general vicinity turned their gaze in shock to her. It only made her more fearful. District 7 seldom had a volunteer.
"Shit...Aura..." Aura could tell Cass's brown eyes went wide at the information. They always did. "Tell me you didn't..."
"I did..." It saddened Aura that she would never have a good time to tell Cass why she was doing this... "You have to promise me something."
"Anything..."
"Promise me you'll look out for-"
Aura's comment was interrupted as the huge gates of the Justice Building opened. Spilling out of them was a large, jolly-looking man with curly yellow mustachios, hair to match and a belly full of alcohol. Aura knew him as Ludwig Orretter, the chaperone for her district. The man was a vile bastard, but he put on a good show for the televisions in the Capital. That's all that really mattered to them. "Hello, my young woodpeckers!" He shouted with the glee of a child. He enjoyed referring to District 7 simply as woodpeckers because of their export. "Can I get a show of hands? Who's ready for today?"
There were a handful of children in the front who raised their hands, but no one past thirteen. They knew better. The twelve-year-olds hadn't spent enough time listening to this man speak. He appeared fun-loving and friendly to the naked eye, but Aura knew who he really was. After having many visits to the Victor's village, after so many shots and tries her and her brothers, she knew better. He tried at Ava a few times too, but after she left and never came back, at least the man had enough human decency to do the same.
"As I have been told only moments ago, today's a very special day for you youngsters. Today, you get to be written into the very book of history!" Aura didn't understand why Ludwig was more chipper than usual, but she figured with the man's loud mouth, she wouldn't have to wonder much longer.
"What does he mean?" Cass leaned over and asked. Aura had no idea how to answer her.
"I'm sure some of you have noticed..." The man hiccuped, but then continued speaking. "Some of you have noticed the glass bowls are not present as in previous years. I'll ask you not to worry! They will be back soon."
"I have no idea." Aura answered her friend. "Maybe it's some kind of-"
"Hey!" There was a loud shout from behind her and she turned to see a Peacekeeper with a blonde pony tail in the back sprinting towards her, gun in hand. The Peacekeeper broke through the ranks and grabbed Aura by the neck. She yanked her out into the center of the lane and set her down on the ground, getting her hair which she had worked so hard to make beautiful fall flat again. The woman held a gun to Aura's head.
"No!" There was only one audible voice in the entire court. All others fell silent. It was her father, behind the fence. His drunken shouts were full of rage and fear. "You take your hands off her!"
"If you have such a will to speak, girl, then do it!" The Peacekeeper called. "Say those words all the others want to hear."
"Madam!" Ludwig Orretter seemed almost distraught over the scene she had made. "This is a formal occasion. I'm sure you have been aware of the rules. No one talks unless a tribute or on stage. Now, if you would kindly return to your post, and stop talking."
The Peacekeeper was visibly shocked as she let go of Aura's hair. As she walked back to join the other guards, Aura remained on the ground. They hadn't called the reaping yet, but this was her only chance. "I volunteer..." She said loudly, but not enough to shake the audience.
"What was that?" Ludwig spoke into the mic down the center of the aisle. "Speak up if you wish to say something."
Aura slowly stood amidst the dust. Her collar was slightly torn down the back and her blouse had become unrecognizable. The boys were on her left. The girls were on her right. She spoke for both of them. She cleared her lungs and bellowed, "I volunteer as tribute!"
There was a strict moment of silence, where even the speaker was taken aback. He hiccuped, and cleared is throat. "While I do admire your enthusiasm, Miss Cantarella, I'm afraid I have to decline your offer."
Aura wasn't sure why, but before she had time to ask, the gates behind Ludwig flew closed and a projection appeared on it of a short man with long hair, a thick beard and a friendly smile. It was the Head Gamemaker, Roman Walsh. This was all highly unorthodox...
The man on the projection spoke louder than Aura could even imagine. It was as if he was trying to hammer the words into the skulls of the crowd with the harshness of his tone alone. They didn't need to hear these words again. Twenty-four of them get shipped off to die every year, and the Capitol treated it like a joke. Aura already knew the announcement by heart.
"And without further ado, I announce the 25th annual Hunger Games! It is a truly special occasion. For this year's games marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of your salvation. And yesterday, President Coriolanus Snow decreed that, in celebration of this magnificent event that unites our nation, a special rule will be placed upon the games, to quell the ambitions of those who might disagree with out methods. This year, we will demonstrate that you are still free to choose for yourselves, and that all citizens, regardless of district, are still citizens of the Panem.
"For this year, there will be no reaping. You shall choose amongst yourselves which tributes shall represent you. YOU decide for your district. "And so, this year, we speak to not only tributes, but to every child of Panem. Heed our words.
"May the odds be ever in your favor."
Devastation. The entire district was devastated. Even the younger ones near the front of the pack were visibly shocked. Aura was sure she looked no different. Yet no one let out a peep. All were too shocked even to move, let alone talk to each other.
