Egyptian Games- HG Edition
Reaping
I was really hoping for today to be like any other. Sneaking out in the morning and hunting with Eddie, then coming home with the game and help my sister with her homework. Yeah, I don't actually go to school. You see my twin sister Piper has a talent for music, while I can only sing just a little.
My mother didn't want her talent wasted so she goes to school while I work for our poor family. My mom doesn't do much for us after the loss of my father who died in the mines. District 12 is where I live, but I like to call it hell. Not many families actually have homes, and most of those are the ones who lost someone to the games.
Every year, today actually, is when the Hunger Games begins. What are they? It is where our devil president (Snow) decides to send two tributes into an arena to die. Twenty four of them from each of the twelve districts. Piper and I both were in the bowl that elects the chosen to their doom. She could never win in them, I knew that I was the one that could only stand a chance.
She would die in the bloodbath. A cruel, nasty, and painful way. Luckily for her she has been save the last four years and hopefully this year as well.
I took a walk through the woods- which were strictly off limits. If I ever to be caught- well, I don't really want to think of that. Never would want to, never going to. I looked for Eddie who was probably hunting for today and hopefully for tomorrow if he were to still be here. I knew there was a chance that he could get picked but I refused to even think of it.
An arrow whipped past me as I turned around to see him smiling, "Hey Yacker!"
Eddie has always called me that. When I first met him he said that my accent was pretty damn annoying and that I should stop talking. It stuck after I kept talking and now I am called Yacker. Of course I call him some names which should not be repeated around a younger audience.
"Edison, wouldn't Sweetie scold you for almost killing me?" I taunted him. His father was one of the teachers at my sister's school, while his mother passed away quite a few years ago. Same way my father lost his life, but we don't like talking about it.
"Whatever Yacker, don't you know what today is? Its the day that we all hopefully be greeted to our doom!" he faked the excitement that anyone from the Capitol would use. They were the only people that were safe from these horrifying games. The promoted them cheering for the death of innocent children. Well, just not the Careers who all train their damn lives just to kill a bunch of other people. Assholes.
"Of course it is!" I giggled like a girl that I knew, Amber Millington. She goes to school with Piper and lives in the better parts of the twelve. She was the kind of girl that her father has paid a family to volunteer if his little girl is picked. A few families have actually done that, but their child is never picked. The ones that were to go in for the children are the ones to be reaped.
"The District of Anubis- oh how I hate it." besides other nicknames for our district, we were nicknamed the District of Anubis because of the amount of deaths. Sometimes it was Pluto or Hades, but mostly Anubis. There have only been two or three victors from our district in the years, and only one is living. Haymitch.
An old drunk that has Post traumatic Stress Disorder because of it. He was in the Quarter Quell a few years ago. He won over like forty nine other tributes. So I can't exactly blame him for how he is now.
"Yeah, not exactly a good place to be." I muttered and he nodded.
"Why can't we just run you know. Have kids, start a family. Teach them about what the world used to be like and to teach them not to believe in these games. To stand up for what we believe in..." Eddie trailed off. Wait a minutes, did he just imply he wanted to run away with me and have kids? Shit.
"I don't want to bring children into this world. They shouldn't be able to face this like we do." I looked away. He slowly nodded and shrugged at what I said. We sat there awkwardly for a few minutes before deciding to head back home to get ready for the reaping.
My dearest twin and I stood by our age groups getting weird looks. We were never really out in public at all really. Nina Martin- daughter of the mayor gave me a light smile. She was probably the only one besides Eddie that I actually did talk to. She was kind, but slightly suspicious.
Then out came Effie Trinket- the bitch that completely supports these games. She giggled and said her famous line, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to begin the reaping. May the odds be ever in your favor."
She winked and gave out a little giggle again. It disgusted me completely. She then said that the ladies will go first. She approached the bowl and dug her hand in it. She smiled as she grabbed one and stepped towards the microphone. She took a deep breathe before saying, "Piper Williamson."
Piper Williamson.
Piper Williamson.
Piper Williamson.
Everyone looked over at her. Well at me first, but then to her. Her face had the look of shock on it, then sadness. She slowly made her way towards the stage. I couldn't let Piper go out there, she wouldn't stand a chance with the careers. Or anyone else for that matter.
"Wait!" I called out, pushing past the peacekeepers.
"Patricia." Piper whispered and shook her head as she knew what I was going to do. I looked over at my mother who sensed my next action.
"I volunteer as tribute!" Piper's eyes widened as Effie clapped her hands saying this was the first time that our district has ever had someone volunteer. They dragged Piper away from the stage who was yelling my name. Eddie couldn't even look me in the eyes he only looked at the ground.
"TRISHA, YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Piper yelled as Eddie grabbed her arm and restrained her.
"So I take it you know her." Effie turned to me.
"Yeah, I am Patricia Williamson, her twin sister." I slightly smiled avoiding Piper's gaze. I would never let her enter these games. Effie said something that I only wanted the glory and then picked out the name for the male tribute. It was Jerome Clarke, the son of the man who owned the bakery.
No volunteers for him. Haymitch made a slight appearance yelling that we were going to win this year and that all other tributes will be killed with a... toaster? He then said that we would toast them. Yeah, he was sort of drunk. To think he will be my mentor for the games.
Jerome and I shook hands and looked at each other in the eyes. For some odd reason, I felt like he and I will both end up becoming closer. Dead or alive.