District Seven & Eight Reaping's

Medallion Birch (District Seven) POV

"Medallion! Medallion, get up!" Someone yells and jumps on my bed. I let out a grunt and open my eyes. My twin sister, Locket, is sitting on the edge of my bed, and my older brother, Key, is standing behind her. "Yey, he's awake!" Locket says and jumps up.

"Yeah, I'm awake. Can you explain why you jumped on my bed to wake me up?" I ask sitting up and yawning.

"Because I want to do something before the Reaping, and you've been sleeping like a log all morning," Locket says.

"What time is it?" I ask and start to get out of bed.

"It's almost eleven thirty, Reaping starts in a little more than an hour," Key says.

"I slept that late?" I ask. Key and Locket nod. "Is there any breakfast left?"

"Well Key was going to eat what's left," Locket says pointing at our older brother, "but I talked him out of it."

"I wasn't going to eat all of it," Key says. "I just wanted some more eggs."

"Well we don't have much more," Locket says and turns back to me. "Get dressed and eat! I'll meet you at field!" Locket says and runs out of the room.

"I wonder where she gets all her energy," I say as I walk over to my closet.

"Dunno, but she has it. I'll be waiting in the kitchen."

"Don't eat my breakfast," I call after him.

"I won't," he calls back before closing my bedroom door behind him.

I go to my closet and open it. I dig around for a minute before tossing on a pair of jeans and a grey T-shirt. I pull on an old pair of sneakers and go into the kitchen. Key is sitting half asleep at the table, but perks up when he sees me. "Here's your breakfast, Medallion," he says and pushes a plate of eggs and a small piece of toast towards me. "Eat up."

"You seem tired," I say and take a bite out of my eggs.

"Yeah, I was up late last night," he says quietly.

"Why?" I ask.

He's silent for a moment, then finally answers, "nightmares."

I don't need to ask about what, but I do anyway. "What about?"

He sighs and looks down; his brown bangs fall over his eyes, half shadowing his face. "Ribbon," he says.

Of course, with the Reaping's today and the anniversary of her death coming up… I'm surprised Locket and I haven't had nightmares yet.

A few years ago my older sister, Ribbon, drowned. She was chosen for the Games two years ago. She was doing well, but after a week she was jumped in her sleep. She thought she got away from him after a few minutes, but then he caught her and drowned her in a pond. Every year around this time the three of us- Key, Locket and I- tend to get nightmares about it.

I nod, understanding. We're silent again for a moment, and then Key begins talking again. "This time I dreamt I was in the Arena with her," he says. I listen, but don't reply. Key seems to have drifted back into the dream. "I saw the tribute chasing her, and I wanted to help, but I couldn't move. I was standing at the edge of the pond, and even when the other tribute jumped her and held her underwater I still couldn't move. I tried, but I was frozen.

"It took so long for her to die. I know it takes a while in real life but in the dream it seemed like hours before she finally died." He puts a hand over his eyes and I can tell he's trying not to cry. "I couldn't even scream. I couldn't scream for help or in terror, and I couldn't look away. I saw her flailing and trying to get away the whole time, and at one point she looked right at me… and there was nothing I could do."

He falls silent again. I reach over and pat him on the shoulder, "It's okay. It's going to be okay," I say softly.

He puts his head down on the table and pounds his fist again the table. "Why did it have to be her!?" He snaps. "Why? She was so nice, and so outgoing and so…so…"

He breaks down into sobs. I feel really sad now. I get out of my chair and sit in the one next to him. I pull him into the best hug I can and let him cry.

A few minutes later Key begins to calm down, but he doesn't pick his head up and he's still crying. Then the front door flies open and Locket comes in. "What's taking so-" she stops when she sees Key. "He had the dream again, didn't he?" She says sadly.

"It was a lot worse this time," I say.

"I had a nightmare last night too," Locket says. "But we all do are now, don't we?"

"I didn't have one," I say after a moment. Key looks up and Locket gives me a strange look. "I don't know why, but I have a feeling when I get the nightmares it'll be a lot worse," I tell them.

"Maybe one day it'll stop," Locket says. "I'm sure Ribbon wouldn't want this."

"She wouldn't," Key says, "but we can't help it, can we?"

