Here are the District 2 Reapings. Hope you enjoy them ;)
Alenia Duprix, 15
District 2 Female
Not enough. Train harder.
I hurl another dagger at a target, hitting it, but not in the center. I curse under my breath and look around hoping no one saw the mistake. I've already gotten a reputation for being better than half the 18 year olds in the academy and I can't afford to have that reputation ruined by one misthrow. Not if I want to volunteer for the Games this year. But everyone is too busy with their own training to notice. Everyone except my instructor Antonia.
"What was that?" she asks, strutting over to me.
"A mistake." I say, ripping the knife from the target.
Antonia eyes me with her sharp, icy gaze. Sometimes it seems like she loathes me. But I know that isn't true, she's only so tough on me because she cares. At least that's what I tell myself. I refocus and consider taking another shot at throwing the dagger but I don't. Throwing knives and spears just aren't my thing. That's stereotypical career style. No, I prefer getting up close and actually fighting. Anyone can throw a knife to escape an actual fight. In my opinion that's cowardice.
I twirl my dagger and walk over to the survival skills station. I can feel Antonia's disapproving gaze on me as I skim through a survival guide, but she doesn't stop me. Yeah, it's a little unconventional for a career, some would even say it's a waste of time. But I know better. As careers we can hold our own against another tribute easily but what about the elements? That's different. You need to be both smart and brutal to be a career. You can't be one or the other.
"Hey Alenia," I hear a small voice say.
I look up from the guide, uninterested at first, but then smile when I recognize who it is. It's my friend India. She's only 12, a newbie. She enrolled in the academy a few months ago. For some reason she kept pestering me to help her, I can't deny that the kid got on my nerves after a while. But after a few weeks she grew on me, she's actually a pretty decent fighter already.
"Hi," I smile back. "What's up?"
She sits down beside me and glances at the guide in my hands.
"Are you excited for today?" she asks.
I nod, placing the guide down and picking my dagger back up. I twirl it absentmindedly and glance around the room.
"Not everyday that you get to volunteer for the Games." I say, still scanning the room.
My gaze lands on Ceren Asley, an 18 year old girl who has spent her whole life training for the Games. Kind of like me. She catches me staring at her and gives me a malicious sneer. She knows I want to volunteer today, but so does she. She plunges a sword into a dummy and practically tears it in half. I roll my eyes. Stereotypical career. Check. India is talking to me, but I'm barely listening, I'm still looking around for possible competition today.
Another 18 year old, this one a boy, is watching Ceren with critical eyes. Oscar I think his name was. I know he's better at using a sword than she. And he knows it too. Though, there's something about him that gives me the chills. He's handsome sure, but high-skilled and bloodthirsty. I look down at my dagger as India finishes her rant about already being the best out of her age group.
"Well good work India." I tell her as I get up from sitting on one of the benches.
She stands up with me and grins.
"Thanks!" she smiles. "I'm going to go get ready for the Reaping how about you?"
I glance at the clock and realize just how long had I been training. The Reaping is in about an hour. But unlike India, I don't bother to go home and get ready. I'm too busy training to care much about how I look. Besides, who actually cares about how you look when you volunteer for the Hunger Games? Once I go to the Capitol, my stylists will take care of my appearance and I can keep training without having to worry about it.
"I don't know, I may just change out of my uniform and say hi to my grandmother." I say, placing the dagger back on the rack.
I quickly swallow, trying to get rid of the lump growing in my throat. My grandmother is all I have left. Both my parents were killed when I was little and that left us with basically nothing. My father was the one that really supported us and with him gone we struggled to get by. That's why I train so hard. So I can be a Victor and help my grandmother.
I walk outside with India and wave goodbye to her and she starts to head the other direction to get back to her house. She grins and bounds off. Now alone, I glance back at the academy, getting a final glimpse at my competition before returning home to my grandmother.
