Learning how to Die
Author Note: So many of us focused on those who were reaped in the Hunger Games. That's natural, of course. But what about those who weren't repeaped?
Reaping Day.
That was not a fun day. I had lots and lots of fun days. My mommy and daddy made stuffs for the Captial, and I was happy. My big sissy Amelia was happy too, and my two big brothers Stephan and Gai were happy. We were all happy.
But then Daddy said it was reaping day, so we all had to get dressed up. Mommy was wearing a pretty pink dress, and then Amielia was wearing wearing a pretty orange dress. Gai, Stephan, and Daddy were all in black suits, and they had bows around their necks.
Mommy got me dressed in a pretty blue dress and told me about how she wore it her first repeaping day. It wasn't my first day...I'm only five. I wanted to be in their...the Hunger Games sounded fun. It was a game, but Mommy's face got sad and she told me that it was only a game for big kids.
I wondered why it everyone was so sad as we went to town square. A lady with deep green skin and orange eyes was on the stage, and her white hair was down to her bottom. She looked really scary, and I hid behind Mommy. I didn't want Amelia, Stephan, and Gai to go away, but Daddy said they had to go into the crowd.
Then they showed something on the screen. Mommy covered my eyes, and I was sad 'cause I couldn't watch it.
"Why can't I see, Mommy?" I asked her sadly, pouting.
"It's a video for big kids," she replied, and it kinda sounded like she was crying.
When Mommy uncovered my eyes, the scary lady was walking over to two big bowls. A lot of pieces of paper were inside them, and she read out one slip of paper.
"Hemensworth Nilesway!" she said, and everyone dropped their heads as a girl walked up on stage.
She had long black hair in two ponytails, and her big blue eyes looked really scared. She was pale and shaking real bad, and I touched her hand as she passed to make her feel better. It looked like she needed a hug, but Daddy held me back.
"A twelve year old," he muttered to Mommy, and she started to cry into his neck. I hugged her legs instead as the lady reached into the other bowl and read out a piece of paper.
"Jonas Tykson!" she squeaked, and a boy who looked older than the girl walekd up, looking like he was depressed and needed a hug, too. Maybe I could give him a picture after we left.
Hemensworth was clutching Jonas' hand, and I wondered if they loved each other. Then our mayer said some other things I didn't understand about how the 'odds should be in their favor', and the other people started to leave. Amelia, Gai, and Stephan all came back, looking happy again, and I tried to go to the boy and girl on stage.
"Leave the tributes alone, Junerose," Amelia took my head though, and I pouted as I saw Hemenworth start crying.
Why was she so sad if she got to go to a game?
I was five when I recounted that. Amelia always helped me keep a diary, and she helped me write my little innocent thoughts down. I showed you that to show how naive a child can be when it comes to The Hunger Games.
I'm fifteen now, and I've never been reaped. Amelia, Gai, and Stephan never did, either. So our family was always safe and now they always will be.
Amelia's twenty three, Stephan's thirty, and Gai's twenty six, so they won't get reaped. When the Girl on Fire, Katniss Everdeen, started the rebellion, though, we all took part in it. Stephan died, though, and Gai was severley injured.
When I was twelve I learned Mom had been part of one of the past Hunger Games and won. We were from District 2, after all. She managed to surrive, but Dad's furneral was the same day as Stephan's.
I'll soon join them.
Amelia is writing down my thoughts now as I slowly die. A spear to the stomach and then a bombing doesn't promise life. I've requested this be sent to what little of Captial remains. And to all of you sick people who once let so many be tortured, die, and got pleasure out of it...
It never mattered if you were five or eighteen. The Hunger Games were always dangerous and deadly, even if you weren't in it. You made our districts' youth horrible and just as cruel and evil as your kind, in a way.
We all had to watch the Games. I learned how to fight from all those who were repeaped. I found myself learning the stargeties and everything they did to live, and a couple times I checked with the winning tribute on how they did it.
From both, I learned how to die right. So I'm dying knowing I made a little bit of an impact with my methods.
But this isn't a thanks for that. You all taught me to be a monster who didn't break down on death. That guilt may never leave me, knowing I did murder. I actually had to do murder to rebel against you.
Just like as if I was in the Games.
Junerose just closed her eyes. She's barely breathing...she won't live much longer. So this is Amelia saying this last part, what June would've wanted you to really know.
We've gotten our revenge. Maybe your children will understand that pain too. We'll just see how you like it.
Because learning how to die was a subject that should've never been taught. Especially to a child.