District Four Reaping
Sedna Okpik, 18
The glittering sea waves fall gently with mixture of water and foam as it hits the hot sand on the beach. The warm sand feels so comforting and familiar in between my toes as the sea wind blows my hair away from my face that accompanies the wind thrusting that salty taste from the sea in my mouth. So today is the day. I shift my weight to my one hip as I play with the carved pendant featuring the shape of a leather killer whale in my fingers. It will be my token.
When I was young I never once believed it would ever come to this. Me looking at the sea and trying to take in as much of it as I can before I am forced away from it. And I might never see it again. I live in District Four the District of wealthy careers and poor fishermen. But I am a poor fishermen career. No not a career, but I train. When I was eight a boy pestered me, for the fact of my short hair and the fact I wore overalls. He never saw me coming but it wasn't long to he was on the ground bloody and red with me not even scratched with my foot pressed into his stomachs. It was later that night I was offered the scholarship that is the blessing and the curse. I am trained yet being a scholar in a rich school is never fun. It only made me work harder.
Today I am not supposed to volunteer, Monica Davenport. Perfect looking girl with a rich victor daddy. She is the one who has been adding more and more weight onto the harassments from my peers for being a poor fisherman's daughter. I would just love to see the look on her face as I volunteer before she does. I know the pathetic girl, she will take her time. In her mind our trainers said she should do it so she sees it as no one would dare volunteer before her. She will do it slowly to gather more attention to herself. But it isn't just that, I have been training for this.
I want to do this. Somewhat. It would be wonderful to prove myself. I just wanted to see the sea one last time before my life is changed. If I win things will never be the same and that is why I gather this moment and hold it tightly to my heart. But by now everyone will be up and nearly done with breakfast so getting back home and getting ready is probably the best idea.
Finding an ease pace while running I hurry back to my home and burst through the door walking quickly in my token still in my fingers. My father has known for a while that I would be volunteering. My entire family knows. He believes that killer whales have always been what you can call my family's animal spirit, that they protect us. He thought this way I would have some kind of extra protection in the Arena.
My family turns to look at me. Though my home is small it contains five of us. Mother, Father, brother, and sister. Then of course myself.
"Sedna the reaping is in an hour get cleaned." My mother says and my little sister Nini nods and my brother Arnook just eats some of the fish on his plate. No we don't get a ton of fish we just get leftovers. Kissing my mother and father on the cheek I pick a piece of fish and hang it over my mouth before dropping it and chewing it swallowing it to see my mother scowling at me.
"You could have sat down and eat with us." She says and I shrug mouth still full and she laughs and I rush to the bathroom. The tub is already filled nearly to the top. Stripping out of my shorts and loose white shirt I slip into the tub and begin to wash myself into my hair's knots are gone and my hair fills smooth in my hands and my skin looks clean enough. Besides I just want to look presentable, when I get to the Capitol they will probably go to the extremes in the area of beauty.
Once clean I dry off and give myself a look in the mirror. A familiar face stares back at me. I am rather short, but I have a good body build and my arms have developed somewhat of muscles from years of fishing and hauling in nets and big catches. My hair is a jet black and I run my fingers through it once before beginning to braid it into two fishtail braids. My eyes are a sort of blue/green color and my skin a tan olive from hours in the sun. I am not beauty, I am presentable though. Defiantly not ugly. Maybe average, and after the Capitol gets to me I bet I can manage to be called pretty. Sexy? No but I wouldn't want to be referred to as sexy anyway. A girl did that last year from our District, she is dead. I don't want to die and I don't want to let anyone down.
Once my hair is dealt with I walk across the hall to my room I share with my sister, though she is still eating in the kitchen, and slip my dress over my head for the reaping and let my towel fall as I pull it over me. A cream colored singlet with a crocheted neckline, a long, sea green skirt that brushed the ground, and a wide leather belt. My feet covered with my brown lace up boots and my token attached. I bite onto my lips in anticipation. So today really is the day.
