Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.
A/n: There will be 4 chapters/segments. Updates will be prompt - no more than two days between, hopefully. Please, enjoy.
The Consequences of Fratricide
1) Reaper Man
I hate the City Square. Do you know the only times I come here? For the Reaping and to watch the Hunger Games. Always related to the damn Hunger Games. Every year: standing in a crowd, waiting to be called or watching some poor kid I never met be slaughtered on screen. That's why I hate this place. Hell, it's not really a looker anyway – grey and smoky, just like all of District 3 – but the associations I got with it really drive the nail in the coffin. Pardon the inappropriate reference.
The Reaping's a fitting name. When our Escort reads out the kid's name, the Reaper's come to call. She's a bit of an idiot and she doesn't see that whoever she calls up has just over a week to live. Two if they're lucky. Or unlucky. Not that I would know since I never been called up and, hopefully, never will.
Anyway, I only got two more Reapings to survive. I'm nearly home-free. Not my brother though: Liev's fifteen. Still, we all know I'm the more likely to go. Not only do I have more slips in since I'm the oldest, I'm also the only one who's taken tesserae. Not my brother. Oh, no. Liev's the 'prodigy' of the family. The one who's gonna be earning us money and status in District 3. If one of us has to be killed, it's better that it's me. The best I can do is recite the alphabet backwards in less than ten seconds – which has never been useful for anything other than picking up girls.
OK, once. Not even girls are impressed by it.
Do I sound resentful? This is probably the moment I should start saying that I'm not at all but let's be honest. I am. I love Liev and all but, hell, I'd like some recognition too. Liev and me are brothers, not master and servant. Like I said, I love him. But sometimes, I wish he wasn't there. Or that he was less ... him. Less smart.
I mean, the kid bullies me! It should be the other way round, really. But as well as being a hell of a lot smarter than I am, he's taller as well.
Anyway, back to the goddamn Reaping. We've been standing here for a while. If I look back a bit, I can see Liev with some of his friends. My own mates are tense. Can't blame them; the only people more likely than us to get picked are the lads in front.
Our Escort walks up to the bowls and, after chattering away at us like it's some sort of celebration, she picks the name of the girl.
"Sulia Davisun."
I watch as a small thirteen year old walks up slowly. I recognise her. I don't know the girl but I know of her. A lot of us in the neighbourhood do. Her brother's in my class and we all know what goes on at their place. Kid gets less food than the rest of us. Always covered in bruises and cuts. I've even heard Ormen Davisun bragging to his equally thuggish friends about raping her once. I wanted to take him on but he'd have flattened me. Besides, what would it have done? She'd have gotten hell at the end of it. There's no one to alert to it and no real proof anyway. Best we can do is try and show her some kindness when we see her around.
"Any volunteers?"
No one says a word. I don't know whether this is good or not. If someone volunteered, her life would be saved. But her home life is so bad that, for her, I reckon death would be better. Some kind of life, where being in the Hunger Games is better than going home.
The woman goes to the second bowl and I tense up a bit. My name's in there. Thirty times. I don't want to die. I don't want to finish what Sulia's family started.
"Liev Otol."
Relief washes over me. Then I realise who she's called. My little brother walks forward, trembling, and climbs onto the stage.
"Would any of you boys like to volunteer?" the woman asks.
Liev looks down at the crowd and I know this is my moment. This is when I'm meant to say "Me!" I'm meant to save Liev – be a good brother. Be a good family member.
But I can't bring myself to do it. I can't just throw my life away. I value it too much. Besides, Liev's got more chance of winning than me.
"OK then," the Escort says and I know I failed. I had my chance to be a good brother. To do the right thing. But I didn't. Because I'm selfish and weak and cowardly. I watch as Liev and Sulia shake hands before being taken away. I walk over to Mom and Dad but when I reach them, I can barely look them in the eye. I'm not the son they want left here. I failed everyone.
What the hell, I don't care about that. Mom and Dad can go to hell – they should be glad they still have a son. That's what I'm telling myself anyway. I'm still saying sorry though. All the way to the Justice Building. And in the room, I'm saying it to Liev, who's telling me not to worry. But I can't look him in the eye either. I've killed him. I killed my own brother. What the hell kind of person am I?
When the Escort reads the name, the Reaper's come to call. Guess that's true enough. But I'm the one who made him come for Liev: guess I'm this year's Reaper Man.