Hello people, I'm sure of what you'll say, another story? You haven't even finished the reapings in your SYOT! So what? This came out of the blue, and I liked the idea. This is basically what could've become of Panem had it taken a different, more psychological route, I have really traumatic ideas for this, to the point I'm amazed with myself...I've seriously got issues, and I think it shows with this. I'd really appreciate it if you reviewed and told me what you think of this strange idea of mine. :D
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
This was yet another year I was eligible for the reapings, and it scared me to no end. Why? You ask? Simple, no one who left on those trains ever came back, absolutely no one, and no word of them ever reached those left behind. It is not for nothing those who were reaped tried, emphasis on tried, to escape the clutches of the Capitol, but failed horribly, they still went towards their unknown fate, with one limb less or without being able to talk.
I'd seen it happen once. How they took a redheaded girl away in one of their hovercrafts, many years ago, back when my father had yet to be executed publicly for "rebellious acts against the law", he had just been hunting in the woods, trying his best to feed our family, and the girl... she had simply been running, trying her best to escape. The last I saw of her were her pleading eyes, staring at me for not being able to do anything to help her, because if I did, I would probably be taken, too. And, no matter what happens, that is the first rule in every district.
Don't do anything against the law of the Capitol, don't give them any more reason to take you away or kill you. They are just waiting, watching you, and carefully biding their time to take you towards that fate no one knew about, except them.
Even so, knowing what awaits me if I'm caught; I continue to break one of their many laws daily. I hunt. This is the only way a sixteen year old girl can support her family without losing her dignity. That is how awful the world that we live in is, that is what the Capitol has degraded us to. To mere figures waiting to be tackled by something greater than ourselves, no matter how many of us come together to try to change this... this wasteland we live in, we will always be brought down. We've got nothing compared to what they have. They have technology, they have soldiers, but moreover, they have those who support them and aid them.
They also have these monsters. Monsters that walk on two feet, who have thumbs just like we do, but whose faces are so distorted you can't really see where their mouth our eyes are, or if they even have them to begin with. Who are so big and tall that not even twenty grown men can hope to be able to bring down, no matter how hard they try. Most of us, call them mutts. We who cower in fear when they come down the streets after curfew, searching for anyone that is not inside their home, who does not have a home to begin with and is just a waste of space in the eyes of the Capitol. If I hadn't learned to hunt, my sister and I would be among those who disappear every night, that all citizens who make it through the night whisper on the day after their disappearance, and conveniently forget about the night after, in which more will fade away into the blackness. Many believe the mutts eat them, others say that they are taken to the Capitol, but most of us just like to say they have faded away as they had been doing the days before they disappeared.
All of this went through my head as my mother, sister and I shared breakfast in our small, cramped one-room home. We lived in one of those building complexes surrounded by electric fences, the doors of which closed around 8 pm sharp, and opened at 6 am, just in time for the mine workers to leave towards the deadly place where their job was, where they were more likely to die on any given day than come out without injury. My mother looks more worried than usual, and then I remember. Today was Prim's first reaping ever. Silently, in mind, even though I believe in no other worldly creature that looks over us, I pray that Prim does not get reaped, for her not to have such a terrible fate looming over her.
Having finished our breakfast and cleaning what little there is to clean, we head towards the town square, where the reapings have taken place since 74 years ago, were 146 children have been reaped from our district, and two others would join them wherever they had gone. The mayor took his place in the podium, his face sweaty and nervous, with what looked like more than fifty peacekeepers standing behind him, and many others strewn all over the plaza, herding all children between twelve and eighteen years of age into pens located all round the podium, with only one visible entrance and exit once they were closed. That exit lead directly to the podium, and the path leading there was lined with peacekeepers in every single one of them. It was truly terrifying, even after four years of going through this experience, with knowledge that my name was entered more than one time, unlike Prim's who I've made sure was only entered once, and that the name would never enter more times than what was necessary.
Before being herded away by a peacekeeper, I give Prim's hand a squeeze, hoping it will make her feel better. "Don't worry okay? Everything will be just fine..." It's then I let go of her and give my mother one last look, and, like every other year, she is about to cry. I know she's tried hard since my father died, but it never seems to be enough, not even close to enough, I will never forgive her for leaving us to fate for those months in which we starved, and almost were mutted away one night, which we only survived because of a kind baker who gave us shelter and food.
The mayor stopped talking and gave the microphone away to the Head Peacekeeper, who would announce the names of those being reaped with a cold, strong voice that showed how insensible he is to this whole situation the people of the districts go through every year. "The 74th reapings, that were scheduled as soon as the Dark Days ended, and the Light came to you, the districts, and stopped the war taking place. This is but a reminder of what the districts attempted to do against us, the almighty Capitol, who see it all, hear it all, and control it all, we shall once again take two of your children to be groomed as the perfect humans we hope will one day take your places and make this world anew." His eyes, cold and without emotion, showed no mercy as he called two names. "Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, you have been selected as a part of our reaping program, please, feel proud to be among the many who have this honor." My eyes widened in shock, and I fell to the floor as one of the peacekeepers took me towards the stage, but once I stood up, I could see a commotion happening.
There was a young, blond man threading his way throughout the crowd, trying to reach the other unfortunate soul who like me, is about to be shipped towards the Capitol. "Peeta!" From where I now stand I can see that many others with similar looks to him try to stop him, and failing, as he rips himself free of their embraces and hits a peacekeeper.
Bang.
"No, please, no! This can't be happening!" I watch as the crowd steps aside, trying their best to remove blood from their clothes, and avoiding the blood that now runs freely through the floor, making a huge, red puddle that stands out among the black and grey mass that is the crowd. Next to me, stands the Head Peacekeeper, holding a gun in his hand, face emotionless and without remorse. On my other side, is Peeta Mellark, the baker's son, crying and screaming for his now dead brother, who lay on the floor with his weeping mother and father beside him. There are two peacekeepers holding him back as tears and screams of rage escape him.
But even then, as all of those events happen, I just stand there, indifferent, in shock, not knowing what to do. Then I notice. I've been crying since the gunshot rang through my ears, something in me knowing someone would die by that bullet. I'm terrified. I feel as if it were my father's execution all over again, with all three of us, my mother, Prim and I crying, while everyone else just watched, some wanting to help, but not wanting to risk it, and others just walking by, indifferent. This feels just like back then, with everything happening so fast, but registering at such a slow speed in my brain, that I can only stand there eyes open, tears running through them.
I then hear many other gunshots. I see as several more people fall to their deaths because of bullets, but as they continue to ring through my ears, I feel something enter my arm and I fall, my limbs turning into gelatin, disregarding my state of mind.
The last thing I see, is the crowd heading towards the streets that lead out of the plaza, hoping that Prim and my mother get out safely. The last thing I hear, are screams of fear from the townspeople who have done nothing wrong or anything to deserve this. The last thing that escapes my mouth is but a small cry as it all dawns on me, and pain shots straight through my arm.
But the last thing I think about, is my fate, of which I know nothing of, and as darkness engulfs me, I simply cry on the floor, hoping someone, or something, could save me from what will come.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Weird? Strange? Makes sense? Traumatizing? Review?
Tell me if I should continue with this, I've got loads of ideas, but top priority is the SYOT right now.