A/N: Hey guys, these are the first two Reapings (District Five male and District Two male) to start off the story. Bear in mind that I may add a few more details now and in the future just to flesh out the story. Anyway, hope you enjoy this!
Zachary Hillman – District Five
"Zach! Wake up!"
I blink open my eyes, rubbing them tiredly. Slowly the face of my young sister comes into focus. Her hand is on my shoulder and she's shaking me awake.
"OK, OK," I mutter, sitting up slowly. I love my sister, of course, but sometimes she can be a bit of a handful.
I can hear Father clattering about in the kitchen, probably making breakfast. Ever since Mother died he has had to take full responsibility for me and my two younger siblings. I know it's been hard for him, and I'm ready to start working in the nearby electrics factory, but he won't let me. He says it's too dangerous. Personally I think he's soft in the head. We need the money!
Vi follows me around as I get dressed quickly in a pair of pants, a grey top and a sweater. It's only now that I remember what today is.
The Reaping.
I pause in the process of pulling on a sock and blink. Anxiety runs through me. My stomach suddenly becomes a bundle of nerves, as if there's tangled wires inside of me.
"Are you OK, Zach?" Vi asks. She looks concerned. Being only seven, she doesn't understand the full meaning of the Reapings, or the fear they implant in the hearts of every teenager around Panem.
"Yeah…fine." I swallow hard and stand up, putting on a forced smile. "How about we go downstairs and see Dad, OK?"
Vi nods and runs down our rickety stairs. I follow more slowly, still thinking about the Reaping. What happens if I do get picked? I tell myself not to think about that.
Charley, my younger brother and our middle sibling, is sitting at the table. Father has already given him some bread and butter. He's only eaten half of it though.
"Charley, don't waste food," Father says sharply to him as we sit down at the table. He glances over at me and narrows his eyes. "I notice you're not wearing your Reaping clothes."
"No point." I reply. I have never understood how people get specially dressed up for such a dreaded event.
Father doesn't look pleased, but then spots Violet's outfit. "You look lovely." He smiles at her.
I decide not to point out that her dress is far too small now. Oh well. She won't be getting Reaped for five years.
Charley stands up and pushes his plate towards me. "You have it," he says.
"Thanks." I reply.
Our family meals and gatherings are always awkward. They have been since Mother died seven years ago. Sometimes I like the silence though. It gives me more time to think.
Violet grabs some of the bread and eats it quickly, then drums her fingers on the table. "When are we going?" she asks. "I'm getting bored!"
Father takes away my plate as I finish off the bread. "We're going now," he says.
As usual, we all follow Father out of the front door. Already other families are walking down the streets towards the District Square. I recognize a few of my classmates in the crowd but I don't wave. Anyway, I always keep to myself at school. I doubt they'd even know me.
It takes us about ten minutes to walk to the Square. When we get there only a few people have arrived: we are very early.
Only a few minutes later, I see my two only friends, Clark and Joseph, coming out of the crowd. Leaving my siblings and Father, I walk over quickly.
"Oh God…" Clark runs his hand through his hair. "I hate this whole thing."
"I think everyone thinks that," Joseph says. His cold grey eyes are full of apprehension. "I hate this Square too."
I don't like the District Square either. It always feels cold and unwelcome, with looming grey buildings on every side and multiple factories behind the usual Capitol banners which are displayed for the Reaping.
Father takes Violet and Charley off to the spectator's section and I walk over to the table where a few Capitol women are taking blood. I used to be squeamish about this procedure but now I have no issue with it.
"Name?"
"Zachary Hillman."
"Finger."
I hold out my hand and she inserts the blade, letting a drop of blood fall onto the sheet. I get away as quickly as possible and walk briskly into the fifteen year-old's section.
"Hello, and welcome one and all to the Annual 120th Hunger Games Reaping!" Our District escort, Hestia, gives us all a huge smile and clutches the microphone. "Now, we are going to watch a little video…"
She switches on the huge screens that surround us and instantly a video plays, all about the Second Rebellion. I zone out while it continues. In my opinion, the Districts were fine as they were before Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark had to go and kick up trouble. I preoccupy myself with biting my fingernails until it finally ends.
"Happy Hunger Games!" Hestia says brightly. "And now, this year, I will pick a male tribute first!"
I hold my breath as she pulls out a tiny slip of paper. My heartbeat seems unnaturally loud. My hands are sweating badly and I wipe them on my pants.
"Zachary Hillman!"
I feel like all the breath has been knocked out of me. The boys around me don't know how I am, and they look around, relieved that it isn't their turn this year. With a step that seems to take all of my willpower, I begin to walk up to the stage.