In the midst of the confusion, Ludwig stepped back to the mic and spoke in a sort of threatening tone. "You may return to your formation, Miss Cantarella."
After the gates closed and the ceremony was over, the children filed out of the court in their normal, orderly fashion. They weren't chatty as usual, but instead, every boy and girl had a sort of shared silence. Like each knew the pain and impending choice the district would have to make. No person would want to willingly send someone to die. And now they were forced to choose.
Aura began to walk home alone, careful to avoid her father's path as she did. She didn't want to deal with whatever he had to say. Instead, she took a scenic forest route back to her house. It was one that hadn't been used in a long time. She thought it led to an old wood processing plant, but she'd never had the urge to check.
Halfway along the trail, she felt a small poke on the shoulder and jumped around, screaming along the way. She had assumed she was alone. She only found Cass behind her, with a face halfway between humor and sadness. "Jesus, Cass! You can't startle me like that! How did you even find me?"
"I followed you home. I'd meant to ask you before you so bravely volunteered if you'd like to come with me and Garth to the Haven. It's been a while since we all hung out there and after today, everyone just needs a break."
"You can't sneak up on people. You'll give me a heart attack some day." Aura frowned.
"If this is the girl we're sending into the arena for is, we're going to be in trouble. Don't get scared so easily. What if I had been an attacker? You just gave away your position and advantage." Cass frowned back. Aura was surprised at the amount of strategy she had tucked away. If only she used that same logic in school, she might not be flunking. "Now do you want to come with us or not?"
"I have to get home, Cassie." Aura sighed. She had made dinner before they left so Corvin and Barker would have some way to eat once she was gone. Now that she realized she could be able to eat some of it, she realized how hungry she was. "Dinner's going to get cold, and I have to put the boys to bed."
"You eat like a king every day Aura." She replied. "The rest of us are lucky to get one full meal before it gets dark. Take a break and see how it'll be in the arena for once. Don't you want to give Garth one last goodbye anyway if they're leaving? You know he'll miss you."
"I'm not leaving. You were there Cass. There wasn't a Reaping." Even though Garth was Cass's boyfriend, Aura knew he had a secret crush on her from the start. Cass got past it though, and the three of them grew to become best friends.
Cass sighed. "I know there's not a reaping, hon, but if you think the town won't take into account your little scene in the aisle, you'll be wrong. Chances are, you're still our volunteer." Cass extended her hand and turned into their dirt path beneath the pine to the Haven. Aura wasn't sure whether to take it or not. "One last goodbye?"
Chapter 5: The Twenty-Fifth
Aura Cantarella
"Move! Get your asses in formation!"
Aura was rushed into the line of by a man wearing… more all white. The color was blinding next to the field of gray and black worn by many members of the crowd. There was not a cloud in the sky to match her mood. The sun was shining for once, yet it felt like its rays missed this part of the earth entirely. Today was the Reaping.
The girl had been dreading this day from the moment she was told what her destiny was. Until only a week ago, she believed she had one more year until she was forced into these Games. She had told her father she would volunteer though, and for the sake of her little brothers, she had every intention to honor it.
She wiped a bit of dust off of her skirt. It was the fanciest piece of clothing she owned, yet that wasn't saying much. At least she had a steady supply of makeup to apply that morning. It was sick, how the Reaping was … [view original content]
Comments
i chose restrain yourself. Like yeah, i want to punch him, but i don´t think ti will make things get better XD.
Good point haha. You're the only one so far lol
Oh yes, it's back! This is awesome
And once again, with a new and very interesting PoV. While I deeply root for my Aura, I have to say that I like Marten too. This was a great part and I'm looking forward for new parts of this story. And it's also great that Blood is going to return, of course 
As for this choice, I chose to fight back. Considering that he's going to be the D4 tribute either way, I even hope he kills that bastard Ronn.
Haha yeah... I made myself angry writing Ronn lol.
I chose to fight back. I really just don't like that guy.
Lol party time
Banana Phone for yo!
Some music for it
Perfect...
Nice episode. I chose to beat that ass.
75% of readers chose to [A. Fight back.]
It was at this moment that Marten knew he was a monster. He grabbed the boy by the neck and shoved him underneath the water in a swift motion. He held him there until he began to gasp for breath. "YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING!"
The more the boy attempted to come up for air and fought against Marten's strength, the more he refused. He bashed his head against the floor once... And then twice... It didn't take long until the river flower with the boy's blood. Of the two on the shore, one fled back into town and the smaller one came out to try and free his friend. It didn't take much of Marten's rage to throw him off his arm.
"What are you doing?" He shouted. "You're drowning him! Get off! GET OFF!" Before he finished the last sentence, Marten let his hands go to find them soaking in muddy water and blood. Ronn didn't rise to breathe, and he knew without a doubt, that the boy lay dead at the bottom of the river.
As his body began to gently float back to the surface, the second boy, now sitting in the water, looked up at Marten with a mix of anger and fear. "He's... dead... You killed him..." He stuttered. He began to get up and run away from the scene of the crime. "You're fucking dead for this, Lewis! You hear me?"
