Chapter 2
Jack's point of view
"Jack get down from there!" my sister, Olivia yelled while I sit in a tree. I lock my knees and dangled upside down from the branch. Olivia starts laughing.
"Please stop Jack, what if you fall".
"I'm fine" I say with a frown. Two years ago, I almost drowned trying to save my sister from cracking ice, when they found me I had severe hypothermia. My hair changed to white and my eyes to blue which really set me apart from the rest of district 6.
"Come on, you promised you'd take me to the market" Olivia says with a smile. I jump from the tree and land right in front of her.
"You just want the free stuff" I say smiling. Olivia's face immediately fell. It was her first reaping. My sister just turned 12 and that means that her name gets put into a bowl to be picked to go to the Hunger Games, the Hunger Games are a form of the capitals enjoyment by kids in between 12 and 18 fighting to the death.
"I'm Sorry" I say quietly.
"But your name has only been in there once" I should have known better than to joke about the reaping.
"And you never know it's a quarter quell, anything can happen" I say trying to lighten the mood.
"Ya, but when are the odds ever in our favour" she says just below a whisper. I don't know how to respond to that.
"Let's go to the market" I say grabbing her hand and head into town.
As we walk down the streets people can't help but stare. Well I don't exactly blend in. Most people in district 6 have brown hair and eyes like my mother and sister. Almost everyone in the district is working on the train for the Hunger Games. That's our job, we repair broken machines and our most important thing is the train for the tributes to ride in.
It makes my blood boil that the capital doesn't even give us a thank you for repairing their equipment and making sure it still works fine. District 3 made the technology for the Games and they get as much thanks as us, it's just unfair. All the districts do things for the capital and we have to fight for their enjoyment. I hate the people in the capital, all they ever do is sit back and stuff their faces while we do all the work. Once we reach the market Olivia immediately goes to look at the nature display.
Aster, the man who works there smiles and greets my sister with more kindness than I've ever seen him show. He knows, he knows that it's her first reaping.
"Hey kangaroo" I say while walking up to him. Aster is the only one in the district with an Australian accent, kangaroo fits him perfectly. The man's smile immediately drops the second he sees me, we've never really gotten along that well.
"Frostbite" Aster says coldly. He gave me that nickname shortly after the accident. Once Olivia picks out a plant she tries to pay but Aster refuses, typical. Olivia grabs my arm and starts leading me to the exit.
"Jack" Aster stops me before I get out.
"Good luck" he says sympathetically. In our district, we like to wish each other luck before we go to the reaping. I slightly smile, nod and walk out the door.
"Race you home" I say to my sister. I start to run but let her catch up and win. I lean against the wall and pretend to be out of breath.
"Oh, you're really fast I almost couldn't keep up". Olivia starts laughing and we enter our home. Our mother won't be home until the reaping because she's working on the train. Every quarter quell this man named Caesar announces what the capital decided on how to kill us faster. We already have our monitor set up and the declaration should start any second. Olivia and I sit on the couch and wait.
"Ladies and gentlemen" we both jump.
"This is the 100th year of The Hunger Games" says a familiar capital accent. The capital wanted to make an even bigger fool out of themselves so they made their own accent.
"And it was written in the charter of The Games that every 25 years, there would be a Quarter Quell to keep fresh for each new generation the memory of those who died in the uprising against The Capitol" I don't think we could forget.
"Each Quarter Quell is distinguished by Games of a special significance" Caesar opens an envelope with a capital seal.
"And now on this the 100th anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion" he forgot about the rebellion they almost didn't defeat.
"We celebrate the 4th Quarter Quell as a reminder that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of The Capitol" I snicker, that didn't stop Katniss Everdeen. Katniss Everdeen was a tribute over 20 years ago who started a rebellion that destroyed two districts.
"On this, the 4th Quarter Quell Games" here it comes.
"A male or female tribute will be reaped and brought to the games alone from each district; without a mentor" my eyebrows furrow.
