A/N: What do you know? I guess after that last Author's Note I had some creative ideas still in me! I had a lot of this done a while ago, but no inspiration to wrap it up. Thanks to a lot of you, I was incredibly moved to at least finish District Five, which I had put in a large amount of work into already. You all are so amazing. Some of the things said by you guys really spoke to me and meant a lot. I've decided to keep this story here and update when I have the time, energy, and inspiration. I will warn you that I may have long periods of time where there is no update at all and I'm sorry for that. A lot of you were very understanding with the whole college/work situation that recently came up and I am so thankful for that.
Anyways- I hope you enjoy and a two month wait hasn't stirred you away from this story quite yet.
~District 5 Reaping~
Alec Watt's .
A weight on my chest makes me feel a loss of breath. Probably the damn cats. I struggle to open my sleepy eyes and reach up my hands to swat them off. Slowly, my mind puts the puzzle pieces together and I realize Kamille is sitting atop of me. Good thing I didn't take a swing at her. "What are you doing out of bed?" I say groggily.
"I can't sleep, Alec," she says in a barely audible whisper.
I reach my hand up to my face and rub my eyes. I clearly remember her sleeping just fine when mom read to her and my brother, Celek, last night. Is it even morning? It's pitch black. God, is it still nighttime? Looking up at Kamille tells me there isn't a good chance of her going back to bed. "How about a walk?"
After Kamille agrees, she scampers back into her room to grab something to put over her nightie. I put on some old jeans and a shirt, a typical outfit for me. It is summer, but the nights in Five are still cold. I grab my cargo jacket off the hanger as I leave my room. Kamille is waiting in the kitchen for me, occupying herself by playing with Polo, one of our two cats. "Are you ready?" I ask quietly, cautious not to wake my mother and younger brother.
"Mm... Yes! Wait, no," she runs back to her room and comes back with a wool blanket. "Can we look for stars?" Kamille says, her hazel eyes pleading to my matching pair. I used to sneak out all the time with her when she was little, well, little-er, to stargaze.
"If it's not cloudy," I give in.
We squeeze through the back door, making sure none of the cats follow us and that we don't wake anyone in the house. I was used to this little routine, as I would sneak over to my girlfriend, Pippa's, house every couple of nights. Her parents weren't really one to care, as they never really minded who she was with or where she was. There were nights were I would wait until my family was fast asleep and head over to Pippa's house just to talk to each other until the sun dawned and I had to go to work. If my dad was still around, well that would be a different story.
The district was also quite big on curfew, but as long as you stuck to the alleys you were hidden well enough that the peacekeepers or cameras wouldn't see you. Even at night, the district of lights was aglow with running power plants because although everyone is asleep, our district never rested. We fueled the Capitol, and in return our district didn't starve to death.
My steel-toed boots tapped lightly against the cobblestone with each step as we made our way through the backstreets. It was the only noise in the night air besides the hum of the generators and the buzzing lights around the buildings surrounding us. I could hardly see Kamille run in front of me when her dark sweater and black hair blended so closely with the lighting around us. Albeit, I tried to keep a close eye on her so we wouldn't bump into trouble. The peacekeepers would have our heads if we were found out in the district at this time of night.
It isn't a moment after thinking about what would happen if we were caught when I trip over some metal scraps on the ground. "Fuck," I let the word slip. The scraping aluminum against the floor creates an almost ear shattering noise in the quiet setting. I stay on the ground trying not to move a muscle, listening closely for any sound of curious footsteps. Kamille stops in her tracks and tries to help me up, but I push her against the brick building behind a large bin of trash. Her small frame makes it easy to hold her close to me so we can stay hidden.
We stay there for several minutes, but for I'm sure for Kamille's young, seven year old mind it feels like hours. She attempts to squirm out of my tight grip, but I hold my body over her as we're pressed up against the metal trash bin with my arms wrapped securely around her. I'm not about to risk losing her for my own clumsy mistake.
When no noises arise from the silence, I finally let her go. We walk down to the end of the long alley, this time more cautiously, and look around the corners for any sign of authority. When we see the coast is clear, we slyly walk toward the fences and farther away from the radiant core of District 5.
To be quite honest, staying low and hidden wasn't my forte. I had better chances running rather than stashing myself away in secluded areas or shadows. Hell, I could outrun a lot of people here in 5. When everyone here is cooped up in the factories, I'd be out of the district in the woods. Before Pippa, Kamille and I made constant night trips out in the wilderness. And between then and now I would walk outside the district to clear my mind. All I had to do was tell my boss I was doing some work by the fences and I was free to roam.
