"...District 13 shall be participating in the Hunger Games,"
Nothing registered in my corrupted head. Everyone around me had wide eyes. They were stupid to think that their precious Mockingjay will help us stop with the Capitol's power. Just because one little act of defiance showed in cameras encouraged them to continue with the rebellion doesn't mean it won't backfire them.
Where were their precious little pets, Katniss and Peeta? They broke. They were finished. They were captured. They were enslaved. They were gone.
They revealed us. She was the reason we have to join the games. My sweet little brother would have a big chance to die. Weren't we peaceful enough with the tasteless foods and colourless clothes? Those are very dull, I confess. But who the hell cares what the hell we eat and wear? As long as we're alive in this ground it's enough for us.
But no. They had to blackmail a brave, clueless little b/tch and her stupid little lover. I admit they are older, but I also admit that they increased more deaths. I mean, Katniss chose hundreds of people to die so her loved ones would stay alive. For me, I would just really leave my loved ones and try to save the others. What do you know? Maybe I could even save those close to me! Fat chance that once the hundred lives were safe that those close to me would be included in them too.
We're gonna die. Two people around me are gonna die. A torturuous death that would be feasted upon by those from the Capitol themselves. If we never had acknowledged Katniss or Peeta we would still be hidden.
A drop of perspiration tickled my eyebrows and the tip of my nose.
"Erin!" yelled a squeaky little voice near me. He ran and embraced me in an affectionate hug.
It was my little brother, Dylan. I also noticed our names weren't similar to those other districts, but mum never liked anything related to them. But we also don't like our names. But the others thought it was unique, as they had those names relating to the district.
I stared ahead and saw a man wearing a white headpiece and the same coloured dress. For me it looks like a dress and a turban. I remember looking at a picture in a book similar to those they wore. I think they were over exposed to the sun and they have this ruby or emerald like crevice on their forehead. The ladies there looked very beautiful, unlike us. They were dark, we were pale. And the thing in the middle of their forehead fascinates me most.
My dad also ran to me, while the others moved on and away. He whispered "Peacekeepers," The turban dudes walked away and monitored other peoples privacy.
"What was that for?" I asked, rubbing the redness of my feet.
"Hey dad, I guess I was right. The hero you call the Mockingjay? She caused us to once again join the horried killing spree. And I know none would come home as victors. They would surely sponsor those who killed the tributes from 13."
He shook his head in my manners and spat at me, literally. I thought about advicing him to brush his teeth, but I feel bad humiliating him.
I slowly walked with my brother side by side as he looked dissapointedly to the girl on the right. I remembered seeing her smile and emerald eyes that lit up the room whenever, wherever. She's kind and a sweetheart, I would trade her for my brother anytime.
We arrived sullenly at our assigned rooms.
"Erin! Dylan!" asked our fussy Mum.
We mostly got our appearance from her. For example I have her nose that lacked a bridge, but my brother inherited my fathers nose bridge, so poor me with the small nose. The black hair, the dry skin. The only thing I have gotten from my father, they say, is my nagginess and hairiness.
The nagging part was offensive but the hairiness is more. How on earth can I control the genes? I don't even know what genes is, I just read it from a spare book!
"Get ready, you two. The reaping is in two hours," she said, trying to smile.
"Two hours? I thought it would be tomorrow or even next week! Why?" I said, while my dear mother pushed me on a chair near the bed.
"Because those inhumane droids said so," she whispered throwing dresses I didn't know she owned in the bed.
"But what about the ballots? We watched past reapings, aren't we supposed to register or something?"
The dresses were the most colorful things I have ever seen. Red, yellow, peach, green, black, you name it , I'll try to find it, and I assure you, I would. And I'm not even good at finding things.
"Where did that come from?"
"It's your great-great-great grand mothers," she replied, trying to pick the dress.
"How did you preserve those? Oh, they stink! And are also really filthy!"
"I need to make you presentable. Stop ranting and start helping," she gave me the look that other always use to stop me from nagging.
She picked mostly the bright puking colors.I tried a yellow one on and I looked like a sunflower, not that I saw a real one, anyway. But in the end, my reasoning skills won and I wore a blue long-sleeved blouse and black skirt. They were ugly to look at, but if that makes me not-so-presentable in front of everyone else, it's their loss, I don't give a shimmy about them.
My brother cleaned up pretty good too. Maybe the girl earlier would like him... That way I won't have to give him up and I can still have her as my younger sister.
We walked glumly to the place of the reaping and I tried to talk to others, but they were shocked too. I mean two hours to prepare and inhale the news, while Peacekeepers and the Escort were already dropped off. She's flabbergastingly embarrassing to look at.
She giggled her name earlier before. I heard it as 'Muddy' something something. But you never know, I never was the one who had great hearing.
"Hello, District 13! This is my first time to be an escort!" she giggled "My mum is also escorting to District two." someone yelled "Get on with it, Woman!"
And so she did "Anywho, my name is Muffy Thyst." Who on a sane mind would name their child like that? "And I am here to pick the name of your lucky child!"
She explained our very familiar, but vulgar past. They aggravated the whole event and all of the information was wrong.
Little by little her hand inched to the ballot. The sweat inhaled the crook of my neck as anticipation glistened my nerves. She better not pick me nor my brother, or she'll suffer a painful broken nose.
How would we we be victors? We don't have a previous victor. And we don't even have a victor village to sponsor those who won. Maybe we would move above the grounds once the Games start.
She picked up a modest little folded paper. How could our names be entered? Maybe they decided to put whoever is in the list of newborns for each respective years.
"Hmm... This is a little hard to pronounce!" I sighed a great relief and watched others do too. Unfortunately, others were still holding their breaths, maybe their names were hardest to do.
"E-Er- Eereen?" Eereen? Good thing mine's Erin. "Eerrrin," she purred "E-e- Erin!"
She bellowed the guy behind her. And he whispered to her.
"Erin McKabee!" That was hard to pronounce? I know I should be worried, but that's stupid. That was hard to pronounce in dumb spoiled little girls standard, I now assume.
I looked to my left and right, pretending to see who the reaped girl was. It was really funny, and I can't keep the grin off my face. They don't know me!
But unfortunately, amusing moments must die. But the grin on my face didn't leave. I walked in the most disgraceful manner I could muster and grinned widely at the cameras.
"Ooh, goody! A cheerful one!" giggled Muffy.
I grinned and faced her. "Hey, Muffy?"
"Hmm...?"
"I have something to say to you," I stroked my chin "Don't pick my brother,"
"Chances are indefinite, Eereen,"
"Erin! E-R-I-N!" I yelled at her face. That was unattractive to the crowd.
"Oooh, sorry!" she giggled once again.
I raised my arm and steadied it in a position to slap her. But I stopped two inches away from her face. She squirmed a little but a big relief overcame her when I stopped.
I withdrew my hand only to keep it in a fist, forced it forward and pleasured my self as pain washed through my knuckles. I know it really hurts Muffy but she's behind the reason of why I'm gonna die.
She held her literally bloody nose and looked at me through glistened blue eyes. I grinned at her innocently as we faced the gaping crowd. The anticipation was held again and I dropped my grin for fear that my brother will be picked. Glaring at the pretty face that picked me, I smiled reassuringly to Dylan and Arriana, the girl with the green eyes. I don't know why I'm so fascinated by her green eyes but maybe it's because I like it.
She picked a scrap paper in monotone color, and spoke to the crowd.
Review and constructive criticism please!