THE TAPE GAMES Ivory's POV
Chp 1: Fishes for Wishes
The smell of dinner is quite overwhelming, dividing me from the task at hand, to make a sheet of gold out of the bits and pieces of glittery gold stone. Turtle's helping me, too, because we all have to train for the tape games, but unlike the rest of my friends, we really don't want to go risk our lives in some deathly game. So, while Lauren chips at the stone that our district supplies, trying to get ready to volunteer tomorrow at the reaping, I sort the glitter and listen to Turtle complain about District 2, home sweet home.
"I don't know why they dedicate an entire district to glitter!" He says, helping me sort the pink glitter from the blue glitter, my other task. "Glitter's cool and stuff, but-" I roll my eyes, "it's kind of useless."
"At least our district mines and crafts precious metals, makes glitter and trains the stock keepers, not just make charcoal pencils," I say to Turtle, as he rolls his eyes. After a few minutes, he sorts all the glitter before I can finish making my gold sheet.
"Muahahaha, I totally beat you, Ivory!" He grins, making me roll my eyes.
"Whatever," I grumble, and my stomach does, too, as if it smells the lovely fish frying from the house. We got to have a special meal worthy of district 1, because of the reaping tomorrow.
"We wish you a merry Tape games and a happy reaping!" I say, imitating Janie Leant, and Merry Christmas. Janie Leant was the lovely lady of the games.
"Well I've got to go because I've got a delicious dinner waiting!" Turtle says, picking up the glitter. I sigh and pack up my project. I wave goodbye to Lauren and turn my walk into a jog, to get to my house for dinner.
"I'm home and ready to eat!" I say, and drop my bag off on a hook in the closet. I sit down at the table, which looks like a buffet, with platters of carrots, spinach, potatoes, rice and spiced fish all along the table, in honor of the reaping tomorrow. I look at the seat next to me, my brother, Aidan and grin.
"This looks excellent, dad," I say and look at my dad, who sits down between mom and Ella.
"A toast to our wonderful children, who will be safe tomorrow," he says, nodding at Ella, who is safe, at age 22, and at Aidan, who is four years too young to even get put in. And he's assuring me I will not get put in. I know I will be safe. We start eating, the fish is excellent.
"Wuch fuh desserch?" Aidan says though a mouthful of potatoes. We all laugh at Aidan's longing for the special pie that will come. My mom just smiles and scrapes her plate, picking the last carrots.
The conversation is aimless; this night is focused on the food. As Ella finishes the last of her fish, I take one more piece of the Tilapia, saving it for a wish. I slip the warm fish into a napkin, and put it on the counter, stretching my arm out cautiously, my father would not approve of my intention. I don't really care.
Mom brings out the pie, bringing a squeal from Aidan. Ella helps give out the pie, and soon we are all refusing seconds, too much to hold.
"Thank you for a lovely night," my mom says to all of us. We dump our plates, and head out separate ways, and I stealthily grab the napkin with the fish wrapped in it, and open the back door. I walk down the streets, lit with light from all the houses. And finally I find one of the old mining caves, half collapsed, too small for a grown man. My dad or mom couldn't get in, and mom once tried, unsuccessfully, trying to follow me. I find a corner where I know Natalie hides.
"Um, so, like…" I start my little thanks, but I feel awkward, alone in a cave, Natalie hiding in some corner, but I go on. "Thanks district 11 for this awesome fish that I, er, ate and just enjoy this Natalie."
"Fishes for wishes," I say, wishing for Natalie.
I exit the cave, and feel a slight movement behind me and I pause. "Be careful and don't get caught, Natalie," I whisper, and I feel her pause behind me. "But you're too smart for the stock keepers." I smile and jog home, and hope that I don't get chosen at the reaping.
Ha ha, boy, I got to test my luck.
"It's time to get up, it's time to get up, it's time to get up!" Aidan chirped in my ear. I groaned and rolled over. "THE SUN IS SHINNING THE BIRDS ARE CHIRPING, ITS TIME TO GET UP!"
"It's the reaping!" he said cheerfully.
