A/N: It's official. I love the Hunger Games and Divergent so I decided to combine these two series together. I don't own the characters or the plot. I might stick to the Hunger Games but I might also use my own ideas.
Enjoy.
The air in my room is chilly this morning, though I know that it is already May. I open my eyes and look at my clock: 7:30. Time to get up. I look up at the calendar on the wall which is opposite to me. Today is 12th May and I feel my stomach drop.
Reaping Day.
I throw the covers off myself and walk out of my plain room, towards the bathroom. The door which leads to Caleb's room is ajar, so he must have gotten up already. Perhaps he's even preparing breakfast downstairs now. I go into the bathroom and brush my teeth. After putting the toothbrush away I wipe my face with my towel. Then I go down to have breakfast.
Apparently I am the latest one, since Mother, Father and Caleb are already eating. I get into my usual seat and greet them. They nod back to me stiffly and say nothing, not even a 'good morning' or 'hi'. The tension in the room is so strong that I could almost touch it, feel it against my hand like a real thing. I can't blame my family for behaving like that. After all, today is the Reaping Day.
Every year in the city of Chicago the Government, also called 'Central' since it's the heart of the city holds this survival competition called 'The Divergent Games'. They say that in the last century citizens of the five fractions of the city were discontented with the Government and started a revolution to overthrow it. However they failed miserably in the end and a lot of people were killed. In order to punish the citizens, the Government made, and makes the each fraction of the city to choose five teenagers to participate in the Games, making it totally twenty-five people to participate in the competition.
There is only one rule to follow in the Games: kill or be killed, as only one participant is allowed to remain. The Games are held in the Arena at Central. Food, weapons and other supplies can be found in the Arena and if you're lucky, you might even get people to sponsor you. If you win, you'd be able to live in a mason with your family and have a luxurious live.
The people in Central think these Games as some kind of entertainment. The whole competition is played live on TV like a movie-there are cameras monitoring your moves in the Arena. I think that it's totally ridiculous-how could anyone find watching people getting killed entertaining? I remember that I first watched the Games when I was nine and I got nightmares later on that night. I joined the Reaping when I was twelve and luckily I'd never gotten chosen, or not I won't be here, telling you this story. Anyway, don't watch the Games, or you'd regret it.
As I've mentioned, the city is divided into six parts-Central, and the five fractions. The five fractions are the Erudite, Dauntless, Amity, Candor and Abnegation. My family belong to the Abnegation. Each fraction has its own duty. Erudite the intelligent is in charge of technology and scientific innovations. Amity, the peaceful, protects the natural environment and develops 'green' cities and plans. Dauntless, the brave fraction serves the city by offering military protections. When a war breaks out, it's usually Dauntless which leads the soldiers. People of Candor are well known for their honesty so most of the people of this fraction are lawyers and judges. Crimes and other cases are always delivered the Candor headquarters to be solved. As for my fraction, Abnegation, it's in charge of meditation. Most of the people of this fraction are nurses, doctors and we are famous for our selflessness.
The people at Central love the Divergent Games, but not the other five fractions. The Games symbolize teenagers' deaths and this upsets us, especially Amity. Amity's peacefulness also makes all of its participants to be killed in the first five minutes of the Games. Dauntless' participants always won, but that doesn't mean other fractions haven't won once. There are about three victors in Abnegation but they spent all of their winner money on sponsoring meditation technology and experiments. This is more meaningful, and more selfless.
Of course we hate the Games, but what could we do?
Mother's voice breaks into my thoughts. "Dears, we have to get going now. Go up and get dressed. The Reaping begins in half an hour." Caleb and I nod and go upstairs. Caleb looks worried and nervous, and I know this feeling so I don't say anything. "Really, why do they have to hold the Games?" he moans.
"Remember what we've learnt from out History lessons."
