Disclaimer: I don't own Hunger Games.
Sorry for the wait as well, I went on vacation and this chapter has been sitting on
my computer for awhile. I just got back today, and so I'm posting it. Again, sorry for
the long wait. Here's the District 4's Reaping.
POV: Laina Ley Betchwater (18 years old)
"Delaney," I hear my best friend and fellow trainee, Jane Spinnet yell as the two of us were racing through the large swimming pool, "We'll be late, if we stay any longer!" On the inside, I agree, but I would never tell that to Delaney's face. He's fun to be around, but I've learned after the years of him training me, if I complain, then he'll make us go longer.
"Just one more lap," Delaney calls. I could almost hear Jane groan at the thought of another lap. We've been training for hours already, waking up early, and training almost the whole time. We were currently in the pool and Jane was a little bit ahead of me. I wanted to not be late for the reapings; Marq would be there.
Marq and I were fairly good friends, and he was a Victor. Dad has some pretty good connections, and Mom is a fellow Victor of Marq, so the two of us spent a lot of time together. At least the time that Delaney isn't training us. Outside of training, Delaney is a pretty cool guy, and fun to be around. He's what Jane and I call our gay friend. We don't think of him as our trainer, or anything.
I push my arms forward, as fast as I can, but I know this is the one kind of stroke I fail at. The breaststroke, for one reason or another, I usually lose to Jane at, but otherwise I win. Jane is barely ahead of me, by about a head or so. I am determined to win, and so I try pushing myself harder, and I slowly gain on her.
"See you at the finish line," Jane said through the splashing water, jolting ahead. I try to gain speed again, but it doesn't work out very well. I know I must go on, and so I try keeping up my pace.
The last turn arrives and I'm not sure if I can catch Jane. I hear Delaney shouting things such as 'Come on! You can do it! Last one! Make it your best!' I know I really need to try and pick up the pace and sprint this last part of the pool. Focusing and draining everything from my head, I pick up the pace, faster than I thought I could, focusing on my technique and speeding everything up.
For a split second, I see Jane to my side, however, I don't get distracted and I keep on going. As the wall nears, I take one last stroke, hitting the wall with my hand and stopping myself. I look around, seeing Jane right next to me.
"Good job, girls!" Delaney says clapping behind us. I turn around and see Delaney smiling down at us. My arms are quite sore, even if I've grown used to exercise like this.
"Who won?" Jane asked. She always was a very competitive and this was the one stroke she was able to beat me in.
"It's a tie," Delaney stated, motioning for us to get out of the pool. I push up from the edge, and climb onto the floor surrounding the pool.
"Really? Darn," Jane says looking down.
"Don't feel bad, Jane. You both broke your personal bests. Though Laina beat it by a lot more," Delaney said with his cute little smile on his face.
"That's great!" I say with smile, feeling quite happy that I finally got the hang of the breaststroke. I look up at a television through the glass walls around the pool, seeing the District 3 Reapings starting to come to a close. Really the boy really seems like a wimp to me. Begging as he did, it will not earn him points with the Capitol. My eyes go wide with realization.
"We've got to hurry to the reapings!" I say before looking at Jane who nodded.
"Hurry up you two," Delaney said. The two of us broke into a run almost immediately. I nearly slipped on the water covered surface, but managed to keep myself from going too fast, unlike Jane. Jane plopped to the ground. I quickly changed courses, running back to her, helping her up, before the two of us ran as fast as we could out of the building, and into the streets. Neither of us are wearing shoes, and the roads are extremely hot from being in the sun, since it is summer.
I ignore the burning from the road in the bottom of my feet, and hurry towards the check-in point for the reapings. I almost am not able to stop in time. The lady checks my DNA with a prick on my finger, looking at the two of us with a questioning look. I ignore her, and look at the stage. We made it… barely. Both Jane and I hurry up into our designated spots, just as our escort steps out onto the stage.
"Yes," I sigh looking up there, still dripping wet from being in the pool. The girl beside me looks at me with a strange look, and I just wave her off, and she looks back up. It's the same each year. The reading of the Treaty of Treason, the execution of Katniss and her family, and then, the mentors come out. Marq waves out to the crowd and my mother comes out with a smile after Marq. District 4 only has the two, but most of our tributes have been able to get to the end.
When I see Marq, I remember back a few days ago when I heard him talking with his cousin Griffin Caulderson.
"I'd have mad respect for any girl who would willing go through the Hunger Games."
