Chapter 3: The Reaping
The next morning, mom didn't have to wake me up. I was already fully awake and completely unprepared for the day ahead.
I come down stairs and mom has already set out the table and getting everyone seated. I sit as far from dad as possible. We eat in an eerie silence, and no one attempts to make conversation.
I look at the clock. 9:20. District 1 and 2's fate have already been determined. I still have a little more than an hour and a half to get ready, but I shovel my food into my mouth and go upstairs to put on my nice clothes.
I come back down and mom is already fussing with the girls hair. Aqua went first, but she will probably have to get her hair done again because she yanked out the little pony tails mom did.
It's around 10:30 when mom finally gets to me. She just grabs this spray bottle and sprays my hair a ton until its dripping water onto my face. Then she combs it down, and poofs it back up to its usual curly-fluffiness. Mom nods in approval.
I only have twenty minutes before my first reaping. Everyone gets arranged at the door, and we start toward Center Square.
We arrive, and mom moves everyone except me and Nette to the watching area. Nette takes me up to a line where we get our fingers pricked. She must see how scared I look.
"Hey, Gill. It's alright. It's going to be alright. Okay?" She says, squatting to my height. I nod slowly. "They are just going to prick your finger, just a little bit. It's not a big deal, and it's not going to hurt. I promise." This is why I love Nette. We slowly reach the front of the line, and Nette goes first, she doesn't even flinch when the machine draws blood.
"Nette Crippen" It says to her, and she walks a few steps away to wait for me.
"Hand please." The woman sitting behind a table says. I lift my hand up slowly and she yanks it forward. No time for nonsense today.
"Gill Crippen" It says to me and I run to meet Nette.
"Okay Gill? Now we have to split up. I am going to the girl side, and you go over and stand near the front on the boy side. I'll see you later, alright?" She smiles and pushes me forward gently. I walk toward the boys who are my age, and we wait a few minutes before this woman dressed in green comes stumbling up on the stage. This is obviously her first year as an escort.
"Hello,hello. Um, welcome! This is the, uh, 74th annual, HUNGER GAMES! My name is Pomeline Pares, and I am the escort for...what district is this?" I hear her ask a guard standing behind her, and he mutters something back. "...District 4! Right! I am this years escort for District 4. Now, uh, before we get too excited, here, um, is a film brought to you by our very own Capitol!" Good Poseidon she was awful. They must have been running out of good escorts. Pomeline Pares wasn't even nice to look at, she looked like a pear.
"War. Terrible war," the video began. I've only paid attention a few times, but I couldn't concentrate on it again, as the images of death and war flooded the screen. Finally the video was over.
"Now, lets get this going. Um... Ladies first, shall we?" She trotted over to the bowl filled with girls names, and pulls one out painfully slowly. I can hear everyone take in a breath. I know mom is losing her brain right about now.
"Lilly Tremont!" I'm racking my brain trying to think if I know her, but I dont think I do. I look over and its a girl about a year older than me, and she walks up to the stage. She is shaking terribly. Pomeline Pares grins at her as Lilly steps up to the stage. "And we have our first tribute!" Pomeline starts clapping like a mad woman.
"Now for the boys." She sticks her hand in a fishes around for much longer than necessary. I close my eyes shut and stare at the ground. Again I hear everyone inhale very carefully, as though if its too loud, they will be reaped.
"Gill Crippen!" I hear her say. My mind is reeling, I don't know a Gill Crippen, do I? I cant know him. There's no such person. But there is. Now I am thinking, it can't be me. There's no way. I heard this crazy lady wrong. "Ahem. GILL CRIPPEN!" She shouts this time.
Crap. Crap. Crap crap crap. Its me, it IS me. My head goes fuzzy as though there is a bee buzzing around in it, stinging my brain trying to get out. I hear my mother cry out, and then thats when everything goes dark.