A/N - Hello everybody! Well, this chapter is finally done. The reason it took so long is that i'm actually a district ahead of you guys to enable me to have time to take breaks if I need to. I expect District 11 to be up in a few days (i.e. when i'm done District 10). There are also two curse words in this chapter, understandable since you would probably do the same if you were reaped, wouldn't you? Thank you to DuncanQuagmire (formerly WhereTheFanboysLive) for these amazing characters. Enjoy!

Yarrow Carter (18) POV

The morning sun has risen quite some time ago, but from where I'm perched, I can still see a few red streaks in the sky. I can also see my best friend Zaira on the ground, approaching slowly. Where am I? In the battlements of Panem's one and only castle. It was apparently an aesthetic thing more than a home. Some old eccentric from a country called England came over and thought,'Why don't I build this huge, hulking, impractical thing made of stone that will probably cost a fortune! Hooray for bad logic!' Still. It was a long time ago, but it's still useful to me at least.

It doesn't take long for Zaira to ascend the tower; she is surprisingly quick for a merchant's kid. She jumps the last step gracefully then saunters along the wall. "You know it's probably not a good idea to lean on that. Lord knows how long it's been here for."

I crook an eyebrow. "Probably extremely old. Still, it's been there for all that time. I think it can probably withstand my weight, which, by the way, is not all that much."

"Hmph," she huffs, and I grin. Why is she so cute when she's mad? She gets a soft little line between her eyebrows. She is unusual in appearance by the merchants's standards. Strangely for a merchant's kid, her hair is dark brown and wavy, and her skin tanned. She still has those distinctive blue eyes though. I'd say they're like the sky, but for the moment the sky looks more like my eyes, gray and stormy.

Zaira sees me staring and tilts her head sideways a little. "Lookin' at something, Yarrow?"

"Nah... not really. How you doing?"

She scowls a little. "As usual. Father still hates me. Sister still acts like she's plotting my murder. As usual."

I nod, even I'm becoming a little worried about Zaira's older sister, Marina, nowadays. She has... the look. The two have never got on and I think Zaira is a little more fearful of her nowadays than she lets on.

Some days I absentmindedly wonder whether mine or Zaira's situation is worse. Plenty to eat, but entirely ignored and reviled within your own family. Or a close, loving family who are starving despite my best efforts.

Today is the day though. Reaping day. And hopefully, once I'm clear, I'll tell her. Because I'm not sure if she knows it, but over the past few years I've come to love her. We grew up together.

"Oh, almost forgot," I say, changing the subject. "Happy birthday!" I hold up a box with a few sporadic holes in it.

Zaira takes the box, unsure what to expect. "Don't open it all the way," I advise.

She does as she's told, and peers into the box. She gasps. Inside are two baby ducklings.

"Their mother," I say, "was killed by a fox. but I thought I knew someone who could take care of them.

"You know me too well," she replies, giving me a hug.

Zaira Mia Jacobs (18) POV

I stand apprehensively at the reaping, a few hours later, and wonder how Yarrow can be so cute and clever at the same time. I reckon anybody else would find it creepy how well we know each other, but we don't. It's natural.

The whole alphabet twist has riled up and relieved District 12 in equal measure. On the one hand, we hate the twists in general, but on the other, many kids can breathe a sigh of relief for a year. Not me and Yarrow though.

We're both in the danger zone, but more so for Yarrow. The only other person eligible to be reaped is a boy from the year below me, Youssef Bayley. It's entirely fifty/fifty.

Fortunately for me, there are plenty of Zoes and Zahras in District 12. I have good odds.

Then, the escort reads the slip.

"Zaira Mia Jacobs."

Ah. Okay then . I have only one thing to say about this.

Shit.

But, of course, it gets worse.

"Yarrow Carter."

...Wow. Double shit. I'm not usually a girl to cuss, but when you and your best friend both get reaped, you gotta forgive people for their actions.

Later, Yarrow's family visit me. I don't find this unusual; after all, they are practically my second family, apart from the mess of a biological family I have. There is his mother and four siblings, Lilah, Jayden and the twins Kai and Max. They are very solemn. I tell Lilah she can take care of the duckling. She says it will be fine since it can eat the grass seeds probably and asks when I will return.

That's the question I can't answer.

Marina does not visit me. My father does. He says nothing. Neither do I. There is nothing to be said.

Yarrow Carter's POV

In the Justice Building I find a pen and paper and scratch out a few lines.

I was going

To tell her today

But two slips of paper

Took it away

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