I started this fic before, but I didn't like the timeline. I kept coming up with important details that should have been shown during Training, so instead of starting from the beginning of the 74th Games, we're starting at the Reaping.
Usual rules apply, Suzanne Collins is awesome, and she owns Hunger Games. Arista is mine, and her story is mine.
Chapter 2
The four of us are led to the stage. When we exit the Justice Building, some start cheering and there is polite applause, but my attention is diverted to the square center looming beyond the stage. Ropes have been placed, corralling off the eligible children for this year's Games.
I'm sorry, I thought as I took my place on the stage.
The clock in the square chimed eleven times, and Mayor Poole stepped up to the podium. He was telling the history of Panem. I had heard this so many times before, I could probably recite it in my sleep, assuming I could sleep. I wondered about the kids in front of me. How many of them were training to become tributes themselves? How many of them were terrified that their name would come out of the reaping ball? How many felt the odds weren't in their favor because they were forced to be on the tesserae system to survive?
Tesserae could mean the difference between life and death. By law, you have to enter your name into the Reaping pool once per year from the ages of twelve to eighteen, but the entries never come out until you age out. If your family is poor, like many of the families in District Four, you can sign up for a tessera, which is a year's supply of grain and oil. My parents were always hesitant to go that route, and they only wanted to take it as a last resort. However, most of the fish we caught in my family's fishery we sold or sent off the Capitol, leaving us with whatever was left over. Sometimes it was enough; sometimes it wasn't. My brother used to carry two tesserae, which was enough to stretch our resources to the point where we weren't in danger of starving. When I turned twelve, I shared the burden, and we took one apiece. My mind drifted back to another day like this, fifteen years ago…
"Where do you think you're going, Arista?" my mother asked without even looking up from the sink. I had been trying to sneak outside for a quick dip in the sea before I had to face the rest of the day. Today wasn't like any other days. Today was Reaping Day, and truth be told, I would have much rather been fishing or even going to school.
"Nowhere," I answered innocently, frantically searching around for something to use as an excuse. I grabbed a ribbon that had somehow fallen on the floor. "Just looking for my hair ribbon." Now my mother looked at me, dressed in my usual swimming attire with a jacket hastily thrown over the top.
"Not today. March yourself straight back to your room and make yourself presentable," my mother ordered. She was taller than me, and even though I'm sixteen, she can still scare the living daylights out of me. I knew it was useless to try to sneak out now that Mom was on high alert, so I had no choice but to go back to my room and do what she asked. She had laid out a pale yellow dress that she had finished making recently, which would show off my sun-darkened complexion nicely. I shrugged myself into it and began the arduous task of trying to locate shoes. I had just found the left one, and there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" I called.
"Come here, honey. Let's get your hair done," she said. She had that look on her face. My brother and I called it her Reaping Day Look. It was another reason to hate this day.
It was a bad year, though. We had had a case of red tide, a toxic algae that destroys most of the edible fish. With Reef no longer being eligible, the burden of the tesserae fell squarely on my shoulders, and I signed up for four this year, increasing my odds of being chosen even more. I tried not to give it much thought, though, because without the tesserae, we would have either starved or frozen to death. I like to watch the Games as much as anyone else, perhaps moreso, because I love watching the strategies the different tributes take and trying to anticipate what the Gamemakers will do next. It's actually kind of fun, provided you aren't one of the twenty-four children in the arena.
But today…today was the day we would pick which kids went to the Games. I guess everyone who had family that was eligible, or was eligible themselves, was a little nervous. And then there was Mom. If I really stopped to think about it, I think Mom was just plain terrified. My older brother Reef was nineteen and made it all the way through without ever getting chosen. Besides, there are so many names in the reaping balls that the odds of being picked are really, really small.
"Ok, there you go," Mom said, giving me a slight tap on the shoulder. I gave my hair a test shake. She had tied my long black curls back with a yellow ribbon that matched my dress, leaving a few curls loose to frame my face. I've always been told I'm pretty, but again, I never gave that much thought. Mom miraculously pulled my right shoe from under my bed and handed it to me. I shoved my foot into it, and we left, with Dad and Reef to walk the short distance to the square. As we approached the square, I peeled off to join the other sixteen year old girls. As soon as I arrived, my arms were grabbed by Aariyah and Laguna, my two best friends. I took my spot as the center of the trio, where we would remain until the girl tribute had been announced. My stomach was already doing flip flops.
As usual, the stage had been erected in front of the Justice building, and four chairs were set up. Three were occupied. One by Myor Tristan Poole, another by Chase Bobble, and the third for Mags. I have no idea what her last name is because she's just been "Mags" for as long as I can remember. She's in her sixties, and a previous victor in the Hunger Games. So, she'll be mentoring this year. Good.
