Chapter 2: The Reaping
The cart jerks up, down, and side-to-side as the horse pulls us down the lane to the main part of the city. We are lucky because we have two horses which are used to haul the lumber we cut to the lumber yard to be sold so we can ride into town when we need to go. Because our family is so big and we work together we are better off than a lot of families in District 7. Of course, even our poorest are rich compared to other districts like 11 and 12.
We reach the town square in front of the stately Justice Building with 15 minutes to spare before the reaping. My younger siblings and I get in our respective lines to register before we're to join our age groups. I look over at my twin sisters who are 15 and give them an encouraging smile. They smile back but it never reaches their eyes. They are full of fear. Who isn't today?
I can see my parents, older siblings and their children, and grandparents joining the other citizens of District 7. Several of the others wave at my parents and some even come and shake their hands. We are well known throughout the district as one of the largest families, but also because my parents are always helping others who are less fortunate then we are.
"Next!" I come to the table where a peace keeper is sitting. She verifies my identity and then says, "You will now join the other 17 year old boys on the left side of the square."
I quietly walk to the roped off space for the 17 year old boys and stand near the back. I know it wouldn't matter, but standing in the back makes me feel safer. Like it will help my name to not be drawn from the bowl. Then I remember that this year there are no bowls. It is strictly based on who the male Victor chooses as the boy Tribute. This makes me feel less safe than the bowls did even though my chances of being picked are probably smaller.
That is because I know the most recent male Victor of District 7. I know him very well, actually. He is one of my oldest brother's best friends. His name is Jack. As a matter of fact, he would come to the forest sometimes and help me with my training. My heart sinks a little when I think that he has to go back into the Games again. As if one time wasn't bad enough.
During his Games they were put in a large maze. Instead of starting at the center with the Cornucopia they all started on the outside at different parts. Each Tribute was given a bag that had one weapon with some other supplies. The maze held horrible mutts, traps, and the walls continually changed. There was no place to hide and when you ran into another tribute they would change the walls to become a room that wouldn't budge until you killed. If someone didn't die soon enough they would release a mutt or set off a trap. There were no alliances in those Games.
Jack was lucky enough to start with his weapon of choice; a throwing axe. He killed quickly and without mercy. Every tribute he ran into was dead within a minute, including the boy tribute from District 4 who he killed to win the Games. He had a hard time adjusting when he came back mainly because he killed his district partner within two hours of the Games. Some feel like he should have shown a little mercy for his district partner, but we all know that it had to be done. They just don't like that fact so they take it out on him. He is cold and calculating and does what it takes to survive. That is what made him so dangerous. I don't know if I would be able to do that.
Just as I take my place in the crowd of boys my age I see Jack take his seat on the podium in front of the justice building. He looks calm as he always does, but his eyes are dark and cold. I can see him looking around at the crowd of boys. He is sizing us all up deciding on who he will choose to accompany him into the arena. He then looks at me and we lock eyes. He lingers on me for almost a minute and I swear I see his face give a small twitch.
My limbs go numb, my head begins to swim, and I see little spots. I feel like someone has just punched me in the gut. I come to a terrible realization; I'm going to be the boy tribute for District 7 in the Quarter Quell. I can't explain how I know this but from the short interaction I just had with Jack I know he's going to pick me. My breathing becomes heavy and I feel like I'm going to black out.
"Are you okay?" says a distant voice. A boy I don't recognize puts his hand on my shoulder and stands in my view. His look of concern lets me know that I'm not hiding my breakdown very well.
"Y-yes. I'm f-fine, thanks," I reply.
The boy gives me an encouraging smile. "It's going to be okay. Your chances of getting picked are very unlikely. Jack will probably take one of the best guys from the training center."
I give a quick nod and steady myself. The boy then turns around as the escort for our district takes the stage to begin the Reaping. A very tall and thin man with long black hair that has been slicked back into a very tight pony tail that goes down his back. He has a large monocle on his right eye and he's dressed in a fitted black suit that has sharp horns on the shoulders with a deep red shirt underneath. He has pointed black leather shoes on and even his face has a hint of black eye shadow while his finger nails are also black and very long while coming to a point. Very eccentric by the Districts' standards but not at all like the outfits of most escorts.
"Welcome District 7 to the 175th Annual Hunger Games and the 7th Quarter Quell. I am honored to be here as your escort and hope that I will also have the great honor of introducing the next two Victors back to 7 at the end."
His tone is soft but his words reach every corner of the square. He does not carry the same bubbly personality most escorts do. He is precise and to the point but clearly sincere.
"Now, without further ado I will now announce the most recent Male and Female Victors of District 7 that will be participating in this year's Games. They will then proceed to choose which boy and girl will become the tributes and representatives of District 7 for the Quarter Quell. Good luck, and my the odds be ever in your favor!"
