Chapter 1: Reaping
I woke up this morning with a feeling of dread and I couldn't place the reason, untill I saw the calendar on our wall. It is reaping day. Like all the other teens in District 7, I don't want to be sent to my death. I know if I am chosen, no one will volunteer because nobody wants to go die for the Capitol's pleasure... I rouse my brother Isaac and he greets me with his normal cheery, "Good Morning Isabel!" I dont know how he can be so happy on a day like this, maybe he forgot that its reaping day.
Let's not get ahead of myself though, where are my manners? My name is Isabel Ronka and I am 15 years old, my twin brother, Isaac is exactly 13 minutes younger than me. I live in District 7 and I have three siblings (my twin brother, and my two baby sisters, Tiana [age 4] and Tammy [age 6]) We live in a small house, but we have enough to provide for the family, as my father is a lumberjack and my mother works at the kitchen outside the forest to keep my dad and his fellow lumberjacks full and hydrated while they work.
I go to my closet and pull on my nicest dress, a simple orange cotton frock that comes just above my knees, and my black leather sandals. I begin to make breakfast because I know that Isaac and I will be the first ones awake. Isac walks down in a nice white button down shirt and some decent looking slacks and dress shoes. The smell of food must wake Tiana and Tammy, as they come bounding down the stairs in their nightgowns looking hungry and a bit bedraggled. after about 10 minutes, mom and dad walk down stairs and we have a good breakfast and then we all go get ready for the reaping. I go to my room and put my hair in a simple braid and then go to the girls' room to help them get ready in matching white skirts and pink tops. I braid their hair just like mine and take them down to the Justice Building to watch the reaping. After my parents arrive to take over care of the girls, I go to the 15 year old section and am not surprised to see my brother there. We give eachother a quick hug and wish eachother good luck, just as our District's escort, Katheryn Cemonter, struts onto the stage, in 4 inch heels and a simple green suit and a matching wig. She starts with the usual "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" and then the mayor begins his usual rant that I have learned to tune out. As Katheryn Introduces our mentors, Johanna (who won the games decades ago) and a young man by the name of Andrew (who won just two years ago). And then she saunters over to the girls crystal ball, filled with thousands of slips with the names of all the girls ages 12-18 in District 7. She grabs one and walks back to the microphone and announces the name,
Isabel Ronka.
My heart sinks to my stomach and I dont even have time to panic or cry before everyone is staring my way and the Peacekeeper sare ushering me up to the stage. "Any volunteers for Isabel?" Katheryn asks, and of course there aren't any . She then walks over to the boy's ball and dig around and snatches a name from the bottom. She walks over and reads the name aloud, I don't even have time to worry about my twin before she shouts out the name.
Isaac Ronka.
You can almsot hear the crowd gasp and go silent. They all know that we are twins and that we are very close. This is when I begin to sob silently, as I see Isaac walking towards the stage, obviously holding back tears as well. "Any volunteers?" Katheryn says hopefully, even she has sympathy for us as she realize the relation. Please! Anyone I'd rather die immediately into the Games than have to personally kill my own brother! But of course the Odds are not in my favor, and no one steps forward and the next thing I know I am shaking hands with Katheryn, the mayors, the mentors, and finally Isaac. And as I shake his hand, I stare right into his eyes and I can see my pain and horror reflected back to me through him. And then we are separated and ushered into the building to say our goodbyes to our families and friends. And my last thoughts before I turn away from Isaac and head into my private room are, I refuse to kill you, you will have to kill me or if you do die, someone else will have to do it. And I will stay with you throughout the whole horror that is the Hunger Games and do my best to protect you and I will die trying. The family can suffice without me, but they would die without you.
So what do you think! Reviews would be great and my next chapter will be out soon enough. Please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions :)