District 1 Reaping

Amethyst Bloom POV:

My brother wakes me up about two hours before the reaping, "Ame, time to get up! You have two hours!" I barely move. "Why did you wake me up so late Alex?" I moan into my pillow. "Because you didn't wake up the first time I tried", he explains. "Ugh", I groan. I'm just like most girls in District 1. We all need our beauty sleep but we also need lots of time to get ready. Then it hits me, the reaping is today! I thought he was waking me up for combat training! I jump out of bed and run to the bathroom. Once the door is closed I start to sing at the top of my lungs that I'm gonna win. "Ame, you suck at singing!" Alex shouts. "You suck at life!" I yell back. My brother and I have that love/hate relationship. We say rude things to each other but we would do anything for each other. I jump in the shower and start to wash my body when I hear my mom come through my bedroom door. "Ame! I heard you screaming! You must be so excited! I will lay out your reaping outfit for you!" my mother yells to me through the bathroom door. "Thanks mom, love you!" I yell back. Ever since my mother found out that I would be volunteering this year, she has tried to spend every moment she can with me. I'm her only daughter and she doesn't want me to volunteer. But it is my destiny and I will win. She is just nervous because my cousin was in the Hunger Games about five years ago and she died. I still miss her every day. She was about five years older than me so we got along well together. My token is her necklace with a sapphire in the middle. Her name was Sapphire.

Once I jump out of the shower I immediately check myself for any blemishes or bruises on my body. When you volunteer you have to look good. I walk out of the bathroom and see a beautiful short purple dress laid out on my bed. It has thick straps and a high neckline and flows out until it stops which is right in the middle of my thighs. It has big flowers covering the bottom. It looks like something the Capitol people will wear. It is so beautiful. I slip it on along with my black heals. I then go back in the bathroom to fix up my hair. I put it in a half pony and apply a purple flower that matches my dress. I have to admit, I look good.

I walk downstairs and immediately my parents start to tear up. "Oh, my baby looks so grown up!" my father exclaims. "Oh, dad I'm 17! I should look grown up by now!" I say back. "I know, but I don't want you too!" My father gets up and hugs me tight. I hug him back. My mom gets up and throws her arms around me as well. I try to hug her to but I can't really move. I motion to my brother to make them let go. "Alright it's time to get going. Ame needs a good spot in her section so she can get out easily." "Oh, Alexandrite, I guess your right", my father says. They both let go and I can finally breathe again. "Thank you", I whisper to my brother. He nods back and then we are on our way.

I hug my family goodbye; Alex is 19 so he can't get reaped, and get in line for my finger to be pricked. Once that's done I take a spot right in the front in the corner of the 17 year old girls section. I look around for my friends but they aren't here yet. I then turn around right before I get a huge bear hug from my boyfriend, Zinc. "Hey babe", he says. "Hey", I say back. Then he kisses me hard on the lips. "Can't wait to see you up there volunteering", he says to me with a smile. "Thanks babe. I will be the happiest person you have ever seen!" I say with a wink. "Oh, I know!" he says while twirling my hair on his finger. "You better get back in your spot!" I say trying to push him. "Ok, ok! I love you!" he says kissing me on the cheek. "I love you too!" I say back. Zinc was supposed to be chosen to volunteer, but since the guy that was supposed to volunteer last year didn't, he gets to this year. It really is unfair to Zinc.

Our new escort walks up looking as silly as ever. Really crystals in your hair? Like we haven't seen that one before. Right when she starts talking I tune out. I don't care or really want to know what she's saying. All I'm waiting for is my turn to volunteer. "The female tribute for this year's Hunger Games is Cherish Bright!" our escort says. Right when the girl starts walking I jump out of my spot and yell "I volunteer as tribute!" "Great!" she says. I don't even know her name. I don't even care. All I care about is my up on that stage. "What's your name, pretty purple dress?" she asks me. "Amethyst Bloom!" I reply putting the biggest smile I could muster on my face. "What a lovely name!"

The escort starts talking again and all I can do is look at my boyfriend and family and smile. Once the guy that volunteered was done, I think his name is Gem; we get escorted into a different room and wait for our visitors.

First, Zinc comes in. I guess my parents wanted to see me last. He comes right over and kisses me hard. "You will win, you will be strong, and you will fight", he says to me. "I will", I tell him with determination. We then start to talk about how life will be like in Victor's Village once I return. "Time's up", a Peacekeeper says. Zinc kisses me one more time and then leaves. A few of my close friends come in next and say and a few words and hug me tight. Then it's my families turn.

All three take turns hugging me and then we all squeeze onto the couch. "You will be the strongest person out there", Alex says, "I've never seen someone shoot a bow better then you. You can also use a knife well. Be strong and don't let your guard down". "I've trained my whole life for this. I know I can win. I am determined to win", I say with a smile. My parents start to cry. "Guys, I will be fine. When I win and come back, it will be for the better. We will live a long and good life in Victor's Village", I say. They both nod and give me hugs. "Time's up", the Peacekeeper says. My family gives me one more hug and then they are gone.