"No, we can't, but let's try to take our minds off it," Locket says. "Still want to go to the field?"

"I guess so; you want to come, Key?" I ask.

Key shakes his head. "I think I'll hang out here," he says.

"Well, if you change your mind you know where to find us," Locket says. "Let's go."
Locket and I leave the house and head to the field, which isn't really a field, that's just what we call it. Since District Seven specializes in lumber there're trees all over the district- and there's a thick cluster near the edge of the district, that's almost like a miniature forest. Locket and I come here to climb all the time, and Ribbon used to come with us when she was alive.

"Last one to the top's a rotten egg!" Locket says when we stop at the base of a tree. Before I can react she takes a few steps back, runs forward at the tree and uses to momentum to run up the side of the tree to a branch a few feet over our heads. She grabs onto it and pulls herself up.

"No fair! You had a head start!" I yell up at her and take a few steps back.

"You snooze you lose!" She calls and I run up to the tree.

Like Locket I use the momentum to run up the tree and grab onto the branch just as I lose my momentum. I swing my legs up and hang onto the tree with them. I shimmy closer to the base of the branch to get a more stable hold, then get on top of the branch and stand up. I reach for the next branch, pull myself up and then reach for the next branch.

It's almost like climbing a ladder, keep going up, hand over hand, one at a time. Before I know it I'm at the top of the tree.

Locket Birch (District Seven) POV

"Last one to the top's a rotten egg!" I yell to Medallion. I take a running start at the tree and shoot up to the first branch. I grab it and clamber onto it.

"No fair! You had a head start!" Medallion calls after me.

"You snooze you lose!" I call to him and clamber onto the next branch.

I keep climbing up. Climbing is one of the few things that comes easily to me. It's a simple matter of finding the strongest branches and footholds in the bark. One branch at a time, up and up.

As I get closer to the top the branches become smaller and slimmer, making it a little hider to climb. When I get on a branch it bends under my weight, and that makes me a little uneasy, but I ignore it and keep climbing. Before long I'm at the top, and only a few seconds ahead of Medallion.

"Yes! I win!" I say.

"No, I won!" Medallion says.

"I got up here first," I say to him.

"You had a head start, so it doesn't count."

I stick my tongue out of him.

Ribbon would've reached the top first, I think and frown.

"What's wrong?" Medallion asks and climbs onto the branch next to mine.

"Nothing, I was just thinking that…Ribbon would've reached the top first if… if she was still…"

"Alive?"

"Yeah," I say nodding slowly.

We're silent for a moment, and then I say, "So you didn't have a nightmare yet?"

He shakes his head. "No, but I have a feeling when I get them it'll be worse," he tells me and I nod, understanding. "Do you want to talk about yours?" He asks.

I think for a moment, then I nod. "It started the way it always does, I was wandering, lost in a forest. Then I heard her screaming, so I followed the noise, trying to find her- to save her this time. When I showed up she was already under water, so I jumped on the other tribute, but he didn't even notice. I fought and I fought and I fought but he didn't even seem to know I was there. Finally Ribbon died, but then he turned to me.

"He grabbed my neck and held me underwater. It felt like I was under there for hours, and all I could see was his face, distorted above the water. Then I saw Ribbon. Her body floated above me, but she was face down in the water and…" My throat tightens. I can't keep talking.

Medallion puts an arm around my shoulder. I feel a few tears slide down my face and right now, I miss Ribbon more than ever.

"I just hope none of us are picked for the Games again," I say and lean my head on his shoulder.

"Same."

After a moment Medallion says, "Why don't we head home, we have to get ready."

I nod. "Okay," I say. The two of us quickly climb out of the tree and start walking home.

I doesn't take us long to get ready, since none of us have really dressed up for the Reaping since Ribbon died, we all wear the same clothes we have all day. We all walk to the Reaping's together- my brothers, my parents and I- and we quickly sign in. Then we all go to our sections- Key to the fifteen-year-old boys, Medallion to the fourteen-year-old boy and I to the fourteen-year-old girls.

We arrived a little on the late side, so it's not much of a long wait before the Reaping begins. It's the same thing every year- and I almost fall asleep. Finally the escort says, "Ladies first!" and picks a name from the girls bowl.

