She was terrified. Today was the day that she, Beca Mitchel could be chosen to die. Now don't get her wrong, she was not afraid of dying, no that wasn't it. She was afraid to leave her family behind. And while she would never admit it to anyone who wasn't them, or her best friend Stacie Conrad, Jesse Swanson, it didn't make any less true. Ever since her dad had left her mom she was terrified for her family, without his carful guidance her family had fallen apart, and there had been nothing she could do. Then she had gotten up the courage to learn hoe to hunt, preferring the cross bow and throwing knifes that her father had made as to any other weapon. Weapon...And that was when Beca realized that she had an advantage, sure not one as big enough as the others but maybe enough to build on, again she shook her head. You might not get picked, this is your last year, the odds may not be in my favor but I can't think like this, I have to hunt, for my mom I have to pull myself together. And so Beca pulled on her boots, leather jacket and grabbed a bag for any greens that she might come across and headed to the woods, to her and her friends meeting spot, to wait.
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Chloe Beale hated this time of the year. Reaping day. The day when she and her partner, the only other victor from District 12, got first row tickets to see who it was they would fail to save and watch them get slaughtered this year. Normally Chloe tried not to think like that, despite what she had to go through she was a cheerful and even bubbly person. She always tried to help out the staved children with the excess of food and money she had, and even took to raising some of them with Luke and Aubrey Posen her best friend, who had the luck of being the mayors daughter and not needing the tesserae to get by, therefore avoiding the reaping, but not before she lost her older sister, Fiona, to the games. UGG she was just so sick of this happening she whishes she could do something, anything to change the world. It was during this time when Chloe shed her happy demeanor and settled into a more negative one. She sighed and got herself some food to take to the Hob, along with her bow, to hunt for the kind and sassy lady everyone called Greasy Sae, and took off, leaving a note for Aubrey and Luke, not that they needed one really, she did this every year at this time, and left.
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As Beca walked through the woods she knew that Stacie had her back. Jesse was off collecting what ever he could from the traps, and whatever greens he could find. They only had about an hour left judging from the height that the sun was in the sky and were ready to signal to Jesse to head back to the Meadow to go over what they would keep and what they would trade when she spotted it. A deer, more specifically a faun, if it's spotted coat and small size was anything to go by. Stacie inhaled and Beca knew that she had spotted it at the same time as she had, and before she knew it the, the faun was on the ground, on of her knifes piercing it's eye, and an arrow from Stacie's bow through it's chest. They had both moved for the kill at the same time, the blood spilling in a jewel red stream from its chest. Quickly and quietly, they both gathered the faun into their arms, covering the blood with pine needles, to ward off any of the other, bigger predators in the area, and rushed back to the meadow, whistling to Jesse along the way. They get to the edge of the forest and immediately start skinning the deer. They know better then to bring in a faun into the Hob. After they had skinned the carcass Jesse finally showed up and got to helping them right away. They cut up the torso, their cuts sloppy from rushing, and gather the bloody meat into plastic sheets, the kind that vainly cover the windows of houses in a poor attempt at keeping out the cold. As quickly as possible they headed over to Rooba, who they knew would give them a good deal. They didn't haggle over the price, (no one did with Rooba, for she was a take it or leave it kinda person) because Rooba was generous and said that they would each get a steak or two out of it. After that Jesse and Stacie both said good bye to Beca and headed back to their respected houses to get ready for the reaping. Beca took it upon her self to stop by the Mayors house. Mayor Posen's daughter had mentioned one time that her best friend Chloe Beale had an unrivaled passion for strawberries, and Beca always made sure to save some for her. She knocked gently but swiftly on the door, before placing the pint of berries on the step. She stepped away and walked the long road back to her house, where she found her mother and a hot bath waiting for her.
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Chloe walked back from Greasy Sae's. She was in a slightly better mood, knowing that she could continue to help her district through this tough time. Her smiled grew brighter as they landed on the container of berries on Bree's door step, knowing that they were from the mysterious girl called Beca, whom was quasi-famous for her and her friends hunting skills. Bree had told the girl that her best friend loved strawberries one time when Beca was selling goat milk and cheese, and ever since the kept on appearing on her friend door step. Never with a note, never with the person who left them. Chloe thinks back to the one time she had written a note to the girl and had placed it on the strawberry spot. She remembers the thrill she got when she realized that the note was gone, and had hoped that it was Beca who took it and not some rando or the wind. She popped a few berries in her mouth swatting away Luke's out stretched hand. Luke should have known better than to have tried to push his luck, and Chloe leveled a glare at him, to which he simply chuckled.