Oscar James, 18
District 2 Male
What is this girl even doing? Ceren Asley is embarrassing anyone who chooses a sword as their weapon of choice. Seriously. She's swinging it around like it's a mace, she has no technique at all. Obviously she's trying to show off. I roll my eyes and stroll away, deciding I can't watch her any longer. I can tell by the expression of the girl watching her from the survival skills station that she has a similar opinion.
I pick up a sword myself and make quick work of one of the dummies. I smirk, satisfied by all of nervous eyes watching me. I put the sword down on the rack then pick up one of the daggers the survival skills girl put down. I can tell she's used it a lot by the slightly worn handle. Perhaps a measly dagger is all she can handle. Pity.
I hurl the dagger into one of the targets, hitting the center and causing it to rock back and forth from the force of throw. I pull the dagger from the target and set it back down nonchalantly. I'll have no problem in the Games, none at all. I glance at the clock and begin to head back home. It's an hour until the Reaping and I still need to get ready. I walk outside and barely get a few feet before bumping into someone.
"Watch where you're going-" I begin maliciously, but then I stop noticing the pair of timid blue eyes staring back at me.
"Oh, Oliver." I say, straightening my friend's nice dress jacket.
My friend gives me a relieved smile, I guess happy that I wasn't some random trainee he had just bumped into. Oliver was one of the few people in the academy that I actually tolerated. He's not entirely showy, in fact he's kind of shy and a little odd, but he's got a lot of determination. Plus he's the only who appears to be not scared of me for the most part. Everyone else avoids me or doesn't like me because I'm competition. I'm fine with that as long as they view me as a threat.
"Are you going to go say hey to your family before the Reaping?" he asks.
I nod and gesture for him to follow me.
"You can come back and say hello to them if you want, they were wondering how your mother is doing."
Oliver shrugs.
"She's doing better than last week, still has a nasty cough though."
I sigh.
"Look if you need a place to stay to get away from all that you know where to come." I offer. "My family seems to like you alright."
Oliver smiles. I know he's probably too polite to accept the offer. That or he's a little too scared to spend some time at my house.
"I don't know, I'll think about it." he responds, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
I nod and we walk the rest of the way to my house in silence. But when we get closer I can hear my family's loud, excited shouting. They always get so excited for the Reapings... it's kind of weird. It's not like they're the ones volunteering. I walk through the beautifully carved wooden door and smile as I enter. My family is one of the richest families in District 2 so we can afford the luxury of a large house. In fact, my parents even built a special training room for me right in the house. But I preferred the academy. It's fun to watch people's reactions when I destroy the dummies.
I glance back at Oliver as he shyly steps into my house, the look of awe as he looks around is a little amusing. He's not as wealthy as me and has only been to my house a few times. It seems like every time he comes he's awestruck.
"I'm back-" I begin but before I can finish my sentence, I'm pounced on by an 8 year old little sister.
I catch her with ease as she leaps into my arms and grins.
"Oscar!" she squeals happily. "You missed the District 1 Reapings!"
I laugh and put her back down on the floor.
"I was busy training, Ivy." I say. "You'll understand when you go to the academy when you're older."
Ivy she waves her hand at me and scoffs then sees Oliver.
"Hi Oliver!" she exclaims and bounds over to him. "Why are you just standing there? Do you even know how to talk? You're too quiet."
Oliver stares at her, obviously not sure what to say to the bouncing bundle of energy that is my sister.
"Ivy, leave him alone, he just knows when not to talk." I say, guiding her away from him. "Something you could learn from him."
She gasps with indignation and stomps away. Of course she's not really angry, I tease her like that all the time. I follow her into the kitchen to say hello to my parents, and Oliver follows hesitantly. My mother glances over her shoulder at me from the couch and gets up. She already has her Peacekeeper uniform on and I know she'll be leaving before me to calm everyone down at the square.
"Hey mom," I say, leaning on the polished granite countertop as she strolls over to me. "How was the District 1 Reaping?"
