Chapter 2:

It's unusually quiet at breakfast the next morning. Merida pokes at her oats, tiredly. Sleep won their little game of tag and managed to evade her for the majority of the night. Her mind had been too cluttered to even pinpoint WHY she had stayed awake, but she can guess the main reason pretty easily.

It was sitting across the table from her. Her three little brothers, Harris, Hubert and Hamish. She had tossed and turned all night in fear that one of their names would be pulled at the reaping. She had nightmares of it, and she knows that there would be nothing that she could do to stop that from happening. She wasn't allowed to volunteer for the boys; it was against the rules.

They are laughing. The three of them act like nothing is different. They smile and chatter about idle things. Merida feels a terrible sadness in her heart as she watches them eat their breakfast in ignorance.

"You should eat Eleanor," her father puts a hand on her mother's shoulder. She hasn't said anything all morning, just stares blankly out of the cracked window in the kitchen. Merida stands and picks up her bowl bringing it over to the counter.

"Not you too," her father frowns and looks down at her half-eaten breakfast.

"I'm not hungry," Merida mutters.

"Me neither!" Hamish slams his spoon down on the table, followed quickly by Hubert and Harris.

"Can we go outside Mum?" Harris asks, giving his best desperate expression.

"Just for a minute?" Hubert joins his brother's plea. Eleanor turns to face them, giving a weak smile.

"Finish your breakfast first," she says softly. Harris crosses his arms in annoyance.

"But Merida didn't finish her breakfast!"

"I'm seventeen," Merida scowls, "I don't have to finish my breakfast if I don't want to."

"Merida, be a good example and eat your oats."

"But dad...!"

Her father gives her a stern look. Merida knows not to test him. He is just a worried as the rest of them, but as the leader of the household, he keeps his composure much more steadily than Merida or her mother.

"Fine." Merida mutters under her breath and grabs up her bowl. She flops down in her chair and shoves a spoonful of oats into her mouth. "Happy?" She shoots at her dad with her mouth full. Crumbs fall onto her dull blue shirt. She doesn't care

She hates this shirt.

Every boy and girl of age to be reaped is forced to wear the same hideous blue shirt and white pants. It strips them of their individuality. To the Capitol, they aren't people, they're toys. Merida would do anything to set herself apart from the crowds, even if it's something as minuscule as a few crumbs stuck to her top.

It isn't until after breakfast that Hamish, Hubert and Harris are dressed in their reaping uniforms. Merida can't look at them; can't watch them run around and be carefree dressed like that.

If only they understood...

But they did understand. She can see it in their faces as the T.V screen clicks on and the Capitol's telecast begins.

"Merida, what's on the T.V?" her father calls from the kitchen. She almost doesn't answer, but it forces its way through her lips.

"Yesterday's Reaping in Districts 8 and 9."

She can see Hamish fidget uncomfortably during District 8's reaping as a young girl, not much older than him with long blond hair that sweeps the floor as she walks, is called up on the stage. She isn't crying, but the terror in her facial features is obvious. Her bright green eyes are wide with panic. The boy that is called up after her is remarkably thin. His reddish, brown hair hides his eyes but Merida can see that his face is pale.

"They're so young." Hubert's hushed remark makes Merida uncomfortable.

You're younger, she wants to remind him, but she figures it would do more harm than good.

The two tributes are taken away and the screen goes black for a minute, before showing the District 9 Reaping. Merida can't watch anymore. She goes and stares out the kitchen window with her mother. They exchange a silent look, and yet it's the loudest thing her mother has expressed all day. It's a look that screams,

I can't bear to lose any of you.

Merida can only hope she never has to.

"They're going to prick your finger, but I promise it won't hurt."

Merida walks alongside her brothers, through the now crowded streets of District 10. Everyone has to attend the reaping, and that time has come. The boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 drag their feet, each one as shaken as the next.

The clearing where the reaping is held is already crowded. The officials lead the boys into one section of the field while the girls head the other way. Harris and Hubert walk ahead and take their spot. Hamish is apprehensive. He grabs the hem of Merida's shirt.

"Merida, I'm scared."

For the first time in his life, bold and brash Hamish openly admits his fear. Merida feels tears welling up in her eyes.

Be brave for him.

She kissed his forehead.

"You'll be alright Hamish, I promise."

"Quit standing around!" A sharp pain rockets through Merida's ribs as an officer jabs a metal rod into her side. "Get into your places."

"Merida!" Hamish shouts as he's forced away from his sister. The guards pull him into the roped off section for the boys as he struggles to be free from their grip.

"Hamish, don't fight!" She tries to call after him, but her voice is drowned out by the deafening sound of the Panem national anthem as it blares through the speakers up on the large stage in the front of the field.

A tall, skinny woman with the most multicolored hair Merida has ever seen steps up to the microphone.

"Hello all and welcome to the 72nd annual Hunger Games!" Her voice is high pitched and rather irritating as it slams against Merida's eardrums.

"I'm so glad to be standing before you all once again here in District..." She hesitates. "Erm, 10..." She clears her throat. Merida rolls her eyes.

Of course she'd forget. She's from the Capitol. She doesn't care about us.

"Before we get started, lets take a looks at a lovely little video clip put together by our highly revered President Pitch himself!" The rainbow-haired lady leads the unenthusiastic crowd in a scattered applause and steps aside as a giant monitor lights up. The same video that is shown every year projects into the screen.

Merida doesn't bother trying to pay attention. She sees a darkly shaded man on the screen, his eyes, red like blood. She has to look away, has to distract herself somehow. She focuses her attention on finding her brothers in the crowd of people. They're easy to spot.

They stand closely together, making them a big spot of curly red hair. Their eyes are fixed on the screen in front of them and she can see one of them mouthing something to the others. From so far away, Merida can't quite make out what's being said.

"Wasn't that lovely?"

The multicolored woman's voice trills through the air once more, snapping Merida back to attention.

"And now, the moment we've so eagerly been awaiting..."

Merida feels her stomach lurch as the large glass bowls filled with little slips of paper are brought in front of the woman. She smiles at the bowls, and reaches her hand in the one to her left, swirling it around a bit.

"Ladies first," she announces, pulling out a small white slip of paper, holding it high above her head. Merida hears a stifled sob from somewhere next to her. Probably a first year.

"This is so exciting!" The announcer peels open the slip of paper carefully. Merida watches every move as if in slow motion.

Just hurry up and get to the boys! I need to know if my brothers are safe!

Everything stands still. There isn't a single sound as the woman leans in toward the microphone. Even the wind seems to have gone silent. And that's when Rainbow Hair speaks again.

"Merida DunBrock."


Author's Notes:

DUN DUN DUUUNNNN! ((Again I guess xD))

It was pretty predictable I guess. Part 3 will be up by Friday!