150th Hunger Games ~ The Hidden Cornucopia

Declan Brooks ~ District Three

DECLAN BROOKS POV:

Again. No bacon. What is this. Clearly everyone knows I'm always hungry. Literally. There is no food anywhere. Not in the cupboards or the fridge. There's like crappy organic muesli bars, or wheat biscuits. Cause that'll fill me. Yea. No. Mum says it's my fault, because I eat everything in a matter of hours after she buys it. She says I can't do that because were not the richest family in District Three. My two brothers and I are up for reaping this year. It's my brother Spencer's first year this year, he has been bawling his eyes out all morning. We get to reaping amongst the big crowd of people, and my brothers and I are separated into our different age groups in which we stand with at reaping. I'm holding a packet of salt and vinegar potato chip, nibbling away at them whilst the escort finds his position on stage until he has posed in the most comfortable position. He has his arm up in the air until he starts talking where his hands make very magical and strange movements. Every now and then he'll incorporate his legs and face to make it look like he was doing a strange, tribal dance. The escort is an old, brittle man dressed in various quilts and blanket like coverings. He has flared pants on and very retro glasses incorporating the Capitol look. When the escort is talking into the microphone, whist performing his spiritual dance, he gets very close to the microphone, he looks like he will eat it very soon. He has a high pitch Irish accent. He voices his motivation speech to the crowd claiming this will be our year. District Three hasn't won in over twenty years. He trots over to the bowl that contains the females children from the district. He peeks over the bowl and begins in a chorus of coughs. He trots slowly back to the microphone

"Dust." He says between coughs smiling at us. There is a big groan from the audience as he makes his way to the bowl again, this time slower the two other trips he has made. There is an impatient mumble from the audiences. The escort takes him time to choose one until he has picked one. He giggles once he has picked it and takes his time back to the microphone.

"Trixie Tane! Congratulations!"

A girl with crazy ringlets, who I recognise immediately from my class, steps out of the crowd and onto the stage. I can't help but feel sorry for the poor girl, she has no chance. Long story short, she's a phsyco. She's most likely completely oblivious to whole situation. Bloodbath material. The escort has already chosen a boys name when my attention goes back to him. Wow. I must have been blacked out for a while because he is a very slow mover that escort. He spreads his legs very wide apart like his about to do the splits, then crouches down either looking like he is about to blast off, or just plain constipated. It's not till he springs up releasing his arms into the air when he says,

"Declan Brooks!" He does a rather hysterical laugh while he tosses the name off stage. I become immediately horrified. Everyone's heads swivel around in my direction so I can see each and every one of the relieved and sympathetic faces. How is it even possible for me to get picked. I have signed up for tesserae twice! Twice ever! So my name should only be in there... I don't know how many times, but not a lot. A boy in my grade, Douglas Smith, his name is in the around 30 odd times, it's boys like him who deserve to be here. Not me. I have done NOTHIN' wrong. I don't deserve to be here. Once I have made my way to the podium, I notice Trixie, shes smiling at me? I think I slightly smile back I'm not to sure, in fact, I'm not sure of anything at this point.

"Trixie Tane and Declan Brooklyn" 

Really? Is Brooks (My last name) that hard to say? Now I'm angrier. This feels weird, not Trixie's beady eyes piercing into me but that fact I'm being turned from a kid to a killer. We both sit in a light coloured room, furnished with beautiful antique pieces. The walls are covered in bookshelves filled with abandoned books that I'm sure have never been read. There are two big, purple, velvet chairs. One for me to sit on, and one for Trixie. Mum and Spencer are bawling, my other two brothers stand there feeling sorry and emotional for me. I keep telling them I will win, no matter what. That I'm strong and athletic. Well, to be honest, I am probably the most athletic person in my Physical Education class. When they are pulled out of the rooms I feel a tear trickle down my cheek. I wipe it away almost immediately in case camera's are around. I notice Trixie still smiling, and she keeps staring at me every now and then. She creeps me out. She always does this in class as well. I sit waiting in the room, im not sure what to be waiting for, but I'm waiting. There is a beautiful silence flushed over the room, then Trixie pipes up,

"Hey" Then she giggles. Now I'm beginning to realise who my secret admirer was on Valentines Day. Once again, I'm hungry, I guess I won't do to well in the "Hunger" Games. I am just hoping I won't have to resort to cannibalism.