Piper Papillon’s POV:

‘’ Hello everyone! I welcome you all warmly here today for the selection of the pairings for this year’s Quarter Quell! The tributes have just finished their feast, so now it’s time to get things underway.’’ I smile and walk across the stage to the two objects hidden beneath fancy red blankets.

I pull off the first blanket, revealing a small glass bowl with twenty four names scrawled onto pieces of paper. It is actually a Reaping bowl, however it looks odd considering how empty it is.

The crowd is silent as they watch me do this as most have no idea what we intend to do. I now move onto the much bigger object and pull the red blanket covering it off. A large spinning wheel is revealed. There are separate segments on it, each with a tributes name written onto it. It looks like a wheel of fortune.

‘’ OK everyone, here is how this is going to work. I am going to pluck a name from the Reaping bowl, and the person that is picked is going to come up and join me on stage. They will then approach the wheel and spin it. The name that the wheel stops on will be paired with the person that spun the wheel. As we go on, names will be removed from the wheel and the segments will be slightly bigger until everyone has a partner. When you have your partner, you take your seat here on stage with your partner. Are we clear? OK then, let’s begin!’’

I stick my name into the Reaping bowl and pull out the first lucky name.

‘’ Alistair Balentine!’’

Alistair Balentine’s POV:

‘’ Crap.’’ I mutter to myself.

‘’ Good luck.’’ Whispers Arianna with a smile, however I can tell that it is forced and her tone of voice indicates how nervous she is.

I approach the stage where Piper is smiling broadly at me and make my way over to the wheel. I glance at the small arrow on the top of the wheel that is currently pointing to Brutis Glaze and take a deep breath.

‘’ Good luck Alistair. Simply spin the wheel.’’ Smiles Piper.

I take a grip on the wheel, close my eyes for a moment and then spin it with all my strength. I then step back to watch it go. It is like a spectrum, each rung of the wheel – with a tribute’s name on it – is a different colour, however the wheel appears white as all the colours spin so quickly around.

We watch it for about ten seconds until it slowly begins to stop. The arrow clicks every time it hits the small handles of each rung. I watch as it hovers over each name momentarily before it moves on to the next.

Min Yan.

Lilly Cullen.

Belle Cyrus.

Acacia Frost.

It then comes to the name I want it to land on as it is almost about to stop. Arianna Winslow. The arrow stops in her section, however it continues to move slightly, bending a bit it threatens to move into the next section – Osmo Overton.

Please no. Please no. Don’t let it move. Let it be Arianna. I beg silently to a God I don’t believe in.

The arrow bends dangerously close to the point where it would click into Osmo’s section, however it stops and clicks to a halt in Arianna’s instead. A wide grin spreads across my face, and I laugh aloud. Then Piper begins to applaud and she instructs Arianna to come up and join me on stage.

‘’ We have our first pair! The District Twelve escapists Arianna Winslow and Alistair Balentine! Please go take your seats over there.’’ She smiles and then approaches the Reaping bowl once again.

‘’ We did it.’’ Whispers Arianna to me and hugs me tightly. ‘’ You did it.’’

‘’ I love you.’’ I smile and kiss her on the forehead.

‘’ I love you too.’’ She says and buries her head into my shoulder as she half laughs, half cries.

Brutis Glaze’s POV:

‘’ Brutis Glaze!’’ Screams Piper and I walk confidently to the stage.

I can do this.

‘’ OK now Brutis, please spin the wheel.’’ She smiles.

‘’ No problemo.’’ I reply and grip the wheel.

I glance at the wheel, both Alistair’s and Arianna’s name have been removed from the wheel, so everyone else’s segment is slightly bigger than before. I spin it hard, trying to get it to spin faster than it did for Alistair. For a moment, it spins too fast to read the names, yet as it slows, it becomes easier to read.

The name hovers briefly over Adaline Trunkette first.

Please no. I think to myself.

