Adonia Huntington leaned against the matted wall of her parent's training center. The gymnasium stood on half an acre, filled with weaponry and identification challenges - outdoors stood acres of open land where she jogged and practiced. Her parents had hired multiple personal trainers to assist with the hand-to-hand combat necessary in the arena. Everything they did was for Adonia and the glory of their family. Adonia had been raised to believe the Hunger Games were just a set of games - a way of life that everybody participated in. The highest honor in the Huntington's minds was to have a child participate in these games. In the Hunger Games.
Today was May 8th - a day many families dreaded and feared. It was the day of the reaping, in which a girl and a boy, aged 12-18, would be randomly selected to participate in a fight to the death. For Adonia, she would be sparing a District 1 girl's life, by purposely taking her place. "Now, what a great honor it would be to have your face and name be known and seen by all of Panem, Adonia," her mother cooed. "Remember how you look forward to this. Remember how you've trained - four years!"
Adonia closed her eyes and remembered her mother's wild eyes as she coached Adonia to her place amongst the crowd. Today was the day, she told herself. She had prepared physically and mentally for the process about to occur. She would be admired by all! What a great honor she would bring to her family - she may not have been very close to her parents, but this would tie them together.
Her floor length dress shimmered around her tall slender frame. She took pride in her beautiful features, and with a figure to match, she outshone many.
"Katie Dao," the announcer called. A short, rounder child's face went white. Her eyes pleaded for an escape - she was obviously in no shape to participate at the moment.
Adonia stepped up, whispering in the guards' ears, and stepping beside them. Her hair was pinned up and streaked with gold, giving her a professional beautiful impression. "I volunteer," she said solemnly with a smile, staring into Katie's large blue eyes.
The girl scurried off the stage and into the arms of what seemed her grandparents.
The announcer smiled, and seated her. "Your name?"
"Adonia Huntington."
"Very well, your female tribute!" he yelled, and the crowd roared.
Earlier in the sun streaked morning of district one, Richie Oherra tended to his long blonde dreadlocks. His mother burst into the room, commanding him to pursue his morning exercises. Richie obeyed unwillingly, stomping into their large training center. His father assisted him with knowledge and useful skills he would need when he would volunteer. In truth, Richie wished he didn't even live where the Hunger Games took place - he wished he could live anywhere but there.
His parents were retired genetic stylist's, tempering day to day with what nature intended to be left alone and uncontrollable. Richie himself was of African heritage - his blonde hair was an implanted gene at age one. As were his purple eyes, giving him an eerie presence. The job became too popular in the Capitol, running his parents out of the Capitol and into district one. He assumed that he, and his other six siblings, were all ways to earn their rights back into the throne.
He didn't know why - to him, their family sat on a throne of money. What more could anybody want then financial security?
He slipped on a tux and controlled his thoughts as he walked with the crowd of boys. He was at a 'perfect' age to compete. Sixteen, and he was towering over many of his neighbors.
Before the announcer could even reap a name, Richie strode to the front and allowed the poor soul's family and self to be spared the worry. "My name is Richie Oherra and I volunteer," he said confidently. Even as he hated the Games, anything was better than the constant training and stress of his home life. Maybe it would be better to die in there.
The announcer grinned, holding up Adonia and Richie's hand in a gesture of greatness. "Our two volunteers! Here are your District One tributes for the 67th Annual Hunger Games!" His chilling words echoed throughout the crowd.
*.*.*
Claire Kall found herself twiddling her thumbs and contemplating the decision. Her home life of recently had been dull, and she felt as if it needed a little spicing up. She did truly life a life of luxury - but it just…didn't suit her. She wanted adventure and adrenaline. What better way to achieve that than to volunteer for the Hunger Games? It would bring her family honor, and her name would be in the history books.
Claire's brother and father would be her motivation to return, she told herself. She had always felt guilty over her mom's death - she had died giving birth to Claire. But now Claire herself would sacrifice her life per say, as a way to honor her mother. Claire was sure she was going to win.
The reaping went as planned - the announcer was bubbly and bright alike Claire. He hoisted Claire on stage and asked her name, which she returned with a smile.
Her father and brother had their mouths hanging open - had Claire forgot to inform them of this? Whoops.
Sooner than later, the boy's name would be reaped. Ben Chapman's father urged him on, and the last thing his father saw of Ben that day was a nasty glare.
Ben and his father had a tightly strung, anticipation packed relationship going. His dad wanted his to participate - mostly for the selfish reason of bringing honor to the Chapman name, and Ben was tired of it. Ben never trained, never even stepped foot in a gym, and his father had pushed him to the point in which Ben volunteered anyways.
Ben needed to get away, and in a place like Panem, there was only one way to do so. "I volunteer!" he screeched in his father's ear.
"I volunteer," he said more serenely as a woman helped him on stage.
"Your name?" The announcer glanced at Ben.
"Ben Chapman," he smiled at Claire, who couldn't pry her eyes off of him.
*.*.*
Lettie Steam didn't try to blend in with the crowd, or try to hide behind someone bigger than her. She could any blow the world forced at her - and she didn't need help. When her name was reaped, she didn't need to force up the courage to stagger onto the stage - instead, she very proudly smiled, and hopped up the stairs by two, as if the Hunger Games were an honor. There was nothing she could do about them, so why fear or hate them? A waste of her time, really.
Being reaped - in her mind - wasn't deemed unfortunate or a disaster. Lettie would use this opportunity to win. She had a driving passion and determination for the games, seeing how they had permanently twisted her family life into a column of complication.
Her uncle had died in the 51st Hunger Games, changing every she knew. Their life's were littered with the permanent scars the Games held. Could her family really strive through another blow that was about to hit them? Lettie knew the inevitable answer, and what would happen if she didn't return.
She set her heart on winning, then and there. "To my uncle," she murmured, casually on stage.
As for the boys, Dray Rickman's life was about to be altered. Dray didn't particularily care about the Hunger Games until he was reaped. Then his mind started to wonder…it explored the hazards and hurts the Games would concoct.
He wasn't a strong player - in fact, all he could think about as he sauntered on stage was how his face was all over the country! He was instantly famous, and his self centered ego showed the Capitol what they needed to know. He was just like them.
Would that make his popular with them, or oppose them? Many of the Capitol's people couldn't imagine themselves as being selfish! Of course not. Exactly what made them who they really were. Killers and haters - leaving twelve districts to starve and compete for their entertainment.
Dray couldn't see this - all he saw was his reflection in the camera.
*.*.*
There will be four chapters on the reapings. 1-3... 4-6...7-9...10-12... Expect a new chapter every day, or two days. I'll try my hardest to get them done! Hope this was ok, please review, and pm me for anything I got wrong, mistakes, questions, comments, etc!
Thanks!