I cross my fingers and hope it's not me or my friend, Aspen. I don't want anyone I know going into the Games ever again.

After a long, long moment the escort finally pulls a name out of the bowl. "And now, our lucky female tribute is… Aspen Woodlin!"

Aspen? No. No! NONONO!

My breath catches in my throat, and for a moment I think I'm going to faint. No, Aspen will never survive in the Arena!

"Any volunteers?" The escort chirps.

"I volunteer!"

Wait, what just happened?

I'm not in my section any more, I'm in the path between the boys' and girls' sections, flanked by Peacekeepers and I'm walking up to the stage. I see Aspen get off the stage and she gives me a thankful, yet worried look.

I'm on the stage now, and the escort is picking the male tribute. I'm a little dazed, still not entirely sure what happened. I couldn't watch Aspen go into the Arena, so I must've just volunteered for her.

"And out male tribute is…"

Wait, she's already picking the male tribute? Doesn't she have to ask me my name? Maybe she did. I was out of it.

"Medallion Birch!"

What? Medallion? Did she just call my brother's name?

I watch in horror as my brother leaves his section and slowly makes his way to the stage. I want to scream. I want to run. I want to do something, but I can't.

I'm going into the Hunger Games with my brother.

When Medallion gets on the stage the escort looks at both of us, "Birch… are you two related?" She asks.

"Yes," Medallion answers. I'm glad he's talking, because I don't think I can. "We're twins, actually," he says.

"Oh, well, this certainly will be interesting! District Seven, let's have a hand for our newest tributes, Locket and Medallion Birch!"

Silence. Pure and utter silence. No one talks, no one claps, no one moves at all. Most of them know us, and even if they don't they know how close we are, and that our sister was in the Games two years ago. They're not happy about this, and want to do something, but this is all they can do. Silence.

The escort seems unhappy at the silence, but tries to keep things going anyway. She tells Medallion and I to shake hands and we do, but then we pull each other into a tight hug. When the Peacekeepers tell us we have to go into the Justice Building we refuse to leave each other. They escort us both into one room and we sit together, and I hope something happens that can get us both out of this alive.

Norma-Jean (District Eight) POV

"Norma. Norma wake up."

"Go. The hell. Away."

"But Norma, you have to wake up."

"Let me set a few things straight here," I growl and sit up in bed. "First off- I like being called Norman, not Norma. Norma is a damn girl's name. Second, I don't give a shit why I have to get up- I'm going to keep sleeping if I want to sleep!" I snap, lay back down and pulled the blankets over my head.

The nanny pulls the blankets back down and tells me to get up again.

"Why?!" I snap. "Why the hell do I have to get up so early!?"

"It's Reaping day, you have to get up and get ready," she tells me.

Oh yes, Reaping Day. The day where I have to watch a bunch of pathetic, lesser idiots get chosen to fight to the death. They're all so nervous, but I bet I could win that Game with my hands tied behind my back.

"Fine," I growl and get out of bed. "Are my parents going to bother talking to me today?" I ask as I walk over to my closet.

"I don't know dear," the nanny says. "All I know is right now your parents are at work."

Figures, I think and pick out an outfit- an old pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

"Oh Norma, don't wear that."

"First off, it's Norman. Get it right or else we'll find a new nanny, and second, why can't I wear this?"

"Because you have to look nice during the Reaping," the nanny says. "The Capitol says this is a holiday, and we always dress up on holiday's, don't we?"

"Well what the fuck should I wear then?" I ask.

"Don't curse Norman, it's unbecoming," the nanny says and walks over to my closet.

"I'll curse if I want to, bitch," I say.

"Norman! Don't talk to your elders that way!" She says and puts her hands on her hips.

"I'll talk to anyone anyway I want to," I say and cross my arms.

"Well you'll talk to me with more respect than that, or I'll quit."

"I've been thinking of getting a new nanny anyway, so if you want to leave then leave," I say and gesture to the door.

She seems to contemplate leaving for a moment, but doesn't. I knew she wouldn't, she need the money, and we have it. If she doesn't work for me she'll be down at the factories making hardly enough money for food.

I wait a few minutes as she goes through my clothes and finally pulls out a nice black suit. I scrunch my nose at it. "You don't like it?" my nanny says.