They made it easy, really. Working in maintenance I was able to disarm the electricity in one of the panels and leave and re-enter whenever I pleased. It helped having one of the security officers as my best friend. I'd known Karter for years and years now, and ever since he got the night shift in the business I didn't have to worry about frying myself because someone turned on that panel of chain links.
"Come on, Alec," Kamille says under her breath, rushing to get on the trails and see the night sky. I have to grab her arm before she heads for one of the fences still buzzing with enough power to melt the skin right off her bones. The sudden adrenaline that has tensed up my muscles slowly starts to lower and I relax. I lead her over to the part of the district fences where the high voltage no longer remains and let her squeeze under the fence in a divot in the soil. I follow close behind her, trying to fit my slim, yet tall figure through the small opening.
We have made a lot of ground when Kamille says, "If we go any farther we're going to walk right into the Capitol!" I chuckle a bit and run my calloused hands through her hair. As my hand falls, I feel the goosebumps on her skin and I take off my cargo jacket to give to her. It enshrouds her entire body, and the bottom of the coat almost hits her feet. Her petite body looks even tinier in the immense amount of fabric.
"Well, we need to make it far out enough so there's no light from the district," I remind her.
I reach down to grab her hand and I catch her looking up at me. She takes a big breath then asks, "Alec? What would happen if the Capitol found us out here?"
"It doesn't matter, Kam. We'll be fine. All you need to remember is that they keep us fed, and as long as they're there for us, you and me will be okay," I say this truthfully, but I know one day when she's older I'll have to bear watching her stand in the crowd of children on reaping day. The Capitol was one thing, but the games were another. And for now, she didn't need to focus on that.
She looks down and mutters, "they weren't there when dad needed them."
We start to wander into an open field where we can finally see the sky. There's no clouds, lights, or trees to keep us from watching the stars here. We spread the wool blanket in the grass, Kamille being extra careful setting her side of the blanket down neatly. We lie in our makeshift bed peacefully. No one talks. We just look up.
I begin to think about what Kamille has mentioned earlier. There's no possible way she remembers him since she was so young when he died. It was only a year after Celek was born, and he's only a year younger than her. I begin to wonder if the stories she hears at night from my mother contain more than just fairytales.
I can't even imagine putting that story into words. It was all just a mix of emotions. One day he leaves for work like any other, and I go to school. It turned out to be a good day, but when I got home the house was empty. I sat at home, confused, for a long time. Then mother came home with the bad news. Something about an incident and dad's arm. I don't remember much, just mother trying to calm me down while I sobbed. She reassured me he'd be alright. One of the healers in the district was doing their best to amputate what was left of his arm. She told me all of us were going to be okay, and that kept me from crying.
The next week was a bit clearer, father was at home and his conditions demanded rest. I remember what it felt like to be the man of the house for once. For eleven years my dad tried to make me the best man I could be, and I could finally prove it to him then, when he really needed me to. I really didn't know it would be a permanent job though.
The surgery, as well as it could have went being performed by just an old District 5 healer, was a blunder. He died within a month from the infection.
My hand encloses around my little sister's hand again as we continue to gaze among the masterpiece of constellations above us. "Whatever has happened before, Kamille, we have a new story written in the stars above us."
~Disrict 5 Reaping~
Pepper Cresent's P.O.V.
Rebecca Rabbit squirms when I pick her up at first, but she's used to my gentle arms, and she settles in nicely after I'm lying back on my bed. I usually can't pick her up out of her cage until the girls are awake and out of our bedroom for three. Living in a house blaring with noise kept my time with Rebecca short. Whenever any set of twins would come in, she was sure to startle. Her blue eyes would just pop from fear.
Me on the other hand, I could take the noise. I was probably about half the noise in this house, truthfully. Not that my siblings were any quieter. My sisters, a set of twins, were pretty obnoxious when they wanted to be, and my brothers who were also a pair of twins were only six and were able to create quite the havoc around the house. I kept up my fair share of playfullness, though. If the boys wanted to rough house me or play with toys with them, I would.
Radha and Lavinia, my sisters, were quite close to me as well. Probably closer, actually. They were easy to relate to, and being a big sister I always felt superior when they came to me for questions. Now that they were ten and beginning to have the same problems as me, I knew I could turn to them for advice. Of course, there were things I wished to tell them, but I knew it would be too complicated for them to understand. Issues that are too mature for them. Issues that are for people older than me.
Carefully, I set Rebecca back in her cage and give her a small slice from a papaya. It's rare for her to get fruit or vegetables, as my father is a bit more strict about that sort of matter.