She smiles and walks over to me, wrapping me in an embarrassingly tight hug.
"They actually seem pretty solid this year." she says as I pull away from her.
My father leans on the couch, not bothering to get up to walk over to me.
"Yeah, not the usual drama and showiness." he smirks. "But so far nothing that you need to be worried about."
"I'm never worried about District 1, it's all show with them," I joke. "They don't take it seriously enough to survive to the final 10."
Ivy giggles and pounces on my father as I speak.
"I'm glad we're not in District 1," she laughs. "Their names sound funny."
I smile as I can't disagree. I'm pretty sure last year's District 1 tributes were named Sprinkle and Marble.
"I'm going to go get ready," I say, walking toward the stairs. "I'll be back down in a few minutes to walk to the square with you guys."
My father smiles as I walk upstairs while my mother starts up a conversation with Oliver about his ill mother. I sigh as I walk toward my room, but stop when I get to my brother Matthew's old room. I linger by it for a moment then walk in. It's just like it was 8 years ago, except for the small memorial we constructed of him on his desk. He died after he volunteered for the Hunger Games. He died to that District 7 girl. I glance at a picture of him, picking up the frame and looking at it for a moment.
He came so close. 2nd to be exact. He kept fighting even after the District 7 girl fatally wounded him. He had so much determination, he and the rest of my District truly believed he could win. I feel a dull ache in my chest and place the picture frame back down. But this year I'm going to win, I'm not going to let my District down. I'm going to win for my family, for my friends, for my District.
For Matthew.
Alenia Duprix, 15
District 2 Female
"Oh Ale..." my grandmother breathes as she steps back to admire my dress. "You look beautiful."
I glance into the mirror, getting a glimpse of myself. I guess I really don't look that bad. My brown hair resembles a waterfall, resting on my shoulders in tight curls. I know the curls won't stay very long though, they never do, no matter how hard my grandmother tries. My dark red dress goes down to my knees with a black bow tied in the back. I don't particularly like dresses. You can't move around well in them, you feel crushed if they're tight, and you can't fight in them.
My grandmother continues to smile and hands a pair of heels to me.
"There you go," she says. "I'll meet you outside when you're ready."
I smile at her as she walks out but then huff and throw the heels aside when my door closes. I love my grandmother but does she really expect me to wear heels? No way. I walk over to my closet and dig out my black academy combat boots. I slip them on and lace them up, glancing in the mirror one last time. They go with the dress just fine, I don't understand why Grandma didn't just give me these in the first place. Satisfied, I walk out of my room and outside, squinting for a moment in the bright sunlight.
My grandmother beams at me and walks with me to the square, but I catch her stealing a glance at my boots. I know she was expecting the heels but she had to have known that was never going to happen.
My grandmother walks around the sign-in center and waits for me on the other side as the Peacekeeper pricks my finger and signs me in. I walk in to meet her and we linger in the back for a moment, waiting for the crowd to clear up before I walk to the 15 year olds' section. I glance back at her and smile. She returns the smile hesitantly. I know she's worried, it took a lot of convincing for her to agree to let me volunteer. But she has to be excited for me. Because it's finally happening. I'm finally going into the Hunger Games after so many years of hard training.
It's all going to pay off.
Our escort, Tilver Ammon, walks up to the microphone with a spring in her steps. How she walks in such ridiculously tall shoes, I don't know.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" she grins excitedly. "Isn't this just such an exciting day?"
Yes, get on with it.
"And such a beautiful day for it too!"
Hurry up.
"I can barely contain my own excitement!"
Stop. Talking.
"Now, we'll just watch a brief video before we get started!" she squeaks, then scurries away from the microphone and sits down in the chair with a silly grin on her made-up face.
I can't help but subtly bounce up and down on my toes with impatience. We've all seen the video, we all know what it's about. And we all hate it. Mercifully, the video ends and Tilver walks back up to the microphone.