"Wow, are you a mind reader?" I say sarcastically. "I'd never be caught dead in that damned suit."

My nanny throws her hands up in exasperation. "Fine, wear what you want to wear! I'm going to go finish making breakfast," she says and leaves my room.

I smile. Finally she's gone! I walk back over to my closet, grab a pair of patty hand-me-down jeans and a hand-me-down T-shirt and toss them on. I toss on an old beat-up pair of sneakers and don't bother to tie them before going to the bathroom. My brown hair is tangled up in a mess. I quickly run a brush through it and head downstairs. I sit down at the table as my nanny places a plate of blueberry pancakes in front of me. "Eat up," she says.

I tear into the pancakes and I'm done eating within minutes.

My nanny frowns again when she sees what I'm wearing. "You really should put on nicer clothes," she says to me.

"Do I look like I care?" I say slowly. "Am I speaking another language?"

"Don't talk like that Norman," my nanny says. "It's no wonder you don't have any friend if you're always talking to people like that."

That strikes a nerve. "What did you just say to me?" I growl.

"I'm only saying if you were a little nicer to people then they might like you more," she tells me.

"I don't need to be nice to people!" I snap at her. "All I need is money. When you have money you don't need to be nice to people- because they'll do anything you want them too if you give them enough money."

"No they won't, Norman. You can't buy your way out of everything, and not everyone will take the money."

"You're still here, aren't you?" I say and she falls silent. I smile. I thought so.

I walk into the living room and watch television until my nanny tells me it's time for the Reaping. I argue with her for a few minutes, before finally grumbling and storming out the door. It's raining right now, but I really don't care. She walks me a few blocks down to the square and tells me to wait in line at the sign-in desk. I ignore her, and shove my way to the front. "Just sign me in," I snap at the Peacekeeper. He gives me an annoyed look, sticks my finger and presses it roughly to a sheet of paper with my name on it. I walk to the thirteen-year-olds section and try to find a spot without too many people.

"Hey look, its rich boy," a boy my age says.

"Don't talk to me," I say.

"You know you're not any better than us," he says.

"I have almost three times as much money as you do," I tell him. "I believe that makes me a lot better than you and the rest of your pathetic family."

I see him twitch in annoyance, but he only says, "Whatever rich boy, but you'll think differently once they pick you," he says and keeps talking to his friends.

I scoff. Me? Get chosen? Ha! Yes, that'll happen as soon as mockingjay's stop signing and pigs fly!

I think for a few minutes, and then finally I think to myself, you know what, I'm so much better than they are. I volunteer this year, and I'll be even richer, and I'll show them how much better I am than they are.

Soon after, the Reaping begins. The mayor reads Panem's history, and about how the Hunger Games to be. He then welcomes our escort to the stage who babbles one and on, before finally choosing a name. "Eva Fabris!"

"This was rigged!" someone snarls. Everyone looks over and sees a brunette girl at the edge of the eighteen-year-olds section. "I know it is, you people rigged it." She was looking at the Peacekeepers, and when a camera turned and focused on her she glared at it.

The Peacekeepers take a step forward the grab her, but she snaps, "I'm going!" She then ducks under the velvet rope and walks up the path to the stage. When she stand there she glares at the cameras, the Peacekeepers and the escort.

I've seen this girl, Eva, around. She's not the kind of person you want to associate with. I tried going out with her once, but she turned me down. I shouldn't have asked her anyway, I've heard her mom is a drunk, and that her sister's a bitch. I dodged a bullet with her!

"And now for our male tribute," the escort says, smiling brightly again. She's obviously trying to distract everyone from how much hate this girl seems to have, and her most-likely-true accusation of the Reaping being rigged. She pulls a slip right off the top and goes to read it, but before she can say anything I yell out, "I volunteer!" and bolt up to the stage. I'm a little wet by the time I get up there, since tents are set up over the sections but not the aisle, but I really don't care. I smile brightly at the escort, who gives me an odd look.

"Well then, what's your name?" She asks.

"Norma-Jean, but call me Norman or I'll bust you up. Also, I'm going to win this and prove how much better I am than these…idiots."

There's an irritated grumble for the audience, and the escort smiles brightly at me. "Well you seem eager! Good luck in the Arena, Norma!"