I look up at our escort pulling out the girl's name. Maybe if I was picked, he would have mad respect for me too.
"Rebecca-" the escort begins, however, she is interrupted.
"I volunteer!" a shout comes, and I realize it's me who is talking. I raise my hand and hurry up to the stage. I look back at my mother and Marq who both smile at me, not happy smiles, more like reassuring smiles. Marq looks so cute when he smiles like that. His deep blue eyes seemed to stare into my very soul. I really hope he is admiring me right now.
"Griffin Caulderson!" the escort calls out, pulling the boy's name out. I know the boy; he's Marq's cousin who lives with him. I heard a rumor that he was supposed to be crazy, and I wonder why they are even allowing him to be entered if he really is crazy. The boy steps out from the crowd and seems to almost strut up. However, in the middle of his walk up to the stage, he runs off to the side, almost jumping on a boy I know as Trask. I can tell he's saying something, but I don't know what he says, until I hear him yell as the Peacekeepers come to take him away.
"Or I will kill you!" he shouts, and I raise an eyebrow. I look back at Marq, and he looks worried. Maybe the rumors were true and Griffin was crazy. He sure seemed that way right now. Griffin soon is up on the stage. We shake hands and the two of us are separated into the tribute's room in the mayor's office building. I hadn't been here very often, but I knew the layout pretty well.
Soon I'm in a room with a couch and a desk with a chair. I start going over strategies that Delaney had taught me. He's not just my swimming coach, he's my Hunger Games personal trainer as well. He's quite smart as well. Even if he didn't compete, he was trained by a previous Victor, which died last year.
I look towards the door and see Delaney and Jane standing at the door with smiles on their faces.
"You volunteered! Why, Laina?" Jane asks, running towards me, hugging me, both of us still quite wet.
"I-I don't know. I just saw Marq and suddenly I found myself volunteering," I reply.
"Well, if you stick to what I taught you, you should win," Delaney said happily, hugging the two of us. The three of us soon released each other. We talked a bit more, but I was more concentrating on strategies I would employ in the arena. It was really hard to prepare for something you don't know about. When it was time for them to leave, they did so. Soon Marq came hurrying in.
"Hey, Laina. Don't have too much time, I just wanted to warn you before we got on the train," Marq said without a smile on his face.
"What? What's wrong, Marq?" I ask. In all the years we knew each other, he wasn't ever this panicked.
"It's about Griffin. Just… be careful around him, ok?" Marq said giving me a hug.
"Ok, Marq. I'll make sure to keep an eye on him," I reply.
"I hope that either you or Griffin win. Do what Delaney taught you, ok?" Marq said releasing the hug.
"Of course. But you'll be coming too, so this isn't good-bye, right?" I ask.
"Of course it isn't. I just wanted to warn you before you get on the train about Griffin," Marq replied sprouting a small smile, "He's not that bad of a guy, but he has… problems."
"What problems?" I ask curiously.
"Don't worry about it, just be careful around him," Marq replied, before turning towards the doors, where the Peacekeepers started coming from to escort him out.
"I promise I will!" I call after him just as the doors close. What in the world could be wrong with Griffin to cause Marq to want to warn me before getting on the train?
POV: Griffin Caulderson (17 years old)
I woke up with a start.
I didn't. Ha!
Shut up, Z!
No.
Just ignore him. He's the other person in my head.
You mean you're the other person in MY head, right?
No, that's not what I mean. He's really annoying, if you can't tell.
Hey, I resent that!
Shut up and let me tell them what I'm doing!
Fine… Moron.
Anyways, I woke up with a start. Peering around my-
Our.
Sorry, our room, I don't even realize what had awoken me so quickly, before it dawns on me. Apparently, my subconscious had awoken me because I knew it was a special day.
Yeah, subconscious. Is your subconscious named Z, by chance?
Today was the reapings. I slowly make my way to my closet, before deciding to put on my dark blue button up T-shirt, quickly getting dressed. My, sorry, our, room is quite large. Marq, my cousin, won the Hunger Games a couple years ago, and therefore, I lived with him after my parents mysteriously went missing.
Yeah, mysteriously.
Shut up!
I will when you do!
I shake my head at Z's stupidity.
Hey! I resent that remark!
I sigh, before heading towards the door, taking one last look at my room. I really hope I'm not picked for the reapings.
I do hope we're picked.
No one cares about your opinion, Z!
Lorelai does!
