Hunger Games Role Play and Fan Group discussion

Acacia Ilyina stared at the huge monitors, her breath caught in her throat. She was shocked, almost unable to move at all. She could sense the others around her also were a little surprised.
On one hand, Acacia felt ill at ease. She’d avoided watching this years’ Games if she could because of just how gruesome they were, but as they’d went on, her interest at piqued. Kel Ashburn, one of her neighbors, hadn’t died yet.
And now, she had been unable to stop watching as she shot Henry. Her reactions almost broke Acacia’s heart as she shielded her two brothers’ eyes, making sure they weren’t watching the blood and the death, but nobody could not hear Kel’s screams. They sent a shudder up Acacia’s spine, and she turned away.
So they’d be getting a victor. She’d known Kel a bit—they’d gotten along alright because both were quieter, but…Kel wasn’t the same. Acacia could already see that. Her stomach twisted and familiar rage at the people who made these Games filled her as she took her siblings’ hand and tugged them towards home.
And why she had a feeling she’d one day end up in that awful arena she didn’t know.

((not really, it was just something I thought of a few hours ago thats all))

On her way back home, a little brother's hand in each of hers, she bumped into Josh. She knew him a bit--like how he was one of the kinder people around. She hadn't been paying attention, her thoughts muddied.

She gaped and looked up. "I'm sorry. Yes, no, this is my fault." She released one of her brother's hands and pushed aside some of her red hair. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. And...yeah. Acacia Ilyina. You're Joshua, right? I've seen you around. You're..." She tilted her head thinking of the right word, "a bit nicer than half the people around here."

Hunter *Henry* wrote: "((Looks like you already started))

Joshua, or Josh as he prefered to be called, left his house sighing "At least she tried" he said to himself. He knew a little bit about Kel from past experiences..."

((XD also I love how its 'I did not expect Kel to find a friend or help someone lol the shade throwing is real))

((okay!))

"No, I suppose not." She tried to give him a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. It wasn't him; it was the Games. She always dreaded them. Actually, Acacia kind of dreaded life, but nobody needed to know that. It's just that each year, they never knew who was going to be destroyed next. "Yep. They do." Her smile widened now into a more genuine one when he waved at Cole. She leaned over. "Cole, this is Joshua, say hi."
"Hi," the little boy, with a red of red hair like Acacia's, greeted shyly.
Acacia smiled at him. "This is Cole, and this is Garrett." She nodded at the other one. "Twins."

Now, her smile slipped again. Her brothers had to be strong one day;; she wished they didn't have to be, but with her family, they did. But then her smile returned with the twin comment. "Yeah, they're...pretty much mind readers of one another," she joked a bit. "Actually they just have the same interests." She paused when she saw his hand out. She wasn't the most social person, but maybe a conversation would steer her away from the horrid thoughts of the Games that had just ended, about the life of the District 12 boy that was gone forever, and the grief his family would have. She shook his hand. "I...you too."

"Good-" She started, and then grimaced. "Oh, you mean the Games? Kel? Yeah, I...watched her win. Wish I hadn't, really. I hadn't been keeping track and watching them until I saw she was actually doing well. I...I'm shocked we have a victor, though. Glad she's...back, soon, I guess, but..." But the Games., they change you. Acacia's grandmother had been a victor. She'd never been the same, though. It was heartbreaking. A shiver darted up her spine.

At what he said, her stomach dropped and she swallowed down a wave of anger. “Prepare. Yeah. Because we never know,” she mumbled in a slightly angry, scared voice. “I…probably not well. Did you see the end? After she shot him? She looked like she lost it.” Another shiver. “I…she seemed like she liked him as a friend anyway…but also she didn’t seem afraid to save herself either.”

“I think he said thank you,” Acacia told him quietly. “The whole thing is just twisted and sick. How people like these and are okay with them I don’t understand. I doubt she’s okay. How can she be?”

“I…don’t know if we can.” Her grandmother hadn’t been able to fully recover. “How can someone get better from that, you know?”

Acacia stared uncomfortably at the ground. For one thing, she was an introvert and didn’t know how to always deal with people around her age. For another, she didn’t know Kel well. And how did someone help someone else that far…gone from who they were? Someone so traumatized?
She sucked in a breath. “I…how?”

“How well does she know you? I mean, I…don’t…I’m not sure I know how to help someone that upset.”

“I-I mean, you could try of course, and I suppose I could try to help with you, I guess I just don’t have high hopes.” She stuck both hands in her pockets as Cole and Garrett began to jump in puddles from the rain last night. “My grandmother won the Games,” she said quietly. “She was never the woman my mom said she used to be.” She shrugged. “But I..like I said. You seem to be a nice person, maybe you could help.”

“You’re welcome. And, uh, thanks, but she…died when I was only ten. So six years ago.”

She waved his concern away. "Of course you didn't know, it was years ago and we don't talk much. It's fine."

she shrugged. “Really, don’t worry about it.” She crossed her arms. “Anyway, you…uh…where we’re you headed?”

“You don’t mean hunting, do you? Are you headed to the woods?”

“Ah.” She supposed that surprise her coming from him. “Well, the bakery has some decent things.” When we can afford them.

She blinked. Wow, the stories of Joshua being nice were so true. “I…that’s so…kind of you,” she gasped, and then added, “I mean every word of this: I hope you’re never reaped for the Games.”

“Thanks.” She took a deep breath. “I know you are. And I guess I just mean that you’re so nice, even to animals. I don’t know how you’d actually survive the Games. I would want you to, but…”

"That's what I think I'd do, too, or try to." She sighed. But her head or red hair may stand out, plus, how long could one really evade the others? "But also, you said you can't even watch an animal die...do you think you could, if you absolutely had to eat?"

"But find your own means hunting," she pointed out.

"Oh." She nodded slowly. He'd probably starve off of fruit and vegetables, though. Honestly, maybe the best bet was just to hope it never happened, that the Games never ended up hurting Joshua.

She nodded slowly. "I-I guess we have to all live on pins and needles for another year." She swallowed hard. Acacia could kill her own food and defend herself if she had to. But she couldn't afford to be reaped, not with how her brothers needed her.

Kaya Maxwell sat on the front steps of 12's bakery, eating something she'd stolen with her quick fingers, as she stared at the town square's TV. The food was a cold lump in her throat, not going down, as she stared, alongside so many others, as Joshua walked into the fog. Why? Why would he do that?!
She could hear people grumbling, and anger was stirring just under the surface of her body, too. No. No, this was wrong, he shouldn't have had to sacrifice himself like this. He had always been too good.
Furious, Kaya turned away and shoved the rest of the muffin into her mouth. Someone was going to pay for this.