District 8 – Dandelium
I awake under my favourite willow tree in the meadow behind all of the old district eight factories and apartments. I soon begin to ponder why I am sleeping here instead of home when I remember that Lacey, my abusive, always drunk sister had another "fit" last night and began throwing knives at my face. I come out here when she goes insane because it calms my nerves.
Once my parents died Lacey went crazy and began drinking, a lot, leaving me with no kind of parental guidance, at times I felt all alone, no one really actually loved me. Mrs Dublair, my teacher says she will always be there for me, but always, is a strong word.
Considering today was the reaping I slept without the slightest disturbance or nightmare. I really should go home and get changed into my reaping clothes but I have a feeling that my sister will not be too thrilled with my visit, so instead I head out to Mrs. Dublair's house. The only person I have a slight relationship with in hopes that she could lend me something to wear.
When I arrive at Mrs. Dublair's old beaten up apartment she didn't rush to the door and greet me with a big, smothering hug like she usually did, no, she didn't come to the door at all. I began to panic, thinking of the worst and soon I just let myself in.
"Hello?" I called out, my voice cracking. I pause a minute and soon hear a horrific scream coming from down the hall, I burst into a sprint and slam into the door at the end of the hall, clawing madly at the door where the scream came from. It swings open just in time for me to see the sword jam into her heart. Gone, she is dead. The peace keepers who finished her life shove past me holding the bloody sword in their hand.
I keel over and plead for Mrs. Dublair to stay but it is no use, she is not alive, she, just like the others I loved left me, lonely and sad.
I see the dress Mrs. Dublair left out for me to wear and slip it over my nimble body. The pink knee high dress looks nice with my jet black hair and eyes.
I kiss my last love on the forehead as I leave the house. I head toward the city square where the reapings are held, passing by the rows of small, rusty apartments. When I arrive at the square the capitol woman, Sharol has already started talking. I walk to the back of the pack of sixteen year olds keeping my eyes on my feet. Despite my age I am smaller than most, if not all of the other sixteen year olds and I can't see a thing over the heads of my fellow district eights.
This, I suppose, I cannot not complain about because hearing the capitol woman's voice is almost a sickening as seeing her. I pay little attention to the speeches and try my best to be in my own happy world, free of reapings and dying and President Snow.
I feel someone punch my shoulder and I am snapped back to reality. "DANDELIUM MEJE, step onto the stage now, please" the capitol woman, is looking at me, and it looks like her words are being directed towards me, but I, I don't know why it's not like my name is Dandelium Meje. Is it? It is! Oh my, why me?
I am meerily able to process what is going on as I walk to the stage. I am almost pretty sure I have been reaped. Good, I think, let them watch me die for their entertainment, once I am killed I will be sent up to the place where my dead parents and all my other loved ones went, a place with no reapings, or killing, or President Snow.
"Yippee, stand right there" says the capitol woman as she sticks her hand in the boys bucket.
"Messapelly Jones?" The tall, skinny boy who is so called Messa- whatever walks forward with his long golden brown hair barley moving in the extremely windy weather of fall.