"Don't you just love that?" she grins, but everyone stays quiet with silent annoyance.
Tilver's grin fades only slightly and she straightens her ridiculous headdress.
"Ahem, anyway, let's get started shall we?"
She walks over to one of the bowls, filled up to the brim with slips. She decides to just take one right off the top and smiles, walking back over to the microphone. She unfolds the slip.
"India Oreta!" she chirps.
India? I glance over at the 12 year olds, seeing India's slightly surprised face. Now I have no hesitations to volunteer. India glances over at me and she relaxes, knowing what's happening next.
"I volunteer!" I say confidently.
But someone says the same thing at the same time as me and I glance over at the 18 year olds, where it came from. Ceren Asley. I scoff and begin to walk up, completely ignoring her but she does the same, shooting me a withering glare. No way that this incompetent girl is going to go into the Games before me. That's not going to happen.
Ceren then breaks into a run to get to the stage before me but I easily beat her to the steps. She and I are racing up the steps at the same time so I strike back with my elbow hitting her in the nose and hear her shriek of rage and pain. She falls back down the steps as I get on the stage first. I glance back and smirk as she gets up, holding her rapidly swelling nose. I stride over to Tilver who is laughing nervously.
"What's your name, dear?" she asks, not even hesitating to step away from the microphone for me to speak.
"Alenia Duprix." I announce.
I step away from the microphone as the academy kids give their traditional applause. I see my grandmother grinning from the back of the crowd, she knows how much this means to me. But I don't miss the glimmer of worry in her aging eyes. She shouldn't worry.
Because her granddaughter is going to be the Victor of the 49th Hunger Games.
Oscar James, 18
District 2 Male
Ceren Asley had it coming. I laugh to myself as she storms away from the stage, holding her nose. She passes me, loud curses directed at the 15 year old volunteer flowing out of her mouth like a waterfall. She slips back into the crowd of 18 year olds, her face as red as her broken nose. The look on her face is priceless, just like Tilver's expression. Maybe survival station girl isn't as incompetent as I initially thought.
Tilver plasters a strained smile on her face and walks back up to the microphone, stepping in front of the still smirking girl.
"Well now," she laughs nervously. "Wasn't that just exciting? Let's move on to the boys though."
She plunges her hand into the bowl of names and pulls out a slip of paper, walking back to the microphone.
"Mas-"
"I volunteer!" I shout before she can even finish saying the name.
Tilver glances toward me but looks around nervously as if expecting a repeat of what happened with the girls. But of course there isn't one. The other 18 year olds move out of the way, forming a sort of path to the stage. None of them bother to try to volunteer too. They know better. I stroll up to the stage casually and take the microphone before Tilver can even get out of the way.
"Oscar James." I say, shoving the microphone back to the frazzled escort.
"Wonderful!" she exclaims, eyeing Alenia and I unsurely. "District 2's tributes for the 49th Hunger Games!"
The applause and cheers of my District is like music to my ears. I turn and shake hands with my district partner, seeing a mixture of respect and nervousness in her hollow, brown eyes. But her handshake isn't hesitant. I guess if she respects me enough to not be scared of me, I can respect her too.
For now.
Alenia Duprix, 15
District 2 Female
I sit back in the comfortable velvet chairs, not able to quell my growing excitement. The grin I had during the Reaping seems to be permanently stuck on my face as I wait for my grandmother to come in. But my mind keeps thinking back to my district partner. Oscar James, the one I saw in the academy. He's quite impressive with swords. I saw the way he looked at me, he doesn't expect much but I can't be shaken up by him. He's not the only one who can fight, and he'll see that in the Games. All I need to do is find a weakness and he won't seem so invincible anymore.
I'm pulled from my thoughts when my grandmother opens the door and comes in with a soft smile on her face. I quickly get up and hug her.