After the short man disappeared past the treeline, Marten still kneeled in the stream, shocked by his own actions. The creek flowed red and it was only him to blame. Yet, somehow, it was not this that upset him the most. It was something he said... "You're going in that arena..." The way he said that... He didn't mean the Hunger Games... Could he? How could he have known Marten would be the one reaped? He pondered the thought more and more, and after an indeterminable amount of time had past by, there was a shriek from behind him. He shot around to find Willy sprinting toward him in haste.
"Marten! What the hell happened?!" She didn't bother to take off her sandals and simply rushed into the water to her brother. "You're covered in blood man!" She looked down and saw Ronn's body floating in the creek and her eyes went wide before welling up with tears. "Tell me you didn't..."
"I killed him..." Marten sighed. He'd never been one to avert himself away from the truth. However, the one thing he did hide was that when people considered him a gentle soul, he knew what was really true. He was a monster. He didn't even try to hide it from himself. "I killed him with my bare hands..."
"Get up, man..." She said, pulling him away from the place he knelt. Tears were pouring down her cheeks. "We have to get you out of here, now!"
"I'm not leaving..."
"The Peacekeepers will find you if you stay here!" Willy wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in her direction. He didn't budge. "They'll kill you! Or worse! And it'll be my fault... I left you here..."
"It's my fault." Marten stated plainly. He looked up into his sister's wet eyes with ones of genuine fear. He fought to overcome this fear though, because to Marten, nothing was worse than betraying your own word. "Leave me here. I deserve whatever comes my way."
She fell backwards into the water. "C'mon! I'm not going to leave you here!"
Marten turned back to the body and stared down at it. There wasn't a thing he could do now. The damage was done. He wouldn't lie to the force and tell them he didn't know, or that he didn't mean to, because he did. Every single strike he threw against the boy was done with every fiber of himself behind it. He deserved to die for what he did. He knew it...
"Marten?" She asked one last time. "Get up..."
"I love you, sis..." He told her, and for the first time in a long while, his eyes became wet with tears. "Tell Mom not to worry about me, and tell Jill... She can have my spear..."
"No..." There was a loud rushing sound coming from to the left of the man and he turned to watch a giant white-plated truck barrel through the forest road. It halted in the gravel and three or four of the men inside got out and rushed to the scene accompanied by the tall boy who had run away. Will shook him one last time. "They're coming, Marten! Come on!"
"Leave..." He whispered in a semi-threatening way. He knew it was the only way to get through to his sister. And it was. Willy took his warning and fled through the tree line. But, it was not before she managed to plant a kiss on her hand and touch it to his forehead.
"Trois and Fender, Go after her!" The Peacekeeper in front, and the only one not wearing a black visor, shouted at two in the back. They followed his order and ran into the tree line and into the darkness. Marten knew they wouldn't catch her. She was too fast for them. The Peacekeeper stepped up in front of Marten and turned Ronn's body over on its side. He then pressed two fingers to his eyelids and closed them. "You piece of shit..." He scowled.
The last Peacekeeper stood behind him and locked a pair of binders on Marten's wrists. If he wanted to, he could have broken them, but he had decided before the force even showed up he would go willingly. "Look at me!" The man shouted in Marten's face. He ignored him. The Peacekeeper grabbed Marten by the jaw and yanked his head to meet his eye contact. He could only barely see through the wet blonde hair hanging in his face. "It's assholes like you that make this District hell. I want you to take a good long look at my face, because it's the last you'll ever fucking see."
The man had short gray hair, and wrinkles around his cheekbones. His facial structure was neither wide nor thin, but his massive jawline made up for it. The man's hazel eyes stared down at Marten for a few seconds in rage before striking him on the forehead with the butt of his gun and effectively knocked him unconscious.
In a way, Marten reminded himself of his grandfather. He was the kind of person who took his spear in one hand and life in the other. Marten had done that too. Only the life that he took was not his own. And he accepted the words that had been told to him only a half hour ago, and fell into them.
Marten was nothing.
End of Chapter 3
Damn son ... Marten is fucked.
Yes I do! I'll make sure to give it a read
https://www.telltalegames.com/community/discussion/92014/the-walking-dead-blood-character-submission-open
Ummmm....I guess we know now why he is going to fight in the arena.
Chapter 4: Forgotten
Penn Cassidy
It was dark... It was dark, and that was all Penn could remember. She knew her own name... She knew she was eighteen... She didn't know a single thing about where she came from, and her eyes were closed to the world. She wasn't sure what kind of a world she would open her eyes to, or whether she would enjoy a life in it. The worst part by far out of all this is she had not a clue why.
When Penn opened her eyes, she found herself in a kind of hospital ward, with a white ceiling above her and blinking lights in every direction. Above her loomed a tall man with thick brown hair and a surgical mask over his lower face. His eyes stared deep into hers and he seemed to know her. Yet, she didn't seem to know a single thing about the man.
