District 3 Reapings-
Marie Circuit -
I toss and turn in my bed as I dream. In my dream I have been reaped and am in the arena. I watch as massive giants leer over me with clubs, swords and other weapons I don't know. The biggest stand with a sword about to kill me when I wake up shaking. It is the reaping today and I am very scared. Scared because it is my first reaping where I have a disabled arm. My arm was paralysed from my elbow down about 6 months ago in a factory explosion that also killed my father.
I get out of bed and walk into our kitchen. "Morning" I say to my mother and my younger brother Byte putting on a fake cheery voice. They look up at me but don't say anything. I think we're all very nervous today. I sigh. If I get reaped today then I want to spend my remaining time actually talking to my family. They don't understand what it's like. My mother can barely remember her reapings and my brother is only 9. I eat quickly then head back to our bedroom to get changed.
I pull on a simple dress and hunt under my bed trying to find something. I pull out the small crumpled picture of my father. It's one of the only things I have left of him. He looks like the adult version of Byte. They both had brown hair and blue eyes. I have his blue eyes but I have blonde hair. I scrunch it into my pocket and walk back into the kitchen "I'm ready to go" I say.
Jarvis Stark-
"Jarvis, get up its reaping day" My father yells from downstairs. I groan as I roll out of bed and quietly walk down the stairs. My father is fiddling around with some machine he made but it isn't turning out well. I roll my eyes and show him how to fit the clip into the circuit. I've always been told that I'm really great with computers and have already started working in the tech factory. I grab a roll for breakfast and start to eat it. My dad and I don't really consider eachother family, more friends. My mother died in childbirth and I know my father hasn't forgiven me. He tries but he still has had trouble forgiving. I don't even call him Dad I call him Tony (Tony Stark, Jarvis Stark *shakes head in disbelief*).
I pull on some clean clothes and race out the door to meet my friends. For some reason a lot of people are really shy in District 3. I know I'm not. I'm considered the charismatic joker of my friends. Though I'm told that a lot of my jokes are a bit offensive. I spot my friends Static, Watt and Tric standing on the corner of the street. I rush up to them "So reapings today, are you nervous?" I ask. They all nod, obviously they are too nervous to speak. I laugh "Come on lighten up its not like any of us are going to get reaped" I say. But I know that I am very nervous too.
After that they calm down a bit. Well they start talking. I check my watch and gasp. It's almost time for the reaping and you do not want to be late for the reaping. The peacekeepers are tough in District 3 and you don't want to get on their wrong side. I wave goodbye to my friends and start running to the square.
Marie Circuit-
"Bye" I say to my mum and Byte. Then I join the queue of kids waiting to get their fingers pricked. After I get my finger pricked I walk over to the middle of the crowd of kids hoping that they won't get reaped. I watch as the mayor says a speech before reading the treaty of treason.
Then our escort Vivian walks to the stage. He seems very excited today. He eagerly walks over to the girls reaping bowl and hunts around for a bit before pulling out a name. Ha reads it out to the crowd "Marie Circuit". The name sounds familiar and it echoes around in my head until I realise with a shock.
Marie Circuit is me.
Jarvis Stark-
I see a blonde haired girl walking from the 15 year olds section. Vivian asks for volunteers but no one comes forward. No one in their right mind would want to compete in the Hunger Games. Vivian then picks a boys name and reads it out. "Jarvis Stark".
I hear a gasp from someone in the crowd as I walk to the stage. I try to just look blank and show no emotion but inside I an terrified. Again Vivian asks for volunteers and again no one comes forward. "Happy Hunger Games" shouts Vivian before we are taken off stage and into the Justice Building to say our final goodbyes.
My first visitors are Static, Watt and Tric. They burst through the door and Watt says "God Jarvis I'm really sorry" I see Tric struggling to bite back tears. "I'll miss you" he says and tries to choke out more words but I can't hear it. Static waves goodbye and says " We'll be going for you" before they walk out the door and away from my life. I sit waiting for a while before I hear another knock on the door.
This time its my dad. "Jarvis" he says quietly when he walks into the room. I wonder what it will be like for him if I don't come back. If he has to spend the rest of his life alone. I know I have to come back for him "Tony, I promise I'll come back for you, I will" he smiles sadly and says "It wasn't your fault your mother died" then he presses a scrap of paper into my hand, hugs me then leaves the room. I look down at the scrap paper. It is a picture of a young woman. I turn it around and it says Your Mother. She looks a lot like me. I smile and slip it into my pocket and wait.
Marie Circuit-
"Marie, I don't want you to go" Byte says. "I'm sorry but I have to go, but I'll try to come back" I reply. My mother is sitting in a chair her shoulder hunched. I wonder what it must be like to lose a husband and a daughter in 6 months. Probably terrible. I don't think I'll ever come back to District 3. But I want to help others get back to their districts and families. I want to help them win.
Byte is still crying sp I get up and walk over to my mother. "Mum?" I ask then whisper to her "I'm scared" "I know" she replies. Then my whole family just sits their thinking. Finally I hear a knock on the door and I know our time is up. I am taken away to the train that will take me far away from District 3. And I don't know if I'll ever be back.
7 reapings done! I'm only accepting a couple more tributes before I make more bloodbaths. So get your submissions in now. All of Districts 1-7 are filled up.
