Disclaimer: I do not own Hunger Games or any of its characters.
Reapings
District Seven
Edith Blackwood's POV
"Wake up, honey," I heard my mother's sweet voice. "Five minutes mom," I replied drowsily, clutching the pillow to my chest. "It's the Reaping Day, Edith. You have to get ready."
"I will get ready in five minutes. Please…" With that I closed my eyes. Sleep was about to embrace me when my mom started tickling me. I burst out laughing, tears making my eyes bleak.
"S-Stop! STOP!" With that I sat up straight and mom let me go, laughing along with me.
"Come on. Get ready," she urged. "Why?" I asked. I had already forgotten. That bed looked so welcoming…
"It's the Reaping Day," mom said. I did not respond, I was too busy thinking about how much more I could sleep and whether I really needed to sleep and why the bed seemed to lure me…
"EDITH!" my mom called out, snapping her fingers in front of my face.
"Yeah!" I exclaimed, startled. "What were you thinking?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all," I grinned. Mom sighed. "Go and get ready for the Reapings. I want you to have a good breakfast before we leave."
With that she gave me a hug and left. I dragged myself to the bathroom, all the while hoping that I don't get reaped and at the same time thinking how I would finish my homework, there was too much of it. My chances of being reaped were less; I had not taken any teserrae as I was pretty well off, my father being the head of the department responsible for sorting the spruce wood. Nah, it won't be me.
I still could not understand what the point of the Hunger Games was. It was cruel… I mean, didn't it hurt the Capitol to make young innocent children try to kill each other? Why did they have to use children to establish their rule and fear?
I hadn't realised that I had left the tap open and had been staring in the basin for a while now. I quickly washed up and closed the tap. I looked at myself as I combed my hair. I will not say I am very beautiful but I am quite pretty. I have my mother's long blond hair and my father's green eyes, which is an uncommon combination in my district. I am slim but not muscular, with a decent height of five foot eight. I have been told that I have sort of sweet and childlike features, but I don't find my face to be very memorable.
I put on my knee length red satin dress and twirled, looking at myself. The dress was my favourite; it was a gift on my birthday from my best friends Pamela Jorgenson and Ruth Whales. We are a sort of trio, with Pamela always causing trouble, Ruth always being innocent and calm, and me being a daydreamer.
I went to the dining hall where my parents were setting the table. "Good morning Edith!" my father said, "Come here." I ran up to him and he took me in a loving embrace. "My princess is looking so beautiful," he said softly. I laughed. "Our princess always looks beautiful," my mom said with a smile, stroking my cheek. I closed my eyes at that and abruptly my thoughts went to the Reapings.
"What if I am chosen?" I thought. "I won't be," I thought after that, "And even if I am, I will bang their heads with my axe." "What if it kills them?" "Then I will hit them with the handle." "But what if I die?" My brain went silent at that. I did not want to think about death now. Maybe after a hundred years…
"Edith?"
I opened my eyes and saw my father looking at me anxiously. "Nothing dad. I was debating with myself on whether homework should be banned or not." I replied and took a bite from my apple.
"That is pretty lame."
I saw Pamela and Ruth walk in, Pamela grinning mischievously and Ruth wearing her sweet smile on her face. They were dressed in dresses just like mine, Pamela's was blue and Ruth's was green.
They greeted my parents and walked up to me. "Looking good," Pamela said. I grinned at her. "We all are looking good." With that I finished eating my apple and moved on to the cereals.
"We'll be late," Ruth spoke softly. She's usually the silent one in our group and when she speaks, it is always in a soft sweet voice. "Yes, let's go," I said.
I was about to head for the main door when my father placed his hand on my shoulder. "It will not be you, Edith. It will not be any of you girls."
"Yes dad, it won't be me," I replied and smiled at him and mom. "Yes sir, it won't be any of us," Pamela agreed and flashed a grin at everyone. Ruth frowned. "I wonder…"
Tyler Axton's POV
I sprawled on the floor as his fist hit me. Blood spurted out of my mouth and the world seemed to have turned upside down. I staggered to my feet and saw blurry images of my sister, Dawn, running in front me to form a barrier and desperately writing something down. She showed it to Gabe. His eyes narrowed as he read every word.