Gauze Weaver

Echo Sparks.

Blossom Abernathy.

Ethan Rhodes.

It finally begins to come to a halt in Belle Cyrus’ section and I glance down at her in the crowd. She looks horrified so I smile broadly at her. I turn back to the wheel, like it did for Alistair, the arrow begins to bend against the handle and it threatens to fall into the next section – Pious Carrington.

I continue to grin at Belle, we’ll be able to bring home the glory for District One. Maybe I’ll even get a kiss, possibly more. She continues to stare at me, every so often her eyes briefly flicker towards the wheel.

There is a clicking noise from behind me and Belle’s face twists into a smile. I spin around to look at the wheel and curse silently. It moved into the next section.

‘’ Pious Carrington! Congratulations, you are Brutis Glaze’s partner; please make your way up here to the stage!’’ Yells Piper excitedly.

Damn it! I wanted Belle, but I guess he’s not so bad. He’s old, a well built. He’s definitely a lot better than some District Twelve kid.

I take my seat on the stage behind Piper and Pious joins me.

‘’ Pleased to meet you.’’ I say. ‘’ I’m Brutis, and we’re going to win the Games.’’

He stares at me and stretches out his hand. ‘’ Pious.’’

I take it and shake it firmly. I guess I can put up with him.

Blossom Abernathy’s POV:

I watch as Piper sticks her name into the bowl. I don’t want it to be me. Even though the chances of me going up onto the stage and spinning the wheel are fifty fifty to having to sit here and wait for someone else to pick me, I don’t want to go up there.

‘’ Blossom Abernathy!’’ Yells Piper excitedly.

Perfect.

I climb the steps to the stage and approach the wheel. I place my hand onto the spinning handles and spin the wheel as hard as I can. The wheel goes nowhere as fast as it did for the two boys before me and because of this, it begins to slow down much faster than it did for them.

I watch as the arrow hovers over the names of other tributes, some I would love to be paired with, others...well, it would be a nightmare!

Bliss Dixon.

Ellie Rhodes.

Ravina Quill.

Ike Nash.

Belle Cyrus.

It then comes to a crawl in Acacia Frost’s section. The section beside that is Phox Halebrooks. Both are twelve year olds – like me. I don’t stand a chance in this year’s Games. I’m done.

The arrow clicks and it moves into the next section, Phox Halebrooks.

‘’ How exciting! Two twelve year olds paired together!’’ Screams Piper as Phox begins towards the stage.

I take my seat and sigh as she approaches me.

Goodbye everything I ever knew. I’m going to die.

Bliss Dixon’s POV:

‘’ Bliss Dixon!’’ Yells Piper as she pulls my name from the bowl. ‘’ Come on up here!’’

As I approach the wheel, I notice that the sections have gotten bigger as six names have been removed from it. I look for my name on it however it doesn’t seem to be there, perhaps the spinner’s name is removed when it is there turn to avoid them picking their own name.

I grasp the wheel and spin it, resulting in a spin as weak as Blossom’s was before me.

I watch the arrow hover over names.

Margo Mead.

Caspian Reef.

Stitch Gable.

Odhan Tyrell.

Please let it be someone that can protect me. I silently pray.

It then begins to halt over Cricket Wakely’s name, however it continues to move towards the next section. The arrow clicks as it moves into the next section – Gauze Weaver.

Yes! Yes! Yes! YES! Please let it stay. Please don’t let it move. Please. I beg.

The arrow comes to a complete stop and a wide smile stretches across my face.

‘’ Gauze Weaver! Please come on up here.’’ Yells Piper and Gauze makes his way to the stage from the crowd.

I take my seat and he follows me to take his beside me.

‘’ Hello Bliss.’’ He smiles.

‘’ Hi.’’ I reply.

‘’ You ready?’’ He questions.

‘’ For what?’’ I ask stupidly.