I twitch when she uses my real name, and I want to slap her. I almost do when she tells me to shake hands with Eva, but avoid doing so. I shake Eva's hand and dig my nails into her hand. Then, I'm led into the Justice Building by Peacekeepers.

Eva Fabris (District Eight)

"Eva! Eva get up!"

I growl when my sister Veronica yanks the bed covers down form over my head and I glare at her.

"Don't give me that look Eva, now get up," Veronica says.

"You can't tell me what to do, you're not my mom," I say to her and yank the sheet back over my head, only to have Veronica pull the down again.

"Well you don't see mom doing anything, do you?" she says. As if one cue we hear the sound of shattering glass in the other room.

"You're cleaning that up," I tell her. "And the puke that comes later." With that I yank the covers back up and wrap them around me, so it'll be harder for her to pull them down again.

"I'm not cleaning that up," Veronica says to me. "And you have to get up."

"Make me," I growl.

"You asked for it," she says and in the same moment I feel crushing weight on top of me and I can't move- or breathe.

"Get off!" I snap and attempt to shove the full-grown woman off me, but to no avail.

"Are you going to get up?"

"Fuck you!"

"Eva!" she gets off of me and rips the covers clean off the bed, and I tumble to the floor with them and land head first on the floor with my legs still on the bed. "Don't use that kind of language, especially to me! Do you hear me?"

"I hear you, but that doesn't mean I'm going to listen to you," I growl and get to my feet.

"I don't even know why I bother anymore!" Veronica snaps and throws her hands up in the air. "You never listen to me, you're always getting into trouble… you're an absolute train wreck! You're never going to do anything and I bet you'll end up just like mom!"

That was cold. Like mom? Never! I'll never end up like her… never.

"First off, there's nothing much to amount to in District Eight, and second, I am never, ever going to end up like mom!" I yell.

"Well that's where you're heading!" Veronica snaps back. "To think, when I started taking care of you I thought you might actually turn out decent, but it look like I was wrong!" Veronica snaps.

"Fuck off!" I scream. Without another word I storm out of my room and down the hall. I grab my sweater off the living room couch, kick on my shoes and walk out. No one tries to stop me, my little sister, Felicianna, was probably asleep until Veronica and I started screaming. She's probably hiding right now. Veronica didn't try and stop me, and my mom is too incapacitated to notice.

It's late in the morning, but dark storm clouds have begun to roll it, making it dark as it would have been hours ago. Anyone who's out right now doesn't notice me, in my dark jacket and dark sweatpants, as I walks through the streets and alleyways of Eight.

Finally, I reach my friend Leanne's house. I don't knock on the front door, but instead walk around to the back yard and open the window to her room. "Guess who?" I say monotonously.

"Hey Eva. What happened?" A girl with bright green eyes and dirty blonde hair says. "Bad fight?"

"Yeah, really bad. You know Veronica's temper- and my even worse one."

"Come sit down and tell me what happened," Leanne says and sits down on her bed. I pull off my jacket and sit down next to her, and then I recount the fight I head with Veronica. Leanne sits and listens as I talk.

When I finish Leanne stays silent for a moment, and then says, "She really said that?"

I nod. "She's such a bitch, sometimes I wonder if I should've just gone to the community home when I had a chance…"

"Well it wouldn't be any better now; they would have kicked you out by now, since you're eighteen."

"Yeah, but at least I wouldn't have to deal with Veronica all the time," I say.

"If you want you can stay here for a while," Leanne says, "door's always open."

"I know. I might stay here for a few days, but I have to sneak back either way- I have to pick up some clothes if I'm going to stay. I don't think I fit in your anymore."

"Today's the Reaping too," Leanne says. "so you have to get clothes for that."

"Right. I guess now's a good a time as ever. I'll be back in ten minutes, kay?"

Leanne nods. "Okay. Just be back as soon as possible."

"Okay," I tell her. I climb back out her window and head back to my house.

By now a light rain has begun to fall. I can tell it'll be pouring by the time I'm on my way back to Leanne's, and a torrential downpour by the Reaping. I wonder what they'll do during the Reaping, they'll probably put a tent up over the stage at least, to keep the slips dry, over the sections where we wait I'm not so sure about.

