Author's Note; Please bear with me it has been A WHILE since I have written anything, but Marina just became this fly in my ear that I can't seem to shake. With that said I know my first chapter is kinda rough, but I promise it will get better as a knock some of the rust off of my writing. I also have to beg forgiveness as I accidently deleted Microsoft Office completely off my computer and am now stuck with Wordpad, ugh.
I don't own or have any rights to the Hunger Games, blah, blah, blah. (I mean come on I'm obviously not Suzanne Collins. )
Reaping Day, District 4
My day started out like any other, the sun shining, the smell of the sea wafting in on a gentle breeze. I can hear my brothers in the kitchen and catch the familiar scent of frying fish. Pulling myself up out of bed I quickly run my fingers through my hair and walk out to the kitchen and watch my three large brothers elbowing each other for room in the small space in front of the stove.
"This is what I would call too many cooks in the kitchen ." I say making my presence known.
"We made you breakfast skeet." The oldest of the three, Rider says using their nickname for me.
"So sit down shut up and eat up. " My middle brother Tristian says with a grin, before getting smacked in the head by the youngest Silvin. Shaking my head I join my brothers for breakfast.
Yes this is very much like any other day, the only difference was that tug on my heart that happened on this day every year for as long as I can remember. It was reaping day here in District 4, and I was 17 which meant that I like every other person in the districts between the ages of 12 and 18 was up to possibly have my name drawn for the Hunger Games. Of course coming from District 4 you'd think I'd be excited and ramped for this, we live for this after all, at least we are supposed to. My family is different to say the least, I've never attended The Academy which is where children between the ages of 10 and 17 recieve their "education". It's half academics, half training for the games, which of course is against the rules, but in Districts 1,2 & 4 The Capitol turns a blind eye. It makes for much more entertaining games. Our Academy is much less well known than in Districts 1 &2 but it serves essentially the same function. My brothers attended, but after my oldest brother Nevan died in the Games my father decided that we would be trained differently.
I can feel the tension in my muscles as I sit down to breakfast with my brothers. They've made quite a meal, with fried Grouper, Gull eggs, bread, and even Grada juice. A tangy sweet orangy red juice made from Grada fruit which is small citrus that grows wild here if you know where to look, it is my favorite and a real treat because juicing the tiny fruit is tedious work. Despite my tension I enjoy the breakfast they have gone through all the trouble to make. I look out the open window and note the calm blue expanse of sea, I know just what will calm me and it's still early. I think I have just enough time.
Pushing back my plate, I announce. "I think I'm going to to go for a swim."
Rider looks at me, with one arched brow. "You'll make it back on time?"
"Of course."
"And you'll keep your clothes on?" RIder says with a smirk.
"Probably not."
"Come on Skeet, you practically gave me a heart attack the other day." Tristian says.
"You knew I was at the Cove swimming, why on earth did you go there. You overprotective..."
"What if it hadn't been Tristan?" Silvin chimed in.
"Now, your ganging up on me too? No one swims there but us. I didn't know you'd come barreling up there Tristian, I've swam that way since I was a kid. And what would you have rescued me from anyway, I'm a better swimmer than you are!"
"First of all." Tristian replies crossing his arms. "You are not a better swimmer than me, faster maybe, but that's only because you don't have all this weighing you down." He says cheekily flexing his muscled arms, as I roll my eyes. "Secondly, you're not a kid anymore Skeet. And the if the town boys ever find out Marina LaMer swims at the Cove naked, they'll be there in a second. And we really don't want to have to kill them."
"The boys in town have no idea I even exist ." Which earns some laughs and a few shakes of the head from my brothers. "Fine. But just give me peace today, ok?"
"Ok." Rider answers for them all. "But be quick, and when you get back dad brought you a dress for the reaping. Its in your room."
"Dad's back!" My father is a fishing boat captain and had been gone for a week , which was normal, but I wasn't sure if he would make it back before I had to leave for town.
"He got back this morning, he's down at the dock finishing up a few things on the boat. He'll be back to come to town with us, so hurry back."
"Ok" I say sprinting out the door.