Even if I don't live I will outlast my District Partner, I have made it some kind of goal for myself. Everyone has judged me by the fact I am not filthy rich. But really I am not even that poor, I am middle class. But I will prove I can outlast some rich kid. I smile trying to feel confident but I am still nervous and jittery. I twirl one of my braids in my fingers and cross my hands waiting for a moment before I see the door open and my sister comes from behind it. She smiles. "You look great Sedna."
"You do to," I point out. It is her second reaping, she is thirteen now.
She walks up to me giving me a hug and even when she releases me she holds my hand, I let her since I will be leaving today. We walk together to join our family. We all exchange looks before walking together as a family onto the street. The entire neighborhood is alive with everyone all dressed up and making their way to the Town Center for the reaping.
I live further away from where the reaping is held though; I live more near the beach. Where there Town Center is more inland. The sun is hot today. Good I want to enjoy it. Upon arriving I separate from my parents and I and my siblings go to check in. Our fingers pricked for our blood and then I wave goodbye to them both and walk to the area for eighteen year old girls. My name is in there quite a few times. Nothing bad but we figured since I am going to be a tribute anyway might as well get some tessarae from it. The reaping begins. The escort Madelyna stomps up onto the stage with a cheerful attitude swirling all around here.
"Happy Hunger Games!" She chimes before the video begins. It seems to drag on forever before the escort then reads the list of victors. Then it is time for a name to be picked.
"Ladies first." She says with a nod. She picks out a piece of paper and clears her throat and smiles. "Erica Lee." I recognize the name, a neighbor.
A crowd turns to look at the girl with short black hair and glasses. She throws her hands into the air annoyed. "Are you freaking kidding me?" She says and I interrupt her before Monica can say her name.
"I volunteer!" I shout twice afraid they won't hear me. I turn to look at Monica and her mouth is wide open in hatred and her blonde hair really looks nice, what a shame no one will get to see it. I stand tall as I walk to the stage. The whole time Monica glaring daggers at me. "Sedna Okpik." I say into the microphone and sit down scanning the crowd for who will volunteer.
Madelyna smiles happy with a volunteer and goes picking out a boy's slip of paper. "Ever-"
"I volunteer!" I voice calls. I look and I see a very familiar face, to certain my suspicions I see the mayor next to me gasp in shock. My District Partner is the mayor's son.
District Four
Frank Pescado, 17
I hear the sound of cries comforted by a soothing voice. I pull my shirt over my head and walk into the next room where my girlfriend stands over the crib. She turns to me with a smile, "Go eat before I got this." She says.
I just woke up shortly ago before getting dressed yet Calypso already stands over the crib dressed with her hair in curls cascading down, she looks so put together. I am just seventeen and so is she too, that is why many don't approve of us. But even with our young ages I can at least say that even if I got her pregnant a year ago at least I have had the guts to stick around. Most men would just ditch their girlfriends in that situation. But I would never ditch her like that; this is why I am volunteering after all for her and my daughter Rebeka. I want the best for them. But even if I managed to stick around instead of abandoning her being the mayor's son in this situation isn't really helpful.
That is one more reason I want to volunteer. I am trained and the mayor's son, the odds are in my favor. Even if we manage to live in the nicest home of District Four I want my own home for me and my family.
"Okay," I responding to her and walking carefully down the hall almost to not make a sound. I arrive in the kitchen eating quickly so I can go upstairs and I can walk with Calypso to the Town Center for the reaping, I want to be with her and Rebeka this morning before I leave. Because today I head off to the Capitol. That thought sends a nervous tingling in my stomach and I finish eating and head upstairs again where she and the baby already stand at the door.
"Time for the reaping." She says.
"Yeah let's go," I say and I hold her hand trying to take advantage of this moment to walk to reaping holding her hand. This is all for her after all. While walking out the house I see my sister Bubble and my mother and father waiting. I smile to them.