I wipe away the small strands of black and white fur from Rebecca's thick coat off my cobalt colored blouse and start to tread my way into the hallway. I find my mother sitting discreetly on our worn down couch watching something on a holographic screen. It seems to be some Capitol talk show recapping the 83rd Hunger Games. She turns her head in a ninety-degree angle so I can only see half her face. It's enough to get a glimpse of her fox-like blue eyes. I had inherited the shape, but not the gorgeous hue. She gives a large smile, something I can commonly pick out on her face, then says happily, "Good morning, my sweet Elysia." She then pats the spot next her to her, motioning me to come sit.
Elysia was the name my mother yearned to give me, but it became my middle name instead. My mom often used it when she would talk to me and after many years I can say that it is something I much rather preferred to be called.
I stride over and take a seat. Trying to get comfortable, my body leans into her forcing her one of her arms to wrap around me so it isn't trapped by her side. "What are you watching?" I am certain of what it is, but I feel the need to keep up a conversation as I usually do.
She stares at the moving pictures on the holographic slate looking like she has been hypnotized. In almost a sort of drowsily tone, she answers, "last year's games. It's the most violence I've seen crammed into a game yet." She pauses and it's obvious there's something else on her mind as well. "Reminds me a lot of District 3."
Memories can't help but flood back into my brain from those times. I remember the explosions and the warehouses burnt down to ashes. The peacekeepers with the batons and the civilians with bruises so swollen their faces didn't resemble the old ones. What I remember most of all was my father telling me to be a brave girl. I was only four, but the images were fresh in my mind like the papaya in Rebecca's cage.
"But maybe Indran and Finnlay wouldn't be here if we never had that reason to escape," I try to cheer her up.
She looks into my eyes, the green ones that contrast with hers so wildly, and chuckles noticing my poor attempt to lighten the mood. "Yes, but maybe you'd have another sibling if it weren't for that damn peacekeeper," she says with a fake smile.
As if their ears could hear us talking about them, Indran and Finlay, run up to us and flop onto our laps. They're so hyper you can almost see the crazed look in their eyes. While being trampled by six year olds, the giggling girls decide to join in on the party.
In all the chaos, mom looks at me and laughs, "perhaps it's best we didn't have triplets."
We manage to fend off the little ones with tickling and a few tricks up our sleeves, but in an instant, my attention is torn away from my family from a loud bang. I kind of jolt, as the gunshot sounding noise seems to remind me of past events. It's only a moment afterwards that I realize it was just something on the television screen. Thinking back to when I first heard that noise, it was the day Radha and Lavinia were born.
We're running through District Three, in the midst of some sort of rebellion. Fires were raging and people were screaming. I remember seeing a peacekeeper raise his gun at a man holding a sign with some sort of bird on it. A mockingjay I assumed. When I heard the shot, mom fell down and I could have sworn I was about to lose my mother from a gunshot wound. I was wrong, luckily. She was forced into labor from the startle, and in a matter of hours I was a big sister.
When it was all over, and Katniss and the other rebelling victor's were killed, I was just a girl in District Five adjusting to her new lifestyle being a big sister and the new girl in school.
I had asked my parents when I was older if I could watch footage from the 74th games to see what had disturbed the peace of Panem. I came to admire the revolutionary acts from Katniss and Peeta and I watched their games countless times. I had probably picked up so many tactics just from watching those reruns over and over.
Of course, there was never any need for it. I never once pegged myself for someone to go into the games. And sure I had taken some tessarae, but being the only eligible child in the family and our low income, I felt the need to. I aspired to make my family have a better life than the one they did in 3, but not in a way that would endanger my life. The games were horrible and I couldn't imagine going into one. Not even after the traumatic events from my background.
Besides, I had plenty to be happy for. A great family, an even greater boyfriend, and plenty of friends. I had no intention for my life to be changed by some small mistake.
~District 5 Reaping~
Alec Watt's P.O.V.
When I wake up from my dreaming state, I notice we've been sleeping out of the district gates in a completely visible area. There's a quick panic that sets in and makes my heart beat a little faster, but we seem to have gone unnoticed, so I remind myself that there's no reason to freak out. I sit up slightly and lean back, using my elbows to prop me up. The sun was out and beaming rays of light all across the wilderness of District 5. Without the protection from the shady trees, it was a little warm being directly in the sun's path. But the sights of the meadow we made our slumber in meet my eyes for the first time and it makes up for it. I can now see the purple wildflowers surrounding us and the black sky has been replaced with a beautiful, bright blue.
