1
What's the use of even attempting to lurk into trance, a cloudy world, a land of precious memory's and nostalgic nightmares. Sleep. The night before the reaping's, there is 0 chance you wont be guaranteed a sleepless night. This year has been announced special, which haunts more peoples dreams than you think. Special, meaning more gore and entertainment in the sickest ways made so sweet by the capitols deluded audience. The quarter quell they named it, marking 25 ruthless years of being under the control of the 'all-mighty' Capitol. They say we should believe to have viewing pleasure this year as the games have gone that extra mile to torture their tributes a bit more than the usual. I've been led here thinking like this for almost 7 hours now, not a single thought has trailed me off the demonic thoughts of 24 tributes being sent into a dome and 1 coming out to make a statement.
I need to get up. Leave my pit I live out my insomniac life. Since the execution of my anti-capitol parents i guess its come too my own self-will to get myself up in the mornings. Be my own alarm. I manage to stumble out of my bed and pick up some half decent clothes off the floor to wear for the district 10 reaping day. A knit jumper, orange and black, with grey jeans stained black from coal leaking out of my fireplace. Its not like i should feel the need to impress myself towards those capitol mutts.
I wash my face and gel my hair back, but I will at least make a little effort. I grab the last loaf on the kitchen side, grubby from mud and grit off my cattle gloves, still fresh to me. I can hear the sirens already. I must have slept in late. Usually most reaping mornings i can get a lot done, a little work with the livestock and maybe even a little hunting. A few squirrels and rabbit could be in my game bag by now.
I make my way out the house, chomping down on the bread. Most of district 10's people are familiar of me now a days, I hear my name being dropped in conversation on the daily. Some nasty, some concerned. But sadly for them their opinions have no affect on me, since loosing my family too the capitol, I don't really have much to live for therefore the comments of arrogance from my fellow neighbours never seem to touch a nerve. I guess that's a good thing.
I meet Ash on the corner of Mrs Betos bakers, he's probably my only friend, well when I say 'friend' I mean the only person I can tolerate. He's a lot younger than me at 12 years old but there is a story behind our 'friendship.'
Ash's parents were great pals of my parents, almost like family, But Ash being the youngest child was abused horrifically and seemed to have no one to look out for him in his life. I took over a sort of mentor role for a little while, you know, watching over him making sure the bullying stopped and that he had someone to talk too. He turned out to be a great lad. But just before the execution of my family, they made me promise to look out for the boy, make sure he's fed and never neglected by his family. I kept this promise, for 5 years, and today is the day when i cant protect him. The reaping.
We walk together in silence, I keep him close, making sure the peacekeepers don't trample over him and the crowds of teens don't push him around. He suddenly stops and breaks down. He's scared, terrified even. I tell him he'll be ok that his names only in there once, that he's going to be safe. Sadly I'm not as safe as him, whilst working I don't manage to hunt so i have had to put my name into the tennerae, a fair few times, 46 to be exact. I guess the odds have never really been in my favour though.
I drag Ash through the gates up until he is registered and let through. I let him take his spot in the crowd and watch over him from the back.
Its beginning.
''Hello young warriors, I am here to proudly announce the tributes of the very special 25th hunger games!'' shouts a very neon capitol representative.
Everyone lets out a small sigh, dampening the representatives mood. ''Well before I begin i must indulge you on a brand new video sent from the cap-i-tol'' she says with a little to much enthusiasm. I watch as Ash trembles at the front.
The video pretty much the same video shown to us every other year, except adding in a little more excitement for the new Quarter Quell that apparently we should all be jumping off the walls about.
''Now wasn't that such a lovely video, Ladies first'' she smiles removing her white silk glove with neon pink tips.
She digs her hand down into the bowl a little too aggressively and pulls out a slip.
''Elizabeth Johnson'' she reads out.
Every boy from the 17 year old section turn eyes to the section full with my age girls. A circle had been created, leaving a girl stood still in the centre. She looked as if a hole in the ground was about to emerge and send her plummeting too her death. The peacekeepers grab tight on her arms and half dragged, half guided the girl to the stage. That's when I got a proper look at the brunette long hair girl, she was beautiful beyond my wildest dreams. Id seen her around once or twice but not much, but wow.
''Now for the Boys'' She flutters too the next bowl as if she's awarding herself with our deaths, and fumbles her hand about in the bowl.
It had seemed as if she had pounced back to the microphone because the next name took me by surprise.
''Ash Barric''
The woman looks around searching for the same circle to emerge instead a trembling boy with crystal tears rolling down his face begins to stumble forward.
I run to the clearing, making a run for the boy i swore to protect. At least one of his siblings will stand up. At least one. How could they do this to a young boy barely able to walk. That's when i black out, my temper has risen to a new high by the arrogance of his supposed family. ''YOU COWARDS, COWARDS, THAT'S YOUR BROTHER, HOW COULD YOU'' I fall to my knees, throwing my head in my hands ''how could you...'' I know exactly what's coming next. The promise I kept to my family is what's coming next. Before the boy is pulled onto the stage, i regain my posture, straighten my knitted jumper and walk straight for the stage.
''I volunteer'' I murmur.
''What's that young man?'' the woman mimics my tone ''Say it with a little more pride!'' she shouts.
''I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE''
I splutter climbing the steps to certain death.