‘’ To win the Games of course.’’ He laughs and I smile back at it.

Thanks mum. Thanks Velvetta. Thank you God!

Margo Mead’s POV:

‘’ Next up to choose their pair is District Two’s very own, Margo Mead! Come on up here.’’ Smiles Piper and I approach the stage.

I grasp one of the spinning handles and take a deep breath. Then I pull down on the handle as hard as I can and send the wheel spinning. For a few seconds, you can’t read much, but then it begins to come to a stop.

Who do I actually want? I ask myself silently. Belle? Min? Ravina?

The handle passes over a few names.

Ike Nash.

Acacia Frost.

Adaline Trunkette.

No. No. No.

It then slows down between Echo Sparks and Belle Cyrus.

Yes! I can handle either of those two. Preferably Belle though, because she is beautiful.

I glance down at them in the crowd, Belle is looking up at me hopefully with a smile on her face. I look at Echo, who is staring at Osmo with a worried expression on her face.

There is a clicking noise and the arrow clicks into Belle’s slot.

‘’ Come on up here Belle! We have a career pairing! How exciting!’’ Calls Piper as Belle skips towards the stage and takes a seat beside me.

‘’ We can do this.’’ She smiles.

‘’ Yes we can. I’m glad I can have someone as beautiful as you at my side when I do.’’ I compliment and she blushes.

‘’ Congratulations Margo, you’re the first guy who’s successfully managed to woo me. I think you and me are going to get along just fine.’’ She smirks and I kiss her hand.

Stitch Gable’s POV:

‘’ Ok now. This is going to be the last pairing before we take a ten minute break. The next person up is, Stitch Gable!’’ Calls Piper.

I approach the stage, Max walks by my side talking to me.

‘’ I can try do it. I can try stop the arrow where you want to. Of course it will have to be at the end, when it is between two names, but I can try.’’ Suggests Max.

‘’ I don’t know.’’ I whisper. ‘’ That doesn’t seem fair.’’

‘’ Oh come on! It’s the only way we’re going to get out of here alive.’’ Begs Max.

‘’ Fine.’’ I say as I grasp the wheel and spin it as hard as I can.

It passes over a few names as it spins around.

Caspian Reef.

Ethan Rhodes.

Odhan Tyrell.

Osmo Overton.

It finally begins to halt between two names. Min Yan and Cricket Wakely.

‘’ I can move the arrow. I can tip it into a tribute’s section. Who do you want to be with?’’ Asks Max.

‘’ I don’t know. This doesn’t seem fair.’’ I argue in a whisper.

‘’ Quick! Choose now or you won’t get another chance.’’ Instructs Max.

‘’ I can’t.’’ I say.

‘’ You can.’’ He argues.

‘’ I couldn’t.’’ I rephrase.

‘’ You could. Just tell me a name!’’ He orders.

‘’ Min.’’ I whisper and he pushes the arrow over the rung so it lands in Min’s section.

I glance down at her in the crowd, she looks disgusted.

‘’ Come on up here Min! You are Stitch’s partner for the Games!’’ Calls Piper as Min storms from her seat.

‘’ This isn’t fair!’’ She yells angrily. ‘’ I have no chance with him!’’

‘’ I’m sorry Min, that’s just the way it is.’’ Says Piper as Min sits down beside me.

‘’ You better fight.’’ She begins, she seems on the verge of tears. ‘’ I have to get back to my family. If you try stop me, I will really hurt you.’’

‘’ You can’t do anything to me, or else you will die.’’ I retort.

‘’ Wrong.’’ She says. ‘’ I can’t kill you, I can still torture you if you aren’t prepared to kill. We need to win this. I need to go home.’’

I sit silently beside her, I shouldn’t have let Max do that. He should have picked Cricket.

‘’ OK then, that wraps up the first half of our tribute pairings! We’ll be back in ten minutes with the second half! See you then!’’ Smiles Piper and she exits the stage.