"Don't remind me I might get chosen," I said, burying myself deeper in the covers.
"I know Ivory," Aidan said. "But you wouldn't want to miss if your boyfriend got chosen."
I chocked on air. "He's not my boyfriend!" I sighed, "That's like Amelia being your girlfiend."
"Ew! Gross, no! Amelia's not my girlfriend!" Aidan sputtered.
"Get my point," I grumbled, and sat up, glaring at my dress that was for reaping day. I put it on, and went down stairs, to complain about the horrendous clothing. Even if we lived in a crafting world, not everything was a lovely utopia. We ate in silence, as Aidan tried to swallow his blueberries without gagging.
"It's time," mom said. We made our way to the area, and I bumped into Basil, one of my good friends.
"Hey Ivory, can you believe the new rule?" Basil said. "You know, that they have more people, because there are two teams that win, so they want more people to loose, if more win." I nodded and waved at her, as she went over to her almost-boyfriend, Obsidian, who did not Obsidian. He had red hair.
I sat down with mom, dad, Ella and Aidan.
"Welcome!" Janie Lant said, with her over flamboyant mood. "Now for the contestants, and May the Tape Games to begin!"
"This year, from district 2, four will be selected," Janie said. A muttered outbreak spread. "Now, now," Janie said soothingly. "This is because you have so many people!" She grinned as if this solved it all.
"For our girl," she pulled a slip of paper out. My heart hammered. "Basil Canter!"
I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands. Basil? I looked around to see if any volunteers would come up. They usually did. But no one did, leaving timid Basil making her way to the stage. I sneak a glance at Obsidian, who looks shocked because of Basil's section. Turtle takes out a lump of clay, which most kids in the career districts have, due to our income, and fiddles with it. Every who lives in our world knows how to craft.
"Now, we have another girl!" Janie says, smiling, as if Basil might be very lucky. Lauren is a few family's away, and she looks guilty, because she didn't volunteer for Basil, and that's what she trained for, and I know that she wants to volunteer for the next girl. But I also know, and see the wariness in her eyes, I see that she's not ready; she may never be, even if we were offered another chance. But sixteen's the last year.
"And our next tribute is," I hold my breath, as Janie says, "Ivory Renolds."
Ivory Renolds.
Me?
Numbly I walk to the stage, where Basil is, lips pressed together, chalk white. I sneak a glance at Turtle, to see that he looks angrily at Janie, and I look away, worried that he might act rashly. Aiden looks scared, and I straiten to get the act together for him, because I can't worry my little brother. Mom and dad both look shocked, and Ella looks like she might cry, her lip trembling.
"Now we have Ivory and Basil, so we can choose the boys!" Janie says, as if nothing just happened. Oh, something juts did happen.
"Wayne MacGinger," Janie says. I know Wayne is one of Turtle's friends. I look at Wayne, he's blinking, nervously, trying not to do what manly men do when they're afraid. I dunno. Then I see Turtle. He looks determined, and he poises on his toes. Oh no.
"I volunteer," Turtle says. My world flips. Janie smiles at him.
"I volunteer!" He speaks louder, and walks up to where I am. I look at him, and I understand. That was brave.
"Survive, Tortoise boy, and maybe I'll forgive you," I whisper as Janie gets ready for the last boy.
"Yeah, sure, Elephant tusk," he replies (Ivory, elephant tusk, geddit?)
"Obsidian Sparrow." Janie grins at the crowd.
"Basil's boyfriend?"
"Basil's almost-boyfriend? Turtle and I both say. Basil looks like crying.
"Oh, isn't fate a match maker!" Janie says, and laughs at the crowd and Obsidian walks up, leaving his upset little brother, Bill.
"And let the games begin!" Janie grins at the crown, and I feel sick. I walk on and trip on the way down the stairs. I pick up the object I tripped on. A fish pendant, made of glass, which would've taken a master glass crafter in district 12 to make, but here it probably belonged to some seven year old. I held it in my palm, and then dropped it.
"Fishes for wishes," I whispered at the pendant. "Keep Aidan, mom, dad, Ella and Natalie safe."
The odds were not going to be in my favor.