Johnathan Victor – District Two
I wake up long before any of the others do. The first thing I register is the cold air of the alley, then I remember what happened last night.
"John? You awake?"
I turn to see Jak looking at me, still inside his sleeping bag. I nod. "What does it look like?"
Jak shrugs. "OK, no need to get defensive. Just wondering how you managed to wake up so early. To be honest, I wanted to sleep in."
"Yeah, of course you did. Well, the Reaping's still happening, no matter what you do."
I stand up and roll up my sleeping bag. I should probably explain why me and my friends were sleeping in an alley the whole night, so here goes.
Basically, my family is dead. They were killed a long time ago, just a few years after the failure of the Second Rebellion, for being part of the rebel group. I didn't really know them that well. After that, I was put in a children's home, which I stayed in for seven years. I was twelve when I ran away and joined the Knives.
The Knives are a group of undercover boys between the ages of twelve and eighteen who secretly train for the Hunger Games. Their leader took me in because I looked like something worth training. They gave me a better name, too. Johnathan Victor. Maybe if I do get to volunteer today, I could really be a Victor.
We wander around the District, evading Peacekeepers as much as we can and hiding out in abandoned houses and werehouses. But last night, we were chased by some of the soldiers into this alleyway. Fortunately we managed to hide out in here until they left. It isn't the nicest place to sleep, but it was good enough for us.
Our leader is the bravest of us all. The biggest and the best at fighting too, though that's not surprising. His name is Flynt. We all respect him because if we didn't, there would be hell to pay.
I am jolted out of my thoughts when Jak speaks again. "Come on, we need to get to the Square in time. Maybe we should just go without them."
But that plan disappears when we see Flynt sitting up, gripping his knife in one hand. "Get the others awake," he snarls at us. "We've gotta go as soon as possible."
Flynt is twenty, older than all of us, not eligible for the Reaping but has always wanted to compete in the Games, and still attends every Reaping. He brandishes his knife at us and we get to work.
There's ten of us in total, which means it's difficult to find food, but we manage. Once most of us are awake, we set out. Flynt says to leave the ones who are too lazy to come along, and that they'll get a punishment later.
Last night it seems that we managed to find a place close to the Square because we arrive in about fifteen minutes. The Capitol people are still setting up the banners and massive TV screens when we arrive so we sneak in and linger at the bushes around the edges until some more people start to trickle in.
We wait in silence, blending into the growing crowds until the line at the registration table begins to form. Then we walk over casually and sign in.
"What's your name, then?" The women at the table beckons me up and eyes my dirty clothes distainfully. She must be used to well-groomed Career tributes coming to the table. I hold out my hand. "Jacob Stoney." I say. It's my birth name, and my birth name is my Reaping registration name.
The women pricks my finger, which I have always hated, and presses it to the paper, then calls the next person. I walk alongside Jak until we find the fifteen year-olds' section and settle into the dense crowd.
Our District escort, Claudiessa, walks onto the stage in ridiculously high heels. Her wig bounces on her head, barely balancing.
"Hello and welcome to the District Two Reaping for the 120th Hunger Games!" she says into the microphone. I glance at Jak and wonder if he's thinking of volunteering too. His face is expressionless.
"Now, let's watch this video that has been brought all the way from the Capitol!" she trills, pointing at the nearest TV screen. Instantly, a video plays, showing shootage from the Second Rebellion. This is not interesting to me, except for the part when it talks about the rebellion of District Two. Really, personally, I couldn't care less about something that happened forty-five years ago.
When the video eventually ends, Claudiessa tells us that she will be picking from the boys' bowl first. I clench my fists, readying myself to shout out as loud as I can.
"Jak Winters!"
For a few seconds, I feel shock wash over me, and Jak stands stock still. Then, as loud as I can, I shout, "I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!"
Some other boys are coming out of the crowd but I get there first, pushing someone else out of the way and rushing up the steps. I have to get this place.
Claudiessa doesn't look surprised. After all, this happens every year. "Name, dear?" she asks me.
"Johnathan Victor." This time I don't bother to use my birth name. After all, Johnathan is what the rest call me.
"Very good, very good! Our male tribute from District Two!" Claudiessa says happily.
I stare down into the crowd. Jak is staring up at me, his face full of shock and anger. But I don't care, it's too exciting. For once in my life, I am the centre of attention.
Everyone will know my name. Everyone in Panem. My hands get sweaty, but not from fear this time. As Claudiessa draws a girls' slip, I stand tall.
I can win this.
A/N: So, what do you think of Johnathan and Zachary? Hopefully the reviewers are happy with how I portrayed them. Again, I hope you enjoyed the first two Reapings!
~Sky~