Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, just a depiction of a different story line.
I wake up in after my field of the inevitable nightmares of what might happen today. The Reaping. District 5's citizens 12-18 are going to be there, and it is mandatory. We will need to check in, take our places in our age group, then wait until 2 unlucky people are called and sent to their death. This will be my 3rd year at the reaping, and my name is in there 28 times. I don't know what to expect, and I am not sure if I want to know.
I slid out from under the covers of my bed and go to the bathroom to take a shower. The water is warm on my skin, and drenches my entire body. When I am done with the shower, I dry off, and go retrieve my Reaping clothes. A simple yellow dress with white flowers, used to be my ancestors from the 1950's, over a hundred years ago. I slip right into it, just like the previous Reaping years. It is kind of big on me so I get a scarf and tie it around my waist, keep everything together.
"Robin come on! It is the Reaping don't wanna be late!" My mother hollers from downstairs, but I just groan.
"Wouldn't dream of it Mom!" I holler back, still disgusted about the whole thing.
My sister, Jamie, pops into my room and wears a beautiful emerald green dress. She is 12 now, turned 12 only 3 weeks ago. Her name is entered in only once, I wouldn't ever want her to take out a tesserae for the sake of our family. My family isn't exactly poor, and if we were Poppy might have to take out a tesserae, it is just that we have a few bad months where we don't have enough food for the rest of the month. District 5 itself isn't full of the poor, that is 12, we all have some money and family to come home to, so it is understandable for a person to take out a tesserae.
"Nice dress sis, but it is kind of big on you." Jamie says
"I know that, that is why I am getting this scarf to tie around my waist." I answer back
"Well hurry up, it is almost time for the lottery!" She grins widely, sadly I never mentioned that the "lottery" was the Reaping.
"Um, Jamie, I need to tell you something." I say, patting for her to sit on the bed.
When she gets on the bed I begin to tell her, "It isn't a lottery Jamie, it is a gathering of the citizens of the ages 12-18, and they will file in front of the Justice Building. They are there for the Hunger Games, which is a televised competition of the Districts and they will have to fight to the death. I know it might sound scary but, the 'lottery' is the Reaping, and this is where they name the tributes from District 5." When I finish her face is pale, drained of blood, and tears are forming in her eyes.
"I had to say that, and even if you have 1 slip in there, your odds are so minimal that is it microscopic! Try to cheer up, don't wanna be late." I say
"Wouldn't dream of it." She says, copying my conversation with my mom a while ago.
We walk downstairs to the kitchen. My mom is in the kitchen, making us some breakfast before we go. She runs to get the bread, butter, knife, jam, and napkins for us. When she gets the supplies she cooks the bread slightly in the toaster, then after that she spreads the butter and jam on the bread. It isn't much but it is food, and having that is good enough for me. Jamie and I eat necessarily quickly so we get there on time. We wave bye to our mom, then head out.
I observe the District as we walk to the Reaping. Power Plants are everywhere here, since our industry is Power. Our industry may be Power, but we are Powerless to the Games. The Power Plants are mostly silver, and smoke coming from the nuclear plant. There are houses here, made with brick, wood, and stone, thanks District 2,4, and 7. They look really good, in my opinion, we all gotta have something good when we have a Hunger Games. We walk on the paved sidewalks, but not the street since that is where people drive their cars. Not many people actually have a car, rich people, the Mayor, and District Officials have cars, and those cars resemble the cars from the 1940's.
When the Reaping is in eye's view, Jamie stops in her tracks. Frightened obviously of somehow being chosen for the Games. She would never last in there and we both know it. She is to nice, innocent, and helpful. She would die in the bloodbath, if she even goes there, she might just be to afraid to move off the pedestal. But I never want her to experience that, ever. If her name is called, I will volunteer, and even if I die in there, she will be safe from all harm.
"Jamie come on, we got to go, its mandatory." I then hold her hand and try to drag her forward.
"I am to scared, what if it is me?" She says, tear welling in her eyes.
"It won't, your name is in there once you have what everybody wants." I say, pulling her to the check-in area.
This time she doesn't fight back, she gives in. I tell her to go the to check in, and I will try to find her in the 12 section of the Reaping. She nods and goes to the check-in area for 12 year olds. I go into the line for 15 year olds. When I finally get to the front of the line, a male Peacekeeper takes my finger and draws some blood, only stings a little bit. He puts my finger on a piece of paper, then scans it. It reads Robin Stride and then he allows me to go.
I trudge past the crowd of people, looking for Jamie. I can't automatically find her, and a Peacekeeper then tells everybody to get in there section so I give up trying to find her. I walk over to my section and search the area for Jamie. I spot her in her section, making polite talk with some of her school friends. Good, she is not freaking out. The District escorts then appears from the Justice Building, she wears a large bow and her head, going with her obviously dyed red hair, and she also wears a red fur coat with a ruby red dress that shines in the sunlight. I believe her name is Lilith Flavid.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" She squeaks delighted for our on coming death.
"The time has come to select one courageous man and woman, for the honor of representing District 5, in the 57th Hunger Games!" She seems to excited for my tastes, but that just must be the Capitol entirely.
"And, as always, ladies first." She then makes a wide smile and walks over to the bowl for the girl tribute.
She then swims through the bowl, finds a name, and then goes back to the mic to announce it. "Robin Stride!"
That's me.
I look around at all the other people, their faces filled with sorrow. This happens every year, people feel sorry even though they aren't the ones that are chosen. They all make a path for me to get to the Justice Building. My feet begin to walk to the Justice Building, and I can feel the tears forming in my eyes, wanting to come out. I reach the steps and then walk to the designated spot for the girl tribute.
"Wonderful! Now, to the boys!" Wonderful? I am really wanting to punch Lilith right now, but I hold that for the arena.
She then finds the name for the boy tribute and walks over to the microphone, for everyone to hear. "Erebus Atom!" The name echoes through the District, finding its owner.
A boy, about my age, walks over to his spot next to me. He has dirty blonde hair with blue eyes and tan skin. Almost opposite from me, where as I have red hair in two buns on my head with green eyes and peachy skin. We might be in an alliance, if he is willing to not kill me.
"That was splendid, now welcome our tributes from District 5!" Lilith says again enthusiastically.
Erebus and I am whisked into the Justice Building with two Peacekeepers at our sides. They used to just let us do this but tributes started trying to escape, so now we have body guards. I turn my head over to my sister, who's eyes are glassy with tears. That is the only thing I see before the doors slam, and sent into my room. The room in which I will see y family before I am sent to my death.
May the odds be ever my favor.
Thanks for reading my first chapter on the Powerless story. Hope you guys can review and tell me what you think, I would love constructive criticism, it always helps. And remember, may the odds be ever in your favor.