"Thank God..." The doctor whispered before he turned off the bright light shining in Penn's eyes and they fluttered open. He sat up, and so did she. She pressed her lower back against the pillow her head had rested on and knocked a strand of dark blonde hair from her face. "We weren't entirely sure you'd wake up again..."
The room was very small. It was no larger than the average bedroom, and as a result, it felt claustrophobic. Penn felt the need to bring her knees in close to her chest and hug them. The tightness of the room scared her. Around the room were only a few objects. There was the bed she lay on, a wooden table with a set of doctor's supplies, and a dusty mirror with an auburn frame on the side of the wall.
"What... happened?" She spoke, still struggling to comprehend the situation. "Where am I? Who are you?"
The doctor took his hand to his mask and hung it around his neck. He wore a name tag on his breast pocket with the name Dr. Terriet Prince and a picture of himself. With the rugged cheekbones and impressive jawline he had, the man was easily attractive, but way too old for her. One more reason she wanted to grow up... Did she want to grow up? Now that she thought about it she wasn't quite sure.
"All of your questions will be answered in due time, mam." Dr. Prince responded, flipping through a check board he held in his hand. "I understand you must be scared, but I'm going to ask you to be calm...collected... So we can provide an accurate treatment, alright?"
"Alright?" Penn felt a twinge of anger. "How can it be fucking alright? I don't know who I am!"
Dr. Prince ignored her. He clicked a pen on and hovered over the paper as he began to write down his observations. "What is your name?"
"Penn... Penn Cassidy." She replied, calming down.
"Do you remember anything about yourself? Age? Family members, perhaps?"
"Eighteen..." She replied softly, digging back to remember any sign of her parents. There was nothing... But the harder she thought about it, the more she recollected. There was someone... "I remember my father... Nothing about him. Only that he was my father."
"Was?" He raised a brown-colored eyebrow. "Is he no longer with us?"
She shook her head. She didn't remember anything about her father, but she could feel an emotional connection to him. Only thinking about him being dead unsettled her. "I...I don't know."
"I see..." He began to scribble down on the page. He reached over to his right and flipped a switch. The light above her switched onto a very bright light. Penn felt as though she was being interrogated. "Is there...anyone else? A boyfriend? Maybe the family dog?"
She cringed when he said dog. She wasn't sure why, because thinking of dogs made her happy, yet she still involuntarily thought otherwise. "I don't know of anyone else. Listen, why are you asking me all these questions? Can you just go get my father?"
"Not until we are sure he is your father, miss Cassidy." He replied. "We must be careful about these things."
"Why am I here?" She asked.
"You are here because you were recovered at the bottom of a kind of ravine." He sounded emotionless when he said this. "We've restored your bone capacity mostly, yet you seem to be lacking your memory."
"No shit." She cursed. She had become annoyed the moment she woke up. This only worsened her feeling of emptiness. "Tell me something about me. Something I can go off of."
"I can tell you you have a boyfriend." He replied, setting the clipboard down on the table beside him. "Himself and your father have been sitting outside the compound for the last few days, waiting to see you. I can tell you we haven't been able to let them in the door. At least until we can confirm they are, in fact, related to you."
Something inside told Penn the man was right. She did remember something of her boyfriend. The only thing she seemed to remember firmly was his kiss... It must have fought its way through the void. "Can you send them in to see me?" She asked. She was very eager to meet the two of them. She felt as though she were meeting them for the first time, but she knew that wasn't true.
"I can't. I'm sorry."
"And why the hell not?"
"They found you at the bottom ravine on the outside of the fence. You were caught trying to escape District 1, Miss Cassidy." His face turned to a strange mixture of fear and anger. "This compound we've holed you in is not a hospital, but a prison. I suggest you get used to it."
The words hit Penn like a car. She didn't even know what she was attempting to escape from, but hearing the words from the doctor gave her something new to get away from. The way he said it was almost like a personal challenge to her. There was no way she was going to sit here willingly. "I don't remember trying to escape... What was I even trying to escape?
"Of course you don't remember trying to escape." He replied. "You have amnesia. And you were trying to escape the district... our home... I have no idea why you would want to leave. We're safe here."
"I'm not going to sit here and fucking rot for something I don't even recall doing in the first place, asshole!" She yelled at him. She tried to leap out of the bed, but was held down by a set of leather shackles on her ankles. The only thing the struggle managed to do was knock the sheet from her bed.
He breathed through his nose and rubbed his temple, as though trying to calm himself down. "Look, girl, I just want to know if you recognize Jomal Cassidy or Dray Kerrigan."
"Yes. I remember both those names." She replied. The names didn't help make the picture clearer, but it helped to know they were correct.
"Listen," He told her, clearly not happy to utter the words he was speaking. "You've been allowed to have one family member audience, but we could bend the rules to let in a relationship if that's what you'd like."
"Why can't I see them both, bitch?" She cried. "It's my dad, and my boyfriend. How can I pick one over the other?"