The cove was a beautiful place, a bright sandy beach completely circled by trees. I try to swim there everyday if I have the chance. As I float in the sea I can't imagine living anywhere else and can't help but relax a bit and believe everything will be alright. After a while I flip over and swim back to shore. Putting my clothes back on I jog back home.
Upon walking back into the house I fling my arms around my fathers neck, inhaling the smell of the sea that clings strongly to him. A few minutes later I am being ushered to my room to change, and find a creme sundress draped over my chair. It's a light airy cotton that has a V neck, with a tie around my waist and leaves my tanned arms exposed, . I run a quick brush through my waist length hair that is still wet, and decide to leave it down to air dry.
My time in the sun and my family genes have given me the classic LaMer look, my light brown hair has streaks of sunkissed blonde, my body a deep golden tan, and my fathers blue green eyes. He sometimes joked that that was how he wooed my mother, the LaMer eyes. My mother died shortly after my birth, so I could never find out just how full of it he was. As an after thought I grab the shell necklace that Silvin gave me for my last birthday and put it on. Giving myself a final quick look in my small mirror . "Good enough." I say aloud.
My family arrives in town about an hour later. I am the only one in the reaping this year, Silvin is 19 now and Tristian is 23, and Rider 25. Making our way through town I realize how the crowd seems to part for the big LaMer men, each of them over 6ft tall and broad and strong, I also realize how I must look with these four giants of men surrounding me on all sides, and I can't help but smile. Even if any boy ever does notice me, no one would be brave enough to speak to me with these four around. As we arrive in front of the Justice Building, I kiss my father and hug my brothers. I then head over to check in, and join the other 17 year old girls, nodding to a few I know on the way. I don't have any close friends here in town, I never seem to have the time. And I never attended The Academy, but that's not to say I'm not trained, like I said my family is different.
My family has a penchant for being picked for the games. District 4 is a fairly populated District but somehow every few years someone in my family be it a close or more distant relation is reaped. We don't take tressarae, few in District 4 do and they say it's just our families luck, but coincidentally my great grandfather LaMer and his father and brothers had been major players in District 4's part in the Rebellion. Just another thing the Capitol controls, our reaping, though they'd never admit it. We also don't come home as victors, if other Tributes don't kill us then the Gamemakers generally do with an "accident", my oldest brother Nevan was killed 10 years ago in the 64th Hunger Games. He was in the final 3 when he was struck in a freak lightning storm. Only one in my family has ever survived the Games and that is probably only because he was so well liked that the Capitol thought he could be useful, Finnick Odair my cousin. We aren't close. In fact I barely know him.
I look up to the stage set up on the steps of the Justice Building and yes there he is, along with Mags an elderly victor who will also serve as a Mentor to whomever is reaped. Also on the stage is Violet Plumwell District 4's escort, with her very big jet black hair, unnaturally pale skin, bright red lips and red satin dress with a skirt that is a very stiff A line that does not move when she walks. I have to admit though she is definitely not as ridiculous as some of the escorts I've seen on television. Violet standing with the Mayor, moves through the ceremony, and soon it is time to pick the Tributes, as always Violet announces "ladies first" and dramatically dips her hand with it's bright red nails into the large ball. Pulling out the slip of paper she smiles then pauses a moment and reads "Marina LaMer". I stand rooted in shock for a moment before it finally registers that she said my name. As I make my way to the stage, I hear my father's and brother's voices in my head from all my years of training "Keep your head up. Look confident, if you show fear they will eat you alive. You don't show fear, you look it straight in the eye and smile, laugh even!" As I reach the steps I hear Violet ask for volunteers and have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. Yes this is District 4 and we are a Career district but no one ever volunteers for a LaMer. They would have to be stupid to get in the way of the Capitol, it is unspoken yes, but most in 4 know this is retribution. Someone in my family directly related to my great grandfather in someway, has been reaped in at least 25 of the 74 Hunger Games, now counting me, and only Finnick has survived.
I walk onto the stage, and look out at the crowd, I quickly find my father and brothers as large as they are. My father and Rider are having to forcibly hold Tristian back. Tristian, ever the passionate overprotective one, I know if he could he would fight his way up here and try to save me. I look up catch his eye, smile at him and to show them I remember their words I give a small laugh.