The escort then turns to his left and hold out his arm.
"May I introduce Cherry, the most recent Female Victor of District 7. She was the Victor of the 157th Hunger Games."
Cherry stands up and walks to stand next to the escort. She isn't exactly tall but she is very strongly built. She won her Games by beating the male tribute from District 1 to death with her bare hands. I've heard she is a genuinely kind woman and very warm, but she doesn't hesitate to do what needs to be done. I guess you can't if you want to survive the Games.
"Cherry will now choose the female tribute who will accompany her to the Games.," announces the escort.
Cherry immediately turns to look at the girls in the 18 year old group. It only takes her two minutes to decide. "I choose Mahogany Monroe."
The other girls around Mahogany part, giving her a pathway straight to the podium. Mahogany doesn't even look surprised but she's obviously not happy about the decision.
I'm not surprised by this either. Mahogany was a year ahead of me in the training center and she was every bit as good as I was, better even. She would outperform most of the older boys at the training center. To be honest, I'm surprised she hasn't been put into the Games before now by being voted for by the Capitol. She's obviously career material.
Mahogany takes her place next to Cherry on the podium. District 7 isn't quite considered a Career District but it is not uncommon to find District 7 tributes being accepted into the career pack. I wouldn't be surprised if both Cherry and Mahogany are for these Games.
"Very well, congratulations to Mahogany Monroe for being chosen as the District 7 Female Tribute. Now Jack, Victor of the 162nd Hunger Games, will stand and choose the male Tribute for District 7."
My heart begins to race again and my breathing becomes quick and sharp. I can't accept what is about to happen but I know that my name is going to be called. I don't know how or why but Jack's face betrayed him when he looked at me earlier.
I force myself to look up as Jack takes his place next to the escort. If I'm chosen then I don't want to be seen having a meltdown. He looks over at my age group and we lock eyes again.
I was right.
"I choose Hatch Youmans."
The next few seconds feel like an eternity. I can hear an audible gasp from the crowd which I know is my mother but I don't react. I'm still looking straight into Jack's eyes that haven't broken the eye contact either.
Without realizing it I am walking to the podium to take my place next to Jack. I look out at the crowd but my mind doesn't register any faces. I know I should find my family but my eyes don't seem to be working right. All I can see is a mass of faceless figures below me. The escort speaks into the microphone but I don't hear what he is saying. I feel my hand being grabbed and raised above my head. Jack, Cherry, Mahogany and I must be holding hands as a sign of unity, but I don't see or hear anyone clapping.
The next second I am being steered toward the Justice Building, through the tick front doors, down the hallway, out the back doors and into a car. This is when everything becomes suddenly clear and I try to pull away from the peace keeper.
"Wait! I get to say goodbye to my family! We're supposed to get time to say goodbye!" I shout.
"Rules have changed. No family visits are allowed once the Reaping has taken place. It's been that way for years now, son," replies the peace keeper.
"No! I get to say goodbye to my family!" I continue to shout while struggling.
"Get in the car or we'll make you!" orders the peace keeper. He pulls out an electrified baton and points it two inches from my face.
I stand next to the care defiantly. "What are you going to do? Kill me? Too bad I've already gotten my death sentence about 5 minutes ago."
I then feel a soft but strong hand on my shoulder. "Get in the car, Hatch," says Jack.
He is the last person I want to hear right now. It takes all the will power I have from turning around and punching him in the face. But I know as well as he does that all my defiance will gain me is a good beating with the electric baton and the last thing I need right now is to sustain an injury before entering the Games. I need to be in the best shape possible.
I shove Jack's hand off my shoulder and get into the car without looking at him. He's the reason I'm here and if I get the chance to kill him in the Games I just might take it even if it does mean only one Victor.
The car ride takes ten very quiet, very tense minutes to the train stop where we are surrounded by an escort of peace keepers. They keep the cameras at a distance from us which is good because the last thing I want is one of those things in my face.
I climb onto the train and enter the car. It is everything I've ever heard and more. I can't even begin to describe the ridiculous luxury of the car. There are mountains of fruits, pastries, desserts, meats, salads, drinks and everything else a person could imagine. I can feel the softness of the carpet through my shoes.
I take a seat at the table in the room and am joined by Jack, Cherry, and Mahogany. The escort has yet to join us. I'm sure I'll learn his name soon. I decided that I can't stand to be in the presence of my fellow district partners, so I proceed to leave to find my personal quarters on the train but Jack stops me.
"We need to talk Hatch," he says.
"I have nothing to say to you," I snap not looking at him but out the window to my left.