"It would help if you'd make this a bit easier on yourself." Prince shook his head. "And you're going to have to choose. You're lucky you get even that. Or you get no one. Your call."
http://strawpoll.me/5666333
Great part! I already like Penn, she's an interesting character. All of the characters so far have been interesting and I can't wait to meet the other tributes
As for this choice, I chose to ask for her father. Family should come first, in my opinion.
As liquid said, family should always come first.
I also really like the way you're writing out the characters, the bunch you've posted so far are so interesting and well written. Keep it up
Thanks. Penn was the fifth of five POVs. Which of them do you like the most?
Edit: Wait...
Thanks.
Unfortunately, most of the other tributes up there won't be joining us until Part 2: The Hand, so it'll be a while. That's when everyone heads off to the Capital.
Oh no I missed the last choice!
but yay this is back 
I really like the way you are going over the back story of the POV's. Very important before others are established.
Yeah. It's something I feel wasn't given enough time in the actual books. So I'm delegated the entire first part to it.
That's a surprisingly easy choice for me, even though all the PoV's are interesting. But the one I like the most is definitely Aura. Of course, I am a bit biased towards her, but I absolutely love her part. I got major feels from the interaction between her and her family, so that makes her my favourite. My second favourite at the moment is either Saul or Penn. While I'm at it, Theo and Marten are interesting PoV's without a doubt, but far behind the other three when it comes to my favourites. I am just not the biggest fan of gamemakers, no matter how relatable they seem, while I see the possibility for Marten to become a complete psychopath, so they are definitely behind Saul and Penn and far behind Aura for me.
'Tresting one. Family is first of course. This will be the last part of the Pro'? (Not this post but this POV)
What do you mean?
Yeah I figured like the moment I posted that question... It's gonna be Aura...
So with this PoV chapter, will the prologue end?
Well, if you mean the prologue, that was the beginning chapter with Theo and Roman. If you mean the end of Part 1, no. I have 28 chapters planned in Part 1.
Oh ok then.
28!? You're spoiling us :P
Haha. I was actually trying really hard to condense everything that's going to happen because I have five POV characters. Each character actually will really get five to six chapters each.
Hey guys, so I wrote this one paragraph in the last chapter because I was really tired, and I go to some dark places in my mind when I'm tired. Luckily, I had the sense to take it out the first time around, but I think you guys will get a kick out of it.
Marten's eyes grew wide. He didn't even know Grandad took loans from anyone, much less forgot to pay them back. "How much money is it?"
"About enough to move to the damn capital."
Marten raised an eyebrow. "If your family has enough money to do that, why are you still here?"
Ronn's eyes went wide, as he fell face first into the water. As he rose, his face was not only sopping wet with fresh water, but also with his own tears. Marten leaned in towards him and brought his mouth towards his ear. "Get rekt. Ya scrub." He whispered, as a pair of godly sunglasses floated down onto the bridge of his nose. Ronn lifted his arms into the sky, as if praying for forgiveness; for he knew indeed that he had been rekt. Marten simply pointed his finger in Ronn's general direction and a crack arose in the earth beneath his feet. It widened farther and farther until a giant skeletal hand grabbed him by the torso. Marten took no effort to pull out his laser shotgun and, with the true power of MLG, criticalled that bitch with a 360 no-scope. The hand then dragged Ronn down deep into the pits of Tartarus, where he was swallowed whole by the hatred of the fandom. TeamKennyW00t then had a good old laugh at his own joke, which was quite depressing when you think about it. Then Ronn was thrown up back to the surface and Marten patted him on the head, removing the bullet as he did so. Ronn stood up and wiped his face dry from all tears. TeamKennyW00t then looked around at all his fans who had left the room, said sorry to them for interrupting the flow of the story, and continued writing.
80% of readers chose to [A. Ask for your father.]
Penn was upset by her lack of options, but figured telling him this in any way would result in no option at all. "Just bring my dad in here then." She pouted. "I'm telling you I didn't do anything."
Dr. Prince stood up in the center of the room and turned away from the patient. "You can't tell me that and expect me to believe it. I know you better than that."
He slammed the door behind himself, and once he was gone, Penn found herself not able to understand what he had said. If the man knew Penn personally like he seemed to, why would he need to ask her all those questions. This added one more fucking question onto her list of plenty. At least her father might be able to provide some answers.
After four to five minutes of Penn staring blankly at a wall, pondering what she was doing, there was a knock on the door, yet before she could answer, a smiling man wearing a red tunic entered the room. His face looked as though he was overjoyed and saddened to see her at the same time. She was sure she looked no different herself. The man's thick gray hair came down around his face into a scraggly beard. He looked rather poor, and she found herself hoping it wasn't true. "Penny..." He said, his eyes welling up. "I can't believe it... What they have told me. This can't be true... right? They found you outside the gate?"
"You have five minutes." Dr. Prince told her through the open door before closing it. "Use them wisely."