"The Reapings saved you boy," he spat and pushed my sister aside. I reached out and took hold of her and both of us were supporting each other to stand. Gabe left the room, slamming the door shut behind him. I sank to floor, holding my jaw. It was too painful. Dawn brought the first aid kit and set to work.
She looked at me, tears streaming down her face, as if asking me why I did it. "He slapped you!" I roared, "How could anyone dare to hit you?!" she looked at me sadly, opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. I don't know whether she even understood what I said or not. Fate has been cruel towards my sweet sister, giving her neither the power to hear or speak. She never wronged anyone and yet…
She helped me to stand up and sit on the bed. Making sure that I was slightly better she wrote 'You shouldn't have yelled at father'. I took the paper and wrote down 'He slapped you. I couldn't stand it.' 'He hit you really hard. I am sorry.' With that she started to cry and I hugged her, holding her tightly. I wiped her tears and tried to smile at her. I couldn't. Dawn was my only family and my only friend. My mother had died giving birth to me, and my father Gabe… he was a shame on every father of the world. He abused both of us. Many a times we were left bleeding, sometimes we were left without food. He only kept us at his place was because I was his source of income. I had a fair job at the lumber place and I had to give all my earnings to him. I had refused to do so once. As a result he had hit Dawn so hard she had fainted right on the spot. After that, I kept out of his way, giving him my earnings and hoping every day that we would not have to face his wrath. I had no friends, I couldn't trust anyone. Dawn was all that mattered to me. Gabe was the reason of my sadness and pain, of my anger and hatred. His abuse taught me to keep my emotions under control. But whenever anyone says anything about Dawn, it my blood boils and I make sure that they need to go to a hospital. I didn't want to be angry, but Gabe had snatched away all my other emotions.
Dawn brought a plain blue shirt and grey jeans for me from the closet. She squeezed my shoulder and gestured towards the bathroom and then the clothes. I had to get dressed for the Reapings. I cleaned my face and put on my Reaping outfit. I was about to go out when I spared a glance at myself in the mirror. My dark brown spiky hair refused to stay down as usual. I have brown eyes and a childlike face with quite a sharp nose, like Gabe's. I am tall, standing at five foot ten, and I have an athletic build due to all the running that I do. I did not really care about what I looked like, but I did look as good as I could so I headed out to meet Dawn. She was waiting for me with some bread and cookies, which I guess she had not told Gabe about. Her eyes seemed to shine when she looked at me and she smiled. I smiled back at her. She tried to give me all the bread and cookies but I shook my head, insisting to share. At last she gave up and the two of us had breakfast together in silence. This could be my last meal with her.
The Hunger Games. I clenched my fists at the thought. Those good-for-nothing clowns deserved to be burned to death. I loathe the Capitol and their stupid Games. Cowards, that's what they were, using children to show their strength. They did not have any strength apart from emotional blackmailing and threats. We needed an uprising. Personally, I would be glad to join any such rebellion. It could result in Dawn getting harmed, which always made me hesitate in even thinking about rebellions. However, if the need arose, both Dawn and I would join the uprising.
After breakfast the two of us headed to the Square. I joined the other seventeen year old boys and looked at the stage where our escort, Beatrice was about to start the Reapings. Her whole skin was painted in green and brown and she was dressed in the costume of a bush. She was pathetic.
"It's great to be back here, in District Seven! Shall we begin with the Reaping?!"
She was greeted by silence from the audience. Clearly annoyed, she put on a smile though and said, "Let's begin with the boy!" She put her hand in the bowl and rummaged through the names for what seemed like an eternity. At last she drew out a name and called out with a grin too wide, "Tyler Axton!"
Her words were like thunder bolts on my ears. I… was reaped? My body started shaking with rage, I clenched my fists, my eyes bleak due to anger. My lips were quivering. How dare they?! The Capitol will pay the price!
Beatrice called my name again. I slowly started walking towards the stage with stiff steps. If I didn't go now, they would hurt Dawn. I could not let that happen. I climbed up the steps to the stage and stared ahead, glaring at the camera.
