Animal Adventures

Ez sighed as he pulled up another net of fish. This felt like it would be another normal, boring work day at the fisheries. But, the teenage boy shrugged. It could be worse; he could live in one of the lesser districts that didn't have much food.

Opening the net to watch the silver fish flop out, he wiped sweat from his brow with the back of a scarred hand. Sunlight glinted off of the fish scales, making their once boring scales glimmer like a pearl in the rising sun.

Ezekiel Poltriz was, in most cases, ordinary. He was taught the same as any District Four child was; how to fish and swim effectively, the history of Panem, and the Hunger Games. He didn't really have that outstanding of hair; partially spiked yet floppy dirty blonde hair and seafoam green eyes with a ring of blue around the pupil. However, he was tall; around 6'2", which was slightly taller than the average man in District Four.

He also lived for the water. He was one of the fastest swimmers they had, and he could catch fish with his bare hands. Of course, though, to obtain this, he had trained for countless hours. Why shouldn't he? There was always the chance that he would be drawn for the next Hunger Games.

Just thinking the word sent chills down his spine and goosebumps on his hands. Going to the Hunger Games was, in most cases, a death sentence. District Four faired pretty well in the Games, but out of the rate of tributes that had gone in for District Four, the survival rate was less than 25%. Low, but not hopeless.

He went to work gutting some of the fish he'd caught; he would cut out the organs after removing the head. If there were eggs, they'd be stored for caviar. If not, the bones would be removed and the fish would be sent, along with the caviar and other delicacies, to the Capitol.

Ez always became lost in thought as he worked, since it had become second nature to do his job. One thought, though, stopped him cold. He stopped working on the fish he was cutting to look at the rising sun. A darkened look flashed on his face. The Hunger Games would be starting soon; they were only a week away. His heart pounded at the thought. He was only sixteen; there was every possibility that he could be drawn as the male tribute that year.

... But only time would tell.

Okay