I'm back at my house before too long and I run around the side of my house to where my bedroom window is. I can't let Veronica know I'm home, or else she won't let me leave again and we'll only end up getting into another screaming match. It's not something I want to do again today, so I have to be quick and quiet.

I duck down and slowly look up and peek in the window. My room is deserted and the door is closed. Good, I won't have to close it myself, I think.

I flatten my hands against the window and slowly push up until it's open enough for me to slip through. I quickly shut it again and I run over to my closet. I pull it open as quietly as possible and grab my bag. I hastily grab my clothes and shove them into my bag.

That's when I hear footsteps.

My breath catches in my throat. I slip into the closet and close the doors as quickly and quietly as I can and tunnel under a pile of clothes on the floor. I hear the footsteps get louder, and then they get quieter. I wait another few moments, and then the footsteps return.

It goes on for a few minutes, and then I don't hear anything for another minute and slowly come out from under the clothes and slide out of the closet. I grab some more clothes, an outfit for the Reaping and close the bag. I also grab my raincoat, toss it on, throw my bag over my shoulders and climb back out the window. I close it again and dart back across the district.

As I suspected the storm has escalated into a full-on downpour. The streets are completely empty now, except for me. I feel the rain start to soak through my jacket and I pick up the pace. I'm not a super-fast runner, but I make it back to Leanne's house in good time. As I did earlier I run around to the side of her house and climb in her bedroom window.

"Good, you're back. I was about to come looking for you," Leanne says and I see she's changed clothes and has a pair of rubber boots on.

"I had to hide for a few minutes," I say. "I was almost done packing when someone passed my room, and I wasn't taking any chances."

Leanne nods. "Are you cold?" She asks.

"Not really," I say. In truth, I'm freezing, but I don't tell Leanne that.

"You sure?" She asks. "Either way you should change. My mom made breakfast if you want some," she says and leaves the room.

I smile a little bit, but whatever ghost of a smile was on my face is gone the moment she leaves the room. It's then that I realize how absolutely freezing cold I am. The odd thing is, it's not even that cold in Eight right now. Sure, it's only the beginning of spring, but it usually warms up pretty quickly around here.

Deciding to get out of my wet clothes, I toss of my jacket, change out of my sweatpants and my T-shirt and pull on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I'll change for the Reaping after I eat.

Fifteen minutes later I've eaten breakfast and have changed into a plain brown dress. I grab my rain jacket and slide that on. Leanne grabs her rain jacket, an umbrella and we leave the house with her parents and head to the Reaping.

It's still raining, but not as hard as it was earlier, but either way I'm soaking wet when I get there. Leanne and I get on the line to sign in. They take a blood sample from us and then we go to our sections. Leanne to the seventeen-year-old girls and I to the eighteen-year-old girls. It's a long wait, but finally the Reaping begins. The escort hops up to the stage, chirps her "Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor" before picking a name from the girl's bowl.

"And our female tribute is… Eva Fabris!"

For most people, the first thing they feel right now is either numbness or fear- of for the Careers, pure excitement- but all I feel right now is anger.

"This was rigged," I growl. "This was rigged; I know you people rigged this!"

A few Peacekeepers take a step forward. I glare in their direction and snap "I'm going!" before ducking under the velvet rope and walking up the path to the stage. I barely feel the rain hitting me and I don't notice it seeping through my clothes. All I feel is pure anger.

I don't bother paying attention to who the male tribute is, but when I'm told to shake hands with him I do. He digs his nails into my hand and I growl at him. Then we're quickly split up and led into the Justice Building.

SO SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE SOONER! Last week I went to a sleep away camp, and I had to leave on the eleventh. I planned to get this chapter up before I left, but I thought camp started the twelfth, but apparently they gave us the wrong day, so when we found out we had an hour to pack and drive to the bus stop. The camp also had strict "no technology" rules (excluding iPods, not sure why) so I couldn't write while I was there. But the chapter's up now- I really hope you like it!

Okay, sorry Medallion and Locket's POV's were short, but they spent their whole Reaping day together, and there was only so much I could do without it getting repetitive.

Okay, only two more Reaping chapters and then we can move on to better chapters. You excited? I am! Anyway I hope you like this chapter- even if it was a little short.

~~~Inky.