Penn didn't understand. She couldn't tear her eyes away from her father's. Slowly, memories began to rush back to her, but only from her younger years. She remembered leaping into his arms. His hair was black back then. "...Daddy?" She whimpered.
He began to laugh through the tears, his hands shaking slightly. "Yeah... It's me, honey. I can't believe it..."
"...I can't remember anything..." She began to tear up herself. "Where am I?"
"District 1, honey." He replied, taking his hand in hers. "It's where we live... District 1. Dray is really excited to see you. We all are, kiddo..."
Penn began to let one of the tears she had been holding inside fall down her face and her father did too. He stood up next to her and wrapped his bear-like arms around her. She found herself to hug him back. They sat there for about ten seconds before the man let go. "Have they treated you well in here?" He asked.
"I only woke up a couple minutes ago..." She muttered. "And no. They treated me like shit."
He laughed through the tears. "You still have your mother's mouth."
"Where is my mother?" She asked him. The fact that she was not here, nor outside the gate with her boyfriend frightened her. "Is she..."
"Dead?" He responded for her, sitting back in the chair Prince had sat in. "No. But she might as well be."
"What happened?" Jomal didn't respond. "Daddy? What the hell happened to her?"
"She's an avox..." Directly after he said this, he looked below him and to the right, biting his lip, as if he couldn't bear to say it. "They took her voice away from her... That darling voice... You would have loved to hear her sing..."
Penn didn't understand, but figured she shouldn't ask what an avox meant, since the man seemed so upset over having to talk about it at all. "Where is she? Is she not in District 1?"
"She's with some snot-nosed prick with bushy eyelashes in the Capital." He grunted angrily.
"Are they gonna let me out?" Penn asked her father, trying to divert the subject. "I hate this tiny room."
"They'll let you out." He responded. "They have to eventually. The Hunger Games is quickly approaching, and they'll need every hand..."
Penn had no idea what the Hunger Games was, yet just the word gave her a rush of excitement. There was another flash in her mind, like déjà vu, but it was real. She pictured herself throwing a very shiny looking knife at a building, and then... Her very first meal cooked over a fire... It was almost... happy. She didn't know what the Hunger Games were, or if they were even a game, yet she had a strong urge to play. She knew, at the very least, she wanted to before she hit her head.
"What is the Hunger Games?" Penn asked him.
"You really don't remember anything, do you?" Jomal answered her question with his own. As he opened his mouth to speak again, the metal door opened again and Dr. Prince walked in. "It's a-"
"You've had enough time in there, Mr. Cassidy." He said definitively. "Get out."
Jomal stood up slowly, and before turning around, pulled a small wooden case from his pocket. "I'm going to post bail for my daughter." He told him.
"We don't accept bail here." Dr. Prince looked slightly angry, yet remained calm. "I suggest you leave, or I will be forced to remove you myself."
Jomal spun around and opened the wooden box, so he and only he could see what was inside. Penn moved her head to the left side and attempted to peek past her father and see what was in the box, but it was futile. "I'm going to post bail for my daughter." He repeated.
Prince took one look at the box, and took it from the man, quickly hiding it away in his briefcase. As he hurriedly stashed it away he spoke. "Your bail is accepted. You may leave."
Penn slowly hopped out of bed, finding strangely as she removed the covers from her body, her left leg was entirely missing from the shin down. Replacing it was a small device that looked and acted like a peg leg, only it was metallic, and curved into four prongs at the end. Connecting it to her calf was a sort of pressure valve of black rubber. The worst thing is that she didn't know why.
She walked towards her father standing in the doorway and saw that Dr. Prince had left the room, and the cement hallway on the other side of it. The peg leg felt surprisingly smooth. Almost as though it were a real foot. It was a strange sensation; she didn't miss her leg. However, she didn't remember it ever being there in the first place.
"It's time to go, Penny." Her dad told her as she followed him at the door. He didn't bother to shut it behind her, as he began to speed walk through the halls.
"What was that?" She asked as she ran to catch up with him.
"Your bail." He answered. "Quick. We need to hurry. We don't have long before we get another chance."
"A chance for what?" Penn raised an eyebrow.
"Another chance to escape." Jomal turned the corner in the hall and spun around to whisper into his daughter's ear. "Another ticket to a better life."
End of Chapter 4
Such epic much wow
It is a shame that I know that she will end up being a tribute anyway.
Yes, but her path to being a tribute is a bit different than the others.
Chapter 5: The Twenty-Fifth
Aura Cantarella
"Move! Get your asses in formation!"
Aura was rushed into the line of by a man wearing all white. The color was blinding next to the field of gray and black worn by many members of the crowd. There was not a cloud in the sky to match her mood. The sun was shining for once, yet it felt like its rays missed this part of the earth entirely. Today was the Reaping.
The girl had been dreading this day from the moment she was told what her destiny was. Until only a week ago, she believed she had one more year until she was forced into these Games. She had told her father she would volunteer though, and for the sake of her little brothers, she had every intention to honor it.