I nudge Kamille and try to wake her so she can see what my eyes have the pleasure of viewing. When she rises, she's a ball of sweat from being in the heat in my thick jacket. She brushes her black hair away from her eyes and smiles at the sight before her.
The walk back is full of smiles and laughs. Kamille makes fun of me for tripping over a tree root, to which I defend myself and say, "what are you talking about? I'm a ninja."
"A clumsy ninja," she giggles.
We're a little more viligant on our way through the fences, as it is mid-day and anyone can see us. Nevertheless, we make it back to the house fine and in one piece.
When my mom sees us come in she raises her eyebrows, questioning where we've been, but she understands when she sees the wool blanket in my arms. "How was it? The stars?" She asks setting the table for breakfast. Maybe lunch. I'm not quite sure.
I throw the blanket over a chair and shrug, "we had a fun time." Celek awkwardly grabs a handful of utensils with his fists to hand to mom. I feel kind of bad for not taking him last night for a second. "Next time, you'll have to come along," I tell him.
"What about me?" A familiar voice rings in my ears and a pair of arms enclose around me from behind. I turn around and give Pippa a small kiss on the lips which makes her eyes light up a bit.
"I don't need to see that!" I hear my mom yell behind me. "Whatever happened to cooties?" I turn towards her laughing a little. Pippa looks slightly embarrassed, even though she should be used to my mother by now.
"Do you need help, Leslie?" I can tell Pippa's just trying to play off the embarrassment until her cheeks return to their porcelain color again. My mother gives her some things to help set up for lunch, so I decide to check on Kamille and see what she's up to.
I'm greeted by her in a pink dress. She does a few twirls showing off the new piece of fabric mom bought for her. We joke around and I join in on her little fashion show, trying to strike poses and make her laugh. I succeed.
After lunch, Pippa and I take Kamille and Celek to the candy shop so they can each pick out some chocolates like they do every reaping day. Kamille makes sure to express her sadness that this will be our last year visiting the shop, since I'm eighteen. I've noticed Pippa also seems a little unhappy today, and while the kids are walking ahead of us I ask her what's wrong.
"Nothing... It's just your last year to buy us chocolate," she says with a fake smile. I nudge her with my shoulder trying to figure out what she's really worried about. "I'm fine, Alec." Why are girls so complicated?
"You promise?" I hold out my pinky and raise one eyebrow.
She stares at my finger for a long time with a sort of pained look in her face. "No," she says sounding almost defeated. "It's stupid, really. I'm just worried for today."
"The reaping?" I'm beating a dead horse saying this. Every year her anxiety takes over and she freaks out about reaping day. Not to mention, since we met she's had double the stress worrying about both our wellbeings. I'm usually the only one who can calm her down from her full- on attacks. "We'll both be fine."
"You promise?"
I hold out my pinky with a smirk.
~District 5 Reaping~
Pepper Cresent's P.O.V.
"Dishes." My dad repeats for the third time in the last hour. "We've got a pile of dirty plates in the sink that you need to get to."
"I know, I know," I reassure him with a smile, "I'll get it done." Beginning to walk over to the sink I start to notice the tower of dishes my family has so graciously left for me. I guess it was just the joy of living in a large family.
He kisses the top of my head roughly. "We've got errands to run, so get to it!"
I let out a hearty laugh. "There's no way I'll get this done and still have time to go with you. Just go without me."
In a matter of minutes, I am home alone with nothing but a sponge and a mission. I get a good start on the chore and spend the time I have by myself to think a little. But besides the often clash or clank of a dish, it was just dead air, and ten minutes into it I felt pretty lonely.
I'm relieved when my boyfriend, Zane, shows up at the house because I was in dire need of some company. It was good timing, as well. If he had shown up fifteen minutes earlier when my parents were in the house, he would have been shooed out before he even stepped foot through the door. My mother was probably the easiest going gal you'd ever meet in 5, but boys were a whole different story. She met my father when she was only fifteen, only a year older than I am now, and later had me that year. As a result, I wasn't allowed to have Zane or any other boys over, and Radha and Lavinia weren't allowed to date, period. She and my father made sure to make it clear to Zane and any other boys caught flirting with their little girls that if they saw us doing anything they'd probably have their heads!
Although, Radha told me plenty of times of a boy named Mitchell she had been talking to. She could deny it as much as she wanted, but I knew they had a thing going on. Ten years old and she was already sneaking out to go see him.
I couldn't really tell my mother though; I had done far worse crimes than just sneaking out. And I had paid for them.