"You have to get ready Chloe, we have to be on stage in-" he mimed looking at a clock, "40 minutes." She simply grumbled and made her way to the hot bath that she knew that Aubrey had prepared for her. She walked into the bathroom still munching away on the berries when she was startled by someone clearing their throat behind her.
"I wonder who those berries are from Chlo." Aubrey's teasing voice echoed around her. Chloe simply played dumb, and gave her friend a coy smile.
"Oh I don't know Bree. They were just sitting outside the door, maybe they were meant for you." Her and Bree's laughter filled the bathroom and Chloe quickly stripped hopping into the bath. Bree retched over and started to help her wash, a thing that they really only did when Chloe was late, which always happened to be on the reaping day. She let her self relax to her friend s soothing touch and her whispered promises that everything was going to be okay. And for a moment Chloe let her believe what Aubrey was saying.
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Beca stood in the crowed in of other 18 year old girls, a thin rope separating the guys from the girls, and the oldest from the youngest. She let her eyes wander, and she found herself looking at Chloe Beale. She always admired the girl. She was four years older then Beca, and was 18 when she was picked for the games. Beca remembers those games very well. She also remembered finding herself on the mayors doorstep listening to Aubrey Posen talk abot her best friend. She had perked up at the metion that Chloe had a passion for the red berries that she had found a bush for two winters before Chloe came back from her games, and started the next spring, to leave them for Chloe. Her eyes trained on the red hair that fell in graceful waves over the girls shoulder, something that was a novelty in the Seam, let alone the whole of District Twelve. Beca in herself was a novelty, instead of grey eyes, hers where a dark blue. And instead of the normal height that most of the people of the Seam have, she was stuck at 5'1 (barley). To her surprise when she looked back at the red-heads face their eyes met. Beca held the gaze almost entranced as Effie Trinket bobbled up unto the "stage". She held the girls eyes all through Effie's speech, detailing how lucky she was to be here in District Twelve, and that she couldn't wait to pick the names of this years tributes.
"Oh but tradition, tradition, Mayor Posen will now read the speech of how the games came to be, a rather thrilling story, no?"
Ugh her accent, her clothes, her hair! Everything about the women made Beca want to gag. That stupid, stupid capitol accent, that made her want to rip out her hair and stuff it into her ears! It took all of Becas strength to keep a straight face, and the red head wasn't helping. For when they made eye contact again, Chloe Beale winked at her. Before she could come up with a way to respond, her focus was drawn back Effie Trinket who was practically running towards the glass ball that held countless of slips saying "Ladies First!"
Everyone watched as she drew the slip of paper from deep within the pile, the crowd holding their breath.
"Sadie Swanson! Sadie Swanson ladies and gentlemen!"
No, no no no no no. Was all that Beca could think. Sadie, whom she had watched grow up. Her best friends sister, whom she considered her own sister. She had one slip! One in thee pile of thousands! How could this happen?! It is all Beca can do as she watches Sadie step through the crowed of 12 year olds. The people grumble. No one likes it when the 12 and 13 year olds are picked. And suddenly she is moving, trying to reach Sadie before she steps onto the stage. People part for her, and she yanks the little girl of the stair. She pushes her behind her and...
"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" She can't get the word out of her mouth fast enough. She is met with silence. For a few fear stricken sentence she waits in complete silence. Beca starts to panic, then Sadie is screaming, crying punching Beca in the back, begging her not to do this. Not to sacrifice herself. Then Jesse and Stacie are there, lifting Sadie off of her, while Stacie pushes her up the rest of the way. She looks at them, and is met with sadness on both of their faces.
"Oh will you look at that! What a rather exciting twist wouldn't you say?" Pipes Effie Fucking Trinket. "Though I'm sure that you are suposeed to wait for me to ask for volunteers...But no matter! What's your name?"
"Rebeca. Beca Mitchel." she grits between her teeth.
"Well then Beca! Everyone give a round of applause to our newest tribute!" Silence, is what Effie's word are met with. Along with the people holding up three figure towards her, but not before placing them on their lips. She couldn't believe this. That was a gesture of utmost respect in the district. Sure she expected it for one of the Mayors, maybe even someone who died in the mine. She didn't think anyone knew her.
Effie breaks the silence. "Lets find out who the boy tribute will be!" She rushes over to the boys ball, and plunges her hand into the slips carefully withdrawing one.
"Bumper, Bumper Allen." The boy in question was the same age as she, with brown hair green eyes. He was not from the Seam however, so she barely even knew the kid. Effie asks for any volunteers and to no ones surprise, no one steps forward. They shake hands and are ushered into the justice building, where they will be permitted to say goodbye to their loved ones, before being rushed to the Capitol.
A/N: So I decided to give this story a try! Please review and let me know what your thoughts are!
I do not own Hunger Games or Pitch Perfect. I only own the plot of this story.