Anyways, I walk through the large house in the Victor's Village and down the stairs into the dining room where I see Marq smiling at me as I come in.
"Hey, Griff," Marq comments with a smile.
You already said that he was smiling.
"Ready for the coming weeks?" I asked smiling back. Marq has always been like an older brother to me, even if we've been cousins. My parents died, and he and his family took me in. Though, a year ago, his parents disappeared as well. I have a strong feeling Z may have been behind it.
What? No snarky comment on that, Z? At any rate, I sit down to the already made table, full of food.
Time to dig in!
"Shut up!" I shout, almost forgetting that no one else heard Z and most thought me of crazy.
"Z again, huh?" Marq sighed, eating a piece of toast. I simply nod, and he shakes his head with a smaller smile. "Don't let him get the best of you. You know what the doctor's say, if you just ignore him, he'll go away."
That will never happen! I will always be here! Why do people always assume Griffin is the real one? I can control Griffin when he sleeps, when he lets me take control, and when he's tired or shocked!
But, most of the time, I'm in control, therefore I'm the original one. I'm not saying you will go away, Z, no matter how much I want you to. Especially since, you will not shut up!
Heh… Because I'm just that awesome.
Whatever. So there I am, eating my breakfast, pacing myself to make sure I don't puke it up later.
Such a lovely thought.
And true. It isn't before District Three's reapings are being televised. That is usually the cue that tells me that I really need to start going or I will be late.
No, duh! They should already know this stuff, just hurry up, Griffin!
I really must apologize for Z, he's very annoying and impatient, part of the reason I hate him so much.
I hate you too.
Glad to know. So there I am, walking down the street towards where the reapings are. I am all alone in the sea of people, at least at this point. I, er, we have three pretty good friends, who DON'T think I'm crazy. Katrie, is my personal favorite.
And Lorelai is mine!
And the only one the two of us really agree on liking is Talon. He's a pretty cool kid. He's usually quiet, but he wicked good at guessing who would volunteer and those who would be pulled from the reaping bowl.
And he's a fierce opponent in our training sessions.
Yeah, well I always let Z take control during those, I don't like fighting. I prefer writing stories, and drawing.
Get a move on with the story, Griffin!
I'm getting with it. I just want those reading about me to know more about me.
Anyways, so the two of us were walking down the street, looking around hoping to see Lorelai, or Talon. Katrie's just annoying, but I let her hang around us. We make our way to the DNA checking station. Soon, I hear a familiar voice come up from behind us.
"Griff! Z! How's it going?" the familiar, high pitched annoying voice of the previously mentioned Katrie says from behind, causing Griffin to turn around and force our body to smile.
"Hey Katrie!" Griffin said in a disgustingly happy tone.
What about my voice is disgustingly happy?
Everything.
I'll take over now.
But I barely told any of the story!
And? I am the one in control of the body, I'm the one who was supposed to control this body, obviously.
Fine. I'm not happy about it though.
When are you happy?
Anyways, sorry again for Z's constant interruptions.
"How are you? And, how's Z?" Katrie asks.
Terrible.
"We're both great, how about you?" I answer. Katrie and I have been friends ever since my parents disappeared. Really, it was quite odd because no one has discovered what happened to the two of them. I try to think that Z did something, but how could he have cleaned up something like that so well no one has discovered. The authorities just think they ran away from the district and were probably Avoxes by now. I hope they aren't. Z has never liked my parents.
Yeah, well, you would hate them too if they refused to believe your existence.
I don't actually know if I would. They still raised us, even if they didn't believe you existed.
Can you believe their nerve? They thought I was your 'invisible friend'. Those ignorant fools. I showed them.
Showed them what exactly?
When you were sleeping, I pulled a lot of pranks on them.
You were the one who did those? You know it wasn't funny when Mom had her face squirted with the water from the faucet.
No, no, it was hilarious.
"Griffin!" Katrie yells. I quickly shake my head and look around, seeing that I had got caught up arguing in my head.
"Oh, sorry. Z and I, yeah…" I sigh and begin walking off to my section.
"We'll meet up later!" Katrie calls. I walked over to my spot in the lineup, right next to where the black haired boy I know as Talon Cauri is standing. We're lucky we're both the same age, and have last names that are similar, or we wouldn't be standing next to each other.
"So who's the unlucky people today?" I ask, knowing Talon has quite a talent at guessing who would be picked and who would volunteer.
