Author's Note: Hey, this is the district 4 reaping of James Alon (18) and Tiara Alon (15) both submitted by Kristykk11. Please keep sending in tributes and hope you like it! Check out my profile for the form and which tribute spots are still open. xD
James Alon (18) POV:
I blink, my eyes getting used to my bright room. With a drawn out yawn, I stand up and run my hand through my short hair. My eyes light up instantly, and a plan clicks in my head. I sneak into the hallway, peak into the room beside mine, see my sister in front of her mirror, tying her identical, but longer, golden blonde strands of hair in a ponytail. I slip into her room, slowly creeping up behind her.
Her scream rips through her throat after I yell in her ear, and then fall to the ground laughing. She gives me a disapproving look. Reaching up, I pull the hair band out of her hair.
"C'mon, let your hair down, it's the reaping day!" I exclaim, throwing the band to the other side of the room, and plopping down on her bed.
She smiles sweetly at me, and then shoots her hand out to ruffle my hair. I catch her arm, grinning.
"You see, it's those types of reflexes that'll help you win the games. Helped me, for sure," says a deep voice from the door. I don't even have to look to know it's my brother with his profuse arrogance.
I roll my eyes and bound up to him, and he wraps his arm protectively around my shoulders.
"Shove off," I laugh at him, slipping out from under his grasp to leave the room.
"Hey, d'you want to train more this morning?" he shouts after me,
"Aiden, it's reaping day, we're not gonna get more out of training this morning. Please?" I peak at her from above Aiden's shoulder, and she's giving him her infamous innocent pout. I wink at her, knowing no one can resist it.
"Besides, we don't need it, me and Tiara can both throw a spear from a hundred meters away with our eyes closed, heck, even asleep!" I input, smirking at him.
"That's the kind of arrogance that get's someone killed," Aiden replies.
Sure… if that was true, he'd be dead.
Shaking my head, I jog back to my room to finish getting ready.
Tiara Alon (15) POV:
We make our way down the street, our aunt, uncle, and cousins joining us. Taking a route to avoid the ocean, soon we're nearing the town square. My eyes sweep over the crowds of families streaming into the square. A few kids are crying, and some foolhardy boys are boasting of how they won't even be scared if they're reaped, since they've been training from way before they could talk. The salty smell of the ocean lingers in the air.
I look around, but don't see my friends. I know I'll see them later, though, we have all planned to meet up, so I wave at a few acquantices we walk past and smile silently at the sidewalk.
James leads me inside the square and he reluctantly leaves me so that we can get pricked. The peacekeeper takes my blood and then sends me off, and seeing neither James or my close friends nearby, I make my own way towards the 15-year-old female section. After chatting a bit with those near me, a clapping sound grabs my attention. On the stage, our escort stands at the microphone, clapping her porcelain white hands in an obnoxious manner to get the district's attention.
"Ah! I'm Victoria Heliocentricity, and, well, well, it's time for the annual reaping of District 4! Who's excited?" she asks. Most give a small polite clap, but a rare few cheer (as we are, technically, a career district).
"Wonderful! Now, time for the special video about our wonderful country, Panem!" she cries out, doing a dramatic twirl to gesture at a large screen behind her. Sweeping herself to the side, having to hold the ruffles of her golden gown in order to, a video of war and Panem being created plays, as it does every year. It's not very interesting, so I smooth down my dress. Aiden recently bought it, and the red silky fabric, with the white lace on the collar, accentuates my features nicely. I pause, and smile back up at the stage.
"Well, that was wonderful, wonderful, flusters me every time!" Victoria squeals, now waving a large, golden fan in her face, sending her equally golden hair blowing behind her.
"Time to reap the lucky female, who will hopefully bring victory to this wonderful district!" Victoria prances over to the female bowl, and lowers one perfectly manicured hand into the bowl. Swishing around the slips of papers, she plucks one out and holds it close to her golden lips. Her eyes register the name and everyone in the district holds their breath as one.
"Tiara Alon!"
Those two words leaving golden, sparkled lips seal my fate. I pause. No… it can't be. Tiara Alon is my name. I start walking to the stage, my face scrunched in confusion.
The back of my throat makes a strangled noise, stopping myself from dragging my feet to the stage. I can't be going into the games.
But I am. I take a few more hesitant steps forward. It quickly turns into a stride. I keep my composure. I cannot look frightened in front of the cameras. My indifferent facade slips for a moment, and a frown takes over. I shake my head, ridding myself of all thoughts. Soon I mount the stage and stand next to the escort. I breath a sigh, knowing all will be alright. Don't worry, I tell myself. Aiden survived it. Why can't I? Everyone thinks I'm this innocent little girl, but I could kill. Aiden trained me incase this happened.
"Now, for the lucky boy to join this brilliant girl, we have-"
A booming shout of "I VOLUNTEER!" interrupts Victoria in the middle of her reading the male tribute's name, and my eyes flick to the boy heading towards the stage with a hard look. Before my eyes even land on him, I know who it is. My brother. James.
"Oh, how lucky we are, a volunteer, so, what's your name boy?" Victoria squeals.
He glares at her and wraps a protective arm around my shoulders as soon as he reaches me on the stage, but I can't stop searching his face in a panic. Only one of us can win now. Before I could have maybe won and come back to him, but now I know he'll make sure I win. So he will die. Or we could both die.
"James Alon," he mutters darkly at her.
"Oh, you two must be siblings. How exciting!" she practically sings, fanning herself increasingly faster. James only growls at her in annoyance, and she takes a few steps away from him in a hurry. "There you have it, your two tributes, Tiara and James Alon!"
The sound of clapping from our district is drowned out by the voice inside my head yelling that only one of us can survive. Even if I do win, it won't be worth it.
