*Hey guys , so here is the District 2 Reaping . This will be the final Reaping for a while because I NEED TRIBUTES ! I cannot stress this enough . So please PM me some tributes based off the tribute forms on my profile and no more than 4 tribues just in case (BE DETAILED PELASE) . Also , if you reserve a tribute please get it in by no later than 7 days because I do know some people who are asking me if they can reserve spots and never turn in an app and then other people request it and I'm like ah , someone already reserved it . So pleasee , please , please do so . And oh yeah , review ! I liked that a lot of you reveiwed on chapter 3 and how you did not really like the way it was going so yeahh . Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this chapter . And I need tributess !

CHAPTER 4

The prick was the part Rhodes hated about the Reaping. He could withstand the fact of eight blades pointing towards him or a slash mark to the face, but never the slight prick that the Peacekeepers did to your fingertip. He winced at the prick and walked towards the seventeen year-old section.

Mera had escorted him to the Reaping. Obviously his mom was not capable of doing so because of her bed-ridden disease she had. Mera stood off, in the way corner of the town plaza, shy and trying to keep quiet.

Rhodes was nervous, utterly nervous. As he took his place amongst the other, bloodthirsty seventeen year-old guys, he peered unhappily at the circular glass bowl perched on a mahogany table on the looming stage. He eyed the bowl with slanted, determined eyes. His name was in there 22 times. It was in fact a loud number considering most of the Career children were usually well-off. There were of course, those children who wanted more chances to have an opportunity to win the cruel, malicious Games. Rhodes was not like that though. He was poor. His mother was bedridden with a horrible, unknown disease. A disease that both Mera and Rhodes knew was going to leave her dead soon.

Rhodes sighed. Mera, who was scarcely past the age of six, had already witnessed the death of two of her siblings in past Hunger Games. Mera, who carried herself like she was twelve. Mera, who already knew of the inexplicable horrors and death tolls of the Games and that if you went in them, you had a good probability of dying. Mera hated the Capitol just like Rhodes; however it was mostly because Rhodes hated it. Whatever Rhodes hated, Mera hated. She honored him and practically copied his every move to grow up to be just like him.

Rhodes ran his hand over the spot on his left cheek where the jagged, white scar still lay on his cheek. It reminded him of all the endless hours of training he has endured so one day, whenever and if ever he was Reaped, that he would be prepared for the Games… and prepared to take down the Capitol and show them, that these Games were sick, sadistic and brutal.

If I win, maybe I can get Mom some medications. Maybe she can finally get better, Rhodes thought.

Across the square, Reyya Mason played nervously with her heart-shaped locket from her mother around her neck. The same thoughts flashed across her mind as well at the thought of her mother, so sickly in her bed with her autoimmune disease.

This is it. This is the year. This is the year, Mama will get her medicine and I will win the Games, she thought to herself, her feet tapping nervously.

Reyya looked around at all the other girls who were obviously much more capable of volunteering for the Games rather than Reyya. After all, Reyya was afraid to kill people.

True, she had been trained profoundly ever since she reached the age of twelve and yes, she was decently lethal but she lacked the Career mentality to actually kill a person. She was weak on the inside, weak in her brain.

Yet this is for Mama.

Her elder brothers were definitely not going to volunteer, it was pretty evident. They wanted nothing to do with the Games and to not ever step foot on the bloody battlefield ever. Reyya had to take matters into her own hands. Originally she planned to volunteer around seventeen or eighteen, but then Mama got worse. Much worse. Her mother was often coughing out blood and vomiting consistently. Reyya was not sure how much longer she would hang out. She needed to saver her mother from the deathly illness.

Yet soon everyone's attention snapped to the stage as the JusticeBuilding doors opened and out stepped the mentors, past victors and mayor. Yohan Carav, the escort for District 2, sauntered onto the stage after wards, walking his outrageous Capitol walk and speaking in his ridiculous Capitol accent. Rhodes could not help but roll his eyes. Just another reason why I hate the Capitol.

After Yohan presented the customary introduction, he walked over to the female bowl, fiddling his fingers through the bowl until he pulled out a single slip. Reyya knew what had to be done and it had to be done quickly. Before Yohan could even open up the slip of paper, Reyya shouted, "I volunteer as tribute!"
Yohan looked a little surprised by the suddenness of it. "Oh well, that was rather quick," Yohan exclaimed, which gained a chuckle or two from the audience.

Reyya's heart was beating a mile a minute. Her breath was caught in her throat and she was petrified but she would not let it show. She took a deep breath and carried herself confidently and calmly to the stage. "Your name dear?"

"Reyya Mason," she replied confidently.

"Well congratulations. Now for the boys."

Reyya spotted her brothers in the crowd who just looked at her as if to say is she crazy. Reyya turned her head away, not wanting to make a scene on stage and tried to remain as confident, calm and bloodthirsty as possible.

Yohan came back to the stage his fingers, holding tightly onto the paper. "Now let's wait until after I open the paper to volunteer now shall we," he replied, addressed more Reyya than the audience. As he opened the paper, Rhodes' heart beat manically. If it's me… he thought.

But he did not have much time to think as suddenly the name, "Rhodes Valentine" rocketed out into the crowd.

Rhodes looked at Yohan with huge eyes. Is he serious? I was not being literal. He looked at Mera in the background of the square and nodded to her. She knew what had to be done if this happened. She immediately began to run home.

Rhodes plastered on a cold, dark look on his face, making a statement he was not a force to be reckoned with. Rhodes had to pretend he was a cruel, sadistic freak no? But on the inside he smiled to himself. His outer cold expression remained the same as some eighteen year-old, red-haired man jumped out of the crowd and yelled with all his might, "I volunteer!"

Rhodes turned around fiercely and upon seeing who it was, immediately barked in his deep, infuriating, haunting voice, "No!" Rhodes knew who it was. It was that idiot guy, Lark who thought he was all-that. Lark was a cocky, conceited jerk who always said he would volunteer when he turned 18 for the Reaping. He had no doubt in his miniature mind he could win. Rhodes, who was one of the best students in the TrainingAcademy and younger, got pissed at him one day because he broke him sword. He thought Rhodes wouldn't need it after all because he was never going to get his chance to redemption or get 'little, sickly mommy' medicine for her. It was the year his eldest sister was brutally killed in the Games. Rhodes was screwed up back then. He was pissed and lunged for Lark but Lark was better and gashed his cheek. Rhodes had hated him ever since. Just think, I'm going to show them all I can win these Games. I got skill, am way better than Lark and beat the crap out of anyone who comes near me. Then I'll get medicine for Mom and I will show those stupid freaking Capitol idiots who's boss. They won't know what hit them, he thought as he finally reached the stage and saw an infuriated, steaming, bulky Lark standing in the walkway of the crowds. Rhodes could tell he was fit to be tied because after all, how dare Rhodes turn down his volunteer request because "Lark was so much better than Rhodes."

As Yohan gathered Lark on the stage, he announced happily, "Your District 2 tributes everyone. Shake hands and may the odds be ever in your favor."
As Rhodes and Reyya were led into the back, Lark yelled out with all his might and anger in him, "I hope you bring disgrace to your District Rhodes!" A few curse words were followed after as Peacekeeper's whistles were echoed through the town square.

While Rhodes was smug about beating Lark finally and was prepared for the Games to bring home medications for his mother, the adrenaline in Reyya diminished and her knees began to wobble uncontrollably.

Reyya was satisfied to get into her room. She instantly collapsed onto the love seat and began clutching her stomach. A wave of nausea ran over her. She knew she had to volunteer; she had to get medications for Mama. Yet now that the Reaping itself was over, she became unsettlingly nervous at the fact that even the Games were quite far, they were so near and pretty soon, she would be thrust into the cruel world of the Games to slaughter other children her age. She leaned for the pearl trash container nearby and leaned over, prepared to vomit.

She pictured the scene her brothers coming in seeing her like this and asking her a mouth load of questions, throwing around accusations. She never did tell them her plan, not even Mama. Mama, who still was bedridden and barely able to open her eyes the whole way was incredibly protective of her children. Mama asked everything so she could know everything. Even though she was ill, she still called the shots. And yet, Reyya did not even tell her own mother a plan on how to save her. Reyya felt horrible.

About ten minutes later, when the nausea faded slightly and she lay on the loveseat her hand to head, when her brothers came in. It had been quite awhile and Reyya was starting to question whether or not they would come. Her drunken father came waddling in a few seconds later, a wheelchair in tow. Mama's head limply hung on the back part of the wheelchair. Reyya sat up in awe. At the sight of Mama, she looked dead and within seconds, Reyya was up and in her father's face. "What did you do to her?" she sneered.

"What the hell you talking about?" her father slurred, his hands up in protest. At the sight of his left, scarred hand, she remembered back to the time when she was six and she stabbed her intoxicated father after he tried to attack her mother. Ever since then, she always was very protective of her mother, especially now.

Demetrius, the eldest twin, stepped in between the two of them. "Hey, calm down Reyya. Look what were you thinking?"
"Huh?" Reyya asked confused.

"You're terrified of killing," Darius replied, throwing his hands up in the air.

"I did it for Mama," Reyya replied, barely an octave higher than a whisper. "She needs the medicine. If I win, she'll get all the medicine she needs. She will be okay again. She needs this. She cannot die." Tears began to form in Reyya's eyes but she sniffled them back, trying not to show her weakness: her mother.

"Reyya, we can find other ways. This was not one of them," Demetrius replied.

"And you didn't even tell us," her father finished.

She shot darts of hate in her father's direction—oh! how she hated him—and responded, "I didn't tell you because I knew all of you would protest, even Mama."
Upon hearing her name, her mother gently opened her eyes. "Mama," Reyya replied, crouching down to one knee and cradling her mother's hand.

Her sickly mother turned to her and smiled her gentle smile. Before her mother got ill, her mother was actually quite beautiful. It still boggled Reyya's mind why on earth she chose her father. Maybe it was because Mama saw something good in him, she always did anyway, with everyone.