"Laina Ley Betchwater will volunteer," Talon stated simply with a smile looking over at the girls, before turning back to him, "And Trask Yanet will try to volunteer." Talon looked darkly over to an 18 year old a little ways away.
Try?
Before I could get the chance to asked what Talon meant by try, we were cut off by the beginning of the reaping ceremony.
You really are an idiot.
Where did that come from?
It's quite obvious what he meant by try, you moron.
Shut up, or we'll miss Marq's entrance.
I hate him too. He wants me to go away.
Just like I do.
That's why I hate you too.
Are you sure that's the only reason?
Oh no, I hate your stupid goals and that Katrie that your friends with.
Well, she doesn't like you either.
She's never said that! How could she hate something that has to do with you?
She's not obsessed with me. Now you're just being stupid!
Geez, you're blind! She's obviously in love with you!
No she's not. She's just as in love with me as Lorelai is with you!
Not true! Lorelai likes me because I'm awesome.
You're not awesome.
"Rebecca-" the escort shouts over the microphone, however she was cut off from a shout of another.
"I volunteer!" a girl shouted raising her hand. That was Laina, the girl who Talon said would volunteer.
Good work! You made us miss everything.
Me? Me? You're the one who started it! Ah, damn it. She's pulling the boy tribute's name already!
"Griffin Caulderson!" the lady escort calls out. Wait, what? I have to take a double take before it clicks. My feet are moving without me trying to move them. My head turns towards where Trask was, before glaring at him, almost lunging forward. I've lost control.
Ha, ha! Surprise, Surprise! You know I can seize control of my rightful body if you receive a shock, and this is perfect!
Damn it, Z!
So there I am, happy to be picked. I've trained for this, unlike my counterpart, Griffin. As Talon had predicted Trask was about to raise his hand, and I shouted out.
"No volunteers!" I shout with a smile of glee.
You sick evil git!
And still Trask looks like he is about to volunteer. I run from where the Peacekeepers are escorting me, and almost pounce on Trask.
"Don't you dare volunteer," I hiss in his ear as the Peacekeepers come to take me away, "Or I'll kill you!" I shout the last part. Marq is looking, oh so scared, up on the stage. I'm pretty sure he knows that I had taken over. Even with the 'mental disorder' that curses me with Griffin in my head, and the doctor's declaring me borderline insane, they still are ok with me entering the Hunger Games. Too bad I couldn't control Griffin when submitting for tesserae. He didn't get any. I would've gotten as much as I could.
I just have to concentrate and then I can take back control.
Fat chance, not while I know you're trying to take over again. You're not the only who can force someone back in their head.
So here I am, escorted by the Peacekeepers up to the stage, and I glance to the side smiling at the most amazing friend I ever had, the 18 year old Lorelai Abernathy. Yeah, she's just a friend, and she obviously doesn't want more, like I do, but hey, she's cool!
Not.
I walk up to the stage and flash a grin at the, oh so brilliant, Marq Nettles. It's great. His cousin and a pretty good friend of his is going into the arena. I know that I'll come out victorious.
You'd willingly kill Laina?
Oh yes, I'd kill anyone. It's not like I haven't done it before.
Yeah, well I got in big trouble for that.
I still felt the 200 lashings as well!
Good. It'll teach you not to do that. We still have bruises from that, even if it was years ago.
Heh… heh… now at least I won't get in trouble for killing. This will be a fun Hunger Games.
Where we die.
Ha! Yeah right! Not with me trouncing everyone in training!
That's if you are in control.
I will find a way.
That's a bit worrying. I bet I'll have to keep an eye on you.
Ha! You can't keep an eye on me! You can't even see me, you idiot!
You know what I mean, you idiot.
No, no I don't.
Hurry up and finish the story or I will.
Fine. So I shake the hand of Laina and give her a wide grin, before we are escorted back into the building. I know this place quite well, as the mayor has requested to see me multiple times with my trouble making ways. He likes me.
No, he likes me. He can't stand you. It's quite obvious who is the real person here.
Me.
No, it's me. I'm almost always in control.
It just means that you have a stronger hold on your mind. Apparently, I'm out of my mind according to the doctors.
That's just because there's two of us here.
And? I'm sure there are others like us. Just because I'm not in control the whole time, or that I am plagued with you, I've been here ever since we were born.
And yet, I have never been able to stand you.
That's because I always want to be acknowledge that I am real. I've always had to stand out.
