Chapter 2: The reaping
I quickly found myself swept into a long line of girls and young woman as we awaited the arrival of our district escort. As if on cue our escort, Jrucila Darkrist, stepped out from behind a large curtain and smiled at the crowd. Jrucila always seemed to have this same huge smile plastered on her face and bright pink lips. This year she was wearing a honey or bee themed costume, with a short dress made of reflective fabric that seemed to give the impression of honey dripping to knees. Her hair was long and bunched up at the bottom with a sun colored fishnet patterned hair net.
I try to get a good look at the rest of her outfit and can barely see Jrucila's honeycomb stockings and seven inch tall sunny yellow high heels as she hopped onto the stage.
"Good morning district seven!" Jrucila chirps in her high pitched capitol accent "Oh and let's not forget! Happy Hunger Games!" Jrucila had her own way of being charming at times, like how she put her own flare on the normal escort speech in small ways like the simple: Good morning district seven!
"Now," Jrucila squeaks "Today's reaping is going to be even more exciting than normal! This year both our tributes have already been decided!"
A tense silence greets these words and even small gasps of horror and fear from the boys and other girls in the lines. I only stare at Jrucila in shock, who was holding her hand against her open mouth to give a surprised look.
"Before I continue with this shocking reaping," she trills "I think our Mayor should explain why the tributes have already been picked." Our Mayor, Mayor Dres, steps up with a sad and ashamed expression. I switch my gaze to Mayor Dres, a mix of confusion and anger filling my thoughts.
"I'm afraid," Mayor Dres said in a grim voice "That our lovely victor, Mirs. Lilac Cobblestone's, husband and one of our eldest peacekeepers have committed a great crime."
Wait, that means? Father! I think in panic as the realization hits me. I almost try to kick down the metal chain fence as I see the form of my dark haired father and one of the districts peackeeper's held by two other guards. Of course I don't, I only scream out before I can stop myself.
"Father!" I scream and glance around, trying to find Aster or my mother in the crowd. I spot Aster first, frozen with shock, standing as still as stone. I look back at the mayor and see that he his looking right at me, a sad gleam in his eyes.
"Before we show you their sentence," says Mayor Dres "I would like one of them to tell you what they have done."
Their punishment will be death I think silently they'll be killed right here in front of us. As if the reaping wasn't bad enough! I want to cover cover my ears, dig my face into my dress so that I would not have to see or hear anything. I look up however and can see my father standing with his hands behind his back at the microphone.
"We have been preparing for a rebellion," my father says, his voice booming across the soundless district "Selling weapons and talking about plans for action." The two are taken away to the very back of the stage and Jrucila steps back up, her wide grin wider than normal.
"Such drama!" she sings "Now it's time for the real prize though!" She places her hand into the female tributes ball, which all of us now know, only contains one name. She pulled it out and beckons my father forward and shows his face to the crowd.
"It's time for the reaction!" she chirps, in such a high pitched voice that it almost hurts my ears. She slowly opens the slip of paper, making sure that when she speaks the name it is loud and clear.
"Calla Cobblestone!" she reads and it takes me quite a few moments to realize what she had just said. It takes no time for my father to however and begins to scream at the peacekeeper holding him, at Jrucila, at even the camera recording the reaping. When I finally realize what's happening i'm already being dragged to the stage by more peacekeepers. I begin to struggle, calling for my father, mother and Aster to help me.
"Let her go!" screeches Aster, sprinting towards me, her hand outstretched to try and pull me back into the crowd. I keep struggling, screaming, even trying to bite the peacekeeper's gloved hands till I feel a needle in my arm and I go stiff. When i'm placed on the stage I feel another needle in my arm. I relax and find that I can move again, though I don't struggle anymore.
"I volunteer!" shouts Aster, trying to run to the stage threw the crowd.
"You're too old miss Aster Cobblestone," Jrucila chips, a smile on her face. This must be the most exciting reaping she has had in many years, no wonder she's grinning.