"Well, young man, do you want to say anything?" Beatrice asked. I glared at her angrily and she took a step back hurriedly. "L-Let's move on to the girls now!" I scanned the crowd when suddenly my eyes fell on last year's victor, Samara. She looked sadly at me, as if trying to tell a horrible secret.
"Edith Blackwood!"
I looked at the sixteen year old girls' section, from where a tall and pretty girl was making her way to the stage. She was obviously trying not to cry, trying to put on a reassuring smile. She climbed up the steps and stood beside me.
"Do you want to say anything to your District?" Beatrice asked. Edith shook her head.
"Okay! So here are this year's tributes! Tyler Axton and Edith Blackwood!"
There was no sound from the audience at her words or even we shook hands. I remembered this girl. A fight had broken out between us once and I had pushed her really hard. She didn't seem to remember that though as she was completely focused on trying not to cry.
I was taken to the Justice Building after that. As soon as the door closed, it opened again and Dawn ran in, taking me into her loving embrace. I hugged her back. We sat there for a while silently. She released me, sobbing hard, and placed a necklace into my hands. I looked at it. It was my mother's, a simple chain with a crystal. But it meant the world to both of us.
"Thank you…" I whispered. She seemed to understand what I said and hugged me again. She wrote quickly 'Try to win brother.' I wrote back 'I will. I will come back.' She nodded and gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled at her too when a peacekeeper came in. "Time's up," he said. Dawn understood. She patted my shoulders and left. I sat down and let my face fall in my hands. How would I survive the Games? And what would Gabe do with Dawn?
I punched the wall hard furiously. I would have to return. For Dawn.
Edith Blackwood's POV
"Mom…" I sobbed in my mother's shoulder as she held me tightly. I had been reaped? How? I tried to hold back my tears and then smiled at her. I wiped her tears and looked at both her and dad. "I will try to come back. What has been done, is done."
"You are good with an axe and knife. Get into an alliance and-"
"Dad," I cut him off, "I will return, okay? Why don't you guys tell me how much you love me?" "We do love you Edith," mom sobbed, "You are our life." "Calm down Evelynn," dad said, squeezing her shoulder, "Our daughter will try her best. Right, Edith?"
"Yes dad," I replied, "I will try my best."
"Time's up!" a peacekeeper called out. I frowned. So soon? My father took the two of us in his embrace. We stayed like that for a while till the peacekeeper had to drag them away.
As soon as they left, Pamela and Ruth came in. Ruth was crying and Pamela was looking furiously. She grabbed my shoulder and shook them. "We know you can do this," she said, "Try your best, okay? Return or I will kill you."
I laughed. "Sure Pam. I'll return. Don't want to be slaughtered by you."
"Edith…" Ruth said. She gave me a charm bracelet. I put it on. "My token?" I asked. She nodded and then hugged, her tears wetting my shoulders. "Relax Ruth. Calm down," I whispered. Pamela joined our embrace when the peacekeeper again told them that they had to leave. They wished me luck and left. The door closed and I was left alone.
I let the tears flow.
Thank you WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper for these amazing tributes! I loved writing about them! Hope I did not mess up…
To WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper: Thank you for your review! I like Devon too and he really is very brutal. I respect your opinion of Adela and hope I am able to write her better. Do tell me how I did with Edith and Tyler in this!
To Mistycharming: Thank you for your review! Devon is really brutal, right?
To Sakura-Fiction: Hmm… they really are interesting and brutal. Even I am waiting to find out how they perform!
To 20: I have reserved the D6 boy for you. I hope you like this chapter as well.
To CreativeAJL: Thank you so much for your reviews! I am glad you liked Samara. We will see more of her. I like the tributes a lot too. It could be awkward but a D2 girl should preferably be a bit brutal, right?
To maliceismyname: Thank you! I am glad I was able to write him well. I like Adela too. Hope you like this chapter.
To hopefuldreamer1991: I am really sorry, and I really liked her, but the SYOT is already closed… and there were no girl spots left. I am sorry…
To OddOrb: Yes Adela really is interesting. I am glad you liked the part of the stairs. I will try not to make Devon mary-sue. Thank you for reviewing!
Have a great day!