Gem Stone POV:

I woke myself early because this is the day I have been waiting for. The day that's going to change my whole life. The day I, Gem Stone, get to volunteer for the Hunger Games. Usually in District 1, you volunteer at the age of 17 but I waited because my best friend Rich was reaped last year and he really wanted to go in. I didn't want to be the one to take that away from him. He died in the final 3. The mutt, this huge flying rhinoceros thing rammed his horn into his chest. He died instantly.

This year is going to be different. I, the male tribute from District 1 will win the 112th Hunger Games. There hasn't been a male victor from here for over 10 years. I am going to change that.

I get up and directly go to the combat academy I have been assigned to my whole life. Technically, we are not allowed to go in unless accompanied with academy workers but they know how hard I want to win so they usually leave a certain window unlocked for me to get in through. I immediately run to the sword station. I have been handy with a sword ever since I can remember. I run through some of the obstacle courses and set record times for myself. Man, am I pumped today! I look at the clock hanging on the wall and it read 8:00 AM. "Shit, I'm late", I say out loud. The reaping is at 9. I turn out the lights and run back to my house as quickly as I can.

I jump in the shower and wash my body as fast as I possibly can and get dressed. My mother picked out a simple yet striking outfit for me to wear to the reaping. It consists of khaki pants, brown dress shoes and a silk dark green shirt with a brown collar to match my eyes. I quickly comb through my wet hair and spike it up right in the front how I usually wear it. Then, I run down stairs and grab some ham, eggs, and toast and put them on a plate. "Oh, Gem you look ravishing", my mother says to me. My mother is a highly ranked hair stylist for the capitol. She gets to go there every year for once a month and do some Capitol people's hair. "Thanks Mom. You know, you picked this outfit out for me", I say back. "Well you know, you're the one that makes the outfit complete", she stands up and kisses the top of my forehead. I finish eating my food and then my parents and I walk to the reaping. I walk to the line to get my hand pricked and then I tell my parents goodbye. "We will see you soon son", my dad says. My mother starts to get teary eyed. "Please don't start crying yet", I say. "I know, I know. I'm just going to miss you so much when you are away!", my mother says. The lady that pricks the fingers is yelling next at me. "I have to go, really. I'll see you both soon", I say to them, and with that I am whisked away to the boys crowd. I find the 18 year old boys and stand and wait.

I don't really have any other friends since Rich died. Everyone in our friend group liked him more and when he died everyone blamed me because I didn't volunteer. Even my girlfriend at the time didn't talk to me and eventually dumped me because of what happened. So, I don't really talk to anyone anymore. I just train for the games which is fine with me.

Our District's escort walks up to the stage. We recently got a new one because our other one got to old. Our new one, Dania, dyed her hair pink and hid crystals in it to make it look like her hair shines in a new way every time she moves. She's wearing a skin tight white dress that goes down to just below her knees. Her shoes match her hair.

"Welcome every one of District 1 to the 112th reaping for the Hunger Games!" she basically sings in the microphone. Apparently she's known to start singing at any given opportunity. "I want to say a few words about how this district helps the Capitol in all that you do!" she sung that part. She continues talking/singing for about fifteen minutes. "Now, let us get to the stuff you have been waiting for!" Everyone starts to clap and cheer at that. She walks over to the girl's names and swirls her hand for awhile until she plops it down and grabs one that looks like it was in the center of the bowl. "The female tribute for this year's Hunger Games is Cherish Bright!" a short girl that looks about 12 or 13 steps out and starts making her way to the stairs. "I volunteer as tribute!" some girl named Amethyst yells. She's the girl the academy picked to volunteer this year. I don't know her because she goes to the other academy. She runs up on stage and smiles as big as she can. I have to admit, she's really hot.

"Next the boys", Dania says. She walks over to the guy's names and does the same thing with her hand as she did with the girls names. She picks one out and walks over. "The male tribute for this year's Hunger Games is Tonish Glam!" Dania says. The boy doesn't even have time to move before I say "I volunteer as tribute!" "Great come on up!" Dania says happily. "Say your name so everyone can hear, handsome!" Dania sings into the microphone. "Gem Stone", I say proudly. "Please put your hands together for this year's tributes, Amethyst Bloom and Gem Stone!"

The Peacekeepers escort us to the rooms where will see any visitors. The first and only people who come to see me are my parents. When my mother enters she is already sobbing. My father has a stern expression on his face and I can tell he's trying not to cry. "Mom, mom listen to me", I say, "I will be alright. I will win and I will come home and everything will be the way it was". "We know you will win", she replies, "we just don't want you to leave us for so long. We also don't want you to be different when you come back". "I won't", I say. "Time's up", the Peacekeeper says. "We love you", my father says while leaving. "I love you guys too", I say back.

Then I'm alone. Amethyst has more visitors than me.

I hope you guys liked my first "official" chapter! Thank you so much for putting your time in to read this!

I think I will have the next chapter in by the end of this week! This weekend I take my ACTs and I have prom so I'm not going to be writing much this weekend!

If you want to see what the tributes look like or anything else about them please fell free to go to my profile and copy the link! Sorry for such the delay in writing!

~G