"Happy Hunger Games" and the monitor retreats. That's odd, what kind of quarter quell is that. No mentors? Well I guess there are no mentors. I look over at Olivia, she is still staring at where the monitor used to be. I immediately wrap her in a hug.
"What if it's me, I wouldn't survive a minute" she says with tears in her eyes.
"But it's not going to be, everyone's name will be in one jar and you have only had it in once" I say in a comforting tone.
"Wait" she looks up at me.
"How many times has your name been in" she says clearly worried. If I tell her she'll just feel guilty.
"Doesn't matter". Sometime after that we both fell asleep on the couch.
I wake up with a start the next morning. I quickly look at the clock, 10:00. The reaping starts at 11. There is only one person who does all of the reapings, a flamboyant lady named Tooth. I wake up Olivia and quickly get us both washed and dressed.
She wears a brown dress with plaid designs on the bottom. I wear a white V-neck long sleeve shirt with a brown vest and pants, it was my fathers. By the time we're ready it's 10:59. We both run into the deserted streets, if we are late for the reaping then we will be punished. I got away with it two years ago because I couldn't even walk.
Once we get to the center we are the last ones in line, made it. Olivia starts to panic and squeezes my hand only to have me squeeze back. The peacekeepers take some blood from both of us and let us go. I watch Olivia like a hawk, she's near the front with her best friend Jessica.
"Welcome, welcome" says Tooth. Tooth is wearing a cape like dress made from blue, green and purple feathers. She is also wearing a big hat, made from the same stuff only with a gold feather in the middle, typical capital.
"Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour" She says with her capital accent.
"Now, before we begin" let me guess the special film.
"We have a very special film" called it.
"Brought to you all the way from the Capitol" yes, it's a very special film if you play it every year.
"I just love that" Tooth says once the video finishes.
"President Stoick declared that this year there will be no volunteers". That's odd.
"Now, the time has come to select one courageous young man or woman" Tooth says almost with a laugh.
"For the honor of representing District Annual Hunger Games" oh ya, it's a great honor. Tooth walks up to the bowl and stuffs her hand in. Once she finally picks one we all hold our breath. Tooth unfolds the paper. Please not Olivia, please not Olivia.
"Jackson Overland" my heart beats in my ears. It's not my sister, it's me. I start walking to the stage only to have Olivia running at me.
"Jack" she screams, it reminds me a lot of the accident. I feel like I'm underwater, I can't breathe. Olivia wraps around me in a death grip. I hold her shoulders.
"Go find mom" I say sternly, all the cameras are on me, I can't look weak.
"No" I was afraid she was going to say that. I unlock her fingers and walk up the stage, surprised that Olivia didn't follow me. I stand on stage nice and tall. Everyone is looking at me with shock, even Aster who is in the back. I see Olivia clinging to mom, it breaks my heart; she's going to watch her brother die.
"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odd be ever in your favor" That reminds me of what Olivia said the odd are never in our favor.
The peacekeepers lead me to a room backstage and shut the door. I walk over to the window, I won't cry, I won't cry, I have to be strong, strong for Olivia. At that moment, my sister bursts through the door and sobs on my chest. I comfort her and move onto mom, I give her a hug and then another with Olivia. I don't say anything because I know if I do It will make me cry. The guards then come through the door and take my family away.
"You have to win" Olivia says before the door slams in her face. After that I lean against the wall and put my hands in my face, fighting not to cry. The door opens again. Great, it's the guards to take me to the capital, even the thought makes my blood run cold. When I look up I see Aster.
"Hey frostbite" he says with more kindness than usual, he knows I'm scared. He stands beside me.
"I won't let anything happen to Olivia" he says. I look up at him.
"Thank you" I say quietly. We don't talk for the rest of the time until the guards take him away too. That was the nicest conversation I had with Aster. The last time I will ever see any kind of kindness. The last time I will ever see my family. I stick out like a sore thumb, I'll be the first one dead.