My mother grabs Aster by the waist and begins to pull her back. My mind begins to clear a bit as I see my sister struggling to get out of our mother's grasp. I try to appear stronger, as if my foolish mistake of trying to fight the peacekeepers had never happened, though I can feel tears welling up in my eyes.
"Now time for our boy tribute!" chimes Jrucila, who reaches into the boy's reaping ball and pulls out the name. I stand still and look over at my escort as she reads off my new district partner.
"Orwin Tymstring," she calls to the crowd. I glance over at the traitor peackeeper for a few moments. His face is filled with sadness and fear when the name is called but he doesn't scream or struggle as my father did. I change my gaze to the small brown haired boy climbing onto the stage, taking his place right besides me.
"Are there any volunteers?" Jrucila asks the district standing before her. One boy raises his hand and I look through the sea of bodies, trying to find the owner of the limb.
"How very exciting!" Jrucila chimes as the boy steps up to the stage "What's your name?"
"Thistle Tymstring," He answers simply.
"Well Thistle Tymstring!" says Jrucila happily "I bet that that is your brother! Didn't want him to take the spotlight?" Thistle doesn't answer this time, he only stands and stays silent.
"No Thistle!" cry's Orwin, wrapping his arms around Thistle in a tight bear hug.
"Orwin," Thistle says gruffly "Get off, you're safe just go back to mother." Orwin looks up at him, tears gleaming in his hazel eyes. After a few moments he nods and runs off, back into the crowd.
"Wasn't that thrilling!" trills Jrucila, making me jump "Now it's time for final good byes!" Peacekeepers begin to shove both of us towards the justice building. As I am ushered of the stage I can hear the voice of the Mayor saying: Mr. Cobblestone and Mr. Tymstring will be deported to district twelve, before I was pushed out of earshot. My thoughts swarm in my head and I can't focus on more than one thing at a time, the newest one, how to survive the games.
…
I sit on a velvet couch in the justice building, stroking the soft fabric with my index finger. I hear the door open and glance over to it. My mother steps in, followed by two peacekeepers. She walks over to me slowly, each step echoing in the silent justice building. I avoid her eyes, trying my best to not let tears spill down my face.
"I'm sorry," my mother says softly as she comes closer to me.
"Sorry?" I question, looking up at her, anger filling my golden eyes "You didn't tell me! You knew, and you didn't even warn me." I cross my arms and drop my gaze, though I get a glimpse of her guilty look.
"I know," she whispers "You have a right to be mad at me, but i'm not here for pity. I and Johanna Mason will be mentoring you so i'll have plenty of time for that later, but right now i'm here to give you this." I look up for a split second and see my rose gold and jade locket. I take it gently and slip it around my neck. I give my mother a hug. Me and my mother sit there for what seems like hours, embracing, till I hear the peacekeepers call her and she must go.
The next person that comes in is my father. I'm surprised by his presence as he should be on a train to leave for district twelve. The peacekeepers still hold him, even though he can't escape in this room. I don't speak as I get back up from the velvet couch and hug him. I want to ask him why they are taking him to the final district but I restrain, this isn't the time.
"Good bye," I mutter to him "I love you."
"I'll see you again," he says with a sad smile "My little victor." I can barely keep from crying my eyes out when he is taken away from me and pushed out the door, making way for Aster. My sister waits for the peacekeepers to take their places outside before she pads over to me. She says nothing at first, she only takes a seat next to me and hugs me. I stay silent, my arms squeezing her waist tightly. She pulls back and looks at me, holding my shoulders.
"Do your best," Aster says stiffly "Please, try to get back to me ok?" I nod and try to pull her back into a hug but she doesn't let me at first.
"Stick to axes," she says "You know how to throw one and swing one. Go for the fire section, berry section, and bug section. Keep your guard-" I stop her in the middle of her ramble, diving into another hug.
"I know," I whisper "Keep safe ok?"
Aster nods and gets up from the velvet couch. The two peacekeepers step in and signal for her to leave. She follows them, looking back at me once, mouthing the words: Good luck Foxglove.