"We really should talk about it, Zane. I think it's starting to drive me insane." I sort of fall into his arms instinctively. I make my eyes go cross eyed simultaneously, trying to act insane and add less weight to the serious conversation I've dragged us into.
He pushes me against the counter, not forcefully, but enough to make me feel a little trapped, "Do we really though?" He asks me seductively. It's hard not looking back into his sultry blue eyes, but I know that we really need this talk, and we needed it soon.
I try to squeeze out of his arms, it becomes sort of a game, but when I finally get out of his reach I say, "Zane, this is serious. I can't just bottle this up inside me; you know I'm not like that. We need to talk about this." My lungs feel a little heavy since I worked up some wearisome breathes and it staggers my words a little. I hope my point still made it across to him loud and clear. I'm a bit unsure if it did since his face, usually bright and happy, looks a bit sullen and he looks like his mind is trying to put together some sort of response to say back to me.
My heart gets a little heavier too when he finally responds, "I'm going to head out. I'll see you at the reaping." He kisses my cheek and makes his way towards the door.
XxXxXxXx
After a rough day, I feel too upset and worn down for a stressful reaping day. I decide the walk straight to the town square, avoiding obnoxious boys trying to get my attention. I was used to the harassment anyways. I was always a more attractive girl growing up, with my blonde hair and foxy green eyes. Not to mention, I had gone through some earlier changes than some of the other girls in school. I wasn't allowed to wear lower cut shirts because it was "distracting" to the learning environment for boys. In my opinion, they were all just perverts.
Desiree, my best friend, is already in her spot for the reaping with the other fifteen year olds. I take a place towards the front of the fourteen year old section so I can stand near her by the barrier that separates us. When she sees me, she gives a bright smile and leans over the rail for a hug. Whenever I was in dire need, Desiree was there for me. I decide I'll tell her about the problem going on between Zane and I after the reaping.
We talk for a while, having a light conversation until the escort walks onto the stage. I take admiration in her outfit, which just happens to be my favorite color- a sky blue. If only, the design wasn't so god forbiddingly ugly.
Suddenly there's a shift in the gaze of the crowd, all eyes are faced towards me, besides Desiree's, who has her head hanging low. Did I really miss the name? I ask myself as I watch a tear fall off Desiree's face. My heart clenches to the littlest of hope that what is happening is all just a dream. I even pinch myself- but I won't wake up.
I lean towards my best friend, somewhat blocked by this metal pole between us and give her a hug. My mouth trembles as I whisper the words, "good luck".
Desiree grabs my shoulders and pulls me away from her. Tears still in her eyes, and something else as well. "Pep… I didn't get called." There is a moment of realization and her words sync with my train of thoughts- "You did."
Quickly, I grab Desiree close to me and pull her in for another hug, this time my entire body trembling. I don't know how long I stayed there, but it was too long for the Capitol audience. A peacekeeper grabs me by the sleeve of my black and red dress and tugs me away from her. I walk towards the cement stage, feeling more like I'm waddling than taking confident strides like I typically do.
The steps are the hardest, because from this altitude I can see the crowd. My family, Desiree, Zane, everyone is staring at me.
I don't even notice I've stopped in my tracks on the fourth step until I get another friendly reminder from that peacekeeper. The escort makes some sort of comment to the cameras, but my eyes only see her mouth move. Everything is quiet as I process things, I hate it.
The escort slips out a paper slip from the boy's side and a tall boy from the eighteen year old section comes up. We shake hands, but he doesn't look at me, just somewhere out in the crowd with a sorrowful look in his eyes.
When he lets go, my hand slides down to my stomach. Looks like we've got three lucky tributes representing District 5 this year.
A/N: I have a few questions for you to answer in reviews for those of you who are signed up for sponsor points-
-What is one quote you particularly liked in this chapter? ($100)
-Thoughts on Pepper and her secret? ($50)
-Thoughts on Alec? ($50)
-Have you seen Mockingjay yet? What were your thoughts? Any favorite parts?($100)
-My absolute favorite part was the Hanging Tree scene!
I also have a few birthday gifts to give out-
Charlotte Lace (D7F)- Sept. 4th
Mandi Danoir (D1F)- Sept. 19th
Pepper Cresent (D5F)- Nov. 5th
-Each of these girls will receive $200 in their sponsor accounts for the special occasion.
Lastly, the review I mentioned earlier in my A/N last chapter was an anon review under the name of "Shock689". I would like to clarify that the review was NOT written by the user and fellow reader in this story Shock689.
Thanks for reading and all the fabulous support!
Love, Fifi