And you've always had to cause trouble to get acknowledgement. Maybe if you were a good boy, people would be more accepting. Now, I'll take over the story from here.
You're mean.
I arrive in the holding room where all the tributes go before they are carted off to the Capitol. It's a fairly nice room, but nothing like the houses in the Victor's Village. It isn't long before I hear a knock at the door, and Marq lets himself in. I'm still not in control, so all I can do is talk to Z, and Z can talk with the world.
"Z?" Marq asks almost unsure if it was. I feel my face curl into a grin.
"No, it's Griffin. I was able to control Z after that shock," Z responds.
Hey! You're such a liar!
I know I am.
"Oh, good, good. I was worried that he had taken control of you for a second," Marq said approaching me like a good friend.
"Well he did, but, I have him under control now," Z answers still with that weird grin on our face.
"Good. Well, I guess I don't actually have to say good-bye for now," Marq replies with a small smile, "Will you promise to try your best?" I nod, or we nod, I guess.
"Of course, Marq-y-poo," Z replies.
I do not talk like that!
Yeah, you do. I'll take over the story from here til the end of this part.
"Marq-y… poo?" Marq replies raising an eyebrow. I chuckle a bit at his reaction.
"You really are an idiot that you couldn't tell that I'm not your precious little Griffin. You don't know Griff at all!" I laugh throwing myself on the sofa.
"That's because I trust you. Yes, even you Z," Marq replied his expression hardening.
"You don't believe I exist, or that I'll just simply go away if Griffin ignores me," I say glaring at him placing my arms around my head.
"Z," Marq begins, but I interrupt, sick of hearing his excuses.
"I don't care. Just go," I say as gently as I can. Being in control feels so good, I can do whatever I want. Personally, I don't care about punishment, I want people to know that I am here, and I am not going anywhere. This is my mind!
Our Mind.
No, my mind. Marq stares at me relaxing on the couch. I close my eyes. I hear the door open and close, and I am sure Marq has finally left. I open my eyes again, to find three people standing around the couch. They must have entered as Marq left.
"Lorelai! Talon! And you," I say happily, adding a tone of hate to the 'you'. Katrie is such an idiot.
"Z!" Lorelai replies with a smile on her perfect face. It's really cool because she has naturally white hair. It's really rare, and it makes her look really cool. Talon, as usual, is silent.
"Hey, um, Z," Katrie says catching my attention. I shoot a glare at her.
"What?" I bark.
"Tell Griffin… that… um… I would love a date if you two survive," Katrie says. I feel like I'm about to vomit when she says that.
"No," I reply.
Yes! Yes, I will go on a date with her after this, Z! Damn.
"W-what?" Katrie says looking at me with her disgustingly large green eyes, looking like she was about to cry.
"No, I won't tell him, and no he won't go on a date with you. Who would like you, such a stupid little girl who doesn't stick up for herself, and acts like an idiot!" I say sitting up on the couch. Katrie bursts into tears and runs from the room, probably crying. Don't you see why I hate her so much? She's a spineless coward who is just stupid.
You're being mean, Z! That was going too far!
What are you going to do, kill me?
Well, no… but…
Idiot.
"That was going a little far, Z," Talon says shaking his head, before turning to go after Katrie, "I'll tell her what you really think Griffin."
"Fine," I mutter and glare at Talon as he leaves. It's times like this he's annoying, but otherwise he's cool.
"Hey, Z," Lorelai says with a smile, "Win this thing, ok? District 4 will be boring without you."
"Of course I'll win," I scoff with a smile, "When is there any doubt?"
"I'll have the training rooms ready for you when you come back. It should be fun sparing with a Victor, and beating his butt," Lorelai laughs, before leaning over and giving me a kiss on the cheek. I'm stunned, really, and silent. She slowly walks from the room, me watching, placing a hand on my cheek.
Whoa, what's going on? My hand isn't doing what I tell it to do.
Ha! Back in control! You're such a sucker when it comes to Lorelai.
No, I'm not!
Yes you are.
No, I'm not!
Yes you are.
No—
We could do this all day, Z.
Ok! I think what I'll do is 1-4 Reapings, 5-8 Train Ride,
9-10 Arrival, 11-13 Remake Station. I think we'll
try it out, and District 5's chapter will be sort of a test
to see if you all like it better, so it's not set in stone right
now, but I think it will be good. And I really hope that
Griffin's POV wasn't confusing. It was a little harder than
most to write well.