Author's Note: Hi readers! :) Please read this first installation of my fan fiction: Evens and Odds. Please continue to read the following chapters and don't forget to review.. :) Thanks a lot!
xoxo
Chapter One :
The sky gets brighter as the clock ticks. It was already 2:15am and Ceika still haven't gotten a wink of sleep. She was just staring absent-mindedly on the blank wall, day dreaming the entire time. When she finally became conscious of herself once more, she sat up very quickly that she went dizzy. So dizzy, in fact, she had no choice but to fall back to her soft and comfortable sheets and pillows. Yet, she was determined to sit up so she got a hold of herself and sat up, this time, it was slowly. She waddled down the staircase and threw herself on the chair by the kitchen. She poured fresh orange juice on her glass and drank it as if it was a shot of tequila. She ate some stale bread by the counter and ran back upstairs to take a quick shower. When she was done, she dried her hair and went out of the bathroom. There, by the bed stood her mum, there were traces of tears on her smooth and beautiful skin yet she was wearing a big grin. She was holding a roughly wrapped package, she gave it to Ceika who accepted it whole-heartedly though there was an air of seriousness. She opened the package carefully, tearing each side gently as though it was a very fragile material. In one ripping sound, the package revealed a powder blue, silky-like material that fell on her lap. It was pretty dress, a dress that must have cost a fortune. There and then, she realized what the dress meant. Her mum wanted her to wear it today, the reaping day. She nodded to her mum then proceeded to the bathroom to change.
"It fits you perfectly Ceika…" her mum said as she stepped out of the door.
"And I think that they would look even better with these" she added, pointing to a pearly white flats and a periwinkle, floaty-like material ribbon.
She took her daughter's hands and made her sit in front of the dresser. She combed her hair very gently and let her fingers run through Ceika's light brown, wavy hair. She tied it to a perfect bun and added a finishing touch of ribbon on top.
It took a while for her mum to fix her face and everything, but after that, before she left the room, she said:
"Go down as soon as you can, I'll prepare breakfast…" her mum said,
"Yeah… Ok." Ceika replied.
It was already 7:30 in the morning when she went down to eat breakfast. They had bread with scrambled eggs and coffee, hot chocolate or juice. As her mum was fixing the plates and cleaning up, she peeped through the window sill and saw the plaza being ready, she suddenly thought…
Ceika's P.O.V
"Reaping day…" I scoffed… This is perhaps the 14th time I watched this event since I was the age of three. Now that I'm 17, I have to witness something like this again. When will this end? The brutality of killing each other to survive while being watched! Really?! Do they not know that this kind of treatment can traumatize us? What do they think? We're some sort of animal they can just play?! I was shaking with anger that I didn't realize that the coffee mug I was holding was already trembling… If it wasn't for my mum who tapped me on the shoulder, it would've shattered on my bare hands. I blinked and walked out of the window sill, controlling my temper, because if I don't, I would be flipping the table and scream at the top of my lungs. I therefore settled myself down on the couch beside the fireplace, closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"It's time to get you ready. The Capitol will be registering you any minute now. Go on. I'll follow soon enough…" mum whispered to my ear.
I hurriedly went to my room, got my small but useful bag, took a glance on the mirror and ran downstairs… I gave mum a swift kiss on the cheek and whispered "Bye, see you later…" and I closed the door with a tinkling sound from the chimes.
Ceika ran towards the cemented road leading to the newly cleaned, renovated and pampered plaza. The stage was set up carefully and the podium is already being placed. A high-tech trailer caught Ceika's eye and she thought that that is where President Snow, Eiffie Trinket and Haymitch are now. Probably prepping up for the usual ceremony they do. Ceika walked towards the registration booth and fell in line with the others. When it was finally her turn, a woman in uniform asked her with an air of superiority:
"Name?"
"Ceika Stevenson"
"Age?"
"17"
"Ok… We'll be taking a sample of your blood, then you're good to go…" "Ok."
She stood up and some medical person took a sample of her blood and led her to her seat. He told her to wait until the program starts. Slowly, the plaza began to fill up and when all of them were on their seats, Eiffie Trinket, with her usual cocktail dress, cardigan and aura of dottiness yet glamorous went up the stage. Everyone broke into an applause but with one raise of her hand, everyone fell silent.
"Happy Hunger Games District 7 and may the odds be ever in your favour." She began.
"Now, as you all know, today, July 16, 2048, is another reaping day for the 456th Hunger Games. Each district will have two tributes, one boy and one girl. They will be trained in a special area in a limited amount of days and after that, they will undergo an evaluation which will test their skills and how they managed to improve it. A panel of judges will give a score. Now these tests are very important, so as the upcoming interviews and of course, the introduction of tributes because with these kind of events, they can earn sponsors, sponsors that will help the fight their way through the arena." She explained
"But enough of that, I think we should move on to the opening remarks of our very own President Snow…" she said delightfully.
The crowd broke into another applause again.
"Thank you, thank you, Miss Eiffie Trinket. Now for those of you who might think that this Hunger Games is a sign of brutality to humans, you are wrong. This game's purpose is to show you what it is in the real world. That you must fight to the death to survive and for those who are weak enough, you die. It is simple as that. There is no second chances on your life, unless you are given one. But that comes rarely, we make the unprepared ready. We train them for a better future, so that someday they could be leaders, leaders that could bring Capitol and the Districts into greatness…" he said.
The audience applause very loudly and some even cheered and whooped. President Snow's speech contained something much, much more than words.
"Thank you President Snow for that amazing speech you gave us… Now… Without further ado, let us now pick your District 7 Tributes… Gents first…"
Eiffie took a piece of rolled paper from a bowl and dramatically opened it. She neared her mouth to the microphone and spoke loudly and clearly.
"For the District 7 tribute boy, we have Jacob Williams…"
A boy with a jet-black hair and fair skin walked up the stage, he looked like 19 years old, quite handsome, and had the perfect build for combat, though it was very obvious that he was petrified.
Now, Eiffie walked over the other bowl and pulled another piece of rolled paper, opened it and peeked at it like a child and her voice boomed over the microphone…
"Ladies and gents, your District 7 tribute girl is no other than… Ms. Ceika Stevenson!"
-to be continued…