"Well then you listen and I'll talk," he replies. "We have about 12 hours before we get to the Capitol and we need to start discussing plans and strategies.
At this point the escort, whose name I still haven't gotten, enters the car. He saunters over to the table and sits with us.
"Glad you're here Flax," smiles Cherry. "It's probably better you know what our strategies are."
"I think I'll just do that with my mentor, thanks. I don't think any of my plans are going to involve you," I shoot back at him.
"I am your mentor," he says.
This catches me off guard and I turn and look at him. I'm not the only one who is surprised by this.
"Wait. You mean we won't have anyone on the outside helping us?" asks Mahogany.
"Well, you'll have me," answers Flax. "Although I can't get sponsors. I can only suggest to them how to spend the money they invest."
"Not this year," replies Cherry. "This year we have to gather all of our sponsors before we enter the arena. They will guarantee to help us and then they decide what to send to us and when."
"So how does that work? When will we have time to get sponsors when we're busy training and getting ready for the Games?" I ask.
"They will be watching every minute of our training sessions and everything else we will be doing. Then the night before the Games begin those who wish to sponsor a district will sign up for who they wish. We won't know who or how many sponsors we have." Jack explains.
"It adds a whole new dimension to the Games. Every move we make, everything we say, every decision we make affects our chances of sponsorship which directly affects our chances of survival," says Cherry. "There's no room for mistakes this year. We can't afford to not have sponsors."
The knot of anxiety seems to tighten and get bigger with all the pressure I'm beginning to realize is on our shoulders; on my shoulders.
"So for now, we are a team. At least until the Games start," states Jack.
Cherry and Mahogany nod in agreement. I look at them and then at Jack. I may hate him for what he's put me up to, but if I want to survive I'm going to have to cooperate. Still doesn't mean I won't kill him if the chance presents itself.
I sit back down at the table. "Okay, so what do you guys have in mind?" I ask.
"We think that having a united front is the best option we have. We need to show the citizens of the Capitol that District 7 is here to win," Cherry explains. "We need to show them that we are just as good, better probably, then even the Career Districts. No one in the Capitol likes to admit it and probably won't, but District 7 has had at least one tribute in the top 8 for the last ten Games. No other district can say that. We are always part of the final group the Capitol votes on to represent them in the Games."
"Plus, we have also implemented survival skills into our training center. This is something that only Districts 2 and 4 have done as well," adds Jack. "This gives us another distinct advantage and has proven to be so as none of our tributes have died from exposure or disease for the past six Games."
"So, what you're saying is we're not splitting into pairs. We're fighting as one team to the end. At least, that's what we're portraying anyway." I say.
"Exactly," smiles Cherry.
"But only two can win. One Victor and one Tribute," argues Mahogany. "We'll have to fight each other if we're the only ones left at the end."
"True," replies Jack. "But at least it would guarantee a victory for District 7. A huge victory. There haven't been two Victors since the 74th Hunger Games, and that wasn't even supposed to happen."
"If we even all survive to the end," I point out. "There will be 52 other people in that arena who want to win as much as we do. I highly doubt we'll all make it. Especially when you factor in that Districts 1,2, and 4 will most likely form the Career Pack not to mention those who will be picked by the Capitol which will most likely be from those districts."
"We can try at least," Cherry says. "And unlike the Career Pack we are going to turn against each other. You can always count on the Careers to betray each other."
"Sorry but it's really hard to believe you," Mahogany cuts in. Her quick comment gets our attention. "I mean, both of your track records are the best. You both killed your district partner in your Games. Jack did it within two hours. You did it before the pool of tributes was half gone. How do we know you won't do it this time around, too?"
"She has a good point," I say. "What's to keep Cherry from lobbing my head off at the blood bath or while I'm walking in front of her?"
"These Games are entirely different." Jack answers. " There are two Victors. One past Victor and one Tribute, but only if they come from the same district. There's no point in killing either of you. Until the end, of course."
"You have our word." Cherry says. "We want our District to win these Games as much as you do, and even if we end up having to fight at the end at least it will be District 7 that wins. The people back home will understand. It will be the greatest Hunger Games victory in history, and we have the chance to be the ones who make that history!"
Mahogany and I glance at each other. I don't think we have much of a choice. Either way only two of the four of us can come home, so we might as well team up to give us all better odds.
"Okay, I'm in," I say.
"Me, too," says Mahogany.
"Great," Says Jack as he stands up. "Now that we've got that settled we'd better get to the TV. We need to see what we're up against so we can plan accordingly."
We all migrate to the lounge car so we can see who we will be killing or be killed by in a few days. I can only wonder at what kinds of opponents we're going to have to fight to survive. The stakes have never been higher and the odds never greater.