She wiped a bit of dust off of her skirt. It was the fanciest piece of clothing she owned, yet that wasn't saying much. At least she had a steady supply of makeup to apply that morning. It was sick, how the Reaping was treated like a wedding, but it was necessary to dress for the occasion.
"I'm scared, Aura..." The girl to the right of her spoke, nudging her on the arm. She would not let herself look over to see who it was, yet she already knew. It was her best friend, Cass Cannadine. They had met only when the two of them were twelve: young pups in a hunter's trap. Since their names were so close to each other in the alphabet, they stood next to each other year after year. And each one of them, Cass simply did not learn to keep her mouth shut. "I put my name in too many times... What if it's me? What will Garth say...?"
"Shut up." Aura whispered back to her, remaining focused on the stage in front of her, as it had been taught year after year. The Capital and their minions in white had told the kids to line up in two street-wide columns, boys on the left and girls on the right. This year, the seventeen-year-olds were placed just in front of the eighteens, who took up the rear. She used to be one year from escaping this... It was almost her turn.
Cass nudged her arm again with her own shorter one. "Come on, hon. The guards never catch us chatting here. Why do you insist on pushing me away when I only need a friend to be here with me?"
A tear slowly began to fall from her left cheek as Aura reached down and took Cass's hand in her own, gripping it with her own fear of death. Cass seemed to notice a fear in her, even though she was on the wrong side to notice the tear. The fear was one that she had not sensed any other year. With that, she reached over and used both hands to comfort her friend. It felt good to have the warmth of her friend with her.
Aura began to turn those four threatening words over and over in her head. "I volunteer as tribute... I volunteer as tribute... I volunteer as tribute..." What if someone else beat her to the punch? Would her father send Corvin into the training then? What if she stumbled with her words, pronounced it wrong and they didn't accept her? So many questions were floating in her head, and the only thing she could do was squeeze them into Cass's hand.
"How many times did you put your name in the reaping?" Cass asked, with relative calmness.
"...thirty." Aura replied, her voice shaking. She had given up this year, just as every other, on staying quiet next to her friend.
"Dear God..." Cass replied. "How can you live taking risks like that?"
"...I'm going to volunteer." Aura replied. At hearing the words, all girls in the general vicinity turned their gaze in shock to her. It only made her more fearful. District 7 seldom had a volunteer.
"Shit...Aura..." Aura could tell Cass's brown eyes went wide at the information. They always did. "Tell me you didn't..."
"I did..." It saddened Aura that she would never have a good time to tell Cass why she was doing this... "You have to promise me something."
"Anything..."
"Promise me you'll look out for-"
Aura's comment was interrupted as the huge gates of the Justice Building opened. Spilling out of them was a large, jolly-looking man with curly yellow mustachios, hair to match and a belly full of alcohol. Aura knew him as Ludwig Orretter, the chaperone for her district. The man was a vile bastard, but he put on a good show for the televisions in the Capital. That's all that really mattered to them. "Hello, my young woodpeckers!" He shouted with the glee of a child. He enjoyed referring to District 7 simply as woodpeckers because of their export. "Can I get a show of hands? Who's ready for today?"
There were a handful of children in the front who raised their hands, but no one past thirteen. They knew better. The twelve-year-olds hadn't spent enough time listening to this man speak. He appeared fun-loving and friendly to the naked eye, but Aura knew who he really was. After having many visits to the Victor's village, after so many shots and tries her and her brothers, she knew better. He tried at Ava a few times too, but after she left and never came back, at least the man had enough human decency to do the same.
"As I have been told only moments ago, today's a very special day for you youngsters. Today, you get to be written into the very book of history!" Aura didn't understand why Ludwig was more chipper than usual, but she figured with the man's loud mouth, she wouldn't have to wonder much longer.
"What does he mean?" Cass leaned over and asked. Aura had no idea how to answer her.
"I'm sure some of you have noticed..." The man hiccuped, but then continued speaking. "Some of you have noticed the glass bowls are not present as in previous years. I'll ask you not to worry! They will be back soon."
"I have no idea." Aura answered her friend. "Maybe it's some kind of-"
"Hey!" There was a loud shout from behind her and she turned to see a Peacekeeper with a blonde pony tail in the back sprinting towards her, gun in hand. The Peacekeeper broke through the ranks and grabbed Aura by the neck. She yanked her out into the center of the lane and set her down on the ground, getting her hair which she had worked so hard to make beautiful fall flat again. The woman held a gun to Aura's head.
"No!" There was only one audible voice in the entire court. All others fell silent. It was her father, behind the fence. His drunken shouts were full of rage and fear. "You take your hands off her!"
"If you have such a will to speak, girl, then do it!" The Peacekeeper called. "Say those words all the others want to hear."
"Madam!" Ludwig Orretter seemed almost distraught over the scene she had made. "This is a formal occasion. I'm sure you have been aware of the rules. No one talks unless a tribute or on stage. Now, if you would kindly return to your post, and stop talking."