Chase glanced at the clock in the square with an annoyed look and whispered something to Mayor Poole. He stood up and left the stage.
"Who's the other mentor this year?" I asked my friends.
"No idea," Aariyah said. "So far the only person to show up is Mags." Not unusual. While the Reaping was required attendance for every citizen, Victors were granted special treatment. The could gather for a private live screening in the center of the Victor's Village. District Four had three victors at this point, and it was no secret that Mags desperately wanted to add to that number. Mayor Poole returned with Derrick West, a frail old man who had won the Twelfth Hunger Games. Chase Bobble took the stage precisely as the clock tower chimed 11:00.
"Good morning, fair citizens! We are gathered today to announce the young man and woman who will be chosen to compete in this year's Hunger Games. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!" he said in a fake happy voice that made me want to roll my eyes.
"Ladies first!" Chase chirped. I started paying attention again. He reached his hand into the reaping ball and drew out a slip of paper.
"Arista Waters!" he read merrily. I literally felt the blood in my face drain. I felt dizzy for a moment, and sure I was going to faint. I think if Aariyah and Laguna hadn't been holding me up, I probably would have passed out. I heard a wail from the crowd that must have been my mother. No, Arista, don't be weak. Weaklings perish, I told myself. The Peacekeepers flanked me and escorted me up to the stage. Yep, the wailing woman was my mother. She was being supported by my father and brother while she sobbed into my father's chest.
"Are there any volunteers?" Chase asked. Of course not, you fool. Twenty-four go in and only one comes out. Would you bet on those odds?
"Well, it looks like Arista is our female tribute!" he announced.
When my mind returned to the present, the Mayor was up to the list of previous victors. We had seven. Three were deceased, Mags, Finnick Odair, Annie Cresta, and me. We were one of the luckier districts in that we had more than two living Victors who could mentor the tributes in the Games. Although, for the past eight years, the duty had fallen to Finnick and me. Mags had decided, once she thought I was good enough, that she wanted to retire. After all she had done for us, it seemed fair. I mentored Annie. So far, she's the only tribute I ever brought home, but poor Annie was so traumatized at the sight of seeing her district partner decapitated in the arena that she was never the same. Finnick and I were the only ones who were capable of handling the sort of baggage that came with marching children to their deaths, so we were the District Four team. I liked having him as a partner.
Mayor Poole had turned the mike over to Chase. I sat forward slightly in my chair. This was the moment I had been waiting for.
"Greetings from the Capitol and Happy Hunger Games!" His speech may have changed slightly over the years, but he still make me want to puke. "It's that time of year where we choose a courageous young man and woman to represent District Four in this years Hunger Games. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!" As always, he approached the girls' reaping ball first.
"This year's female tribute is…" he paused while he fished around for a slip of paper. "…Cascade Torrent!" I scanned the crowd of girls. The Peacekeepers flanked a terrified girl who had to be fifteen or sixteen. Still, she looked athletic enough. I could work with her.
"Are there any volunteers?" Chase asked the group of girls.
"I volunteer!" another teenager shouted from the back of the crowd. The girls parted, and the owner of the voice stepped forward, head held high, sporting a cocky lopsided grin. I crossed my legs, narrowed my eyes, and leaned back. Finnick was right. There was one ready to volunteer.
You're an idiot, kid, I thought. Somehow, I was going to have to figure out how to get past that arrogance and get through to her, if she stood any chance at all at surviving these Games. I turned my attention and toyed with my fingernails, trying my absolute best to look bored. Fine, you think you're ready? Impress me, I thought.
"And what is your name, young lady?" Chase asked the girl once she was on stage.
"Coral Fisher," she announced. She seemed…excited. If I was allowed to bet, I'd put money that this one's going down quickly. No Arista, stop it. You can do this. You can bring this one home, I told myself.
"Let's hear it for Coral, everyone!" Chase announced and the audience roared. Idiots! I live with a bunch of idiots!
"And now, the young man who will be joining Coral will be…" Chase reached around in the second reaping ball for another slip of paper. "…Hunter Cousteau!" The Peacekeepers honed in on one of the boys. He looked to be about fourteen or fifteen. I glanced sideways at Finnick. He seemed pleased.
"Are there any volunteers?" Chase asked again. No one stepped forward to take Hunter's place. Finnick was right again. Too bad the mentor assignments were already made. I'd rather take the boy who looked like he was about to wet himself over an arrogant volunteer any day. Oh well, I was just going to have to make it work. Somehow.
More to come soon! And, I love reviews! Go on…click the blue button…you know you want to.