"Alenia.." she says softly, hugging me tightly. "I'm so proud of you, and your parents would have been too."
I continue to hug her, resting my head on her shoulder, still smiling.
"This is all I've ever wanted..." I say to her, finally stepping back from her hug. "I'm going to make mom and dad proud too..."
She smiles and tucks a piece of my frizzy brown hair behind my ear.
"I know you will," she responds quietly, her eyes twinkling with fear and pride. "But you stay smart.. and come back to me, do you understand?"
I nod and my grin widens. I take her hands in mine and hold them tightly.
"I promise I will."
Seemingly satisfied she nods and gives me another tight hug before the Peacekeeper comes in and holds the door open for her, indicating it's time for her to leave.
"Be safe, Alenia." she says, glancing back at me once.
I give her one last smile and then the door closes. But it doesn't stay closed for long. A few moments later India bounds in and practically tackles me into a hug. She's grinning happily.
"Alenia I'm so happy for you!" she squeals. "And thanks for volunteering for me by the way. I'm not quite ready for the Games just yet."
We laugh and I hug her back.
"It was my pleasure," I say. "And I was going to volunteer anyway."
"You're going to win though." she tells me, and I know it isn't a question, it sounds like a command.
I smirk and nod.
"Of course I am, Indy, there's no way I won't."
She grins at me and hugs me tightly again before looking back at the door.
"Well, I have to go now though," she says quietly. "My parents said only a few minutes because we have to go meet my aunt for lunch."
I smile again and step away from her.
"Well then go on," I say. "I'll see you in a few weeks, alright?"
She nods and waves to me, giving me an adorable smile then walks out, surprising the Peacekeeper who was leaning on the door. I hold back a laugh and sit back down in the chair. Well that's India and my grandmother. No more visitors for me. But the door opens one more time. I sit up in slight confusion. Who else would visit me?
Antonia walks in.
"Antonia?" I ask, getting up from the chair.
She nods and walks over to me, studying my face for a moment then crosses her arms.
"I hope you're actually ready for this, Alenia." she tells me.
My smile fades. Has she no faith in me?
"Of course I'm ready Antonia, I've trained basically my whole life."
Antonia's eyes linger on me for a few more moments then she nods in approval.
"Alright.." she says. "But I forbid you from dying, do you hear me? You've worked too hard for this."
My smile returns and I nod. Antonia sticks out her hand to me, and I grab it, shaking it firmly.
"Good luck, Alenia."
"Thank you," I respond as the Peacekeeper opens the door and she walks out.
But I don't need luck when I have skill.
Oscar James, 18
District 2 Male
I wait by the door for my family, already planning a strategy. My district partner seems decent enough to ally with for now. But I'll need to know her strengths and weaknesses. I already know she can't really throw a knife. That's a start I suppose.
The door swings open and my family comes in, already talking loudly, filled with excitement.
"Oscar this is so wonderful!" My mother beams, reaching me first.
She hugs me and then steps back.
"You're making us very proud," she says looking me in the eye.
My father doesn't hug me, but gives me a slap on the back, smiling at me approvingly. Ivy however, is trying to shove my mother away to hug me as well. She wedges herself in between my mother and I and wraps her small arms around me, hugging me as hard as she can. But something is wrong. She's no longer grinning, or bouncing up and down, or shouting funny things.
She's crying.
I quickly bend down so I'm eye level with her and take her by the shoulders.
"Ivy, what's wrong?" I ask. "Why are you crying?"
Ivy refuses to look me in the eye and tries to hug me again, tears spilling out of her eyes like a faucet.
"Ivy."
My sister finally looks at me and starts wiping the tears from her eyes, sniffling.
"Come back, Oscar, please come back." she says.
I sigh and hug her for a moment then pull away from her.
"Ivy, of course I'm coming back." I say.
Ivy sniffs again and looks down.
"That's what mom and dad said Matthew told them."
I feel like I've just been punched in the gut. I look at Ivy for a moment and blink.