My father is the mayor, so of course he needs to be early to the reaping. The Town Center is basically right next to my house so naturally the walk is quick and I watch Caylpso sadly hand Rebeka to my mother to watch while my I, Calypso, and my sister go to check in. My father is already on the stage.
Pushing through the crowd I see a girl with two brown fishtail braids walk away from checking in and the three of us walk past her before getting checked in. Once that is done I see people staring at me and Calypso, everyone finds us strange. But I can't go back in time so I rather not spend my time worrying over it.
I separate from the two heading to the section for seventeen year old boys and the reaping begins. The escort Madelyna struts onto the stage. She reads of the list of Victors from District Four. I glance to my father and find him staring at me. Something tells me he knows what I prepare to do; he has always been an intelligent man good with reading people. It still makes me even more nervous though.
"Happy Hunger Games!" Is shouted and then I hear the words that sound like, "Ladies first." I guess they already played the video. I was paying attention anyway. She walks and picks out a girl's slip of paper and reads the name loud and clear for all to hear.
"Erica Lee!" I see a girl let out an angry statement even cursing but before she can finish her rant a girl steps from the crowd. I am slightly surprised; this is not the Monica I heard was volunteering for sure. Monica is rich. This girl looks like a fishermen's daughter. I can tell by her tan skin that she has retrieved from hours in the sun. She is the girl I saw when checking in. She walks from the eighteen year old section.
"I volunteer!" She chimes. "I volunteer!" She repeats. I look to Monica who looks ready to kill this girl. I admit it does make me want to laugh a bit. But this girl is my competition even if she managed to embarrass someone who really could use it.
She walks to the stage and speaks into the microphone. "Sedna Okpik." She says and sits down.
Onto the boys, I need to be quick to volunteer. "Ever-" She reads.
"I volunteer!" I shout. I rush through the crowd careful not to glance to look at Calypso; I can't bear to see how shocked she must look. I walk onto the stage and I can see this Sedna girl recognizes me. I speak into the microphone trying to sound calm. "Frank Pescado." I say and then sit down.
Madelyna gives me a look. "Shake hands!" She says and I turn to the girl and I shake her hand but our hands only stay attached for a moment before I pull away. This girl has to die for me to live after all. I bet she is thinking the same thing, or how it isn't really far that a mayor's son is her District Partner. I don't blame her but there is nothing I can do for that, I am a mayor's son and I can't change that.
We are whisked out of our seats then I am shoved down the stage and angrily I look to see Sedna shoved harder, I guess they are going easy on me for my status. I guess I am use to that though. Once wedged into a car with Sedna and Madelyna we drive in silence to the Justice Building. I squint my eyes the light too bright to get a good look at the familiar building. The door opens and a camera is close but my arm is taken and I am escorted up the stairs beside Sedna before reaching the entrance where I am then directed away and then finally into a fancy room for my goodbyes.
But not goodbye for long, I need to get home. I need to. The first to come in is my family. My mother and sister embrace me in a tight hug admittedly. It feels nice to hug them. When I separate I smile at them.
"I will be fine."
"We know," My father says with a nod.
It is that that gives me a small gleam of hope, they believe in me. After a long goodbye they are escorted out and Calypso with Rebeka in her arms comes in and I hug her before taking the baby from her arms and cradling her.
"She has your eyes." Calypso says. I smile at her, Rebeka does.
"I am doing this so we can have a better life." I say. She smiles uneasily, she believes in me but I can tell she has her doubts. I don't blame her; there are twenty four people after all. But I will do just fine. After she takes Rebeka back she removes the ribbon tied around her head still bald. She hands it to me.
"Your token." She says with a smile. I nod and put it into my pocket. A peacekeeper interrupts the moment and tugs on Calypso's arm. "I love you." She says.
"I love you too." I say and then the door slams behind her and I am by myself.
Sorry I didn't get this out yesterday I realized I had this project due and... yeah school comes first. Well anyway what our your guy's thoughts on Sedna and Frank?