"I know…but there are other ways to punish people, right?" I can't deny this. "Instead of killing and violence, there must be-"
"Don't." I warn. "The Central people won't be happy to hear this." Caleb nods. He knows what I mean. The Government strongly forbids people to say anything against it. If someone goes against its will, he or she will be killed. And his or her family. And his or her friends. Anyone who's related to him or her so it's basically a massacre. My heart gets heavier as I pick out my clothes. You always have to look good when it comes to the Reaping as the Government demands all the citizens to treat it like a festival, in order to make us more miserable. Well, with the Games we are already miserable enough. In Abnegation we promote humbleness so we mainly wear gray so all of my clothes are gray. I simply pick out a gray blouse and skirt, and choose a bracelet to go with. I fit my feet into my gray ballet flats and leave the room. Before I go, I sneak a peek at my mirror, which is usually hidden under my bed. We don't really care about out own reflections in Abnegation since admiring yourself is considered as a kind of self-indulgence. However this time I can't help it. There is a blond girl with large grayish blue eyes in the mirror. Her face looks expressionless but I know better. This is I, Beatrice Prior.
I leave my room, with my mirror back under my mattress again.
The ride to the Plaza is filled with silence. We don't have anything to say and nothing can be said either. Mother and Father look grave. Caleb keeps rubbing his hands together to reassure himself and I stare out of the window, watching trees and buildings pass us by. Some people are going to the Plaza on foot and they all have an empty on their faces. A child is crying and his mother is soothing him. Everything looks gray and depressing.
"Time to get out." We've arrived at the Plaza. We get out of the car and my parents give me a smile, telling me to relax, yet there is anxiety in their eyes. Caleb squeezes my hand. "Good luck."
"Same to you." And he walks away, to his age section. I walk over to the section labeled as '16' and line up there along with other sixteen years olds. More and more people arrive and eventually a Government official walks up to the stage. Marcus Eaton, I recognize him almost immediately. He's one of Father's co-workers and has strong influence over the Government. Yet he's still not strong enough to cancel the Games, as President Coleridge Stepson owns this right and never in this century he'd do that. Marcus has come to have dinner at my house for several times and I don't know why, there just seems to be something unsettling about him. Like he isn't the respectful man he is on the outside.
Marcus walks to the microphone and everyone quiets down. He starts reading the History of Chicago and the Treaty Of The Divergent Games, the treaty which starts everything. Obviously everybody isn't listening wholeheartedly. We are all thinking about the same problem: who are going to participate in the Games? Marcus also reads out the names of the three victors of Abnegation but they are all but alive. The Games requires three boys and two girls from each fraction and Marcus declares that he'll start with the boys first. He walks over to the glass bowl which contains the boys' names of this district and picks out a small sheet of paper. He opens it and announces, "William Hiltons!"
A tall, lean boy with light brown hair and green eyes walks up to the stage. People remain silent. I know that if they could, some might volunteer to take William's place but the problem is that this is forbidden. Marcus picks out the second name. "George Wares!" Another boy goes up and stands next to William. He looks shaky but no one points this out.
Last one now. Not Caleb Prior, Not Caleb. Marcus opens the sheet of paper and announces, "Tobias Eaton!"
Some people gasp. A boy with dark hair and deep blue eyes goes up and stands next to his father. His face shows no expressions, nor Marcus'. Tobias looks like his father, but some features suggests his mother, Evelyn's looks. Evelyn died last year and my family attended the funeral. I remember Marcus' expression, just like this one now. It's rather shocking that how he could look so grave and calm.
I suppose he's ready for the fact that his only son might die anytime next week.
"Girls." Marcus declares. He goes up to the bowl next to the boys' names and picks out one. "Diana Greville!"
A tall, svelte girl comes up. She has blond-brown hair and brown eyes and she looks peaceful, like she's ready for Death to knock on her door anytime. It seems wrong for her to look like that. You'll be fine. I want to tell her.
"Last one." Marcus takes out the last piece of paper and my heart beat speeds up. Who will it be? He soothes the paper and looks at the name. He frowns. Why? But the frown is gone in a second. Perhaps it's been my imagination. Marcus opens his mouth and reads out the name. My blood runs cold at his voice.
"Beatrice Prior!"
A/N: Should I continue it? I think some people might be upset with this idea so I'm not very sure. If I get ten reviews telling me to go on, the next chapter will be updated, after I finish writing it. If most of the reviews are negative, then this story will be taken down.
Review, please. I don't mind being criticized.