"Well, I'm not Matthew, Ivy." I say softly. "I'm Oscar, and I will be coming back."
Ivy's smile returns to her face and she grins at me.
"Good, because if you don't I'll have no one left to tease."
I scowl playfully and shove her gently. She glances back when the Peacekeeper opens the door.
"Time's up." he says curtly.
Ivy sighs and hugs me again then bounds back over to my parents who give me one last glance of approval and pride. I smirk. Ivy has nothing to worry about. Like I told her, I'm not Matthew.
I walk back over to the chairs that remind me of the ones that I have in my own home, and begin to settle into one when the door opens again. I glance over to see who it is and find myself a little surprised.
"Oliver," I say and get up.
I can tell by the red around his eyes that he's been crying and I glance at him with confusion. Then I remember him saying that I've always been like an older brother to him. I guess if something happened to me, he wouldn't have a friend anymore. He wouldn't have a brother. And I know what that's like. I say nothing, walk over to him then stop in front of him. I look at him for a moment then pull him into a hug. He hugs me back then steps away, appearing slightly embarrassed.
"Oscar," he begins then looks me straight in the eye. "If you don't come back alive, I'm going to kick your-"
I laugh before he can finish.
"Do you really think I won't come back?" I ask, giving him a reassuring pat on the back.
He shrugs then leans against the wall.
"I guess I'm not really worried," he says. "After all you can use a sword better than anyone in the academy, and you're pretty good at beating people up, right?"
I smirk at his joke and nod.
"No worries, Ollie," I say. "I'll be back in a few weeks."
He nods and walks to the door, glancing back once. He doesn't wait for the Peacekeeper to come in as he opens the door and leaves quickly.
Why did he cry? Why did Ivy cry? Don't they know that I'll be fine?
After all it's only the Hunger Games.
There you have it! These two were fun to write.
What do you think of your tribute, if one of them is yours? Did I write them okay?
Thoughts on Alenia?
Oscar?
How far do you think they'll make it?
Too stereotypical?
There is ONE spot left, the District 6 Male
District 1 Male: Nathaniel Silver, 18 {ThomasHungerGamesFan}
District 1 Female: Hera Dansen, 17 {dreams and desperation}
District 2 Male: Oscar James, 18 {ThomasHungerGamesFan}
District 2 Female: Alenia Duprix, 15 {Wendelinthewierd}
District 3 Male: Velnor Essex, 16 {tracelynn}
District 3 Female: Techalea Rose Cable, 18 {Ahungergamesfan07}
District 4 Male: Whale Isaacson, 17 {tracelynn}
District 4 Female: Andromeda "Andy" Whitmore, 17 {Queen of Asgard}
District 5 Male: Michael Comstock, 14 {pandabear145}
District 5 Female: Wren Kieling, 15 {TranscendentElvenRanger}
District 6 Male: Damion Baskerville, 16 {pandabear145}
District 6 Female: Corinth Lopez, 13 {Queen of Asgard}
District 7 Male: Alastair Brindley, 16 {Queen of Asgard}
District 7 Female: Jordia Pine, 17 {xPE A KEx}
District 8 Male: Dye Rollins, 15 {TranscendentElvenRanger}
District 8 Female: Alexa Satin, 16 {xQueen-Of-Applesx}
District 9 Male: Bellamy Grey, 17 {CDinga22}
District 9 Female: Juniper Bow, 15 {MusicalTheatreCake}
District 10 Male: Kaleb Darton, 17 {Josephm611}
District 10 Female: Grace Urlwin, 12 {RueThisDay}
District 11 Male: Dominic Waters, 18 {CDinga22}
District 11 Female: Mirabelle Crimmond, 15 {tracelynn}
District 12 Male: Burton "Burt" Meloro, 18 {Queen of Asgard}
District 12 Female: Eleanor Brightwood, 12 {MusicalTheatreCake}