"Reyya, you do not have to save me. You shouldn't have done it, you—cough—didn't have to darling."
"It's okay. I promise I wanted to. And yes, yes I do have to have to save you. You are my mother. You, you just cannot leave Mama. I love you too much," Reyya replied with tears streaming down her face.

"Shh, child it's okay. I understand your decision. It was wrong, everyone must die eventually darling, but I understand you cannot let me go yet. I do have one condition if you are going to be forced into these Games… I, I want you to, to fight—cough, cough—you hardest and win these Games. Mama thinks you're strong enough to take on these, these, these Games. I love you and I want you to have this," she replied, giving her a small little heart shaped photograph of the family. Reyya wanted to protest; she liked the picture of her mother in her locket. But Mama had one condition and this was it. A sad smile formed on Reyya's lips. "I will Mama, I will try my hardest."

"Good," Mama replied as she fell back to her slumber and a Peacekeeper came in saying their time was up and she immediately hugged her mother, whispering in her ear, "I love you Mama and I always will. Fight hard for me. I'm coming home for you." She gave her brothers a quick group hug as they said, "You'll win and we love you."

Her father of course, said nothing as he wheeled her mother out the door. Reyya wished her darts of hate could choke him. She could not trust him as far as she could throw him, especially with Reyya not there no more taking care of her mother.

Rhodes smiled to himself in spite of himself. He was now going into the Games to show those Capitol jerks who was boss and who could really bring justice to the Districts. No more children were worth dying for these ridiculous Games. Thirteen was going to be the last Hunger Games anyone ever played/watched.

Plus Rhodes was very please at the thought of immediately turning Lark's volunteer down. It felt good. He showed Lark, he was not all that and that he was not going to volunteer for his last Games. He ignored the threats and now was smiling to himself.

He wondered if Mera could come visit him. She was after all underage, however maybe she could sweet talk the Peacekeepers into letting her talk to him. Mera could bargain better than anyone for a little six year-old. There was no doubt in his mind Mera would come through.

Yet as an hour passed on, Rhodes began to become nervous that Mera might not show up at all. After all, the tributes were only allowed two hours for family and friends to come and say goodbye to them. The rule was just made three years ago, after tributes went insane from being trapped with nothing to do in a room for eons and causing to delay the Games and Capitol anticipation further.

Rhodes occasionally peeked out of peephole in his door to see if anyone was outside negotiating with the Peacekeepers to let them in to speak to Rhodes. Yet all times, no one was there.

He found himself staring at the door for about another half hour, just waiting; his eyes darting from the oak doors to the ticking clock on the wall.

With ten minutes left, Rhodes felt as if no one was coming and eventually gave up. He plopped onto the couch, utter despair hitting him. I never got to say goodbye. True, he knew it would only be a little while, but still. He had never been so far apart from his mother and sister for long. Plus, he had specific instructions to give to Mera beforehand. Yet now they would go unanswered.

Suddenly, the door opened. Rhodes just felt that it was the Peacekeepers summoning to bring him to the train to the Capitol but when he sat up, tiny Mera stood at the doorway, a small, depressed smile on her face. "Mera," he breathed as he stood up and walked over to her, embracing her in a hug. "What took you so long?"

"Mommy made me get a few things. But don't worry I got them for her."

"She made you run errands now?"
"No for you. Here," she replied, handing him a District 2 emblem pin. "She wanted you to have this. She said she remembered when she was a girl, that she saw a pin like this. She wanted so bad but her Daddy would not let her get it. It was too expensive. She told me to run to the market and buy it for you. I only got it for a bag of her mommy's broken pearls!"
"Mera, it was that much," Rhodes exclaimed.

"No, I was able to lower the price too."
Rhodes looked it over. It was a nice pin and he needed a token. They sat in a few seconds of awkward silence when he suddenly noticed Mera crying. "Mera—"

"Don't die out there Rhodes. Please don't die. Mommy is dying and I don't want you to leave me too. I don't want to be alone," she exclaimed, sobbing.

He embraced her in a hug and stroked her curls. Then he pulled her back, grabbed her shoulders, looked deep into her azure eyes and replied, "Hey, don't talk like. I'm coming back. I am a Career after all, I've been trained for a while. I can do this. I can win for the District. I'll bring home medicine for Mom and soon, we will live in a nice house in that Victor's Village unlike our pitiful shack we live in now okay?"

"That was what Opal and Renly said," she replied between hiccups.

"Yeah, but I am not like them. I keep my promises. I am strong, smart, lethal and I can win. I'll win for you," he replied. "I promise."

She smiled and nodded. "Come back as you please and I love you."

Coming from anyone else, that might have been quite a shock but coming from Mera, it was not truly a shock. Wise beyond her years. Rhodes knew it too. He knew what Mera meant. She meant not to come back corrupted like how the past two victors of the Games were (from District 1 and 4). He was not going to be like them. Rhodes knew it. He was going to fight with justice for his sister, for his mother… to bring down the wretched Capitol.