The Reaping
Emeralds P.O.V.
The day of the reaping is today I am so scared, but I still wake up, get dressed, into a tuxedo shirt, but I leave out the jacket. I then put on some regular day jeans and my black converse. I slowly moan down my stairs, and then down my long hallway, until I reach my kitchen I, I see my whole family is there waiting there, they are all smiling at me, they even have a plate of stacked pancakes, which they never do. I then finally say, "Why are you all smiling, and why do you have my breakfast out?"
"Emerald", my mom starts "We are just so scared that you might get reaped today."
"I know mom, but this is my last year, at this dumb thing, and I'm pretty sure I am not going to be picked, because there is like a million other people in district one." I say already cutting the huge stack of pancakes.
"Hey", my little sister starts to say "You are not the only one that has a name in the jars I have one."
Man jade seems so confident in say those words its likes she wants to get picked, but before I can even say something so her, my mom rushes everyone out of the house. I walk with Jade in silence because I had really nothing to say to her. We finally reach the crowd, and I tell Jade to go in the line, were the other twelve year old girls were. I slowly walked my way over to were you get your finger pricked; it still hurt like a motherfucker. Then I walked down the aisle to were my friends were hanging around, one said that they will volunteer, but I think that was a joke because he never volunteered when he said that.
Crystal's P.O.V.
I wake up to this random beeping sound, and I just remembered that it was the microphone getting tested, so it wouldn't make any unusual sounds. I do not hesitate to get up this morning because this is the day I have been waiting for; this is the day I am going to volunteer, even though I am only sixteen years old. I open my closet and see this pink puffy dress that has the prettiest bow on it and has lots of sparkles, "perfect" I say and then I grab a pair of my mom's old heels. Oh I hope no one hears me because it is like 6:00 in the morning, but it is too late my older brother, Alexander, is standing in my doorway, with a grin in his face. "What", I say almost dropping my mom's shoes.
"Oh you know just checking if my little sister is going to be ok. So Crystal do you think you're going to be reaped or are you going to volunteer this year?"
"Duh, I'm obviously going to volunteer, gosh Alex I taught you knew that already." I say moving past him through the doorway.
"Ok but you got ten minutes to get ready." Then he leaves walking into the kitchen
"Really, you think I can get ready in ten minutes?" I quickly make my way into the bathroom; then I quickly take off all of my pajamas and easily slip on the dress. I then grab my brush and start combing my streak of gold hair. After I curl my hair and put on the heels, now that I look at myself I looks like I am as tall as my brother and he is like 5'8. I open the door and enter the kitchen, I look around and see that everyone's ready to go, Alex has a gray tuxedo on with a red tie, my sisters, Emma and Kristi, both have the exact same dress but Kristi's is red and Emma's is blue. My mom comes straight at me and pulls me into a hug, I have nothing to say to her, and so I just hug her back. "Guys", I start to say, "I love you and the reason why I'm going to do this is so that everyone can see how good I really am, and I am not that one dumb, pretty girl, but instead tough and strong. Also if I don't come back don't be sad because it is my choice for doing this and not the lady."
"Honey I love you too, but make sure you win, so we won't be crying when you die."
"Ok come on guys it is time to go." I say looking at my mom's face that is running with tears. I exit the house first with my family behind me. I walk side to side with Alex until we are finally there I give everyone a hug and everyone follows my mom to the side, because my sisters are both eight years old and Alex is too old for these games. I walk to the sixteen year old section and I stand next to my best friend Victoria Beckham. We wait in silence waiting for our escort Lydia Crimson. She comes out with blue and pink puffy hair and a blue suit, her face is very powered, with blue lips. Then she begins she says the same stuff she says every year and then she lets the mayor speak about what happened when we tried to rebel on the capital. Then Lydia comes back and says "like always ladies first" and she draws her hand in the jar she grabs a piece of paper then she carefully unravels the paper and reads the name "Crystal Couture!" I am shocked and surprised at the same time because I was going to volunteer I mumble to myself ok then, and I slowly walk my way up to the stage and I look straight at my family, and they are already crying into tears.
Emeralds P.O.V
I hear a girl named Crystal getting picked, and then I gulp because I know that she is going to be picking the boys next. She dips her hand in the jar really fast and pulls out any card she sees and then reads "Emerald Kors" I moan down the aisle and make my way up the stage when I hear someone call out "I volunteer as tribute" I look who said it and it is the most skinniest boy I ever seen in district one. "No, I have to take my place and I have a better chance of winning this than you do. Then without saying anything back at me he slowly walks back into the crowd, and I continue walking up the stairs.
"This is your district one tributes for the 41st hunger games, and may the odds be ever in your favor" she says and walks in to the justice building and we both follow and get sent to different room in there.
I get sent into a room with only a red long couch and I just wait until my family shows up. When they enter Jade runs straight to be a gives me a big hug then I say to my parents," It's going to be ok you lose me it's no big deal, but you won't because I am coming back to this place alive." We hug in silence until the peacekeeper comes in and says time is up. After that I wait for more people to come, but no one does.
Crystal and I walk in silence with our escort, for the most of it was very awkward, because who would want to talk, well once in a while Crystal and Lydia will be talking about something I don't know. When we finally reach the station I wave one last wave to my people and I go in the train.