The Peacekeeper was visibly shocked as she let go of Aura's hair. As she walked back to join the other guards, Aura remained on the ground. They hadn't called the reaping yet, but this was her only chance. "I volunteer..." She said loudly, but not enough to shake the audience.
"What was that?" Ludwig spoke into the mic down the center of the aisle. "Speak up if you wish to say something."
Aura slowly stood amidst the dust. Her collar was slightly torn down the back and her blouse had become unrecognizable. The boys were on her left. The girls were on her right. She spoke for both of them. She cleared her lungs and bellowed, "I volunteer as tribute!"
There was a strict moment of silence, where even the speaker was taken aback. He hiccuped, and cleared is throat. "While I do admire your enthusiasm, Miss Cantarella, I'm afraid I have to decline your offer."
Aura wasn't sure why, but before she had time to ask, the gates behind Ludwig flew closed and a projection appeared on it of a short man with long hair, a thick beard and a friendly smile. It was the Head Gamemaker, Roman Walsh. This was all highly unorthodox...
The man on the projection spoke louder than Aura could even imagine. It was as if he was trying to hammer the words into the skulls of the crowd with the harshness of his tone alone. They didn't need to hear these words again. Twenty-four of them get shipped off to die every year, and the Capitol treated it like a joke. Aura already knew the announcement by heart.
"And without further ado, I announce the 25th annual Hunger Games! It is a truly special occasion. For this year's games marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of your salvation. And yesterday, President Coriolanus Snow decreed that, in celebration of this magnificent event that unites our nation, a special rule will be placed upon the games, to quell the ambitions of those who might disagree with out methods. This year, we will demonstrate that you are still free to choose for yourselves, and that all citizens, regardless of district, are still citizens of the Panem.
"For this year, there will be no reaping. You shall choose amongst yourselves which tributes shall represent you. YOU decide for your district. "And so, this year, we speak to not only tributes, but to every child of Panem. Heed our words.
"May the odds be ever in your favor."
Devastation. The entire district was devastated. Even the younger ones near the front of the pack were visibly shocked. Aura was sure she looked no different. Yet no one let out a peep. All were too shocked even to move, let alone talk to each other.
In the midst of the confusion, Ludwig stepped back to the mic and spoke in a sort of threatening tone. "You may return to your formation, Miss Cantarella."
After the gates closed and the ceremony was over, the children filed out of the court in their normal, orderly fashion. They weren't chatty as usual, but instead, every boy and girl had a sort of shared silence. Like each knew the pain and impending choice the district would have to make. No person would want to willingly send someone to die. And now they were forced to choose.
Aura began to walk home alone, careful to avoid her father's path as she did. She didn't want to deal with whatever he had to say. Instead, she took a scenic forest route back to her house. It was one that hadn't been used in a long time. She thought it led to an old wood processing plant, but she'd never had the urge to check.
Halfway along the trail, she felt a small poke on the shoulder and jumped around, screaming along the way. She had assumed she was alone. She only found Cass behind her, with a face halfway between humor and sadness. "Jesus, Cass! You can't startle me like that! How did you even find me?"
"I followed you home. I'd meant to ask you before you so bravely volunteered if you'd like to come with me and Garth to the Haven. It's been a while since we all hung out there and after today, everyone just needs a break."
"You can't sneak up on people. You'll give me a heart attack some day." Aura frowned.
"If this is the girl we're sending into the arena for is, we're going to be in trouble. Don't get scared so easily. What if I had been an attacker? You just gave away your position and advantage." Cass frowned back. Aura was surprised at the amount of strategy she had tucked away. If only she used that same logic in school, she might not be flunking. "Now do you want to come with us or not?"
"I have to get home, Cassie." Aura sighed. She had made dinner before they left so Corvin and Barker would have some way to eat once she was gone. Now that she realized she could be able to eat some of it, she realized how hungry she was. "Dinner's going to get cold, and I have to put the boys to bed."
"You eat like a king every day Aura." She replied. "The rest of us are lucky to get one full meal before it gets dark. Take a break and see how it'll be in the arena for once. Don't you want to give Garth one last goodbye anyway if they're leaving? You know he'll miss you."
"I'm not leaving. You were there Cass. There wasn't a Reaping." Even though Garth was Cass's boyfriend, Aura knew he had a secret crush on her from the start. Cass got past it though, and the three of them grew to become best friends.
Cass sighed. "I know there's not a reaping, hon, but if you think the town won't take into account your little scene in the aisle, you'll be wrong. Chances are, you're still our volunteer." Cass extended her hand and turned into their dirt path beneath the pine to the Haven. Aura wasn't sure whether to take it or not. "One last goodbye?"
http://strawpoll.me/5682221
@LiquidChicagoTed @TheLier @supersagig @mr.quality @AAA_Jane @UkilledKenny @TWD_stan @WildlingKing I think you guys might not have noticed I updated. And sorry WildlingKing. I accidentally forgot to add you on the link the first time.![:\](https://community.telltalegames.com/resources/emoji/confused.png ":\")
Good part.